Loja... and guess who is coming for dinner tomorrow¿?

Hello everybody!!!!

Well, well... after 4 months we said good bye to each other in Ko Lanta... Osku is arriving in Loja tomorrow night. Time for catch up... "culebrear"... and a beer... I think I've had one in the last 3 months... so it should be refreshing!!!

Well... You remember the religious walk we had to do¿?... well... we did it... but I didn't really get the reason why, coz' we didn't get to see the "Virgen del Cisne" - Swam Virgin (I met her last night in the Cathedral, at last... no easy jokes... please). But we did the 30 Km in around 6 or 7 hours... which is quite good!

Appart from we have celebrated 3 birthdays in one day (Diego, Pato and Jordan)... and this time I 'acolité' Mercy with the cakes... and we even cooked my mums version of cheesecake that delicious. Did you know that here they hit the guys with a belt as many times as the number of years since they were born¿? I couldn't believe it... otherwise it is hard luck for the rest of the year!

Mercy and I are a bit of the 'cocinillas' here and we are always planning what to do. We even cooked 'croquetas' one day and they were pretty good!!! Classic spanish cuisine.

What else, what else... we have gone back to the river, and we have broken the rules again and got completely soaked... I think they are not going to let me take the kids there again, coz' it is a big mess to sort them out afterwards. BTW... they always appreciate English teachers over here (bed and food could be sorted... but resources are very low to consider a salary... unless hugs and kisses is what you want... then there is plenty!!!!! I tell you!!!!), so if any of you is interested... just contact ALIN in Spain or even me.

Ah... and of course we have gone to Jipiro... a park with games that kids love... here is an example of what is a game... a VSAT antenna... why not¿? Health and Safety¿?... BT's got lots to learn ;oD

Well... just a couple of curiosities before I go to serve lunch to more than 50 kids:

1.- Rafita has been working hard on its own cultural site and left a link to this one... which is very much appreciated!!!! good luck with it!!

2.- Chiqui has also found a blog called 42, La respuesta, that is got a link to my blog (people is certainly bored ;oD)... and people's been wondering if I am nuts or not... with no final result at the end. The best thing is that I have no clue of who those guys are... As it happens with tonnet (another one kind enough to place a comment... but that I cannot contact back :oD)

So... keep on smiling... and having fun!!!! I will be doing my share of it over here!!!

Besos y Abrazos fuertes para todas/os... me largo a hacer que curro!

Cioa ciao,


Heiwa

I've got a couple of seconds!!!

Uaaauuuuhh!!! It's been nearly a month since I arrived in Loja... and I have had no time to write, read or breath... this is the most hectic time I've had since I left BT... ehhhh... well... I mean... since I joined BT ;oD

So... Hello Everybody!!! How's the summer going¿? Mine is like winter again... Loja is around 2600m over the sea level... so, even though it's August and we are around latitude 0º... it is sunny, it rains, it is warm and it is cold all in the same day... several times each kind of weather... and then is cold during the night. A lot of fun!!! ;oD

Lots of things have happened during this month... The first one was Natacha & Ben's visit! They arrived in Quito on 1st August... and I sure made my way there to introduce them to our Ecuadorian family... they were great 4 days going through lots of good memories, stories, and catching up after 4 years... and I had a good session of 'escondidas' (Ecuadorian version of Hyde and Seek) with Vero, Ricardito, Pedrito and familia. Great food, great "tropical jugos" and a shock when I discovered how much I have been missing all this time for not tasting Chirimoyas before... Nightmare!!!

The second event was my birthday. Thank You very much to everybody that remembered it!!!!! You are great!!! It was great to get so many messages that day, and I do apologize for those I haven't been able to answer before but interné does not work so well around here (trust me... I am not sure I am going to be able to finish this post!!!!). I was back in Loja for that day... and the celebration started a couple of days before thanks to Laxia and Joana, that decided to make me part of their leaving do and surprised me with a cake and presents... and then it came 8th August... and I had a couple of celebrations... I tried Quimbolitos, The kids (under Mercy's supervision) cooked a superb chocolate birthday cake (the one in the pic!!) and we had a good laugh... and then me and the boys slept outside in the terrace... with a little bit of cold, rain and stars... so... even though I was on the other side of the Atlantic I had a great party, and I felt at home at the same time!!! Ain't it cool!!! And here are some of the postcards I got this year... I hope they are still working :o)

http://www.hallmark.com/ECardWeb/ECV.jsp?a=5159491950804M126481667Y
http://www.hallmark.com/ECardWeb/ECV.jsp?a=4554691960693M127563270Y
http://www.postalescachondas.com/tarjetas/pickup.php?id=0608082032304KUIbLbh1zJ3


Then it was Nat&Ben's visit to Loja... and their chance to meet the children I spent all my time here with... we took them to the (frozen) river for a swim one day... and then the other one we went for a bit of family history in Catacocha, where Hno Santos showed us around (he took us to a different and much better Chiriculapo - Gods' Chair) and treated us as Kings.

Now things are slowing down here... the kids will be back in school soon, and they know it... so they have a bit of the feeling "shit, the summer's over", but still very good fun. We have some religous walk on Sunday (not my cup of tea... but when in Rome...) and I am trying to organize a couple of weekends at the Podocarpus National Park, which should be pretty good!

Well... the guys are waiting for me to celebrate "San Viernes" up in the roof... with another night under the stars... we have been waiting the whole week for it... as Antonieta banned it coz' we're tired the morning after... sometimes I am not sure if I am the responsible one... or the worst one in the house ;oD

Well... make sure you all take care of yourselves, ok¿? Lots of kisses for the ladies... and some hugs for the boys!!!

El veranito bien, verdad¿? Pues no podía ser de otra manera... espero que lo estéis pasando en grande! Por acá todo sigue iendo bien... aunque interné me pone un poquillo dificil el estar en contacto con todos vosotros... y del Tunguragua no os preocupéis, que estoy bastante lejos... por desgracia!!!

Un beso muy fuerte a todos!!!!!

Ciao ciao


Heiwa XXX

Ecuadorian Contact!

Hi Everybody from the most beautiful city in SouthAmerica!!! Quito! At least from my point of view...

It has got even better since the last time I was here... and it is really nice!

Well... I am busy with my Ecuadorian family ;oD and I have only a few minutes to give you my new mobile number, while I am here:

00593(0)86144930

Feel free to use your company phones to contact me... no... I am kidding... use the phone in your collegue office desk... so nobody can track you ;o)

Make sure you are all fine, ok¿?

Muchos besos y cuidense mucho!

Ciao ciao,


Heiwa X

PS: Les recuerdo que mi cumple es el 8 de Agosto... para aquellos que se quieran apuntar a una fiestecilla!!! ;oD