Farewell, Ecuador!

Almost three years to the day after our arrival in Quito, we have returned to our beloved US of A. What a time we have had! We arrived with a barely one year old boy and another on our way. Three fourths of the family didn't speak Spanish (1/2 didn't speak anything!). I didn't know much about Andean, Ecuadorian, or Latin American cultures. Santiago knew economic development from the comforts of a developed country, but never from a leadership position in a target country. We didn't know but a few people in Ecuador.



And now, it is hard to believe we have said "auf wiedersehen" to dear friends and to what has been home for us for so many months. We are delighted to be back in the US, to be reunited with family and friends, and to reaquaint (or aquiant!) our kids with their "motherland." But we are sad to say good-bye to the many things we love about Ecuador. To wrap it up, here's a couple of top ten lists!

What we'll miss about Ecuador
10. Seeing snow-capped mountains from my son's window
9. Guanabana, pitayaha, uvillas, camote, tomate de arbol, and lots of other fruits I had never heard of or eaten before
8. Locro
7. Two seasons - long sleeve and short sleeve
6. Five types of hummingbirds in our back yards
5. Encountering a mix of cultures, peoples, languages, and customs that I've gotten to know over these three years
4. Fruit all year around - watermelon in December, mango season!
3. Hearing my boys says "no cierto, nano?"
2. The Amazon, the rain forest, the Pacific beaches, and some of the world's most beautiful mountains with in a few hours of our house
1. Delightful friends who we hope to see again in another corner of the world

Things I Am Looking forward to in the US!
10. Scones and bagels
9. Shoes in my size
8. Rediscovering the natural beauty of the United States
7. A whole slew of new(ish) babies - Ella, Eva, Cadence, Libby, Tilley, Luke, Nicolas,
6. Having my boys experience snowmen, snowangels, and sledding
5. Spring flowers and fall leaves
4. Summer fruits - blueberries, peaches, watermelons, honeydews
3. All of the DC monuments which remind me daily of how proud I am to be a gringa
2. The ink of the Washington Post on my fingers every morning
1. Seeing all of our friends and family!