1 Year

We have been living in Quito for 1 year, today! I can't believe it. At times it feels like we just got here, we haven't seen anything and we're complete strangers to the city. But then at times it feels like 'it's only been a year?!?!'. The one thing I can say with certainty is that Quito feels like home, especially our apartment. Which just goes to prove that home really is where the heart is! Here's this year in a nutshell

• Ryan left the USA for the first time. 
• We moved in together. 
• We changed our professions completely, from retail and fundraising to teaching English. 
• We lived in a hostel for 2 weeks and it cost the same amount as 1 months rent. 
• We moved into a furnished apartment, got kicked out, searched for a new apartment, moved into an unfurnished apartment. 
• Got a dog!
• Bought furniture and appliances the Ecua way... haggle, haggle, haggle and get a guy with a truck. 
• We've learned Spanish (and are continuing to learn). 
• We've made some great friends that have showed us their love by leaving us =(
• We've hosted a lot of people and realized we really enjoy hosting. 
• We've come back to the States for a visit. Ryan attended his first Bogdan Christmas in its entirety and went on his first Bogdan Cruise. 
• We've started running. I ran my first two races and am completely hooked.
• We've bought our tickets home to IL, signifying the end to this fabulous 16 months. 

Most of all, we've learned a ton about ourselves, about each other, about living abroad, about being puppy parents, about Ecuador. It's been a really great year and we've got big plans for the next four months so that we don't miss one thing. But all in all, we're excited about coming home too. It will be a new adventure and the best part is that we'll be close to the people that we love, our friends and families. And then... on to Korea! 

MULUB, 

Taylor