Deep breaths...

I would like for this one to have a more enticing title but I am writing facts here. So, for those wondering, I am officially moved into Tena, Ecuador. However, I did not travel as planned. My flight to Atlanta was delayed and there was no way for me to make my connecting flight to Quito so I had to leave instead on Thursday. This ended up being fine because the other volunteer, Katie, had to delay her flight a day as well because she was sick. So, despite brief delays on Thursday also, I made it to Quito. Thankfully, I made a friend before the flight because he helped me to translate to the airport employees when my baggage did not make it. I found Katie and the woman who picked us up and we went to her house where we stayed for 2 nights.
The next day, she took us on some errands so I could finish the paperwork needed to complete my visa, and then to the Center of the World as well as an inactive volcano. Quito was a busy city but the woman we stayed with was very accommodating and helpful. We went to her son-in-law’s bar, Beertropolis, for a drink before going to get my luggage! It was quite different, I believe, then the way it would be in the U.S. as I only had a copy of my passport and had already turned in my customs forms, but I was happy to have my things.
The next morning we travelled by car to Tena. It was a beautiful drive through the mountains but the roads were very curvy! We were brought to our houses. I will be living with Gaby, a 30 year old woman, and her 5 year old son, Juan Francisco. They are both very sweet and Gaby speaks English very well. They have a dog as well, Myra. We took our first trip to the grocery store to learn what was good/bad to buy. That evening, Katie and I went with Gaby and her friends to a Quechua beauty pageant where traditional dance and dress was demonstrated. We were exhausted at the end of the night, having gotten up at 5:40 (note: breakfast was supposed to be at 6am but was not until about 6:45.
A festival celebrating the anniversary of the discovery of the Amazon Rivers took up most of Sunday, where I went with Gaby, followed by mass with Katie and her host mom.
Yesterday was the first day at work. The kids are super cute and appear to be pretty low level. I was able to set up the room I will mostly be working in but still have to figure out how my evals/progress notes will look. Wish me luck!
All in all, I was very overwhelmed initially but had to calm myself down. This is, after all, what I have wanted to do for so long. I had forgotten, similar to my experience in Nicaragua though, that all the changes come at once plus a language barrier. I am feeling much better now and adjust with each day, as I know it will come easier with time and I will get a grasp on how to communicate with people I miss back home.
I will try to post some pictures soon…