Hello, world...here are some of my recent realizations...

Hey all,

Well here I am, almost 2 weeks after my most recent post when I was sicksicksick. I'm now feeling better, but let me tell you, this Guayaquil heat is UNBEARABLE. I'm not kidding. There are two seasons here: winter and summer. However, those titles are deceiving. During "winter" it actually gets HOTTER instead of COLDER (which my North-American-Midwestern-programmed brain thinks is just totally illogical...it's winter and I'm getting a tan?????? WHAT???)...and it rains, apparently. Which makes is humid. Basically my body is rebelling because it's December 13th and I'm suffering from heat-related maladies which has never ever happened in December as long as I have lived. I have no energy. I have no desire to do anything PC related. My head hurts. My stomach hurts. I have no appetite. Ughh. Anyway...asi es la vida...

So things are getting all geared up for Christmas around these parts (around ALL parts, I'm sure...). I have a party at my counterpart foundation this coming week...and a family/family friends party this Saturday night starting at 9:30pm "hasta el cuerpo aguanta" (until the body can't handle any more - Spanish is hilarious...I'm sure they'll be too much sangria served there, too...ahhhhhh...) so that will be exciting! The girls and I are doing a little crafty exchange too. It shold be fun. I have a bunch of gifts to make/buy, however, which I'm sort of dreading. These "secreto amigo" things (like a Secret Santa gift exchange) are making me crazy because I'm not good at getting stuff for people I don't know very well. : / Oh well. It's all good in da' hood.

On a more profound note, I've realized something today. It was something I've always known but I really just had a moment of clarity and understanding that was really powerful. Living here in this dirty, insanely hot city has really and truly made me appreciate running water. I know it may sound stupid and obvious, but whatever, I'm going to explain this anyway....

After a long, stressful, hot day (with a sweaty, sticky run thrown in there, as well), there is not one thing better than bathing with running water. I don't even care that it's a cold shower (which is a luxury that I have taken for granted my whole entire life). As a matter of fact, sometimes these cold showers make me remember that I'm alive!!!! They kick the air right out of my lungs, make me shiver, and make my teeth chatter, but darn it, I'm alive!!!!! What a wonderful thing. A couple weekends ago I didn't have running water for a day. No big deal, right? Yeah, it really wasn't a big deal, to be honest. A lot of my fellow PCV friends have to walk to fetch their water - this is a reality for sooo many people (not just PCV's, obviously). I mean, I've taken a bucket shower at my best PCV friend's house and it was actually a pretty neat experience. A different way of doing things. - Is it weird that I'm talking this in-depth about my bathing experiences??? lol - But anyway...the moral of this story is that I appreciate my icy cold shower here in this sticky, hot, dirty city. Period.

This coming year (OMG - 2012 is SO close!!!!) I plan to start a photo-blog thing. It's called "The 365 Project" (or something similar to that) and the basis of it is that I'll take a photo every single day for the entire year and upload it for everyone to see. There's also space to describe it and whatnot. I think it's a SUPER cool idea (some of my friends are already doing it, actually), it's another way for me to document my first year of service, and it'll be another awesome way for you guys to keep informed of my crazy life. How's that sound??? :) :) :) I'm super pumped. I'll update you all with the link when 2012 rolls around and I get started. :)

Well, I suppose that's enough for now. I hope you're all doing well!!!! I'm sending TONS of love and positivity through the miles, I promise. Can you feel it?? Feel free to e-mail me (everlys1561@gmail.com) to keep me posted about your lives. I feel like my blog is so one-sided and selfish sometimes...I just ramble about myself to people who I hope are reading because they care about me, but for all I know it could be a bunch of strangers....I don't know.....I'm rambling. Anyway, much love and positivity. Besos!!!

P.S. So it's almost 10pm and the garbage truck is going around town. I hear it because a few days ago it started playing ice-cream truck music REALLY loudly as it drives around town. So confusing. Ice cream or garbage?? Take your pick. LOL I'm gonna take a video of it someday because it seriously makes me laugh every single night.......