Yes, I and my luggage have arrived here safely, I can't quite believe that it was only two weeks ago, it feels like I've been here much longer.
Thankyou for all your prayers, encouragement and support in the past couple of months in getting me here and for the warmth of my send-off both from Carey and from Wellington St on my last Sunday in Northern Ireland.
Since I've arrived, I've been settling into my own little flat just down the street from HCJB and the Water Projects office (I'll be moving about a bit between flats during my time here). On my first Monday I attended a Water Projects team meeting which brought workers from all over Ecuador to Quito for the day. It was a great opportunity for me to meet those whom I'll be working with during this year. The meeting was held in Spanish so I'm not sure I'm completely au fait (French..tch...more of that later) with all that went on but it was very exciting to be in the office and see where I'll be based.
I started language school a week ago in a different part of town, I travel there on the 'Trole', a cross between a bus and a tram. It appears to be the Quitenan equivalent of the Tube i.e. no one talks. I've been making fair progress in class so far, thanks mainly to my rudimentary French but my teacher doesn't let me get away with speaking French in a Spanish accent. I'll be at language school for four weeks in total, seven hours a day for one-to-one lessons. My teacher is Isabel, she's slightly younger than me, a mechanical engineer and a Christian! I'm pleasantly bewildered by how much we have in common. Not only is she able and willing to teach me the Christian and church vocabulary but she can provide Spanish terms for Autocad too!
The Harrisons (Martin Harrison will be my boss at Water Projects) have been stellar at helping me settle in, from picking my up at the airport to using their internet to the provision of home-made curry, I really feel looked after.
I've been to a couple of churches here but I feel like I can't really judge which one I will attend until I can understand the services a bit better. There is an English language church but I'd prefer to stick at a Quitenan one.
I would greatly value your prayers in the next month for the following issues:
- success in Spanish so that I will be able to relate to folks in the communities I will visit with work
- energy to continue learning this month
- thanks for the Harrisons and the support they have already been
- thanks for Isabel, please pray we will be an encouragement to each other
- prayer against attack of homesickness and further physical sickness (I've had one visit of las amoebas amigas already)
- that I will settle quickly in a church and determine areas of service.
10th August was Independence Day for Ecuador. On the Saturday night, there was a concert held in the main square and all the buildings were lit up in celebration. The streets in the historic town centre were shut off to cars and were thronged with people all night.
All credit for the photos goes to Isabel, I'm a hopeless photographer.
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