Quick Update From Quito

We’ve been in Quito for a month now and we’ve had the pleasure of communicating with several friends and family members back home during that time. For anyone relying on this blog to know what we are up to, I apologize for my lack of information here. The fact of the matter is that we have been quite comfortable here in Quito. The cost of living seems quite reasonable and the Internet connection is quick and stable. We have been able to get a lot of work done and all the rainy days have just given us all the more reason to stay indoors and work. Our kids have been working through the various courses and assignments we’ve given them. Although Sydney hasn’t graduated high school yet, I like to think she is currently taking her first university course. She is enrolled in a Boston University AP Spanish Language and Culture course on the edX.org website. If you haven’t heard of edX.org, check it out. You can get access to top notch courses from renown universities and organizations from around the world. Most courses are free but you can pay for a certificate to prove you completed a course.

We have seen a few sights

Besides shopping trips to the grocery store, we have ventured out a few times. On Good Friday there was a procession of thousands of faithful Catholics that we saw part of. Many of them were wearing purple robes, others were carrying crosses, and some were punishing them selves with barbed-wire and cactus. The kids were assigned that task of reporting to Karen and I what was the significance of what they saw. They also both used video of the procession to create videos for their YouTube channels.

Those numbers are as of the time I wrote this blog. They both have multiple channels on YouTube have been busy creating lots of new videos in the last for weeks. I know they would love it if you checked them out, subscribed, helped them go viral, etc. 🙂 Sydney’s YouTube channels include:

• Syd Cinema
• Syd Cooks

Lucas’ YouTube channels include:

• OverlordLS
• OverlordLS Games

This morning was beautiful and sunny. Karen and I met someone for coffee and conversation that we met last week. A young man from Venezuela named Orlando. He’s here with his sister, working hard and sending money back home to his mother. Even though his life has been disrupted by the changes in Venezuela over the past several years he is still full of life and optimism. With his attitude and energy he will do well, I am sure. While we were walking to the coffee shop we found the Quito ciclovia! You might recall that it was a little over a year ago in Bogota that we first learned about ciclovias. I’d seen signs and bike lanes for everyday use, but until today we hadn’t see the streets shut down and huge turn out for the weekly event.