ESTEBAN'S HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, FRIDAY JUNE 29, 2024
JIM AND ESTEBAN ON THE DAY ESTEBAN GRADUATED FROM ABORADA, A PRIVATE SCHOOL WITH A BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS LOCATED IN A WOODED AREA THAT FOCUSES ON THE MATH AND SCIENCES, AND IS ONLY TWO MILES
FROM WHERE WE LIVE IN THE PALERMO.
ESTEBAN, LIKE HIS OLDER BROTHER, MATHIAS, GRADUATED WITH HIGH HONORS OF SCHOLARSHIP IN ALL AREAS OF STUDY, ESPECIALLY OUTSTANDING IN MATH, PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY, AND BIOLOGY.
ESTEBAN WOULD LOVE TO BE A COMMERCIAL AIRLINE PILOT, BUT HE HAS NEITHER RESIDENCY IN THE U.S., NOR RELATIVES WHO RESIDE IN THE U.S. PRIVATE AIRLINE TRAINING WOULD COST A FORTUNE. ESTEBAN IS ALSO ONLY SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD, WHICH APPEARS TO BE TOO YOUNG FOR SOME COMMERCIAL AIRLINE PILOT TRAINING PROGRAMS. HE PLANS TO MAJOR IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CUENCA. UNLESS HIS PASSION AND PERSISTENCE OPENS UP OTHER DOORS FOR BEING A COMERCIAL PILOT, WHICH IS STILL A VERY REAL POSSIBILITY.
MATHIAS ATTENDS THE UNIVERSITY OF AZUAY IN CUENCA, AND IS STUDYING INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY AND FINANCE. HE WILL BEGIN HIS THIRD YEAR IN OCTOBER.
BELOW IS ESTEBAN WITH HIS VERY PROUD MOTHER, MARIA ROSA.
VIDEO OF THE FINALE OF THE GRADUATION CEREMONY:
SENOR CHEVERE (COOL) RIOS RELAXING AFTER THE CEREMONY WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILIES OVER LUNCH ON A BEAUTIFUL CUENCA AFTERNOON.
PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE, ALWAYS WITH AN EYE ON THE STARS. ENJOY THE FOLLOWING VIDEO OF ESTEBAN:
SENIOR PROM
In Esteban's prom, which was held at Jardines de San Joaquin, there is no Prom March of the student attendees or a prom king and queen as in U.S schools. The dinner is attended by the parents of the students and in some cases even siblings and family friends The affair is very elegant. The young men in tuxedos and the young ladies in evening gowns. As people arrive and greet one another, they eventually take their seats for dinner
Esteban and his mother, Maria Rosa as they prepare to leave the Palermo for the big night.
Below is a photo of Esteban's senior class section.
Below is a photo of the entire graduating class of Alborada 2024.
Camilo Avarado, Elian Ramon, Esteban Rios, and Julio Ochoa
Marcelo y Cristina with Esteban
Esteban and Maria Rosa
Mathias Rios and his mother
Couple Piedra, form radio station Animal de Radios with Maria Rosa and Esteban
Esteban with Sr. Silva
Elian Ramon and Esteban
Elian Ramon, and Matias Pezantes and Esteban
Esteban and his mother
Mathias Rios with his novia (girlfriend) Paula Barros and Maria Rosa.
Mathias and Maria Rosa
Mathias and Paula Barros
After the dinner and various toasts were offered, the festivities began with dancing. The first dance takes place between the sons and their mothers, and between the daughters and their fathers. The adults and graduates danced the night away with the evening events ending with fireworks. By 3:30 a.m. the magical night came to a standstill, but one that would be remembered and cherished for years and decades to come by the graduates
Video of the toast, dancing and fireworks:
MARIA ROSA'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AT THE ELEGANT MANSION MATILDE RESTAURANT, JUNE 19TH, 2024
WE CELEBRATED MARIA ROSA'S BIRTHDAY AT MATILDE THREE YEARS AGO WHEN MATILDE HAD JUST RECENTLY OPENED.
On this particular evening, Maria Rosa would be surrounded by approximately twenty-four guests.
Andres Rios, Maria's Youngest son; Silvia and Lennin Alvarez
THESE LOVE BIRDS SET THE ROMANTIC TONE FOR THE CELEBRATION.
Antonia Orellana, A GRADUATING CLASSMATE OF ESTEBAN
Johanna Rosa, Catalina Ramon, Viviana Ulloa, Belen Gracia.
Elian Ramon, Maria Rosa and Esteban Rios
Elian Ramon, Maria Rosa, Esteban Rios, Antonia Orellana, Silvia y Lennin Alvarez, Andres Rios, Agustin Garcia and Juan Gabriel Garcia.
Maria Rosa, Johana Rosa, Catalina Ramon, Viviana Ulloa and Belen Garcia.
Elian Ramon, James Mola and Esteban Rios
Esteban Rios, James Mola and Antonia Orellana
Maria Rosa, queen of the evening
Esteban Rios, Andres Rios, Maria Rosa and Mathias Rios
Marcello and Cristina Jurado were also in attendance.
Elian Ramon and his mother Catalina Ramon
IT WAS A MEMORABLE AND FUN EVENING, AND AS THE SERVICE CLOSED THE DINING ROOM, THOSE WHO REMAINED WENT NEXT DOOR TO THE LOUNGE AREA. THE LADIES BUSILY CHATTED AND LAUGHTER RANG OUT AS THEY SAT IN ONE CORNER OF THE LOUNGE BY THE FRENCH DOORS OVERLOOKING A SLICE OF EL CENTRO. MEANWHILE, I TOOK MATHIAS, ESTEBAN, AND HIS GOOD FRIEND, ELIAN TO ANOTHER CORNER OF THE LOUNGE AND INTRODUCED THEM TO THEIR FIRST MOSCOW MULES, WHICH THEY ALL ENJOYED APPROVINGLY. BY 11:30, WE WERE ALL HEADING HOME.
Video of the dinner:
FATHER'S DAY, ON JUNE 16TH, 2024
Father's Day was very special to me this year. The Rios's family treated me to dinner as Mathias drove us to Yunguilla about a ninety minute drive from Cuenca, and is fourteen miles (22 kilometers) southwest of Cuenca. Yunguilla is a lush valley of orchards filled with mangos, oranges, bananas, avocados, and lemons. As well as breathtaking mountain scenes and valleys.
We found a restaurant, and it had a back patio with diners enjoying their Father's Day meal. Maria Rosa spotted a private terrace where people had just departed. She had the table immediately cleared by a waiter, and we had a place where we could sit as a family and indulge in the scenery while we ate.
Yunguilla is at a lower altitude than Cuenca. Therefore, being warmer, we had to fight off flies while eating, which just doesn't happen in Cuenca. It was approaching dusk, so we began to depart before we would have to deal with mosquitos, which are almost nonexistent in Cuenca as well. However, none of the annoyances took away from a good meal and spectacular scenery,
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Mathias and Andres enjoying the panoramic scenery.
When Mathias is not studying and taking classes at the university,
he's endlessly bike riding or wall climbing at the Jefferson Colisio.
Mathias taking part in the bike marathon, round trip from Cuenca to Gualaceo among hundreds of participants.
Mathias and Esteban at the bike and motorcycle fair.
All of us had a very good time together. While Maria Rosa, shutter bug extraordinaire, took all the photos. Now, with our stomachs filled and our brains energized; we had a lively, fun time on our return to Cuenca.
STARTING OFF THE MONTH OF JUNE
By now if you have actually been following this blog post from the beginning, you may realize that the events are not in chronological order. I am ending with the first event, when June kicked off with my friend John, who came to visit from London. John was my first Spanish tutor and we have been friends since 2011. His grandmother from the coastal area of Machala visited for one night and left the following night. John's, attractive cousin Crystal also visited, and she and John spent almost a week shopping, site seeing, and hanging out at clubs at night. Toward the end of their time, I took them to Le Petit Jardin, a very fine French restaurant in a country-setting just on the outskirts of Cuenca proper.
John was my first Spanish teacher, which is the reason why I am so fluent in espanol, and why Cuecanos are always awe-inspired when they hear me speak in Spanish.
The last week of July was John's birthday. Feliz Cumpleanos John!
Crystal enjoying her meal.
Jon Barrenwar, Jim Mola, and John's cousin, Crystal.
EL FIN
