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