ONE WEEK DOWN

I have officially been here for 1 week! It seems like iv been here for more like three. The old volunteers say that the first week is the slowest and the others will fly by. I think im going to be bringing home a little boy named Carlos. He seriously is the cutest thing i have ever seen. Everytime I see him he smiles and runs into me. Im seriously loving him! Chasing around two year olds all day can be hard though. For Example.....

Me and Hilary took out about 11 kids to play outside on the playground outside the orphanage while we were out there Hilary had to take one of the kids inside. It was just me with ten little boogers. They were being fine just running in the field, playing in the dirt, climbing on the toys, and just being kids. Then one of the kids started biting so I was trying to control her. I then turned around to find about five kids that had climbed up the stairs uptop to a hill will a big drop. I ran up saying "ninos no no, tas tas!" I grabbed two kids and ran as fast as I could to the bottom and then back up to get two more. The little kids of course think its funny when you start chasing them, like its a game and start running faster laughing at you. I got a hold of two more little ninos and started to take them down the stairs only to realize that the two kids I had just brought down had climbed back up. Then all the other kids saw how much "fun" it was and decided to join in the hill climbing and running around. I chased the kids for what felt like an hour. I was completly out of breath and decided I never want to have quadtruplets+ when you get ten 2year olds all toghether its no bueno. I also was able to work in a few houses with orphanes that were specail needs children. They were so awesome and I loved being with them! We played games, did puzzels, colored, and went to the park.
Me and all of the volunteers went to church this last Sunday and of course it was in spanish so I could understand NOTHING! The ward was about the size of my gospel doctrine class in my ward at home. You could still feel the spirit though and it was a really cool experience. Im loving it here, its hard work but I love it!

IM HERE!

After a long long day of being on the plane I am here! I guess i should start working on my spanish because right when we got here I was handing one of the passport checkers my papers and she then look and me and said something that sounded like toyust. I looked at her and just smiled she then look at me again and said toyust I had no idea what she was talking about so I smiled and said what? She said toyust again but a little louder and I could tell she was getting frusterated. I felt extremely dumb and thought she was saying some crazy spanish word I obviously didnt learn from my attempt to practice spanish by listening to some CDs before i got here. She then pointed at my papers to the word tourist....

so my spanish is not off to a good start already, so please pray for me:)

The streets are crazy and people drive like the lanes dont even exist and everyone honks. The volunteer housing is actually a lot nicer than I expected. I share my room with two other girls, one who has been here for awhile and one who is from Canada who got here today as well. Everyone is very welcoming, its crazy that I am going to be living here for three months!! The older girls who are here warned us that we will probably get sick at least once, gain weight (NOOOOOOOOOOOOO), and fart a lot. They also said not to use the water from the sink and of course what do I do? Run my toothbrush in the sink. So i might just be puking my guts out tomorrow. great....
Im so exited to get started and meet all of the kids! tomorrow we have orientation and we will learn how the Orphanges run and then start our first shifts on Saturday! Im stoked.

Hasta La Vista Heather

I leave for Ecuador this Thursday and have to be at the airport at 4:50 am...... and I though waking up at 5:30 for cheer was early. Its a good things I dont mind flying because I get to be on a plane pretty much all day with one stop in Houston Texas. Then arriving in Qutio at what they say 10:18pm why they dont just round it up to 10:20 is beyond me. People keep asking me if I am nervous or scared and maybe I will be when I get to the airport but right now I am so exited and just want to go! Once again thank you to everyone who contributed and sponsered me so that I was able have enough money to go. I am very grateful! If anyone would like to send mail to me while I am in Ecuador my mailing address is

Heather Niedert
Casilla 17-07-9856
Quito, Ecuador
Sud America

***please no Packages, any packages that are sent to me can take 6-8 weeks to arrive and it also will cost me 50%-100% of the packages value to even get it out of the post office. Although I will be missing my favoritest things in the world FRIUT ROLL UPS so if you are just so desperate to send me something try and shove on of those bad boys into an envelope:)

If anyone would like to donate money directly to the children in the orphanges you can make out a check to OSSO and send it to
P.O. box 345
Rexburg ID 83440
It is considered a Tax Deductible

If anyone would like more information on OSSO the program I am going with you can vist their website at www.orphangesupport.org