Selfies

I have been pretty good thus far about taking videos and pictures of my host family. I am so excited to edit them a video and send them a book of photos of themselves from my time here. However, I realized recently that I have very few photos with me in them. I needed proof that I was in fact here also, so I showed my host siblings the film camera button on my iphone as well as photobooth. I also showed my host siblings the drawing feature on snapchat which they have immensely enjoyed. The result are some pretty amazing pictures in which I probably haven’t showered for four days and look gross, but at least I’m in and can prove that I was here and give the impression that my host family enjoys my company.

¡Feliz cumpleaños, Patricio!

Last Sunday July 6^th my host dad turned 36 or 38 (he changed his answer several times and I don’t think he was trying to seem younger, I think he just actually doesn’t remember) We ended up celebrating on Tuesday night because we had a confirmation party to go to on Sunday and then I had to go to a birthday dinner for Tyler, another intern, on Monday night.

I had asked earlier what their birthday traditions were and they told me that when they have enough money they buy a cake and when they don’t they just don’t do anything. I decided to take in upon myself to buy a cake and give my host dad a gift to make this year a little bit special.

Tuesday morning I took my six year old host brother who is on summer break shopping with me in Otavalo. He picked out a cake with a red car on it. That night my host mom made a candle out of a wrapped up piece of paper and told me I had to sing. At first I thought maybe she meant I had to sing by myself but luckily Zahid and her both joined in. There was a lot of laughing when the paper candle wouldn’t stay lit long enough for him to blow it out and make a wish. It was a nice evening and a nice way to celebrate. Simple but fun. We also got to eat cake for the next four meals which I wouldn’t say was ideal because the cake here is not the best, but my host siblings thought that was pretty darn cool.

Teaching Collage

After I finished teaching I had a lot of pictures from Larcacunga that Señorita Lucila had asked me to print. Instead of printing out about 100 random pictures, I decided to make a festive collage to print for the school and so that Tandana could advertise what I’ve been doing if they wanted. Here is the collage, pretty cute, amiright?

Comida

I know that most of those of who I have talked to and stayed in touch with since I have been here in Ecuador know about the food that I’ve been eating, but I felt that it still warranted a blog post. The food in Ecuador is “simple and hardy,” those are the kind words that Hauna used to describe it when we were interviewed by some university students in Quito. When I was asked I just said, “The food is…okay.” Lets just say, you don’t travel to Ecuador for the cuisine.

My host family normally serves me either soup with potatoes and a few vegetables or rice with some kind of vegetable, lentil, etc. After breakfast and dinner we always have some kind of colada (a think warm drink, sometimes kind of like drinking oatmeal depending on the type of colada) or “café” which does not always mean coffee but instead means any kind of tea, or hot water with lemon and lots of sugar. Something along those lines. Oh, and also bread.

So many carbs. But also instant black coffee. Yum!

They also occasionally serve me things like spaghetti with potatoes, a side of rice, and then ask if I want bread after. I usually refrain because I feel that in that one bowl I ate enough carbs to last a lifetime, that an additional roll is not necessary. The best though is when that meal is served with oatmeal colada making in the official most beige meal ever.

They also have some ideas about food/drink that to me seem super bizaare. For example, my host mom was shocked that I put cold milk in my coffee. She thinks that you’ll get a stomachache if you don’t boil your milk. On a similar note, they think that drinking cold things like water or juice is only appropriate in the middle of the day, and when I drink my water at night my host mom tells me that I am going to get sick. They think that soda is appropriate at all times of day, including with breakfast at 6:30am. Also, when I brought home a cake for my host dad’s birthday, we ate cake with every meal instead of bread, also including breakfast at 6:30am. Too early for that much sweetness. One time, my host mom put a banana in her potato soup. I declined that offer, and only accept when they do the same thing with avocado.

For special occasions which there are a lot of in June and July (June is Inti Raymi and July is confirmation/baptism/wedding season) they have a whole different menu. Every party that I have been to so far we have been served first chicken soup, then a corn soup with boiled egg in it, and after some sort of main meal with mote (large boiled corn), tomato onion salad, rice, and often cuy (AKA guinea pig). Two weeks ago my host aunt who lives next door had a big party because of some sort of virgin (didn’t really get the reasoning even though it was explained to me several times) and I got to witness the preparation.

Drowning Cuy

What is weird about Ecuadorean parties also is they make enough food for each family to bring home enough leftovers for about a week. Every family arrives with plastic bags and pots to pack away the food they were unable to finish and bring home for later. This is an expected practice and it is rude to refuse any food given to you. Last weekend though I witnessed people packing fried pork, boiled eggs, corn, cake with frosting, and soup all in one plastic bag which just seemed impractical to me. Luckily my host mom separates out the cake so we can enjoy non-disgusting leftovers for the next few days.

Enough potatoes for weeks

Preparing chicken

My host family often isn’t home for lunch so I end up going into Otavalo and eating with other Tandana people fairly often. In that case, we get to eat Mexican food, Colombian food, ice cream, pizza etc. I have also adopted peanut M&Ms as their own food group. I keep a secret stash in my room in the drawer that my host siblings can’t reach. It is a perfect thing for when I am feeling bad for myself or when that potato soup just wasn’t satisfying. It is a habit I am not looking forward to giving up when I return to the US.

Lentils!

 My favorite thing that my host mom makes is a salad with avocado, tomato, red onion, and tuna topped with a dressing of oil and lemon.  I also love tostado, which is toasted dried corn. Those are really the only two things that I hope to continue to make when I get back to the US. Other than that, I’m okay with having the food be food just for here. The thing I most look forward to about not living with a host family is cooking for myself, deciding when and what I eat, and being in control of my food. Although I have grown quite attached to nescafé instant coffee, I am pretty excited to have some willowby’s coffee made in a coffee maker on July 30^th.

My Ecuadorean Fourth of July

The whole school looking patriotic.

I have never thought of myself as a particularly patriotic person. In fact, I normally  don’t do anything special for Fourth of July and I haven’t said the Pledge of Allegiance since maybe 7^th grade; however, when I found out that my last day of teaching in Larcacunga was going to be on the fourth I suddenly felt a lot of pride for the good old US of A and decided that it would be very educational but mostly just fun to have an independence day party in my last English class.

I asked my Señoritas if it would be okay for me to do it and they were enthusiastic. They told me that since I was here in Ecuador for such an important holiday and I would otherwise be celebrating by myself that having the kids celebrate with me was a good idea. When I checked in with them about it that week though Sisa asked me to include the younger kids class. I thought, “sure, why not? That’s only 18 more kids, no big deal.” Then they thought about it more and decided that it should be on Thursday instead of on Friday. “Sure” I thought “one day ahead of time, no big deal.” Then that Tuesday they told me that they had left the two hours after recess free and were excited for my program. Yikes. So basically, what had started as a half hour USA craft with my English class turned into a two hour program for the whole school.

Getting decked out in USA pride.

Luckily, the two new summer school interns, Maggie and Jenny, had arrived and didn’t have much to do. I enlisted their, plus Tyler and Hauna’s help, and we suddenly had an awesome five person USA crew.  When they all pulled up in the taxi I think my students were a little surprised. Surprised both that that many gringos exist in their neck of the woods slash surprised that I actually had friends.

Ecuadorean world cup cups for prizes. Doesn't really make sense.

Cookie decorating

We decided to do stations: patriotic fruit, USA headband making plus face paint, water pong (some thought inappropriate, I thought fun slash funny), and cookie decorating. After stations we did a waterballoon toss which got out of control and took a festive group picture. I was pretty nervous about whether or not they would have fun or if the day would be a huge disaster, but it all worked out and I think the students enjoyed it. They also are more knowledgeable about US drinking games and my English class got to practice their skills with new English speakers.

Patriotic fruit.

Water balloon toss.

The next day (actual fourth of july) was my last day of teaching. Although not as exciting a day as the program the day before, it was still a nice way to end. I did chalk drawings with my art class and musical chairs English addition for some final English class practice. I hope that my students took something away from what I attempted to teach them. I feel so lucky to have gotten to teach with Lucila and Sisa. They face challenges in teaching that are so incredibly different from the ones I have faced teaching in the US. Also, those kids face completely different challenges. It is hard to see them and know that I will probably never know what they’ll do in the future. They have incredibly limited opportunities and resources, but at the same time they are independent, innovative, and (I hope) fairly motivated. I learned a lot spending every day at that school up on the mountainside, but I have to say the best part about leaving is not having to do that 40 minute walk uphill every morning anymore.

The señoritas and me

Things I Can Now Cross Off My Bucket List (that most likely were never on anybody's bucket list)

This morning when I was walking to work I saw a teenage boy riding his bike. He stopped on the road when he saw an old woman walking without shoes on and bent over probably in pain from Arthritis or from just being old. I kept walking and then saw him ride past me carrying the old lady on his handlebars. I was thinking about how I don't think that is anything I would ever see in the US, and definitely wasn't something I had seen before. That led me to start thinking of all of the "firsts" that I have witnessed since coming here. I then developed a long list, and thought I would share a few on the blog. Some are not meant for the internet (think: bugbites everywhere, lack of access to bathrooms, etc)

1. I have now seen two dead puppies. I also saw the mother dog carry her dead child in her mouth and then sleep with the dead puppy as a pillow. I also almost stepped on a dead puppy in the middle of the night on my way to the bathroom. I also saw my host mom put a dead puppy in a plastic bag and then throw it into the woods. All of these things were traumatic and not something I hope happens ever again.

2. I have pretended to be asleep twice when groups of people come from other communities and dance at our house for Inti Raymi. They then expect to receive food, hence pretending to not be there slash be asleep. I have also helped my host mom give many groups food. But only if they come before 9:00pm.

3. I have spent more than a month being woken up every morning by roosters. I have also spent more than a month getting up before 7am every day. Usually there is no sleeping at my house after 5:45am due to noise from both animals and people and the radio.

4. I have spent more than a month going to bed before 9:00pm every day. By that I mean I'm normally in bed by 8:30 because after we eat dinner there is nothing else to do. But after I'm in bed I read Divergent so I probably have stayed up passed 9:00pm. But I definitely haven't been awake passed 11:00pm since getting here.

5. I have taught kids who can speak to each other in Kichwa, their indigenous language, and know that I don't understand and therefore have a very easy time plotting against me.

6. I have gone an entire day without speaking any english at all, besides talking to myself.

7. I have danced for Inti Raymi twice with my community, Agualongo.

8. I have witnessed men get incredibly wasted and pass out or puke in front of their small children at Inti Raymi. Kind of traumatizing also but not as much as the dead puppies.

9. I have eaten rice, pasta, potatoes, and bread all in one meal.

10. I have eaten more potatoes in the last five weeks than I did over the course of the entire last year including Bolivia. I do not plan on eating potatoes for at least 6 months after July 29th.

11. I have sat there and smiled while people from my community are clearly talking about me in Kichwa and laughing. I don't think they are saying bad things, or at least I doubt it, but it is still really awkward. I'm looking forward to going back to being able to understand most of the time.

12. I have walked uphill both ways home and spent more than two hours most days walking in total. I guess that is how I am making up for all the potatoes.

13. I have gotten comfortable enough with my host family to get under the covers of their bed when we're watching TV, to make fun of the other people in my family, and to truly feel like I am more a part of the family than I am a guest. I am so incredibly excited to go home, have summer, see everybody etc but I know that it will be incredibly hard to leave my host family especially after another month with them.

I'm sure there are plenty of other firsts, but for now I can't think of them. 

Sunday Excursions

A view of Otavalo from our Lechero Tree hike.

Are you aware that the equator runs through Ecuador?

So when I arrived Hauna told me that her and her husband, Kiah, try to go on an adventure every Sunday to take advantage of all the stuff there is to do around Otavalo. They said I was welcome to come any Sunday so since I also want to take advantage of being here and my host family just sits around on Sundays, I have gone with them on two adventures since getting here.

The first Sunday I was here I met them at their apartment in Otavalo, we packed a lunch (PB&Js, a welcome change from potatoes and rice) and we hiked up to the Lechero Tree. The Lechero Tree is apparently very important in some kind of indigenous legend. There were two people in love or something and they sinned so now the man is the mountain and the woman is the tree and they constantly look at each other but can't get any closer. I'm not exactly sure, but it is something along those lines.

Anyway, the hike was super pretty and it was nice to get a break from my host family and have something to do after a few days of doing absolutely nothing because at that point I hadn't started teaching. It was a slightly difficult hike, especially for me newly adjusting to the altitude. After arriving back in Otavalo we rewarded ourselves with beers at a rooftop restaurant. Overall it was a good way to spend my first Sunday in Ecuador and a nice bonding experience.

The Lechero Tree. 

Classic me looking short picture.
This is Kiah, Hauna, and me at the Lechero Tree.

The next Friday (I know, not a Sunday excursion but still an excursion) Hauna's ex-spanish student from the US was visiting and he and Hauna came up to Larcacunga where I taught. After school was over we went out to lunch and then visited Peguche, a waterfall really close to Otavalo. We took the bus there and it is a pretty built-up touristy place with a stone walkway to the bottom of the waterfall. It was still amazingly beautiful and a nice way to spend an afternoon.

The waterfall.

Sam, me, Hauna, and Kiah at the waterfall.

The next Sunday (last week) Tyler (the only other intern still here), Hauna, Kiah and I went to La Mitad del Mundo, The Middle of the World. We had tried to go the Wednesday before because it was the equinox and apparently you don't have a shadow on the equinox but we ended up getting on the wrong bus and not having enough time. So, it turned into a Sunday adventure. We took the bus two hours to Quito and then another half hour to a place that felt a lot like Ecuadorian Disney World. There were little shops and restaurants scattered all around the central monument which marks the center of the world.

The lady taking our picture said "do something" so we were forced to pose.

A yellow line runs from East to West marking where the equator is and there were tons of tourists taking classic "I'm standing in the eastern and western hemisphere at the same time" photos. Fun fact: the line was drawn and the monument was built before GPS technology so it is actually something like 0.8 degrees off. But the damage had been done so we, the tourist, choose to pretend that isn't the case.

My classic both hemispheres photo.

 We went up in the monument and saw pretty cool views of the city. Then we walked through and museum that summed up all the different and diverse indigenous groups scattered throughout the country. It was really interesting.

A view from the top of the monument.

Afterwards we searched for a brewery but everything ended up being closed. Qutio is quite dead on Sundays. We ended up eating a late lunch at a Colombian restaurant and heading back to Otavalo. It was an exhausting but really fun day, especially since it was so totally different than my average day here.