Day 49

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1) spoiler alert: I am writing this from my house in El Cerrito, so you can probably figure out how this day is going to go
2) started pi day off with breakfast with the whole host family, which was nice. 3 yr old was excited about ketchup with eggs
3) morning class session on GMOs, or more technically, trangenic or genetically engineered crops. talked a bit about the science behind them, their uses/motivations, and arguments for and against. this was prep for upcoming debate on GMOs
4) after class we discussed the upcoming week schedule, filled with lots of academic class and a few speakers
5) we had a group lunch talking about planning our wrap-up retreat, gratitude practices, and ways to maintain the group community once we go home to our respective locations
6) went to supermaxi to buy pie ingredients! planned for apple-peach and mixed berry
7) was waiting in a vegan cafe before our plans for pie baking when we received a message that Ecuador is putting restrictions on flights into the country and the plan is to get us out tonight. we had 3 hours to pack
7) i returned to my host family and tried to explain the situation and started packing. they were working on preparing fanesca, a super special and involved soup for semana santa that has lots of different grains and beans. im so sad because my host mom has never made it before (usually her mom does it) but she was going to try it this year so that i could learn and try to!
8) i got to try the cooked ingredients for the fanesca before leaving. it was sad to do such an abrupt goodbye!
9) we had a quick pizza dinner (and the fruit i bought for pies that we didnt get to make) at the group office and then loaded the bus to head to the airport and get on our flights home...it felt surreal and i dont think it has fully sunk in yet that i am home! the airport was full of other people trying to leave, definitely saw many other students
10) word of the day: surprise ending



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