Hola from Ecuador!

We have finally arrived in Cuenca! We had a 45-minute flight this morning from Quito, where we spent our first two days in Ecuador. As part of our cultural class, we toured several places in the region and within Quito. We visited the equator, toured downtown, and even witnessed a protest at the presidential palace (don't worry, it was very small and very peaceful). I enjoyed Quito, but I was very happy to get to Cuenca today. I like the smaller size (it's about one-fourth of the size of Quito) and the prettier buildings. It's more spread out and less hectic too. There are mountains surrounding the city, which creates some awesome views. My family lives a little bit outside the city, which I love. The view from my bedroom is a beautiful mountain, and the open space feels more like home. There are even some cows in the field across the street. :) My host family is wonderful as well. My host mom is Maria, the director of the Taylor programs in Ecuador. My host dad's name is Morris and I have a younger sister, Carolina, who is 15. My brother is Sebas Abad, who is at Taylor University right now. He lives in Gerig Hall with me and is also a sophomore Biology/Pre-medicine major. It's so cool that I get to live with his family! This weekend we'll be going through orientation, figuring out the city, and learning how to use the buses, then classes start on Monday. I'm looking forward to it!