Independence Day? (?)

Happy Independence Day. Of course there is a definite delay in my posts but hey it is what is. No worries. My independence day had little to do with Independence. My day was filled with washing clothes by hand. WHOO WEE what task. Yep mi madre finally cornered me and got me to do it. She also made me sweep and dust my room...under supervision. She even "you missed a spot"ted me lol. I learned how to make a bed like they do at a hotel and as I type this all of my personal intimate apparel is hanging up outside in the front yard over the dog house for everyone person who comes over to see. Sweet. Also, this weekend it was QUITE the task getting out of the house Friday and Saturday. All of our new padres are really protective of us trainees. They feel we are their responsibility and they are not messing around. They want to make sure we don't get jacked in the park, that we have enough money to get a taxi if we need it, but not too much in case we get robbed/pick pocketed, oh and we always are sent out of the door with something to eat...if we don't sit and eat something which is preferred. I was starting to feel a bit claustrophobic as I'm approaching 30 and yet can't be out past 7:30. In reality I appreciate someone taking me into their home and loving me as if I were their own. It's just me and my attitude trying to get out of line. Tonight I (4th of July) I really didn't want to go out and party like a lot of people wanted to do. My super protective family served as the perfect excuse to stay home and test our my new blogging technique with my thumb drive. I sure hope this works. I was able to go out and meet up with friends.... I just had to be home before dinner :)

Friday our Co Trainers, Current Peace Corps Volunteers, Facilitators and Staff had a Futbol Tournament and BBQ for us. It was SO MUCH fun. After my week I needed to just be outside and running around. In Ecuadorian Tradition we had an Madrina/Reina competition. The Reina represents the futbol team and it's basically a pageant before the tournament. There are maybe 9 language groups so we each had to elect a Madrina. For my group..that we call the short bus since we are the lowest Spanish class lol...picked me. Well it was more I agreed to do it cause NO one wanted to. No one wants to parade in front of people AND have to answer a competition question IN Spanish! Our group is the one group that doesn't even speak Spanish so you know we can't even wing it if we wanted to!! Man we at first were like, no man, no way...but then our competitive spirit took over and the Short Bus banded together for real! We came up with a chant in Spanish, we got T-shirts made (pictures coming hopefully) and my whole team had my back helping me come up with my speech. I had one night to memorize it....I thought I could never do it. I could barely READ it correctly let alone memorize it! We were being judged on team spirit, team outfits, chant and the madrina. I was soooo nervous the next day for the competition. Mi Madre was so on top of it, she ironed the one dress I brought with me, and made me wear some make up lol and she even came to the event even though it was just for Peace Corps people. She's so supportive. My lil sis came too and took pictures. My team looked great in our outfits, we had great team spirit, I actually made it through my speech and while the competition was steep guess won !? Yep ME! lol. I am the Reaina of Omnibus 102 2009 and have the sash to prove it. For real it means so much because my group REALLY came together as a team. The Director said the reason Cayambe (my group) won was because our team spirit was so obvious. We were all up late at night writing my speech and while I was saying my speech my girls were mouthing the words in case I forgot lol. It was fun. It's a good memory for when I think I can't do something, I can remember that a) si se puede b) I have a support system.

Despues we got to playing some futbol. My team didn't have any apparent great players like some teams, but we really held our own out there on the field. I think we were pumped from our victory. We won our first game (I made our one and only winning goal, maybe I'll be a futbol player for real!) and we lost our next game in a kick off...and that team was the Facilitators and they were really good, so I feel like we one that one too...lol. Then we met volunteers who have been serving for about a year and had the best food I've had in weeks. It's always great talking to people IN service cause they tell you how it is. We all hung out after the even too...and it was hard getting out of the house lol....but I did and all and all it was a great day.

I got out of going to a parade today early in the AM but tomorrow there is one that I gotta be ready to leave that house at 9 AM sharp. I have written about 5 posts on this thumb drive tonight, I hope that it works. I will have much more fun detailed blog posts if it does! Happy Fourth even though I"ll probably post this on the 14th lol :)