Deportes

Until my host family recently mentioned reading my letter I wrote to them back in October (before I actually thought I'd be accepted into the program, much less living in Ecuador less than a year later), I'd forgotten that I wrote it. I imagine that if I went back now and read it, I'd be embarrassed and regret at least some of what I wrote. However, there's one thing I don't regret writing in the letter. In the letter, I wrote that I like sports.  Because I did, my host parents put me in touch with a guy who I'm now renting a bike from, a bike that I'll be able to ride to and from school on.  More importantly, though, my parents have been setting up outings for me with different friends of my host sister's and people from the church. I've gone on a 30 mile bike ride to the nearishby town of Canoa (which you should all google, because the beaches are lovely but I forgot to bring my camera) and back, kayaking in the river Chone/Pacific Ocean:

I mostly had my kayaking buddy take this picture so I could stop paddling. My shoulders hurt so much. (Of course that "hurt" is past tense. Of course I'm not still sore from two days ago. Don't be ridiculous.)

and hiking in the nature reserve Cerro Seco, where there were some really, really spectacular views:

(I live there. Just saying.)

The stitching on that probably could have gone better, but it's still pretty, right?

These pictures don't really do the color of the water justice. It was extremely turquoise and shiny and great.

In addition to all this, I've been promised surf lessons, scuba lessons, mountain biking, and visiting la Isla de los Pajaros. So, I don't think there's any need to reiterate this, but I will. I am so very glad I wrote in my letter to my host family that I enjoy sports. It has done me worlds of good.