The Epic Battle of January 21

As you may gather from the title, today has been an epic battle. Things started out well when I found a $20 bill on my way to work. That's pretty much the biggest bill one could reasonably expect to find on the street. I've never been someone who finds money on the street, so it was pretty awesome.

I "counseled students" this morning at Hazel McCallion, which went alright. Although when I was leaving they wanted me to stay longer but I had other responsibilities. I've been warned several times that people will try to get you to work and work and work because they think that since you're young and idealistic you have unlimited reserves of energy.

Anyway, after I finished as school I had a visit with a refugee family which was really good. They are in the process of being resettled to Canada so I was helping one of the girls practice English and we made a date to continue next week. I really like having a more concrete way to help, which is not the case in a lot of families.

So the morning was pretty good, but in the afternoon Quito started getting the best of me. Earlier this week, I had gone to try to handle my immigration issues, only to go to the office and be directed to another office. I went to the other office this afternoon to register my visa. I got there, got a number and waited in a stuffy room with lots of other people and bad Spanish tv for about an hour. When it was my turn, I went up and was told in under two minutes that I didn't have the right things to register my visa. So then I went to get the copies of my passport, the special folder, the envelope, the cashier's check, etc. I got all of that, then returned to find that the office was closed. Their hours are 8 am to 1 pm. How very convenient for me.

So then I returned back home (taking two buses of course). When I got home, I looked up the requirements for the Censo, which I have to go back to the first office to get after I register my visa. For the Censo I need a copy of my rental agreement, ID from the person I'm renting from, more copies of my passport, and 3 passport pictures. So I had to go talk with my family and get all the documents to make copies of, and then I went with my host brother to a mall to get my passport photos. All in all, it was an exhausting bit of legwork for a day. All for 7 months. And I already did all the legwork in the US to get my visa in the first place!

Anyway, so you can imagine that I was feeling pretty beat by this point and I was ready to give this day up as a loss. However, at the mall I found something that is going to change my life. I bought....

A COFFEE MAKER!

That's right folks, a good old fashioned coffee maker. Now instead of scouring the city for a good cup of coffee, I can make one in my own kitchen. It's a beautiful day. I am rejuvenated as I write this by a great cup of organic Ecuadorian mountain coffee. I'm not sure whether I won this battle or whether Quito pulled it out by a hair. All I know is that life always seems much better with a cup of coffee in your hand.

And for a technical bit, I wanted to give folks my mailing address in case you feel the desire to write a letter:

Amelia Brandt
Gonzalo Zaldumbide N49-170 y Cesar Frank Urbanizacion
Segundo Piso
Dammer 2
Quito, Ecuador

I'm not sure about that actually, but that's what the family gave me when I asked for the mailing address. As far as packages go, they have to go through customs so I have to go a ways to pick them up and it's about a half day process, so if there's something you'd like to send it would probably be best to send it to someone who is coming down and they can bring it. I have a visitor in the beginning of March, so give me a holler if you want to send something.