Ecua Chaos (sorry...had to:)

WOW. It has been a crazy 24 hours, and the chaos just continues south of the equator my friends.

While yesterday started off as a normal, even quite pleasant Thursday, none of us had any idea what was about to happen on a national level.
Around 10:30 I was outside while my freshman were posing for their 9th grade class picture, watching them laugh with each other and thinking how nice it was that it actually felt like summer outside after all the recent rain. I headed indoors after the picture was finished and ran into one of my 12th graders. "You know there's a police strike in Quito right now..." he said as they now that I live about 8 miles north of school in the capitol city. "Really?" I said and brushed it off. I had heard many stories of the strikes that go on quite frequently in Ecuador. I guess I should have paid more attention. By the time my 11am 9th grade English class began to filter in (well, actually they all ran in rather dramatically and frantically yelling that we are all going to die...) over half of them had already been picked up by parents. The half that were left, were trying to get touch with family members who worked in Quito and people who could come pick them up. It was only then that I started to feel slightly nervous and yes, admittedly, slightly excited: what would I be going home to??

Well as it turns out my principal closed school for the day and today too and arranged carpools to get the teachers who live in Quito home as they didn't feel it was safe to operate buses in a security vacuum.
As we drove up the mountain through Cumbaya, I had my camera out, hoping that I could get some good pictures of the destruction I had heard about and seen on websites. Oddly, all seemed extra quiet, there was less traffic than usual and the ride was uneventful. Huh.

As we sat around last night refreshing CNN and trying to get an idea of what was going on, I fielded emails and facebook posts from concerned friends and family (thank you all for thinking of me!!!). But we got no further news on the "state of emergency" being lifted or anything like that.
Around 10, there was a shootout between the police and military at the police hospital where the military was trying to free Correa. Unfortunately, it didn't end without casualties but Correa was rescued unharmed.

We have no idea what is to come this weekend/next week however there are crowds of Correa supporters across the street making for a noisy day and military trucks all over the street packed with Ecuadorian army dudes. These are our "police" for the time being. CRAZY. I am of course on edge and nervous, but frankly kind of excited to be a part of this moment in history--I know, I'm a bit twisted....but you all knew that already :)

Stay tuned for more info and pictures...Miss everyone and I promise I am staying safe!!