Hi hi hi! Hola hola hola!
As I sit at the dining room table looking out at some gorgeous mountains covered by a little bit of clouds I can't help but think how unique this place is. There are palm trees lining the streets and there are mountains absolutely everywhere you look. The list of things we were taught to watch out for and be cautious of included both volcanoes and robbers. In Ecuador it is possible, as we were told at orientation yesterday, to wake up in the Amazon, eat lunch at the foot of a mountain, and then go have dinner on the beach. What a place.
Yesterday was orientation day so my family brought me to campus at about 7:45. Yes this was very early, but it's much easier to wake up early when it is not cold and dark outside so I didn't really have much trouble with that! We all got nametags and went in sat in this sort of lecture room, University of North Carolina and Michigan State were definitely the two schools with the biggest USFQ population, which was kind of cool. We were taught about the history of Ecuador, the services available to us, health, safety, security, etc. We were also introduced to some staff and got a campus tour. The campus is gorgeous. The tour was a little bit confusing, but that wasn't such a big deal seeing as it took us around 5 minutes to do the whole thing. :) What a contrast to MSU. During our little coffee break I met a girl who was from Mississippi who had also studied at USFQ this past summer, so she was able to tell me a little bit of what it was like and she talked to one of the campus tour guides about the places she'd visited before and the places he thought she should visit. Quite entertaining. After orientation the Michigan State students (I don't know why we get special treatment, but we kind of do...ha ha) had pizza with Maricarmen, our resident director. Maricarmen is a cheery, lovely woman who is sort of like a mother bird who has enfolded us all in her wings. After pizza, Christina, Tracy, Beth, and I went to get our phones. Well...Beth took us to get our phones because she had already gotten hers. I feel like the guy at Movistar (the popular phone company here) had probably had a lot of gringos come in recently because he knew exactly what we were after, cheap phones without real plans. Ha ha. So now I have my phone! Which is really nice because I feel a lot safer leaving the house with a way to call my host family or people I'm meeting up with.
It was Joe's birthday yesterday so the plan was that we were all going to go out later, but my host family really wanted me to go to a birthday dinner for my mom's sister. Of course I wanted to go to that too, but it was still sort of difficult because I was trying to explain that I would love to be able to do both while trying not to insult them or make them unhappy. I think I did a good job because it seemed totally fine with them that I do both. Yay! First kind of conflict dealt with. :) So later that night I went with my host family to my host mom's sister's house in another part of Quito. We hung out, watched some TV (because we were there way earlier than everyone else was supposed to get there), had some tea, etc. I was thinking it a bit odd when at 7:30 there was no food being made for a dinner that was supposed to start at 8:00. I mean I know Ecuadorian time is different and 8:00 means anytime after 8 but still. That was when the cooks arrived. Two guys came to make the birthday dinner food. At first I was taken aback, but I'm thinking that's how the wealthy do it in Ecuador. We didn't eat until 9:45. No wait, I didn't eat until 9:45, everyone else started at around 10 but the food was ready and so my family said I could eat so that I could leave and go out with people. Ha ha. In Ecuador it is custom to greet everyone with a kiss on the cheek. Even if you don't know them at all, if you meet them you kiss them on the cheek, so when Isabel and I came downstairs to eat after putting Joaquin to bed and there was a circle of 20 Ecuadorians sitting and chatting and celebrating, I went around and kissed them all on the cheek. I felt silly, but it was also very cool.
After eating Isabel called a taxi for me. At this point it was raining so most of the taxi cooperatives didn't have open taxis, but we foudn one and then she waited with me and told the taxi driver where to go. I was headed for Mariscal, or Plaza Foch, which is a totally tourist place where all the gringos go to party. Ha ha. I got there and waited a few minutes for my friends who were meeting me there after going out to eat for Joe's birthday. We were with Matt's host sisters and they took us to Bungalow 6, which I found it later is apparently the most gringo-tastic bar. Ha ha. It was SO much fun. Almost all the people from our group were there and I don't know it was just awesome. Much better than the clubs I had gone to in the states. We danced and hung out for a while then went outside with the purpose of calling a taxi then going back inside, but we just ended up hanging out outside with this guy who is an exchange student at MSU who is from Quito who we had met last semester. We chatted up him and his friends for awhile (it was no longer raining). There were like 4 police officers on the corner we were standing on which was kind of weird but they didn't really do anything for the whole half hour we were out there. I didn't notice how odd it was for awhile, but then I got kind of wary. Hmm... Anyways, one of the guys we were with flagged down a taxi for me and Rebecca and then we headed home! All in all a greatly fantastic night.
Today the plan is to meet up with Becky and go exploring. It looks to be a gorgeous day outside right now so let's hope it doesn't rain later!!! Although it probably will. :)
-EM
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Cosas Interesantes
Today has been another good day. I woke up kind of late (due to the fact that tomorrow I have to be at school at 7:45 for orientation check-in) and had some breakfast, played with Joaquin, then went to el centro comercial jardín (one of the malls here) with Isabel. The mall was surprisingly similar to the malls in the states, with many of the same stores. We came back, ate a delicious lunch, followed up with the Michigan Cherry coffee I got them, and are now relaxing and watching TV. Tonight will be another chill night because I have orientation tomorrow!
One noticeable difference I am seeing everywhere is how many security guards they have here. Security guards at ATMS in the mall, security guards outside car dealerships, security guards outside of apartment buildings, etc. If you want a job, buff up, come to Ecuador and be a security guard. :)
I love talking about the most random stuff and being able to make conversation. Today I told them about Grand Rapids and we talked about the Great Lakes and the U of M vs. MSU rivalry.
The president of Ecuador lives VERY close to our apartment. He doesn't want to live in the presidential palace so he has a motorcade take him to and from his house every day. We saw the motorcade yesterday!
An interesting thing that Isabel told me about yesterday is how at certain times during the day you can only drive on the roads if your license ends in specific numbers and it changes depending on what day it is. This is so that the roads aren't too congested because there are so many people in Quito. An interesting idea, no?
Also I like the Coca-Cola commercials here a lot. Much better than the ones in America. Ha ha.
The weather is how I expected it to be! Sunny in the morning, rainy and/or cloudy in the afternoon. :)
Photos!
-EM
One noticeable difference I am seeing everywhere is how many security guards they have here. Security guards at ATMS in the mall, security guards outside car dealerships, security guards outside of apartment buildings, etc. If you want a job, buff up, come to Ecuador and be a security guard. :)
I love talking about the most random stuff and being able to make conversation. Today I told them about Grand Rapids and we talked about the Great Lakes and the U of M vs. MSU rivalry.
The president of Ecuador lives VERY close to our apartment. He doesn't want to live in the presidential palace so he has a motorcade take him to and from his house every day. We saw the motorcade yesterday!
An interesting thing that Isabel told me about yesterday is how at certain times during the day you can only drive on the roads if your license ends in specific numbers and it changes depending on what day it is. This is so that the roads aren't too congested because there are so many people in Quito. An interesting idea, no?
Also I like the Coca-Cola commercials here a lot. Much better than the ones in America. Ha ha.
The weather is how I expected it to be! Sunny in the morning, rainy and/or cloudy in the afternoon. :)
Photos!
-EM
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Estoy aquí!
I am here!
Traveling yesterday was kind of a drag. In the past I've really kind of dreaded flying in airplanes, and the same was true of yesterday, BUT after our first take-off in Chicago I was feeling totally comfortable with it. I don't know why the change in heart, but still traveling just makes you feel yucky. You're in such a small space on the airplane and you have to step over people to do anything and the temperature is never right and the food is never great, so I'm glad that part of the journey is over. But God gave me safe travels and that was a great blessing. I was much more of a mess of emotions than I thought I was going to be, another reason why I'm glad yesterday is over.
Our landing into Quito was pretty much what I expected it to be, and it was awesome. (When I say "our" and "we" I'm talking about the other MSU students who were on the flight with me: Carly, Matt, Vicki, and Rebecca) There were a lot of clouds and such as we were losing altitutde, but you could still start to see some lights and such. There was also some lightning (relámpagos) that lit up the clouds and the mountains to the East. It was SO cool. I don't think I could possibly describe how awesome it was. THEN we burst through the last bits of cloud and Quito in its glory was before us. Huge. So many lights and cars and it was so hilly. Glorious. I'm glad we landed at night so we could see that. Then we deboarded (probably half our flight was American international students going to USFQ, or so it seemed), waited in line at customs (which was kind of nerve-wracking but ended up totally fine), got our luggage, sent it through one more security scanner thing, then wow. There were these electronic doors that opened onto probably 200 people holding signs with names on them or just waiting for people to come through. It was a bit overwhelming but very cool. There was someone holding a USFQ sign and since I didn't see my name I just went over and stood by her, she asked me about my host family and then went and found Isabel out of the crowd. Crazy.
Mi familia antrifonia (my host family) es fantástica. Isabel (my host sister) picked me up from the airport so that Marcia (my host mom) could be at home with Joaquin (Isabel's 7-month old son who is adorable y siempre feliz). She was super nice right off the bat and the way she speaks Spanish to me is perfect because it's slower and clearer than I think she speaks to everyone else. She said that my Spanish was good and was impressed that I can understand most of what she says. She drove me home (everyone was right, the way people drive here/the way the streets are is much different than in the U.S.) and then I got a tour of our gorgeous apartment and my room and bathroom. It is all perfect; I will upload pictures of it soon. And we have wireless internet (inalámbrico) here! This makes communicating that much easier. I was quite tired so I went to bed and slept until around 11:00 this morning.
Today I took a shower (I must've done something wrong though because I could not figure out how to get the water very hot), had breakfast, unpacked a little, and then we went out and did some errand-running. I wasn't feeling too well at breakfast, I think I'm having a little bit of mal de altura (high altitude sickness). It is unavoidable when flying into a place that is much higher than the one you left so I am just trying to stay very hydrated. This is easy because they boil their water to drink! So I don't even have to buy water bottles or anything. Although I was at the store today and a bottle of water was like 37 cents so that wouldn't have been the worst thing in the world. I was feeling much better by the time we ran our errands. Quito is beautiful, and not only in the way that cities are beautiful, it is beautiful in the way that the combination of cities and nature are beautiful. The window in our living/dining room looks out over the road to Cumbayá (the city where USFQ is) as well as looking out at a park full of trees (arboles) and other buildings and such. It is GORGEOUS. Isabel, Marcia, Joaquin, and I went driving around today to make some copies and we parked underneath this giant palm tree (palmera, a word Isabel taught me). We chatted about so much stuff, especially the differences in stuff between the United States and Ecuador. I would ask about something and she would say, oh is it not the same in the United States (all in Spanish of course) and then that would get us jumping around from one topic to another. Very educational already. :) We also went to el supermercado Santa Maria (the grocery store). When we parked we were facing these giant green-covered montañas (mountains). You just don't get that in Michigan. Ha ha. The supermarket was great. I was definitely getting, "you don't belong here" looks, which was fine. I bought some of the toiletry stuff I needed, and instead of buying the imported American brands (which they had but are more expensive) I simply bought some of the more local brands. I don't know how local they are, but I don't recognize them. :) As I was looking at the shampoo I noticed that there was one shampoo they had that had placenta in it. Placenta is the same in Spanish and in English, and the label had a woman holding a baby on it. I was amused and intrigued.
The city is so colorful and so big and I love noticing all the differences.
Also, the degrees here are in Celcius. And I know the whole times by 9, divide by 5, add 32 thing, but I'm much too lazy to do that so I've decided to just figure out what it feels like when it's so and so degrees Celcius. Today it was nice and warm outside and cooler in our apartamento (apartment). AND NO SNOW. :)
When we got back from the grocery store we ate lunch. We had this delicious meal, un "plato tipico" (typical dish), of pasta with this chicken and sauce stuff over it. With lemonade that tasted very fresh and an apple. I was not sure what to do about the apple because I didn't really know how it was washed, so I just took a middle route and cut it apart and didn't eat the skins. Then we watched some TV (I could understand almost none of it, but I was also very tired so that might have been why) and then I took a nap. I slept until like 7:00 which was later than I had planned on, and was a little disoriented (as always) when I awoke. I may have turned down their offer of dinner, not sure, and I really hope I didn't because now I'm hungry. Ha ha. Oh well, you live and learn.
This place is full of rich surprises.
-EM
P.S. I LOVE YOU ALL. And sorry that was like SO long. No one is going to want to read it all, but it's okay, you can just skim if you so desire. :)
P.P.S. I was getting real terrified on the flight over about speaking Spanish and such, and I know it will be much harder when it's with the people of Ecuador who don't know I'm not very good at Spanish (yet ;)) than with my host family who is very understanding when I don't understand something or know how to say something, but speaking with them has made me less nervous about the whole Spanish part of everything.
Traveling yesterday was kind of a drag. In the past I've really kind of dreaded flying in airplanes, and the same was true of yesterday, BUT after our first take-off in Chicago I was feeling totally comfortable with it. I don't know why the change in heart, but still traveling just makes you feel yucky. You're in such a small space on the airplane and you have to step over people to do anything and the temperature is never right and the food is never great, so I'm glad that part of the journey is over. But God gave me safe travels and that was a great blessing. I was much more of a mess of emotions than I thought I was going to be, another reason why I'm glad yesterday is over.
Our landing into Quito was pretty much what I expected it to be, and it was awesome. (When I say "our" and "we" I'm talking about the other MSU students who were on the flight with me: Carly, Matt, Vicki, and Rebecca) There were a lot of clouds and such as we were losing altitutde, but you could still start to see some lights and such. There was also some lightning (relámpagos) that lit up the clouds and the mountains to the East. It was SO cool. I don't think I could possibly describe how awesome it was. THEN we burst through the last bits of cloud and Quito in its glory was before us. Huge. So many lights and cars and it was so hilly. Glorious. I'm glad we landed at night so we could see that. Then we deboarded (probably half our flight was American international students going to USFQ, or so it seemed), waited in line at customs (which was kind of nerve-wracking but ended up totally fine), got our luggage, sent it through one more security scanner thing, then wow. There were these electronic doors that opened onto probably 200 people holding signs with names on them or just waiting for people to come through. It was a bit overwhelming but very cool. There was someone holding a USFQ sign and since I didn't see my name I just went over and stood by her, she asked me about my host family and then went and found Isabel out of the crowd. Crazy.
Mi familia antrifonia (my host family) es fantástica. Isabel (my host sister) picked me up from the airport so that Marcia (my host mom) could be at home with Joaquin (Isabel's 7-month old son who is adorable y siempre feliz). She was super nice right off the bat and the way she speaks Spanish to me is perfect because it's slower and clearer than I think she speaks to everyone else. She said that my Spanish was good and was impressed that I can understand most of what she says. She drove me home (everyone was right, the way people drive here/the way the streets are is much different than in the U.S.) and then I got a tour of our gorgeous apartment and my room and bathroom. It is all perfect; I will upload pictures of it soon. And we have wireless internet (inalámbrico) here! This makes communicating that much easier. I was quite tired so I went to bed and slept until around 11:00 this morning.
Today I took a shower (I must've done something wrong though because I could not figure out how to get the water very hot), had breakfast, unpacked a little, and then we went out and did some errand-running. I wasn't feeling too well at breakfast, I think I'm having a little bit of mal de altura (high altitude sickness). It is unavoidable when flying into a place that is much higher than the one you left so I am just trying to stay very hydrated. This is easy because they boil their water to drink! So I don't even have to buy water bottles or anything. Although I was at the store today and a bottle of water was like 37 cents so that wouldn't have been the worst thing in the world. I was feeling much better by the time we ran our errands. Quito is beautiful, and not only in the way that cities are beautiful, it is beautiful in the way that the combination of cities and nature are beautiful. The window in our living/dining room looks out over the road to Cumbayá (the city where USFQ is) as well as looking out at a park full of trees (arboles) and other buildings and such. It is GORGEOUS. Isabel, Marcia, Joaquin, and I went driving around today to make some copies and we parked underneath this giant palm tree (palmera, a word Isabel taught me). We chatted about so much stuff, especially the differences in stuff between the United States and Ecuador. I would ask about something and she would say, oh is it not the same in the United States (all in Spanish of course) and then that would get us jumping around from one topic to another. Very educational already. :) We also went to el supermercado Santa Maria (the grocery store). When we parked we were facing these giant green-covered montañas (mountains). You just don't get that in Michigan. Ha ha. The supermarket was great. I was definitely getting, "you don't belong here" looks, which was fine. I bought some of the toiletry stuff I needed, and instead of buying the imported American brands (which they had but are more expensive) I simply bought some of the more local brands. I don't know how local they are, but I don't recognize them. :) As I was looking at the shampoo I noticed that there was one shampoo they had that had placenta in it. Placenta is the same in Spanish and in English, and the label had a woman holding a baby on it. I was amused and intrigued.
The city is so colorful and so big and I love noticing all the differences.
Also, the degrees here are in Celcius. And I know the whole times by 9, divide by 5, add 32 thing, but I'm much too lazy to do that so I've decided to just figure out what it feels like when it's so and so degrees Celcius. Today it was nice and warm outside and cooler in our apartamento (apartment). AND NO SNOW. :)
When we got back from the grocery store we ate lunch. We had this delicious meal, un "plato tipico" (typical dish), of pasta with this chicken and sauce stuff over it. With lemonade that tasted very fresh and an apple. I was not sure what to do about the apple because I didn't really know how it was washed, so I just took a middle route and cut it apart and didn't eat the skins. Then we watched some TV (I could understand almost none of it, but I was also very tired so that might have been why) and then I took a nap. I slept until like 7:00 which was later than I had planned on, and was a little disoriented (as always) when I awoke. I may have turned down their offer of dinner, not sure, and I really hope I didn't because now I'm hungry. Ha ha. Oh well, you live and learn.
This place is full of rich surprises.
-EM
P.S. I LOVE YOU ALL. And sorry that was like SO long. No one is going to want to read it all, but it's okay, you can just skim if you so desire. :)
P.P.S. I was getting real terrified on the flight over about speaking Spanish and such, and I know it will be much harder when it's with the people of Ecuador who don't know I'm not very good at Spanish (yet ;)) than with my host family who is very understanding when I don't understand something or know how to say something, but speaking with them has made me less nervous about the whole Spanish part of everything.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Leavin' on a Jet Plane
So I leave tomorrow.
Words cannot really accurately describe how I am feeling.
This is ridiculous in an awesome and nerve-wracking way.
My next post will be from Ecuador. No big deal or anything. ;)
-EM
Words cannot really accurately describe how I am feeling.
This is ridiculous in an awesome and nerve-wracking way.
My next post will be from Ecuador. No big deal or anything. ;)
-EM
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Saying Goodbyes
Goodbyes are always a tricky thing. They may be the last time you see someone for a while, a long while, or ever. Richard Bach (whoever that is) once said, "Don't be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetime, is certain for those who are friends." I usually don't try to place too much emphasis on goodbyes. The time you have spent with a person, the memories you share, the conversations you've had, that's what truly matters and that is most often what you'll truly remember while you're away from and missing that person. That last hug or shared conversation is meaningful in the moment, but then it is gone and what holds you tied to that person is your love and care for one another.
I've never really had to say goodbye to people like I have had to this past week and will have to in the week or so before I leave. It's almost like a mourning process. I will not be living in the dorms next semester with all of my friends. 114 Gilchrist Hall will no longer be mine. That will not be my place because I will have left it. And while I will be returning next year, things will never be the exact same as they were when I left. Something that seems so trivial, a last shower in the dorms, is really so important because it represents how at home and happy and blessed I have felt during my time thus far at MSU. And this home is what I will most be missing during my time abroad; the feeling that everywhere I turn there are people to take care of me and love me and laugh with me and eat with me and share with me and care about me and talk to and listen to. It is this experience of shared living that I love so much about my GFG family. While I will not be returning to the dorms as a resident, there are new and exciting things to look forward to about next year. A HOUSE! Living off campus is something I have been looking forward to ever since we started house-hunting in September. Caitlin, Colleen, Andrew, & I are going to have a blast figuring out how to live in and take care of a house together and I am so excited to do that. I'm excited to have my own room and dishes and just so much more personal space than in the dorms. I'm so excited to be able to return to State of Fifths. This semester they will be competing at ICCA without me, which is sad, but I am overjoyed to be able to hear of their successes and cheer them on from afar as they face their competition. They are another family for me that makes me feel loved and cherished and important, and I am excited to return to sing with them and audition new family members.
Leaving MSU for a semester is a very hard thing for me to do because of how in love I am with it, but I am confident that this semester will be more than worth it.
-EM
P.S. Check out this virtual tour of the USFQ campus: Virtual Tour
I've never really had to say goodbye to people like I have had to this past week and will have to in the week or so before I leave. It's almost like a mourning process. I will not be living in the dorms next semester with all of my friends. 114 Gilchrist Hall will no longer be mine. That will not be my place because I will have left it. And while I will be returning next year, things will never be the exact same as they were when I left. Something that seems so trivial, a last shower in the dorms, is really so important because it represents how at home and happy and blessed I have felt during my time thus far at MSU. And this home is what I will most be missing during my time abroad; the feeling that everywhere I turn there are people to take care of me and love me and laugh with me and eat with me and share with me and care about me and talk to and listen to. It is this experience of shared living that I love so much about my GFG family. While I will not be returning to the dorms as a resident, there are new and exciting things to look forward to about next year. A HOUSE! Living off campus is something I have been looking forward to ever since we started house-hunting in September. Caitlin, Colleen, Andrew, & I are going to have a blast figuring out how to live in and take care of a house together and I am so excited to do that. I'm excited to have my own room and dishes and just so much more personal space than in the dorms. I'm so excited to be able to return to State of Fifths. This semester they will be competing at ICCA without me, which is sad, but I am overjoyed to be able to hear of their successes and cheer them on from afar as they face their competition. They are another family for me that makes me feel loved and cherished and important, and I am excited to return to sing with them and audition new family members.
Leaving MSU for a semester is a very hard thing for me to do because of how in love I am with it, but I am confident that this semester will be more than worth it.
-EM
P.S. Check out this virtual tour of the USFQ campus: Virtual Tour
Friday, December 3, 2010
Classes
I am now registered in classes and have them approved by advisors here at MSU!
I'm enrolled in 6 classes, but will be taking only 4 or 5 (12-15 credits). I'll drop 1 or 2 after seeing how they are. These classes are...
HIS 211--Historia Del Ecuador Republicano (Transferring back as SPN 452)
HIS 234--Historia Contemporanea (Transferring back as IAH 221C)
EPE 307--Español Avanzado (Transferring back as SPN 320)
EPE 302--Introducción a la Cultura Ecuatoriana (Transferring back as SPN 412)
SIC 203--Siciologia Del Desarrollo (Transferring back as PSY 244 for my Gen Ed replacement)
POL 310--Política Ecuatoriana y Su Pensamiento (Transferring back as PLS GCU for my Gen Ed replacement or SPN 412 or SPN 452)
It's all seeming very real! AH!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Visa-Obtaining Excitement
On Tuesday, November 30 the delightful Kaylee Storey and I headed out to the great state of Illinois in the hopes of obtaining my visa from the Ecuadorian Consulate. Spoiler Alert: We got it. :)
We headed out of East Lansing early in the morning, after obtaining our coffee from Bigby and chatting up one of the customers, forgetting only the chapstick. With our road trip CD blaring and the dreary Michigan paisaje (landscape) passing us by, we made it to Chicago. We never even freaked out. Except when I was driving over the bridge. Because I hate bridges. Especially driving over them. We found the consulate no problem and while it was frankly a bitch to figure out parking, we did it. I dropped off my paperwork while Kaylee drove around the block, then we parked the car, found our way back to Michigan St, passed by the Bean (which I had never been to before and was just as touristy and nifty as I thought it would be), got some sammies at Cosi, went back to the Consulate to get my passport and visa papers, went back to the car, and then drove home. WE NEVER GOT LOST ONCE! Yay for us! Also, Ecuador thinks I'm good enough to be in their country for over 90 days so that's definitely a positive. :)
All in all, collecting the right documents and forms and photos and such for obtaining my visa was quite cumbersome, but the OSA staff and USFQ staff were quite terrific and I didn't really have any troubles with it.
Here in East Lansing it snowed for the first real time on December 1st! It was exciting, but it really made me realize how near I am to the end of my time in the dorms. Living in Gilchrist has been a ridiculously important aspect of my life and my growth into the person I am today, and in 2 and a half short weeks I will be moving out forever. This is sad. I will really miss living in the same building as all of my friends, not ever having to worry about cooking food or receiving packages or the heating bill. Ground/First Floor Gilchrist is a very unique place and it will always take up space in my heart.
It feels like I'm running out of time here. While I feel very comfortable with the idea of leaving in about a month, I am not so comfortable with being done here at MSU in about 2 weeks. I'm sure the idea will grow on me and I'll become more accustomed to it, but right now I feel rushed and stressed out about it. I need to work on projects and study for finals and do homework for classes and all I really want to do is soak up my last few days living in 114 Gilchrist Hall. I love all of the people here and so many things about MSU and I will miss them greatly, but I'm also really excited to find out what I'm going to love about USFQ and the people in Ecuador.
:)
-Em
We headed out of East Lansing early in the morning, after obtaining our coffee from Bigby and chatting up one of the customers, forgetting only the chapstick. With our road trip CD blaring and the dreary Michigan paisaje (landscape) passing us by, we made it to Chicago. We never even freaked out. Except when I was driving over the bridge. Because I hate bridges. Especially driving over them. We found the consulate no problem and while it was frankly a bitch to figure out parking, we did it. I dropped off my paperwork while Kaylee drove around the block, then we parked the car, found our way back to Michigan St, passed by the Bean (which I had never been to before and was just as touristy and nifty as I thought it would be), got some sammies at Cosi, went back to the Consulate to get my passport and visa papers, went back to the car, and then drove home. WE NEVER GOT LOST ONCE! Yay for us! Also, Ecuador thinks I'm good enough to be in their country for over 90 days so that's definitely a positive. :)
All in all, collecting the right documents and forms and photos and such for obtaining my visa was quite cumbersome, but the OSA staff and USFQ staff were quite terrific and I didn't really have any troubles with it.
Here in East Lansing it snowed for the first real time on December 1st! It was exciting, but it really made me realize how near I am to the end of my time in the dorms. Living in Gilchrist has been a ridiculously important aspect of my life and my growth into the person I am today, and in 2 and a half short weeks I will be moving out forever. This is sad. I will really miss living in the same building as all of my friends, not ever having to worry about cooking food or receiving packages or the heating bill. Ground/First Floor Gilchrist is a very unique place and it will always take up space in my heart.
It feels like I'm running out of time here. While I feel very comfortable with the idea of leaving in about a month, I am not so comfortable with being done here at MSU in about 2 weeks. I'm sure the idea will grow on me and I'll become more accustomed to it, but right now I feel rushed and stressed out about it. I need to work on projects and study for finals and do homework for classes and all I really want to do is soak up my last few days living in 114 Gilchrist Hall. I love all of the people here and so many things about MSU and I will miss them greatly, but I'm also really excited to find out what I'm going to love about USFQ and the people in Ecuador.
:)
-Em
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