My first blog...

Hello from Cuenca, Ecuador!

I am sorry it has taken me so long to write this. I have been so busy. Hopefully, I can catch up a little now that I am in Cuenca and all settled in.

On Monday, we left the Indianapolis airport around 8:15 a.m. What a nice airport! It is so calm and peaceful. The flight was quick and easy.

We then had an 8-hour layover in Atlanta. Just as I was about to settle into a seat and read, some of the girls from my group (of 15 Taylor students) asked me if I wanted to have lunch with them. We had lunch at T.G.I. Fridays (in the airport!) and then played cards. I was so thankful for these girls. God has already allowed me to form some friendships with some of my group members. I

The flight from Atlanta to Quito (which means the center of the world) was a little choppy, but we made it about on time. We then went to our hotel (Hotel San Francisco de Quito) and fell fast asleep.

Our hotel was gorgeous, as was the room I shared with two other girls. It definitely felt like I was in a Spanish speaking country! The main area of the hotel didn’t have a ceiling. There will soon be pictures on my Facebook.

Tuesday and Wednesday we toured Quito and some other towns. On Tuesday we went shopping at a traditional Latin American market and then went to the equator! There was a museum at the equator where we balanced an egg on a nail and some other fun equator-only stuff.

On Wednesday we toured Quito and learned some of its history. It is truly a beautiful city. There are some pictures on my Facebook of Quito as well.

Now, we are each at our own houses. My house is so nice! My dad is an engineer and my mom is his secretary. I have a 16-year-old sister named Pamela and a nine-year-old brother named Pedro. They are all very nice. My mom is trying really hard to make me as comfortable as possible. For the most part, I feel good...but it's really hard to understand what they are saying. I often just sit and listen. It's hard for me not to talk. Please pray I feel more like a part of this family. I still feel like an outsider.

I have my own room and my own bathroom…in fact each of us kids has our own bathroom. There is even a maid that does all the cooking and cleaning. She is nice! I think her name is Maria.

We started classes on Friday. Mine doesn't seem to be too hard. Please pray I can understand and will do well. 

Please also pray that I will not be overwhelmed or homesick. This week was really hard. I cried more than once. I am looking at I have to do while I am here and it looks so daunting. Part of me just wants to go home and forget about it. I know, however, that God is going to use this trip for His glory. Already, He has taught me about friendship and recklessly and radically trusting Him with my life.

Thanks to all of you for your prayers and well wishes. I couldn’t do it without you.

Only 27 more days J

Love,

Meagan