Pase del Niño

December 24th…while my friends and family are running around, frantically worrying about getting last-minute gifts, I was gallivanting the blocks of Calle Simon Bolivar, taking in the colorful and bizarre splendor of the great parade, Pase del Niño.

The temperature hit almost 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but the thousands and thousands of people participating in the parade continued to dance and prance down the street. Children, dressed in elaborate costumes, rode on top of horses carrying saddlebag adorned with fruit, vegetables, candy, and meat. Adults donned unbelievable costumes and chased each other around, and groups performed indigenous dances for the spectators as marching bands played behind them.

The parade was incredible and beautiful, and sometimes pretty bizarre (I saw a sheep with tootsie roll pops tied around it.) The Pase del Niño started in the morning and continued for most of the afternoon, and it’s a tradition that is very important in Cuenca. In fact, people prepare all year for this event. While December 25^th may be the big day back home in the USA, here it’s all about the 24^th and the huge procession of kids and families holding Baby Jesus dolls. And you know what? I think I enjoyed just as much, if not more, than the frantic, freezing holidays in the States.

Oh Yeah, It's the Holidays

I love living here. Christmas is so chill. So much so, that sometimes I forget about it. In a good way though; what’s important here is celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, not buying the perfect gift for your aunt that you see twice a year.

On Friday, a party was held for everyone at the school that I work at, so there were many people there that I didn’t know. It was really a nice get-together, in a beautiful venue. We were out of the city on a hacienda, with horses and lots of land, and fresh mountain air. There were games and dancing, and it was lots of fun. Nice to have off from work as well!

Saturday was the first day of summer here in the Southern Hemisphere (but they still put up snowman decorations for Christmas, go figure.) By coincidence, I went to Ingapirca with two friends on the day of the old Inca celebration to the sun god. Ingapirca is the site of Inca ruins, and we visited the old sites of the Inca King’s sleeping quarters, an ancient tomb, and the temple to the sun god. It was also cool to translate the tour guide’s Spanish into English for my friends.

Saturday night, I attended a little public concert/show that my friend’s Zumba group organized. They did a really good job! Women, men, and children dressed as angels, Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, the Three Wise Men. Others sang songs in Spanish. There were decorations, including a backdrop of stars and a little manger, gifts made of recycled and painted ice cream boxes, and a snowman made of reused plastic cups. I was reminded of the true meaning of Christmas, and I was proud of my English friend for singing songs in Spanish among a group of Cuencanos! ¡Buen trabajo!

The more I think about it, the more I want to extend my contract here…

December Update

Well, what a whirlwind! Even though the teaching cycle is over, I feel more busy than ever, but mostly in a good way (it’s no fun having too much free time to just wander aimlessly.)

I have picked up 4 tutorials for this break between cycles (although I think some of them might have to extend longer than that.) I work from 7am-12:30pm, and then again from 3-5pm. At first, I was nervous about starting work so early in the morning, but it’s really not that bad! It helps that I’m a morning person, but it’s nice to bang out those tutorials in the morning and then break for lunch. Then work from 3-5pm, and that’s a 15-hour tutorial, so it will last a little longer than a week. And lastly, it’s an extra paycheck.

I had a Skype interview with a program in South Korea to teach English. Wow! I am actually thinking of staying in Cuenca for a bit longer than June 2014, but the schools in South Korea have openings every month, so it’s not as if I have a deadline to get there. One thing at a time, I suppose.

I recently arrived back in Cuenca from a trip to Peru. It was wonderful, and I got some nice R&R. I also met some new friends and was able to just forget about everything for a few days. We all stayed in a beach house that was on a private section of beach in Ñuro, about a half hour from Mancora. The days were spent taking long strolls along the beach, collecting shells, finishing The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series (fabulous) and chatting with friends. I was also sure to pick up the ceviche recipe that was prepared for us, so my friends could enjoy it back in Cuenca (although the fresh seafood of Peru’s coast will be hard to replicate.) There was also a dog there, Prince (although she was female,) with whom I fell in love with.

And now, I am back in Cuenca. I must say, I am happy to be back here. It just feels like home, and the people are so friendly and inviting. There is a sense of community here, and I can’t help but notice how important family is…I often see siblings or children and parents walking along the streets hand-in-hand or with their shoulders around each other. I love that.

With all of these explorations, I am forgetting that it is almost time for Christmas. It’s nice not to be in that holiday rush…in fact, I often just bask in sunshine! But the holiday decorations have been put up throughout the city, and while there may be a few Santa Clauses, it’s mostly floral motifs and nativity scenes. That’s a welcome change from back home.

Speaking of nativity scenes and Christmas, I am beginning to explore my faith more. As of right now, I don’t associate with a religion, but I do believe in a higher power. I have felt some sort of absence in my life lately, and it has been suggested that maybe I delve into religion. So, little by little, I am trying to discover how to fill the gap in my life. It’s overwhelming and will take a while, but I think this is a good thing.

Happiness to all! J

A Cuencan Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all my gringo friends (even if I’m a bit late.) It’s still strange to be heading into the holiday season when the temperatures are in the 60s, there’s no forecast for snow, and I’m not being bombarded with advertisements urging me to buy! buy! buy! I have taken refuge from Black Friday, finally!

With most of the teachers at my school being from the USA, we all got together on Thursday for a Thanksgiving potluck. And with my lack of cooking skills, I opted to whip up a guacamole for the occasion. Okay, not very Thanksgiving-y, but it’s something I could manage. Guacamole is cheap, easy, and deelish!

And it pleased the others, even if it wasn’t as satisfying as the other dishes…vegetarian stuffing, honey-glazed carrots, several potato dishes (hey, it’s Ecuador AND Thanksgiving…carb it up!), roasted vegetables, rice, fruit salad, a chicken, and a few other dishes. There was a Latin-American flavor with some tostones, my guacamole and market-bought tortilla de choclo, and some sweets from a panaderia. It was a very good day, and in true Thanksgiving fashion, we all ate up!

 

Besides the food, it was great to just be with good people. The vibe was friendly and warm (like the outside temperature.) A good time was had by all, and I am thankful for the two ladies who hosted the get-together.

As I count my blessings, I realize what great friends I have here. Especially the group of friends I’ve got helping me through some rough spots. As I face these difficulties, I have become aware that there is a hole in my life…what it’s supposed to be filled with, I’m not entirely sure, but I am beginning to embrace and explore faith. We’ll see how this goes.

Be thankful for what you have, because you always have more than someone else. The good times are great, but they don’t last, so cherish the moment and don’t be shattered when it ends. Same with the bad moments; they don’t last forever, and it’s almost never as bad as we make it out to be. Anyway, the bad moments usually end up taking us somewhere…and sometimes that somewhere can be a very good place.

A Day Out of the City

What better way to spend a sunny warm Sunday than to explore the nearby towns of Gualaceo and Chordeleg with two amigas?

That is exactly what I did this past Sunday. Gualaceo and Chordeleg were only a short and cheap bus ride away from the rush and noise of Cuenca. My friends and I boarded the bus in the early afternoon, and after an hour and sixty-five cents, we arrived in the sleepy little town of Gualaceo. This town is known for its shoe retailers; and we definitely saw tons of shoes for sale. Sneakers, boots, sandals, high heels, anything. Too bad I’m perhaps the only girl in the world who is not amazed by shoes (could be the summer I spent working at a shoe store as well!)

We explored the central plaza, which was reminiscent of a mini Parque Calderon, minus all of the trees. This plaza was bathed in sunlight that warmed the townspeople who were out and about for a Sunday excursion. A fountain stood in the center of the plaza, and the periphery was lined with old-looking colonial buildings (cafes, shops, etc.) My friend commented that it looked very old-style Mexican western movie, but I really have no prior knowledge, so I took her word for it.

We slipped into a church for a little bit, and I marveled at the difference between Latin American crucifixes and those of the USA. Lots of blood; they’re not afraid of depicting the story of Jesus’ crucifixion here. I asked a gentleman in the church who was depicted in the church’s main stained-glass window, and learned that it was the church’s patron, Santiago de Gualaceo. Or is it Saint Iago de Gualaceo?

After the church, we headed up a steep hill to get to the mercado. A woman in a bakery told us it was 5 blocks away. We just kept walking and walking, stopping and asking if we were near the market, and people just kept telling us it was a few more blocks. Well, eventually, we got there, and had a fabulous view of the mountains and the town below. That’s how Ecuadorians do 5 blocks! J

In the market, we saw tons of fresh produce, fish, and meat. We noted that it was once again mostly women doing the work. We entered the food court, where I purchased some typical Ecuadorian food…tortillas de choclo, an empanada de queso, and morocho. It was delicious…and each item cost 30 cents!

After lunch, we decided to catch the bus to continue our journey on to the next town, Chordeleg. Chordeleg is known for its silver jewelry and crafts, and upon arriving, we noticed that the streetlights here were decked out in gorgeous silver handiwork! Chordeleg is chock-full of joyerias (or jewelry shops) and the prices are actually very good. Despite all of the fabulous silver, I bought a beautiful white cotton dress to use as a cover-up for my future beach trip to the coast of Peru. My friend paired the dress with a colorful scarf, and I fell in love and just had to buy the pair for $19. I’m considering it a worthy investment.      

We spent the remainder of our afternoon bopping around town and enjoying the nice weather. Ecuador has been getting rather warm lately, and it’s a bit surreal to be heading into the Christmas season while baking in the sun! I feel that I should be freezing my butt off and marveling at snow for it to be Christmastime. Ah, the experiences of travelling…

All in all, my Sunday was terrific, and we’re thinking of heading back to Chordeleg (and the neighboring SigSig) in the future.

Let the Festivities Begin

It's the very beginning of November, and you know what that means.

 Oh my gosh, I've been in Cuenca for 2 months! Where did the time go? Not quite sure, but I know it was well spent. This weekend is very active for the entire city, as everyone observes Día de Todos Santos (Friday), Día de los Difuntos (Saturday), and Cuenca's independence from Spain (Sunday). And of course, the gringos and the very few Ecuadorians who celebrated Halloween on Thursday.

 My Halloween was very quiet; I was spent by Thursday night and turned in early. Lame, but whatever.

 Friday was Día de Todos Santos (All Saints Day) and the weekend festivities were in full swing. Parades, artisans, and food vendors lined the streets. Music could be heard in any plaza. Friday night, some friends and I headed out to see what the art vendors had to offer. We looked at Panama hats, woodwork, artists doing glass-blowing, and many other things (jewelry, toys, dolls, etc.) We also stopped into one of the many cathedrals in Cuenca (I recently learned that in the past, a person had to be Catholic to be declared a citizen of Cuenca!) The cathedral was actually very pretty, and even though I don't associate myself with any organized religion, I said a quick prayer in the pews. Then, I mingled with the crowd, who was being served free horchata and bread. I sat down next to an older woman named Rosaria, and we started chatting. She was extremely kind and so down-to-earth that I asked if I could take her photograph. She agreed, and her face just held so much experience, so many stories, I wanted to talk with her the rest of the night. But my friends were looking for me, and we continued on our way.

 Saturday, I took advantage of my totally free day (usually I have a Saturday morning class to teach.) Two friends and I took the bus from La Feria Libre to Girón, less than an hour away. The bus dropped us off in the city center, and we looked around for a way to get to the waterfalls. Surely there would be no waterfalls in the city center! We managed to get a ride to the entrance of the park in Girón, and after paying the $2.00 foreigner fee (Ecuadorians pay $1.00,) we began our journey. We walked to the first waterfall, El Chorro. It was gorgeous. A tall, thin gush of water that ended in a shallow pool accompanied by a sign reading NO NADAR (NO SWIMMING.) The view was spectacular and provided for some nice photographs. We sat in a dry spot and ate our picnic lunches, then explored a bit more. Too tired to make the one-hour hike to the second waterfall (the third waterfall is even farther away,) we began our descent down the mountain. It was more than 4km to the city center, and I can't do math, but it took about an hour and a half to lug ourselves down the mountain. On the way we met some animal friends, and we admired the mountain air (no diesel fumes here!) and the beautiful views of the countryside.

 And afterwards, I was dead. Not really sure how I'm even typing this right now, because I'm still dead. Kind of ironic that the past weekend was Día de los Difuntos (Day of the Dead.)

 Sunday consisted of biking around the streets and taking in the festivities. Parades, music, dancing, vendors selling art and clothes and other things…Cuenca had it all. But I’d had my fill; I headed back home and spent some downtime relaxing and reading a good book. Later on, I met up with a friend and we walked to Parque Calderon (the main park in the city center) to see if we could find some fireworks action. We got there and saw that the Old Cathedral was open, so we went in. The building itself is gorgeous on the outside, but on the inside it’s also a wonder for the eyes. Ornate and grand, we took a seat in the back row of pews and looked at a program booklet in Spanish. Once the priest started talking and the pews filled up, we figured we should sneak out before we were committed to staying the whole time; we wanted to see the action outside! We investigated about fireworks and were told by a police officer that the fireworks were “suspended” but he didn’t know why or for how long. Folks were setting up stands to sell canelazo, colada morada, and guaguas de pan, but it seemed that any party action was going to come much later on. My friend and I were both beat, so we decided to call it a night. I spent a leisurely evening curled up in a warm bed. A very chill ending to a very active weekend.

Untitled Due to my Loss for Words

I couldn't think of an apt title for this blog post because it's such a flurry of Life, that words couldn't describe it. In short: I feel on top of the world.

This week, I gave my students their Mid-Term exam, and as I am in the process of grading them, I can't give the final word on how it went, but so far, so good! Can I just say that being on the opposite side of grades is weird. I had yet another one of those 'pinch myself'moments while I was grading Mid-Terms. It's just creepy.

This week also marked the departure of the coordinator at one of my teaching locations. Maria Augusta will be greatly missed; she was such a pleasure to see every day when I arrived to school. She handled everything that I and my fellow teachers needed, school-related or not. One of the teachers made her a cake and we all shared hugs. It was bittersweet.

In other teaching news, I have picked up an Intensive clas for the last 5 weeks of this teaching cycle. I am thrilled because 1) it gives me more work, so I feel that I'm actually working, and not just part-timing it; and 2) it gives me a bigger paycheck, which we all know I need. I will be teaching another 201-level class, so no extra planning will be needed, really. Sweet.

I also was approached by my neighbor, who asked if I would give him private English lessons. Um, yes! We'll see how it goes; we should start on Tuesday.

And I am also continuing my salsa-dancing lessons. I love these classes! I'm in the beginner's class, but it's still such a blast! I am a dancing toothpick.

For anyone interested in the weather here, Cuenca has been remaining true to its word for being a rainy city. Six straight days of rain, and I was ready to pull my hair out. Yet, Friday cleared up and Saturday was absolutely gorgeous. How perfect; just in time for the weekend. Saturday was perhaps one of those every-once-in-a-while-oh-my-gosh-this-day-is-perfect days. After my morning class, some friends and I went to Parque Paraiso for a picnic and lots of walking. The park was full of happy and friendly people (and a dog who opted to swim with the ducks and swans in the lake.) Later, I met with a local friend and had a fabulous gabfest (one of my favorite things to do.) By 8pm, the rain had returned, but it was okay because I had a full day of fun in the sun. I headed to my amiga's house to meet up and head out yet again to a cafe for dinner. We ended up at a gringo place, but the food was tasty, the environment was cozy (we ate cuddled up next to a crackling fireplace; perfect for my wet shoes and socks!) and we met a traveller from the Bay Area of California. We got very chatty, and we all shared our experiences (travelling and otherwise. Our new friend mentioned the waterfalls in nearby Giron; something to definitely plan a daytrip for.) It was a great ending to a great day. Not to sound too cheesy. Maybe just a little.

In other good news, my grandmother is set to come back home on Thursday. EXCELLENT. I see a Skype date in my future.

I also hope I see a new place to live in the future. Not that I'm not satisfied living where I am, but it's not super-comfortable. And I'm thinking of staying here longer than a year, so I want to feel more at home in the place where I'm living. We'll see.

I check in on Facebook periodically to remind myself that other people are doing super-awesome things while I am as well. It's a bit strange and funny to read about friends who are still at my college, especially the ones who are Seniors and pursuing Honors Theses and such (ah, good times...) Actually, I was recently contacted by my 8th grade History teacher to write a little something for her current/future students. Just a little blurb about when we graduated from the 8th grade and what we're up to now. Kind of an inspirational thing. I think it's a wonderful idea, and I think the kids back in my hometown need it (it's not the brightest and happiest place in the world nowadays.) I am also writing a testimony for the scholarship I was awarded a couple of years ago...the one that made my current situation possible. I have so much gratitude for all of the people who made this possible. Ah, I'm getting all emotional again!

So to finish off this post, I will conclude with my recent "Oh wow, I'm in Cuenca" moments...I am determined to try my second trial of patacon-making, I continue to see how kick-ass the women are here (a group of men in hard hats and boots, laying in the grass in a circle, chit-chatting while two women paved the road next to them...hmm...machismo much?), I am keeping my eyes on the skies for incoming rain showers, I am practicing my Cuencana slang, and I witnessed a random parade again in the street.

I saw a man standing on the corner this morning. "You look so happy standing there," I told him. "Life is good," he tells me. My reply: "Isn't it though?"

Weekend Review

Another weekend in Cuenca, another Sunday reflecting on how things are a-changing.

Friday included a fabulous potluck with some teachers from the CEDEI. Everyone can cook very well! And since we’re all broke, it was a lot of vegetarian food. On top of that, the potluck was held in the home of two of the teachers (a couple,) and their house is absolutely gorgeous…they live in a house separate from the owners, in which they have their bedroom, living room, bathroom, and kitchen. The place is decorated with mementos from South America, and there is a huge garden with avocado and lemon trees, spinach, and lovely flowers. The owners live across the garden in their own house, and they have three mop-headed dogs who are very sweet. Friday was also game day for some football (which is what I call soccer now) and it was Ecuador (Cuenca) vs. Uruguay. The dogs sported their Ecuador jerseys along with some of the other teachers. Guess who won? Ecuador, of course! We watched the game on television and afterwards as I was strolling down the streets with a fellow teacher, cars passed by honking their horns and sporting Ecuador flags and shouting for the football team. And I rooted along with them.

My friend and I stopped in one of my favorite cafés, where she got a coffee. I opted for some Colombian drink. It was non-alcoholic; seemed more like a soy milk with cinnamon concoction, and I remembered it being very tasty when my other friend ordered it a few weeks ago when I took a sip from hers. But when I had this drink on Friday, five minutes later I felt nauseated and dizzy and light-headed. The room was spinning and I felt gross, and I had to run to the bathroom. This happened twice, and I finally put the drink aside and went to a farmacia to find some pills. I was out of sorts the rest of the night and got home and plopped into bed at 10:30pm…but didn’t fall asleep until after 4:00am. I just lay in bed hoping to fall asleep, although I was getting some cool visions for future artwork (was that a side effect of the drink?)

I woke up at 6:30am to get ready to teach my Saturday class, and things went well. They were being brats (as 13-year-old,s especially boys do) but some experienced teachers gave me a pep talk during my break and I managed to get their attention after that. Still learning the ways of a teacher, you know.

After class I enjoyed a nice lunch with some teachers and then we hit up the Mall del Rio, and discovered that this is where the ricos hang out. It seemed reminiscent of malls in the States, although it was strange to see a Subway and a KFC mixed in with the ceviche places. We stopped by a visiting chocolate exhibit, which was pretty cool. A cuy made of chocolate…oh boy!

That night, I met with a new friend in Cuenca, and we passed the time over dinner at a café, where we chatted about lots of things, all fantastic! I eagerly await our next get-together!

There’s been a lot of rain this weekend, but today I met with another friend (from Peru) who is also very kind. As I was waiting for her, some Ecuadorians and I chatted in Spanish. They asked where I was from, and here I feel comfortable telling the truth…soy de Filadelfia, Estados Unidos. They were from Guayaquil (and one guy from Colombia) and they were fascinated by me…a young girl travelling alone. ¿Sola? ¿¡Viaja sola?! After we talked, they needed a photo with the gringa; I felt like a tourist attraction…but it’s all good. I met with my friend, and I ordered a coffee thinking it would help me stay alert, and it did, but even with milk, I still am not keen on the taste of coffee. Oh well, no pasa nada. It did keep me awake though!

Later, a good teacher friend and I went to La Feria Libre, a huge market that has pretty much anything you could want (or not want.) I bought some plantains so that I could make some patacones, which turned out not horrible, but not great. I also made some gazpacho which I am excited to try. And I was thrilled to buy a nice big bag of mote! Finally; I’ve been in Ecuador for over a month and haven’t eaten mote yet? What’s wrong with me?!

The rest of the night is for typical Sunday night behavior: a good book and lots of rest. Sounds good to me!

Parque Paraiso

“¿Donde estoy?” I ask the ice cream vendor. “Parque Paraíso.”

Paraíso. Paradise.

It lives up to its name.

I discovered this gem earlier this week. I had heard about it a bit, but it wasn’t until I ventured out on my bike along one of the rivers (I still don’t know the names of the 4 rivers!) that I stumbled upon this place. I was intrigued by a bike/walking path along the water’s edge, so I followed it. I followed it and followed it and followed it. And then I came into a clearing full of colorful playground equipment (some of it still being installed) and wide open green areas. Ah, green space in Cuenca! It was such a welcome sight after trudging through the crazy city center, with its diesel fuel, dare-devil drivers, and honking taxis.

Parque Paraíso has trails for walking, jogging, biking, whatever. The trails take you through the park and into a wooded area, and then the path splits into a dirt trail for bicycles and a wooden walkway for those on foot. There is a huge lake that has paddleboats sitting in it. Flowers pop up to add a colorful vibe. Signposts encourage people to clean up after their dogs, throw their trash in the garbage bins, and to not disturb the plant life. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know I’ve been around Philly a lot, but at least I can breathe there most of the time. In Cuenca, I feel that my lungs are getting used to less oxygen, but they’re also being polluted by toxic fumes. In this fabulous park though, I felt free.

The sound of the water rushing in the river, the yells of children playing futbol (soccer), the flock of birds cawing at each other; it was all so nice. This is a park where people come to exercise, have picnics, photograph their grandchildren while they sit on the giant rocks, or cuddle with their lover.

Almost every day this past week I visited this park, usually before work. The more time I spent there, the better I felt. I was outside, I was away from technology, I was alone (but in a good way) and I was at peace.

Paradise.

Dedication to mi padre

My father's birthday is tomorrow, October 9th. That's also a significant date in Ecuador's history (the port city of Guayaquil's independence.) What do you do for your old man when you're in a foreign country, mailing/shipping anything takes what seems like forever, and uh...you're broke?

I guess you try to Skype him and tell him how much you love him and thank him immensely for helping you reach for your dreams. I can't recall a time when he discouraged me from pursuing my interests, even when I declared myself an Art major in college. He was there to help me when I was flunking math, he was there to drive me to dance class (and go to my recitals) and he was there to stand there perplexed when I went through an awkward teenage phase. He took me to get my braces and afterwards took me to Boston Market. He repeatedly ok'd spur-of-the-moment sleepovers with my childhood friends. He caught me getting lip action in the first grade in his basement and didn't freak out (at least not in front of me.)

He's a wonderful, super-cool, incredible dad who sacrifices so much for me. I'm thankful that I can call him my dad, and I hope that I live up to his expectations for me. I miss him a lot, and I hope that he realizes that I wouldn't be where I am or doing what I'm doing if it weren't for him. Te amo, papa!

Weekend Update

I feel that my weekend was time well spent in Cuenca. Even though I have this weird stomach bug thing, but hopefully that'll just go away on its own.

Saturday morning was spent teaching my Saturday 201 class. I had two chatty boys, so I teased them by asking them if they were flirting with each other, since this week's topic was "Love." I had my students write cute little love stories for me. Hahaha, cruel and unusual punishment, maybe. I felt a little icky in the stomach while teaching, but I felt better by the end of class. I met up with some other teachers/friends for lunch. On the way there, we passed a woman washing her clothes in the river and a display tram car. Cuenca is getting a new tram railway system, and it's becoming the talk of the town (at least among gringos.) I think a tram system for Cuenca is a good development, but not at the cost of hurting farmers and people who depend on the land for their income and food. But I suppose there's no turning back on this project now; French workers have moved into Cuenca to begin construction.

My friends and I lunched at Good Affinity, a vegetarian restaurant near my one friend's apartment. I heard good things about Good Affinity, and I am now a believer. It's fabulous, and all veggie-friendly. They give you generous portions for a decent price...empanadas verdes, bok choy, veggie spring rolls, soy, peppers, cauliflour, soup, soy milk, juice, and more round out the menu...it's Asian-fusion food. And the atmosphere is very chill, relaxing, and gave me good vibes. I'll be back. I got a decent lunch for $2.50.

After lunch, we headed to my friend's apartment, since she's finally settled in. She's living in "Gringolandia" where many expats live, so prices are pretty hiked up there. It's easy to see that her neighborhood is a bit more bucks-up than the city center. Her apartment is very nice, and she's next to the river, so the sound of rushing water is quite peaceful. We all spent some time chatting at her place before heading to the SUPERMAXI (for gringos and rich Ecuadorians) where I got my discount card, although I don't really buy much there (I prefer the local mercados and panaderias.)

After that, I went back home, where I proceeded to feel icky again til I went to bed. Womp. Sunday, I felt on-and-off all day (right now, I'm good.) I went for a bike ride in the morning, as is my daily grind, and I stumbled upon the Mall del Rio (where the really rich Ecuadorians go.) I didn't go in, since it was about 8:30am, but the place looks huge, and at least now I know I can bike there. I also found a really cool park, which I think is Parque Paraiso (Paradise Park!) and it had lots of paths and trails for running, jogging, walking, or biking, and it also had lots of playground equipment. A zipline! I think I found a route I can stick with! It runs alongside the river, which is also fun!

After that, I met up with some language exchange partners. A female studying English who is originally from Peru, and a guy studying English while working in Systems Engineering who is from Guayaquil, Ecuador. They were both really cool and we hit it off; we'll be meeting up again soon. The guy told me about a Venezuelan place that serves Venezuelan arepas...oh my gosh, I need to check that out! Might be where our next meet-up is!

Later that day, I went home to clean up my bike because it's gross and my housemate (a.k.a. "bike lifesaver") helped me out a lot. It took well over an hour to semi-clean up my chain and all that other stuff that I didn't know the names for...drive train, de-railer...so now it's lubed up and hopefully satisfactory. "A" for effort?

The rest of my Sunday is feeling chill (that has been the feeling all weekend, and for that I am extremely grateful.) I am lesson-planned for all of October, and I am getting into the next novel I'm reading (Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) even though it took me 100 or so pages to get into it. I Skyped with my dad yesterday and today, and he's well. My grandmother is doing better and has been moved to a Rehabilitation Center, which is reassuring. He'll visit her this week, and hopefully I can Skype with her as well. Last night, my dad showed me his Halloween display, and I am missing Halloween a lot! But, my language partner who attends the University of Cuenca told me about a Halloween fiesta the English students are going to have, and it sounds like fun! So tonight, I relax, I thank The Great Mystery, and I pray that my ick has gone away!

Two Weeks in a Nutshell

Ay, where has the time gone? Keeping up with a blog is tougher than one might think! Luckily for me, I have a nice, relaxing evening to retell how life in Cuenca has been going.

So...let's start with teaching. Do I love it? Yes. Although the seasoned teachers here think my outlook is so innocent and rosy. Hah, little do they know I'm used to having no income, so working for less than $10/hour is a welcome change in my life! I still absolutely love my 201 class that I teach Monday-Thursday. The other day I just did not want to go to work. So imagine my joy when I got into my 201 class and an hour and 15 minutes later, I didn't want to leave! That's when you know you have a rewarding job. Obviously, being an Art major in college (before adding a second major in Spanish,) my top priority wasn't a huge paycheck. I love this job...I teach some great kids, I learn more about myself in the process, and uh hello, I'm in ECUADOR. Thankfulness is overflowing my insides right now.

My Saturday 201 class (full of 13-year-olds) is actually pretty fun. Yeah, sometimes they're chatty (and then at other times oddly zombie-like,) but they're good kids, even if they are here against their will. They put forth effort for 4 hours on a Saturday morning, which is more than I can say for the kids in my neighborhood back home. It amazes me here how many parents want to send their children to English classes. These kids go to school in the mornings and afternoons, some have extracurricular activities, not to mention homework and other household chores, and then they come to English school in the evenings or weekends. And they're not super-horrible brats. I find that pretty remarkable.

The childrens class is still a struggle for me. I don't know if the girls just don't like me too much, or if they're painfully shy, or just...not trying. I gave them a quiz on Unit 1, and they scored a 73% and a 47%. So, I reviewed with them and gave them a re-take. Immediately before the re-take, I reviewed the exact verbs and grammar points that would be on the quiz. And they scored a 90% and a 30%. Hmm...there's a disconnect here somewhere...I'm meeting with one of the lead teachers on Monday (the ninos expert,) and I pray that this will help me. Because I feel like a baby chick that jumped from the coop and fell straight down onto the pavement. SPLAT! My only preference for next cycle: No Ninos Classes, Please.

On a lighter note, payday was on Wednesday, and oh my, it feels great to have some moolah in my pocket. I'm trying, really trying, to save money for a December trip to Peru, since there are almost no classes during that month for holiday. I really wish I could pick up some side jobs, but so far, it's been no dice.

I just realized that I said "for holiday." I picked up different sayings and such during my experiences with people from different parts of the world. In the States, that would be "for vacation."

Last weekend, I headed to the zoo with a couple of friends. We heard it would entail a lot of walking, but man oh man, I wasn't expecting the amount of hiking required for this zoo. I'm glad we opted to take a taxi, even if the driver did charge us $5 to get there. Once you get to the zoo, you're actually at the bottom of a mountain. You can spend 30 minutes trekking up the slopeside, or you can use a vehicle (in our case, the taxi.) Then you're at the actual entrance. Sort of. You walk up another little hill and then you get to the main office to buy your ticket. I passed for a joven, or youth (13-17 years old.) Discount, baby! Once we were in the zoo, it started to rain, which is typical Cuenca. We waited it out by eating our packed lunches and chit-chatting about our plans for Peru (I still have to do a lot of investigating into that.) Once the rains subsided, we headed out on our on way through the park.

Now, as sad as I feel for the animals in the zoo, I have to say that I liked seeing all of the animals. I don't like that they're locked up in very small spaces and that they are simply fed (as opposed to actually hunting or searching for their food.) Also, some animals were housed all alone in their exhibits (I don't like calling them that, but that's essentially what they are.) A positive thing about the zoo in Cuenca is that the animals in there are mostly native to the area. There were no rhinos or elephants or zebras or giraffes. But there were lions and tigrillos and bears. Oh my! And lots of birds and monkeys and of course llamas. There was also a puma habitat; what a majestic animal.

A highlight of the visit was the turtle habitat. Okay, I know what you're thinking: "Turtles? Really?" But this was epic. There were two turtles (probably male; I'm not sure how you can tell a turtle's gender.) They were battling over another turtle (the female?) This fight was something else, I tell you. The older turtle took out the younger turtle TWICE, flipping him over. The second time, the capsized turtle just lay there, and luckily a bystander jumped over the fence and put the turtle back on its feet. The female never seemed to mind any of this, by the way. There were also two other turtles getting it on, so I took a pornographic video of it.

So that was a fabulous weekend outing! That was on Saturday, and now it's Friday night, and in true Kait fashion, I am relaxing in my bed. Very cozy. Belly full of food and heart full of happy thoughts. How corny. Today was the first Friday of the month, which means First Friday Art at a local gallery. This month's exhibit was phenomenal...two different artists. One was a watercolorist, and his works were just incredible. He had such control over the medium, but he also experimented in his backgrounds with splatters and drips. The way the colors blended and bled together was so gorgeous, and I have mad respect for people who can do that with watercolor (especially since when I do watercolor, it's just a wad of soggy paper.) His subject matter included lots of hummingbirds, but also turtles (with attitude, I'm telling you, turtles here are INTENSE,) and plants and trees. And a fabulous pineapple! That was my personal favorite. The other artist was a photographer, and his photographs were so touching, especially when accompanied by his wife's poems. My favorite photograph was a portrait of an elderly woman smiling at the camera. Her faces was covered in deep, harsh wrinkles, but in true Ecuadorian fashion, there was a serene happiness to her face. The accompanying poem described how we can't let bad times and struggles keep us down, because we're worth more than that. How beautiful! I also really loved a photograph of an indigenous woman carrying a huge bundle of crops through a dim city street. Very moving.

Another cool thing about First Friday Art? Free food. Delicous free food (but doesn't food always taste more delicious when it's free?) Sorry, not to be greedy, but yeah, I pigged out. That explains the belly full of food I mentioned earlier. I also met some nice and interesting people at the gallery, as is customary in an art gallery. Mostly gringos such as myself, usually expats who are retiring here. They always have some good tips and tricks to share with me. And they're usually awfully insightful about things here. I love talking to people who can teach me something. Although I think everyone teaches us something in one way or another. On the walk back home, my friends and I came across a band playing traditional music in Parque Calderon. We pulled a gringo, and tried dancing to the music. It was a good time.

Wish I could say the same for my Spanish classes. I am really getting bored with them. I love that it's great conversation and speaking practice. Still, it's dull and slow. I lose focus after 45 minutes, and class is an hour and a half, so I struggle. We just sit there for the whole time and talk, and the topic usually gets old after a half hour or so. I think I need to ask my teacher if we can do more activites. I need to be more engaged. The good thing is that taking Spanish classes gives me some more insight into how my own students probably feel in class. So I try to not make my classes feel like my Spanish classes, heh heh. I think another thing is just that I'm so over being a student. It's been almost 20 years straight of being a student in school; I'm just tired of it. I think it's fair to take a break, eh?

Anyway, since it was Friday, that also meant salsa dancing lessons! Let me tell you, we all work up a sweat in that class. Today we worked on bachata, and the class is going to be split into 2 groups: beginners (me!) and intermediate students (lots of my friends.) I have a good time in salsa class. It's a really fun activity, and I'd love to learn enough to go to a salsa club and dance with some locals! Right now, it's me dancing along to the music with my teacher and the other students, all while the teacher shouts "shake your heeps, use your arms!"

Oh, and I almost forgot...I joined a conversation exchange website, and I'm getting in touch with lots of native Spanish-speakers. Some of them live in Cuenca, and I met with one of them on Monday. He's a 19-year-old student at the University of Cuenca, and he was very nice to talk to. We spoke mostly in Spanish, which was great practice for me. I suppose next time we should converse in English for him. I also plan to meet up with 2 more language partners this weekend!

It's nice to talk to the people who live and breathe Cuenca. As for the local Ecuadorians, they are a hard-working people, to say the least. And the women are TOUGH. They carry bundles on their backs, along with their babies in a sling, all while wearing shawls, skirts, sweaters, and little shoes. The people work from early in the morning to late at night, taking a break for a siesta, as is the culture here.

Tomorrow I teach my Saturday class in the morning. Then the plan is to meet up with some of my friends and head to a vegetarian restaurant I haven't tried yet and then head over to see my friend's new apartment, since she's finally all settled in. Looking forward to it.

Sunday Reflection

Today was one of those days that come by on rare occasion. A day where you almost feel outside of your body, almost as if you’re observing the world from some celestial body hovering above Earth.

I was on a bike ride (with my new front tire) cruising through the old city, along the rocky uneven streets. The sidewalks provide a somewhat safer route, but there’s always the chance of running over a foot or running out of sidewalk (that happens here, unexpectedly.)

Traversing the town, I noticed how hot the sun was beating on my back, and realized  that today was the first day of spring. I smiled, acknowledging that I slipped from summer to spring, but not without some chilly-weather nights in between. With it being a Sunday, the shops were mostly closed down, and I marveled at how unrecognizable things seemed when everything was all shuttered. I still have to orient myself, I guess.

I decided that I would take a break from lesson planning and get some more reading done in The Kite Runner. It’s an excellent book. I stopped at Parque Calderon, which is probably the most popular plaza in the old city. The environment here was different from the rest of the town: vendors selling ice cream, teenagers lounging in their rebellious “American” clothes, old men stealing a smoke from their cigars, street performers entertaining the children. I took a seat on a bench, in the sunlight, but out of the sunlight. Cracked open my book, and became immersed in the storyline of the novel.

A very young boy walked up to me. Sat down next to me on the bench and muttered something. All I could make out was “choclo”. I looked down. He was lugging a big bucket of choclo, large corn kernels, selling it to the parkgoers. “No gracias” I replied, and returned to my book. The boy remained seated, shuffling his little sneaker-clad feet. I watched his feet swing back and forth, back and forth, and after a few moments, he got up and walked away. Milled about the surrounding area, repeating his line, and an older man dug in his pocket for a bag of choclo. I kept my eyes on this little boy…he was no more than 3 feet tall, donning baggy jeans, a T-shirt, and dark brown hair. His scrawny arms clutched the bucket, his walk a little lopsided from the weight of the goods in it. In the States, I’d probably never see such a sight. But here, it was completely normal. A kid selling goods on the street.

That’s when the culture shock hit. I wasn’t in the States. I was in Cuenca, Ecuador. I looked around, saw the polleras, the hats, the shawls, but also the baseball caps, the skinny jeans, the cell phones. It was surreal. I felt the sun again, it felt so good. I wondered what the weather was like in Philadelphia now. I heard it was getting cooler, fall was in the air. I wondered what I’d be doing now if I were back there.

But I wasn’t there. I was here, sitting on a park bench, listening to the police on every corner blowing their whistles, wearing their florescent vests and monitoring the plaza. Suddenly, I hear “hola.” I don’t move. “Hola.” I look up. A girl with blonde hair and sunglasses hands me a flyer. I look at it. It’s advertising belgian waffles. “Muy rico” she tells me and goes on her way. I watch her leave; where’s she from?

Where am I from? Where are any of us from? Does a country of origin really define us? Does this Phillies cap on my head or the visa in my passport truly differentiate me from the other people in this plaza? That little boy with the choclo, does he need the same things as me? Or are we worlds apart? I’ve been thinking of how I love celebrating my differences, of how I like to pay attention to what makes me unique. But I’ve been reminded that as humans, we really aren’t that unique from each other. Maybe if we all stopped thinking about what makes us different, we would see that we all are essentially in need of the same things. We all want to be at peace, we all want to have friendship and we all want to feel love. Most of the Ecuadorians here accept me into their culture and society. Back at home in Philadelphia, I see residents who get all into a tizzy over someone from Central America or Asia who can’t form a perfect English sentence. I’m not trying to preach anything or delve into anything political, but aren’t we all pretty much the same? Could this realization, if everyone had it, put an end to all the turmoil the world is facing?

So I reflect this Sunday afternoon, sitting here in Ecuador. And maybe somebody in China, or Norway, or Kenya is reflecting on the same thing.

Teacher Life

Welcome to teacher life. The first week of classes is in full swing!

I received my teaching assignments on Sunday, and much to my dismay, was assigned a ninos (kids) class. Anyone who moderately knows me knows that I am not kid-friendly. My first instict was to swap this class immediately. However, I realized that sooner or later, I'm going to have to deal with kids. Especially if I want to keep teaching. So, the ninos class has stayed. I was also assigned two 201 (Pre-Intermediate) classes, one for Monday-Thursday and one for Saturday mornings. Three classes total, not bad for a newbie teacher such as myself.

So, my first day was 1-for-2. Kids were a total miss. My 201 (teens) were a hit. With my kids, I have two girls, ages 11 and 10. They are extremely timid and I feel like some scary monster when I'm with them. They literally run out of the room at the end of class. I play games, do activities, and try to move around and be fun. But then it was brought to my attention that maybe they don't like that kind of stuff; maybe they prefer working independently and in the book. So, I let them do that, and things got a bit better. They still run out of class though. One of the teachers suggested I reference One Direction and stuff like that. I almost puked. But I might have to. They did perk up when I mentioned Monsters, Inc.

My teens in 201 are great. Of course, they're still teenagers, so sometimes they just stop caring. I can usually use my sense of humor to get them more animated, and I've found that competition works very well to get them revved up. I so much prefer working with this class because they can vocally tell me when they're struggling or bored or actually into the material. That helps a lot, especially for me. Sometimes it's as if I'm just drowning and begging for someone to throw me a life preserver.

Saturday will be my first Saturday class, which goes from 8:30am-12:30pm. That's pretty intense, but I'm hoping I can use my material from my regular 201 class for the Saturday 201 class. All I know is that I no longer have those days of Hmmm, what shall I do today? It's plan, plan, plan. And it's so eerie to be the teacher this time, and not the student. Also strange (and kind of funny) how I'm only a few years older than some of my students, but I am THEIR MASTER (sort of.) For one hour and 15 minutes every Monday through Thursday, I am the boss of these teenagers; I can threaten them with their participation grades, I can make them groan when I assign homework, I can make them laugh at my silly antics. It's a weird thing, but I like it, and I'm going with that.

I'm tired. Teacher life.

Teaching Assignments

Well, I've received my teaching assignments! Not bad...at least that's my thought right now! I have a kids class (ack!) Monday-Thursday from 4:30-5:30pm and a 201 level class Monday-Thursday from 6:00-7:15pm. Also, a Saturday 201 level class from 8:30am-12:30pm. That's not bad at all. I've signed up for doing tutorials so I can make some more money, and I'm going to try doing odd jobs around town on the side. Things like pet/house sitting, dog-walking, watering people's plants, whatever.

Luckily the first couple of days are for review and games. So for the kids, I'll definitely need to be ENTERTAINING. I'm thinking lots of movement...dancing, singing, games, being silly, pictures (hey, there's where that BA in Art comes in handy!) I'm excited; more excited than nervous. The classes are small as well, so I won't be up there sweating with a million pairs of eyes staring at me. Another good thing is that all this teaching stuff is new in my head from my course in Barcelona. Time to put it to work!

In Spain, I was teaching adults, and I have a feeling I'll have a lot of teenagers. Ick. Here's my plan: be a jerk the first few days to put them in their place, then warm up to them. Heh heh heh, let's see how they like being bossed around by me. Actually, I'm not very bossy, but I will be firm. And if I see a cell phone in class, I may just erupt. People who know me well know my cell phone policy.

I've been placed in the school location that nobody really wants because they think it's far away. But it doesn't seem that bad. Plus, I have a bike. I'm more concerned with how dangerous it is for me than how far. To sum it all up, everything will be learned as I go. Little by little I'll get my footing, and I'll develop my own teaching style and the students will love me and we'll live happily ever after. Of course!

On another note, I've received news that my grandmother is ill. Seriously; the doctors found a tumor in her pancreas and she's scheduled for surgery on Friday. Please, I hope and hope that she doesn't leave us like this. Not like this. And with me being in a foreign country...I feel that I'd need to get back to the States should anything happen...

All we can do is wait, I suppose. It's a reality check, even though in a rather harrowing way. I'm here doing my thing, but I need to remember that life is still going on elsewhere. My friends and family are moving forward too. We're all doing things, living life, being us. New things are happening in my life, but that's doesn't mean things are static back at home. New situations are popping up back there as well. Sometimes it's incredible to think of how the world works. We'll never really understand how it works...we're all students too. Learning each day from Life, the toughest teacher!

New Teachers Welcome!

Today I had the chance to meet the new teachers at the CEDEI (Centers for Interamerican Studies.) Everyone seems really nice! I was relieved to discover that some of the teachers like myself, have no teaching experience. So I’m not the only one jumping into this.

We received information about the different types of classes (regular, intensive, Saturdays, niños) and the new books that the school is transitioning into. As teachers, we’ll have our manual, and the students will have their textbooks and workbooks. We also received a sample class schedule for the whole cycle, so we can use it as a guide to keep on track with the course material. This cycle will go from September to December, and as teachers we also get to take Spanish classes. I placed in the Advanced Level (glad to know my college degree in Spanish paid off!) and I will have class for 4 hours a week. I’m excited for this because it will keep my Spanish in good shape, and I hope I will meet more locals to chat with. It can get tricky when you become so entrenched in your own little group of English teachers. Sometimes you need to remind yourself and shout, “Hey you’re in Latin America! Speak more Spanish!” 

I’m also glad that I’m newly certified, so all of this English grammar stuff is fresh in my head. It’s incredible how little we recognize grammar points in our native tongue. Present Perfect? Heh?

During our new teachers meeting, we went on a tour of all 3 school locations. The most convenient for most of us is the Centro location, which is situated in the city center. It’s about a 10 minute walk from my homestay. Another school is located across the river, which is a nice walk, but nothing strenuous. The third location is pretty far out and would require the bus, a taxi, or a bicycle. Sunday will be the big day when we all receive our teaching assignments; times, locations, levels. It’s difficult to wait!

Aside from the meeting, today was an absolutely gorgeous day. Blue skies, very mild, lots of sunshine. Oh, just one of those fantastic-weather days that you never want to end. It was VERY nice for Cuenca, where year-round one can expect cold mornings, midday rain, and afternoon sun peeking through the clouds on a typical day. I’m exploring more parts of the city, and finding Cuenca to feel small, but filled with things to see. And I can’t get over the mountains that loom in the distance. And I thought the mountains around my college were big!

Another little anecdote: last night I was invited to see a local band with my housemates. We were told the show started at 8:00pm, but things here usually get underway later, so we expected the show to actually start around 8:30. In true Ecuadorian fashion, the show truly started at 10:00, with the band taking a break about 20 minutes later. Being a morning person, I was pretty beat, so some of my housemates and I headed for home. The performance was very good though. They played music that was in the genre of pop rock, although the songs seemed on the slow and mellow side. They were enjoyable, and the atmosphere was cool. It was nice to be in a place where almost everyone else was local. I find myself being very eager to converse with the Cuencanos, but finding it harder than I expected. For some reason it seemed easier in Spain. Perhaps it could be that here the people are more reserved? I’m not quite sure, but I do know that I am looking forward to meeting my new students!

Don't Hassle Me, I'm Legal

So in case you didn't realize, I have authorized and registered my visa and everything is all set! I have completed the obstacle course of visa registration. Woohoo! Glad that's done.

Every day is a good day, with yesterday being no exception. I did some prep work for my visa with a couple of other teachers. That basically involved going to a notary and waiting a bit for an old man to stamp my papers and sign them, then paying $2. After that, we headed to Movimiento Migratorio for another fancy stamp and signature. We then headed back to our school to hand in our authorized documents only to discover that one of the teachers had the wrong visa! She was issued a tourist visa instead of a cultural exchange visa! I wanted to cry for her. She now has to go to Guayaquil to correct this. I sincerely hope that she gets everything straightened out. She's fabulous, so I know she'll be okay, but it's just another thing to worry about that I know she doesn't need right now.

On a positive note, we got some lunch at a vegetarian-friendly spot serving Indian-style food, which was right up my alley. And at $2.75 for the menu del dia, it was a far cry from the lunches in Barcelona. This I could actually do and not weep for my wallet! Even $2.75 is a bit much, as the typical almuerzos go for about $1.25-$1.50. But this was fine, very good and tasty...juice, soup, veggies, rice. Mmmm. We all got to talking, and I mostly listened. Just listened to the other 3 teachers talk about their experiences...with travel, with relationships, with life.

I felt so.....................young.

I realized that we had 4 different decades at the table...50s, (almost) 40, 30s, and me, the young 22-year-old. The baby. The one with so much to learn/discover/experience/etc. And while I genuinely enjoy hanging out with people older than me, sometimes another teacher will pinch me on the cheek, and it's just...really? Could I be aging myself too quickly? Good thing I have 20-somethings back at my homestay!

Anyway, later on, I accompanied my friends as they bee-lined to their newest obsession in Cuenca: Tutto Freddo, an ice-cream joint. Which must have extremely good ice cream, because one the teachers has been there 5 times this week. Hey, I don't judge, but I'm much too cold for ice cream! We got the frosty treats and sat in the Plaza Calderon for a bit, which happened to be hosting a little dance recital from the Juventud de Azuay (Youth of Azuay.) It was wonderful! The young dancers wore beautiful traditional clothing...the girls in colorful skirts, ribbons in their braids, vibrant shawls, and crisp white blouses. The boys were in brown trousers and wool sweaters and jackets. And they danced barefoot. I watched in awe as they hopped, skipped, and twirled across the stage in harmony to the cheery Cuencana music. I wanteed to jump up there and dance with them! It was such a goregous thing to watch, and somewhat surreal...another one of those moments where I needed to take a breath, sit back, and realize that I'm in a foreign country, watching this new sight and taking it all in. The colors, the noise, the people, the energy...

So beautiful.

The day continued to be enjoyable, with an afternoon bike ride down by the river. Still getting acclimated to the altitude and those hills! Ugh, I'll have thighs of steel after this trip! Heh heh heh...

I arrived home to be greeted by one of my housemates, and fellow teacher. She's my age, so it's nice to have someone close by that's on a similar age-wavelength. I'm glad that most of the people living in my homestay are in their 20s; sometimes I need that youthful naïveté we all have about life. I'm really glad that I'm choosing to do this (teaching abroad) while I'm so young. Fresh out of college, just got certified, I have so many hardships and challenges coming, yes, but also so many lessons. Funny, I'll be a teacher here, but I'll be learning as well. We're all always learning. If you're not learning, you're not living. No matter their age, everyone is discovering new things. About themselves, about others, about the world. This crazy world we live in. In this crazy universe. And I love it. Look where it's taken me so far.

Cuencana Days

Spending your time in Cuenca before you delve into teaching for the first time is...wonderful. This charming city has a lot to offer, and I just don't have enough time (or energy) to do it all! Luckily, I have 9 months!

Recently, I've been taking bike rides around town. Dangerous? Yes. But down by the rivers there are nice bike paths that allow for safety and enjoyment. It's during these bike rides that I notice how polluted the air is. Maybe it's just me, but the buses excrete so much exhaust, the air behind them is black for a good thirty seconds before you can see through it. I'm totally used to city smells, so it's nothing new to me. It is markedly different from Barcelona though. Even though some of my friends over there said the air in Barcelona seemed really dirty, I didn't notice it; it seemed rather clean to me! Here, I notice it, but it's one of those things that comes with a busy city. If I want my city life, I must pollute my lungs. Combine that with the altitude, and I feel like a sedentary couch potato on my bike. Ten minutes in and I already feel as if I've been overexerting myself. It really is going to take some time to get used to this air (or lack thereof!)

Besides bike riding, I've been trotting around with some fellow teachers, and now friends. We celebrated someone's birthday last night. Just a quiet night in with a movie, some wine (I'll pass!) and an attempt at baking. The end product resembled a giant oreo more than a cake. Hahaha!

It's nice to go visit everyone else's homes now that we're all starting to settle into accommodations. I personally love where I'm staying. I have my own bedroom, and share everything else, which is just fine with me. If I need my alone time, it's there. If I want to socialize, there's almost always someone hanging around.

Just to backtrack a bit, my Friday was pretty sweet. A friend and I attend "First Fridays Art," which featured a local artists' work. This month's artist was a local who used oils, and most of his works on display retold Cuencana life. A little surreal, which I liked. Thick applications of paint and vibrant colors. I particularly liked his nature scenes and fish, which my friend commented would look right at home in a cafe in California. I could see that.

On the way home, we found another vegetarian-friendly joint, which we both found very exciting, being wannabe-veggie-foodies (if such a thing exists.) Even though my dining out will be limited, it's exciting to discover these potential lunch spots.

This morning, I chatted with some teachers at the CoffeeTree, which was less gringo than I thought it'd be. It's a typical place for foreigners (North Americans) to hang out, and there was a television screen showing American football, but one showing soccer as well (by the way, Colombia defeated Ecuador on Friday night, 1-0.) Even with the North American atmosphere, the waiters still spoke Spanish to us, and we sat ourselves at a table on the sidewalk, among the old buildings and rocky streets. It was a nice way to start the day.

Now, I'm off to the Museum of Modern Art (!) with a friend. I'm very excited, especially since I've been wanting to go deeper into my own art. It's tough because I'm limited to a number 2 pencil and a sketchpad right now. Couldn't bring all of my supplies with me, and can't afford any right now. But even so, I can do some sketches for future works! I'm feeling very Kandinsky right now, just letting my positive energy, enthusiasm, and gratitude come out and express itself. I'm getting tired of drawing representational objects that already exist...I'm asking myself why I'm doing that, and I can't find a reason. Because that's what people want? But it's not what I want right now, which means I need to redirect my art. I'm feeling colorful, I'm feeling free, I'm feeling that I just want myself to explode on a sheet of paper or canvas or whatever.

Sounds like a plan.

Bikes, melons, and washcloths

A bike…a giant melon…ah, life in Cuenca.

I woke up today in my new home stay. It was nice. I spent the morning walking around the city, getting lost, then getting unlost, then getting lost again.

I love doing that.

By the time I finished lunch, I was very tired. Could’ve been the food, but I think it is jetlag finally catching up. My new friends marveled at how I was so go-go-go after so much travelling, and said it was because I was 22. Well, I told them I’d crash and here it comes!

I really wanted to go exploring though, so I rested for a bit and then headed out again. I have to spend my free time wisely, while it lasts! I start teaching soon!

I was out and about once again, the tall girl in the clothes that slightly stand out amid the wool sweaters and shawls. I had been asking the folks in my home stay about bikes, and wasn’t getting much of a lead as to how to go about getting one. I was desperately going through bike withdrawal, after all, I was known on my college campus as the girl with the bike. And as much as I loved my Mongoose, I was just fine with picking up something cheap here. Then, I recalled a bike place near my old home stay from last winter. I stopped by and made a semi spur-of-the-moment purchase. Used bike, gets the job done, does okay on the hills, not super-expensive, I’ll take it! And now I have my “gringa mobile” so I can be the tall girl riding the ghetto used bicycle. What a sight. I will just never be normal (that’s too boring.)

So now I’m really happy to end my bike withdrawal. Just need to acclimate myself to biking in Cuenca. After all, the altitude is higher here, so I’ll take it easy. Even so, with that bike, I found discovering the city easier, and thrilling. I think I’ve mentioned before the crazy traffic here…

Maybe I should invest in a helmet as well.

Anyway, I was greeted by a peculiar sight when I entered the kitchen tonight. A GIANT PAPAYA. I knew I chose the right place to live! I swear, this thing is about 70 times the size of a normal papaya. We were all taking photos of it, it was that spectacular. Jeez, I haven’t found a reason not to really like Cuenca yet.

Although I went on a wild goose chase for a washcloth today. It would’ve been easier to find a goose here. I went around, store to store, asking in Spanish for a washcloth, which I still don’t know how to say in Spanish. I tried “toalla pequeña,” among other things. Someone handed me a loofah, but I didn’t want that. Why was it so hard to find a washcloth!? What do people wash themselves with around here?! I finally went into some “everything store” and was charged $1.00 for one. I told my cashier that was expensive, it’s just a rag. She told me it was cheap. Sometimes I wish I could put on a mask or something so people can stop overcharging me. Or makes quick friends with the locals and have them do my shopping for me. I needed this stupid washcloth, so I bought it.

…And now, the jetlag is definitely kicking in. I’m beat. I need my rest if I’m going to tackle the day tomorrow. I need to get a passport-sized photo so I can get my visa authorized. So I can be LEGAL! How thrilling.

That reminds me of a quick side note…I met some more North Americans today; a Canadian couple with permanent residency here. I keep finding old people who move here for good, which I guess makes sense, considering it’s cheap here, but it’s still Ecuador, and let’s be honest, people my age aren’t exactly topping their to-do lists with living here. But you never really appreciate or fully understand the magic of being here until YOU ARE HERE. I love it here. I’d come back. And not when I’m ready to retire either. I’d certainly visit this place again. Ecuador’s such a small South American country and doesn’t get the attention it deserves. People sometimes ask me “why are you going there?” To which I respond “why not?” Sure, I never really thought of coming to Ecuador in the past, but once I came with my college, I learned that there are probably so many other places in the world that are worth visiting. Just because you’re visiting doesn’t mean you’re going to stay there. It doesn’t mean you have to live the same exact life as the people here. It doesn’t mean you need to abandon your life and adopt some new lifestyle. But you should learn about the place, experience it, and give it a chance.  Some countries don’t allow women to leave the house without a man, but I’d still like to visit these places. It’s an experience I can learn from, and it can give me more perspective on my life and others’ lives. Kentucky doesn’t allow people to keep ice cream cones in their back pockets, but it might still be cool to visit it. Maybe I can have my first run-in with the police there. Then again, would an ice cream cone even fit in a girl’s pants pocket? They don’t make pants like the used to…some pockets are even sewn closed!

…Clearly, I’m very tired. I need sleep. I’ll probably dream about ice cream now. But hopefully not, because it’s kind of cold here and ice cream thoughts wouldn’t help me warm up. But my alpaca blanket will.

Waking up in Cuenca

It’s my second morning in Cuenca, and I’m excited to get out of my hostel and onto the streets. Yesterday I explored a little before being drawn to my bed, where I slept for about 14 hours. But before that, I wandered the immediate surroundings (I’m not quite sure exactly where I am, but I’ll figure that out today.)

I’m in a town where at 5’5” I’m the tallest person on the street. Where the fashion is stuck in the 90s (hooray, no more trying to fit in with the chic Europeans!) Where there are no traffic regulations, and if there are, they are not enforced at all. My senses are awakened and my mind is challenged. Even though I’ve been here before, I feel as if Cuenca is brand-new again. Yesterday, I found myself just smiling, walking down the narrow sidewalks, roaming through this world where 2013 hasn’t quite arrived yet, but where the people are as warm as the sun on the equator. And not once did I feel stared or glared at or judged. Unless of course, I’m happily lost in this wonderland.

Which could be quite possible. I love being somewhere new, and let’s be honest, I’m honey-mooning right now. I feel that there is so much to explore! Walking down Gran Colombia, I noticed that most stores don’t have doors, just an open storefront where passersby just meander along and stop in for whatever the store is offering…DVDs, shoes, or pollo, pollo, pollo. As a full-out vegetarian, I worry a bit that I’m going to have difficulty finding a suitable diet to sustain myself. The smells of carne-filled humitas are common here, and the $1.25 almuerzos would be more tempting if the main dish didn’t feature a hearty helping of chicken. Still, I’m not too worried, as I know I can find food for myself here. The markets offer great produce and other things, and if I need something more substantial, I can always resort to the SUPERMAXI (or as I like to think of it: gringo-land.) As much as I want to integrate myself as much as possible into this culture, I know I will never be diving into a plate of cuy-ever.

Still, my wallet is definitely much happier here. I bought an agua sin gas at a shop for a whopping 29 cents, and then gave my mother a treat, since I knew she was off from work that day. I slipped into a cabina, and called her. She was ecstatic that I was able to call her from Ecuador and asked how often I could do it. I laughed, and told her while it’s no trouble to do this, I’d rather have us email each other. I assured her that I was safe, I have a place I’m staying at, and yes, I’ll make sure I take care of myself.

After that I thought it’d be wise to get some sleep. Not to mention I was sweating pretty badly (it somehow was now comfortably in the 70s and I was wearing some heavy clothing for that kind of weather) and I remembered that Cuenca was the city of 4 seasons in 1 day. Well, I was just in 3 continents in 27 hours, so there! And with that, I crawled into bed at 12:30pm and slept. And slept and slept and slept. And had a dream about a talking dog, and slept some more.

3 Continents Later...

Today is Labor Day. That seems fitting. I feel as if I've had a laborous day, although I was sitting on my butt most of the time. I just got through 27 hours of travelling, and actually, I'm still not quite done. I'm sitting in the airport in Cuenca, Ecuador, just chilling out until noon, when I can check-in at my hostel. It's chilly here (in the 40s) but the people are warm. I'm in Cuenca, I can feel it.

I've just gone through 3 continents in a matter of hours. Whoa. Left from Barcelona at 7am (Spanish time) Sunday morning, landed in Miami 10 hours later. Layover there for about 3 hours, then about a 5 hour flight to Quito, landing there at 10:30pm (Ecuador time.) Layover overnight, and a flight at 6:15am, landing in Cuenca a little after 7am, and somehow it's Monday morning (I think.)

I slept only about 3 hours this whole time, yet I'm pretty awake. I think I'm running off of excitement right now. Show me a bed and I'll crash! But the Universe works in odd ways, and I think it brought something to me during this travelling adventure...

I met this guy in the airport. He was about my dad's age, and this wasn't a creepy thing or anything like that. He was very kind and we were on the same flight to Miami. We got to talking, and found we had interests in spirituality and paying attention to the Self and all that. We had different seats on the plane, yet the one empty seat was next to me, so he took it. Coincidence? My gut wants to tell me otherwise.

Long story short, he talked a lot and I listened a lot, but he didn't talk at me, he talked with me. He asked me my opinion on things, my feedback, and my experiences. He also shared his. He told me lots of "adult" things that my parents wouldn't tell me, but that are good to know. I learned a lot, but he also learned; it was a two-way thing. I didn't feel like a child, I felt treated as an adult. A 10-hour flight was never more enjoyable or quick for me, and that was the highlight of my airport excursion.

I met some nice folks in the airport in Quito heading to Cuenca. They were older, and one of them was coming here to retire! And, he was coming from Hawaii! So...if that's the case, Cuenca must be pretty kick-ass, eh?

I've gotten 3 hours of sleep in the last 48 hours, but I'm not very tired. I just feel very excited. Of course, I'll see a bed, and I'll just go die for a bit. It's just that something in my gut is teling me that I'm moving in the right direction. Things just feel right. THINGS JUST FEEL RIGHT. Huh, this sounds like the Universe working something up...

Certified

So, guess who is a certified TEFL teacher? Me!!!!!!!

It's officially over. The test has been taken, the projects completed, the lessons taught, the certificate received. Next step: land in Cuenca and do this thing! But before that, I still have some time here in Barcelona. And, I feel very content just chilling out in this city; no need for anything lavish or over-the-top. I'm here, I'm happy, I'm good. I have this sensation about me right now that's telling me everything is how it should be. I do not need to worry, because really, what does worrying ever accomplish? Nothing, except giving you a massive headache, maybe. This feeling of being at peace began around mid-afternoon yesterday. Yes, I think that's about accurate.

I was heading to the school to give my housemate some support, since she was teaching her final lesson. (She was given an A in the TEFL course, by the way, go her!) She was also expecting me, I think, because she knew I would want to say goodbye to the attractive guy who works at the school. So I went into the school to do just that, when I saw him with a girl, presumably his girlfriend. And yeah, that hurt and I got all woe-is-me, I knew this wasn't going to go anywhere, but just seeing the girl is very suckish, and even if I do find something special, it'll never work because I want to travel all over and blah blah blah. But that only lasted about an hour. It's my life, so I'm getting used to it. Anyway, I got over myself and congratulated my housemate for her job well done, and we headed for the Magic Fountain, which is just what it sounds like. Sort of.

We had lots of time to spare before the water show at the fountain, so we just sat on the steps of the art museum in front of the fountain and chatted. And it was wonderful. A little fitting as well, considering we did this after our first experience teaching in Barcelona. So here we were after our last experience teaching in Barcelona. And we were closer friends this time and we were accomplished and we were happy. And we were happy and we were happy and we were happy. A trio of street musicians began to play. Later, some film recording was going on, and this elderly lady had to repeat her one line for about an hour and adjust the crinkles in her scarf 80 times before the film people finally got the shot they wanted. The musical trio resumed playing, and I sat there, watching the sunset behind them, feeling the Barcelona heat on my shoulders, feeling completely at peace and wondering what I had done to deserve such a life. I must've been super-awesome in my past lives to be living this life right now.

My housemate and I got to talking about how we imagined our lives would be by the time we were 22, and I just had this to say: "I'm absolutely okay with where my life is right now...I have nothing to complain about." I have a thousand lifetimes of thanking that I have to live now, but I have nothing to complain about. In this moment, life is being extremely kind to me.

As with all feelings (the good and the bad), this one too shall pass. It can't stay forever, it's only nature's way. But that doesn't mean it won't return, and it also doesn't mean that this present feeling will be replaced with something horrible and ugly. So, for the moment, I'm going to enjoy where I am right now, and I'm going to be thankful for it. I'm not going to expect it to last, because it won't. And that's okay. When it leaves, I can think, oh, there it goes, but that's not so bad. I'm glad it was here.

One thing that won't be going anywhere anytime soon is my certificate. I am a certified TEFL teacher, what? For real? Before you raise doubts that someone becoming a teacher in a month, I must point out that this course is internationally-recognized and certified. I have completed all of the requirements for certification, including learning grammar, phonemics (among other aspects), and how to teach them. I have completed x amount of hours learning in class and y amount of hours teaching students. I have completed the projects required for this certification and I have passed the TEFL exam. I did it!

And I congratulate all of those people who did it with me.