I am doing great. My spanish is coming along very good. I understand everything and I can speak okay. My speaking will take a little more time. I had a really good Christmas and New Years. I
mean it was not as good as it would have been if I were at home, but it was okay.
The people here really celebrate Christmas differently. They eat Christmas dinner at 12am. And
open presents after dinner. Then boxing day the 26th they don't do anything. We just slept all day until that night when we went to the disco. New Years was basically the same, only we had a dinner New Years Eve night and dinner the next day too. They also burned these stuffed people and then we had to jump over the fire for good luck. We went out that night too.
Life here is great, besides the fact that there is nothing to do in my city. We finally got an Internet
Café, where it is really cheap to use the internet and to call home. I don't call home much. Honestly I
really don't miss home that much. Actually I thought that my Holiday would have been much harder. I mean I did cry when the count down started and again 10mins after, but that was all. I was completely fine after I cried. I cried at Christmas, I mean I didn't cry, my eyes just filled up with tears, but I didn't let the tears out.
I am going on a trip to the jungle on Thursday with all the Rotary kids. I know that it will be a lot of
fun and I am very excited. I love the Rotary Program here. We do tons of fun stuff. And there is always an activity every month. This month we have two. At least we are supposed to have two. The other is to the beach. I have seen pictures of the beach and to me it is not that great. But I am from the Bahamas what can I say, we have golden sand not black. All the kids are excited about the trip. I am excited about just all the students being together again. We really have a good time when all of us get together.
I haven't really been to any Rotary meetings, because in my opinion the Rotary here is not very active and they didn't have many meetings. My Rotary at home is more active than my club here, so that can tell you how bad they are. But all the guys are really nice. I always get my allowance on time.
Everyhing here is fine, besides the fact that my city is very, very boring no matter what we do to try and have fun. Next time when sending someone to Ecuador, honestly make sure that they go to Quito, or Cuenca or just a big city.Those cities have lots to do and they will really enjoy themselves a lot. Not that I am not having a good time, it's just that I have to make the best of it, because I am stuck here in this city for the next 8 months.
I'll write again soon.
Shanti Malcolm
