what I've been doing

I've been home now for time that no longer makes sense to count in hours. Got home Sunday night and now it's Wednseday afternoon, well into the "time to do things" era of the Post Study Abroad Experience. I haven't really done much, though, but I don't particularly feel bad about it. I saw one of my two neighbor-friends and I can't wait to see the other. I ate the beloved chinese food and really, it is that good. Really. I took a shower in water that heated up so fast I was sure someone was tricking me.

The main out-of-the-house expedition was a stretching class in Takoma Park. You may be saying "that is a load of hooey bullshit" unless you are one of my mother's hippie dippie friends in which case you are probably in the class with me. Hidden, in the back. Was it you that put the hot water in my shower? Anyway, the class is about actively stretching specific muscles (in fact, its called Active Isolated Stretching) so that they can strenthen and relax, both of which cause you less pain and stress. So I did that which required about an hour of driving. It's not so fun to drive after watching three major car accidents in Quito. I'm so worried a bicycle will enter the lane and I'll hit him and his neck will go all crooked or someone will cut me off and I'll kill there seven unseatbelted children in the backseat or a giant gasoline truck will rear-end me and my skin will sizzle off.

I called a lot of people, the lovely EMILY among them. It's strange to be able suddenly to communicate with the ease of the telephone after having to type up everything I wanted to say to a friend or have to struggle with skype. And of course we are way more connected than we ever have been, waaaaay more, you can read this from Estonia (who is my one reader from Estonia? I would love to meet you), write me about it on facebook, or just send me an emoticon. The internet has changed the world! Did you know this!

Ma and Lester go to work and school in the day. I read Chuck Klosterman and eat cheese. I watch four ERs in a row. I obsessively update my planner. I miss Pilar.

Enough boring, more smarts.

Things that astonish me

-bricks as buliding material

-its cold and the trees are dead

-its safe to be outside at night.

-People use ovens frequently

-There's such variety when it comes to packaged/processed foods. I haven't been to a grocery store yet, but I can see it just in the pantry or the cabinet. Low sodium chicken and rice soup, fat free chicken noodle. Baked beans, refried beans, cuban black beans, white beans, garbanzo beans, white beans. Crackers: water, spelt, grahm, stoned wheat, granola bar (and granola proper), pretzel.