I´m still here...

Hello hello. Yes, it´s me I've finally come up for air and thought I should write a note to let you all know I am still alive and kicking.

First of all, everything is great!! I am busy, happy, frustrated, challenged, and fulfilled in my new site of Mindo. Like I told you before I'm working at a catholic boarding school with about 600 students, but only 300 are live-in students. So I have work 7 days a week!! It's crazy, but I love the kids and high energy atmosphere of the school. The children are from 4-20 years old but only the older children live-in (8-20).

The latest and greatest:

*This past weekend ended the week long fiestas of Mindo!! This means there was an actioned pack week full of activities, one being watching the crowning of the Queen of Mindo!!! You might think Alicia that is not very exciting most towns have festivals and royalty but Mindo is serious about their royalty. The competition started at 9pm and ended at 1am (4 hours!!!)! By this time I had had my fill of Queens and went to bed while the rest of mindo danced until 5am. Yes, the dance STARTED at 1am. These people know how to party and I guess I´m turning into a premature grandma choosing a bed over a dance floor. Oh the sad realities of my 24^th year of life. Ha ha. And then this past Saturday we had a big parade (it was two blocks long) and I marched with my First Aid club carrying water in case anyone got thirsty during the long parade. Haha, that's the dedication of my First Aid club!!!

*Some of you might have heard the big exciting news…I have been given the dream job of many that is obtain by very few…Official Lunch lady! Oh yes, I had to travel to the southern hemisphere for this once in a lifetime opportunity to serve food (hair net NOT included) 7 days a week, 3 meals a day. Working as a sort of a school Nutritionist most of my time is in the kitchen (where a woman should be, right?? Ha. I think they are trying to make me in housewife.) I am planning meals for the 300 live-in students, but with the pay of $5 a day for cooks it´s hard to find help so I am the new assistant cook and server. I had many ideas of what my Peace Corps experience might look like but I never EVER imagine lunch lady being one of the roles I would play…just one of the beautiful surprises of life in Ecuador. Ha ha.

*Another exciting news flash is that I found an apartment and after renting it for two months have finally gotten Peace Corps approval so I can move in this week just before my sister flies into Quito on Sunday night!! Melissa will be spending a few months down here enjoying the Ecuadorian life with me and helping at the school! This past weekend my friends and I did a little redecorating and painted my bedroom a vivid turquoise color (pictures to soon follow). very cute!!

*Also, next week I got invited to meet with the Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd, and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who will be talking in Quito!! I'm excited!

I think that about sums life in Mindo up for now…Hope this finds you well.

Much love to you always!!