Feliz año

for christmas I went with my host mom to Loja. Chrismas is on the 24th in the evening. all the family was there from Loja and Zamora. the party atarted at 12 midnight, eating, praying, singing and dancing: lots of dancing-- kids with adults, teenagers with grandparents, it didn´t matter what age you were, everyone danced with everyone. I went to bed at 4:30 am. it was a very interesting christmas overall. nat bad, just a different way of celebrating.

for new years eve we went to Zamora. I really liked the way they celebrated new years. everyone makes these "Muñecas" caled años viejos of the bad things from the last year, then at midnight everyone lights fire to the big dolls in the streets or on the roofs (burning the bad things of the old year to make way for the new)
the rest of the trip we chilled with our family at the house in zamora - piedad´s sister has a house where her and her husband live, then the level above there´s a house where her daughter´s family live, and the other doughter with her family above. so there´s always people, but it´s always fun. my uncle has a vetrinarian clinic/store attatched to the house.
we also all hung out at the family farm. were we had lunch (chickens from the farm) and swam (there´s a little pool) and relaxed and talked with the family. I took a drive to the rio zamora and to a pueblo close by.
everyone in my family is really nice, and I fel now really like part of the family. it was a really fun trip! I like zamora a lot.

I´m getting along really well with my host mom now.

back in piñas school is almost over. it´s our last week. My friends are great. my closest friends are: Gabi, Monica, Fabiola and Anabel. theyré goofy. then of course the exchange students are great too. :)
I really really love that the group of exchange students in my town are so close, like a second family. they´re all really great, like a big seccond family (AFS family)

it was Kevin´s birthday thursday, his mom through a little party in the house, we chilled and ate cake, listened to spanish, english and german music.
We all took a day trip saturday for Kristin´s birthday. we shopped and saw madagasgar 2

we´re going to present a dance to the song of piñas, and a little salsa.

I understand almost everything of spanish now.

Culture:
(just something I though was interesting)
thay care a lot about facial expresions here. my first few months here, every so often my host mom would get mad at me for no reason, I told chris about it and he said that I should watch which facial expression I am using, because sometimes when I am confused I look almost mad. now when I´m confused I keep my face calm, and I don´t have any problems :)

it is polite to eat everything off your plate, and if you don´t it´s better to lie and say you have an upset stomach, so you couldn´t eat everything, or that the food was so good that you´re full.

yep, well love you all! hope everything there is amazing
hasta luego :)
sarah