Well, that's a wrap, folks.

It's Sunday night, and once again I'm back on the couch in our apartment drinking blackberry tea.  Everybody is busy unpacking, resettling, and skyping/blogging/reading.  Today was our last day with our homestay families; we went to church, had a delicious lunch, walked the dogs, stopped at the grocery store, and got dropped off at our apartment.  Before we left we exchanged words of thanks and gifts.  It was bitter sweet -- our family is so kind and they love us so much.  I'm really thankful to have lived with and learned from them, and I am confident they'll be praying for us for years.  Honestly.  But -- I'm also really glad to be back here.  I'm happy to be wearing yoga-pries and a T-shirt, to be walking around without shoes, to speak in English (and consequently be able to adequately express my thoughts), to be able to eat what I want when I want, to once again have roof access, and be able to see and grow with these girls outside of class. We have lots of lists of things we want to do and restaurants we want to try.  There will be no end of adventures for this girl!

 

Here are some pictures from our final weekend with our host family!

 

My host parents go to the market to buy fruit on Saturday mornings.  This week I invited myself along.  It was so fun!  I had tons of questions...surprise, surprise, right? :)

Moras (blackberries)
These things are crazy popular here.  We don't often eat them plain, but you can buy almost anything mora flavored. 
Tea, jelly, yogurt, candy, juice, ect.  I'm a fan.

My family is SUPER involved in their church.  Which is really neat to see.  On Saturday night I went to a prayer/worship event for jovenes (students age 16ish-22ish).  I was the only non-Ecuadorian there; I was kind of uncomfortable, but it was powerful to pray and worship with these other students who are also seeking to follow and serve God.  The most powerful moment was being able to light my candle from the same Christ candle as all the rest of them.  Different culture: same God. Beautiful.

Our last night together.  We went to La Calle Rhonda in Old Quito.  We got chocolate samples in the chocolate store, ate some pizza, and tried a typical Ecuadorian drink made with oranges and cinnamon-- I don't know how to spell it but it's pronounced "candi-laka."  They're not really into pictures, but I managed to get a few :)

Our dad grilling our Sunday lunch.  I told him food on the grill was my favorite and just stood there and watched for a long time.  Shoutout to my little bro Tommy -- our in-home Grill-Master :)

MariaJose, Mafer, Ally (and Minnie), Mama, Papa (and Dana), Lette
En Dios, somos siempre familia.  (In Christ, we are always family).