Wow, I don't even know how to start this post. I'm sitting here on 6-year-old Juan Diego's bed, all of my belongings packed around me (save this iPad), entirely unsure how to feel. I can't wait to see my sister Steph and start our traveling adventures together, but leaving just seems strange.
My leaving started at 6:40 am local time, when I woke up to say goodbye to Juan Diego before he went to school. Last night, I told him that no matter what he could not go to school without saying goodbye to me. That if I was still asleep, he was to knock on my (his) door and get me up. Of course, since I'm traveling today, I was awake 5 minutes before my alarm, and had already started my laundry before he came out of his parents' room. Then I heard him tell him parents exactly what I had said to him the night before, and he calculated exactly how many minutes everything would take him so he would only be 2 minutes late for the buseta. I couldv'e cried right there. But he came out of the other room, hair slicked back, in his school uniform, and gave me a polite hug around the waist. We both said "ciao" and I responded with "que te vaya bien" and he with "a ti igual" and then ran out the door. It was the simplest and sweetest goodbye, as if he would see me in a few hours.
Daniel, my 15 year old host brother, came into my room a few hours later while I was packing, backpack in hand, to say goodbye. He is a quiet teenager, particularly around me, but very polite. We said our goodbyes in a similar way as mine with Juan Diego, but I hugged him just a little tighter. I still consider him my Ecuadorian brother, and wanted him to know that I would miss him just as much, without getting sappy in a way that I know teenagers despise. And off he went.
Now all that's left is to say goodbye to my host parents, Juan and Clarita. Currently they are sitting in other rooms of the apartment, doing other things, since I don't have to leave their house for another hour. I'm not how sure to express in English or Spanish how much I have appreciated their kindness and love. Just this morning when I was sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast, and my host mom came into the kitchen with a bag of Ecuadorian coffee to use with my chuspa (an ecuadorian coffee making contraption) when I get home, as well as a beautiful artisenal ceramic to hang up on my wall. I was so touched, especially since I meant to bring her flowers and didn't have the time. And yesterday Juan told me I had to come back so I can help him with his pronunciation of English songs (he sings and plays the guitar). There is no end to the wonderful things I could say about them. Leaving them is going to be near impossible.
I'll most likely post again from the airport later with less emotional and sappy thoughts, but this will have to do for now.
My leaving started at 6:40 am local time, when I woke up to say goodbye to Juan Diego before he went to school. Last night, I told him that no matter what he could not go to school without saying goodbye to me. That if I was still asleep, he was to knock on my (his) door and get me up. Of course, since I'm traveling today, I was awake 5 minutes before my alarm, and had already started my laundry before he came out of his parents' room. Then I heard him tell him parents exactly what I had said to him the night before, and he calculated exactly how many minutes everything would take him so he would only be 2 minutes late for the buseta. I couldv'e cried right there. But he came out of the other room, hair slicked back, in his school uniform, and gave me a polite hug around the waist. We both said "ciao" and I responded with "que te vaya bien" and he with "a ti igual" and then ran out the door. It was the simplest and sweetest goodbye, as if he would see me in a few hours.
Daniel, my 15 year old host brother, came into my room a few hours later while I was packing, backpack in hand, to say goodbye. He is a quiet teenager, particularly around me, but very polite. We said our goodbyes in a similar way as mine with Juan Diego, but I hugged him just a little tighter. I still consider him my Ecuadorian brother, and wanted him to know that I would miss him just as much, without getting sappy in a way that I know teenagers despise. And off he went.
Now all that's left is to say goodbye to my host parents, Juan and Clarita. Currently they are sitting in other rooms of the apartment, doing other things, since I don't have to leave their house for another hour. I'm not how sure to express in English or Spanish how much I have appreciated their kindness and love. Just this morning when I was sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast, and my host mom came into the kitchen with a bag of Ecuadorian coffee to use with my chuspa (an ecuadorian coffee making contraption) when I get home, as well as a beautiful artisenal ceramic to hang up on my wall. I was so touched, especially since I meant to bring her flowers and didn't have the time. And yesterday Juan told me I had to come back so I can help him with his pronunciation of English songs (he sings and plays the guitar). There is no end to the wonderful things I could say about them. Leaving them is going to be near impossible.
I'll most likely post again from the airport later with less emotional and sappy thoughts, but this will have to do for now.
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