Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Wow Wow Wow!
How easy it is to lose track of time!
Yesterday, Saturday, was my official 5 month mark of arriving in Ecuador. Crazy to think that I have been here for this much time already. I think I feel the same way every time I think about how much time has gone by and its always an odd, bittersweet feeling.
I wish I could say I have lots to say about what I have been doing with my time, but really I think I’ve kinda spoiled myself while my counterpart has been gone. I’ve made quite a few trips into Guayaquil, watched quite a few movies, cooked a lot for Melita and me, READ a lot.
The best part of these past few weeks is that I found a beautiful new apartment and I got the keys to it this past Wednesday. I can’t move in until my program director comes and approves it (I think, really hope, that he’s coming sometime this upcoming week but who really knows). It broke my heart to tell Melita that I would be moving out but I’ll be so much more comfortable in my new place. Its on the top floor of a building, has incredible windows that overlook the whole 6 blocks of Cumanda, has a skylight, an ELECTRIC SHOWER (no more cold showers for this kid) and a bathroom I could do cartwheels in. I like to refer to it as my one bedroom, studio apartment; all its missing is a grand piano and then I’d be content and live here forever. I’ll try and get photos up soon. Its seriously, really pretty. I’ve spent two solid days just cleaning it and then sitting and admiring its glory.
Oh, one thing productive I did do this past weekend was I started meeting with my “tutor”. She’s originally from Cumanda but her family won the “visa lottery” (didn’t even know it existed) but I guess they randomly select people’s social security numbers and if you get chosen, you get a visa for life. Anyways, her family moved to the states when she was 14 and she’s now going to be a sophomore at the University of Vermont and is just home for summer break. Why nobody thought I’d like to be introduced to her earlier I’m not sure. I’m her first student so she’s really not very experienced and we have class in her house and her mom, grandmother, two aunts and 12 year old cousin also looooove to help me out and add their own personal comments.
For any of you that know Spanish, we were discussing the difference in the past tenses, like when to use estaba versus estuvo and she told me that you use estaba when referring to a feminie object like la escuela estaba cerrado y el banco estuvo cerrado. Riiiiiiight….okay guess we’ll just focus on my pronunciation then. The sad part is, her entire peanut gallery agreed with her.
So last weekend was the final weekend of the festivals in Bucay. It was topped off by a parade on Saturday, rodeo on Sunday and then bullfighting on Monday. The parade was interesting to say the least. All the schools, groups and neighborhoods have a dance and costumes and parade through the town following their car that is blasting chosen songs. Some were really good, others not so much. Like the group of transsexuals doing the Macarena. Maybe if the community were actually gay-friendly it’d be okay, but they actually just think that cross-dressing is one of the funniest things possible.
I know something else I during my past two weeks of freedom. I went to another volunteers site that is about an hour from me and helped him with his “world map project”. It's a general project that peace corps encourages us to do, which is just painting a giant map on the side of a wall of a school or wherever. I really hope to do one before I leave because the only geography they know is if things are in la costa, sierra or oriente (the 3 regions of Ecuador). Maps, the united states, macchu pichu are all figments of their imagination, they’ve heard people talk about them but I’m convinced Ecuadorians are a little skeptical as to their actual existences. I’m hoping that the next school year I can teach a geography class and then include the map as a project. I’ll share with them my love for maps. Anyways, Mitch and I met up at this other guy, Jakob, site and we spent the day painting countries and we had a lot of fun.
I’ve started making it a ritual to make myself dinner and then pack it and take it the old train track bridge which has a nice breeze and an incredible view of the sunset. Its nice to have some quiet, alone time. A few nights ago, there were two ladies that came walking along the train track with a plastic bag. I thought they had been admiring my new habits and were coming to join me or at least check out what this crazy gringa does every day walking here. But no, instead they walked a few steps on to the bridge, waved and grined at me, and then threw their plastic bag into the water, which exploded upon impact and sent dirty diapers racing down the river. On the better days, I’ve been entertained by two little boys doing micheal Jackson dance moves on the sand bed and the crazy giant iguanas that have made the sandbags their home.
Welp, I think that's about it from here. I’m mildly dreading having to go to the office tomorrow but I guess I can’t do nothing forever….or could I?
Love love.
Yesterday, Saturday, was my official 5 month mark of arriving in Ecuador. Crazy to think that I have been here for this much time already. I think I feel the same way every time I think about how much time has gone by and its always an odd, bittersweet feeling.
I wish I could say I have lots to say about what I have been doing with my time, but really I think I’ve kinda spoiled myself while my counterpart has been gone. I’ve made quite a few trips into Guayaquil, watched quite a few movies, cooked a lot for Melita and me, READ a lot.
The best part of these past few weeks is that I found a beautiful new apartment and I got the keys to it this past Wednesday. I can’t move in until my program director comes and approves it (I think, really hope, that he’s coming sometime this upcoming week but who really knows). It broke my heart to tell Melita that I would be moving out but I’ll be so much more comfortable in my new place. Its on the top floor of a building, has incredible windows that overlook the whole 6 blocks of Cumanda, has a skylight, an ELECTRIC SHOWER (no more cold showers for this kid) and a bathroom I could do cartwheels in. I like to refer to it as my one bedroom, studio apartment; all its missing is a grand piano and then I’d be content and live here forever. I’ll try and get photos up soon. Its seriously, really pretty. I’ve spent two solid days just cleaning it and then sitting and admiring its glory.
Oh, one thing productive I did do this past weekend was I started meeting with my “tutor”. She’s originally from Cumanda but her family won the “visa lottery” (didn’t even know it existed) but I guess they randomly select people’s social security numbers and if you get chosen, you get a visa for life. Anyways, her family moved to the states when she was 14 and she’s now going to be a sophomore at the University of Vermont and is just home for summer break. Why nobody thought I’d like to be introduced to her earlier I’m not sure. I’m her first student so she’s really not very experienced and we have class in her house and her mom, grandmother, two aunts and 12 year old cousin also looooove to help me out and add their own personal comments.
For any of you that know Spanish, we were discussing the difference in the past tenses, like when to use estaba versus estuvo and she told me that you use estaba when referring to a feminie object like la escuela estaba cerrado y el banco estuvo cerrado. Riiiiiiight….okay guess we’ll just focus on my pronunciation then. The sad part is, her entire peanut gallery agreed with her.
So last weekend was the final weekend of the festivals in Bucay. It was topped off by a parade on Saturday, rodeo on Sunday and then bullfighting on Monday. The parade was interesting to say the least. All the schools, groups and neighborhoods have a dance and costumes and parade through the town following their car that is blasting chosen songs. Some were really good, others not so much. Like the group of transsexuals doing the Macarena. Maybe if the community were actually gay-friendly it’d be okay, but they actually just think that cross-dressing is one of the funniest things possible.
I know something else I during my past two weeks of freedom. I went to another volunteers site that is about an hour from me and helped him with his “world map project”. It's a general project that peace corps encourages us to do, which is just painting a giant map on the side of a wall of a school or wherever. I really hope to do one before I leave because the only geography they know is if things are in la costa, sierra or oriente (the 3 regions of Ecuador). Maps, the united states, macchu pichu are all figments of their imagination, they’ve heard people talk about them but I’m convinced Ecuadorians are a little skeptical as to their actual existences. I’m hoping that the next school year I can teach a geography class and then include the map as a project. I’ll share with them my love for maps. Anyways, Mitch and I met up at this other guy, Jakob, site and we spent the day painting countries and we had a lot of fun.
I’ve started making it a ritual to make myself dinner and then pack it and take it the old train track bridge which has a nice breeze and an incredible view of the sunset. Its nice to have some quiet, alone time. A few nights ago, there were two ladies that came walking along the train track with a plastic bag. I thought they had been admiring my new habits and were coming to join me or at least check out what this crazy gringa does every day walking here. But no, instead they walked a few steps on to the bridge, waved and grined at me, and then threw their plastic bag into the water, which exploded upon impact and sent dirty diapers racing down the river. On the better days, I’ve been entertained by two little boys doing micheal Jackson dance moves on the sand bed and the crazy giant iguanas that have made the sandbags their home.
Welp, I think that's about it from here. I’m mildly dreading having to go to the office tomorrow but I guess I can’t do nothing forever….or could I?
Love love.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
nothing is impossible.
Well, there are two things that I thought were impossible and this past week has gone and proved me wrong. The first and most shocking is that after two months of saying he was going to Brazil, my counterpart finally, finally left today!! I spent all morning with him today sending emails, confirming his arrival, that people will be there to pick him up, etc. I tried to leave 3 times this morning but he kept asking me to wait until he was leaving too. You could also smell the fear in him. I tried to tell him that for me, traveling is one of the most beautiful treasures and opportunities that we can embark on in this life but my Spanish isn’t that good so I just told him “I like to travel. Just relax.”
Second thing I got proved wrong about, Cumanda can be fun on the weekends!! After blowing all my money in Quito for the month, I have subjected myself to remaining in Cumanda for the rest of the month but I think I chose a good month because the “festivals of bucay” started last weekend and they last til the end of the month. This basically signifies minimal school for the children, no work for the adults, and way too much drinking for all. Plus an abundance of parades and concerts and fairs. On Friday, the other volunteer invited me to her friends birthday party which took place at a bar but yet they still had a table set up for presents and adorned with a cake; and they proceeded to share the cake with everyone in the bar. It was a really fun night and I got to meet a lot of Brooke’s friends. I also met some guy who used to live in Germany for 7 years and we shared an ugly mix of a Spanish/German conversation. Its disgusting how much of my German I’ve forgotten. But the the highlight of the night was when one of brooke’s good friends (42 year old man) dedicated a song to her leaving but broke down in tears before he could finish the song. If I have a grown man cry about my leaving in two years, then I’ll know my service here has been complete!
On Saturday night, this was a big night, which Gloria has been preparing me for for the past three weeks. There was a special concert in order to kickoff the festivals by Angel Guaraca, “The King of National Music”. Honestly, Gloria acted like a 13 year old at a Justin Timberlake concert. She went crazy, screaming, cheering, dancing etc. But before Angel came on stage (which wasn’t until 1:30 am mind you) Gloria and Maria insisted that I take pictures of them with Angel, which can be viewed by clicking on this link. Once Angel came on stage, he welcomed the entire people of Bucay and then somehow turned straight toward me (I guess I stand out in a crowd of 400 plus people being white and a foot above the rest) and then called me out by name and gave me my own very special welcome. Embarrassed out of my mind as 400 sets of eyes turn to look at me, I just gave a little wave and said gracias. Apparently he had asked Gloria who I was while taking her photo. Thank you Gloria. The concert ended up lasting until 4 am and which I proceeded to dance for the entire time because to my humiliation, Angel gave me a second personal shout out saying “what a beautiful dancer our new American friend is (which is absolutely not true and I think a mean trick he was playing on me)!” Then once again, not only did the 400 sets of eyes turn to me again but I also had enough dancing partners to last me until the end of time. Thank you, Gloria.
A few Sundays ago, a little boy asked me if I could teach him English so I said sure and him and his sister later came over to my house. Apparently they now think it's a Sunday tradition because 4 times this weekend they came to my house pounding on the door until I came out (personal space/time doesn’t exist). So finally, we agreed for them to come back at 5:30 in order to give me some time to prepare (mentally) and they took it as more time to build a bigger army because when 5:30 rolled around I know had 8 kids pounding on my door shouting “goot afturnoon”. Needless to say by the end, I had 13 kids that knew their colors and how to sing “head and shoulders knees and toes” which left me smiling and singing for the rest of the day too. If anybody knows of any other great songs, please do share. I’m currently doing research for next Sunday’s class.
My other big highlight occurred yesterday at work when my boss asked the accounting intern to type up a speech for him (completely not the work of the intern but rather me). I then told my counterpart that I can type it up and in shock said “really? But its in Spanish?” well sir, I know I don’t speak a lot but I do know how to read and type. Within 5 minutes, I had three people standing behind me at the computer amazed that I could type without looking at my fingers or the screen. I think it was the highlight of their day. Today, I typed up a letter my counterpart received that was in Portuguese and it was the same thing over with them in awe that I learned Portuguese so quickly. Apparently, they think you have to be able to understand what it says in order to be able to type it. These people blow my mind but I’m glad I can help!
Second thing I got proved wrong about, Cumanda can be fun on the weekends!! After blowing all my money in Quito for the month, I have subjected myself to remaining in Cumanda for the rest of the month but I think I chose a good month because the “festivals of bucay” started last weekend and they last til the end of the month. This basically signifies minimal school for the children, no work for the adults, and way too much drinking for all. Plus an abundance of parades and concerts and fairs. On Friday, the other volunteer invited me to her friends birthday party which took place at a bar but yet they still had a table set up for presents and adorned with a cake; and they proceeded to share the cake with everyone in the bar. It was a really fun night and I got to meet a lot of Brooke’s friends. I also met some guy who used to live in Germany for 7 years and we shared an ugly mix of a Spanish/German conversation. Its disgusting how much of my German I’ve forgotten. But the the highlight of the night was when one of brooke’s good friends (42 year old man) dedicated a song to her leaving but broke down in tears before he could finish the song. If I have a grown man cry about my leaving in two years, then I’ll know my service here has been complete!
On Saturday night, this was a big night, which Gloria has been preparing me for for the past three weeks. There was a special concert in order to kickoff the festivals by Angel Guaraca, “The King of National Music”. Honestly, Gloria acted like a 13 year old at a Justin Timberlake concert. She went crazy, screaming, cheering, dancing etc. But before Angel came on stage (which wasn’t until 1:30 am mind you) Gloria and Maria insisted that I take pictures of them with Angel, which can be viewed by clicking on this link. Once Angel came on stage, he welcomed the entire people of Bucay and then somehow turned straight toward me (I guess I stand out in a crowd of 400 plus people being white and a foot above the rest) and then called me out by name and gave me my own very special welcome. Embarrassed out of my mind as 400 sets of eyes turn to look at me, I just gave a little wave and said gracias. Apparently he had asked Gloria who I was while taking her photo. Thank you Gloria. The concert ended up lasting until 4 am and which I proceeded to dance for the entire time because to my humiliation, Angel gave me a second personal shout out saying “what a beautiful dancer our new American friend is (which is absolutely not true and I think a mean trick he was playing on me)!” Then once again, not only did the 400 sets of eyes turn to me again but I also had enough dancing partners to last me until the end of time. Thank you, Gloria.
A few Sundays ago, a little boy asked me if I could teach him English so I said sure and him and his sister later came over to my house. Apparently they now think it's a Sunday tradition because 4 times this weekend they came to my house pounding on the door until I came out (personal space/time doesn’t exist). So finally, we agreed for them to come back at 5:30 in order to give me some time to prepare (mentally) and they took it as more time to build a bigger army because when 5:30 rolled around I know had 8 kids pounding on my door shouting “goot afturnoon”. Needless to say by the end, I had 13 kids that knew their colors and how to sing “head and shoulders knees and toes” which left me smiling and singing for the rest of the day too. If anybody knows of any other great songs, please do share. I’m currently doing research for next Sunday’s class.
My other big highlight occurred yesterday at work when my boss asked the accounting intern to type up a speech for him (completely not the work of the intern but rather me). I then told my counterpart that I can type it up and in shock said “really? But its in Spanish?” well sir, I know I don’t speak a lot but I do know how to read and type. Within 5 minutes, I had three people standing behind me at the computer amazed that I could type without looking at my fingers or the screen. I think it was the highlight of their day. Today, I typed up a letter my counterpart received that was in Portuguese and it was the same thing over with them in awe that I learned Portuguese so quickly. Apparently, they think you have to be able to understand what it says in order to be able to type it. These people blow my mind but I’m glad I can help!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Happy 4th of July!
Ah, what an exhausting but great weekend! Quito literally wiped me out, out of energy and out of money. I decided to take the night bus to Quito because its 7 hours non stop and it would allow me to have an extra day in Quito but it was quite an adventure. First, I was lucky enough to buy the last ticket for the 11 o’clock bus but little did I know that it was going to be in between the bathroom (not going to describe it, I think you can imagine) and a drunken man. I didn’t know he was drunk until after I greeted him and his response was ever so friendly and reeked of alcohol. He then proceeded to be the chattiest man in all of Ecuador and I had to turn down his offer for a breakfast date and personal tour guide numerous telling him I didn’t think my “awaiting boyfriend” would approve. Shucks…maybe next time. Also, I never knew that the same bus that serves as a sauna during the day turns into an icebox at night. I boarded the bus in a sweater and jeans and took off my sweater because of the humidity and woke up after an hour and shivered for the remaining 6. Nonetheless, I arrived safely in Quito and only had to wait 10 minutes (I had expected a 2 hour wait) for my friend Ethan to show up.
Ethan and I spent the day site seeing around Quito as neither one of us had been there before. And by site seeing, we actually planned our sites around food places that we wanted to try. We went to breakfast where we shared a bagel with cream cheese and banana nut pancakes. Because it was only 7 am, we were able to sit for an hour and half and chat and catch up. We then planned to walk around the old town, view some churches (ended up hiking to the top of a bell tour, across a rickety bridge and three sets of ladders at probably about an 83 degree incline, not the safest and Ethan made me go first, see photo below) and then went and enjoyed a delicious lunch at an Indian restaurant.
Ah the glories of Quito. After lunch we headed to Cayambe to help prepare for the BBQ in the morning, which was shockingly a fairly nostalgic trip for the both us. I’m not going to lie, when I say we went to help “prepare” the BBQ, I mean we went and cooked the entire BBQ. But it was a lot of fun to meet a bunch of volunteers, new and old. I ended up meeting my “little brother” and he was as inquisitive as his emails suggested. It was good to hear that he was doing well. The new kids have only been here for two weeks and its odd to think that was I two months ago. I felt so much superior and experienced then them!
After the bbq, Ethan and I headed back to Quito where we met up with two other girls from our group and we ended going out to Mexican food (delicious!) and getting drinks and taking them back to our friends house (she was one of our co-trainers during training, she completed her two years and is spending one more working in the office). It was fun to catch up and hear each other’s horror/crazy stories of being in site.
For the 4th, we went over to another one of our co-trainers house for a mini-bbq (really can’t get enough of the bbq’s) where there was a wide variety of people, a few including some of our language facilitators which was so much fun to catch up with them after two months and to hear them practice their English!
The next morning Ethan and I went to church that his brother recommended for us; we went for the first 45 minutes and sang a bunch of songs and then they had somewhat of a half time and we decided that we’d had enough so we left. After we went and met up with more friends for lunch (all you can eat mangolian bbq, delicious!) and after I jumped on a bus to come home. Which actually turned into the longest bus ride of my life. Four hours to Riobamba, 2 hours in the Riobamba bus station, then 4 hours more to Cumanda. But the best part is this little town that you go through on the way to Riobamba that is famous for its ice cream cones (Salcedos) which had I had the opportunity, I would’ve bought two. The second vender to get on the bus ran out before he got to my seat. Sad.
I had a great weekend but yet I was still anxious to get back to Cumanda. I missed my neighbors and Melita a lot after being gone. Ha they actually called me everyday that I was gone just to make sure everything was alright. That's saying a lot because with the way that cell phone plans work around here, people never call unless its really important. So I guess that means I’m really important…I did bring Gloria back some bread (she swears that the bread is better in Riobamba) and so she offered to wash my clothes for me. All of them. It took her two days, I can’t even begin to imagine how long it would’ve taken me. That reminds me, I should go take them off the line before it starts to rain again.
I hope you all had a great 4th of July. Mom I really missed your typical flag fruit pie, the 4th just isn’t the same without fresh blueberries and cherries. Actually I take that back, July isn’t the same without fresh blueberries and cherries!
Ethan and I spent the day site seeing around Quito as neither one of us had been there before. And by site seeing, we actually planned our sites around food places that we wanted to try. We went to breakfast where we shared a bagel with cream cheese and banana nut pancakes. Because it was only 7 am, we were able to sit for an hour and half and chat and catch up. We then planned to walk around the old town, view some churches (ended up hiking to the top of a bell tour, across a rickety bridge and three sets of ladders at probably about an 83 degree incline, not the safest and Ethan made me go first, see photo below) and then went and enjoyed a delicious lunch at an Indian restaurant.
Ah the glories of Quito. After lunch we headed to Cayambe to help prepare for the BBQ in the morning, which was shockingly a fairly nostalgic trip for the both us. I’m not going to lie, when I say we went to help “prepare” the BBQ, I mean we went and cooked the entire BBQ. But it was a lot of fun to meet a bunch of volunteers, new and old. I ended up meeting my “little brother” and he was as inquisitive as his emails suggested. It was good to hear that he was doing well. The new kids have only been here for two weeks and its odd to think that was I two months ago. I felt so much superior and experienced then them!After the bbq, Ethan and I headed back to Quito where we met up with two other girls from our group and we ended going out to Mexican food (delicious!) and getting drinks and taking them back to our friends house (she was one of our co-trainers during training, she completed her two years and is spending one more working in the office). It was fun to catch up and hear each other’s horror/crazy stories of being in site.
For the 4th, we went over to another one of our co-trainers house for a mini-bbq (really can’t get enough of the bbq’s) where there was a wide variety of people, a few including some of our language facilitators which was so much fun to catch up with them after two months and to hear them practice their English!
The next morning Ethan and I went to church that his brother recommended for us; we went for the first 45 minutes and sang a bunch of songs and then they had somewhat of a half time and we decided that we’d had enough so we left. After we went and met up with more friends for lunch (all you can eat mangolian bbq, delicious!) and after I jumped on a bus to come home. Which actually turned into the longest bus ride of my life. Four hours to Riobamba, 2 hours in the Riobamba bus station, then 4 hours more to Cumanda. But the best part is this little town that you go through on the way to Riobamba that is famous for its ice cream cones (Salcedos) which had I had the opportunity, I would’ve bought two. The second vender to get on the bus ran out before he got to my seat. Sad.
I had a great weekend but yet I was still anxious to get back to Cumanda. I missed my neighbors and Melita a lot after being gone. Ha they actually called me everyday that I was gone just to make sure everything was alright. That's saying a lot because with the way that cell phone plans work around here, people never call unless its really important. So I guess that means I’m really important…I did bring Gloria back some bread (she swears that the bread is better in Riobamba) and so she offered to wash my clothes for me. All of them. It took her two days, I can’t even begin to imagine how long it would’ve taken me. That reminds me, I should go take them off the line before it starts to rain again.
I hope you all had a great 4th of July. Mom I really missed your typical flag fruit pie, the 4th just isn’t the same without fresh blueberries and cherries. Actually I take that back, July isn’t the same without fresh blueberries and cherries!
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