Highlights of Week 9

This is going to be a very short post for a very uneventful week. Uneventful isn't necessarily bad, it just means that perhaps life is more normal for me now.

Back to school on Tuesday morning (Monday was my recoup day but unfortunately it wasn't much of a help). However, it was the first day in a while that I didn't drop my head to the desk for a nap. Wednesday morning I woke up to discover that my air conditioner was leaking and right under it was my charging iPad, covered in water. That was not the way I wanted to start my morning. That afternoon I wrote blog posts that I didn't actually post (I know I've been slacking I'm sorry!) and posted my trip photos. 

Thursday I got my nails done at my friend Pamela's house. They were the fake kind and they literally lasted less than 24 hours (kind of a waste), but it was still a nice get-together. And I got to add some new Spanish music to my playlist. Then I went to Aroma de Café with Lorgia while Jorge had a march with the other Machala doctors to protest some new law affecting them. I really should look up what that's about. But the café was delish and I had a nice time chatting with my host mom. 

Friday, I woke up with a head-cold that had started with a bunch of sneezing the day before. My throat was sore and raspy, my nose was stuffed, and I had sore, red eyes. Then I burnt my throat taking this pill they told me to chew (never, ever again will I CHEW a pill). It was so disgusting- thank goodness we had water and gum to diffuse the flavor. After school I was feeling a little better, and I went with Lorgia and her mom to the march to the center apparently just celebrating the city of Machala. It was kind of cool to see all the people and the city pride, but we left before the presentation part started and I was disappointed that after all that I didn't get to stay and listen to all the singing and chanting. After errands and dinner with friends of my host parents (this must be a smaller city than I thought because we always bump into friends and have to talk to them when we are out), I was very tired and feeling a lot worse with the addition of a headache. I was relieved to get home for some medicine and rest. 

Saturday I got up and went to a party for my course being held at la finca (the farm) of one of my classmates. It was a sleepover event but I didn't have permission to stay over; in a way I am glad I didn't because it got boring later in the evening before I left. We pretty much ate food, played volleyball, swam in the pool and listened to music the whole time. The one thing that I find interesting and kind of cool about parties that the teens host here is the way they handle all the cooking themselves. They do the food prep from shopping for the meat to actually grilling it, and they are usually pretty good at it- taking turns by the grill and seasoning the meat really well. I don't know why, but it's something that has impressed me, probably because my parents always cooked (especially if it involved the grill) for my parties, and because it seemed like such a mature thing for young teens to handle on their own (when normally they aren't that mature with other things).

And I had another nice lazy Sunday, knowing that because I still don't have my fancy blazer and button down top for Monday's uniform that I wouldn't have to go to school the next morning.