A continuación,

Sooooo, this weekend (on Saturday night, after going to the Centro historico) we all went to Lumbisí again for a beauty pageant! Some of the people who live with host families in Lumbisí had heard about it, and their families told them to bring all of us to the fiesta. They were choosing the 'Reina de Lumbisí' or the Queen of the town for 2009. When I told my host family where I was going they told me to come home with a crown :)

There were 5 girls competing, and they had different events like answering questions (all about religion, to which we had no idea what the answers were), 2 different dances (one to popular music and one traditional), and formal wear and traditional clothing. Between the events there were performances and music playing. Our friend that we met the day before, Zak, is a music major and is just studying at our university independently, from Hawaii! He just met us while we were walking around and wanted someone to hang out with. We invited him to come to the Centro historico and to Lumbisi. So, in Lumbisi they had him get up on stage and sing and play guitar in front of the whole town! It was great. We were so glad we met him :) hah. Also, we just call him Hawaii because there was already another Zack in our group from Penn State.

Here's a video:

So after they announced the queen (Jesse something) there was a big party/dance. We all tried a new drink too called guayusa. It was really good! It's a hot tea made with an herb from the rainforest, and you get a pitcher-like thing for everyone to share with little dixie cups.

That's all for Saturday, then on Sunday I slept in, did some reading, and then I went to church with my family at 6pm. I should have taken a picture of the girls all dressed up for church in their dresses :) I'm sure I'll get another chance, they go every week, and I'll join them whenever I'm not on an excursion or have far too much homework. Church was very nice, mass was shorter than in the U.S., and the prayers confused me a little because I sort of knew them, and was trying to translate and listen really fast, or say it in my head in english. I just gave up after a little while, but i think I'll get a hang of the spanish versions in a few months :P

After church the whole family (and I mean the WHOLE family, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins) came over to the house for a bunch of bread, cheese, cake, and coffee. I just talked with many of them (Yolanda's brother's and sisters for the most part, I believe) and then went upstairs to skype and read for homework.

Now I'm in my first real week of classes! They've all been great, and I actually switched out of my Politics class and into Andean Archaeology, which was suggested to me by a woman who works in the Anthropology department at U of I. There's only 6 students in that new class, and we get to go on a few excursions, which is really exciting.

I'm the only gringa in my Marketing class, but it doesnt seem too hard, so that should be fun :) so far we've watched a video and talked about some basic marketing concepts. My Problemas Sociales en Ecuador class is pretty big, with a decent amount of international students, but our professor is really great, and it's been interesting so far too. My aerobics class doesnt actually start until Thursday, and we're going on an excursion this weekend with the Illinois group to an indigenous village, staying overnight there, and then going to Baños on Sunday.

Sunday is also the twin girls' birthday! Ivana and Martina turn 3! I'll try to take pictures when i get back from my trip of them too :) And bring back presents, hehe. Alright, I think I've written enough for now! Hasta luego!