Day 364

I can't believe that  2011 is almost done! That means my project is almost done! I can't believe it's been a year since I've started! I have no pictures from today, but here is my first post I did for my 365 day photography project. Day 16, first official photo. Before that I had been taking pictures daily, and posting them, but I hadn't decided to do the project yet.

Thanks to my friend, Karin, who encouraged me to start this project, and also encouraged me throughout the year!

I'm so glad that I started - and finished- this project. I've learned so much, and I definitely am a much better photographer than I was a year ago.

This next semester I hope to get a photography website up, and set some rates. I also am taking my first photography class! It's film photography I, but it's a pre requisite for almost any other class I might want to take, so hopefully I learn about more than just film photography.

Day 363

The last day that my sister's friends parents were here we went to a little town called Mindo and did 13 ziplines. They have it set up where you only have to hike a short while and you go from zipline to zipline until you get back to where you started. So fun!

We love doing lunges. 

We had to wait about an hour to get a couple of guides to take us on the ziplines. So my little friendsies pushed me on the swing there. 

Surfing! 

Que cargoso

My dad and I

All ready to go on the ziplines! 

The group. There were 9 of us.

Julianna coming in

My dad ziplining

The last zipline we rode through the jungle. 

Day 362

Another busy day showing visitors around Ecuador.

There is a famous indian market a couple hours away from Quito. It is so fun to go and shop, and bargain there.

There are many different colors, and cultures.

After shopping at Otavalo, we headed over to a waterfall. The last time that I went to this waterfall I was pretty young. 

This little boy was with the girl charging for the bathrooms (it was 25 cents for two people) and he was SO adorable. 

Later that night we went downtown and looked at all the lights, and buildings. It was pretty cool. As we were catching the trolly to head back home, we saw the president of Ecuador drive by. His window was down, and he stared right at me and frowned.... Yeah, he's not a big fan of Americans.

Day 361

Today was a busy day. I told you in this post, that my sister had some friends coming in on Monday night, and because my sister Katelyn's friend who is staying for six months, had her parent with her for three days, we tried to cram in as much as possible.

First, we went and took a tour at HCJB, the mission that my parents work with. I grew up with HCJB, and I thought it would be somewhat dull, but it was really very interesting. 

Those are shadows on my face. 

Next, we went to the middle of the world. There is one spot, just outside of Quito where they have a bunch of stores, and a huge monument which is where the middle of the world is. BUT, when they figured out the middle of the world they couldn't do it exactly. Once a good gps system developed, a little ways down the road they have another place where the 'real' middle of the world is. The one with the big monument is the one that all the tourists go to. I've been there many times. This time my family went to the other one, where I had never been, and it was really cool. 

This is a real shrunken head. 

My family on the equator. 

We were able to balance an egg on a nail because it was right on the equator. 

Mindo & Ziplines

Movie of me going down the ziplines in Mindo

Day 360

I took my family out to dinner at my favorite restaurant growing up: Crepes and Waffles. Yum!

Day 359

Merry Christmas, everyone!

We had a good, mostly uneventful, day.

Traditionally we wake up early... okay 7:30 is early to me... maybe not to other people, to open stockings. 

Our stockings this year were supermaxi bags (or walmart bags) 

We had yummy home made donuts for breakfast

And homemade guacamole for lunch. So yummy. 

After lunch we decided to spontaneously go downtown to take a few of my sister's senior pictures. We decided that there would be a lot fewer crowds on Christmas day than any other day of the year.

I wish I had gotten closer to the lady sitting at the door. 

This lady had a pigeon land on her head, and she didn't even doing anything about it. She just kept walking. And then it pooped on her. 

While we were downtown, this little girl comes up asking to see the picture I took of Julianna. I showed her the picture, and she asks if it turned out nicely. I tell her it did, and then I ask if she wants a picture taken of herself. She said yes, and then posed for it. I showed her the picture, and she was so excited.

While I was taking my sister's pictures, we begin to walk down the street to find another location to do some pictures, and this lady starts yelling at us in Spanish. My dad tells us to keep walking, and while we walk away quickly my dad says, "I think she's yelling at us because you didn't take her picture." This made me laugh because it just shows how different the U.S. is from Ecaudor. In the U.S. I could get in big trouble for taking pictures of some stranger. 

While we were driving home that evening, we were stopped behind a few cars waiting for a car in front of us to do a u-turn. Out of no where we all fly forward and then back into our seats. All I see is my dad unbuckling and getting out of the car. I finally realized that someone had hit us from behind. The guy who hit us pulls to the side, and then my dad also pulls to the side. Not too much harm was done. The car is banged up, but will hopefully be covered by the guy who ran into us. My two sisters, dad, and I are fine other than a little bit of whiplash that first night. 

So, that was our eventful - or maybe non eventful Christmas day. It was nice to be here to spend it with family. 

I head back to Colorado Springs two weeks from tomorrow, and although it seems like a long time, I'm sure it will go very quickly. 

Oh, and news about my computer? They managed to retrieve a 100% of my hard drive! And my computer should be completely fixed, with a new hard drive in a little less than two weeks. 

For awhile I felt very overwhelmed about not knowing what to do with my photos without my computer. I decided to just upload my photos without editing them. A few of them may be edited, but most of them are not. 

Day 358

We have a couple traditions for Christmas Eve. 1. We open one present on Christmas eve. 2. Instead of buying little presents for each sibling, we draw a name, and buy one sibling a nicer present. So, on Christmas eve we open the present that we get from our secret santa.

My parents opened a couple of candy filled ornaments, and then my dad decided to use it as jewelry. Cute, I know.

Here in Ecuador, Christmas Eve is the big event. People stay up past midnight to open presents, eat good food, and enjoy family.

Day 357

This is my family's Ecuadorian "smile" picture. A lot of Ecuadorians tend not to smile for pictures. We like to mimic.

Day 356

I got some cute pictures of Katelyn and Micah today. Super cute. :)

Day 355

Let's see, there is much to tell... but not quite enough time. At least not tonight. I've been finding that it's hard to update this without a computer of my own to use. It's not that we don't have a bazillion computers around this house... I just don't enjoy posting as much because it's not my computer. I know how to use my computer, and I have (or had) lightroom on my computer. I found out today that they managed to get 30% of the items off of my hard drive. I don't know what they got... my guess is that it is all documents that I never actually wanted to see again. BUT... my computer should be fixed before I leave. Which is good, because I start school the Monday after I get home (which is a Friday night).

Anyway, here's a picture... just for YOU. :)

My sisters and I went to the mall to find some Christmas gifts for my parents... it was SO crowded.

Day 354

Let's see... this = the view from my room. Don't you just love it?

This is my room. Doesn't it make you feel like you're in a cabin or something. 

These are my beautiful sisters. :) 

Day 353

I travelled all day long. I woke up around 5:00 am (after going to bed at 3:30) and didn't arrive in Quito until 1 am the next day. Of course, I did lose two hours. So it was 11 pm Colorado time. I just remember feeling so tired.

This carry on was actually checked soon after I took the picture. I didn't mind... it meant that I didn't have to drag it around the Miami airport when I got there.

Would guys like to hear a funny/ embarrassing moment?
Even if you don't want to, I'll tell you anyway. When I was in the Dallas airport, I practically felt like a zombie. I didn't have anything to do and I was tired, oh so tired. I began walking around. I went to fill up my water bottle. When I arrived at the water fountain, there was a man standing there watching a few bags while whoever he was traveling with went to the bathroom. I stood at the water fountain for awhile feeling around it trying to figure out where the button was to make water come out. I then stand up and just stare at it. I'm not exactly sure about what I should do about the situation I'm in. I had NO idea where the button was to turn the water on, but I felt too weird just walking away after accomplishing nothing. Finally, the guy next to me says: "the button is way underneath. I had the same problem, I couldn't figure out how to work it either." I thanked him and then proceeded to fill my water bottle. I then started walking aimlessly. I'm watching the floor as I walk. I then look up and I find myself in a bathroom. No, not the women's bathroom.... it was the men's bathroom. I suddenly halt, and a man looks at me and says, "you're in the wrong bathroom." I go: "Oh, sorry" and I turn around and start walking out. As I was walking out a man is walking in. He looks at me, and then looks at the sign. Finally I say, "Sorry, I walked into the wrong bathroom." He enters and I exit. The entire time I'm pretty sure that the guy who helped me figure out the water fountains had watched the entire episode. I really wonder what he thinks about it.

That was my excitement in Dallas. In Miami I realize that I had about 3 or 4 holes in the crotch of my jeans. They were my favorite jeans... and now I have to throw them away :(

That pretty much sums up my day. I'm pretty sure my cheeks were red most of the day from embarrassment. Thankfully, none of those people will ever see me again.

Day 352

My last day in Colorado Springs I got to hang out with these cool people :) 

Doesn't the above one look like an ad? I love Caiden with his jacket unzipped and no shirt. I should probably just crop David out of the picture. 

Well folks, from what it looks like I won't be getting much off of my broken computer. The hard drive is ruined :( This is why you all should buy an external hard drive to back up your photos! That's definitely on my to do list as soon (or even before) I return to the U.S.

I'm SOOO bummed about my photos. They told my dad that they were able to get a little bit off of my hard drive, but not much. They are going to keep trying through Monday. Then they will be putting a new hardrive into my computer. Do you want to hear the good news though? It should be free. I still have a warranty on my Macbook that I got a year and a half ago, and they say that I can use the warranty here! I will just have to pay for them to get what they can off of the hard drive. Other than that, I won't have to pay anything for it to be fixed. Sadly, they won't be done with my computer for another 12-14 days. In 14 days I go to the beach, and I wasn't planning on taking my computer to the beach... It makes me wish that I had just left my computer in Colorado... Since I won't be using it here.

I miss lightroom! I'm back to using iphoto on my sister's computer and it's SO hard to use compared to lightroom,