My first day of school

I'm in Quito.

For two weeks.

And I don't speak Spanish.

Today was the first day of school (la escuela) and I was nervous. Fortunately, my host mother took me to school in the morning so I could learn the way. It's the red bus called Agua Clara until the station, where I switch to the red bus called Ecovia. Rojo Agua Clara rojo Ecovia rojo rojo rojo: this is my mantra in hopes that I can get that to stick in my head. My host mother tells me how to get home, but I'm not sure I understand. Hopefully by the second week it'll make sense to ask people to repeat things, because at this point my vocabulary is so limited that they could repeat slowly and clearly ad nauseum and it wouldn't help. So for now, I adopt the potentially-dangerous nod & smile.

My sisters told me not to wear tennis shoes here because I'll look like a gringa. As if being wicked pale doesn't do the trick? I figure there's no reason to bother trying to blend in because I'll give myself away as soon as I say something, but I humor them.

It was awesome to see them at the escuela and I get the best (okay, only) big hugs I've gotten in ages. Em's been in Quito for a month already and Melissa speaks Spanish very well. I'm hoping if I continue to stare at them blankly, they'll translate for me. This is when I realize that total immersion is only possible if there's no one around to speak English to. Otherwise, it's a constant, ultimately (or at least initially) irresistable temptation.