Things Ecuador & the US have in common (obviously there are many but these are what come to my mind right away): time zone (they do not practice Daylight Savings Time so currently I’m on EST!), money (with a few exceptions of coins that look slightly different…including a 50 cent coin), electrical outlets (they look just slightly different), and… Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day in Ecuador was definitely a good one. I started off the day with a HUGE breakfast and it was a treat that my host mom ate with me because usually she eats very early in the morning before I am up. She was also very happy about the card that I made for her and my host sisters. I have never seen so many flowers in one day as I did on Tuesday. Flowers were EVERYWHERE (which I suppose makes sense because the cut-flower industry is one of the most important in Ecuador). They were in stands on the sides of the roads, in the hands of women, and in the hands of men. There was also plenty of PDA (Public Display of Affection), even more than usual (and there is a lot here)! On the bus ride home from school there was incredible traffic as it seemed everyone was on their way to visit a loved one or to go out to dinner. Later in the evening I went to a nice dinner in the Historic Center with three friends and after waiting an hour to get in, we enjoyed being able to see all of Quito at night (the restaurant was located on the fourth floor of a building) as well as eating delicious pasta dishes. On the way to the restaurant in the taxi (the only form of transportation we use at night here), two girls walking by on the sidewalk sprayed “Carnaval” colored foam inside of the taxi, covering the taxi driver and my friend in the front seat! This is one of the many Carnaval traditions (which actually start a week or two before Carnaval). I am actually heading to the beach in about an hour to celebrate the time off for Carnaval!
What else has happened since my last post (apologies for not writing for so long!)….
It was sad to watch the Heels’ loss to Duke but we were very glad to have found somewhere (after trying three different places) that would show the game! For some reason, Ecuadorian ESPN was not broadcasting the game so the sports bar was kind enough to stream the game through the internet. We'll be hoping for a win next game!
This past weekend I spent one day relaxing in natural hot springs in Papallacta with friends and the next day found myself hiking to 14,000 feet! It was one of the most strenuous hikes I have ever done but was very satisfying to have completed it! We experienced all kinds of terrain…sand, mud, slippery rocks, rocks that required us literally climbing, sleet, rain, lots of fog, and it even snowed for about two minutes! The hike was very difficult because of the high altitude and even though we were very motivated it was difficult to walk more than a few feet on the steep mountain without taking a break as we were often out of breath as we got higher and higher.
OH! I experienced a “temblor” or in other words, something that feels like an earthquake that is apparently only a mini-earthquake that happens before a real earthquake. Basically, I was awoken around 6 in the morning to my bed shaking for about twenty seconds!
I am beginning to realize how much of a desire people have to learn English here in Ecuador. Almost every Ecuadorian I meet expresses their desire to practice English (but they all say that they are very embarrassed to speak English with a native speaker). However, I have been able to have several conversations with classmates and others that I meet in which we speak in Spanish and English – a true exchange!
A family experience last weekend was very surprising to me…in our apartment, my family was celebrating the birthday of one of my host sister’s (who does not live with us) mother in law! This was a new experience for me but I was reminded how close families are here which I really love.
Classes are going well and I am glad to say that I rarely experience stress…yesterday was just about the most relaxed day possible: In my first class, I painted. In my second class, I watched a movie about an Indigenous group. In my third class, I listened to a short lecture and looked at many pictures of the animals living on the Galapagos Islands. Not every day looks like this but the work load is definitely a lot lighter than at UNC.
That’s all for now, I hope all is well! I found myself missing friends and family especially on Valentine’s Day so please know that you are being missed.
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