Studying for the GRE...

I took my second practice test yesterday and scored 800 on math--yes in fact I can still solve basic algebra and geometry problems. However my verbal was a little less impressive coming in at 630, a 50 point drop from my first practice test. I decided that what I really need to do is improve my vocabulary. Having not spoken English for any length of time over the past 7 months is of course not helping. Nor is the fact that I have taken exactly one English class in college: freshman writing seminar. Reading the general requirements carefully I noticed that I could fufill the strict English requirements at my liberal arts school by taking upper level spanish classes. After reading that I never looked back. Reading great literature in spanish is much more interesting to me than in English, although I am noticing glaring holes in my english literature experience. Go figure.
Anyway, I was making flashcards yesterday and, to help learn words that frequently appear on the GRE, I began making sentences. With some encouragement from mom, all of my sentences had an interesting theme: describing Shiloh. Here are a few of the best; some are even accompanied by illustrations :)

1. Shiloh's ennui was especially apparent after she spent a day home alone.

2. While beautiful, Shiloh's monocolor coat was austere.

3. For Shiloh, walking calmly past another dog was arduous, if not impossible.

4. Shiloh's truculent appearance was only a facade.

5. Shiloh's tail had enough torque to power a small windmill.

6. Shiloh expertly stymied all attempts to keep her off the furniture.

7. Shiloh's ability to sleep under mountains of covers in the heat of summer was stupefying.

8. Shiloh's tail was never static.

9. Left to her own devices, Shiloh would quickly squandor her food supply.

10. Shiloh's sense of sanitation was sordid.

11. Shiloh had no intentions of recanting her belief that the gas station doubled as a dog treat factory.

12. Shiloh's prescience was especially useful to her when she had rolled in a dead animal and needed a dreaded bath.

13. Shiloh had a fierce predilection for human food.

14. Were I able to understand dog, I'm sure I would discover Shiloh prattling endlessly.

15. Nothing was perfunctory for Shiloh. She took a keen interest in everything she did.

16. Having run into one too many sliding glass doors Shiloh's mind was a little nebulous.

17. Shiloh's social skills were nascent.

18. Shiloh hoped to someday become inured to being left at home all day.

19. Shiloh's use of the filibuster was especially effective when one was attempting to put on one's shoes and leave the house without her.

20. Shiloh's employment of chicanery was erudite.

Snowshoeing

Mom and I went up to Government Camp at the base of Mount Hood this weekend to go snowshowing and forget about the fact that Graham had just left us :(
There was an amazing amount of snow there...way above my head. We neglected to take a map however so although we were supposed to be on a loop going around a frozen lake we ended up getting a little lost and walking over 3 miles before even reaching the lake then just turning around and walking the same three miles back because we were worried we were going to get even more lost. It was a great time though and I reqlly enjoyed the snow.

Mom sporting a crazy Ecuadorian hat

As I said, the snow was much taller than I was

Putting snow on your head is an excellent way to cool down during a winter workout :) Similarly eating snow is a great way to quench your thurst. Moderation in both these endeavors however is key.

I hadn't seen conifers in a long time...they looked really great topped with snow.

I tried to get mom to take a picture to show my histology professor just how high the snow was (she has never seen snow in her life) but it didn't come out quite as impressive as I had hoped.

I got an e-mail today from my histology prof in Ecuador so instead of packing to go to Grandma's for a week before classes finally start again I wrote to her and my host family and a few of my Ecuadorian friends. It was the first time I had written to any of them since coming back from Quito and it felt really nice to know that I at least had some way to contact them.

By the way Becca, we got a very cool postcard in the mail from you yesterday from Patagoina. Thanks!

First impressions

Don't worry, this one is shorter...
I felt very strange leaving Ecuador this morning. I was very, very sad to go but didn’t want to pass too much time feeling depressed because I thought that in that case I would lose precious moments with my host family. At the same time, I was kind of mad at myself that I didn’t cry a lot. I hope my family knows how much I love them and will miss them. Taking off in the plane was really hard. I will miss the Pinchinchas and the architecture in general every morning. I was crying while the plane took off and there was a Canadian guy sitting next to me who I am pretty sure thought I was insane. Landing in Miami, however was even harder. I was not prepared for the monotony of the landscape. All the houses were rectangular with orangy-red tiled roofs and arranged in neat nested squares around very fake-looking ponds. There were no mountains. There was no diversity in the landscape. I was completely unprepared however for the Miami airport. Everyone and thing seemed to be moving so fast. Everyone was speaking in English and the officials, although they did not carry machine guns, were even more scary as they shouted curt orders. There is no way to be polite in English like there is in Spanish. It simply isn’t possible.
Ironically, I guess my own culture will take some getting used to again. It is nice to be back in my house and see my mom, brother, dog and fish again.