I have a new home!!

After 4 weeks of waiting, I finally know where I am going to live for the next 2 years: Alausí which is in the province of Chimborazo. It's still in the sierra and is at about 2900 m. Average temps are in the 40s year round (which sucks) but everyone I've talked to who has been there says it has some of the prettiest scenery in Ecuador which will be awesome. I will spend all next week on a site visit meeting with the organization I'll be working with and learning about my projects. Alausi is about 10 hours south of where I am now. The nearest person from my training group is about 4 hours away and the nearest person of all Peace Corps Volunteers is about an hour away.

This week has been another exciting one in Santa Rosa. Friday night was a fireworks display--which was awesome, but there are definitely different safety concerns for fireworks in the US. One of the displays was the Vaca Loca. Basically, a really drunk guy puts a wooden cow on his shoulders that is loaded with fireworks. He lights the rockets with his cigarette and aims the rockets directly at the crowd standing about 10 feet away. I was terrified for my life as several rockets just about nailed me in the head, but the people loved it and didn't seem to think it was dangerous at all. They also launch rockets that explode into giant fireballs that fall directly on the crowd. No one actually caught fire, but it was dangerously close.

Saturday I went to the baptism of my 5 year old host cousin. The mass was...interesting. But we ended up having a dance party until 3 am. They gave us SOOOO much food. Everything you could imagine: soup, about 500 potatoes, chicken, pork, steak, guinea pig, fried pig skin, and lots and lots of cake. It was pretty awesome. By now I have learned never to dress nice for a party here. No matter where it is, you will have to walk for at least 20 min in ankle deep mud. I'm really having a great time partying with my family. I'm quickly becoming the family hairdresser because I know how to french braid (the girls love having their hair braided into a crown with flowers in it or a heart shaped braid on the back of their head). I'm having such a great time with this family. I'm sad that in just one month I will have to leave for a new host family in Alausi. I hope they are as good as this one. When I told them where I was going they said that they've always wanted to take a family vacation to Alausi and that they would come visit me, which would be super great.

I hope all is well back home!