"Entre mas cansado, mas ñeque" -Taxi Driver

TGIF

Today in Spanish class we had a ten-minute oral presentation to do about (1) an important event (2) a famous person or (3) an event in our lives. I picked (3). I talked about my trip to Washington, D.C. for the Presidential Inauguration January 20, 2009. I did okay, except that I need to work more on a few things. I didn't realize I really need improvement on my Spanish until I got here. Spanglish has helped me out a lot when I don't know how to say something in either language. Anyway, I still did okay. The written part was really long and boring.

After marketing research, Yonseili and I went out to lunch. We looked for a place called "El Coyote," but we couldn't find it. Thanks guy from beginner's marketing class! You really know how to give correct directions! Anyway, we ended up at a place where we thought we'd be eating pizza comfortably. But that wasn't the case. I became quickly uncomfortable when we sat in what was apparently a high-class restaurant where people "subtly" stared at us - the prices were about the same we'd pay at Chilis or Applebees back in the states. The restaurant was really cool, had a nice patio, and good food. But never again.

Oh, and today I believe we were followed. My host parents say that the guys probably just wanted to flirt. If that's the case, way to go Ecuadorian guys! You sure know how to give us girls a good scare!

We had a good chat with a taxi driver today. He told us he was having a long day of work and taught us the word "ñeque" which means fuerzas or strength. "The more tired he was the more strength he had." Of course, the word comes from the Quechua language.