Okay, so I realized I hadn´t written in a while and I figured I should. It´s not as though nothing has happened in the last two weeks. I had a date with an Ecuadorian boy. Then I dumped said Ecuadorian boy. There is a lot more I could say about that....but I won´t. You´ll have to ask me when I get back.
I also went to Otavalo market and bought a whole bunch of cool handmade things. Otavalo is about 2.5 hours from Quito and is a mainly indigenous area. The market is enormous, everything is cheap, and everything is handmade. We´re going back in 9 days and I plan to buy even more stuff! That will be part of our 3 day stay with indigenous families which I am pretty excited about.
I gave my first workshop in a school all by myself and several more after that - on the subjects of sexually transmitted diseases, contraception, and love. That was fun. I am getting a quite a vocabulary to talk about sex, haha. The weather in Quito has been really nice and sunny lately but no change of season and a real dearth of flowers and green space. I can´t believe I´m missing spring! This weekend I might go to Mindo. My house is quieter now because my brother left to go to France for two weeks but I like it, especially in the mornings. I should probably take advantage and try to sleep in while I can. Once he comes back my mom will scream at him every weekday at 6:45 that he is going to miss the bus.
And....I WANT TO COME HOME. I know it is only a month till I go to Galapagos but that seems like a long time right now. I really don´t know if I´m gonna make it. Ugh. Last week I was so busy and happy but now I am bored again. Boredom = homesickness. I should probably try to find something to do, huh?
In other news, I am getting really sick of being sexually harassed everywhere I go. There is one guy in particular who I work with who I really think is a creepy sexual predator. Next time he says something inappropriate I´m afraid I might snap. I honestly am SUPER uncomfortable with him but it is a cultural difference so I think I´m expected to just deal with it. And it might be more awkward if I tried to tell him he makes me uncomfortable. Oh well, for now I will just deal with it.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Addy´s First Camping Trip
This past weekend I went camping for the first time ever. No one in my group could believe I had never been camping before (and I was actually pretty flattered because they were admiring how well I managed the hike - I was up in front the whole time :) Obviously I have been hiking and I like hiking. I´ve just never spent the night out in the wilderness in a tent. One of the main reasons for this is my fear of bugs. This trip was ideal because we were high up in the mountains and although that meant that it was cold, rainy, and hard to breathe, there were NO bugs!
The trek itself was actually really hard. We all had giant packs on our backs and mine wasn´t even one of the heaviest ones but I had a sleeping bag, sleeping mat, extra clothes, sandals, tennis shoes, four giant cans of tuna, a 2 liter bottle of water, and some other foods strapped to my back. My neck and shoulders hurt bad. We hiked about 5 miles each day but Saturday we were climbing up mountains a lot more so it was a little tougher. I don´t know how exactly to describe the terrain because it´s not like anything I have seen in the United States. We were in the mountains but they were not rocky mountains. Instead they were mushy and swampy and they had virtually no trees - just tall grass and scrubby brush. Even the most experienced backpackers on our trip said it was the muddiest hike they had ever been on. There were sink holes that sucked in your leg up to the knee! All of us were completely dirty and covered in mud by the end of the trip.
The camp site was near this beautiful lake that we could see for the first time from far above in the mountains. It was cool to climb down and watch it get bigger and bigger. Overall I really enjoyed the experience but I definitely wouldn´t call it relaxing. I was exhausted by the end, especially since I barely slept in the tent. I was super uncomfortable and freezing despite my extra layers and sleeping bag. I will definitely go camping or backpacking again but I´m not sure I´m ready for a week long trek and I definitely wouldn´t want to go camping every weekend. Also, I peed in the woods, but number 2 will have to wait till my next camping trip...
In other news, I got my first taste of the stress I will endure when I return to the US. Don´t make me come home! I don´t want to worry about plane tickets, registering for classes, Honors theses, or finding an apartment for this summer! I´ve gotten so used to not being stressed out: no anxiety or panic attacks or not being able to fall asleep at night. I´m not ready to go back to that!
I want to see my lovely family, but I don´t want to return to any of my responsibilities. What do you think? Can that be arranged?
The trek itself was actually really hard. We all had giant packs on our backs and mine wasn´t even one of the heaviest ones but I had a sleeping bag, sleeping mat, extra clothes, sandals, tennis shoes, four giant cans of tuna, a 2 liter bottle of water, and some other foods strapped to my back. My neck and shoulders hurt bad. We hiked about 5 miles each day but Saturday we were climbing up mountains a lot more so it was a little tougher. I don´t know how exactly to describe the terrain because it´s not like anything I have seen in the United States. We were in the mountains but they were not rocky mountains. Instead they were mushy and swampy and they had virtually no trees - just tall grass and scrubby brush. Even the most experienced backpackers on our trip said it was the muddiest hike they had ever been on. There were sink holes that sucked in your leg up to the knee! All of us were completely dirty and covered in mud by the end of the trip.
The camp site was near this beautiful lake that we could see for the first time from far above in the mountains. It was cool to climb down and watch it get bigger and bigger. Overall I really enjoyed the experience but I definitely wouldn´t call it relaxing. I was exhausted by the end, especially since I barely slept in the tent. I was super uncomfortable and freezing despite my extra layers and sleeping bag. I will definitely go camping or backpacking again but I´m not sure I´m ready for a week long trek and I definitely wouldn´t want to go camping every weekend. Also, I peed in the woods, but number 2 will have to wait till my next camping trip...
In other news, I got my first taste of the stress I will endure when I return to the US. Don´t make me come home! I don´t want to worry about plane tickets, registering for classes, Honors theses, or finding an apartment for this summer! I´ve gotten so used to not being stressed out: no anxiety or panic attacks or not being able to fall asleep at night. I´m not ready to go back to that!
I want to see my lovely family, but I don´t want to return to any of my responsibilities. What do you think? Can that be arranged?
Thursday, April 3, 2008
One thing the United States has got right!
Yesterday for class we had a very interesting lecture on a topic that I had requested; women´s sexuality and reproductive rights. I have some workshops coming up in the schools on contraceptives, STI´s, and pregnancy in adolscents and from what I gather attitudes here in Ecuador are pretty different, so I wanted to deepen my understanding of where things stand right now. First things first, abortion here is ILLEGAL. Women can serve up to 3-4 years in prison and doctors can get up to 6 years for performing an abortion. People rarely end up serving these sentences because there is a thriving black market that is kind of tacitly tolerated. An illegal abortion will cost you anywhere from 150$ to 1000$ with no guarentees of safety or sanitation and no recourse if you are mistreated. Obviously this is A LOT of money in Ecuador so needless to say the majority of women are forced to perform their own abortions using sharp objects and chemical cocktails. If they become infected from these homeade procedures they are afraid to seek medical attention because they are afraid the doctor will know what they were doing.
There are a few exceptions to the law. When a women´s life is threatened, when the fetus has a congenital deformity "incompatible with human life," or if a mentally retarded person is raped, an abortion may be permissable. Notice that these exceptions do not include minors or regular rape victims. So basically, a 12 year old who was raped by her uncle still has to have to the baby. WOW Ecuador, I am really impressed. In fact there is a case right now in which, after years of sexual abuse at the hands of her father, an indigenous teenager became pregnant. She tried to give herself an abortion various times but failed and ended up killing her baby when it was born. She is in jail right now. Her own father who incestuously raped her is not. WOW Ecuador, WOW.
Furthermore, women who are forced to have their children are often ostracized by society if they are unmarried or if the father of their child abandons them. Single moms are not popular. Also teenagers who try to get contraceptives are called "dirty sluts" by the pharmacists. Apparently rape within families and by partners (husbands and boyfriends) is extremely prevalent in Ecuador and thus difficult to prove. I was breifly impressed when I thought the morning after pill was available here in Ecuador, but then I found out it had been recalled and that certain daring pharmacies and clinics give out quadruple doses of other medications to create the same effect.
I also lost what little respect I had for the "leftist" president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, when I read his comments that he has never understood all this "my body, my choice" nonsense because obviously no one has the right to destroy an innocent life and he would be first in line to vote NO on legalizing abortion. This is not the first I´ve heard about Correa´s sexist anti-woman rhetoric. It´s not good enough to advocate good economic and labor policies if you don´t support the rights of half the population!
I´m glad to see that America is exporting the very best of our ideas: the evangelical movement is thriving on the coast of Ecuador and they are threatening to block the new consitution if it does not mention God and expressly prohibit gay marriage and abortion. Woohoo!
For once though, I am extremely proud to be an American woman. We have got at least one thing right - for the moment anyway, a woman has the right to choose.
There are a few exceptions to the law. When a women´s life is threatened, when the fetus has a congenital deformity "incompatible with human life," or if a mentally retarded person is raped, an abortion may be permissable. Notice that these exceptions do not include minors or regular rape victims. So basically, a 12 year old who was raped by her uncle still has to have to the baby. WOW Ecuador, I am really impressed. In fact there is a case right now in which, after years of sexual abuse at the hands of her father, an indigenous teenager became pregnant. She tried to give herself an abortion various times but failed and ended up killing her baby when it was born. She is in jail right now. Her own father who incestuously raped her is not. WOW Ecuador, WOW.
Furthermore, women who are forced to have their children are often ostracized by society if they are unmarried or if the father of their child abandons them. Single moms are not popular. Also teenagers who try to get contraceptives are called "dirty sluts" by the pharmacists. Apparently rape within families and by partners (husbands and boyfriends) is extremely prevalent in Ecuador and thus difficult to prove. I was breifly impressed when I thought the morning after pill was available here in Ecuador, but then I found out it had been recalled and that certain daring pharmacies and clinics give out quadruple doses of other medications to create the same effect.
I also lost what little respect I had for the "leftist" president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, when I read his comments that he has never understood all this "my body, my choice" nonsense because obviously no one has the right to destroy an innocent life and he would be first in line to vote NO on legalizing abortion. This is not the first I´ve heard about Correa´s sexist anti-woman rhetoric. It´s not good enough to advocate good economic and labor policies if you don´t support the rights of half the population!
I´m glad to see that America is exporting the very best of our ideas: the evangelical movement is thriving on the coast of Ecuador and they are threatening to block the new consitution if it does not mention God and expressly prohibit gay marriage and abortion. Woohoo!
For once though, I am extremely proud to be an American woman. We have got at least one thing right - for the moment anyway, a woman has the right to choose.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Warning: This post contains references to menstruation (!?!)
Yesterday I went to visit a women´s organization in an indigenous community which was very interesting. But before I get to that adventure I would like to share my lastest "Sandra anecdote." When I first arrived in Ecuador I was very concerned with being culturally sensitive. I was careful to ask Sandra how she would like me to dispose of my feminine products, knowing for example, that women here rarely wear tampons because they are considered to be slutty and take away one´s virginity. Sandra assured me that as long as I wrapped them well in toilet paper there would be no problems. Great. Cool. So today, I was called into the bathroom to look at the trash can. Apparently the wrapping in toilet paper applies not only to the actual sanitary waste but also to the wrapping. A sheet from a panty liner was ON TOP of the garbage can and clearly visible! I was told that I must do a better job of wrapping and burying all traces of my sanitary waste, including the packaging because otherwise (God forbid!) people will KNOW that I am having my period and in Sandra´s words, translated from Spanish, "That is so ugly." I wasn´t really sure if I should be offended or laugh. I kind of wanted to tell Sandra about how Wagner sometimes gets into my trash at home and drags my used tampons through the house. I guess that doesn´t leave much mystery as to whether or not I am menstruating. I know it´s not a big deal, but honestly, why is something that is so natural and healthy considered to be shameful and dirty!? It is just another sign of women´s opression. I won´t say that to Sandra, but I kind of just want to tell her to shove it. She´s seriously worried about the wrapper from my tampon!? Okay, that is enough. If James is reading this he has probably passed out at the computer by now. Sorry if I was too explicit.
The visit to the women´s organization was actually not very well planned or executed but I still learned quite a bit. Following in the theme of women´s liberation, I learned that domestic violence and sexual abuse are a huge problem in indigenous families. This particular organization which now exists in 24 communities, was formed by 15 women who decided enough was enough. When one woman was beaten brutally by her spouse, these 15 women banded together, dragged him down to the river and gave him a ritual cleansing with ortiga (which is kind of like stinging nettle only worse.) Apparently they had to do this various times before the message sunk in. Today women are much more respected in these communities. Domestic violence has declined dramatically, women are equally represented in the provincial indigenous organization and their opinions are valued. They no longer have to sit on the floor while the men take the chairs. Of course there is still a ways to go. Only one third of girls attend secondary school right now because the average age of marriage is still 15 or 16. I don´t want to be a cultural imperialist and say that early marriage is objectively bad but I do know that getting pregnant at that age does carry signifigant health risks - and that is an objective fact. Also, early marriage is one of the obvious obstacles to women continuing their education.
The women´s organization has a really neat cooperative now in which they raise alpacas and guinea pigs, grow vegetables, weave, grind their own flour, and cultivate fish. They are trying to preserve native species and all of their methods are completely organic. The women share all the goods they produce in order to combat malnutrition. They also sell the products and use the funds to maintain a lending system of credit. It was incredible to see how empowered these women are. Many of the men in the community have to migrate for work so these women really have taken things into their own hands. Aunt Donna, I was thinking about you a lot while I was there because I know how much you have worked on issues of domestic violence and women´s empowerment. I thought you would really like this field trip. Also, just so everyone knows, the organization is supported a lot by Oxfam, which I have heard elsewhere is a pretty great charity. In this case it seems like they are putting their funds to good use.
That´s all I´ve got for now. I definitely have been feeling a little more homesick of late so feel free to send an email. It would make me very happy :)
The visit to the women´s organization was actually not very well planned or executed but I still learned quite a bit. Following in the theme of women´s liberation, I learned that domestic violence and sexual abuse are a huge problem in indigenous families. This particular organization which now exists in 24 communities, was formed by 15 women who decided enough was enough. When one woman was beaten brutally by her spouse, these 15 women banded together, dragged him down to the river and gave him a ritual cleansing with ortiga (which is kind of like stinging nettle only worse.) Apparently they had to do this various times before the message sunk in. Today women are much more respected in these communities. Domestic violence has declined dramatically, women are equally represented in the provincial indigenous organization and their opinions are valued. They no longer have to sit on the floor while the men take the chairs. Of course there is still a ways to go. Only one third of girls attend secondary school right now because the average age of marriage is still 15 or 16. I don´t want to be a cultural imperialist and say that early marriage is objectively bad but I do know that getting pregnant at that age does carry signifigant health risks - and that is an objective fact. Also, early marriage is one of the obvious obstacles to women continuing their education.
The women´s organization has a really neat cooperative now in which they raise alpacas and guinea pigs, grow vegetables, weave, grind their own flour, and cultivate fish. They are trying to preserve native species and all of their methods are completely organic. The women share all the goods they produce in order to combat malnutrition. They also sell the products and use the funds to maintain a lending system of credit. It was incredible to see how empowered these women are. Many of the men in the community have to migrate for work so these women really have taken things into their own hands. Aunt Donna, I was thinking about you a lot while I was there because I know how much you have worked on issues of domestic violence and women´s empowerment. I thought you would really like this field trip. Also, just so everyone knows, the organization is supported a lot by Oxfam, which I have heard elsewhere is a pretty great charity. In this case it seems like they are putting their funds to good use.
That´s all I´ve got for now. I definitely have been feeling a little more homesick of late so feel free to send an email. It would make me very happy :)
Friday, March 21, 2008
Good Friday
Well, it´s Good Friday, or Viernes Santo as they say in Quito. And it´s a pretty big deal. I decided to go down to the historic Center by myself and check out the famous procession "Jesus del Gran Poder." In the first spot I picked I ended up being almost suffocated and trampled on by a crowd. I´m actually not kidding. I was crying out in pain and screaming for help and for about 30 seconds I thought I might die. Luckily I am tall by Ecuadorian standards and the crowd pushed me to edge where I was able to get out and find a different spot.
The parade itself was incredibly bizarre but really cool because it was so different than anything else I´ve ever seen. Almost everyone in the parade wore these giant robes with hoods and tall pointed caps. Sound familiar? They basically all looked like they were straight out of the Klu Klux Klan except that the robes they wore were purple, not white. Also many of them were carrying giant photographs or statues of Jesus and crosses. There were also a large number of people dressed as Jesus, complete with crown of thorns, fake blood and bare feet. They carried crosses some of which were HUGE. Many other people carried whips and a stinging nettle type of plant with which they beat themselves. One guy had a cactus strapped to his back and two others I saw were wearing barbed wire. I haven´t gotten a decent explanation of all of this yet, but the general idea is that these people are atoning for their sins and begging forgiveness from Jesus who died for all of our sins. It´s kind of a tribute to Jesus as well as a period of shame and atonement for all us sinners.
For once the weather here in Quito is gorgeous and I just can´t get enough. What I hate about sunshine here is that it is SO rare and fleeting that whenever there is sunshine I feel guilty if I´m not enjoying every waking second of it. I have no problem with clouds or rain, but I will admit that so far Quito has been oppressively chilly, cloudy, and rainy. Hopefully this nice weather will help ease my withdrawl from the beach where I have spent the last week.
For our first stop on spring break we went to Puerto Lopez which turned out to be kind of a dusty, quiet fishing port. In some ways I liked it better because it was less touristy and felt more lived in. It was also very quiet. Our second day there we went out on a boat ride with some Italians from our hostal. We fished (I caught one!) and then our captain made fresh ceviche for lunch from our catch. We took the boat to a nearby island and swam to shore. We also tried to snorkel a little but the water was too murky. The boat ride was probably my favorite thing we did the whole trip. I wish my family were water people because I just love boating and bodies of water!
After two days there we headed to Montanita where we ended up spending the rest of our time. Montanita was very different. It is famous for its surfing and was filled with foreigners - we made friends with some other Americans, Colombians, and Venezuelans while we were there. The dancing wasn´t great there, but there was definitely a night life in Montanita and lots of touristy restaurants with Happy Hours, etc. This was definitely the first time I feel líke I´ve spent spring break the way a college student is stereotypically supposed to - partying at the beach. The weather was wonderful and my first time in the Pacific was pretty great. It really wasn´t cold at all and the waves weren´t as big as I thought they would be. That said, Montanita is also known for its riptides. Two people drowned while I was there and I witnessed the second man being dragged to shore by a surfer. Not an image I am going to forget anytime soon. I decided to skip the surf lessons.
Other differences at the beach in Ecuador - more garbage, fewer lifeguards (as in virtually none) and lots of dogs. Some of the dogs were annoying strays but some were pets and it was soooo cute to watch them swim in the waves! I still hold a torch for the Jersey shore, lol, but I think that is more because of the great company I keep when I am there. I miss everyone, but most especially family. I am half way done with the program this coming Thursday or Friday. I can´t decide if it has gone by fast, or if I am going to die of homesickness before the end.
The parade itself was incredibly bizarre but really cool because it was so different than anything else I´ve ever seen. Almost everyone in the parade wore these giant robes with hoods and tall pointed caps. Sound familiar? They basically all looked like they were straight out of the Klu Klux Klan except that the robes they wore were purple, not white. Also many of them were carrying giant photographs or statues of Jesus and crosses. There were also a large number of people dressed as Jesus, complete with crown of thorns, fake blood and bare feet. They carried crosses some of which were HUGE. Many other people carried whips and a stinging nettle type of plant with which they beat themselves. One guy had a cactus strapped to his back and two others I saw were wearing barbed wire. I haven´t gotten a decent explanation of all of this yet, but the general idea is that these people are atoning for their sins and begging forgiveness from Jesus who died for all of our sins. It´s kind of a tribute to Jesus as well as a period of shame and atonement for all us sinners.
For once the weather here in Quito is gorgeous and I just can´t get enough. What I hate about sunshine here is that it is SO rare and fleeting that whenever there is sunshine I feel guilty if I´m not enjoying every waking second of it. I have no problem with clouds or rain, but I will admit that so far Quito has been oppressively chilly, cloudy, and rainy. Hopefully this nice weather will help ease my withdrawl from the beach where I have spent the last week.
For our first stop on spring break we went to Puerto Lopez which turned out to be kind of a dusty, quiet fishing port. In some ways I liked it better because it was less touristy and felt more lived in. It was also very quiet. Our second day there we went out on a boat ride with some Italians from our hostal. We fished (I caught one!) and then our captain made fresh ceviche for lunch from our catch. We took the boat to a nearby island and swam to shore. We also tried to snorkel a little but the water was too murky. The boat ride was probably my favorite thing we did the whole trip. I wish my family were water people because I just love boating and bodies of water!
After two days there we headed to Montanita where we ended up spending the rest of our time. Montanita was very different. It is famous for its surfing and was filled with foreigners - we made friends with some other Americans, Colombians, and Venezuelans while we were there. The dancing wasn´t great there, but there was definitely a night life in Montanita and lots of touristy restaurants with Happy Hours, etc. This was definitely the first time I feel líke I´ve spent spring break the way a college student is stereotypically supposed to - partying at the beach. The weather was wonderful and my first time in the Pacific was pretty great. It really wasn´t cold at all and the waves weren´t as big as I thought they would be. That said, Montanita is also known for its riptides. Two people drowned while I was there and I witnessed the second man being dragged to shore by a surfer. Not an image I am going to forget anytime soon. I decided to skip the surf lessons.
Other differences at the beach in Ecuador - more garbage, fewer lifeguards (as in virtually none) and lots of dogs. Some of the dogs were annoying strays but some were pets and it was soooo cute to watch them swim in the waves! I still hold a torch for the Jersey shore, lol, but I think that is more because of the great company I keep when I am there. I miss everyone, but most especially family. I am half way done with the program this coming Thursday or Friday. I can´t decide if it has gone by fast, or if I am going to die of homesickness before the end.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Beautiful Morning
I am in high spirits this morning because for the first time in a couple weeks it is really clear outside - no fog, clouds, or smog to speak of. That means that I can actually see all the gorgeous snow capped mountains surrounding Quito. They had been hiding for weeks now! Now that they are revealed again the whole city looks so amazing.
I am heading to the beach tomorrow on the night bus. I´m reminded of Harry Potter, haha. But this bus doesn´t actually have beds so I hope that I will be able to sleep and won´t be awake for 10 hours... I am really excited to see the beach but I don´t know what to expect since it is the Pacific ocean. I think it might be better water for surfers than for me.
Yesterday at my internship we had a 5 hour meeting that was awesome - full of jokes, chatting, and food. We planned our workshops for the next couple weeks. I am going to be helping out a lot more, as part of a pair of facilitaters and occasionally by myself! Can you imagine me in a room with 25 seventeen year olds talking about contraceptives and sexually transmitted infections IN SPANISH? Whoa. I am terrified but really excited. Luckily I don´t have to go solo for a couple weeks so I have some time to learn and practice the information and the vocabulary.
Tonight is the birthday of yet another of my compatriots. More fiesta. I really think I´m going to have to learn to live without sleep. But who knows? Maybe I´ll finally find myself a cute Ecuadorian guy...
I am heading to the beach tomorrow on the night bus. I´m reminded of Harry Potter, haha. But this bus doesn´t actually have beds so I hope that I will be able to sleep and won´t be awake for 10 hours... I am really excited to see the beach but I don´t know what to expect since it is the Pacific ocean. I think it might be better water for surfers than for me.
Yesterday at my internship we had a 5 hour meeting that was awesome - full of jokes, chatting, and food. We planned our workshops for the next couple weeks. I am going to be helping out a lot more, as part of a pair of facilitaters and occasionally by myself! Can you imagine me in a room with 25 seventeen year olds talking about contraceptives and sexually transmitted infections IN SPANISH? Whoa. I am terrified but really excited. Luckily I don´t have to go solo for a couple weeks so I have some time to learn and practice the information and the vocabulary.
Tonight is the birthday of yet another of my compatriots. More fiesta. I really think I´m going to have to learn to live without sleep. But who knows? Maybe I´ll finally find myself a cute Ecuadorian guy...
Monday, March 10, 2008
Weekend in Baños
First let me just say that my Macalester email account is driving me CRAZY. Apparently it is acceptable to have a server that functions 50% of the time. What the hell!? So if I don´t respond to your emails in a timely manner you´ll know why. Also, if I actually do lose my mind while I´m here, I´m blaming it on stupid OCS because I feel so cut off without email!
Also, (Uncle Carl, this one is for you) if any of you were thinking of visiting Ecuador I think you should know that it is BYOTP. That stands for Bring Your Own Toilet Paper. Not kidding. It´s not fun to have explosive diarrhea and realize that you can´t wipe. So take precautions. Never travel without a roll of your own.
Finally, this weekend: Amazing! It was so nice to get out of Quito, which I really have kind of a love/hate relationship with. Baños was a breif but passionate love affair. It is a cute little town with a nice church and town square and park. It is surrounded on all sides by HUGE, steep mountains, one of which is the active volcano Tungaragua. The town is famous for its natural hot springs which we tried out. They were really crowded but really neat. The water is murky and full of sulfur but it´s like a natural hot tub. Our greatest excursion was renting four-wheelers and going on a 4 hour tour of the surrounding waterfalls, including a hike to the famous Pailon del Diablo. I know that four-wheelers aren´t environmentally friendly and frankly I was scared to ride one on the same road with cars, winding around steep cliffs. As it turns out, I had the time of my life! I rode on the back of one with Katy, a girl from my program (we all doubled up, so at least we minimized the pollution???) Katy was a wild child! She was passing people and playing chicken with the other kids of my program - mom, you would have been horrified!
Our weekend also included two nights of clubbing because it was Claire´s 21rst birthday. I didn´t have that much fun the first night because it seems that only creepy people ever want to dance with me (aka, stalkers, gropers, drunks.) Some Ecuadorian friend of Emily´s brother was all over me and started kissing my neck. EWWW. I left. Then I had a brief period of self-loathing reflection and went to bed. The next night was way better. I was determined to have a good time and I actually danced with a nice boy for a while who was a great partner, didn´t make me feel uncomfortable and didn´t pursue me when I thanked him and said goodnight. YAY!
Also, worth mentioning: the bus ride to Baños was very pretty and on the way there I sat with an Ecuadorian woman and her 10 year old daughter and I think I made a friend for life :) Such a cutie! Unfortunately that was really the extent of my Spanish practice for the weekend...
I´m afraid next week will be even less educational. We´re on vacation and we´re going to the beach! Oh well, I guess this is all a learning experience for me since I don´t really party, haha.
Also, (Uncle Carl, this one is for you) if any of you were thinking of visiting Ecuador I think you should know that it is BYOTP. That stands for Bring Your Own Toilet Paper. Not kidding. It´s not fun to have explosive diarrhea and realize that you can´t wipe. So take precautions. Never travel without a roll of your own.
Finally, this weekend: Amazing! It was so nice to get out of Quito, which I really have kind of a love/hate relationship with. Baños was a breif but passionate love affair. It is a cute little town with a nice church and town square and park. It is surrounded on all sides by HUGE, steep mountains, one of which is the active volcano Tungaragua. The town is famous for its natural hot springs which we tried out. They were really crowded but really neat. The water is murky and full of sulfur but it´s like a natural hot tub. Our greatest excursion was renting four-wheelers and going on a 4 hour tour of the surrounding waterfalls, including a hike to the famous Pailon del Diablo. I know that four-wheelers aren´t environmentally friendly and frankly I was scared to ride one on the same road with cars, winding around steep cliffs. As it turns out, I had the time of my life! I rode on the back of one with Katy, a girl from my program (we all doubled up, so at least we minimized the pollution???) Katy was a wild child! She was passing people and playing chicken with the other kids of my program - mom, you would have been horrified!
Our weekend also included two nights of clubbing because it was Claire´s 21rst birthday. I didn´t have that much fun the first night because it seems that only creepy people ever want to dance with me (aka, stalkers, gropers, drunks.) Some Ecuadorian friend of Emily´s brother was all over me and started kissing my neck. EWWW. I left. Then I had a brief period of self-loathing reflection and went to bed. The next night was way better. I was determined to have a good time and I actually danced with a nice boy for a while who was a great partner, didn´t make me feel uncomfortable and didn´t pursue me when I thanked him and said goodnight. YAY!
Also, worth mentioning: the bus ride to Baños was very pretty and on the way there I sat with an Ecuadorian woman and her 10 year old daughter and I think I made a friend for life :) Such a cutie! Unfortunately that was really the extent of my Spanish practice for the weekend...
I´m afraid next week will be even less educational. We´re on vacation and we´re going to the beach! Oh well, I guess this is all a learning experience for me since I don´t really party, haha.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
La Selva
Sorry it´s been so long since I´ve posted! I was in the rainforest for four days and I´ve been super busy since I got back. The rainforest was amazing. I don´t know if I can do the trip justice in one entry. It may take two. But I guess I will try...
First, let me just say that this trip was one of the best things I´ve done in my 20 years on this planet. It was amazing. First of all, it only rained the day we arrived. The other three days it was sunny and gorgeous. We´re talking about the rainforest! The word "rain" is in there for a reason!
The forest was so beautiful. I really don´t have words to describe it. Everything was so tranquil and the people who were there just seemed so small, like we were just one more species living there along with all the others. There was so much life! Every tree had other vines and plants growing on it, insects all over it, animals living inside it, birds nesting in it - it was like the forest itself was one giant organism. We saw soooo much! Our group was large so we broke up into two smaller groups of 7 with two guides for each group. Our guides were Javier and Jose. Both were indigenous men from the nearby village of Sani Isla. Javier was the official guide because he spoke perfect Spanish and a little English. Jose probably said 10 words the entire time but he was TOTALLY hardcore. He walked ahead of the group to scout things for us and he could pretty much clear an acre of forest with a few choice swipes of his machete. Our first day we spent two hours watching birds from a 150 foot observation tower built around a GIANT tree. Of course I didn´t have a pen to write down all the names of the birds we saw but we did see a black headed parrot and a green and yellow parrot and another bird with a bright red beak. Using Javier´s scope we could see the birds soooo close up! It was like watching a National Geographic special, except we were actually there!
Our 4 hours trek after bird watching was so great! We saw lots of medicinal plants like dragon´s blood. We also saw tons of insects and swung on vines from a tree. The best part was when we heard a howler monkey marking it´s territory. It literally sounded like someone had a giant piece of machinery in the jungle. It was so weird and SO loud. Once we heard it, Jose just took off through the trees with his machete and we followed him off the path. We tracked a howler monkey! HOW COOL IS THAT?! We literally found the exact tree it was in! We tried to scope it, but I still couldn´t get a very clear view unfortunately.
That night we went out on the river to look for caimen (I have no idea how that is spelled, but basically they are crocodiles of up to 20 feet in size - we saw two.) Cooler than the caimen were the stars. I have never seen stars like that before in my life. They were reflected perfectly in the river which had still black water. It was like a mirror. It was really a spiritual experience looking at the stars on the water. I just thought about how small I am in the cosmos and how fleeting I was in that incredibly ancient forest. Incredible.
We also played soccer with our guides in what was essentially a mud pit. Afterwards we all swam in the river (I was assured that the piranhas in this river were not the aggressive kind and caimen are actually shy.... yeah.)
The second day our hike kind of sucked cause one of our group members got super sick and threw up repeatedly and we had to turn back. The only cool part was watching Javier take off and return with a medicinal root which he carefully peeled and used to make medicine for Laura. Unfortunately she was not keeping down even water at that point so she promptly threw it up and we didn´t have time to see if it worked.
That night was the highlight of the trip. We went on a night hike. Yes, that´s right: just me and a flashlight and two indigenous guides and the rainforest. And I´ll tell you what - the crazy shit comes out at night! We saw a tarantula that was ENORMOUS and I didn´t even freak out! We saw tons of insects and tons of venemous centipedes too. We also saw a tree mouse and two snakes from the boa family. They were harmless and the guides plucked them right up so we could hold and touch them. Super cool. We climbed the observation tower again and this time we could see the fire from an oil well off in the distance. It made me sad. But it´s more complex than it seems. The indigenous community which the guides were from has gotten lots of stuff from the oil companies like a new school and meeting hall. If these people were better provided for by the government maybe they wouldn´t be so susceptible to that kind of exchange. It reminded me of the way we have ripped off the American Indians: here, have some beer and guns in exchange for your land!
The only bad thing I have to show for the trip is about 100 mosquito bites and also, I got sick the last night, but now I´m better. Oh, and I may have brought back bed bugs. Not really sure what I´m gonna do about that yet....
ANTS! I forgot about the ants! I saw Conga ants that are venemous and huge and live in small colonies of 200-300 ants. I saw leaf cutter ants that follow the same path every time and literally have worn trails in the grass by the lodge. I also saw lemon ants which live inside of tree branches and have a symbiotic relationship with the trees. Javier cut a branch open for us and we ate them. They taste like lemon.
The lodge had amazing food, the guides were the nicest people I´ve ever met. Everything was environmentally sustainable. I slept under a mosquito net! I think that´s all....
Now finally, if anyone has heard - there´s been some drama with Colombia and some talk of war. So who knows? Maybe I´ll get evacuated and be seeing you all sooner than I thought. Let´s all pray for peace because the last thing this region needs is a war. As usual, the U.S. would be on the wrong side of things (that is, Colombia´s side.) Anyway, Ecuador has recalled it´s ambassador from Colombia and cut off diplomatic ties which is pretty intense. We´ll see what happens.
Love you all!
First, let me just say that this trip was one of the best things I´ve done in my 20 years on this planet. It was amazing. First of all, it only rained the day we arrived. The other three days it was sunny and gorgeous. We´re talking about the rainforest! The word "rain" is in there for a reason!
The forest was so beautiful. I really don´t have words to describe it. Everything was so tranquil and the people who were there just seemed so small, like we were just one more species living there along with all the others. There was so much life! Every tree had other vines and plants growing on it, insects all over it, animals living inside it, birds nesting in it - it was like the forest itself was one giant organism. We saw soooo much! Our group was large so we broke up into two smaller groups of 7 with two guides for each group. Our guides were Javier and Jose. Both were indigenous men from the nearby village of Sani Isla. Javier was the official guide because he spoke perfect Spanish and a little English. Jose probably said 10 words the entire time but he was TOTALLY hardcore. He walked ahead of the group to scout things for us and he could pretty much clear an acre of forest with a few choice swipes of his machete. Our first day we spent two hours watching birds from a 150 foot observation tower built around a GIANT tree. Of course I didn´t have a pen to write down all the names of the birds we saw but we did see a black headed parrot and a green and yellow parrot and another bird with a bright red beak. Using Javier´s scope we could see the birds soooo close up! It was like watching a National Geographic special, except we were actually there!
Our 4 hours trek after bird watching was so great! We saw lots of medicinal plants like dragon´s blood. We also saw tons of insects and swung on vines from a tree. The best part was when we heard a howler monkey marking it´s territory. It literally sounded like someone had a giant piece of machinery in the jungle. It was so weird and SO loud. Once we heard it, Jose just took off through the trees with his machete and we followed him off the path. We tracked a howler monkey! HOW COOL IS THAT?! We literally found the exact tree it was in! We tried to scope it, but I still couldn´t get a very clear view unfortunately.
That night we went out on the river to look for caimen (I have no idea how that is spelled, but basically they are crocodiles of up to 20 feet in size - we saw two.) Cooler than the caimen were the stars. I have never seen stars like that before in my life. They were reflected perfectly in the river which had still black water. It was like a mirror. It was really a spiritual experience looking at the stars on the water. I just thought about how small I am in the cosmos and how fleeting I was in that incredibly ancient forest. Incredible.
We also played soccer with our guides in what was essentially a mud pit. Afterwards we all swam in the river (I was assured that the piranhas in this river were not the aggressive kind and caimen are actually shy.... yeah.)
The second day our hike kind of sucked cause one of our group members got super sick and threw up repeatedly and we had to turn back. The only cool part was watching Javier take off and return with a medicinal root which he carefully peeled and used to make medicine for Laura. Unfortunately she was not keeping down even water at that point so she promptly threw it up and we didn´t have time to see if it worked.
That night was the highlight of the trip. We went on a night hike. Yes, that´s right: just me and a flashlight and two indigenous guides and the rainforest. And I´ll tell you what - the crazy shit comes out at night! We saw a tarantula that was ENORMOUS and I didn´t even freak out! We saw tons of insects and tons of venemous centipedes too. We also saw a tree mouse and two snakes from the boa family. They were harmless and the guides plucked them right up so we could hold and touch them. Super cool. We climbed the observation tower again and this time we could see the fire from an oil well off in the distance. It made me sad. But it´s more complex than it seems. The indigenous community which the guides were from has gotten lots of stuff from the oil companies like a new school and meeting hall. If these people were better provided for by the government maybe they wouldn´t be so susceptible to that kind of exchange. It reminded me of the way we have ripped off the American Indians: here, have some beer and guns in exchange for your land!
The only bad thing I have to show for the trip is about 100 mosquito bites and also, I got sick the last night, but now I´m better. Oh, and I may have brought back bed bugs. Not really sure what I´m gonna do about that yet....
ANTS! I forgot about the ants! I saw Conga ants that are venemous and huge and live in small colonies of 200-300 ants. I saw leaf cutter ants that follow the same path every time and literally have worn trails in the grass by the lodge. I also saw lemon ants which live inside of tree branches and have a symbiotic relationship with the trees. Javier cut a branch open for us and we ate them. They taste like lemon.
The lodge had amazing food, the guides were the nicest people I´ve ever met. Everything was environmentally sustainable. I slept under a mosquito net! I think that´s all....
Now finally, if anyone has heard - there´s been some drama with Colombia and some talk of war. So who knows? Maybe I´ll get evacuated and be seeing you all sooner than I thought. Let´s all pray for peace because the last thing this region needs is a war. As usual, the U.S. would be on the wrong side of things (that is, Colombia´s side.) Anyway, Ecuador has recalled it´s ambassador from Colombia and cut off diplomatic ties which is pretty intense. We´ll see what happens.
Love you all!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Gooooooaaaaalllll!!!!!
Today I went to a soccer game. The stadium is way up in the north of Quito. We got there over an hour early but the seats were great - very close behind the goal. Soccer fans are pretty nuts. From what I understand this wasn´t even really a big game, but the people in our section did not sit down for the entire game. They were on their feet cheering and singing the entire time. A couple guys had giant drums and they played constantly and led the fans in a series of cheers that I didn´t understand. The only one I did understand was when the ref made a bad call. I´m not gonna repeat what they were saying, but needless to say, it wasn´t very nice.
The game was between La Liga, which is one of the best teams. They wore white. The visitors were La Nacional and they wore red. Both teams were from Quito, but we rooted for La Liga. I had just recently watched a documentary about one of their players, Augustin Delgado. It was about racism in soccer (he is Afro-Ecuadorian.) The game ended in a tie, 2-2. The fans are dismissed seperately afterwards to avoid a fight. During the game 5 playeres had to be carted off on the little medical truck. There was also a fight during which about 50 policemen who were standing at the ready, stormed the field. The ref also issued a red card and about 4 or 5 yellow cards during the game. So yeah, playing dirty is pretty standard. The one thing I couldnt´stand was how everyone faked injuries to try to get the call. Sometimes they were really hurt but I quickly become desensitized and unsympathetic because more often they were just being super dramatic.
Everything was going great till I noticed after the game that my bad had been slashed open. Luckily I had nothing of value with me - only my cheap sunglasses were stolen along with the makeshift case my mom had given me (it was really just an old makeup bag.) Luckily they didn´t get my phone or money which I had in a seperate pouch. They could have made off with my lunch, daytimer, or umbrella, but I think all those things were pretty unappealing. It gives me some small pleasure to think that the bastard didn´t get much out of it. But seriously, I was pretty upset. The loss of my bag is actually the worst blow. I have no way to carry my lunch and books for school. I´m always so careful! I can´t think when it could have happened! Anyway, it makes you feel pretty stupid and also kind of violated.
Sandra says she may take my bag in to get fixed! Can you imagine? In the US we would just buy a new one cause that would be cheaper than trying to fix the old one. The Ecuadorians have got it right on that count. Aren´t you proud Uncle Carl?
Other highlights of this weekend: a visit to the Panecillo and some barhopping on Friday night. Also, this morning my grandma invited me for breakfast and made this amazing thing! It was a glass about a quarter filled with the best fresh squeezed orange juice. The other three quarters was all this creamy merengue stuff. The combo of bitter and sweet was DELICIOUS! We also ate some of the cream on a flaky little cracker/cookie thing. It seemed more like desert than breakfast, but I´m not complaining!
Anne and Ranjit and Julia: Thanks so much for the comments! I really appreciate it! Also, shout out to Dave for his emails! I´d love to hear from more of you and see how you´re all doing!
Addy
The game was between La Liga, which is one of the best teams. They wore white. The visitors were La Nacional and they wore red. Both teams were from Quito, but we rooted for La Liga. I had just recently watched a documentary about one of their players, Augustin Delgado. It was about racism in soccer (he is Afro-Ecuadorian.) The game ended in a tie, 2-2. The fans are dismissed seperately afterwards to avoid a fight. During the game 5 playeres had to be carted off on the little medical truck. There was also a fight during which about 50 policemen who were standing at the ready, stormed the field. The ref also issued a red card and about 4 or 5 yellow cards during the game. So yeah, playing dirty is pretty standard. The one thing I couldnt´stand was how everyone faked injuries to try to get the call. Sometimes they were really hurt but I quickly become desensitized and unsympathetic because more often they were just being super dramatic.
Everything was going great till I noticed after the game that my bad had been slashed open. Luckily I had nothing of value with me - only my cheap sunglasses were stolen along with the makeshift case my mom had given me (it was really just an old makeup bag.) Luckily they didn´t get my phone or money which I had in a seperate pouch. They could have made off with my lunch, daytimer, or umbrella, but I think all those things were pretty unappealing. It gives me some small pleasure to think that the bastard didn´t get much out of it. But seriously, I was pretty upset. The loss of my bag is actually the worst blow. I have no way to carry my lunch and books for school. I´m always so careful! I can´t think when it could have happened! Anyway, it makes you feel pretty stupid and also kind of violated.
Sandra says she may take my bag in to get fixed! Can you imagine? In the US we would just buy a new one cause that would be cheaper than trying to fix the old one. The Ecuadorians have got it right on that count. Aren´t you proud Uncle Carl?
Other highlights of this weekend: a visit to the Panecillo and some barhopping on Friday night. Also, this morning my grandma invited me for breakfast and made this amazing thing! It was a glass about a quarter filled with the best fresh squeezed orange juice. The other three quarters was all this creamy merengue stuff. The combo of bitter and sweet was DELICIOUS! We also ate some of the cream on a flaky little cracker/cookie thing. It seemed more like desert than breakfast, but I´m not complaining!
Anne and Ranjit and Julia: Thanks so much for the comments! I really appreciate it! Also, shout out to Dave for his emails! I´d love to hear from more of you and see how you´re all doing!
Addy
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Today was my second day of my internship. I really like the lady I work with, Elba. Everyone seems nice (except this one guy named Nixon is a little grumpy, lol, go figure!) HOWEVER, today was kind of annoying cause I was told to show up at 8:20, came at 8:15 and waited till 8:40 for Elba, alone outside a locked building on a sketchy street. Joy. I love Ecuadorian time. After not eating for 5 hours we returned to the office where I ate the snack I brought. Then Elba asked me to stay for longer but I hadn´t brought a real lunch. Then she left me with a project to do, not realizing that the person I needed to help me was out to lunch. So I just called her and told her I was coming back tomorrow to do it (lol, the new assertive Addy!)
Anyway, I´m sure it will be fine. The org seems cool and the people seem cool so I´m sure it will fall into place. At this point I just kind of feel like an appendage along for the ride. Elba lets me come with her to all her meetings and stuff but I just sit and don´t talk. Maybe if I had time to prepare I could actually TALK during one of our presentations to school kids.
Speaking of which, the three schools I visited so far with Elba were in the South which is really poor. All of them are open air and you have to go outside to enter each classroom. The classrooms I saw had nothing but some desks and a chalkboard and one had a TV (which I think is why we got to use it.) The kids were doing marching (as in parade marching) and aerobic type excercises in the cement courtyard while we were there. I think it was gym class. Also, there are stray dogs IN the school, just wandering around. Yikes. In any case, it made me feel incredibly lucky for the schools we have in the U.S. There may be room for improvement but our educational system has got it right in that at least it is free for everyone. Here you have to pay for uniforms and supplies for school which is cost prohibitive for many families.
On that note, Ciao!
Anyway, I´m sure it will be fine. The org seems cool and the people seem cool so I´m sure it will fall into place. At this point I just kind of feel like an appendage along for the ride. Elba lets me come with her to all her meetings and stuff but I just sit and don´t talk. Maybe if I had time to prepare I could actually TALK during one of our presentations to school kids.
Speaking of which, the three schools I visited so far with Elba were in the South which is really poor. All of them are open air and you have to go outside to enter each classroom. The classrooms I saw had nothing but some desks and a chalkboard and one had a TV (which I think is why we got to use it.) The kids were doing marching (as in parade marching) and aerobic type excercises in the cement courtyard while we were there. I think it was gym class. Also, there are stray dogs IN the school, just wandering around. Yikes. In any case, it made me feel incredibly lucky for the schools we have in the U.S. There may be room for improvement but our educational system has got it right in that at least it is free for everyone. Here you have to pay for uniforms and supplies for school which is cost prohibitive for many families.
On that note, Ciao!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
More Rain
It won´t stop raining! We have no dryer! I need to dry my clothes or soon I will be going naked! Also, I lost my umbrella! This is soooo not okay. I miss sunshine. I miss being dry. I miss my hair not being messed up. Stupid rainy Ecuador!
The end.
The end.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Rainy Weekend
It has been a little while since I have written and a lot has happened. First let me say that I really appreciate the comments! It´s so good to hear from people while I´m here because sometimes I feel really lonely or cut off.
This weekend has been cold (by Ecuadorian standards - probably 50 degrees) and rainy. We were supposed to have a big picnic yesterday in the Parque Metropolitano but it was moved indoors which was too bad. On Friday the mothers of two other students came to my house to prepare food to bring to the picnic. It was a mini-fiesta! I helped them cook and we also danced salsa, drank cachaza which is a Brazilian drink, and chatted over tea. I really enjoyed listening to all the Spanish and understanding most of it. I also made my mom´s cauliflower dish all by myself which was a big hit.
I ate a ton at the picnic the next day and it was all really good. I also got to see and meet a lot of family members of the other students. My family came with me but my two brothers were very shy and anti-social. I don´t think they had a lot of fun! Oh well! We left pretty early and apparently I missed some good dancing and guitar playing. Back at home I took a siesta and then had a movie night with Sandra and Ian. They rented two movies, I am Legend and Fracture, both of which we watched in English! I am such a cheater! We also ordered pizza which has never tasted so good...I´ll admit to missing American food.
I didn´t end my Saturday night with movies. At 9:30 Emily and her host siblings, Jorge and Renata came to pick me up and go to a party at Laura´s house. It was SOOO fun! Her host brother Daniel is like 25 but he is totally nuts. First he made everyone "vino hervida" which is boiled wine with orange juice. It´s served hot and it´s nice and sweet. We drank that and chatted. After that he put the music on and we danced for hours (and some people may have taken tequila shots at Daniel´s urging...) It was such a fun party! A lot of kids from the program were there but there were also a lot of Ecuadorian guys. A totally great atmosphere! Also, Laura´s drunk host uncle danced the night away with us which was hilarious!
Today I went to the Centro with Sandra and Hardeep. We shopped in a giant market and had a coffee together before returning home for a giant family luncheon at my grandma´s. It was delicious but I think it made me sick with my first episode "you know what." She served a very traditional soup called Fonesca that is always made during la Semana Santa. We also had a traditional desert of figs and cheese. The soup has a story behind it. Apparently when the Virgin Mary was pregnant she went around asking everyone for a little food. She got a little bit of 12 different kinds of grains from the local poor people and she used them to make Fonesca. It has tons of grains and beans and legumes in it and is served with fish and fried plantaines and nuts on top.
The rain is a little depressing, I´ll admit. I´m a little bored and feeling a little neglected by Sandra today for the first time since I got here. She´s really bad about introducing me and making me feel included at family gatherings. I think she doesn´t really like the whole big, extended family get-togethers but it means that I end up feeling really awkward. Then again, if I had a foreigner living in my house I´d probably get really sick of them really quickly. All things considered I am SOOO lucky to have a great host mom like Sandra. We are going to go running in the park tomorrow. Then I may go by myself to check out a church in the Old City, buy some fruit at the market, and print some stuff at an internet cafe before afternoon class. Tuesday my work finally officially begins with my internship interview! YAY!
In other news I also took a cable car up to the top of Pinchincha which was amazing! But I´ll have to leave that story for another day.
This weekend has been cold (by Ecuadorian standards - probably 50 degrees) and rainy. We were supposed to have a big picnic yesterday in the Parque Metropolitano but it was moved indoors which was too bad. On Friday the mothers of two other students came to my house to prepare food to bring to the picnic. It was a mini-fiesta! I helped them cook and we also danced salsa, drank cachaza which is a Brazilian drink, and chatted over tea. I really enjoyed listening to all the Spanish and understanding most of it. I also made my mom´s cauliflower dish all by myself which was a big hit.
I ate a ton at the picnic the next day and it was all really good. I also got to see and meet a lot of family members of the other students. My family came with me but my two brothers were very shy and anti-social. I don´t think they had a lot of fun! Oh well! We left pretty early and apparently I missed some good dancing and guitar playing. Back at home I took a siesta and then had a movie night with Sandra and Ian. They rented two movies, I am Legend and Fracture, both of which we watched in English! I am such a cheater! We also ordered pizza which has never tasted so good...I´ll admit to missing American food.
I didn´t end my Saturday night with movies. At 9:30 Emily and her host siblings, Jorge and Renata came to pick me up and go to a party at Laura´s house. It was SOOO fun! Her host brother Daniel is like 25 but he is totally nuts. First he made everyone "vino hervida" which is boiled wine with orange juice. It´s served hot and it´s nice and sweet. We drank that and chatted. After that he put the music on and we danced for hours (and some people may have taken tequila shots at Daniel´s urging...) It was such a fun party! A lot of kids from the program were there but there were also a lot of Ecuadorian guys. A totally great atmosphere! Also, Laura´s drunk host uncle danced the night away with us which was hilarious!
Today I went to the Centro with Sandra and Hardeep. We shopped in a giant market and had a coffee together before returning home for a giant family luncheon at my grandma´s. It was delicious but I think it made me sick with my first episode "you know what." She served a very traditional soup called Fonesca that is always made during la Semana Santa. We also had a traditional desert of figs and cheese. The soup has a story behind it. Apparently when the Virgin Mary was pregnant she went around asking everyone for a little food. She got a little bit of 12 different kinds of grains from the local poor people and she used them to make Fonesca. It has tons of grains and beans and legumes in it and is served with fish and fried plantaines and nuts on top.
The rain is a little depressing, I´ll admit. I´m a little bored and feeling a little neglected by Sandra today for the first time since I got here. She´s really bad about introducing me and making me feel included at family gatherings. I think she doesn´t really like the whole big, extended family get-togethers but it means that I end up feeling really awkward. Then again, if I had a foreigner living in my house I´d probably get really sick of them really quickly. All things considered I am SOOO lucky to have a great host mom like Sandra. We are going to go running in the park tomorrow. Then I may go by myself to check out a church in the Old City, buy some fruit at the market, and print some stuff at an internet cafe before afternoon class. Tuesday my work finally officially begins with my internship interview! YAY!
In other news I also took a cable car up to the top of Pinchincha which was amazing! But I´ll have to leave that story for another day.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
First Rain of my Trip!
Today I finally got to experience some of that famous rain they always talk about. It was a little cooler today and it poured for about 15 minutes at midday and sprinkled several other times throughout the day. The clouds are really dark and impressive, rolling in from Pinchincha to the west. Speaking of Pinchincha - tomorrow I get to take the cable car all the way to the top of the mountain/volcano. Talk about altitude!
Today I met up with Molly Adix who is here on another program. She´s a girl on my cross-country team, for those of you who don´t know. I really like her friends! Her school is also super close to myhouse so hopefully she can come have lunch some day. We ran 19 minutes today in Parque Carolina (so it was flat! yay!) and then we did abs. The run was SOOO hard. As soon as I stopped my head was pounding with a headache and my stomach cramped up like I was gonna be sick. Gotta love that altitude. I am gonna keep working on it.
Also, today I easily walked 90 min or maybe two hours, much of it up hill, just getting from point A to point B. I actually feel like I might never be able to use my legs again! I´m soooo tired. And I hope the stomach pains are just from my run and not cause I have my first bug!
Other notes of interest: I got miserably lost on the bus at night in a sketchy neighborhood and my phone wouldn´t work. The good news is I had a friend with me and she was calm so I didn´t cry. Also we made it back fine. It was character building, but no bus after dark for me anymore. Taxis only!
Today I met up with Molly Adix who is here on another program. She´s a girl on my cross-country team, for those of you who don´t know. I really like her friends! Her school is also super close to myhouse so hopefully she can come have lunch some day. We ran 19 minutes today in Parque Carolina (so it was flat! yay!) and then we did abs. The run was SOOO hard. As soon as I stopped my head was pounding with a headache and my stomach cramped up like I was gonna be sick. Gotta love that altitude. I am gonna keep working on it.
Also, today I easily walked 90 min or maybe two hours, much of it up hill, just getting from point A to point B. I actually feel like I might never be able to use my legs again! I´m soooo tired. And I hope the stomach pains are just from my run and not cause I have my first bug!
Other notes of interest: I got miserably lost on the bus at night in a sketchy neighborhood and my phone wouldn´t work. The good news is I had a friend with me and she was calm so I didn´t cry. Also we made it back fine. It was character building, but no bus after dark for me anymore. Taxis only!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
My First Weekend in Ecuador
I think I´ve changed my mind about living abroad. It hasn´t been a whole week I realize, but it´s great to get to know a city as someone who lives there and not just as a visitor or tourist. It´s so big though, I feel like I could live here a lifetime and still not know it. I´m making progress though! Yesterday I walked to El Parque Carolina by myself. It´s a huge park with a little mini lake and botanical gardens and fields, jungle gyms, public aerobic classes, pony ride - everything you could imagine. I want to go back when I have more time to go to the botanical gardens.
I also went to a park near my house for the second time, this time with my mom. Sandra and I walked and did arm excercises (Uncle Carl you would be proud!) Sandra says she´s in bad shape but it doesn´t seem that way to me! I tried running and between the very steep grade of the park (it´s bascially on the side of a mountain) and the altitude I only lasted 10 minutes. I´m gonna have to add on little by little.
Today we did a bike tour of the city because they close off a lot of roads on Sundays. It was AMAZING! It was also really hard cause of the altitude and the hills. First we went to the Basilica which was my favorite. We climbed all the way to the top of the tallest towers! Safety regulations really don´t exist here: we´re talking rickety ladders, no guard rails, hundreds of feet in the air! If it wasn´t so amazingly cool I would have been scared shitless. After the Basilica we went to the Old City where I had been with Sandra. My favorite thing was seeing the Church of la compania de Jesus. It´s super ornate - all carved stone outside and gold leaf inside. It was the first time the Spanish conquest really got driven home - "Let´s just destroy their religion, steal their resources and then enslave them and make them build this disgustingly fancy, ornate church." The interior is literally covered in gold.
Another thing I experienced today was the vendors that come up to you and try to get you to buy their candy. They are all poor little kids or old people and they are SUPER persistent. I´m torn between being annoyed at them and feeling really bad. As a group of 15 white people we were a huge target and a couple times the little kids just swarmed us.
That´s all for now, even though I have a lot more I could say about this weekend.... Addios!
I also went to a park near my house for the second time, this time with my mom. Sandra and I walked and did arm excercises (Uncle Carl you would be proud!) Sandra says she´s in bad shape but it doesn´t seem that way to me! I tried running and between the very steep grade of the park (it´s bascially on the side of a mountain) and the altitude I only lasted 10 minutes. I´m gonna have to add on little by little.
Today we did a bike tour of the city because they close off a lot of roads on Sundays. It was AMAZING! It was also really hard cause of the altitude and the hills. First we went to the Basilica which was my favorite. We climbed all the way to the top of the tallest towers! Safety regulations really don´t exist here: we´re talking rickety ladders, no guard rails, hundreds of feet in the air! If it wasn´t so amazingly cool I would have been scared shitless. After the Basilica we went to the Old City where I had been with Sandra. My favorite thing was seeing the Church of la compania de Jesus. It´s super ornate - all carved stone outside and gold leaf inside. It was the first time the Spanish conquest really got driven home - "Let´s just destroy their religion, steal their resources and then enslave them and make them build this disgustingly fancy, ornate church." The interior is literally covered in gold.
Another thing I experienced today was the vendors that come up to you and try to get you to buy their candy. They are all poor little kids or old people and they are SUPER persistent. I´m torn between being annoyed at them and feeling really bad. As a group of 15 white people we were a huge target and a couple times the little kids just swarmed us.
That´s all for now, even though I have a lot more I could say about this weekend.... Addios!
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Being a Pedestrian in Quito
First of all, let me just say that the keyboards are different here so forgive my spelling and typos. Other culture shocks so far: pedestrians have literally no rights here and traffic lights are optional so that is a little scary. Also people don´t believe in leashes for their dogs and there are a ton of strays. I am rethinking not getting that rabies shot...
So yesterday I had my first class. We really just talked about rules and safety and the documents we need for our censo and visa registration. It was really fun to meet everyone though. There are 15 of us: 11 girls and 3 boys besides me. Three girls, Caroline, Brittany, and Emily, live in my barrio which is called "Las Casas." Last night almost everyone on the program met up in the Mariscal (also known as Gringoland) to hang out. We went to a cafe where most people got beers but I hadn´t eaten and because of the altitude I stuck with hot chocolate. It was so good! It had whole almonds mixed in and thick whipped cream and it was very thick and rich. That is probably the only really good food I´ve had so far besides the fruit.
I took a cab back home with two girls from my barrio. So now I feel like a big kid. Today we went to El Capillo del Hombre which is a mueseum of art by the famous Ecuadoian artist Guayasamin. He is indigienous and his paintings depict the suffering of Latin America. The museum was on the opposite side of the city way up on a hillside and it had AMAZING views. Of course I didn´t bring my camera (!!!!) So now I know to bring it everywhere even if it ends up getting stolen because it sucks to be without it. It´s super sunny today and I think that I got burned really bad today. Ooops.
Me and six other girls from the program ate lunch together and bought cellphones. This afternoon I have more class and then a dinner with the program. My host mom wants to teach me to dance this evening (and maybe a friend or two as well.) We are going out to a salsa club tomorrow at 10:00 so I need to brush up. I like everyone on the program but I can definitely tell that we have some SERIOUS partyers on the trip. Maybe it will be good for me to get out and be a little crazy! I just want to be safe.
Unfortunately people on the program with the exception of one or two are really bad about speaking in Spanish which is kind of annoying. I don´t want to be the Hermione Granger of my trip but I also don´t want to talk in English all the time! Oh well, hopefully that will work itself out. After the first two weeks I´ll be spending most of my time with my family and my internship anyway.
Last but not least, this Saturday my host grandma´s exchange student is going to cook us a special Indian meal. I´m really excited! His name is Hardeep and he´s from Massachusetts. He´s here learning how to teach English as a second language. My host grandma lives in another seperate part of the same house so he basically lives with us and comes over a lot but he is moving to an apartment very soon. Hopefully he will still come around because I like him.
So yesterday I had my first class. We really just talked about rules and safety and the documents we need for our censo and visa registration. It was really fun to meet everyone though. There are 15 of us: 11 girls and 3 boys besides me. Three girls, Caroline, Brittany, and Emily, live in my barrio which is called "Las Casas." Last night almost everyone on the program met up in the Mariscal (also known as Gringoland) to hang out. We went to a cafe where most people got beers but I hadn´t eaten and because of the altitude I stuck with hot chocolate. It was so good! It had whole almonds mixed in and thick whipped cream and it was very thick and rich. That is probably the only really good food I´ve had so far besides the fruit.
I took a cab back home with two girls from my barrio. So now I feel like a big kid. Today we went to El Capillo del Hombre which is a mueseum of art by the famous Ecuadoian artist Guayasamin. He is indigienous and his paintings depict the suffering of Latin America. The museum was on the opposite side of the city way up on a hillside and it had AMAZING views. Of course I didn´t bring my camera (!!!!) So now I know to bring it everywhere even if it ends up getting stolen because it sucks to be without it. It´s super sunny today and I think that I got burned really bad today. Ooops.
Me and six other girls from the program ate lunch together and bought cellphones. This afternoon I have more class and then a dinner with the program. My host mom wants to teach me to dance this evening (and maybe a friend or two as well.) We are going out to a salsa club tomorrow at 10:00 so I need to brush up. I like everyone on the program but I can definitely tell that we have some SERIOUS partyers on the trip. Maybe it will be good for me to get out and be a little crazy! I just want to be safe.
Unfortunately people on the program with the exception of one or two are really bad about speaking in Spanish which is kind of annoying. I don´t want to be the Hermione Granger of my trip but I also don´t want to talk in English all the time! Oh well, hopefully that will work itself out. After the first two weeks I´ll be spending most of my time with my family and my internship anyway.
Last but not least, this Saturday my host grandma´s exchange student is going to cook us a special Indian meal. I´m really excited! His name is Hardeep and he´s from Massachusetts. He´s here learning how to teach English as a second language. My host grandma lives in another seperate part of the same house so he basically lives with us and comes over a lot but he is moving to an apartment very soon. Hopefully he will still come around because I like him.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
The First 24 Hours in Quito
Well, I got in safe and on time yesterday afternoon. My host mother, Sandra, and my littlest brother Mikael, picked me up from the airport in their SUPER retro car. I´m going to have to photograph it because it´s too hard to describe. My house is part way up a long, steep hill. The city is really hilly - it reminds me of San Francicsco, even though I´ve never been there. All the houses have high walls and gates and ther is this guy named Angel who is like a paid Neighborhood Watch guard who looks after the street and helps carry your groceries and stuff. We are right in the shadow of the big volcanic mountain, Pinchincha. My room is very tiny but it has everything I need. It is right in the front of the house and two of the walls are frosted glass so it is kind of hard to sleep when other people are watching TV or something since it is noisy and bright.
The climate here is beautiful so far, although I think I already got a sunburn because of the high altitude, haha. Sandra is REALLY nice. She took me to the grocery store yesterday and bought lots of exotic fruit for me to try. We made juice out of naranjillas last night which are these little tangy things that look like yellow tomatoes. She also took me to the Old City last night and it was SOOO beautiful! I can´t wait to go back! It´s full of old churches and mueseums - Dad you would have a blast here. You must come visit.
Last night I woke up in the middle of the night feeling like I was gonna puke so today I am trying to eat really lightly in case it was the altitude adjustment messing with my stomach. That was not pleasant. But so far everything else has been great. My mom had to work today -she gives tours. This morning it was just me and Mikael who is really sweet. We went to the park together and played a little basketball.
There is also an internet cafe like two blocks from my house (where I am right now) so that is pretty awesome. I haven´t met anyone else from my trip yet but I am going to orientation this afternoon. Apparently some of my fellow Americans live in the same neighborhood so one of them and their host mother are picking me up at 2:00. I guess that is all for now. I will try to write again soon. I see Obama did well last night. That makes me VERY happy.
Also, Mumtaz and Papyrus: I miss you guys soooo much! But I´ll just keep taking it one day at a time :) I hope everyone is well.
The climate here is beautiful so far, although I think I already got a sunburn because of the high altitude, haha. Sandra is REALLY nice. She took me to the grocery store yesterday and bought lots of exotic fruit for me to try. We made juice out of naranjillas last night which are these little tangy things that look like yellow tomatoes. She also took me to the Old City last night and it was SOOO beautiful! I can´t wait to go back! It´s full of old churches and mueseums - Dad you would have a blast here. You must come visit.
Last night I woke up in the middle of the night feeling like I was gonna puke so today I am trying to eat really lightly in case it was the altitude adjustment messing with my stomach. That was not pleasant. But so far everything else has been great. My mom had to work today -she gives tours. This morning it was just me and Mikael who is really sweet. We went to the park together and played a little basketball.
There is also an internet cafe like two blocks from my house (where I am right now) so that is pretty awesome. I haven´t met anyone else from my trip yet but I am going to orientation this afternoon. Apparently some of my fellow Americans live in the same neighborhood so one of them and their host mother are picking me up at 2:00. I guess that is all for now. I will try to write again soon. I see Obama did well last night. That makes me VERY happy.
Also, Mumtaz and Papyrus: I miss you guys soooo much! But I´ll just keep taking it one day at a time :) I hope everyone is well.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Still in Niskayuna...
Well, I'm still in Niskayuna for the next three days and I thought I'd try this blog thing...I guess we'll see how it works.
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