Lotta spanish...

So I'm on day 4. I think at one point in time I said that I knew about as much spanish as a second grader...well...I talked to a 2nd grader today....I'm no where close. They got me waayyyy beat. I think I'm at an infant stage.

I knew coming into Quito that the language barrier was going to the hardest part. I actually think my spanish is getting worse. However, I feel that this a natural stage before learning anything new. I heard that when you're learning anything new that there are four stages: subconscious incompetence, conscious incompetence, conscious competence, and finally subconscious competence. Right now I'm at the conscious incompetence. I feel like an idiot.

Anyway, here's my setup. I'm living in the same room with all these guys. There are 5 of us total; two bunk beds and two single beds...so there's room for one more if anyone wants to come down. My first night these guys were like, 'ok, we're going to bed,' and then they throw on freaking stocking caps and scarves. I was like, 'what the

hell?' It isn't that bad here, but it can get into the 40's at night. The weather here in Quito is funny. It feels like fall all the time. If you thought Quito was blazing hot, you're right about a quarter of the time. Quito is 6,000 feet up so the sun is pretty brutal and the altitude takes some getting used to. However, you'll be sweating one moment, and then they'll be cloud cover or intense wind and it feels like it dropped 10 degrees...or whatever it is in Celsius. That's right they use Celsius here, different temperature gage, different language, different people...I'm screwed. Good thing I feel like the Lord wants me down here.

Mi primera noche en Quito

My first night in Quito. Well I stepped off the plane and had to put on a jacket...nuts. My two
friends Lenin Pabon and Mateo Ponce picked me up from the airport and it was great to see them. I said that I was little bit hungry and Mateo piped in with a funny Ecuadorian accent, 'well then we have to stop by my favorite hot dog stand.' So we pulled up to none other than the famous, 'los hot dogs.' Lenin and Mateo assured me that it was safe and we ordered some hot dogs. This was the most intense hot dog I have even seen in my entire life. Good thing I took a picture because I don't think you would have believed me if I tried to describe it. There's ruffle potato chips, mustard, ketchup, mayonaise, onions, some kind of hot sauce, and to top it all off, pineapple sauce... hilarious.

I think things are going to be a little different around here...

Leaving Forever/For 4 months

I feel like with each blog entry I could pick a friend, quote that person and describe how it applies. The friend I pick for my first entry is: Tracey Mann... congrats Trace.

When Tracey was moving from Roeland Park, KS to Salina, KS to run for Congress he had a going away party. Everyone sat around and talked about how much they were going to miss him and what life was going to be like after he was gone. I remember going up to him afterwards and he was like, 'Guys, I'm not dying.' I feel a little bit of that...

I am leaving for 4 months. I am going to Quito, Ecuador (pronounced key-toe...thanks Corey) and experience the culture and language of that country. My plan is to come back to Kansas City when I return, but I do feel that I will change. My hope is big. The reason I'm going is to know myself; the reason I'm going is to be changed by the people, the poor; the reason I'm going is for adventure. Though the plan is to return...and I am not dying...there is something that I anticipate will be gone forever: who I am right now. That's what will change. I'll end my first blog entry with something else that our friend Tracey Mann said:

Expect nothing. Experience everything.