Home sweet home.

The last day with the kids in Quito was a lot like I imagined it. They didn't understand that we were leaving. They ran out to their parents at the end of the day and didn't look back. It made things a lot easier on me. It reminded me how adaptable children are. They are resilient. They bounce back, and I'm almost certain that we're already a memory to them. I don't mean this in a sad way, because I truly believe in the difference we've made in the past two weeks. I believe that being loved and nurtured is the way children grow up to feel secure. I wish I could spend fifty two weeks per year giving children the love that they deserve, but I guess that job will fall into my hands soon enough. In a year I hope to be caring for kids through music, and in ten years I hope to be taking care of kids of my own.

It's nice to be home but I miss the people and weather and dogs and fresh juice of Quito! I miss our host family and dulce de leche and playing with little kids. Home has been relaxing compared to the action-packed, energy-draining days of running after kids, speaking Spanish, and touring Quito. It's comforting to be back in my own bed and with my family again.

I missed my guitar a lot so I spent some quality time with it today. I wrote some new lyrics that I really like, but I couldn't write much music. I only have another day before we're separated again! We're leaving for Puerto Plata on Sunday morning. I'm excited to spend a lot of time with my family and practice Spanish even more. I've decided to look into some kind of Spanish class, hopefully this fall, but definitely some time within the year. It's become increasingly important to me to master this language and with all the practice I've had in the last two weeks, I've realized that it's possible.

I have a beautiful picture of me and Courtney with our host family that I will be sure to post as soon as a I put it on my computer. I am so grateful that I was able to get to know them.

Thanks for reading and for all the support through this experience. If you keep reading, I'll keep writing! Paz a todos.