Three cheers for Skype...even if it makes me cry

Just got done Skyping with Linds...and now of course I have tears streaming down my face. At one point in our conversation she had to run upstairs to check on Natalie and Giatta, so she put down the computer in Natty's room and my sweet little sobrina picked up the book she had in bed with her (auntie's little reader) and showed me the pages. It was just so sweet...and of course pulled at my heartstrings. It's really amazing to get to feel so connected when I am so far from my people, just emotion inducing as well, as if I needed help persuading my feelings to surface.

Altogether, after three days, I must report that I feel that I am just where I am supposed to be. I LOVE that Spanish is spoken all around me, and I'm savoring that feeling, because at some point I anticipate I will abhor Spanish when I am struggling with learning the language as quickly as I hope to. I just feel like a sponge right now, soaking in every sight, sound, smell. I'm also appreciating that this move has not been nearly as traumatic as was moving to Spain a decade ago. I remember arriving in Barcelona, not having slept for 24 hours or more, and calling Dad bawling, asking him to fly me home.*(see footnote below) That experience being one of the most defining of my life has really prepared me for the big move to Quito. The good news here is that people can really evolve and grow.

Additional good news: I will not be homeless here as I have found a great place to live. The past two days have been packed with house hunting for the whole group. We all pile into three cars (driven by national teachers from the school--nicest people ever!) and take off around the city to cram ourselves into small elevators and rate each piece of rental real estate. This expedition has made me ever more thankful that I will not be driving in Quito. Apparently it's much better than China, but I am incredibly intimidated by how people drive, the small streets, and all of the crazy roundabouts.

So the housing search can get a little intense because whoever calls it first gets dibs on the place. It seems for the most part, though, people have been happy with the apartments they have found and no civil wars have broken out amongst the new hires. After looking at maybe 15 places or so, I have chosen the first apartment we saw yesterday. It's a brand new building (generally not my style, but I'm going to work to make it feel very Ecuadorian, whatever that means to me), has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a washer and dryer (bonus!), furnished with all new stuff, is one block from Parque Carolina, and about a block from a yoga studio. All of this for $550 a month! Teachers can live a little more upscale here. The one thing I did give up was an incredible vista that many of the other places had, but something had to give. Hopefully I'll get some invitations to dine on my new friends' beautiful terraces.

Bueno, after consuming an abundant amount of people calories, this HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) must retire for the night.

Nos hablamos pronto, familia y amigos.

Amor,

Jame

*Mom just messaged and said she remembers me calling her from Barcelona crying and she held it together enough to get me to calm down, then she called my dad at work and broke down talking with him. I won't argue with my mama; she's probably got the story right.