So I finally got around to creating a space to organize my thoughts and photos. Henceforth, it will be known as, "The Travels of Juanito, the happy Gringo". I chose this title for many reasons, not the least of which stems from the fact that in Quito, I am known by many different names (Juanito and Gringo being two of the more popular epithets). In reality, they are only part of a list that includes Jhon, Jhonny ('H' before 'O' down here), Jack, Jhonny Sec (a play on Johnny dry (a drink) and "Yo no sé", Spanish for "I don't know"), teacher (some of my students) and an assortment of pejoratives in Spanish and Quichua (the local indigenous language). In the end, I think it achieves the desired effect, namely a combination of reappropriation and levity.

As for my experiences thus far, all I have to say is, "Life is good." In particular, school and teaching are going well and I have been doing a lot of traveling. This is a small country (apparently, it is a little smaller than Nevada) but the geography is incredibly diverse (emerald mountains straight out of "Jurassic Park", snow-covered peaks,  active volcanoes, beautiful beaches, plains and prairies, (crater) lakes and rivers, cloud forests, a good chunk of the Amazon river basin and the Galapagos Islands). And, due to it's small size, Ecuador is highly conducive to travel (you can get almost anywhere in under 10 hours). The primary means of transportation are buses, which can be pretty horrible or a party on wheels, depending on the age and condition of the vehicle and the behavior of your fellow passengers. Either way, it is a very cheap way to get around. 

As I mentioned, school is going well. It is strange to be the teacher and not a student, but my learning simply continues from a new perspective. I've related this to a few people already, but my first day was pretty funny (and by funny I mean confusing, frustrating, awkward and embarrassing). For all my well-intentioned preparation, each statement I made elicited only blank stares (or the occasional reproachful shaking of a head). The only sound present was the chirping of crickets. But as time passed, a few realizations have made things a lot easier, especially the understanding that creativity is an asset to a teacher (and that you cannot take yourself too seriously). The few truly "rewarding" experiences I've had (like the first time I was able to make an intelligible joke or spending time outside of class to assist those of my students who really want to learn about English) have really made a positive impact on me. I can say with all honesty that I enjoy teaching ESL. 

In short, I think that I made the correct decision in coming to Ecuador. I'm being challenged in many different ways and my response to each test, no matter the size, is helping to give me a better idea of who I am.