Send Out Your Ray of Sunshine

Well sometimes the sun shines on
Other people's houses and not mine.
Some days the clouds paint the sky all gray
And it takes away my summertime.
Somehow the sun keeps shining upon you,
While I struggle to get mine.
If there's a light in everybody,
Send out your ray of sunshine.

I want to walk the same roads as everybody else, 

Through the trees and past the gates.
Getting high on heavenly breezes,
Making new friends along the way.
I won't ask much of nobody,
I'm just here to sing along.
And make my mistakes looks gracious,
And learn some lessons from my wrongs.

-JMrizzle

When I walk around town, I tend to keep my head up but my eyes down. Between the catcalls from creeps and the awkwardness of seeing familiar faces that I don't really know in a small, foreign town, I often just get into my walking zone on a mission and avoid eye contact. It seems like the easier option but upon reflection, I have to remind myself that this is only a disservice to myself and everyone around me. Even if I look like a grinning fool, what's the harm in just flashing a smile to everybody I pass, sending out my "ray of sunshine"?  Maybe I can improve a tiny moment of a familiar stranger's life or at the very least, give them the impression that we gringos are a friendly and approachable people. 

Anyway, update time!

Since the last time we talked, my friend Mark came to visit! Minus one drunk debacle, it was a great couple weeks. Highlights: we swam in several waterfalls, kayaked around a lagoon inside a volcano crater, a monkey peed on my lap, we pet a llama, I almost died climbing a hillside during a jungle hike in the Amazon, we tried chicha (fermented maize chewed up by indigenous people, spit out, and then consumed), we held a baby crocodile, ate tons of delicious Ecuadorian dishes, and played a lot of rummy (and I won every game). 

just monkeying around

No probllama

After I sent him packing, I spent a couple days catching up on sleep and netflix and then it was time for Corpus Christi 2014! This year, I was not feeling being in the parade like last year. It's a whole lot of people staring at you as you walk through town slowly, red in the face, being forced to take shots for a few hours. Not really Chelsea's cup of tea. I was happy to be a spectator this time around.

not just because some of the men were shirtless.

After all the festivities died down, it was time to get excited for the World Cup! A couple friends and I went to the capital to watch the big games for Ecuador and the US and guess what- they both lost! Argh! But we showed up decked out in patriotic gear for both of our teams. Since the US advanced, I will NOT be wearing red, white, and blue because apparently I jinxed it last time.

Yep, those are all the updates, I think. I've got a beach trip coming up that should be super sweet. The school year is almost finished so I haven't been doing much productivity wise, which makes the time kinda drag by. So if you'd like to be the highlight of my day, let's set up a skype date! :)

Until next time... don't forget about the sunshine song.