Today I finally had my official orientation, although after spending the weekend partying with the staff and listening to the volunteer stories I felt pretty informed. But we went over the specifics of the projects and what I would be doing as well as some background on the organization. Hearing more about it and seeing videos of what is done made me really excited to start working. I know it is going to be tiring, but it will be so rewarding. The program works with the child laborers who work in the markets with their parents to make ends meet, starting at the age of two. They grow up that way and have no time to be kids and have fun, learn, and not worry about their responsibilities. This program gives them a chance, even if for only an hour or two a week. The goal of the organization is to get kids to enroll in school and stay there to study and to build up their self image and self esteem and to know their worth. The goals and execution of the program are really great, from my perspective now. I am interested to get started and see it and meet the kids. Hopefully I will be able to get more involved with the organization while I am here to create a more comprehensive information system for the volunteers who come to work and the people in Ecuador who they work with so that people know what they do and will want to help.
In the afternoon, me and some of the girls had an adventure to the mercado artesano (artisan market) near the center of Quito. I had been there many a time in my last trip, perusing the aisles of brightly colored jewelry and clothing and art in my spare time. Today started off sunny and warm but by the time we were ready to head out, the skies looke unhappy and the loud cracks of thunder warned us of what was to come. Sure enough, as soon as we wanted to head out, the rain came down in buckets, to the point where the hilly streets were running rivers. After waiting a few minutes we decided to book it and ran down the hill to the trolley station through puddles and rivers, arriving at the bottom soaked through and freezing. But we made it to the market where we eagerly looked at all the goodies and indulged in some gifts for ourselves and others. I was so happy to spend $20 on a big white wool sweater that will surely keep me warm in the house on cool days, which seems to be everyday.
When we were shopped out, we decided that nothing would be more satisfying than an English pub and headed over to the Queen Victoria Pub which was ranked by Newsweek as one of the best meeting spots in the world. And it was pretty perfect for us today. Warm and cozy with a fireplace and typical pub décor,  it was just what we needed. We ordered some drinks and some fish and chips to share and warmed up while having some good conversation. We almost didn’t want to leave but we had to get back to cook up some ceviche with Monica so we decided that a cab would be the best route. We were oh so wrong. Never have I been in such a slow, annoying cab ride. The driver was kind of a jerk and wanted to charge us way to much to go home and although accepted our price he drove the longest possible way home, through the center of the city during rush hour and a route that none of us had taken before at the slowest pace possible and then decided when we got there that we should pay him more. Worst 5 bucks spent.