So far, we encountered about 3/4 of the population of Antigua in the capitol city doing Christmas shopping. This, of course, led to serious traffic jams and it took us 1.5 hours to travel roughly 9 Miles. Poor planning on our part.

Also, during the few forays into the sea both my mother and I have managed to be stung by jellyfish. Ouch. I was stung twice this morning; once so badly that once out of the water you could see the tentacle marks around my shin/ankle as a burning white mark. Now it's calmed down, no longer leaving me writhing in pain, only a raised red irritation. Quite unusual, though. Hopefully I will not encounter any more jellyfish on this trip (or ever...or at least not when they can sting me).]]> Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=41262 0 17.0833333 -61.8166667 After finally finished all the usual unpacking nuisances, I was able to run a few errands and meet up with some friends from high school. Only seeing them once or twice a year, it's so nice to be able to catch up again.

After a short 2 days, it was time to pack up and leave again. And thus began my whirlwind trip.]]> Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=41259 0 42.35833 -71.06028 Manhattan. So lovely. We did a lot of things, mostly planned around food. There are so many restaurants and cuisines scattered around the city, we tried to get a good variety (and by good variety, I mean we had Thai twice because it was so good the first time) including: Thai, Indian, Vegetarian, Belgian fries with dipping sauces (25 flavors!) and some homemade delicacies as well.

We also walked through Central Park (in the snow...and rain...and ice/hail), went to the New Museum, to the MOMA during the free Friday night event, to see a movie and to get a general overview of her neighborhood.

So nice to see my sis again. And experience NYC as an adult...since I haven't been there in years, it's quite a different experience now. And I LOVE IT!
It's such a different city from the city in which I was just living (Quito). The public transit is quick and clean (for the most part) and safe too...that's a big difference. And easy to get around, even walking place to place is just fine. Cabs are pricey (especially compared to cabs in Ecuador) but they're rarely needed, so it works out fine.

After a quick visit, into which we packed as much as possible, it was time to leave deep in the night/morning hours to get to the airport for the next leg of my whirlwind trip.]]> Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=41258 0 40.71417 -74.00639 Ecuador and I will miss certain things about my life here.

To celebrate the last moments with my friends here we organized a picnic at Parque Itchimbia--the beautiful park that overlooks the city. I'd wanted to have a picnic there since July when I read about it in a guide book. Finally, Mission accomplished. It was a beautiful day, great food and wonderful company. Along with the usual crew (or at least the ones that aren't off traveling at the moment), a few of our Ecuafriends came along. I also ran into another acquanitance upon entering the park and saw another set of friends there as well. You really can't go anywhere without bumping into somebody!
Anyhow, the picnic was a great success, and we got out, again, just in time to beat the rain.

To keep with tradition, we had my goodbye dinner at Crepes & Waffles. Each Sunday, we'd go to brunch at the restaurant but to accommodate both the picnic and my friend Andrea who was returning for my sendoff, we had a delicious dinner there instead. I think I'll have to visit the crepe place up in Burlington again when I return home. =)

After dinner and a final goodbye to my friends with whom I don't live, I curled up on the couch and watched a movie with my housemate. Overall, a great last day (mostly packing and eating...at least the eating part is fun).

Now I'm sitting at the airport, awaiting my departure. Originally I was to depart around 10am, however my flight is delayed so my long day of traveling has now gotten longer.]]> Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=40533 0 -0.2166667 -78.5 Along with the various job errands I've been running all week, I also was finishing up everything I needed to do in the city, getting a few last presents, and some more sightseeing. My frind Lisa works at a high school outside the city so is gone all day; however, her friend Abby was visiting this week so I was enlisted as tour guide/companion for her time here. This meant I got a partner in crime. I was able to go to the last things in the city that I wanted to do, and also was a repeat offender at some others that Abby wanted to visit. Pretty awesome.

Repeats: Basilica (sweet architecture, church, dangerous ladders), Guayasamín Foundation (always a good time...and this time I remembered my camera! woot...photos to come later), La Compania de Jesús (very decorated old church), Mitad del Mundo (both the indigenous museum and the monument park), Heladería San Agustin, and general Centro Histórico adventures.

New stuff: La Capilla del Hombre (the other Guayasamín museum that I've been dying to go to), Museo San Francisco, and a volcanic crater hike near Mitad del Mundo.

La Capilla del Hombre is a gallery of Guayasamín's work that he designed and had erected before his death (1999). He created it as a place for many emotions, peaceful contemplation, and provocative thought. The gallery itself is impressive. A huge building and viewing space. The collection of his works is also diverse and beautiful. We also had a great guide--knowledgeable and kind (Oscar greeted us on the street when we passed him). Some reasons why I love Guayasamín: he brought recognition to Ecuador and the social issues present in this country, he cared about world issues and created pieces in reaction to world events from nearly every continent--overall social responsibility, his use of color and shadows in unexpected and beautiful ways, and his representation of people and emotions. Check out his "hands" series if you get a chance.

In the Museo de San Francisco we checked out some more religious art and accidentally wandered into the private living spaces of some of the monks who live there. Woops. Pretty cool though, and beautiful gardens within this monastery.

After visiting the usul tourist attraction in Mitad del Mundo, we ventured further down the road to visit the Mirador de Ventanillas--an overlook point for this volcanic crater and some trails through the crater, without actually entering the national park there. I'm sure it would be gorgeous on a clear day, but by this time it was cloudy and foggy, so the view wasn't was nice but still a great experience. I just love being outdoors and breathing fresh air--not easily done in the city!

It was also ridiculous weather this week. Usually, they say that December is one of the worst months, in reference to the rainy season. However, the sun was out nearly every morning and into the afternoon. Gorgeous.

We also had a holiday party this week at my friend's apartment, including fresh Christmas tree and a yankee swap. The gift I ended up with was actually quite fitting for me this week--a box of tissues. As is usually is, each time my teaching ends and vacation begins, I get a cold. Not as bad as last year though, so for this I am thankful. Hopefully it'll clear up completely before our family beach vacation--they were not appreciative of me getting them sick last year, so I hope I can avoid that this time!

]]> Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=40532 0 -0.2166667 -78.5 However, the most popular form of celebration during fiestas del Quito is the chiva. A chiva is a double-decker, open-air bus that drives around the city. On the top deck, there is usually a live band playing the traditional chiva big-band music. On the lower deck, there are as many people as can fit (with at least one apendage holding on to the bus) drinking, yelling, waving flags, blowing whistles, and having a merry ole time. Since the end of November, you can't go anywhere without running into a chiva, or hearing one somewhere in the vecinity. During my 4-6 class, each time one would drive by, my students would start clapping and cheering in rhythm with the music outside. They also have tried to convince me, on multiple occasions, that chivas are a form of public transit--do no be fooled. These party buses are rather prevalent at the moment, but really are only around during fiestas del Quito. Soon, they will become extinct until next November/December.

Though I enjoy the music of chivas passing by, I did not partake in this Quiteño tradition, nor the tradition of attending the bull fights. Though many people I have talked with here are against the bull fights, or at least the killing of the bulls, most will still attend because of the festive atmosphere you can find in the Plaza del Toros. I'll just take their word for it--not quite my scene.

However I did celebrate this city's independence in other ways. Thursday after my night class got out, I met up with Megan and Cristina at Central University to attend a party thrown by Cristina's faculty. Each major had their own party at the unviersity that night. We were at the psychology party and were quickly adopted into a group of 3rd year Clinical Psych students. Before I got there, there was a pageant. Once I arrived, the DJ had just finished setting up his station and the music was roaring. We were dancing in an instant, pulled into different circles and conga lines and group dances, as well as the traditional salsa and reggaeton beats. The DJ was leading dancing contests, and contests for the group having the most fun, and other such competitions; our group won quite a few of them--they were quite festive.

Eventually, the director of the school decided he didn't want everyone there anymore, so the campus was flooded with people leaving and heading to new locations to keep on celebrating. Meg, Cristina, José and I found this dive kareoke bar that apparently they like. It was pretty much deserted when we got there, but filled up quite nicely during our stay. We four took over a nice corner of couches and enjoyed each others company as well as the entertainment of others singing. This wasn't regular kareoke either--it was more like the video game that scores you when you're done, depending on accuracy I imagine. There was one girl who was really into it, and didn't get that great of scores and needed to be calmed down by her boyfriend. It was kinda hilarious.

We all took part in the merriment that is kareoke as well--including my debut of kareoke in Spanish. Of course, I chose a Juanes song. Then Meg and I deuted with No Doubt's "Don't Speak" and got the highest score of the night that far--95.5--pretty sweet. Then the rest of our group finished out another 5 songs or so. All throughout the night, the owner was very attentive, making sure we had what we needed. This bar was quite out of the way, and I don't think they were used to having that many people there. He also flagged us down taxis when we left and got us fair prices, which was great (though my haggling skills usually do the trick).

Friday, the school for which I teach declared it a holiday, since in the past students didn't show up to classes due to the heightened celebrations. Good choice. Instead, I went to Itchimbia park with Andrea and Ayla for a free concert of local bands. The park itself is gorgeous, up on a hill with a magnificent view of the city.

Itchimbia park .... incredible location!

Friday (the 5th) was also Phil's birthday, so I spent the afternoon making, decorating (and eating) cake with my friends in that apartment. We also watched 2 movies and made Christmas decorations. Lisa and Colleen made some wicked sweet snowflakes. After all of those festivities, we went out for birthday dinner and then hit the streets to celebrate the independence of Quito some more. Streets all over the city are closed down because of the massive street parties. In Plaza Foch there were multiple stages erected for live music. It was packed. All the streets in the usual neighborhood where we go out were full of people and vendors.

We took to using the buddy system, to try and stay safe and together. But it was tough. Holes in the road everywhere, broken glass, bodies in drainage grates, wandering hands, and streetfights--there was a lot to pay attention to. Eventually, the crowds and craziness were just too much for me, so a few of us went to get cabs home. It was definitely an experience I haven't had before, but also not one of my favorites. Too many drunk people making poor choices. It's a really dangerous time to be out and about.

The highlight of the cultural events I attended was the ballet at the Casa de Cultura (a couple of blocks away from my house) that I was invited to by Lisa and some of her/our Ecuafriends. It was crazy though. Most things in Ecuador have a start time, and then about an hour or so later you can expect things to start to get going. However, this ballet was set to begin at 6pm, we were meeting at 530. I stood in queue with all the others there at this time (I was amazed that so many people were there early). At 545 the doors opened and the line rushed the doors, mostly in an orderly fashion. However, the line snaked around the entire foyer of this huge theater, so it wasn't the most fun snaking around, so eventually the line disentegrated and there was an even crazier rush to the door. However, at that time, I still hadn't found my companions. Some were in a cab on the way, and the others I hadn't found. With the help of a few phone calls, Maria Fernanda came out to get me and introduced me to her other friends that were attending with us. For the half hour before the ballet began, I had very nice conversation with the other Ecuadorians there (Diego, Jenny, Fatima) in our group, and oogled the adorable babe (maybe 16 months) sitting in front of me. And then, miraculously, at 6pm, the doors shut and the ballet began. It was the strangest thing!

The ballet was Don Quixote, however it wasn't quite the story I remember from the excerpts I've read over the years. Quixote plays a very minor role, just kind of there awkwardly watching for the most part. But the principal characters/dancers were incredible. The sets and costumes were beautiful. I was thoroughly entertained for 2 hour duration of this ballet. Definitely my favorite so far (though I've only seen 3 ballets, so I don't have too much to compare to....unless you count ballet in movies as seeing ballets, then it's more). If you ever get a chance, see this beautiful ballet!]]> Sun, 07 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=39027 0 -0.2166667 -78.5 Case study: a package from my parents

1) Package sent from the US on October 31st.
2) Package arrives in Ecuador on November 5th (not bad!).
3) Package hangs out in a back room somewhere for a while.
4) A form is filled out informing me about the arrival of this package, November 10th.
5) Form receives the stamp of approval, November 11th.
6) The form gets lost somewhere, misplaced, stuck on the bottom of some pile.
7) The package and the form comunicate disgruntally about the efficiency of this process.
8) The package and the form twiddle their nonexistant thumbs.
9) The package and the form sit idly, plotting their revenge or escape plan.
10) The package and the form go into a hibernation state.
11) The form finally gets delivered to me, December 3rd, after the post office is already closed for business.
12) December 4th, I go to the post office.
13) The cashier takes my form, 2 copies of my identification, and a tax for receiving the package and stamps my form. He then gives it to someone else.
14) I sit on the bench and wait for my name to be called. They look for my package.
15) I am called and brought into the back room where all the packages are stored on floor to ceiling industrial shelves.
16) The postal clerk opens the package to check it's contents. "Clothes?" no, it's a bag. "Peanuts?" and other nuts. "What's all this?" that's just extra packaging, padding.
17) He puts everything back, tapes the box up, and hands me the customs forms. Tells me to follow him.
18) I bring the box along with me.
19) He sees me with the box and tells me to put it back.
20) We go to a desk and get more paperwork.
21) I have to go get a copy of the paperwork and come back to give it to them (and a rip off too, since the copy places near the post office have higher prices because they know people will need copies there, at that moment....a whole 5 cents for a page--ridiculous compared to my usual 2 cent rate).
22) Give the copy and the original paperwork to another postal clerk.
23) This new clerk gets out the package register and I sign for the package.
24) The clerk tries to pronounce my middle name. "Oh, like Luis!"
25) We go back into the holding cell, he continues reciting my name, and I claim my booty.
26) He wishes me a good day, and I return the sentiment.
27) I go home and immediately start eating trail mix. Woot.

Moral of the story, getting mail is taxing and time consuming. Though all in all, once I was notified of the arrival of the package, it only took me an hour at the post office to get my package, which isn't so bad. I've heard of people spending 2-3 hours getting packages before. I was truely fortunate--if only the other package I know was sent was there....ho hum. Another adventure awaits me another day.]]> Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=38689 0 -0.2166667 -78.5 This year for Thanksgiving--a small Thanksgiving meal with my housemates (Megan, Ellie, and Liza) when I finally get out of here tonight. Then an ELF! date with Liz back home...a wonderful Thanksgiving tradition.

the feast!

"old friends"

"new friends"

We ended up having an obscene amount of food, and 2 types of mashed potatoes which of course spurred a spuds contest (between Lisa and our native Irish Felim)--both delicious, but believe it or not, California's very own Lisa beat out the Irish. Woot. With people from all over our social lives, and a few different countries, it was an interesting and wonderful night. The Ecuadorians there enjoyed their first Thanksgivings.

It was a very nice gathering full of food, laughter, stories, songs and sing-alongs (thanks to my very musical friends who amongst them have 2 guitars and a ukelele).

Thanksgiving in Ecuador also brought a hailing thunderstorm on my walk to work, followed by torrential downpours 10 minutes later, and then 10 minutes after that a beautifully clear sky. Crazy.

Hope you all enjoyed your holiday!]]> Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=38090 0 -0.2166667 -78.5
driving into Cotopaxi National ParkCotopaxi National Park: Last Saturday, this was the destination of Felim, Phil, Mike and I. The park itself was beautiful; great landscapes, beautiful trees, and of course the view of the volcano wasn't bad either. However we had a few glitches with the weekend.
1) We hired guides through Felim's host family, and they turned out not to be the best. They showed up at our rendezvous about an hour late because they were chuchaqui.
2) The place we rented gear from was understocked (because of the great weather/climbing conditions) and we got the bottom of the barrel goods.
3) An extra guide and climber piled in our van to travel to the park. Normally this would be fine, but the guide didn't stop talking for the entire trip about his climbing triumphs.
4) My recurring illnesses decided to rear their ugly heads again and I found myself ill by the time we reached the park. For this reason, I decided not to go out for the ice climbing, not wanting part of the group to have to turn back because in my weak/ill state I couldn't manage the physical exertion of the hike.
5) 3 hours after the midnightish departure for the hike, the first of my group returned--Phil's boot was ill-fitting and digging into his shin, making the hike painful. He had to turn back with one of the guides.
6) Shortly after Phil's return, Felim and Mike were back in our bunks as well--Mike's cramp-on came off during the ascent. Due to the ill-fit of the cramp-on to the boot, it would be unsafe to continue. Alas, the rest of the team had to turn back.
7) Even without the equipment malfunctions, due to the high traffic of climbers this weekend, there were some traffic jams as the 100+ hikers and guides tried to all ascend the same trail to the summit--the crater--and reach this peak by daybreak (supposedly a spectacular view).

I think that's all. It's unfortunate that our plan did not go as planned. We went in with such high hopes and returned with our egos crushed, adventures foiled, and deprived of sleep. Overall, I give this weekend 1/5 stars (at least I had good company and scenery).

Upon return to Quito, I embarked on my next adventure: the hospital. I finally stopped being stubborn and went to get checked out--enough is enough. They were very kind and efficient, and apparently I have a bacterial infection. I'm on antibiotics now--hopefully they'll make me feel better. However all the tests cost a small fortune (Ecuador standards) so I've got to figure out my insurance paperwork so I can be reimbursed, inshallah.

Once I get some photos, I'll share. Until then, be well.]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=38013 0 -0.5 -78.5666667 Since we arrived around 730/8, most of the general admission sections were already full, so we kept being turned away from entrance doors and directed to keep on toward the farthest entrance. Finally we got in and made our way through the lobby filled with food vendors--popcorn, salchipapas (hot dogs fried with fries), slabs of assorted meats, sanduches, foot-long hot dogs with more toppings than I can name and hamburguesas. We sauntered into the packed stadium and were on the lookout for our friends and seats. We found Meadhbh first and after a lot of back and forth between seats and other areas within our section, we all ended up in the first row of the second section back--pretty sweet seats really, except for all the traffic bumping into us (especially since I was also sitting on the stair aisle.

Along with the food vendors stationed in the lobbies, there were hundreds of vendors walking around with their merchandise. More of the same food, plus cigarettes & candy boxes, soda, coffee, beer ("cerveza, buena cerveza..."), chips, juanes commemorative pins and posters, glow in the dark sticks, light-up devil horns and light sabers, and rain ponchos.

We lucked out weather wise.

us at the concert

Music wise, I'm not sure how many bands played in total, but there were at least representatives from Mexico, Colombia and Ecuador. During my 5 hours, I saw 3 bands perform. I think the first performer was Jose Luis del Hierro, who put on a great show and had lots of funny coats...at one point he could have passed for a disco ball.
The next band can best be described as an 80's hair cover tribute band, complete with outrageous hair, head bands, leather vests and pants, and synchronized routines. They also had smoke and fire jets as well as fireworks to really liven up their set.

Juanes

A few songs later into the encore, he broke out a sweet salsa beat and people all over the stadium paired up and were dancing...in aisles, stairwells, the field below, you name it! It was really cool to see all the movement of the salsa dancers. Then, we decided that with the amount of people in the stadium, it would probably be a good thing to get out a bit before them so we could actually get a cab and not be stuck in the chaos of the stadium clearing out. Great choice. I was sad to miss the last song or two, but glad to find a cab to bring me him almost immediately...and at a reasonable price! Since this was bound to be a busy night for taxis, many drivers were jacking up the prices to ridiculous, insulting levels because they could--they knew everyone would need a ride home and there would be much competition for cabs, so passing up a cab wouldn't be a smart decision. Luckily, the driver Emily and I found was very sweet and easy to haggle with (even though his initial offer was decent, it's no fun if you don't converse about it a bit, and get it down a dollar or two).

After a long night of sitting, waiting, singing and dancing I was surprisingly energized and kept replaying the songs in my head and dancing some more. This was a night to remember.

(disclaimer: the title of this entry is inspired by a Juanes song....though at the time I can't recall the title)]]> Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=37584 0 -0.2166667 -78.5 Yesterday I went to buy my ticket to the Juanes concert. He's playing at Estadio Atahualpa, the olympic stadium downtown. I'm psyched. It was unusual though, because the place to go buy tickets is a department store. When we arrived there, we were a bit confused but followed the crowd and saw the line forming at a register downstairs. It all worked out.

In a few minutes I'm meeting up with my expedition crew to discuss the details for our weekend--ascending Cotopaxi, the second highest peak in Ecuador. It's going to be intense and I hope I can make it all the way. I'm going with Felim, Phil and Mike; I should be able to keep up with the boys...I'm pretty tough. Though, I've never done such an extreme hiking trip. Granted, it'll only be one night/day, but geared up in many layers of warm clothes, cramp ons for my boots, and ice pick in hand. It'll be an adventure, that's for sure--and is one of the things I most wanted to do while I am here. So let's hope it all goes well, and actually happens. Currently the weather report for tomorrow is okay, but if anything changes, the hike will not be possible.

Cross your fingers for me!]]> Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=37558 0 -0.2166667 -78.5
walking through the handicraft stallsThe most famous artisan market in Ecuador, and a must-see for most tourists, is the market in the small town of Otavalo. This town is comprised primarily of indigenous people and I believe is the only town of it's size to have an indigenous mayor. For this reason, the artisan craft market is very important to the town and the money spent there actually goes to the people responsible for providing these goods and helping out with the town. It's great.

We hopped on a few buses and headed north about 2 hours to Otavalo, were dropped on the side of the road and proceeded to follow the many locals schlepping their goods to the market. Though I arrived with four others, we nearly immediately separated and went around the market in smaller, safer groups. I meandered through the market with my housemate, Megan. Stalls after stalls after stalls of goods, mostly the same things over and over. Alpaca sweaters, blankets, gloves, scarves, ponchos. Knit sweaters, ponchos, gloves, hats, scarves, slippers, socks, etc. Bags of all sizes, ranging from carry-on size duffle bags (in all colors) to tiny change purses (the size of a small matchbox). Instruments, gourds, carved figurines, ceramic teapots weaved into baskets (my favorite had a snake as the spout). Chess sets, crucifixes, pipes, jewelry galore. Panama hats, fedoras, leather cowboy/Indiana Jones hats, knit caps. Scarves of all colors, lengths, textures, materials, qualities. Hammocks, guitars, vegetable magnets, serving trays, table cloths, tapestries. Colors everywhere--it was intense. Also in tents. =)

spices, grains, herbs

We had a busy day of haggling and shopping, bumping into others we knew along the way, and then losing them again. We even ran into our friend Felim's fellow volunteers when Meg and I sat down to lunch--they'd lost him nearly immediately after reaching the market, and we'd seen him briefly an hour previous. Meg also saw a guy with whom she went to university. Crazy.

Another fun part of this day, other than the extreme color stimulation and shopper's high, was running into some people from Ibarra. Meg and I were approached by a group of four students from an English school in their city, 30 miutes from Otavalo. Apparently, they come down each Saturday (the only day this huge market runs) to practice their English with tourists. We chatted for 15 minutes or so and were invited to visit them and be guided around at any time. They were very sweet.

After a long day of shopping, Meg and I found the bus station, hopped on, chatted for a while and took a nice snooze before we got back to Quito. A good day, overall.]]> Sun, 16 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=37121 0 0.2333333 -78.2666667 Petty crime (mostly pickpocketing) is rampant in Quito. It's a known problem and has been for years. However, over the last month we've heard more stories of violent crimes. Each moment on the street I must have my guard up and am constantly looking around to see who my company is. Paranoia has taken over my life.

Also within the last week there have been too many experiences to relate of people I know being robbed, pickpocketed, assaulted, etc. It's not so much fun.

For any of you who are in Quito, or planning on visiting, don't be detered from visiting--this city has many wonderful things. Just be really careful. It gets dark at 6, so even though 730 seems like a safe time to still be walking on the street, watch your surroundings and take a cab if possible--it has proven to be unsafe to be on the street at this time.

For me, living in a city has many perks. I love being able to walk around and see what's going on in my neighborhood, or walk to the market to get my veggies or meet friends for a juice or coffee. But the security of a cab ride is preferable to a paranoid walk down the street with the same end goal. Plus, cabs are relatively cheap here--with a minimum of a dollar in the daytime (about a 5 minute ride costs a dollar) and a dollar-fifty starting at 10pm, it's a good choice.

The moral of the story: keep your eyes open, use your brain, and take a cab.]]> Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=37120 0 -0.2166667 -78.5 So Saturday a group of friends and I went to TeleferiQo (the cable cars that bring you up Pichincha on the western side of the city) and from there we hiked Rucu Pichincha.

the path continues...hiking Rucu Pichinicha

The hike was a lot of fun. I love being outdoors and seeing new things. The speed at which the clouds move up there was incredible and surprising. I took quite a few photos, so check out the complete selection on my webshots page. It's so strange though, because if many of the photos, I could see much clearer than my camera could capture!

On Sunday my housemate Megan and I visited the village of Atahualpa with Megan's Spanish teacher (who is also our friend), Christina. About two hours north of Quito, we left super early in the morning...I woke up at 4:47am to get ready to go--up before the sun. We arrived around 9am to Christina's family home, had a snack (including queso fresco Christina's mom María had made the day before from their cows) and toured their land and met some of the animals. Christina's mother, father and brother live and work their farm. They have 7 cows, 1 horse, dozens of hens, chicks and roosters, a handful of rabbits, a dozen or so guinea pigs, some other birds, a few dogs and puppies!!, and a cat. It's a busy place. They also grow 2 types of corn--one for the animals, and one for them.

Then we went out to explore the town. Every moment I was amazed by the beauty of this village. Natural beauty energizes me.

Eventually we ended our joy ride and hiked down to the river, then descended the slippery, muddy rock face to get to the riverbed. Christina and Megan were adventurous enough to brave crossing the river, jumping from rock to rock, but I chose to take the high road--crossing the rotting fallen log bridge that lay across the river while documenting their progress. Christina was sure footed, but Megan fell a few times, ending up with drenched boots. She was a trooper though!

We arrived back at home in time for lunch: soup (with freshly slaughtered chicken on the side to accomodate my vegetarian habit--how sweet!), rice and broccoli salad. Yum. We also had fresh apple cider. Delish.

The reason we went home with Christina this weekend was because it was the beginning of their town's patron saint/virgin celebration. During lunch, the fireworks started going off to tell the townspeople the beginning of the fesitivities were nearing. The band had already begun to play and the procession in progress by the time we got there, but we joined in the parade of dance performers, band members, and virgen memorial carriers down to the town church and park.

the youngest group's dancers

I loved this small town life! It was also great because Megan and I were to only gringas in sight for most of the day. A few others live there, apparently volunteering to support tourism (but they're not doing too great so far since we're the only non-locals they've seen since they arrived).

After the dances and music commenced, we met some of Christina's other family--her sister Anita and Christina's nieces, one of whom performed in one of the dances. After jovial conversation in the park, Christina, her niece Irma, Megan and I went to the cemetary to visit the grave of Christina's brother who died as a child. Unfortunately, the gate was locked. Instead, we climbed over the walls and went on with our business. Cemetaries in Ecuador are a little different from ones I've visited in the States. In this cemetary there was the traditional structure in which the remains are protected and each grave has a memorial window to give respect and honor to the deceased, sometimes with photographs or knickknacks, flowers or sweets. Things to remember the dead. Since el día de los difuntos wasn't long ago, most of the graves were freshly visited and decorated, though they may always be so, I'm not sure. There were also graves more similar to graves in the states, with the deceased buried in the ground with some sort of headstone. This cemetary also had a maze of carved hedges. It was beautiful and I enjoyed visiting it. By the time we left, others had entered the cemetary as well and we were able to borrow a key to let ourselves out, rather than hoist ourselves over the 6 ft walls again.

We spent a bit more time in the town center, playing fooseball in the street, eating ice cream, and socializing before the bus ride back to Quito. I had so much fun in this village, I didn't want to leave at all. All of Christina's family was so sweet and welcoming. The culture in this village was amazing. Everyone was friendly and interested in us and wanting to learn more about us. This is the Ecuadorian culture I was expecting all along, and I finally found it. Warm, welcoming, loving.]]> Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=36848 0 0.1333333 -78.3833333 This is true. It helps that Ecuador has only 2 seasons--wet and dry. We are now transitioning between the two seasons and the discrepancy between the two climates is huge.

For example, this morning when I returned from my morning class I sat outside in my yard to grade papers and then read for leisure. The sky was a brilliant blue, not a cloud in sight. The sun was strong and made it delightfully warm. From the hour or so I spent in direct sunlight, my shoulders burnt a bit and my arms got a bit darker.
This has been typical on weekdays--though rain and clouds in the morning also happens, usually on weekends (to ruin my plans, of course).

Afternoons are a different story. You used to be able to set your watch by the storms; come 3 o'clock, there will be rain. However, this pattern has been upset and now you never now when the rain will hit.
When I looked out my window at 3:15 this afternoon, the sky was ominously dark and ferocious looking clouds were littering the sky. I tried to gather my things quickly and get to school before the storm hit, but missed my window of opportunity. Literally as I was walking down the stairs to leave, the torrential downpour began. I put on my rain coat, clutched my bag close to me, and prayed my umbrella would keep some of the rain off me.

The walk to school is not long, but in this type of rain it's terrible. Not only were sheets of rain coming down, but there were also spurts of hail and thunder so strong it was setting off car alarms. Needless to say, I arrived at school soaked. Though my rain coat had protected me sufficiently, my pants were drenched and I left puddles in my wake.
However, I was not as bad off as a few of my students who had come without umbrellas today (why anyone would leave without an umbrella is beyond me--mine is my trusty sidekick). Soaked through, I sent them to the cafeteria to get hot drinks to warm up before starting class.

Soon, I look forward to returning home, getting some dry clothes (especially shoes) and having a nice evening with friends. This is bound to be a busy weekend...with a hike tomorrow morning and a festival in a town a few hours north of here on Sunday. I can't wait!]]> Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=36325 0 -0.2166667 -78.5 During my sub block, I was watching the first votes come in on cnn....thrilled to see Vermont give Obama his first three votes. Woot. Once work got out, I rushed home to continue watching the results with my roommates, and have some 2x1 Tuesday pizza. Sitting in the living room, watching more and more states report, I was a wreck. I couldn't stop fidgeting and I making cynical and bitter remarks. With the past election, I learned not to count my chickens before they hatch, so I was not going to make the same mistake again. I was doubtful of many statistics due to the low number of precincts, and wouldn't let myself get ahead of the facts. The whole night I knew I wouldn't believe anything until morning...I'd have to pinch myself to see if it were real. So eventually, I settled down and fell asleep with my computer beside my bed. At that time, Obama was practically there...I think I missed the "official" announcement by 20 minutes or so...but my cynicism wouldn't have let me relish in it anyway....they've announced wrong presidential winners before. However, checking the results was the first thing I did when I woke up in the middle of the night, and again in the morning before class.

My favorite fun election facts: Vermont came in 3rd with highest voting percentage for Obama at 67%, following Hawaii at 72% and DC at 93%. And (courtesy of Matthew), out of all of New England, there was only one county that Obama did not win. He got 66 out of 67 counties in New England. Woot. I'm glad that's what I call home.

Wednesday morning was a good morning. Everyone seemed to be in higher spirits. One of my students asked, "Are you having a good day?" and I responded, "Yes, everyday should be better now." I know change will take time, especially with how troubled the US is right now, left in shambles by Bush, but I have faith that Obama can make it happen...we just have to have faith and patience.

Other than politics, things have been pretty normal. Monday was a holiday here, because of día de los difuntos, so it's been a 4 four work week. And I've got to say--I'm really enjoying the shortened work week.

Today is also a beautiful day, a nice change from the chillier, rainy days we had all weekend. Three days of miserable weather, making it impossible to do any of the things I wanted to do around town. And with the more constant rain and clouds, the days have become chillier (by Quito standards) and my room doesn't get warmer than 59 degrees fahrenheit...even if there is morning sun streaming through my windows.

A few of my friends have only a few short weeks left in Quito so I've been trying to see them as much as possible, and we're making plans to finish up the necessary sight seeing and adventure having before they depart, inshallah.

Well, I must go and take advantage of some of this sunshine. Hope there's some sunshine over on your end as well. =)]]> Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=36256 0 -0.2166667 -78.5 Backtracking...last weekend I visited one of the must-see tourist attractions in Quito: El Panecillo (little bread loaf), where the Virgen de Quito statue is located. You can see the statue from the center of the city and it helps to orient us, knowing the statue is always south. However, once there, we realized there is still a large portion of the city south of this statue!

Virgen de Quito

view of the city from Panecillo

One more thing, I've added a few photos from my canyoning adventure in Baños earlier this month. See my photo website for more shots of this day. We were very lucky that our guide had a waterproof digital and could document this awesome day. So cool. Though for some reason my facial expressions are sometimes unfortunate and odd--usually because the guide was saying something to me or I was reacting toward him in some way--we were very much like siblings in our interactions...it was unusual, and pretty cool. Anyway, check those out later if you're interested. =)]]> Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=35744 0 -0.2166667 -78.5 My days consist of basically the same things: teaching, planning, grading, grocery shopping, running in Parque Carolina, running errands, cooking and eating. I've been spending more time with my roommates and see my other friends who live together in "the Embassy" throughout the week as well. I also started Spanish conversation lessons this week which I am really enjoying. Though I speak Spanish with some people in my house, at school I must speak English and most of my friends are English speakers so I've been having a hard time finding time and opportunities to practice. This is a wonderful beginning--but I still need to get out and talk to more locals.

I've also been keeping up with sports back in the States, watching most of the World Series and catching some Monday Night football as well. I am so glad to have such nice cable at my house! Of course the commentary is in Spanish, but that makes it all the more interesting!

Halloween is now upon us, as is the Day of the Dead. Halloween is kind of controversial here, depending on who you talk to. However, we're still getting all decked out for a Halloween bash my roommates are throwing. I also look forward to some of the local traditions and festivities. For example, only at this time of year can you enjoy the typical colada morada and guagua de pan--the first being a warm, purple, fruit drink, the second being a small bread loaf in the shape of a baby, decorated with icing. I believe I'll have to visit a cemetery on Sunday to get the full experience, though i don't want to be intruding on families visiting their families either. I'll have to tread lightly.

That's all for now. Have a safe and happy Halloween!]]> Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=35663 0 -0.2166667 -78.5 1) a man urinating on the sidewalk
2) a squished bird
3) a very dirty diaper behind the bus stop shelter
4) a little boy pouring his bag of chifles on the ground, staring at them, and then putting them back into the bag
5) sunshine, blue skies (usually mornings)
6) ominous clouds followed by sheets of rain and a drenched Theresa (afternoon and onward)
7) garbage trucks driving away while the collectors run after the truck throwing (most of) the trash into the back

The answer is, “things Theresa sees on her way to/from work.”

Week one is done, and I am feeling a bit more sluggish. This is definitely a new schedule for me, but I’m getting used to it. I am glad to be doing something again as well. Though I enjoyed my 2 weeks of vacation, I’m glad to have a purpose again—and that would be teaching English. I teach 2 classes: one from 7-9am, one from 4-6pm. Then I hang out at school for my third 2-hour shift as a substitute, to fill in for teachers in that building when needed, from 6-8. What a joy. I mean, I like getting up early, but having my workday so spread out makes me feel like each workday is really 2 days. I’ll get used to it though, and it does allow me to take advantage of the daytime hours so for that I am thankful. I just have to get around to actually taking advantage of these hours. Maybe next week, when I’m more used to this new life style.

I’m enjoying my classes and learning about all the protocol and processes in the English branch of the university for which I teach. It’s pretty crazy. This cycle (each year has 5 cycles of classes) the number of students skyrocketed. There are now over 4,000 students studying here, 40 new teachers, but all the same materials, classrooms and building staff (yikes!).

I teach in two different buildings and luckily am perfectly situated to have short commutes wherever I need to go. It’s less than 10 minutes walking to any of the buildings—there are four classroom sites that we work at. I teach on the university campus in the morning, and our English branch’s main building in the afternoon/evening.

Also this week, I attended some important events (at least for me). As usual, I went to the local Irish pub to watch the presidential debate. Usually, we'd go early to get good seats since this place is packed with USers on debate nights. But since I was working until 8 I didn't have this luxury. Luckily, not all of us work until 8, so I at least had a stool to sit on, even if there was no table for my dinner (potato wedges--not much vegetarian fare at this place). That night I also found out they'd be showing the "win or go home" Red Sox game the following evening. It was decided then and there that I'd have to return the next night. This time though, I planned ahead. I knew I'd be late for the game, due to my work schedule, and again starving, so I made extra lunch and packed it up for dinner, to eat during my sub period. Good plan, right? Wrong. You actually have to remember the plan before you leave the house to make it work. I forgot my dinner in the fridge, so another night of potato wedges for me. But the game was great. It was weird to watch it without sound, there were plenty of people there not for the game, but I was just glad to be able to see my boys play. =)

Alright, well I’ve got some planning to do for this week, finishing up 2 units and preparing for the first test (yup, a test already…students have tests every 2 weeks). Hope you’re all well. =)
]]> Sat, 18 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=34750 0 -0.2166667 -78.5 The bus ride to Atacames was rather nice. Very comfortable bus, decent leg room, and a comfortable temperature—more than I can say for most other long distance rides I’ve taken. They also played two movies during the 6.5 hour ride. However, they were both a bit violent for my liking, so I stuck to reading, listening to music, and admiring the gorgeous scenery of Ecuador passing outside the window.

Once in Atacames, we took a rickshaw taxi to our hostel and checked in. Due to the holiday, it was a very busy weekend. Even though we’d reserved a room in advance, when we arrived, they’d already given out the room. The only room left was a tiny 2-bunk cabin, so Meadhbh and I shared a bed that night and we only had to pay for 2 people. When you’re on the coast, the main food group is seafood. This limits my menu considerably, but for my companions it was a chance to have fresh, local fare. While Meadhbh enjoyed her mystery fish, Ayla unfortunately got a bad shrimp in her mix and was sick for nearly the rest of the weekend. =( But she was a good sport and says she still had fun.

Meadhbh and I ventured forth to sample the abundant night life in Atacames. This city is one that lives off tourism. When there are no tourists, I’m told it’s a very different place. However, due to the holiday weekend, the city was chock full of tourists—most of whom were Ecuadorian. All along the beach were bars and restaurants, each blasting their own music, making an interesting soundtrack for the areas, blending many songs into one. Each place was packed with people of all ages. Even families were present. Fathers dancing with daughters, friends laughing and playing in the sand, mothers rocking sleeping babies (though how they could sleep through so much noise is beyond me), and new friends being made everywhere. We found a kind of quiet corner with a hammock in which to observe the scene and enjoy the local, tropical fruit drinks.

The next morning, after getting a quick breakfast with a delicious goblet of fresh juice (I drank more than my share of fruits this weekend), we all headed to the beach.

the beach, a little overcast

When we returned we switched cabins to a 3-bunk, more spacious abode though closer to the street. It was quite loud, as you could hear everything going on outside the walls. Ayla said it felt like “sleeping on the sidewalk,” but we managed it.

Eventually we made our way to lunch, trying out the local places, following the guide of “Trust Ecuadorian stomachs, if they eat there, you can eat there.” So we found some packed restaurant venues on the sides of streets and I inquired if they had vegetarian plates. My first response was “Vegetarian plate? What’s that?” So we moved on. Eventually we just sat down somewhere and I ordered rice, salad and patacones…knowing that these came with all the other meals so they’d have to have them for me too. Meadhbh braved the fish again, and it came whole and fried. Fried eyes look weird. We also had nice cold drinks courtesy of the wait staff that goes out and buys the drinks from nearby tiendas (stores/holes in the wall that sell you things…delightful) when you ask for them.

After lunch we read in poolside hammocks at out hostel and did some swimming as well. Ayla forwent dinner since she was feeling ill again, so it was just Meadhbh and I again. We chose a balcony restaurant overlooking the beach and then headed down for some live entertainment afterward. The first place we went had a dance troupe performing when we arrived. It was really cool, and I was sad when they were done, but there was still some entertainment. Instead of bar stools, this bar had swings. Other tables and benches were shaped like rowboats. It was quite unique. And I thoroughly enjoyed swinging there, but we made it an early night anyway—the strong sun that day definitely tired us out!

Sunday was more overcast than the day before, but that didn’t deter us—nor anyone else—from going to the beach. A bit chillier than the day before, and at times a misting rain, made this less than ideal for me, but “perfect beach weather” for Ayla. Both my companions were nursing sun burns from the previous day so they were fine with a little less sunshine. I just accepted it as it was, knowing it was more sun and heat than I’d have in Quito (and news was it rained a bit there this past weekend, so I’m certainly grateful for the beautiful weather I enjoyed in Atacames).

A quick walk down the beach, cleaning up and checking out of our cabin, we found ourselves on the street around 1, needing to entertain ourselves until our 4pm bus. We headed down to the beachfront amenities and had a few snacks and played some cards. We also ran into some friends stopping in to eat lunch on the way back from a more deserted beach a little over an hour south down the coast. It’s amazing—I really can’t go anywhere in Ecuador without running into someone I know!

A quick lunch, some snacks from the tienda for the bus ride and we were off, back to the sierra. However, this bus ride was not nearly as enjoyable as the last. The bus had a slight odor, it was unbearable hot at times, and there were many unidentifiable bugs scurrying along the floor, walls, seats, etc. Gross. Ayla squished just about every one she saw. I tried to just ignore them.

All in all, it was a wonderful beach vacation. Relaxing.
]]> Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=3507 http://www.blogabond.com/CommentView.aspx?commentID=34400 0 0.8666667 -79.85