I made it!

Hello everyone, this is my first time blogging ABROAD! I am excited to tell you all that I had a very safe trip with very few issues. I woke up at 3:15AM this morning and had Robyn drive me to the airport. I was doing OK as I waited in line to check in with my already printed boarding pass when I was told that since my pass didn´t have a bar code, I needed to talk to a representative. I showed them my passport and then they were asking me about my length of stay--something I was a bit worried about. You can stay in Ecuador for 90 days without a special visa, so I didn´t get a visa because I´m only staying in Ecuador for 60 days, then Peru for 45 days, then Chile for like 15 days. However the woman at the counter was concerned, wrote some stuff down on the computer and then called another representative over to ask advice. Luckily this other woman had heped me earlier and seemed super nice. She told the woman that if it were her she would book me for a flight out of Ecuador within 90 days, print me the ticket, then cancel the flight. So that is what happened, and no problems arose after that. No one asked to see that flight ticket, but I felt comfortable knowing I had a document clearly showing I was leaving Ecuador within 90 days (even if it wasn´t real). Then I flew to Denver where I had a lay over (slept the whole way). Then flew to Houston, Texas next to this older man (79 years old) who I didn´t talk to until the very end, because I slept most of that plane too. He was telling me how he had a doctorate in science and had taught for 35 years, all grades including elementary all the way up to college! After he retired from teaching he opened up a B&B and took care of his wife for 19 years when she got Alzheimer´s. He was living with his daughter and her family in Colorado for the past few years, so they could help with his wife, but now that time has past since she passed away, he planned to move to Texas. So on this trip he was going to check out some houses or something and propose to his new sweetheart! Isn´t that so cute?! It was fun talking with him, although I was a bit distracted by this random hair growing out of his cheek. Anyways, once I flew into Houston, I had to take this old-school shuttle to a different terminal and was freaking out with several other travelers about not making our flights since this shuttle was going so slow and we were pretty sure it got lost along the way (I don´t think it actually did, but we were worried...) luckily I followed the signs and made it in time to check in at my gate, get a bording pass and then wait for a few minutes before bording. I watched as this woman said goodbye to a younger boy who was escorted onto the plane. I talked to her afterwards and she said he was her 12 year old nephew from Ecuador who had come to visit with her for the past month and a half (he was on summer vacation); during his stay she put him into school in Texas so he could meet friends and have something to do...an interesting vacation to say the least. We talked shortly about Ecuador and how the people in Quito (the capital) have very thick accents--great for practicing Spanish abroad for my first time ha! Anyways, I got on the 3rd plane and slept mostly through The Blind Side and Did You Hear about the Morgansons? As I filled out my customs form I was nervous because it asked about food and I had some trailmix and power bars packed and I was afraid they would either confiscate them or make me pay to bring them into Ecuador; lucky for me however they barely glanced at my sheet before passing me along. I easily found my luggage and the guy with a sign with my name on it and the hostal I´m staying at, it was only like a 15 minute drive from the airport too. I´m in a room with 4 beds, 1 girl is sleeping already. I think I´m going to go get ready for bed too now. The manager said breakfast is served from 7:30-9:30 and my travel buddy (another volunteer from America who is going to the school with me, her name is Suzall and she´s 60 years old) is supposed to be here tomorrow at 7, but I don´t know if that is AM or PM so I might have time to explore around a bit, we´ll see! Have a good night and remember: I´m a very detail-oriented person...you were forewarned! :)