Fresh Air!

There is nothing more refreshing and spirits brightening than spending a day outside in the sun! I spent the weekend outside in some of the beautiful parks here in Quito, and I feel so happy and refreshed (albeit a little sunburned). On Saturday morning, I went with Audrey with my first grade boys and her 2nd-4th graders to Parque Itchimbia. It is right up the hill from the La Marin Center, so we just walked up with our nine boys who showed up and played for a couple hours. The view from Parque Itchimbia is breath taking - you can see all of the city, but also at certain points you can’t see any of the city and only the mountains that surround the city. Quito is right in the middle of the two large mountain ranges, so it a very long city but not that wide and you can see the mountains from any part. After running around and going to a couple of the playgrounds and playing soccer, we bought ice cream for the boys and went back to the Center in time for lunch. They are so darn cute…and there is nothing better than hearing them yell “teacher or Taylor” and then running over for a big hug! Then Audrey and I went over to Dr. Giuliana’s house for lunch where we also met up with Jess and Jenny. Dr. Giuliana is in charge of the medical department at the Working Boys’ Center, and she invited all of us that work in special ed over. It was nice and really good food, but by the time we got home I was exhausted. I had a ‘crazy’ night of playing Trivia Pursuit with some of the guys before heading to bed!

On Sunday mornings I have been going to an outdoor aerobics class and then an aerobics/dance class in Parque Carolina. It’s a fun way to get outside and work out, as well as get some great people watching in! The park is always packed on Sundays. I decided it would be fun for my high school girls to experience the dance class too. So eight of my students met me at the Center, and then we all headed over to the park for the dance class. It was cute as they were trying to follow along (it can be really hard) and then getting embarrassed to do some of the moves! I especially loved watching my shyest student, Gladys, barely moving at all at first to very awkwardly trying to keep up. She was smiling the whole time though, so that’s all that matters! Then we had a picnic lunch and “played Carnaval.” Let me explain… Carnaval is the equivalent to Mardi Gras, celebrated the weekend of Fat Tuesday (or the beginning of Lent). It is a huge party here. People throw water (or even eggs and flour too) and spray ‘carioca’ (kind of like shaving cream) at their friends and random people in celebration. Well, although Carnaval isn’t for 2 more weeks, people are already starting to play. So my girls bought some carioca (and I bought one for retaliation!) that we emptied on each other throughout the afternoon. Then they were also filling up water bottles in this little man made river to soak one another. It was so much fun! We needed to lay out for a little while after though in order to be dry enough to be allowed on the bus! It was such a great day with my girls, and fun to not have to be strict with them but just have fun and hang out.

Thank the Lord for sun and children - both of which make me so happy and keep me smiling!

“We can do no great things, only small things done with great love” (Mother Teresa)

(Maybe days like this past weekend are simply why I’m here? And, honestly, they’re worth it!)