Here I am back in Quito staying with some great friends Bill and Rodolfo who once again opened up their doors to me. I stayed with them for a few days right before my study abroad program started.
My week of traveling with my friend was a lot of fun! We had many adventures with some interesting experiences. After spending our first few days of traveling in Baños doing many outdoor activities like hiking and biking, we headed to a beach called Montañita and spent the rest of our week there. We had a nice relaxing time even though there was not any sunshine there. We even took a boat tour to an island known as the "Poor Man's Galapagos". On this trip we got to see many animals like whales an blue footed boobies. It was amazing! Seeing the whales was unlike anything I have ever experienced. We got to see them jump, and interact with their babies. It was so beautiful!
On Saturday after our week of traveling, my friend Raissa and I had to part ways. She had to head back to Quito to prepare to start another study abroad program that she was going to do this fall. This was really sad and hard for me because Raissa and I have become super close friends over the past 2 months and she has been by my side through every step of the way here in Ecuador.
After Raissa and I parted ways, I headed to Otavalo to visit my host family and friends there. Otavalo is the city where I did my 2 week internship at the Youth House. I had missed Otavalo a lot and really wanted to return to visit my friends and family there. I arrived in Otavalo after a 15 hour long bus ride from the coast. My host family happily let me stay with them while I was there, even though they were not being paid for it since my study abroad program ended. I was feeling sad and a little bit alone since parting with Raissa, so spending time with my old host family and seeing how they are happy to let me be a part of there family, without expecting payment, was a really nice feeling. It was clear to me that my host family in Quito only wanted me to stay with them for the money, so I am so happy that I have a genuine host family in Otavalo that I can visit and spend time with. Relationships are really important to me so I am glad that I have them to keep up a relationship with.
Today has been hard because I found out that my friend Raissa is not well. She is currently in a mental manic state and is in the psych ward here in Quito. She will be in the psych ward for 4 days while under evaluation, and then a nurse is going to escort her back to the US on an airplane. Obviously I am so worried and upset about this. I just want her to be okay. I have been talking to her dad to get news on what has been happening. I am hoping that I will be able to go visit her in the hospital, but I am not sure if that is an option. I can't believe that this has happened to my best friend and I just pray that she gets through this and will be okay.
I am also really sad because my dog in the states had to be put to sleep :(
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