Buses.

One of the biggest adjustments to city living has been public transportation. Aside from taking the shuttle down to Summerfest once a year, I think I have been on a bus maybe three times in my life? My first week in Ecuador, the buses were completely overwhelming but now, it's just part of the normal routine. Riding the bus is always an adventure. For starters, there really is no bus schedule, you just wait at the stop until the bus you need arrives. Luckily, we have never had to wait more than 10 minutes. The buses are always jam packed so assuming there is room for you to get on, you squeeze in and hand the attendant 25 cents. If you're lucky, the driver will wait until you're fully on to start driving but more than once, the bus has started to drive away as someone is stepping in. The nice thing about the bus is that it only costs 25 cents and you can ride it for as long as you'd like. The front window has a sign that says where it's going and the attendants usually shout their destination out the window. Depending on the time of day, traffic is usually crazy. There are cars everywhere, people honk their horns like it's their job, and speed limits/traffic signs are more of a suggestion. The metro has it's own lane for part of the ride but it still blows through red lights on a frequent basis. The ride from Center #2 to the downtown campus is about 45 minutes. I just assume I'll be standing for the entire trip but on occasion, a seat will open up. Every so often, a vendor selling juice/candy will jump on for a stop and occasionally, someone will entertain us with their singing/rapping. Never a dull moment. My biggest annoyance with public transportation is that there is always someone sneezing/coughing and the city air is less than eco-friendly... I always feel like I need to jump in the shower after a long ride but on the bright side, my immune system is going to be prime by the time I come home. I do enjoy listening to the locals speak to each other and if I'm listening to my iPod, the ride doesn't seem so long.