Highlights in the Highlands

Mitad del Mundo (middle of the world): About 30 minutes from Casa Victoria, there's a huge monument for the middle of the world. 200 meters from that, there's a wonderful museum with the "actual" middle of the world (supposedly calculated by GPS). Lot's of cheesy experiments to "prove" that we were actually ON the equator. Some of it...a crock. Others, somewhat believable!

Showcasing my blow-dart skills at the Equator

Jon and I in the middle of the world!!

Salchiches: A few weeks back, a couple of our volunteers wrote to a meat company requesting a donation for the kid's camp that we run here at Casa Victoria. They were so gracious and donated a refrigerator FULL of...HOT DOGS! We're estimating close to 1,000 of the yummy little things. For the first week, we had hot dogs (salchiches) with EVERYTHING! Salchiches con huevos...salchiches con pan...salchiches solomente. You dream it up and we'll make it happen! After the first week, we'd only made a minuscule dent in our supply. Thus, we decided to use them for fundraising. You see, people all over Ecuador are constantly selling their goods. Whether they be frutas y vegetales or pirated DVD's (more on that later). So, we thought... "Why can't we sell hot dogs? We could make some good money for Casa Victoria!" So...last Friday night, it was no date night for Jon and I. Instead, it was..."HOT DOGS...estilo Americano...un dolar! Lleve sus Hot Dogs!" I will let the pictures do the talking...

Get your Hot Dogs!!

by the way...we made $18 in just 2 hours.

Our first sale!

Salsa Night: About a week ago, Jon and I were invited by our new local friends to go to a LEGITIMATE underground salsa club. Much to Jon's pleading NO...I could not resist. What a trooper my husband is. The best way to picture this evening is through a movie. I will let "Along Came Polly" do the talking...

Ben Stiller = Jon Eshleman//Jennifer Aniston = Anna Eshleman




It was AWESOME. We will be back soon.


Bus ride to Plaza de las Americas: So...public transportation here is not like it is in the states. You jump on a bus acouple blocks from our house and you can pretty much go anywhere in Quito for 25 cents. In order to find the right bus, you watch the windshield as the bus pulls in close to see if your place of interest is listed. You can also listen for the bus helper to lean out the door and YELL the list to you. "a Estadio Olimpico. a Estadio Olimpico..." They speak in hyper-speed...so we choose to watch the windshields. The other day, Jon and I decided to make the trek to the movie theater to see "Hancock" (very funny, by the way). It was 6:30pm and we wanted to make it to the mall in time for some dinner and an 8:00 movie. We finally found our bus and made a running leap to get on (the buses don't really seem to STOP here.) After about 20 minutes, we arrived at a corner with big bright lights. "This is it Honey. Let's go." (Everyone else was getting off...I thought 'this MUST be it'). We paid our 50 cents and jumped off. To our absolute surprise, we were not on the right corner. With our broken Spanish, we asked a few young girls where Plaza de las Americas was. "Es muy cerca... (it's very close)..." they responded with TONS of laughter. So, we humbled ourselves, stepped off the curb and walked the couple blocks to the mall.

45 mintues and 2.5 miles later, we made it.

Hint: when riding public transportation in a foreign city, look at the map in your purse BEFORE your destination...or...wear walking shoes.


Batman - The Dark Night: We own it. $2. Included: a full DVD menu, English AND Spanish, subtitles, and only 4 people who get up and walk in front of the video camera during the movie.

Well worth our $2.

MEGAmaxi (ie: We NEED our comfort food!): Our favorite finds at MEGAmaxi: Mint Milano cookies, Kraft Mac and Cheese, Pringles, Starburst, Twix, Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar.
Electric Kettle: Today, I had a rough day. Living in another country is hard sometimes. So, Jon and I went for a walk and he bought me the most wonderful gift ever...an electric kettle! I get to make hot tea and coffee right in my bedroom now! It's the small things that bring me such great joy these days. (We also had fresh juice on the way home. yum yum.)


My reading today: "All that we have and are is one of the unique and never-to-be-repeated ways God has chosen to express himself in space and time. Each of us, made in his image and likeness, is yet another promise he has made to the universe that we will continue to LOVE and care for it." - Brennan Manning, The Signature of Jesus


Thanks for all the LOVE!

We miss you.
Anita y Juanito