I woke up at 5:30am Friday morning to a completely silent and dark house. It was amazing being awake before everyone. Usually I wake at 7, but hear my little brothers yelling about how they can't find their socks or shoes as they get ready for school at 6:30. I was up so early so that I could go to the immigration office to get my censo. I'm still not exactly sure what it is. I know it's something to allow me to be in the country for a long period of time, but why I need it in addition to my visa, I'm not sure.
When I left our house at 6am, still no one was awake. It was just starting to get light outside, and it was amazing how many birds were singing. I normally don't hear many when I leave at 7:45, like a normal morning. As I walked to Marijanna's house, it was so peaceful, and amazingly cold. The sky was gradually getting lighter, I was starting to wish I was wearing a warmer sweater, and there were so few cars. They only vehicles I saw at that hour were taxis, school buses, and the regular local buses. I thought about taking the bus, but when I reached the stop, I was finally warm enough that I felt like continuing to walk. Halfway to her house, a bus drove past me, and I suddenly became glad that I was walking. The bus was absolutely packed! I was surprised to see so many people on the bus, because it is usually packed when I take it at 8am most mornings. There are so many random rush hours for the buses, I'm still figuring them out.
From Marijanna's house, we took a taxi to the immigration office to wait in line. We got there at 6:45 and were numbers 10 and 11. (They office starts giving out numbers to people waiting at 7am, and then opens for business at 8am, so you need to arrive incredibly early). Once we got our numbers, we went to a nearby cafe to eat breakfast and wait. They cafe didn't open until 7:30 and we were outside a little after 7. The guy who was opening had just arrived and said we couldn't come in, so we just stood outside and talked and waited. We didn't have anywhere else to go, and joked about how we were being obnoxious Americans, waiting outside the door. Eventually the guy opened the door and told us we could wait upstairs because it was cold out. We really appreciated it, and were glad to sit down and warm up. The cafe was playing Enya, and had a really cool vibe. When 7:30 rolled around, he came to take our orders, and we each got an amazing breakfast (for only $3 each!) We had eggs, bacon (I ate Marijanna's because she's vegetarian), fruit, bread, REAL butter (everyone here has margarine), and tea. We then went back to the office and waited. And waited. And waited. Finally our numbers popped up on the screen and we got all the paperwork done. We were both finished by 9:30, then took the bus to school, getting to class an hour and forty-five minutes late.
The rest of the day with class went smoothly. My class ended up going to Crepes&Waffles, an awesome restuarant, as a goodbye party for Leo. It was his last day (so sad). I got to practice talking in Spanish with the teachers, and had a yummy peach crepe with chocolate sauce. (Unfortunately they were canned peaches, and made me miss real summertime South Carolina peaches). After class, I baked brownies for my little brother Jaime's birthday. He had his 4 best friends over for a little party, and Marijanna and Caitlin came over too. It was a lot of fun and really cute (and they all loved the brownies!)
Shortly after, Marijanna and I went to catch a bus to go to Otavalo, a nearby town with an amazing Saturday market. We realized when the taxi dropped us off, that where we were catching the bus was the same place we randomly got off the bus when we came back from Mitad del Mundo! So it wasn't so random sketchy neighborhood, but a "real" bustop! As soon as we got out of the taxi, we saw a bus to Otavalo making a stop and hopped on. A short while into the trip, I realized that Don Quixote was on my window, charging at a windmill. (Many of the buses have random designs and places decorating their windows, a picture soon to come). Soon the bus was full and packed with people standing in the aisle. We were all made to close our window curtains because apparently it's illegal to have people standing on this type of bus! (which is not designed for standing like the regular local buses).
After about two hours, we started to get nervous about where to get off, and asked people sitting nearby if they were going to Otavalo (the bus usually continues on through Otavalo to other towns further north). One woman said we should get off with her, and she ended up owning a hostal where we stayed. It was beautiful. We got a nice clean room, a private bath (with hot water), and breakfast was included, all for $10 each. (By the way, the breakfast was even better than the one we got at the cafe!) We walked around town to get our bearings and find dinner, and both started to fall in love with the town. When we returned, I slept like a log. Unfortunately, Marijanna didn't fare so well. Apparently after I had fallen asleep, a couple came home to the door next to ours. According to Marijanna, they were VERY loud, for a very long time. So glad I slept through that one!
We got up at 6:30 the next morning (meant to get up at 5:30, but overslept the alarm). We got to the market, only 3 blocks away, around 6:45, and luckily, people were still setting up. It was amazing seeing the Plaza with people and merchandise after seeing it completely empty the night before. Our first stop, what Marijanna calls "cozy pants". These are the type of pants Ethan has, and we both bought some. (When I got home, my host mom told me that all the gringos buy them!) We wandered about, buying things for ourselves and as presents, bargaining, and taking photos. It was so colorful! And, especially as the day went on, wherever you went between vendors, someone was bound to be telling you that their product was made from Alpaca! There were amazing sweaters, scarves, shawls, bags, pants, jewelry, and even a table full of fake shrunked heads! (Yes, I got a picture!) I spent so much money, but it was so amazing. I really enjoyed it, and want to go back to the town and surrounding area.
Around noon, Marijanna and I caught a bus on the Panamerican highway going back to Quito. They busride was quick and uneventful, and we managed to get off at the right stop in Quito and catch a cab fairly quickly. We went to our homes to rest and met up with some of the group for dinner at Crepes&Waffles. It was quite yummy. We've noticed as we walk around more together, the variety of responses we get from groups of guys. When leaving my neighborhood on Friday, we walked past a group of guys that seemed to take a moment to try to formulate something in English to say, which was really funny. And Saturday on our way to Quicentro, the mall where we ate dinner, a group of guys called out "C'mere baby!" and did this weird hiss/tsst sound along with kissing sounds. Marijanna and I just laughed after we passed them and talked about how ridiculous it sounded. After dinner, we went to Brian's house (another guy in the group) to chill for awhile before going out dancing. Marijanna didn't go because she was so tired. I only went for a short while, pretty much long enough for the rest of them to finish their beers and meet up with more people before going into No Bar. I caught a cab home around 11 because I was exhausted and not feeling so great.
I spent today lounging around the house, watching tv, and haven't gotten out of my pajamas once. I've actually been a little sick, with a sore throat all week and stuffy/runny rose starting yesterday. I'm starting to feel better, but it was so nice to take a day to rest and just relax in the house. It was hard though, because this is the first time I've been sick since I got here, and it made me a lot more homesick. All I wanted was to be in my house, curled up on the couch, knowing that my dad is in his room, and my mom is in her office or the kitchen. Hearing the familiar sounds of my house and family. It was hard, but I called home, and it helped (even though it made me want to cry at the same time). I'm feeling better now than earlier today, but still might go to bed super early. I have class in the morning, and will have entirely new classmates! Leo left the school, and Jan is taking the week off because he's going to the Galapagos on Wednesday. (Wish I could go, I told him I wanted to stow away in his bag!) I'll probably have a new teacher too. It's a little nervewracking, but hopefully it will be good for me.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Call me, baby...
Haha, so I'm finally getting around to putting up my contact info! I have a cell phone here in Ecuador. I can't make outgoing calls (I have to buy minutes, and try to save them by texting instead of calling), BUT I can recieve calls for free! Here's the number (including the country code you need to dial):
593 98829188
Also, if you want to send me stuff (letters, postcards, presents, haha), you can send it to this address. If you send a package, write "No commerical value" on the box.
Alison Santiago y/o Maribel Utreras
Urb. Las Bromelias
Psje. Los Ilinizas 42 y Los Naranjos
Quito, Ecuador
Or, you can just email me or leave comments here, but who doesn't love a surprise phone call or letter/package? =)
593 98829188
Also, if you want to send me stuff (letters, postcards, presents, haha), you can send it to this address. If you send a package, write "No commerical value" on the box.
Alison Santiago y/o Maribel Utreras
Urb. Las Bromelias
Psje. Los Ilinizas 42 y Los Naranjos
Quito, Ecuador
Or, you can just email me or leave comments here, but who doesn't love a surprise phone call or letter/package? =)
¡Que calor! ¡Que calor!
This entry is being posted a day later than planned because our internet went out while I was writing it.
That song was played SO many times this weekend. It was practically the theme song of Carnaval. I went to Guaranda, a small town 4 or 5 hours south of Quito, with the other kids from my group. We ended up staying in a random house that this guy rents out (it was a bit dirty, but dirt cheap, so it was ok). We ate LOTS of pizza because we have three vegetarians in our group and other decent food without meat was near impossible to find. We got there around 8 or 9 Friday evening, and after putting our things in the house and eating dinner, we headed to the Coloseo to watch the Miss Guaranda pageant. This is an event that goes on for-ev-er. Seriously. It started at 8:30pm, we got there around 10-something, and people were saying it would go on till 2am! It was really interesting, there were lots of people, various musicians playing between competitions (we saw a reggeaton band, the swimsuit portion, then a move traditional Ecuadorian band that happens to be that of the brother of the teacher of some of the Pitzer kids! They´re also apparently really famous.)
The next day, we all went to Chimbo, a town about 20 minutes away, for the Carnaval parade there. We had waterballoons thrown at us before we even caught the bus! The town was incredibly crowded, tons of Carioca spray (kind of like shaving cream) was being sold, along with waterguns, tons of food, hats, etc. It was incredible. We ended up splitting up into two groups, Marijanna and Spencer were with me. We watched the parade, saw tons of cuy (guinea pig) on spinning spits, and got covered in the carioca spray. I had my first experience with being offered drinks on the street when the mother of a family standing next to me offered me a cup of beer. I felt it really rude to turn it down, so I drank it (surprisingly I´m starting to like Pilsener, an Ecuadorian beer), Then their adorable little daughter came up to me to put this white powder, very much like flour, on my face. We then wandered about looking for the others and decided to stay in the center of the park to try to see them if they walked by. We ended up meeting these guys from a nearby town and they offered us a drink (that seems to be the way to engage people in conversation during Carnaval). It was this green stuff we found out was called agua diente (it´s made with fermented sugar cane, and this kind also had mint). That area is actually known for their agua diente (yep, people make it and sell it). We ended up talking and dancing, and when my friends mentioned my dad was Puerto Rican, I got the question I always get... ¨So why don´t you speak Spanish?¨ We had a lot of fun, and eventually went back to Guaranda, knowing we´d run into the others there eventually (which of course happened at the pizza place where we ate almost every day!) That night, the teacher of the some of the kids told us about this concert at a local school being played by a Columbian band. There were tons of people, tons of dancing, and the band was amazing (and apparently also famous!) We ended up dancing next to these older people, and I ended up having my first two dances with old men, hahah! They then started offering us agua diente, I think whisky, and something else (definitely didn´t ask what we were drinking, haha). I got to dance with a couple of younger guys too, and then one really old kinda sketchy guy. He was funny, but I got tired of dealing with him after awhile. We had so much fun, and eventually the other kids´teacher joined us. She´s so cool!
The next day, we stayed in Guaranda for the parade there. We all found a spot to sit, but eventually everyone left to go to another part except Dan and me. We watched the parade, talked to the 6 kids sitting behind us (they were so adorable, none of them could have been older than 13 or 14), and got covered in carioca spray by the kids. There were five guys sitting in front of us, who I noticed kept turning around and eyeing me. Eventually one offered me a drink, which of course opened the doors for us all to start talking. They were all from Riobamba, and kept saying that we should come visit. They, of course, were also hitting on me like there was no tomorrow. It was kind of (ok really) ridiculous. One, Diego, kept saying ¨I like... do you like?¨ Trying to say he liked me, and wanting to know if I liked him, then one of his friends was like ¨He´s likes, I love!¨ It was rather awkward, but I laughed it off. Then everyone stood up and started dancing, and I danced with a few of them. Then Diego kept asking me if I could give him a kiss, and his friend said he wanted one too and was like ¨Him or me?¨ Of course I said no, and had to pull myself away from them when I saw my other friends come by. That night we went to No Bar, a discotek that Lilia (the teacher) had said was really good. The place was amazing, crazy lights, fun music, lots of people. We got some drinks (everyone gets so excited when I drink because I´m not usually into that). We finally got on the dance floor and started dancing. Dan and I moved to the top floor because the first floor looked like all couples and I felt a little out of place. Eventually after dancing by myself for awhile, I joined these other girls dancing near me. Then a guy asked me to dance, so I said yes. Unfortunately, he kept trying to make out with me! (It was gross, eventually I got away, haha). I then saw that the rest of our group had found us and we all started dancing with eachother and the girls and their friends. I danced with a few more guys who kept telling me they loved me, that I was beautiful, etc. I seriously was hit on more this weekend than the rest of my life combined (and yes, that includes pickup lines with circus folk!) Eventually these two guys offered to buy me and Caitlin drinks (I didn´t want to because I didn´t want any more, but I went with her anyway so she wasn´t alone). They got us tequila shots, something I´ve never had before. The whole salt, drink, lime thing. It wasn´t bad. (I of course insisted they drink half of them first before we would do it.) We eventually left with Dan (who was, and always is, sober, because of a mild genetic heart condition). I was really glad to have a sober person around, I definitely told him before I started drinking to keep an eye on me. We finally got back to the house and asleep by around 4am. Crazy (that club goes till 6am!)
Marijanna and I decided to go back to Quito on Monday because we were tired and she wasn´t feeling well. I was so glad we did. It was nice to get home and just relax in my nice big bed (Marijanna and I were sharing a twin for 3 nights). The next day, Tuesday, I slept in (till 9:30am when Marijanna called), it was so nice. Later I went out to a Chinese restaurant with my host fmaily (and yes, the food was actually good). I then went to hang out with Marijanna at her apartment because her family had mysteriously disappeared over the weekend, and then went home and played Monopoly in Spanish with my host family. It was so much fun! I really enjoyed the nice family time and enjoying the company of my three little brothers and host parents.
Today, I had class again, and I can´t believe it´s already Wednesday. I had community service today, and have dance class tomorrow. I also might be going to a free rock concert at La Casa de la Cultura with Marijanna tomorrow after dance class. And this weekend, Otavalo! So if you want stuff, let me know what to buy you. =)
And I leave you with two songs I heard this weekend that I thought I wouldn´t hear this semester:
Like a Prayer by Madonna (I felt like I was at Swat!)
Cotton-eyed Joe (wiat, what?! this isn´t THAT kind of South!)
That song was played SO many times this weekend. It was practically the theme song of Carnaval. I went to Guaranda, a small town 4 or 5 hours south of Quito, with the other kids from my group. We ended up staying in a random house that this guy rents out (it was a bit dirty, but dirt cheap, so it was ok). We ate LOTS of pizza because we have three vegetarians in our group and other decent food without meat was near impossible to find. We got there around 8 or 9 Friday evening, and after putting our things in the house and eating dinner, we headed to the Coloseo to watch the Miss Guaranda pageant. This is an event that goes on for-ev-er. Seriously. It started at 8:30pm, we got there around 10-something, and people were saying it would go on till 2am! It was really interesting, there were lots of people, various musicians playing between competitions (we saw a reggeaton band, the swimsuit portion, then a move traditional Ecuadorian band that happens to be that of the brother of the teacher of some of the Pitzer kids! They´re also apparently really famous.)
The next day, we all went to Chimbo, a town about 20 minutes away, for the Carnaval parade there. We had waterballoons thrown at us before we even caught the bus! The town was incredibly crowded, tons of Carioca spray (kind of like shaving cream) was being sold, along with waterguns, tons of food, hats, etc. It was incredible. We ended up splitting up into two groups, Marijanna and Spencer were with me. We watched the parade, saw tons of cuy (guinea pig) on spinning spits, and got covered in the carioca spray. I had my first experience with being offered drinks on the street when the mother of a family standing next to me offered me a cup of beer. I felt it really rude to turn it down, so I drank it (surprisingly I´m starting to like Pilsener, an Ecuadorian beer), Then their adorable little daughter came up to me to put this white powder, very much like flour, on my face. We then wandered about looking for the others and decided to stay in the center of the park to try to see them if they walked by. We ended up meeting these guys from a nearby town and they offered us a drink (that seems to be the way to engage people in conversation during Carnaval). It was this green stuff we found out was called agua diente (it´s made with fermented sugar cane, and this kind also had mint). That area is actually known for their agua diente (yep, people make it and sell it). We ended up talking and dancing, and when my friends mentioned my dad was Puerto Rican, I got the question I always get... ¨So why don´t you speak Spanish?¨ We had a lot of fun, and eventually went back to Guaranda, knowing we´d run into the others there eventually (which of course happened at the pizza place where we ate almost every day!) That night, the teacher of the some of the kids told us about this concert at a local school being played by a Columbian band. There were tons of people, tons of dancing, and the band was amazing (and apparently also famous!) We ended up dancing next to these older people, and I ended up having my first two dances with old men, hahah! They then started offering us agua diente, I think whisky, and something else (definitely didn´t ask what we were drinking, haha). I got to dance with a couple of younger guys too, and then one really old kinda sketchy guy. He was funny, but I got tired of dealing with him after awhile. We had so much fun, and eventually the other kids´teacher joined us. She´s so cool!
The next day, we stayed in Guaranda for the parade there. We all found a spot to sit, but eventually everyone left to go to another part except Dan and me. We watched the parade, talked to the 6 kids sitting behind us (they were so adorable, none of them could have been older than 13 or 14), and got covered in carioca spray by the kids. There were five guys sitting in front of us, who I noticed kept turning around and eyeing me. Eventually one offered me a drink, which of course opened the doors for us all to start talking. They were all from Riobamba, and kept saying that we should come visit. They, of course, were also hitting on me like there was no tomorrow. It was kind of (ok really) ridiculous. One, Diego, kept saying ¨I like... do you like?¨ Trying to say he liked me, and wanting to know if I liked him, then one of his friends was like ¨He´s likes, I love!¨ It was rather awkward, but I laughed it off. Then everyone stood up and started dancing, and I danced with a few of them. Then Diego kept asking me if I could give him a kiss, and his friend said he wanted one too and was like ¨Him or me?¨ Of course I said no, and had to pull myself away from them when I saw my other friends come by. That night we went to No Bar, a discotek that Lilia (the teacher) had said was really good. The place was amazing, crazy lights, fun music, lots of people. We got some drinks (everyone gets so excited when I drink because I´m not usually into that). We finally got on the dance floor and started dancing. Dan and I moved to the top floor because the first floor looked like all couples and I felt a little out of place. Eventually after dancing by myself for awhile, I joined these other girls dancing near me. Then a guy asked me to dance, so I said yes. Unfortunately, he kept trying to make out with me! (It was gross, eventually I got away, haha). I then saw that the rest of our group had found us and we all started dancing with eachother and the girls and their friends. I danced with a few more guys who kept telling me they loved me, that I was beautiful, etc. I seriously was hit on more this weekend than the rest of my life combined (and yes, that includes pickup lines with circus folk!) Eventually these two guys offered to buy me and Caitlin drinks (I didn´t want to because I didn´t want any more, but I went with her anyway so she wasn´t alone). They got us tequila shots, something I´ve never had before. The whole salt, drink, lime thing. It wasn´t bad. (I of course insisted they drink half of them first before we would do it.) We eventually left with Dan (who was, and always is, sober, because of a mild genetic heart condition). I was really glad to have a sober person around, I definitely told him before I started drinking to keep an eye on me. We finally got back to the house and asleep by around 4am. Crazy (that club goes till 6am!)
Marijanna and I decided to go back to Quito on Monday because we were tired and she wasn´t feeling well. I was so glad we did. It was nice to get home and just relax in my nice big bed (Marijanna and I were sharing a twin for 3 nights). The next day, Tuesday, I slept in (till 9:30am when Marijanna called), it was so nice. Later I went out to a Chinese restaurant with my host fmaily (and yes, the food was actually good). I then went to hang out with Marijanna at her apartment because her family had mysteriously disappeared over the weekend, and then went home and played Monopoly in Spanish with my host family. It was so much fun! I really enjoyed the nice family time and enjoying the company of my three little brothers and host parents.
Today, I had class again, and I can´t believe it´s already Wednesday. I had community service today, and have dance class tomorrow. I also might be going to a free rock concert at La Casa de la Cultura with Marijanna tomorrow after dance class. And this weekend, Otavalo! So if you want stuff, let me know what to buy you. =)
And I leave you with two songs I heard this weekend that I thought I wouldn´t hear this semester:
Like a Prayer by Madonna (I felt like I was at Swat!)
Cotton-eyed Joe (wiat, what?! this isn´t THAT kind of South!)
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Ooh, taxi! Its like the game you always lose!
That´s what Marijanna said tonight while we spent a good 15-20 minutes waiting in the rain for a taxi. There were tons (without passengers) that just drove right past us! We have no idea why (at one point, frustrated, I said ¨Is it because we´re gringas?!¨haha!) Of course we got one eventually. Which was really good, because at that point, I was sorely tempted to take the bus and risk the 10 minute walk to my house (it was after dark mind you). I don´t think I would have really done it, but it sure was tempting at that point.
Anyways, prior to our catch-a-taxi game, we had dance class at the school. It was sooo much fun! We reviewed some salsa (I was the only one from the last class who showed up), then did some chachacha, and finally, merengue. The teacher ended up using me to demonstrate the chachacha partner stuff, which was a lot of fun. (I got to be the guy for most of it, because we only had one!) We also found out that our teacher is performing with a group in Ambato this Sunday, which is awesome because we were planning on going there Sunday anyway!
Speaking of this weekend, the Pitzer kids and I are going to Guaranda. It´s a small town in Ecuador that´s supposed to have the most intense Carnaval. Not just water ¨bombas¨(bombs) like the other cities, but also eggs, and flour, and the like! We´re gonna be soaked the entire time! And one of our profs told us that people on the street over you drinks (alcoholic of course), and food, and it´s rude to turn it down! (They´re excited about being wasted for four days straight, Marijanna and I aren´t so stoked). While I don´t mind drinking now and again, I´m totally not into that excess. (And don´t worry Mom and Dad, I will be super careful! My host parents already gave me a lecture of warnings that I know you´d be proud of!) I actually had trouble trying not to smile while they warned me because it reminded me of my parents so much!
We´re leaving tomorrow right after class, so I must pack (and study....I have spanish tests every Friday!). Oh, and we´re watching Maria llena eres de gracia (Maria full of grace) and it is so intense. Especially 30 minutes at a time!
Now I leave you with two phrases that sound incredibly adorable coming out of 3 year old´s mouth:
¡Quiero carne!
Perdon pa. (with a sad puppy dog face of course!)
Anyways, prior to our catch-a-taxi game, we had dance class at the school. It was sooo much fun! We reviewed some salsa (I was the only one from the last class who showed up), then did some chachacha, and finally, merengue. The teacher ended up using me to demonstrate the chachacha partner stuff, which was a lot of fun. (I got to be the guy for most of it, because we only had one!) We also found out that our teacher is performing with a group in Ambato this Sunday, which is awesome because we were planning on going there Sunday anyway!
Speaking of this weekend, the Pitzer kids and I are going to Guaranda. It´s a small town in Ecuador that´s supposed to have the most intense Carnaval. Not just water ¨bombas¨(bombs) like the other cities, but also eggs, and flour, and the like! We´re gonna be soaked the entire time! And one of our profs told us that people on the street over you drinks (alcoholic of course), and food, and it´s rude to turn it down! (They´re excited about being wasted for four days straight, Marijanna and I aren´t so stoked). While I don´t mind drinking now and again, I´m totally not into that excess. (And don´t worry Mom and Dad, I will be super careful! My host parents already gave me a lecture of warnings that I know you´d be proud of!) I actually had trouble trying not to smile while they warned me because it reminded me of my parents so much!
We´re leaving tomorrow right after class, so I must pack (and study....I have spanish tests every Friday!). Oh, and we´re watching Maria llena eres de gracia (Maria full of grace) and it is so intense. Especially 30 minutes at a time!
Now I leave you with two phrases that sound incredibly adorable coming out of 3 year old´s mouth:
¡Quiero carne!
Perdon pa. (with a sad puppy dog face of course!)
Monday, February 12, 2007
To the middle of the world, and beyond!
So much has happened since I last wrote! It was quite the weekend. =)
Friday, my classmates and I realized that every week, you get a new teacher, and possibly new classmates as well, to better help with your learning process. We were a bit sad that we wouldn´t all be together this week. (Little did we realize we would get to stay together, as we found out this morning! But with a new profesor, Gonzalo.) We also got to try LOTS of different typical Ecuadorian fruits. It was so much fun (and so delicious!)
Later, Spencer (a guy in my program) and I went to our community service. The original plan was that he was going to work at Refugio de los suenos, and I was going to work at Tierra del Hombres, which is nearby. After visiting both places, I was told that I could actually work at either, and even though I was nervous and didn´t know what to do or decide, I ended up saying that I´d work at the same place as Spencer. It is a place for poor kids ages 8-18 to go when not in school, they have a small greenhouse, teach some carpentry, teach bakery, and have puzzles, games, and a basketball court. Today was so amazing, and made me really glad I made the choice I did. Upon getting there (after trekking up an amazingly steep hill, I´ll have to post a picture later to prove it) we were introduced to the kids. We were greeted with hugs and kids wanting us to pick them up. We started by helping them with some puzzles, then I started making bracelets with some girls and playing other games. The two hours absolutely flew by, and I´m so excited to be working there twice a week. =)
Friday evening was great. I stayed home with my host family, and played cards. My brother, Ferni, explained to me and his mom how the game ¨Cucharas¨(Spoons) works (in Spanish of course). The hilarious thing is that I understood, and she didn´t! By four equal cards, she thought that meant the suite, not the number, haha! So the best part of the evening was when she grabbed a spoon and we asked what she had and she said ¨Cuatro corazones¨(Four hearts)!
Saturday, I went to the market at Ejido Park with Marijanna and her host mom. We walked around the Mariscal, as well as the park. In the park, there were lots of artists selling their paintings, as well as people selling shawls, scarves, pants (like those Ethan has), and other Ecuadorian ¨trinkets¨. It was really cool to see, but I didn´t buy anything. Marijanna and I are waiting to go to Otavalo to do that. Their Saturday market has TONS of that stuff, and at cheaper prices (can anyone say bargaining?)
That evening, I was feeling a bit down. Homesickness on top of my tummy feeling weird (nothing unusual, just an unhappy stomach) made me kind of out of it at dinner. My host mom´s sister was over (and my brother Jaime had two cousins over to spend the night). Whenever I look a little down, my host parents are always like ¨Don´t be sad!¨and try really hard to engage me in conversation. That evening, it included her saying that I need an Ecuadorian boyfriend (mind you, this is not the first time she´s said this!) And led to her asking what kind of boys I like, ¨Negro, blanco, moreno...?¨(Black, white, dark...?) To which I of course responded ¨Todos!¨(All!) This got quite the laugh out of everyone, including my host dad. After dinner, my host mom wouldn´t let me just go back to my room. She insisted that I go with her and her sister to her room and all lie in her bed. This led to a sort of ¨girl talk¨. She asked me about my past boyfriends, what they were like, why we broke up (so hard to explain those things in a tongue not your own!) And then continued on to ask what age I like a guy to be (!). At first I thought I didn´t understand because it seemed like such an odd question to ask. When I finally realized she was asking what I thought she was, I couldn´t stop laughing! She didn´t understand why I thought it was so funny, and wouldn´t leave me alone till I answered! Eventually, I was able to pry myself away to go to bed (because I planned on getting up really early on Sunday).
Speaking of Sunday. Sunday (yesterday) is when Marijanna and I went to La Mitad del Mundo (the middle of the world!). It was really a lot of fun. Hoping we were getting on the right buses, we got there in short order (and for super cheap, $6 for two people round trip!) Getting to the giant monument was pretty anti-climactic though (as I guessed it would be). The place is a very fake ¨colonial¨town, and reminded us greatly of Disneyland (think ¨It´s a small world after all¨). We did the touristy thing and took pictures on the line (which we knew wasn´t the REAL equator, the French don´t know what they´re talkin´about). What was really awesome about that park was going to the top of the monument and getting an awesome view of the surrounding area. We then went to La Plaza de Toros to see some traditional dances. Ecuadorian time got the better of us. We ended up sitting in the sun, listening to not so good music, and getting covered with this shaving cream-like substance that people love to spray, for two or three hours. (Needless to say we were both RED). We finally decided to leave and eat lunch, and I heard from Leo in my Spanish class that the dances started some time after that (darnit, oh well).
After lunch, we finally found Museo Solar Inti-Nan. This small outdoor museum was just northeast of the park. We had a personal guide (who spoke English, which made me glad, because I wanted to understand all she said!) She took us through the museum, talking about the equator, how the Incas knew this was the real spot (the French were 250 meters off), and showed us some experiments that proved it. This included letting water drain in the north, the south, and on the equator (it drained clockwise, counter-clockwise, and went striaght down, respectively) which was pretty cool. We also did a strength experiment where we tried to push down eachothers arms on the equator, and in the north (you´re weaker on the equator, it´s really cool). She also showed us how balancing an egg on a nail is easier on the equator (I did it too), and finally, trying to balance and walk down the equator line with your eyes closed. If you´re still, it´s easier to balance on the equator (I did a handstand to try that one!), but moving and balancing is harder. When I walked down the line with my eyes closed, I always ended up to one side. That´s because of the forces were pulling me to one side. It was so much fun! Our guide was awesome too, we ended up standing around and talking about circusy thing for like 10 minutes in the middle of our tour (and she gave me the name of a place where I can get juggling balls and other supplies for cheap!) It was amazing.
On the bus back to Quito, Marijanna and I assumed it would take us back to the station where we left from. We were so wrong! Suddenly, as we were looking out the window, Marijanna said ¨That´s the Basilica!¨ (which is SUPER far south... we live in the north of the city). We continued south, and ended up circling around close to the Panecillo, where the Virgen de Quito statue is. We kind of laughed nervously to ourselves, especially when we were the only two people left on the bus. We weren´t quite sure where it would go next. We got an amazing view of a snow-capped mountain with the sun setting light on it, which made the circuitous tour worth it, but realizing the sun was setting made us even more nervous (you really don´t want to be walking around after dark). When we figured that we were far north enough to risk getting off the bus to try and catch a taxi, it was getting dark. We jumped off the bus, having no idea how far we really were from home, and started walking down the street. We tried to hail taxis, but they were all full. As we kept walking, Marijanna asked ¨Are you ok with this?¨ to which I replied ¨In the back of my head, no.¨ Eventually, we got a taxi, and realized we weren´t terribly far from home. We got back to our homes around 7 or 7:30pm. Not too bad, considering we left La Mitad del Mundo at 5:15 and ended up taking the VERY scenic route!
This week, we have Spanish class for 5 hours everyday instead of 4 because next Monday and Tuesday there is no class. Why you ask? Carnaval of course!! The Pitzer kids and I are planning (hoping) to go to Gauranda for Carnaval (probably the most crazy and intense place to go in Ecuador! Think water balloons, eggs, and the like!) I´m really excited, and I´m starting to hang out with, and get along with the people in my group more. I feel less like an outsider. I´m also starting to talk to other students at the school as well. I´m really made to practice my Spanish when I´m talking to Leo, a guy in my class. He doesn´t speak English (just German) so Spanish is our only common language (and I feel guilty talking to Jan, the other guy in my class, in English because we´re leaving Leo out). I´m glad their both still in the same class as me (though we get another student tomorrow!). It´s nice to have some more time to get to know them, and be completely comfortable with the people I´m learning with. This week, we´re going to learn past tense, and are practicing comprehension with movies and music. (We started watching Maria Full of Grace today, I never got to see it when it was shown at Swat, and I was surprised at my comprehension of it today!)
A funny note to end on. When Spencer and I were on the bus to our community service, they were totally playing ¨A puro dolor¨ by Son by Four. (I have that cd!)
Pictures from the middle of the world coming VERY soon!
Friday, my classmates and I realized that every week, you get a new teacher, and possibly new classmates as well, to better help with your learning process. We were a bit sad that we wouldn´t all be together this week. (Little did we realize we would get to stay together, as we found out this morning! But with a new profesor, Gonzalo.) We also got to try LOTS of different typical Ecuadorian fruits. It was so much fun (and so delicious!)
Later, Spencer (a guy in my program) and I went to our community service. The original plan was that he was going to work at Refugio de los suenos, and I was going to work at Tierra del Hombres, which is nearby. After visiting both places, I was told that I could actually work at either, and even though I was nervous and didn´t know what to do or decide, I ended up saying that I´d work at the same place as Spencer. It is a place for poor kids ages 8-18 to go when not in school, they have a small greenhouse, teach some carpentry, teach bakery, and have puzzles, games, and a basketball court. Today was so amazing, and made me really glad I made the choice I did. Upon getting there (after trekking up an amazingly steep hill, I´ll have to post a picture later to prove it) we were introduced to the kids. We were greeted with hugs and kids wanting us to pick them up. We started by helping them with some puzzles, then I started making bracelets with some girls and playing other games. The two hours absolutely flew by, and I´m so excited to be working there twice a week. =)
Friday evening was great. I stayed home with my host family, and played cards. My brother, Ferni, explained to me and his mom how the game ¨Cucharas¨(Spoons) works (in Spanish of course). The hilarious thing is that I understood, and she didn´t! By four equal cards, she thought that meant the suite, not the number, haha! So the best part of the evening was when she grabbed a spoon and we asked what she had and she said ¨Cuatro corazones¨(Four hearts)!
Saturday, I went to the market at Ejido Park with Marijanna and her host mom. We walked around the Mariscal, as well as the park. In the park, there were lots of artists selling their paintings, as well as people selling shawls, scarves, pants (like those Ethan has), and other Ecuadorian ¨trinkets¨. It was really cool to see, but I didn´t buy anything. Marijanna and I are waiting to go to Otavalo to do that. Their Saturday market has TONS of that stuff, and at cheaper prices (can anyone say bargaining?)
That evening, I was feeling a bit down. Homesickness on top of my tummy feeling weird (nothing unusual, just an unhappy stomach) made me kind of out of it at dinner. My host mom´s sister was over (and my brother Jaime had two cousins over to spend the night). Whenever I look a little down, my host parents are always like ¨Don´t be sad!¨and try really hard to engage me in conversation. That evening, it included her saying that I need an Ecuadorian boyfriend (mind you, this is not the first time she´s said this!) And led to her asking what kind of boys I like, ¨Negro, blanco, moreno...?¨(Black, white, dark...?) To which I of course responded ¨Todos!¨(All!) This got quite the laugh out of everyone, including my host dad. After dinner, my host mom wouldn´t let me just go back to my room. She insisted that I go with her and her sister to her room and all lie in her bed. This led to a sort of ¨girl talk¨. She asked me about my past boyfriends, what they were like, why we broke up (so hard to explain those things in a tongue not your own!) And then continued on to ask what age I like a guy to be (!). At first I thought I didn´t understand because it seemed like such an odd question to ask. When I finally realized she was asking what I thought she was, I couldn´t stop laughing! She didn´t understand why I thought it was so funny, and wouldn´t leave me alone till I answered! Eventually, I was able to pry myself away to go to bed (because I planned on getting up really early on Sunday).
Speaking of Sunday. Sunday (yesterday) is when Marijanna and I went to La Mitad del Mundo (the middle of the world!). It was really a lot of fun. Hoping we were getting on the right buses, we got there in short order (and for super cheap, $6 for two people round trip!) Getting to the giant monument was pretty anti-climactic though (as I guessed it would be). The place is a very fake ¨colonial¨town, and reminded us greatly of Disneyland (think ¨It´s a small world after all¨). We did the touristy thing and took pictures on the line (which we knew wasn´t the REAL equator, the French don´t know what they´re talkin´about). What was really awesome about that park was going to the top of the monument and getting an awesome view of the surrounding area. We then went to La Plaza de Toros to see some traditional dances. Ecuadorian time got the better of us. We ended up sitting in the sun, listening to not so good music, and getting covered with this shaving cream-like substance that people love to spray, for two or three hours. (Needless to say we were both RED). We finally decided to leave and eat lunch, and I heard from Leo in my Spanish class that the dances started some time after that (darnit, oh well).
After lunch, we finally found Museo Solar Inti-Nan. This small outdoor museum was just northeast of the park. We had a personal guide (who spoke English, which made me glad, because I wanted to understand all she said!) She took us through the museum, talking about the equator, how the Incas knew this was the real spot (the French were 250 meters off), and showed us some experiments that proved it. This included letting water drain in the north, the south, and on the equator (it drained clockwise, counter-clockwise, and went striaght down, respectively) which was pretty cool. We also did a strength experiment where we tried to push down eachothers arms on the equator, and in the north (you´re weaker on the equator, it´s really cool). She also showed us how balancing an egg on a nail is easier on the equator (I did it too), and finally, trying to balance and walk down the equator line with your eyes closed. If you´re still, it´s easier to balance on the equator (I did a handstand to try that one!), but moving and balancing is harder. When I walked down the line with my eyes closed, I always ended up to one side. That´s because of the forces were pulling me to one side. It was so much fun! Our guide was awesome too, we ended up standing around and talking about circusy thing for like 10 minutes in the middle of our tour (and she gave me the name of a place where I can get juggling balls and other supplies for cheap!) It was amazing.
On the bus back to Quito, Marijanna and I assumed it would take us back to the station where we left from. We were so wrong! Suddenly, as we were looking out the window, Marijanna said ¨That´s the Basilica!¨ (which is SUPER far south... we live in the north of the city). We continued south, and ended up circling around close to the Panecillo, where the Virgen de Quito statue is. We kind of laughed nervously to ourselves, especially when we were the only two people left on the bus. We weren´t quite sure where it would go next. We got an amazing view of a snow-capped mountain with the sun setting light on it, which made the circuitous tour worth it, but realizing the sun was setting made us even more nervous (you really don´t want to be walking around after dark). When we figured that we were far north enough to risk getting off the bus to try and catch a taxi, it was getting dark. We jumped off the bus, having no idea how far we really were from home, and started walking down the street. We tried to hail taxis, but they were all full. As we kept walking, Marijanna asked ¨Are you ok with this?¨ to which I replied ¨In the back of my head, no.¨ Eventually, we got a taxi, and realized we weren´t terribly far from home. We got back to our homes around 7 or 7:30pm. Not too bad, considering we left La Mitad del Mundo at 5:15 and ended up taking the VERY scenic route!
This week, we have Spanish class for 5 hours everyday instead of 4 because next Monday and Tuesday there is no class. Why you ask? Carnaval of course!! The Pitzer kids and I are planning (hoping) to go to Gauranda for Carnaval (probably the most crazy and intense place to go in Ecuador! Think water balloons, eggs, and the like!) I´m really excited, and I´m starting to hang out with, and get along with the people in my group more. I feel less like an outsider. I´m also starting to talk to other students at the school as well. I´m really made to practice my Spanish when I´m talking to Leo, a guy in my class. He doesn´t speak English (just German) so Spanish is our only common language (and I feel guilty talking to Jan, the other guy in my class, in English because we´re leaving Leo out). I´m glad their both still in the same class as me (though we get another student tomorrow!). It´s nice to have some more time to get to know them, and be completely comfortable with the people I´m learning with. This week, we´re going to learn past tense, and are practicing comprehension with movies and music. (We started watching Maria Full of Grace today, I never got to see it when it was shown at Swat, and I was surprised at my comprehension of it today!)
A funny note to end on. When Spencer and I were on the bus to our community service, they were totally playing ¨A puro dolor¨ by Son by Four. (I have that cd!)
Pictures from the middle of the world coming VERY soon!
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Me gusta bailar!!
So I definitely wasn't planning on updating today, because the day wasn't particularly interesting... until this evening, hehehe.
But first, the one other thing that happened today that was worth writing about. So every afternoon in the second half of classes, my class joins another that's at about the same level as us, and we play games to practice vocab and verbs. Since we reviewed body parts today, I decided to teach everyone the body song/game/warmup that Ethan did with all the circus folk last semester. (It starts with jumping up, landing, and screaming "Pie pie pie, pie pie pie!" while pointing at your foot, then goes up the body). It was sooo much fun! Though I got quite a few weird looks. I love being the crazy one. =)
This evening I took the bus for the first time. I was slightly nervous, hoping I'd get off at the right spot, but it ended up being no problem. Then I got to school and went down to a small gym where our dance class was being held. There were five of us taking it (y un muy guapo profesor!). We started with salsa, which was sooo much fun. I actually started sweating and could feel my abs working! I missed this so much!! It was so nice to be using my body and dancing. I forgot how good it felt. We did salsa for the first hour and a half, and for the last half hour, we did tango! Needless to say I was super excited (and wondering why I left my tango shoes at home!) The teacher is a young guy (no idea how old, but he is such a good dancer!) and actually teaches at a school in the Mariscal area (part of town). I'm thinking of taking classes there as well as at school. Next week, he's going to teach us some capoeira, and something else as well. Oh my, class was so much fun (the best part of my day). It really left me quite euphoric!
Once I got home, I studied a little bit (we have tests every Friday) and knitted for awhile. I started knitting again last night because I was sooo bored, then realized that's why I brought my knitting! For those of you that saw the red scarf I was working on...I destroyed it. On purpose of course. I completely undid it and started over. I realized I don't have the patience to do a scarf that's 50 stitches wide. The new one is 25, and I'm practicing the purl stitch.
I just got off of skype with my parents not long ago. It's so nice to hear their voices (if any of you have skype and want to talk, let me know!) and they got to talk to and see my little brothers! It was a lot of fun! =)
Haha, I had to stop writing for a little bit because my host dad came up and wanted to know if I had looked for their house on Google earth yet! So he showed it to me, and I showed him my house, then he showed me Pichincha, a nearby mountain (and volcano? I can't remember).
Tomorrow is my first day of community service. It should be interesting. I'm working with 1-5 year olds, so needless to say, I'm sure I'll be worn out by the time I get home and my little brothers want to have tickle fights, haha! I love this! =)
But first, the one other thing that happened today that was worth writing about. So every afternoon in the second half of classes, my class joins another that's at about the same level as us, and we play games to practice vocab and verbs. Since we reviewed body parts today, I decided to teach everyone the body song/game/warmup that Ethan did with all the circus folk last semester. (It starts with jumping up, landing, and screaming "Pie pie pie, pie pie pie!" while pointing at your foot, then goes up the body). It was sooo much fun! Though I got quite a few weird looks. I love being the crazy one. =)
This evening I took the bus for the first time. I was slightly nervous, hoping I'd get off at the right spot, but it ended up being no problem. Then I got to school and went down to a small gym where our dance class was being held. There were five of us taking it (y un muy guapo profesor!). We started with salsa, which was sooo much fun. I actually started sweating and could feel my abs working! I missed this so much!! It was so nice to be using my body and dancing. I forgot how good it felt. We did salsa for the first hour and a half, and for the last half hour, we did tango! Needless to say I was super excited (and wondering why I left my tango shoes at home!) The teacher is a young guy (no idea how old, but he is such a good dancer!) and actually teaches at a school in the Mariscal area (part of town). I'm thinking of taking classes there as well as at school. Next week, he's going to teach us some capoeira, and something else as well. Oh my, class was so much fun (the best part of my day). It really left me quite euphoric!
Once I got home, I studied a little bit (we have tests every Friday) and knitted for awhile. I started knitting again last night because I was sooo bored, then realized that's why I brought my knitting! For those of you that saw the red scarf I was working on...I destroyed it. On purpose of course. I completely undid it and started over. I realized I don't have the patience to do a scarf that's 50 stitches wide. The new one is 25, and I'm practicing the purl stitch.
I just got off of skype with my parents not long ago. It's so nice to hear their voices (if any of you have skype and want to talk, let me know!) and they got to talk to and see my little brothers! It was a lot of fun! =)
Haha, I had to stop writing for a little bit because my host dad came up and wanted to know if I had looked for their house on Google earth yet! So he showed it to me, and I showed him my house, then he showed me Pichincha, a nearby mountain (and volcano? I can't remember).
Tomorrow is my first day of community service. It should be interesting. I'm working with 1-5 year olds, so needless to say, I'm sure I'll be worn out by the time I get home and my little brothers want to have tickle fights, haha! I love this! =)
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Yo recuerdo!
I can't find the upside down ! on this keyboard. I'm not sure it exists...
BUT! I did remember the other thing I wanted to say last night (and now have a few other things to add!)
So in seminar yesterday (we have a seminar every Tuesday on Ecuadorian culture and history), we were talking about the diversity of Ecuador. This included bio-diversity, as well as cultural and racial diversity. We began to talk about how the census is not accurate, because people don't want to say they are "Indian" (native peoples) because it is veiwed negatively, and how people often put they are white when they are mestizos. In terms of socio-econimic class, whites are at the top, then mestizos, the native peoples, then blacks. We were talking about why people are arranged such, and would want to be seen as something other than what they are, and I brought up light skin privaledge, and how it even occurs in the states (those of you Swatties know the conversations I'm referring to). I definitely got some funny looks from the other kids in my class, and people trying to say that that's not necessarily the case in the states (especially California), and I suddenly realized what a different place I'm coming from as opposed to all these other students. Like Joanna said in her comment on my previous post, Swat terms to make me feel at home "hegemony and heteronormativity". And it's true! Not to mention I approached the seminar the way I do at Swat, while the rest of the students were kind of quiet and didn't quite seem to know what to do or say. It was interesting.
Ah, almuerzo! (lunch!) Lunch here often consists of a soup, then a main dish with rice and a salad of some sort. Yesterday, I came into the kitchen to see an incredibly green soup staring back at me. After asking my host father what kind it was, he told me spinach! (Which of course, made me happy, it's probably my favorite green!) There was also a bowl of popcorn on the table, which I put into my soup, following my host father's example. (Popcorn seems to be used as parts of a meal, and not only as a snack in and of itself!) It was actually quite good, though strange seeming at first. Oh, and all cereals are called "cornflakes" whether or not they are actually cornflakes, haha.
Onto a note I know Roger will greatly appreciate! Apparently, Ecuador contains nearly 17% of the world's bird species!! Incredible! I'm planning a trip (hopefully with someone else into bird watching) to go to Mindo, a city 3 or 4 hours west from Quito. This place is renown for it's birdwatching (there are over 400 recorded species!) That, plus the Amazon rainforest later this semester, is gonna be SO incredible. I need to get to LibriMundi and buy an Ecuadorian bird book soon!
On a final note, I signed up for a dance class being held at the language institute where I'm taking classes. It's tomorrow afternoon from 5-7pm, which means I'll need to take a taxi home, and will hopefully take a bus there. My host father is showing me how to take the bus from our house tomorrow morning so I can get to school on my own.
And I'm starting to try to hang out with my group of students more, it's going well, as well as talk to other students at the academia. I think dance class will be great for meeting more people. (I was convinced to sign up by a girl I met yesterday who is here from Finland). =)
PS- I apologize if my sentences and English don't make much sense at times in these entries. Learning another language does that to you, haha!
BUT! I did remember the other thing I wanted to say last night (and now have a few other things to add!)
So in seminar yesterday (we have a seminar every Tuesday on Ecuadorian culture and history), we were talking about the diversity of Ecuador. This included bio-diversity, as well as cultural and racial diversity. We began to talk about how the census is not accurate, because people don't want to say they are "Indian" (native peoples) because it is veiwed negatively, and how people often put they are white when they are mestizos. In terms of socio-econimic class, whites are at the top, then mestizos, the native peoples, then blacks. We were talking about why people are arranged such, and would want to be seen as something other than what they are, and I brought up light skin privaledge, and how it even occurs in the states (those of you Swatties know the conversations I'm referring to). I definitely got some funny looks from the other kids in my class, and people trying to say that that's not necessarily the case in the states (especially California), and I suddenly realized what a different place I'm coming from as opposed to all these other students. Like Joanna said in her comment on my previous post, Swat terms to make me feel at home "hegemony and heteronormativity". And it's true! Not to mention I approached the seminar the way I do at Swat, while the rest of the students were kind of quiet and didn't quite seem to know what to do or say. It was interesting.
Ah, almuerzo! (lunch!) Lunch here often consists of a soup, then a main dish with rice and a salad of some sort. Yesterday, I came into the kitchen to see an incredibly green soup staring back at me. After asking my host father what kind it was, he told me spinach! (Which of course, made me happy, it's probably my favorite green!) There was also a bowl of popcorn on the table, which I put into my soup, following my host father's example. (Popcorn seems to be used as parts of a meal, and not only as a snack in and of itself!) It was actually quite good, though strange seeming at first. Oh, and all cereals are called "cornflakes" whether or not they are actually cornflakes, haha.
Onto a note I know Roger will greatly appreciate! Apparently, Ecuador contains nearly 17% of the world's bird species!! Incredible! I'm planning a trip (hopefully with someone else into bird watching) to go to Mindo, a city 3 or 4 hours west from Quito. This place is renown for it's birdwatching (there are over 400 recorded species!) That, plus the Amazon rainforest later this semester, is gonna be SO incredible. I need to get to LibriMundi and buy an Ecuadorian bird book soon!
On a final note, I signed up for a dance class being held at the language institute where I'm taking classes. It's tomorrow afternoon from 5-7pm, which means I'll need to take a taxi home, and will hopefully take a bus there. My host father is showing me how to take the bus from our house tomorrow morning so I can get to school on my own.
And I'm starting to try to hang out with my group of students more, it's going well, as well as talk to other students at the academia. I think dance class will be great for meeting more people. (I was convinced to sign up by a girl I met yesterday who is here from Finland). =)
PS- I apologize if my sentences and English don't make much sense at times in these entries. Learning another language does that to you, haha!
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Baa baa black sheep...
The past two days have felt like two weeks. I feel like there is so much to say! I've had lots of ups and downs already, but that's to be expected. I REALLY love spanish class! It's so Swattie of me to be happiest when I'm in class, haha! But it's true. Yesterday, my frist day of class, I was really nervous. I'm not in class with anyone in my group on the Pitzer study abroad program. I was put into a class with another girl from Islandia (is the Ice Land in English?). We went over basics like the verbs "ser" and "estar" and "hay". Class is totally in Spanish, and requires lots of talking. When we don't understand a word, the profesor explains it in Spanish rather than using English, or someone else's native language. It's really helpful. Today, however, the girl that was in my class was moved into another class and two new students joined me. One is a 36 year old accountant from Norway (Jan), and the other is a 25 year old guy from Suiza (not sure what that is in English either, haha) named Leo. Jan knows 4 or 5 languages, including English, but Leo only knows a few English words. I really like being in class with people I don't know, and who don't necessarily speak the same language as I do (with the exception of Spanish of course!) This is how language class should be! I really appreciate being able to say things aloud, make mistakes, and be totally immersed in the language without fear of being judged or that people will get impatient with me. I definitely feel like I'm making progress already. More words are coming back to me, or are easier to remember this time around, and I feel like I'm understanding others better. (And we read a short passage on Carnaval in class and I actually understood it!!)
I really hope these guys stay in class with me, because they're a lot of fun. We spent so much time laughing!! We were going over regular verbs and had to conjugate the verb that the profesor had on a flashcard, then give an example sentence, or ask a fellow student a question using the word. Leo ended up asking Jan how many beers he drank in a weekend (and he answered 12 amongst much laughter), then later, Jan asked me if I needed another boyfriend, to which I answered "No, no necesito un novio mas, porque no tengo un novio." ("No, I don't need another boyfriend, because I don't have one.") Both the question and the answer got a lot of laughs! It was so funny and so much fun! I feel so much calmer when I'm in class, or doing my homework, and class really is the best part of my day. I really wish I had class all day, rather than just for 4 hours in the morning.
Yesterday was kind of hard because at lunch, I was talking to my host father (who is an AMAZING person! He's so kind and patient, and is really helping me come out of my shell). I was explaining to him how frustrating it is for me to speak Spanish because I understand a lot, but just don't have the vocabulary to respond. I told him that trying to speak Spanish (especially with my Abuelita [grandmother]) makes me want to cry. He told me not to cry, that it was ok, and it's not important that I don't have the words, what is important is that I try to express my ideas and thoughts. He and my host mother thought I was sad when I went to take a nap after lunch before the orientation for community service at the Pitzer office. (They weren't entirely wrong). Later that afternoon, while I was in the orientation, and while I was waiting for him outside the office, I kept fighting back tears. I felt really lonely because I missed home, my friends and family, and frustrated at the language barrier (I have the lowest language ability of anyone in my class, not to mention I feel like I don't belong, but more on that later). It was really hard expecially while I was waiting outside for my host dad to pick me up, and all I wanted to do was go hide in my room and cry when I got home. Luckily, my three little brothers are amazing. Somehow they managed to cheer me up without trying, helped me with my homework (Ferni was doing English homework while I was doing Spanish!) and then we all had a giant tickle fight! Last night and tonight, I has tickle fights with my brothers, and seriously, that and class were the best parts of both days! If I could have picked out the kind of little brothers I would want to have, these guys totally perfect matches!
About my group, there are only 7 of us. It's nice that we're such a small group, but I really don't feel like I belong. Maybe it's because most of them are Pitzer students and kind of knew eachother beforehand, or maybe our personalities just don't match. I wish I had another Swattie here just purely for the fact that we would be on the same wavelength. They try to include me in activities outside of classes (going to bars, soccer games, etc), but the past few times, I haven't been feeling well, in addition to not really wanting to go because I feel left out. I feel like I can't really have conversations with them, as hard as I try. There is one student in our group I feel completely comfortable talking to, but he's the one the rest make fun of and don't seem to like. I feel frustrated because I can't really defend him (sometimes I agree with what they say, but I would never SAY it) and other times, I just feel like they would like me even less for saying anything at all. I really want to get to know other students at the Language Institute where I'm taking classes (there are people from all over the world!) and hang out with them. I feel like I may be able to connect to other people better. It's a little upsetting that I already realize that I'm probably not gonna totally hit it off with these kids, but it's ok. I have awesome friends back home. ^_^
Oh yeah, and I hope to actually figure out how to get around the city soon. My host dad has been driving me everywhere, so I haven't taken the Ecovia to class yet, and feel really housebound. Not to mention that if I go somewhere with other people, I don't have good enough Spanish to call him from the cell phone they gave me (it goes to whichever student they are hosting, I'm their fifth) and ask if I can stay out, or take a taxi, or whatever.
(I feel like I had something else to say, but after sitting here wondering what is was for the past 5 minutes, I've given up...for now)
Anywho, I should be going to bed soon (I've been telling my family goodnight at 10, when the boys go to bed, then showering and actually going to sleep at 11). I get up at like 7am, which isn't hard at all when I go to bed at 11. I should try that at Swat sometime. Oh, wait, I did... and it didn't last long, haha!
PS- While writing this, I heard "Chaiyya Chaiyya" on the TV while my brither Ferni was changing channels! haha!
I really hope these guys stay in class with me, because they're a lot of fun. We spent so much time laughing!! We were going over regular verbs and had to conjugate the verb that the profesor had on a flashcard, then give an example sentence, or ask a fellow student a question using the word. Leo ended up asking Jan how many beers he drank in a weekend (and he answered 12 amongst much laughter), then later, Jan asked me if I needed another boyfriend, to which I answered "No, no necesito un novio mas, porque no tengo un novio." ("No, I don't need another boyfriend, because I don't have one.") Both the question and the answer got a lot of laughs! It was so funny and so much fun! I feel so much calmer when I'm in class, or doing my homework, and class really is the best part of my day. I really wish I had class all day, rather than just for 4 hours in the morning.
Yesterday was kind of hard because at lunch, I was talking to my host father (who is an AMAZING person! He's so kind and patient, and is really helping me come out of my shell). I was explaining to him how frustrating it is for me to speak Spanish because I understand a lot, but just don't have the vocabulary to respond. I told him that trying to speak Spanish (especially with my Abuelita [grandmother]) makes me want to cry. He told me not to cry, that it was ok, and it's not important that I don't have the words, what is important is that I try to express my ideas and thoughts. He and my host mother thought I was sad when I went to take a nap after lunch before the orientation for community service at the Pitzer office. (They weren't entirely wrong). Later that afternoon, while I was in the orientation, and while I was waiting for him outside the office, I kept fighting back tears. I felt really lonely because I missed home, my friends and family, and frustrated at the language barrier (I have the lowest language ability of anyone in my class, not to mention I feel like I don't belong, but more on that later). It was really hard expecially while I was waiting outside for my host dad to pick me up, and all I wanted to do was go hide in my room and cry when I got home. Luckily, my three little brothers are amazing. Somehow they managed to cheer me up without trying, helped me with my homework (Ferni was doing English homework while I was doing Spanish!) and then we all had a giant tickle fight! Last night and tonight, I has tickle fights with my brothers, and seriously, that and class were the best parts of both days! If I could have picked out the kind of little brothers I would want to have, these guys totally perfect matches!
About my group, there are only 7 of us. It's nice that we're such a small group, but I really don't feel like I belong. Maybe it's because most of them are Pitzer students and kind of knew eachother beforehand, or maybe our personalities just don't match. I wish I had another Swattie here just purely for the fact that we would be on the same wavelength. They try to include me in activities outside of classes (going to bars, soccer games, etc), but the past few times, I haven't been feeling well, in addition to not really wanting to go because I feel left out. I feel like I can't really have conversations with them, as hard as I try. There is one student in our group I feel completely comfortable talking to, but he's the one the rest make fun of and don't seem to like. I feel frustrated because I can't really defend him (sometimes I agree with what they say, but I would never SAY it) and other times, I just feel like they would like me even less for saying anything at all. I really want to get to know other students at the Language Institute where I'm taking classes (there are people from all over the world!) and hang out with them. I feel like I may be able to connect to other people better. It's a little upsetting that I already realize that I'm probably not gonna totally hit it off with these kids, but it's ok. I have awesome friends back home. ^_^
Oh yeah, and I hope to actually figure out how to get around the city soon. My host dad has been driving me everywhere, so I haven't taken the Ecovia to class yet, and feel really housebound. Not to mention that if I go somewhere with other people, I don't have good enough Spanish to call him from the cell phone they gave me (it goes to whichever student they are hosting, I'm their fifth) and ask if I can stay out, or take a taxi, or whatever.
(I feel like I had something else to say, but after sitting here wondering what is was for the past 5 minutes, I've given up...for now)
Anywho, I should be going to bed soon (I've been telling my family goodnight at 10, when the boys go to bed, then showering and actually going to sleep at 11). I get up at like 7am, which isn't hard at all when I go to bed at 11. I should try that at Swat sometime. Oh, wait, I did... and it didn't last long, haha!
PS- While writing this, I heard "Chaiyya Chaiyya" on the TV while my brither Ferni was changing channels! haha!
Sunday, February 4, 2007
I always wanted a little brother...
Now I have three! I met with my host mother, Maribel, this afternoon. It was really nervewracking, but wonderful. She's sooo beautiful, and nice, and incredibly affectionate! I was just thinking earlier today about how much I missed hugging and physical contact with people, then I end up with a very huggy host mother!!
We all had lunch together with our host mothers after visiting La Casa de la Cultura (a cultural museum, which was amazing!). At the museum, we looked at artifacts from various native peoples of Ecuador. Then we looked at art from after the Spanish conquest, and I found more connections for my project! There were several altars with mirrors, which the Incas valued as magical (like I said in the last post). There was also a small statue of Jesus as a baby wrapped up the way an Inca child would be. Finally, there was a painting depicting Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in a very European family type setting, but the angel depicted in the painting were cooking around an Inca fire! The museum as a whole was incredible, and the amount of time we spent there definitely did not do it justice. I really want to go back.
Back to my Ecuadorian family. They are amazing. My mother doesn't speak any English, and you all know how good (or bad rather) my Spanish is. But she is very outgoing, and wants to communicate, and is helping me overcome my shyness. Lunch was a little frustrating, but mostly overwhelming. The dish I ordered was Seco de Chiva (a lamb stew) and it reminded me SO much of Puerto Rican food. The meat with the rice, potatoes, and avacado just made me feel like I was at home or on the island. It made me so happy and sad at the same time! When we finally came home, I met my host father, Fernando, and my three little brothers! Fernandito, who is 11, Jaime who is 8 (and his birthday is Feb. 24th!), and Jose, a VERY talkative 3 year old. They are so wonderful and helpful. I feel so much more at ease with them than the adults because, especially with Jose, they will just keep talking, and it's ok if Yo no entiendo (I don't understand). It took me forever to unpack because of Jose's curiousity and wanting to show me EVERYTHING. Jaime was very shy at first and didn't even greet me like everyone else. He eventually started talking to me though! (I think bringing Binky has helped a lot actually!) I learned a new word "pelucha" (though I'm not sure that's spelled right). It means "stuffed animal" and that was my starting point with the boys. They all showed me their toys, and things just went from there. Ferni, the eldest, knows some English, though he doesn't use it with me unless absolutely necessary. I'm really appreciating all of this, but it is so difficult, especially when trying to relate to the adults! I think what makes it harder is when I try to understand instead of just listening, or the fact that I still have that little narrating voice in English in my head. I'm trying...
Oh, and I can't forget the house. Their house is SO GORGEOUS. I can't express the beauty of it, and how amazing it is. I have my own bedroom and bathroom here (I don't even have that at home!) Maribel gave me a grand tour, which included her beautiful bedroom and gigantic walk in closet, Ferni's bedroom, the room that Jose and Jaime share, the family room, a living room, dining room, kitchen, laundry room, and a computer room that I'm in now. They have internet, and Maribel is so kind! She told me that this is my house too, so I can do whatever I want. Their hospitality has absolutely floored me, and I wish I would express to them how grateful I am and how amazing they are. Hopefully before long I'll have the words.
Meeting my host family definitely made me miss my family back home a LOT. That coupled with the language barrier almost made me cry at the restuarant. I haven't had a moment's rest since coming home, and I'm glad. Having the boys constantly talking to me when I'm not in class is what I think will make all the difference.
Oh, and a note that I know Roger will appreciate. I saw my first hummingbird here today!! I have no idea what kind, because Ecuador has the greatest variety of hummingbirds in the world, and I don't have a bird book for the country yet. I also saw a sparrow type bird that I also couldn't identify, haha!
Tomorrow, classes start. I'm nervous and relieved at the same time. I'll be glad to finally be learning things I can use with my family. We're also registering our visas in the morning, then having 4 hours of language class, lunch at home, then community service orientation. It will be a very full day.
We all had lunch together with our host mothers after visiting La Casa de la Cultura (a cultural museum, which was amazing!). At the museum, we looked at artifacts from various native peoples of Ecuador. Then we looked at art from after the Spanish conquest, and I found more connections for my project! There were several altars with mirrors, which the Incas valued as magical (like I said in the last post). There was also a small statue of Jesus as a baby wrapped up the way an Inca child would be. Finally, there was a painting depicting Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in a very European family type setting, but the angel depicted in the painting were cooking around an Inca fire! The museum as a whole was incredible, and the amount of time we spent there definitely did not do it justice. I really want to go back.
Back to my Ecuadorian family. They are amazing. My mother doesn't speak any English, and you all know how good (or bad rather) my Spanish is. But she is very outgoing, and wants to communicate, and is helping me overcome my shyness. Lunch was a little frustrating, but mostly overwhelming. The dish I ordered was Seco de Chiva (a lamb stew) and it reminded me SO much of Puerto Rican food. The meat with the rice, potatoes, and avacado just made me feel like I was at home or on the island. It made me so happy and sad at the same time! When we finally came home, I met my host father, Fernando, and my three little brothers! Fernandito, who is 11, Jaime who is 8 (and his birthday is Feb. 24th!), and Jose, a VERY talkative 3 year old. They are so wonderful and helpful. I feel so much more at ease with them than the adults because, especially with Jose, they will just keep talking, and it's ok if Yo no entiendo (I don't understand). It took me forever to unpack because of Jose's curiousity and wanting to show me EVERYTHING. Jaime was very shy at first and didn't even greet me like everyone else. He eventually started talking to me though! (I think bringing Binky has helped a lot actually!) I learned a new word "pelucha" (though I'm not sure that's spelled right). It means "stuffed animal" and that was my starting point with the boys. They all showed me their toys, and things just went from there. Ferni, the eldest, knows some English, though he doesn't use it with me unless absolutely necessary. I'm really appreciating all of this, but it is so difficult, especially when trying to relate to the adults! I think what makes it harder is when I try to understand instead of just listening, or the fact that I still have that little narrating voice in English in my head. I'm trying...
Oh, and I can't forget the house. Their house is SO GORGEOUS. I can't express the beauty of it, and how amazing it is. I have my own bedroom and bathroom here (I don't even have that at home!) Maribel gave me a grand tour, which included her beautiful bedroom and gigantic walk in closet, Ferni's bedroom, the room that Jose and Jaime share, the family room, a living room, dining room, kitchen, laundry room, and a computer room that I'm in now. They have internet, and Maribel is so kind! She told me that this is my house too, so I can do whatever I want. Their hospitality has absolutely floored me, and I wish I would express to them how grateful I am and how amazing they are. Hopefully before long I'll have the words.
Meeting my host family definitely made me miss my family back home a LOT. That coupled with the language barrier almost made me cry at the restuarant. I haven't had a moment's rest since coming home, and I'm glad. Having the boys constantly talking to me when I'm not in class is what I think will make all the difference.
Oh, and a note that I know Roger will appreciate. I saw my first hummingbird here today!! I have no idea what kind, because Ecuador has the greatest variety of hummingbirds in the world, and I don't have a bird book for the country yet. I also saw a sparrow type bird that I also couldn't identify, haha!
Tomorrow, classes start. I'm nervous and relieved at the same time. I'll be glad to finally be learning things I can use with my family. We're also registering our visas in the morning, then having 4 hours of language class, lunch at home, then community service orientation. It will be a very full day.
Saturday, February 3, 2007
Old Town y muchas Iglesias
I meet with my host family tomorrow, so no guarantees as to how often I´ll be able to get online to update after today. (But I love to record what I´ve done, and update everyone!)
Today my group and I explored Old Town Quito. We went to La Basilica, an amazing and HUGE Neo-Gothic cathedral. The stained glass windows and the carvings are so incredible. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor! We went up to the top to look out on the city of Quito. We could see Old and New Towns, La Panacilla (a hill with a GIANT statue of La Virgin de Quito), and Pichincha (mountains to the west). The rest of the group kept climbing up another ladder to the very top, but I was too afraid to. (Maybe next time, silly selective fear of heights! haha!) Already known as a circus freak though, a few people commented on how I shouldn´t be afraid because I do fabric!
We then went to La Plaza de Independencia (Independence Square) and La Catedral, an incredible Baroque church. The carvings and gold leafing were incredible. We also went to La Palacia de Presidente (the president´s palace- he doesn´t actually live there because he has small children and wants them to have a normal life). It´s really beautiful, and the interior garden in it was so nice. Oh! And we got to see the changing of the guard right before we went in to look at it. It was really cool!
Then we went to La Iglesia de San Francisco, another amazingly gorgeous Baroque church. One of the most notable things about it is that part of the interior design of the church includes Inca suns (which are representations of the Inca god), as well as other Inca designs inside near the windows (designs which were also found on pre-Inca jewelry). Also in the altar, there are mirrors, which the Inca believed to be magical and mystical. (My independent project is writing itself, I´m so excited about this!) Also when we were in San Francisco, there was a service going on. I really felt disrespectful coming in for part of the service as a tourist, then leaving. I really want to go to mass here, and hopefully my host family (or one of the others) will take me. I´m also really excited about traveling to a nearby town where there are espiritista-type people and brujas, etc.
Finally, we ended our travels at a restaurant called Crepes & Waffles. The food was really good (and I ended up having a waffle with nutella, bananas, and ice cream! Soo much sugar!!)
After that, we had more orientation-type things, and now I do believe I´m going to take a nap, or plan out weekend trips or other trips for my project. =)
Today my group and I explored Old Town Quito. We went to La Basilica, an amazing and HUGE Neo-Gothic cathedral. The stained glass windows and the carvings are so incredible. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor! We went up to the top to look out on the city of Quito. We could see Old and New Towns, La Panacilla (a hill with a GIANT statue of La Virgin de Quito), and Pichincha (mountains to the west). The rest of the group kept climbing up another ladder to the very top, but I was too afraid to. (Maybe next time, silly selective fear of heights! haha!) Already known as a circus freak though, a few people commented on how I shouldn´t be afraid because I do fabric!
We then went to La Plaza de Independencia (Independence Square) and La Catedral, an incredible Baroque church. The carvings and gold leafing were incredible. We also went to La Palacia de Presidente (the president´s palace- he doesn´t actually live there because he has small children and wants them to have a normal life). It´s really beautiful, and the interior garden in it was so nice. Oh! And we got to see the changing of the guard right before we went in to look at it. It was really cool!
Then we went to La Iglesia de San Francisco, another amazingly gorgeous Baroque church. One of the most notable things about it is that part of the interior design of the church includes Inca suns (which are representations of the Inca god), as well as other Inca designs inside near the windows (designs which were also found on pre-Inca jewelry). Also in the altar, there are mirrors, which the Inca believed to be magical and mystical. (My independent project is writing itself, I´m so excited about this!) Also when we were in San Francisco, there was a service going on. I really felt disrespectful coming in for part of the service as a tourist, then leaving. I really want to go to mass here, and hopefully my host family (or one of the others) will take me. I´m also really excited about traveling to a nearby town where there are espiritista-type people and brujas, etc.
Finally, we ended our travels at a restaurant called Crepes & Waffles. The food was really good (and I ended up having a waffle with nutella, bananas, and ice cream! Soo much sugar!!)
After that, we had more orientation-type things, and now I do believe I´m going to take a nap, or plan out weekend trips or other trips for my project. =)
Friday, February 2, 2007
Adventuras en el Trole
Today was so exciting! (And tiring!) I know, I know, I won't be updating EVERY day, but today's adventures deserve a little something! =)
Marijanna and I overslept because my traveling alarm clock wasn't properly set (we couldn't figure it out, haha), but we got breakfast anyway. Then we all went to Academia Latinoamericana to take our placement tests (both written and oral). It was kind of nervewracking, and made me realize how little I actually know. The school is very pretty, and we had to take public transportation to get there. (We took Ecovia, a bus line).
After lunch (and a MUCH needed nap), we split up into two groups to take other forms of transportation to explore the city. My group took el Trole, while the other group took the regular buses. We went south to El Recreo, a mall, and walked around for awhile before coming back. It was really interesting crossing streets and getting on the buses. As a pedestrian, you have no right of way, and cross at your own risk. And you have to push and hurry to make sure to actually get on or off the buses. And the city is sooo busy, so many vehicles, and the air is so full of dirt and exhaust fumes from the cars. Who knew me, a total country person, would end up in a busy city for a semester?
I'm also trying very hard to use what little Spanish I have, but it's hard. I find myself occasionally regressing into my quiet, shy, terrified to speak self, and it's frustrating, and almost as exhausting as actually speaking. Not to mention I've been so much more sleepy since arriving (and hungry!)
Tomorrow we get to explore Old Town and have more orientation type things. It's all very exciting, but also tiring, and I'm super nervous about meeting my host family (though I've heard they're really nice).
Oooh! SO, we were taking a taxi back from the Academia to the hostel after our placement tests, and came to a stop light. Then, two guys came out in front of the stopped traffic and started juggling clubs!! They did this for awhile, and right before the light changed, they stopped and walked between the cars with a hat held out to collect tips. Also, later, on our walk back from el Trole to the hostel, I saw a random guy walking down the street, juggling two balls in one hand as he went.
Yay circusy things! =)
PS- In the last entry, I forgot to mention that everyone applauded when the plane landed, which made me feel a lot happier and more at home, because that's what happens when you fly to or from Puerto Rico. =)
Marijanna and I overslept because my traveling alarm clock wasn't properly set (we couldn't figure it out, haha), but we got breakfast anyway. Then we all went to Academia Latinoamericana to take our placement tests (both written and oral). It was kind of nervewracking, and made me realize how little I actually know. The school is very pretty, and we had to take public transportation to get there. (We took Ecovia, a bus line).
After lunch (and a MUCH needed nap), we split up into two groups to take other forms of transportation to explore the city. My group took el Trole, while the other group took the regular buses. We went south to El Recreo, a mall, and walked around for awhile before coming back. It was really interesting crossing streets and getting on the buses. As a pedestrian, you have no right of way, and cross at your own risk. And you have to push and hurry to make sure to actually get on or off the buses. And the city is sooo busy, so many vehicles, and the air is so full of dirt and exhaust fumes from the cars. Who knew me, a total country person, would end up in a busy city for a semester?
I'm also trying very hard to use what little Spanish I have, but it's hard. I find myself occasionally regressing into my quiet, shy, terrified to speak self, and it's frustrating, and almost as exhausting as actually speaking. Not to mention I've been so much more sleepy since arriving (and hungry!)
Tomorrow we get to explore Old Town and have more orientation type things. It's all very exciting, but also tiring, and I'm super nervous about meeting my host family (though I've heard they're really nice).
Oooh! SO, we were taking a taxi back from the Academia to the hostel after our placement tests, and came to a stop light. Then, two guys came out in front of the stopped traffic and started juggling clubs!! They did this for awhile, and right before the light changed, they stopped and walked between the cars with a hat held out to collect tips. Also, later, on our walk back from el Trole to the hostel, I saw a random guy walking down the street, juggling two balls in one hand as he went.
Yay circusy things! =)
PS- In the last entry, I forgot to mention that everyone applauded when the plane landed, which made me feel a lot happier and more at home, because that's what happens when you fly to or from Puerto Rico. =)
Thursday, February 1, 2007
no slugs were a-salted in the making of this film
I´m in Quito, Ecuador!!! *freaks out a little bit* I´m still in disbelief that this is all happening. Sure, I´ve only been here a few hours, but sometimes it totally hits me in the face. I´m so scattered, I don´t know where to start... well, let´s try the beginning!
I woke up at 5:45am so that I could catch a 6:30am taxi to the airport. I had leftover pizza for breakfast (so exciting, I know) in the apartment, and then proceeded to have a delicious breakfast of sugar and caffeine at the airport (aka a chocolate croissant and a mocha). It was interesting checking in and checking my bags, because LAN (the airline I flew on) caters to almost entirely Spanish speaking customers. I almost felt embarrassed to have to tell them that I spoke English.
Walking down the long corridor to the plane, I suddenly got this weird feeling. A little anxious, nervous, and excited. It started to hit me I wasn´t just getting on any old plane, but a plane that was going to take me to another world. Thinking about how the rest of my friends were at school (some not even awake), going to classes, and here I was, boarding a plane to go learn Spanish for 4 months, and GET CREDIT for it! So freaky...
Our initial (and longest) flight to Guayaquil (pronounced gwhy-a-keel) was mostly smooth with a few bumps, and didn´t feel like a 6 or 7 hour flight at all. There was an ADORABLE little girl, probably 2 years old sitting two rows ahead of me. I kept smiling and waving at her, and she would smile and wave back, and at the end of the flight, she cried because she couldn´t reach me when I was waving!
On the flight, I watched the movie Flicka, which was quite good (I never read the book though, which surprises me, because in elementary school, I read every horse book our library had!) I later watched the movie Flushed Away, which I hadn´t ever really wanted to see. It turned out to be quite hilarious!! The singing slugs, jokes, and all-around humor was wonderful, and I feel like Evelyn, Joanna, and Ethan would have appreciated it most. (C´mon, adorable singing slugs, a mime frog, what more can you ask for?)
I was so nervous when filling out my forms for customs, and some nice women about my age sitting next to me tried to help. They didn´t speak much English, but it all worked out in the end.
The food. Airplane food. I´ve never had real airplane food before. It was surprisingly good. We had a mid-morning snack of a ham sandwich, and for lunch (around 2 or 3pm) we had wild rice with green beans, lima beans, corn, and carrots, with a chicken breast, a roll, and a decent attempt at cheesecake.
I was so nervous for my connecting flight in Guayaquil, even though I was flying out on the same plane I came in on! We all had to get off, those with connecting flights had to go through another security line (why, I have no idea), and then get back in line to get on the plane again. I sat in the same row both times, but two different seats.
The rest of the flight to Quito was fine (only like 30 minutes long) and the view when we began to land was amazing. The sun was setting behind the mountains, and the city was full of large buildings and busy streets. I didn´t know what to expect, but I certainly wouldn´t have expected what I saw.
When I finally met Maria, the director of the program, she was picking up her husband also. She pointed things out to me as we drove to the hotel, and I was totally shocked to see a Tony Roma´s!! (Alongside it was also a McDonalds, a Burger King, among other American chains). Her husband, Chris, said "And on your left, you´ll see globalization." Later we passed by¨"Gringolandia" ("white people land") where there are lots of American chains, internet cafes, and the like. It´s good to know where it is though, so I can make sure to keep updating you all!
Finally, we got to the hotel, and I met my roomie for the weekend of orientation. Her name is Marijanna and she´s from Pitzer. She´s really nice, and we hit it off right away. (We´re already planning to go take dance classes and travel together!) We talked for awhile, then ate in the restaurant in the hotel. We´ve decided to try lots of different juices (a different one at every meal. Tonight was blackberry, and delicious). I ordered an amazing sopa de esparragos (asparagus soup) and tortellini with ricotta and spinach (which was ok). It was so good to eat! (We finally ate dinner at like 9:30pm). My tummy´s quite satisfied, and I´m starting to get sleepy. It will be really nice to sleep on a real bed too! (futons and air-mattress sofa beds are nice, but I miss a real bed). I was really excited that the hotel has free internet (at least for the first 15 minutes, or until someone fusses at you! haha!)
I know there are so many adventures ahead! And my Spanish will really be put to the test tomorrow as we are all sent into town in groups to do things like ask where we can buy stamps and such. It´s still coming to me slowly that I get to do this learning Spanish and exploring another country for the next few months. I can´t wait to start taking pictures and showing you all!! (Though I don´t want to look like TOO much of a tourist! haha!)
OH! And I found out that my host family I think has two younger brothers and a younger sister (ages 4-11). I´m really excited to meet them!!
¡Buenas noches!
I woke up at 5:45am so that I could catch a 6:30am taxi to the airport. I had leftover pizza for breakfast (so exciting, I know) in the apartment, and then proceeded to have a delicious breakfast of sugar and caffeine at the airport (aka a chocolate croissant and a mocha). It was interesting checking in and checking my bags, because LAN (the airline I flew on) caters to almost entirely Spanish speaking customers. I almost felt embarrassed to have to tell them that I spoke English.
Walking down the long corridor to the plane, I suddenly got this weird feeling. A little anxious, nervous, and excited. It started to hit me I wasn´t just getting on any old plane, but a plane that was going to take me to another world. Thinking about how the rest of my friends were at school (some not even awake), going to classes, and here I was, boarding a plane to go learn Spanish for 4 months, and GET CREDIT for it! So freaky...
Our initial (and longest) flight to Guayaquil (pronounced gwhy-a-keel) was mostly smooth with a few bumps, and didn´t feel like a 6 or 7 hour flight at all. There was an ADORABLE little girl, probably 2 years old sitting two rows ahead of me. I kept smiling and waving at her, and she would smile and wave back, and at the end of the flight, she cried because she couldn´t reach me when I was waving!
On the flight, I watched the movie Flicka, which was quite good (I never read the book though, which surprises me, because in elementary school, I read every horse book our library had!) I later watched the movie Flushed Away, which I hadn´t ever really wanted to see. It turned out to be quite hilarious!! The singing slugs, jokes, and all-around humor was wonderful, and I feel like Evelyn, Joanna, and Ethan would have appreciated it most. (C´mon, adorable singing slugs, a mime frog, what more can you ask for?)
I was so nervous when filling out my forms for customs, and some nice women about my age sitting next to me tried to help. They didn´t speak much English, but it all worked out in the end.
The food. Airplane food. I´ve never had real airplane food before. It was surprisingly good. We had a mid-morning snack of a ham sandwich, and for lunch (around 2 or 3pm) we had wild rice with green beans, lima beans, corn, and carrots, with a chicken breast, a roll, and a decent attempt at cheesecake.
I was so nervous for my connecting flight in Guayaquil, even though I was flying out on the same plane I came in on! We all had to get off, those with connecting flights had to go through another security line (why, I have no idea), and then get back in line to get on the plane again. I sat in the same row both times, but two different seats.
The rest of the flight to Quito was fine (only like 30 minutes long) and the view when we began to land was amazing. The sun was setting behind the mountains, and the city was full of large buildings and busy streets. I didn´t know what to expect, but I certainly wouldn´t have expected what I saw.
When I finally met Maria, the director of the program, she was picking up her husband also. She pointed things out to me as we drove to the hotel, and I was totally shocked to see a Tony Roma´s!! (Alongside it was also a McDonalds, a Burger King, among other American chains). Her husband, Chris, said "And on your left, you´ll see globalization." Later we passed by¨"Gringolandia" ("white people land") where there are lots of American chains, internet cafes, and the like. It´s good to know where it is though, so I can make sure to keep updating you all!
Finally, we got to the hotel, and I met my roomie for the weekend of orientation. Her name is Marijanna and she´s from Pitzer. She´s really nice, and we hit it off right away. (We´re already planning to go take dance classes and travel together!) We talked for awhile, then ate in the restaurant in the hotel. We´ve decided to try lots of different juices (a different one at every meal. Tonight was blackberry, and delicious). I ordered an amazing sopa de esparragos (asparagus soup) and tortellini with ricotta and spinach (which was ok). It was so good to eat! (We finally ate dinner at like 9:30pm). My tummy´s quite satisfied, and I´m starting to get sleepy. It will be really nice to sleep on a real bed too! (futons and air-mattress sofa beds are nice, but I miss a real bed). I was really excited that the hotel has free internet (at least for the first 15 minutes, or until someone fusses at you! haha!)
I know there are so many adventures ahead! And my Spanish will really be put to the test tomorrow as we are all sent into town in groups to do things like ask where we can buy stamps and such. It´s still coming to me slowly that I get to do this learning Spanish and exploring another country for the next few months. I can´t wait to start taking pictures and showing you all!! (Though I don´t want to look like TOO much of a tourist! haha!)
OH! And I found out that my host family I think has two younger brothers and a younger sister (ages 4-11). I´m really excited to meet them!!
¡Buenas noches!
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