The Simple Things are Not So Simple!

At home, my daily to do list is quite extensive.  It consists of a multitude of events, chores and errands that range from home schooling the girls and arranging their and our social calendars to cleaning and cooking.  It is my life and I am very comfortable in it.  I am able to accomplish a lot in a very little amount of time.  For most of you, the day looks very similar. 
On paper, my life here in Ecuador is simple, yet as it is lived out it is mentally exhausting!
Let me explain...

Today our family had the task of doing a bit of shopping for our team.  They compiled a list of desires and we simply needed to go to the store and purchase them.  Really, how difficult could that be.  At home I could have easily done that without a thought.  Well, we're not in Temecula anymore! 

1.  We had to figure out how to get to the grocery store which is in the town of Puyo, just 10 minutes up the road.  Do we take a taxi, a bus, or use the car that Gustavo offered?  Well, the taxi was my choice of transportation as we had been told that if you get in an accident in Ecuador you are taken to jail... guilty until proven innocent.  Yeah, I'm one for an adventure, but not that one.  Emil had a different opinion though and decided he was ok with driving the car!  Off we went.

2.  Next I had to remember how to get to the Super Tia (grocery store).  Ines took me last week and had me write down the directions as we traveled (there are no real street signs).  Left at the yellow building (there are many yellow buildings), right at the brick bank (which we never did find), left after a fountain (uhhhh, not sure where the fountain went).... well, you get the picture.  We did finally make it!

3.  Before going into the grocery store we needed to go to the hardware store and get masking tape or painter's tape.  Anyone know how to say that?  I asked at four hardware stores for cinta de pintura.  I got the same confused look as you probably have.  Come to find out... there is no such thing.  Apparently they have no need for this type of tape!

4.  Off to the Super Tia, which is the largest grocery store in the area and is only the size of... (Tate says... the bank).  Yes, it was tiny!  I had a list for all 19 of us and was on a mission.  I was very grateful that the Ecuadorians do not have the variety that we have with items such as... cereal, because I would never had made it out alive.  You can have brown bread or white, three flavors of yogurt, three types of cookies and one brand of items like sugar, flour, etc.  That part made shopping much easier.  I never did find butter (only margarine), coffee filters or a lemon!

5.  We had three carts (which are not much bigger than the child carts at the store) and the check-out was the size of a self-check area.  The cashier said something to me which I did not understand (he probably told me I wasn't allowed to purchase so much merchandise at one time).  We paid with large bills... $20's and it's so funny because the cashier had to call someone over to make sure it was real!  He must have been even more concerned when I broke out a $50 on the next purchase. 

6.  Well, we made it out of the store, out of Puyo and back to I-Tec (training facility) without being thrown in jail.  I'm not sure how many people I offended during our outing with my poor Spanish, but people were gracious and we definitely had an adventure.  What's going to happen if the Lord wants us to do something bigger than going to the grocery store?  Start praying now!  Love you all.