And if you don't know, now you know.....

A week, the routine, normal experiences...a typical week in Cuenca

I try to appreciate the architecture of Cuenca every week. We like to read, do homework, and watch sunsets on the terrace of our apartment building and this is the view!

Mondays through Fridays

Every morning is filled with Spanish classes. We spend 20 hours a week in one on one classes. Hence, we feel close to our teachers because we talk about our lives, politics, religion, and even sexting. Basically...we pay for friends. =) 

At school in the kitchen, we are about to enjoy empanadas to celebrate Andy's birthday. The director of the school noted that it was the first time empanadas had been requested for a birthday.

Monday and Tuesday afternoons

Andy and I volunteer with elementary students on Mondays and Tuesdays. We help them with their homework. We usually work with the kindergartners because of our minimal language skills, but that doesn't mean I understand what is going on. Last week, I aided Susanna with her homework, she found all kinds of yellow things in magazines, put them out, and glued them. I felt good when she went to show her work to Monica, the worker in the Foundation. But then I found out that I didn't read the instructions correctly =(. Susanna had to do her homework again...but, she still told me thank you for my help. She is so sweet.  After homework, is free time outside. Thats when things can get crazy!

Ruth, Ruth's cousin, Darwin and I hanging out. 

Wednesday Afternoons

Andy and I have found a conversation exchange group. We converse in Spanish for about 1hour. The group is a language exchange, so sometimes we speak English and sometimes we speak Spanish. We don't really have pictures of us with our group at El Cigale, the restaurant we meet at, but Mayra took us on an excursion to the market the other day so here is some of our group. 

Thursday Afternoons

Our school offers a cooking class where you make and eat Ecuadorian food. We enjoy the class and have made all kinds of snack foods that are fried. Thanks to Marcela, our chef. 

Marcela is standing in the back instructing her little class. 

You always have to chop everything into "pedazitos" little pieces in cooking class. Andy feels like he is always being told, "mas pequeno". 

Friday Afternoons

We are back volunteering with the little guys on Fridays, but the difference is that we do not help with homework. It if a fun day. There might be a movie, they might go to the park, they even might do something cultural (we do not know that the cultural outing means because to this day we still haven't  experienced it), or we might even kick a ball over the fence and accidentally ruin a good game of soccer....not that that has happened... 

Weekends

Weekends have more variety than routine. We usually go shopping at the market. 

I think we paid seven dollars for all these fruits and veggies. 

We usually have some kind of outing, from seeing the whales to attempting and failing to find other markets in little towns. This past weekend we took a bus for about an hour and walked to "El Chorro" a beautiful waterfall. 

Do not be deceived by this picture. This waterfall is bigger than it looks here. 

Where's Brigitte Bucher?

We also go to church on Sundays and skype whenever we get the chance to chat. 

And if you don't know, now you know....