Back From Ecuador

My display issues seem somewhat intermittent (ok, some of them are consistent, but others are intermittent), and I"m stuck in an airport for a long layover, and since my monitor is working a little better (although the good people at Dell haven"t yet replaced it... that will happen Tues/Wednesday).

Anyway, some initial Ecuador impressions:

1) Quito has noticeably less air than sea-level!

2) The people of Ecuador are extremely pleasant, but efficiency is clearly not on their list of priorities. We kept getting confused because every time we sat down to eat a meal, it would take 3 hours. Even if it was coffee at a chocolate shop!

3) Managing everyday life while living with an Ecuadorian host family that speaks no English is exhausting when you speak no Spanish.

4) The above is actually doable, particularly when you combine medical students fluent in Spanish, a phrase book, and some determined sign language!

5) Real, hot showers are a too-often taken for granted luxury!

6) The lack of diesel fumes is a too-often taken for granted luxury!

7) The developing world is a dangerous place. I have a whole post coming up on what trial lawyers have actually contributed to our country (I know, seems unlikely to me, too until I saw it).

Hm... now I have to work on the best way to post some pics!