Not-So-Crazy Carnaval

     We survived Carnaval. Really, there wasn’t much to fear, because in Cuenca, most people scuttle off to the beach or to the nearby towns, such as Gualaceo or Chordeleg. So Cuenca is almost a ghost-town, with the occasional blast from a water gun or shot of espuma (foam.)

     I was just excited to have a little vacation from classes! Friday through Tuesday, I was free to do as I pleased! It was nice to have a few days where I had no obligations, although on Friday night, I subbed for my friend’s class. It was a nice deal because I only had to do some review and give a Mid-Term exam.

     Most of the long weekend was spent relaxing indoors, to avoid getting attacked by avid Carnaval participants. One day, while riding through the center of town, I got blasted by some kids with espuma; it was actually pretty funny because I was on my bike and caught totally unaware, but it made me laugh. I’d rather have the foam (even if it stained my skin slightly blue) than the water. Cuenca’s up in the Sierra, not on the coast; it’s too cold to be drenching people with water, even though the weather can go into the 70s.

     Apart from Carnaval, I met a nice little girl one day while waiting for some friends. Her name was Camila, an eight-year-old Ecuadorian girl who intrigued and amused me. Not being much of a kid person, I watched her for a few minutes and realized she must have been extremely bored; a little girl sitting out in a plaza with no other kids in sight. This is common in Ecuador; kids don’t have computers or videogames to keep them occupied. Rather, they’re usually meandering along sidewalks outside their homes or their parents’ business, playing with sticks, stones, paper, leaves, whatever. Kids use their imagination to the fullest here, it’s refreshing to see. On the other hand, it can be quite a shock to walk past the very young kids in markets or on street corners while the mothers sell fruits and vegetables. I’ve come to associate Ecuador with stark contrasts…I teach some very privileged, upper-class kids (my 12-year-old student had a Playstation 4 before I even knew it existed,) and I also mingle with the modest Ecuadorians as well, usually dressed in the traditional, indigenous clothing. Anyway, this little girl and I kicked around a soccer ball for about a half-hour, then chit-chatted in Spanish about where I was from and what I'm doing here.

     It’s things like this that make me want to experience life abroad with the people I care about most: my parents, my sister, my best friends. It’s such a bummer to return from an exciting, far-away trip only to realize that nobody back home really cares. And it’s the truth. It’s terribly difficult to appreciate an experience that you yourself haven’t had…personally, I love hearing about people’s excursions to different countries or places I’ve never been to, but I’m one of a handful, I think. Most of the time, people would rather discuss something relevant to everyone, not just that one person who did this, or went there. Maybe they perceive it as showing off or something. I don’t see it that way. I want to learn through others, sometimes that’s the only way to do it. Maybe I’ll never get to Kenya or Tibet (I’d love to,) but hearing about these places through someone who has been there would help me explore them more. Anyway, all of this contemplating has got me now wondering: Who actually reads this blog? How many people are genuinely interested in it? In my adventures and my thoughts? Oh well, if anything, this blog’s a nice writing exercise…