Fly like an (American Airlines) Eagle

(This is from a couple of days ago... another will be coming very soon!)

Time keeps on slipping slipping slipping into the future! About 6 months ago I got this crazy idea that next year I was going to live abroad. After many months of filling out applications, having hundreds of doctor’s appointments and countless good-byes I am now flying threw the air at 37,000 ft towards this dream. I still can’t believe it is actually happening.

As I write this I can look out of the window and the vast expanse of air and if I could see down I am guessing we are somewhere over Colombia right about now. With less then an hour left in my flight to Quito I am getting even more excited and nervous then every before. After clearing security with our group of 11 headed to Ecuador from the US we were bound for gate G33 for our flight. We got there and had 3 hours to spare (with large groups AFS leaves a ton of extra time) so we headed off the find some lunch/dinner. After filling up on a grande iced coffee and some sushi we all decided to chill and play B.S. at the gate.

After about an hour of waiting a group of four French girls approach us. Turns out they are headed to Ecuador from France with AFS. We were all super excited to meet somebody that wasn’t completely English speaking. We all stumbled our way threw our conversations with our Spanish, English and a very little bit of French. Soon after wards we all boarded our flight.

I sit down wondering who is going to sit next to me. Most of the plane is full of only Spanish speakers headed back to Ecuador. Turns out this was my first dive into my Spanish speaking experience. I sit next to a father and his son. The son speaks some English, so we were able to communicate with a good amount of Spanglish. Turns out that they are some how related (through an uncle???) to my host family in Guaranda. My house is also apparently located next to a cemetery. It was a super exciting and very eye opening (in terms of the Spanish element) connection. I now have their number and an open invitation to stay at there house in Quito if I am ever there and need accommodations. I can tell I am going to like this friendly country and amazing people already.

My biggest accomplishment for the day… helping the woman and girl in the seat behind me communicate with the flight attendant. They needed coffee with out milk, but with sugar. I felt pretty cool… even if all I said was “café con leche?” “Café solo?” haha. But it’s a first step for me. J

The plane will be landing soon so I must put away the computer and maybe even make an attempt at another Spanish conversation. It has been quite a day and isn’t even over yet. Ahead of us is getting threw customs on our own and finding the AFS rep that will take us to our next destination, wherever that is.

Livin’ life on the loose.