new experience of the day: meet president

today was a good day.

maya having a good day.

some reasons why i had a good day:

1. i learned the happy birthday song in quichua:

sumak wata paktay
sumak wata paktay
sumak wata _____ charichunmi
tukuykun munanchik!

maya having a good day in front of an amazing mural in the presidential palace.

2. i sat in a yellow room for two hours listening to the ecuadorian president speak about what he did this week (on wednesday at 8:30 after breakfast i had a meeting with...) while occasionally having a camera stuffed in front of our faces for the press conference's showing on national television tomorrow morning.

maya having a good day inside of the yellow room of the presidential palace with the president, a breathtaking guy, hannah and camille.

3. after all the blah blah blah finished, our little group got a photo op with the tall, broad-shouldered president who has the most beautiful eyes and delicious cologne out of all the presidents i have ever met. "Con cariño para Maya, RC, 24/10/08" is what this president wrote on my copy of the new constitution and when we sadly departed, he gave us kisses on the cheek.

still having a good day while looking at the presidential sash in the yellow room of the presidential palace.

4. after the adrenaline of being with mr. president wore off we went to calle la ronda with the man who made the night happen, professor and translator jose, to eat good food with good company.

maya having a good day with her signed constitution in bag and unsigned good people surrounding her.

5. getting to what is definitely now home at a decent hour at a decent price with more than a decent friend accompanying me on the ride home (awwww).