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.