"One of the most important things we teach you in Model UN is how to be mean."

Things are good.

*On Sunday there is a huge election in Ecuador over whether the new constitution will be passed. In Ecuador, you have to be sober during elections, therefore, bars and clubs are closed this entire weekend and no alcohol may be purchased. It will be interesting... or quite uneventful. (For everyone else, Mom and Dad. You know I hate alcohol ;)

*I think host family things will be fine. I came home today and talked to my host mom for awhile (not about what I was upset about, just a conversation and it was really nice).

*In said conversation we were talking about the proposed constitution and she told me that it would have health care for everyone, "like in America," which I balked at, and told her that America has about 50 million people sin seguro de salud which she was incredibly surprised at- she thought Americans had free health insurance! I guess people expect that. Because it is ridiculous how many people are uninsured.

Also ridiculous? McCain wanting to postpone Friday's debate. How do you think you are going to save the world from the Senate after dinner time, ya numbnut? Srsly. And if it is just a respect issue- that the candidates should momentarily cease campaigning out of the seriousness of the financial situation- it just doesn't make sense. There are six weeks left and voters are still deciding. You are supposed to be going into this election with the premise that you are a leader, that you can handle tough situations and crises. A two-hour debate on a Friday night doesn't damage your obligation to your country. McCain trying to show himself as the good guy by prioritizing the state's welfare over his campaign (supposedly) is a load of crap.

*I love my Model UN class. Next weekend I have to stay here because we are doing a UN simulation all weekend. I (alone) am Costa Rica... funny that I receive the only other country I've ever been to! I should have been researching for the past week... yet I don't know who the president is... heh. CR will be a UN Security Council member in 2009, apparently, and I have no idea what their UN importance is as they are a peaceful, tourism-revenue-supported state, but I'm sure I will find out why my prof included it. You know. When I research. I am nervous because I am not a good public speaker but at least I have the advantage that I'm a native speaker (MUN is my one class taught in English). They always have to tell me to speak more slowly, and when we talked about the presentation and the benefits native speakers would have, I said I was just going to talk as fast as I can so no one could understand me. Nervous laughter followed.

*I just read a NYTimes article which informed me that there are over 100,000 Ecuadorians living in New York City- wow! That number is only four out of all of Latin America following, of course, Puerto Rico (700,000+), DR (500,000+), Mexico (200,000+). I had no idea. I wonder where they are all hiding.