Fotos

I sent out an email with pictures attached but for some reason a few people didn’t get them. So I’ve posted them here for everyone to see. The first is of the new school that we recently moved into. It’s a converted cow barn. The second is of two of the students. The third is of Jhon and Jorge tackling me the weekend that I stayed with them while the house parents were gone. The last one is of Jorge dancing and being silly. That kid is great and he’s going to do some amazing things in his life, I’m sure. And when you know his background it’s even better. Jorge was living alone on the streets of a nearby town just a couple years ago. Jerry, the director of the orphanage, found him and asked him about his family and living situation. At the time he didn’t have a name or know his birthday. He chose the name Jorge because he “always liked the sound of it.” He’s my best English student and he’s definitely made an impact on my life. So there’s a little more information on what my life is like here. Enjoy the photos!

Los Ultímos Días

Alright, so here the final installment of my trip with my parents (and only two and a half months later…). So we decided to finish off our two weeks together just relaxing on the beach. It was a good thought that turned out to be not so great in reality. The pictures here are very deceiving. They were taken during the (possibly) three minutes of sun we had while we were there. The rain and clouds weren’t the only problems, but I’d rather not remember all the unpleasant details again—the bugs, lizards, humidity, depressing absence of people on the beach, etc.
So instead of staying for the four days that we had planned, we hopped on a little plane and flew back to Quito. From there we caught a bus to a place an hour and a half from the city. Papallacta is a town that, like Baños, is known for its natural hot baths. The difference between the two is that Papallacta is a more natural setting and there aren’t as many people (generally). So instead of relaxing on the beach, we relaxed in our own private hot pool—only a couple feet from the front door of our cabin. It was a great alternative to the ocean and a wonderful way to finish up our adventure. We had a day in Quito together before my parents flew back to the States.

So there it is my friends—the Runcie family Ecuadorian Vacation. Hope you enjoyed all the pictures and stories. From now on I will post entries about my current life and situation which is going pretty well by the way. Hasta la proxíma vez entonces.