Life in Otavalo

For the past week I have been living in a different city with a new family because I am doing an internship here for two weeks. It is a learning experience that is a part of my program. I have been having a wonderful time here and love the city that I am living in! The city is called Otavalo and I honestly like it much better here than in Quito. Quito is so big, and polluted while Otavalo is much smaller and more quaint. It has been much easier for me to meet and make friends here because it is a smaller city and I just really like the community here. It is a much different feel than Quito. There is a very large indigenous population here in Otavalo which I really like. I also really like my family here. I have two young siblings who I adore and my parents are great.

My two week long internship is at a place called La Casa de la Juventud, which basically means youth house. It is a place where youth can take art and music classes for free. I have been helping out in the classes and have really been enjoying it!

My boyfriend, Leandro, came from across the country (he lives in a city in southern Ecuador) to spend three days with me here in Otavalo. We had a wonderful weekend together just relaxing and enjoying every moment we had together. I am not sure when I am going to see him next because in a few weeks he is going to Thailand and will be gone for a long time...he says that he is going to Thailand for a month and then will come back to Ecuador for a month and then return to Thailand for five months. But with Ecuadorians, you never really know what is going to happen so I honestly do not know if I will see him again, so saying goodbye to him today was difficult. But I am thankful for the time that we did have together!

I wish I could post photos of Otavalo, my internship, and my time with Leandro, but I do not have a camera here since mine was stolen last weekend! My friend has a few photos on her camera that I can share once I can get those photos from her, so hopefully I can put those up soon!