Arrived in Quito

We arrived in Quito after a long day of travel. The boys did very well, but they were exhausted by the end. Tegre was delerious. Kate and Agustin met us at the airport and took us to the host families. We are staying with Elvalicia and Luis. Luis is a retired petroleum engineer. They are both very cheerful. Their daughter and son-in-law live in an upstairs apartment. They have tenants in another upstairs apartment. The front wall of the house contains a bodega run by an indigena. She has lots of fruit there. We are about one block from the school and two blocks from a huge mall. Although we are bordered by busy streets in close proximity, the neighborhood is quiet and the house is totally quiet at night. The house is on Calle El Dia in La Carolina neighborhood.

Sparkling violetear hummingbird babies on the nest, 6 inches from our window in the middle of Quito.

Parque Carolina. This is a huge park. Our neighborhood is called Carolina. The park has soccer fields, greenways, paddleboats, a botanical garden, and lots and lots of customers.

The last of the students arrived on the flight with us. They are all staying extremely close to the school. The furthest I have heard is two blocks away. This is a nice part of Quito and I feel good about their safety. The school is a small facility in a house. It has several small classrooms, a lovely lounge, and a kitchen that has snacks. Agustin is the director, and he has been very helpful. My biology class will meet down the street in a public space, like a neighborhood meeting room.

Tegre and Sagan playing at a smaller park that is one block from our homestay.