random bits and pieces...

1. i finally found the big park in the city and decided to take a little run today. it turned out to be much smaller than i intended... mostly due to the fact that i thought i was going to die. i definitely underestimated the novel concept that quito is nearly 2 miles up. ok... so... denver is the mile high city... and i struggled to breathe there over spring break... and now i am in the two mile high city and oxygen is hard to come by. needless to say, it turned into 3 separate 5 minute jaunts because i literally could have passed out. (my HR was like 170 after FIVE minutes... i mean... i am not in fantastic shape... but goodness.)
2. i went into the 'old town' last night to see it all lit up... it really was gorgeous. slightly sketchy though. a girl named grace and i got on the trole... barely. it was more crowded than anything i have ever seen. grace got on... and half of me got on... and then the doors closed. so yeah. that was fun trying to pull myself into the train amongst all ecudorianos. hmm. but. we succeeded. and made it to the old town of ('el centro'). we planned on having dinner out... and we could not find anything for the life of us... we ended up eating the 'special meat' (meaning the nightly special of chicken, rice, and beans... go figure.) for $1.25... throw in a fanta in a glass bottle for 30 cents and call it a meal. haha. sick. but we survived that too. and i took some pictures... and we caught a cab back home and barely explained where we live... but we made it! and it was only 9 pm when we got home. no problemo.}
3. i learned to use the shower correctly and now have access to hot water. (although the water pressure is definitely less than stellar... which is fun.)
4. another girl will be living with me starting on sunday... i don't know who she is, nor if she speaks english...
5. salsa lessons are today. ugh.
6. my address is:
sarah scott
patricia fernandez
p.o. box 17-03-1423
quito, ecuador

if anyone cares.

and that is about it for me. but i have been reading 'mountains beyond mountains' which i think is fabulous... and there are a few bits i think are really good...

'it is the curse of humanity that it learns to tolerate even the most horrible situations by habituation.'
'medical education does not exist to provide students with a way of making a living, but to ensure the health of the community.'
'the physicians are the natural attorneys of the poor, and the social problems should largely by solved by them.'
'never underestimate the ability of a small group of committed individuals to change the world... indeed, they are the only ones who ever have.'

and that is that.