I need to remember Rio Coca and Bellavista...

I had orientation at la universidad today. Before we went on the tour, some people talked, and someone mentioned that USFQ is not representative of Quito or Ecuador at all--how it's more like an episode of Laguna Beach or a movie set than anything else. Once we started the tour, I began to agree. The very first place we went to was a pagoda, right smack in the middle of campus, and out student hosts said that it was where students came to meditate. What's more, the cafeteria has tablecloths, and there is some kind of separate cafeteria that only serves sushi. What!!

The buildings are absolutely gorgeous, and there are all kinds of plants and shady places to rest. And, surprise!, there was a Tocqueville reference in one of the lectures! It made me feel like even though James Madison is a gazillion miles away, I can still count on its dorkiness to keep me on top of things. Haha. Oh, we also learned that Presidente Correa is awesome, but he fully supports Colombia, Iran, and Venezuela. He invited Castro and Ahmadinejad to his inauguration. Exciting, no?

We got there by bus, and because Rita started school today, Rosita took me there. She is hilarious. She's una indigena, and she was dressed just as one would expect an indigenous Ecuadorian to dress. It was lovely. We took two buses: one from home(ish) to the terminal de autobuses, and the second from the terminal to USFQ. The bus from home to the terminal was pretty treacherous, but we at least got to sit down on the one to campus.

When Rosita and I got home from my orientation, we ate lunch: llapingachos. Llapingachos are basically potato dumplings with a cheese center, usually topped with a fried egg. Plus brocoli (exactly what you think it is) and remolachas (beets).

The altitude isn't bothering me much, but I am really tired most of the time (though I am pretty busy all the time) and if I have to run up some stairs, I get winded easily. Television is basically the same. I watched Speak and La Ley y El Orden (Law & Order!!) in English with Spanish subtitles, and some show on the Discovery Channel about killer bees or something. I say "or something" because it was in Spanish. Haha.

Adios,

Gina.