Blue Eyes Abroad

Don't Want to Be a Part of It

2006-08-21T16:04:00.000-05:00

They tried but they failed.

I was in NYC this past weekend visiting my cuz Amelia and hubby Gabe and many of friends there. Everyone was encouraging me to stay and live in NYC. Although I had a wonderful time with everyone, I know Texas is home. I've missed my family a lot this past year so I want to settle here (I'm home now).

Thanks for a great weekend in NYC, all you transplants!

Leaving Israel

2006-08-17T00:54:00.000-05:00

Today is my last day in Israel and I head to NY tomorrow morning for a few days to visit family and friends. I have mixed feelings about going, but I feel like the time is right to move on to the next stage of my life. I'm looking for jobs (preferably doing finance analysis - if you know of anything) in Houston and Austin. We'll see where fate takes me.

Close to Home...

2006-08-10T05:38:00.000-05:00

The news hit class this morning that a friend of one of the students was killed in the fighting last night. The girl was devastated, and we all are remorseful. It's hard to know how to help. I was praying that the fighting would end before I leave for home next Friday, but it's not looking good.

How is it Possible?

2006-08-08T00:22:00.000-05:00

I live with the sweetest, friendliest Israeli gal. She is very talented - she works with elders and children, does reflexiology, writes books (she's trying to get published), and plays the guitar. So what's the problem? She's in her 30s and single (ready to settle down)! My theory - she's shy and spends a lot of time at home with her dog Libbi (means "my heart" in Hebrew). Also, she doesn't cook very often. Now I'm on some sort of mission to find the perfect man for her. I figure he must be a chef hanging out in his apartment.

Taking it All In

2006-08-07T00:36:00.000-05:00

I leave in a week and a half and have been rather busy taking in all of Jerusalem (AKA learning and eating). There are so many great restaurants, and I've been enjoying the company of my fellow students. Life is great, but we are all on the edge of our seats waiting for the end of the fighting in the north. Please send your prayers and thoughts to this part of the world. We need them.

Toilet Paper: Multi-Purpose Item

2006-07-20T00:13:00.000-05:00

When I think of the use of toilet paper, I think of the bathroom. My Israeli roommate however has a roll of toilet paper in every room in our apartment - toilet room, shower and sink room (separate room from our toilet), kitchen, and living room. She uses it to clean up just about anything - dog hairs, water, food, etc. I've really learned that toilet paper is really multi-purpose.

Can you think of other uses for TP in the house (not like wrapping the outside of someone's house which I never did as a teenager :))?

Safe and Sound

2006-07-14T09:27:00.000-05:00

All the fighting and activity is in the north of Israel right now, and I'm in Tel Aviv/Jerusalem (in the middle of the country). We are watching the news carefully and taking precautions in crowded places. Everyone in Tel Aviv (where I am right now) is carrying on as normal and I'm sure it's the same way in Jerusalem (where I'll be tonight).

Please pray for the safe return of the Israeli soldiers. I do hope that no one else (on either side) is hurt or killed.

Family Time

2006-07-11T00:34:00.000-05:00

Had dinner last nite with the Shermans from California and the Rosenbergs (fam here in Jerusalem) plus Jackson party of 1 :). It was nice to see my cousins and eat some good food.

Today is the "middle" day of this session. That means almost everyone will be leaving in about 2 weeks. But so far so good...

Relaxing Weekend?

2006-07-10T00:21:00.000-05:00

Went to a small town called Arad - it's on the way to the Dead Sea. Nothing to do there but hang out in the hotel, eat, sleep, read, and swim in the indoor pool. I had a nice time there getting to know a group of executives who were studying at Pardes for the previous week. The weekend included yummy hotel food, lectures, and services. The only problem was coming home... Saturday/Shabbat is like the US Sunday. I got home at midnight and had to get ready for the upcoming week. So I started the week off a little tired (that's not what Shabbat is supposed to be about)!

Bed Bugs Part 2

2006-07-06T00:36:00.000-05:00

This really isn't bed bugs but the title just seemed appropriate for my situation (esp after my experience in Ecuador).

Instead of using A/C at night, most Israelis sleep with the windows open. This wouldn't be a problem for most people, but I don't have screens on my windows. Soooo, I am getting bites in the middle of the night (I found out this is happening to other people in my program who don't have screens on their windows.). I wake up most mornings and find new bites. Someone told me that blood type O is the sweetest blood type and guess what type I have??

I've resulted in sleeping with a bit of bug repellent on, but that doesn't seem to really help the problem entirely. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Schedule

2006-07-05T00:33:00.000-05:00

Wednesday(US) = Thursday (Israel). I'm in day 4 of studies at Pardes. So far so good but I realized that I know practically nothing about religion. Definitely a good learning experience.

Classes go from 8:45 am - 6:30 pm. Here are my classes: Beginners Talmud (didn't know what this was before studying it here); Ethics (bad teacher, interesting class); Torah Yoga (more on that later); Shabbat; and Hebrew Ulpan (intensive Hebrew study classes - I have it 3X a week for 1 1/2 hr each time).

Lots of nice Jews here, many from the US and, specifically, from the east cost. We only have 3 weeks of the session so most of them will leave soon. I'll stay for the next session.

Off to class now.

I Can See the Headlines...

2006-06-27T15:31:00.000-05:00

Texas meat-eater moved in with Israeli vegetarian, misses meat more than she ever imagined...

Ok, so maybe a little dramatic! Plan is to eat lots of meat (not pork!) outside of the house. There are plenty of shawarma stands near the apt and many veggies and fruits (well, don't think they can beat Ecuador on the $1.50 price of shawarma or the variety of fruits!).

The girl is so sweet and I'm looking forward to living with her and hopefully practicing my Hebrew. She and I signed a contract as her dog Libbi (means 'my heart' in Hebrew) licked on my hand. Then they took me for a walk to see the neighborhood grocery store and the school (which is about a 10 minute walk from the apartment).

So now I'm singing the song from Annie after she arrives at Daddy Warbuck's house and she sings: 'I think I'm gonna like it here'.

Laila tov (Good night)!

Land of Milk and Honey

2006-06-26T09:18:00.000-05:00

I've arrived! I'm here! But where is the milk and honey? Only finding yogurt so far.

Israel is wonderful, and family is even better. My family here has taken me in until I find a place. Many options have come my way but, after waiting 45 minutes for a bus back to my cousin's house, I want to live right next to the school, even on top of it if that's possible (no more 45 minute Hewitt Lincolnshire or Woodlands commutes for me!). So the plan is to sign a contract tomorrow evening with a nice Israeli girl (gives me a chance to practice my Hebrew or lack thereof). Then I'll move in on Saturday nite after Shabbat is over.

Adventures continue...

Back to Normal!

2006-06-10T16:46:00.000-05:00

All is well now. I am at the party beach Atacames trying to live up my last few days here. . Tomorrow morning I`m going back to Quito (7-hour bus ride) for my despedida (goodbye party) in the evening. Not sure if it`ll be as good as the one that my mom threw me when I left the US last August, but it`ll be a chance to say goodbye to my friends and ex-students here.

*On a side note, Ecuador won its first game in the Mundial!! SI SE PUEDE!! And, Sweden did not (I`m traveling with a Swed and she`s not too happy now).

I´m Alive but not 100%

2006-06-05T17:12:00.000-05:00

So let´s backtrack a bit....I guess in my last posting I jumped ahead. Let´s go back to the beginning of my travels to Lima.

I definitely packed light (two backpacks - one small, one large one) except on the trip to Lima. My dad graciously offered to carry a bag or two back to Texas for me so I packed up a large bag, a laptop, and an empty carry-on bag (I have too many bags in Quito to carry back myself). When I arrived in Lima, it seemed that everyone on my flight was transferring to other flights so I passed through customs and picked up my luggage in about 10 minutes. I patiently waited but the taxi drivers in the airport concluded that no one was coming to get me and they should drive me to a hotel nearby. Finally, Dad arrived to pick me up - seems there was some problems with his driver.

45 minutes later I am planted in a gorgeous burb of Lima (Miraflores) in this absolutely huge suite (with a jacuzzi tub!!). Dad´s been here already a few days doing some great work - helping sick, poor people. He even organized for boxes and boxes of medicines to be shipped to Peru. The next 3 days I watch him work in clinics, speaking excellent Spanish with patients and really getting to the heart of their problems. It was a great opportunity to see my dad work - one that I would never get to do in the US (silly privacy laws)! And props to my dad, he IS the most amazing doctor (just don´t ever tell him that your kidneys hurt)!

Dad leaves on Monday night to return to work and I stay with the rest of the doctors. Unavailable to find a flight with the group on Wednesday morning, I head to Cuzco on Tuesday morning. I take advantage of the day to visit the Sacred Valley. My flight arrived at 7:30 am and by 9 am, I´m on a tour bus. Luckily, Dad gave me altitude sickness meds so I felt ok that day (maybe a little stomach problem). I had a fabulous day hiking around and visiting Incan ruins. That night, I stayed in a dump of a hostel but it only cost me $8 and had some hot water and breakfast included.

The next morning (Wednesday) is when the sickness began. I guess I didn´t wake up on the right side of the hostel bed, and the big D came into my life (and still hasn´t left). I went to meet the group and we headed to Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu. The 12 of us (3 doctors, 2 residents, 1 Harvard med student, 3 Notre Dame students, 1 graduating senior, a nurse, and me) took a 2 hour train ride to AC and then headed to our hotel. Somewhere in the process we lost one of our members and spent some time searching the small town for him. He was found and we raced off to eat a late buffet lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge near MP. And this I remember as my last real meal...

Our tour guide raced us around MP because he had to catch a train back to Cuzco. This was a bit disappointing because I couldn´t follow all of his talk and there was really so much to see. And it started to rain. MP is definitely worth a visit in your lifetime! We talked about coming back the next day to climb the mountain nearby and went to buy tickets in AC.

Since there were a bunch of students in the group, Dr. M (who is their mentor, born and raised in Peru, speaks perfect Spanish) wanted to get the student rate for them. But no one had an ISIC (International Student ID Card) and the guy at the ticket booth was not accepting anything else. So the doc got on the phone with the manager but no one was gonna budge. The plan was to wait until the next morning to buy the tickets up at MP (and thank goodness we waited because it was pouring down rain and I got really sick!!).

The evening included soaking in the hot springs at AC (not recommended - dirty and only mildly hot) and eating a bit of dinner. The next morning my problems began again....the big D returned, dehydration, vomiting, fainting, the works! I laid in bed until we had to catch at 3 when I had to be wheelchaired to the train. Being with doctors, they decided to hook me up to an IV in the station. What a sight I was!

I spent the whole train ride in the back of the train with the IV, sometimes carrying it between my seat and the bathroom (you can imagine). When we finally arrived in Cuzco, they took me to the hospital. As I mentioned in the last blog, after 4 attempts by the lab doc to try to take blood, the doctor who had put the IV in me took over and got blood. I have never whimpered in pain from needles before but this really did me in!

$265 later, I was released from the hospital on Friday feeling better (no appetite though) and ready to tour Bolivia with another agency (picking me up on Saturday). Strangely, as soon as the doctors from the US left in the afternoon, I got sick again. I spent most of the PM in bed except trying to deal with the credit card payment for the tour that just ended (grr) and looking for a new med for my sickness.

Saturday was an awful day on the bus from Cuzco to Puno filled with aches and pains and of course, the big D. In the evening, I went to another pharmacy in Puno, and they gave me yet another drug (this would be the 4th one). Sunday I was picked up for the border-crossing from Peru to Bolivia. And I met a lovely honeymooning couple (both doctors) from England. Interestingly, the gal was also sick so we were both dragging a bit. We crossed the border and headed to Copacabana, Bolivia (not the one from the song) and then by boat to the gorgeous Sun Island. Although I was sick, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the island. We stayed in a beautiful lodge and I tried to recuperate (no luck - every meal was the big V instead of the big D). At night, we climbed to the top part of the island and watched one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen (pictures do no justice)!

I left the island this morning and now am in La Paz. I tried to change my flight to go back to Quito tomorrow (from Wednesday) but it would cost a lot. So I am going to lay low in LP for the next day or so. I cancelled my city tour tomorrow cause I just can’t take too much movement. And I don´t think I´ll be able to go to the beach this weekend (crap!).

Huge thanks to all the docs, nurses, family, friends, etc. who have been trying to save my life for the last week!

Discharged

2006-06-02T14:29:00.000-05:00

Spent last night in the hospital in Cuzco, Peru. What fun! I was traveling with a group of doctors who were here for a medical mission* so they started me on an IV before I even got to the hospital. It was a bad day and night but I´m feeling better today. The doctors and the hospital took really good care of me minus having to poke me 5 times to take blood because my veins were so collapsed (finally, on the 5th try, one of the US docs took over).

Tomorrow I am off on another tour to Lake Titicaca. Hope I don´t get sick again. Off to rest...

*The medical mission including my dad (who left last Monday) did some amazing work here with treatments and medicines. Great group of guys (and one gal)!

Quilotoa, Tena, Lima...

2006-05-27T07:47:00.000-05:00

I`m sorry I haven`t written in a while. I have 2 1/2 weeks left in South America and things have been a little crazy! I am in Lima right now with my dad who is here for a medical mission. He leaves on Monday nite and I continue on to Cuzco to go to Machu Pichu. Pretty excited about that!

As far as the past few weekends, I did a little more traveling (surprise, surprise!). I went to Quilotoa Lagoon which is a crater lake formed from an erupted volcano a long time ago. It`s a gorgeous greenish-blue color. We hired a guide to take us since the locals have ripped down the trail signs and it`s hard to find the way without one (they want the business, of course). It was a pretty difficult (bien dificil) hike from the lagoon to the village Chugchilan where we stayed but totally worth it! To get to Chugchilan, it`s a bumpy 3 1/2 hour bus ride from Latacunga. And the only buses leave there at 3 am and 4 am. Finally got home on Monday at 10 am....yikes!

The next weekend I went rafting in Tena (class 3 rapids). I highly recommend rafting in Tena (a town on the border of the jungle) and with Rios Ecuador. They are so well organized and really take care of you. Two adventures on the rafting trip I must share. One, the boat hit a rock in the rapids and another guy and I fell in. I think I blanked out for a minute because I didn`t realize what happened. The other guy basically saved me from the whirlpool that I was stuck in. Two, our guide Juan Pablo took us to this gorgeous cave and we covered ourselves in mud. It was like nothing I`ve ever seen before, maybe something out of a movie - a made-up place, but this was real!

Classes finished on Wednesday, May 24th. I`m done teaching!! Now, it`s vacations until I get home on June 13th.

What`s next for me? I get back to Texas on June 13th and will be home for 10 days. After which, I`m heading to Israel to study for 2 months. Then it`ll be time to find a job - anyone know of a good job in Austin or Houston (more interested in Austin - gotta get back to Jackson)?

One Reason I`m Looking Forward to Leaving....

2006-05-15T20:25:00.000-05:00

The crappy systems here!!

My mom sent me a package about 3 weeks ago...some clothes for the unborned child of my housekeeper`s daughter and some guide books for my trip to Peru and Bolivia. What we didn`t realize is that when you put a declaration value on a package to this country you have to pay taxes. You would think it would be easy to pay for this BUT, NOOOO, I`m in Ecuador (developing country that it is).

In order to get the package (which I didn`t end up getting today because the post office closes at 1 pm for lunch), I had to go to the post office with my package slip and two copies of my ID. Then, I had to pay $1.25 to get in line to look at my package. After that, they called me to the back room to open my package to see what`s inside (duh, my mom wrote it on the slip on the outside). Then they sealed it back up. At this point, since there was a declared value, I had to fill out a form and take it to the bank (5 blocks away) to deposit the money. Of course, the men in the post office insisted it would only take 10 minutes at the bank. BS!!! I was in line for an hour waiting to deposit $14 (the tax amount) into their bank account. Ok, so that`s all done now except I have to go back tomorrow to get the package.

Systems...I`m looking forward to some of the better systems in the US!!

I Have Aged

2006-05-09T11:54:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was my 27th birthday! I had excellent celebrations with my students and friends. The day began with a sweet phone call from my parents singing and cards from my host sister and the housekeeper. I left the house and caught a bus immediately. The bus driver offered me the seat up front by him - he must have known it was my birthday. In Spanish class, some students of our teacher came to do a presentation about roses (one of the main exports of Ecuador, besides bananas). The rest of the day I walked around with red roses :).

Classes started at 2 pm. My first class (of teenagers) came to class with a chocolate cake singing `Happy Birthday` and we had a little party. Then they gave me some chocolate to enjoy. My second class (of teenagers) came to class with Viennetta cake singing `Happy Birthday` and so commenced my second party. They also gave me chocolates to enjoy. My last class (of adults) brought ham pizza. Oops, I don`t eat pork so they got to enjoy my pizza.

This turned out to be ok because I went out to dinner with my friends to a place that was all you can eat tapas and drink wine. Needless to say, I stuffed my face and got a little drunk off of white wine.

It was a great birthday and thanks to everyone who wrote me such sweet emails! Miss you all!

Much to my surprise...

2006-05-03T12:42:00.000-05:00

There are people out there actually reading my blog. Since no one was commenting, I thought I was just writing to myself. But then I got a couple of emails about the fact that I haven`t written in a while.

So what have I been up to?

Two weeks ago, I went hiking for 9 1/2 hours in Pasochoa. Two other teachers, a secretary at my school, 10 other people I didn`t know, and I camped on Saturday night under the stars and took off hiking at 6:30 AM (the original plan was to start at midnight but no one came out of their tent then). Although I had some altitude problems and my knee was killing me (probably because of my surgery two years ago and lack of exercise), I made it 95% of the way to the top. I was really proud of myself. Maybe I`m ready for Machu Picchu now (I`m going in about a month)??

Last weekend, I traveled solo down south to a small town called Vilcabamba (Monday May 1st was ¨Labor Day¨ here). Some years back it was declared the town of eternal youth because there are a bunch of people they think are over the age of 100. It`s very popular among tourists so I went to check it out. I stayed in this wonderful hostel called Izhcayluma which means something but I can`t remember what. I relaxed, got a massage, and went horseback riding all day Sunday into the Podocarpus National Park (needless to say, I was and still am in some pain). I highly recommend a visit to this town and hostel for some R&R - and I met some really nice people along the way!

What`s next....I have 3 more weeks to teach and 2 full weeks to travel in Peru and Bolivia (I will also be traveilng on weekends - one weekend for hiking and another weekend for rafting). Plus I have this weekend to relax and start to celebrate my birthday.

The New Love in my Life

2006-04-18T12:23:00.000-05:00

I am in love with a 3-month old baby. We met this past weekend and it was love at first sight (well for me)! He has the cutest face with chubby cheeks and blue eyes. We had a great time together, talking, making noises, singing, eating, sleeping (well mostly him), etc. I can`t wait to spend more time with him in two months when I leave Quito. My time here is coming to an end...unbelievable!!

Last Weeknd Hiking, This Weekend Beaching...

2006-04-06T18:08:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, some friends and I went to Otavalo to bargain and buy some Ecuadorian souvenirs (2nd visit there- went with my parents the first time). We also celebrated my friend Karen`s birthday by eating ice cream cake on a street in Cotocachi. Then, on Sunday, we went hiking around a lake called Cuicocha (Guinea Pig Lake) for 6 1/2 hours. Reminds me that I need to get in shape if I`m gonna do the Inca Trail in June!!

But for now, I`m off to the beach this weekend to relax. The hammocks are calling my name...

9 Days Til...

2006-04-04T12:47:00.000-05:00

I get to meet Jackson! My super generous parents are flying me home for 3 short days to meet my new nephew (he`ll be 3 months when we meet) and to see the family. The whole fam, including my aunt and cousins from Kansas, will be together for the holidays! I am really looking forward to seeing everyone!

And then there was the.....Galapagos

2006-04-03T12:25:00.000-05:00

I`ve been delaying this post because how do you sum up 8 amazing days in the Galapagos in just one blog posting? Well I decided to just give you some ´highlights´ of my trip (hope I don`t bore you to death):

- Convincing my seatmates to change seats so I can sit with my parents who got on the plane at Guayaquil. I was already sitting on the plane from Quito to Guayaquil and the people I was sitting next to didn`t want to move. A little convincing, I was sitting with my parents.

- Arriving in Santa Cruz Island and seeing sea lions sitting on benches next to where we took the zodiac boats to the 100-person ship

- Trying to learn the name of our group for disembarcking and boarding the boat. We were the ´Colmoranes´ (type of bird that doesn`t fly) but Dad couldn`t keep it straight so we were the `Camarones` (shrimps) most of the time.

- Meeting the Alexanders from San Antonio. Such friendly and great travel companions.

- 1st hike on Dragon Hill with only 5 in our group (unfortunately, the 10 people came later because their flight from Panama was cancelled). We saw flamingos, land iguanas (both relaxing and fighting for territory), and sea lions.

- 2nd hike on Bartholomew Island. We saw lava lizards and cacti, climbed 320 steps, and saw the famous Pinnacle Rock.

- Trying to snorkel for the first time but having difficulties with my mask.

- 3rd hike on Santiago (or James) Island - our first hike with the big group of 16 people. We saw tons of animals including sea lions, marine iguanas, a great blue heron in a tree, lava herons (with green feet), and the American oystercatcher.

- First good snorkeling experience followed by seeing a family of sea lions including a little baby on the beach.

- A dingy boat tour and the 4th hike on Fernandina Island. This is the island where we saw the most variety of animals and both types of lava (Pahoehoe and Ah-ah).

- Getting dehydrated and sick.

- A most amazing ´performance´ of approx. 80 dolphins swimming in front of the boat. When the boat would catch up with them, they would all jump out of the water at the same time. It was like Sea World X 500!!

- A dingy tour of Northern Isabel Island. First time I saw penguins!!

- Participating in a pirates skit on the boat. The Alexanders, Mom, and I (and others) got to dress up and yelled ´Errrr´. I even had a small speaking part!

- 5th tour of El Chato to see giant tortoises in the wild and then walking through a lava tunnel.

- Saying goodbye to the 5 day tour friends but the Alexanders and my family continued on for 4 more days.

- Seeing tortoises eating lunch and a baby (less than 1 year old) named Genesis.

- Swimming (snorkeling) with sea lions. They would come near our face or some of them would nibble at our fins. Drew, who was traveling with his grandma and joined our group of Colmoranes later, found a marine iguana eating underwater. Our guide said that is very unusual to see because they are usualy only in the water for 15-20 minutes.

- Visiting a beach infested with huge horseflies. Get me out of there asap!

- 6th hike on Española Island. This island also had tons of animals including the blue-footed boobies (including the mating dance), the nazca boobies, Galapagos hawk, magnificent frigate bird (with a blue eye), swallow-tail gull. We also saw marine iguanas in colors (red, green, teal) either trying to dig a nest with so much effort or fighting off other iguanas who were trying to steal their already built nests. The whole time we were on the island we were followed by a little mockingbird - the guide said the bird wanted our bottled water.

- Visiting the Charles Darwin Center. Seeing Lonesome George from far far away and then getting close to other tortoises.

- Shopping in Puerto Ayora. Dad`s watch time changed back an hour, and we were late getting back to the boat. Ooops!

- 7th short hike (my last one) on Genovesa Island. We saw red-footed and nazca boobies, frigate birds (the men blow up their red chest to attract the women), and the Galapagos dove. Afterwards, we went snorkeling and saw a white-tip reef shark on the bottom of the ocean.

- Teaching Drew `Si se puede` (yes, you can!) so that he could get a pizza for dinner when it wasn`t on the menu.

- Sitting on the deck of the boat playing Sudoku.

- Watching the sunset in the evenings and then seeing the stars. Wayne knew lots about stars and pointed out Jupiter and Saturn to us among other things. And first time I saw the Southern Cross!

- Good food and great ship crew. I even got the chance to practice my Spanish a bit.

- And most importantly, traveling and spending time with my parents. They are the best travel companions and I feel so lucky to be able to travel with them!

Thanks for a great trip, M & D!

First there was the beach....

2006-03-26T18:51:00.000-06:00

Kristin and I headed out of Quito last Wed on a 7 1/2 hour day bus ride to check out two beach towns - Same and Atacames. The car bridge had in fact collapsed so in order to get to Same, we had to take a ´taxi´ (basically, a cart attached to a motocycle). When we finally arrived, practically everything including our hotel was closed. We had to bang on the door and they finally let us in.

Our search for food was successful after walking around town for a while. In our quest for food, we made friends with a dog. This dog turned out to be our protector for the whole time we were in Same - he followed us everywhere, slept outside our cabaña, stayed with us on the beach, and barked at anyone that came near. The beach was gorgeous and quiet - only the locals were there on a Thursday. Fine by me!

Off to Atacames on Thursday evening. Now for those of you that don`t know, Atacames is the party beach in Ecuador. Every weekend, tons of people pour in and it`s suppose to be crazy. Since we were there on a Thursday night, it was a little tamer. We stayed at this gorgeous hotel with a pool, hammocks, and great food, and we each got our own room!! We ate pizza, danced salsa, and got a good night`s rest. Ah, and only one minor problem - while I was walking around town, my bathing suit broke on Friday (thankfully, I was wearing a t-shirt over it and then my parents arrived on Saturday with a new one).

We flew back to Quito on Friday afternoon so I could get back safely and prepare for my trip to the Galapagos. That posting to follow soon (later this week after classes start)...

Vacations Commence...

2006-03-15T09:38:00.000-06:00

I have just turned in my grades for my 3rd cycle of teaching and now the vacations begin. Kristin and I are heading to the beach in an hour for some R&R (or so I hope - heard that the bridge to the beach collapsed). Then on Saturday I´m meeting my parents to go to the Galapagos (whoo hoo). Will definitely follow-up with a full report on all the adventures.

Name That Place

2006-03-12T17:20:00.000-06:00

Can you name a place where you can buy all the following leather products for $110:
- 2 jackets
- shoes
- shoulder bag/briefcase
- purse
- 3 belts
- hair tie

The name of the place is the town of Quisapincha, and it`s located in Ecuador, just outside the city of Ambato. I day-tripped there yesterday to pick up some leather goods and really enjoyed it. The main street of the city is lined with shops and the people are extremely helpful. (I seem to have abnormal long arms and must have tried on 60 different jackets before I found one that fit.) I highly recommend a visit to Quisapincha if you are coming to Ecuador!

Attending Mass

2006-03-05T18:44:00.000-06:00

I went to my first mass on Saturday morning. Two years ago on March 2nd, my host sisters and brother lost their mother to cancer. One year ago on March 3rd, their grandmother passed away. I attended mass with them because I felt it was a way I could be there for them during this time. During the mass, both their mother and grandmother´s names were read. I can´t even begin to imagine how difficult it must be for them. But they continue to put on brave faces. This blog is dedicated to the memory of their mom and grandma.

Was it Bound to Happen? Why Me?

2006-03-02T11:00:00.000-06:00

At the beginning of my jungle adventure, my bag with all my clothes, medicines, jacket, sandals, etc. was stolen. I am really trying to make the most of the situation and not hate Ecuador so much (bastards). Of course, I was lucky cuz no documents, cameras, and other really personal belongings were not taken. Everything is replaceable, more or less.

It all began with a horrible bumpy night bus ride. Would NOT recommend the bus ride from Quito to Lago Agrio to anyone. We arrived early morning to L.A. so we ate a long breakfast. Around 10, the van to take us to the jungle arrived and we all put our things inside. The driver went to go buy sandwiches for us for lunch and we went to go pick up our bus tickets for the return bus to Quito (not my first choice but no other options).

We returned to the van and everyone´s bags except mine and two others including the driver and another Ecuadorian were there. They went and got the police and as if the criminals were going to be walking around the streets, we drove around the neighborhoods for 20 minutes. I guess it´s just to show some kind of sympathy.

I was ready to go back home to Quito but the driver insisted that they would buy me whatever I needed. Well, the normal body type of an Ecuadorian is a lot smaller than me so I had my doubts. But we were able to find a few basic necessities and off I went to the jungle. Also, with the willingness to help from some of the other travelers, I was more confident about going (so what if I would wear the same clothes for 4 days - we are in the jungle for goodness sake!).

The following 3 days were really nice. We rode in canoes, saw animals including monkeys, went hiking and swimming, met an indigenous community (ate casabe, bread made from yuca), fished for piranhas, and stayed in great cabañas with a fabulous chef. I made the most of my trip and hopefully, I can go back in June to see more.

(PS I posted some more pictures from last Dec. I am still trying to get caught up.)

Did I fail to mention....

2006-02-24T08:05:00.000-06:00

- there are now 5 guests (2 Sweds, 2 French Canadians, and me) and 3 Ecuadorians in my house?

- I went to Baños last weekend with some friends? We rode bikes, ate some yummy food, and had imprinted t-shirts made (reminded me of the BFF T-shirt I made with my friend Judith when we were kids).

- I´m heading to the jungle this long weekend (no classes on Monday and Tuesday because of Carnival)?

- I keep getting sick? The weather here lately has been horrible and I think the air gets more polluted everyday.

- I am having a very good teaching cycle? Excellent students, it´s really been a blast!

- I´m taking salsa lessons? Yep, I´ve had 8 lessons with Marco who is a great teacher. I have thought about taking lessons when I get back to the States.

- my Spanish is improving little by little? It feels good when Ecuadorians compliment you on your Spanish.

- I´ll be in the Galapagos with my parents in just about 3 weeks? I can´t wait!

- I have a Spanish exam in just about an hour that I haven´t studied for? Ooops!

Mindo is Lindo

2006-02-16T09:04:00.000-06:00

Sorry, I know the title is cheesy but it´s true!

Last Saturday, my friend Kristin and I spent a few hours in Mindo hiking and saw a gorgeous waterfall (pictures to follow in the next few months). We left early in the morning and returned to Quito in the late afternoon. We hiked for about two hours and ate a great lunch.

I want to go back at some point because there is so much to do there - tubing, seeing butterflies and birds, etc. Great day trip!!

Living with the Marias

2006-02-09T09:58:00.000-06:00

Ok, I am feeling a little left out. All the females in the house except me and another guest in the house (Ingela from Sweden) are named Maria. There is Maria Ines and Maria de la Paz who are identical twins (except for their hair; Maria de la Paz has longer hair right now). Then there is Maria from Sweden - she is volunteering here until March. There were two more Marias (Maria Augusta and Maria Gracias) when I arrived in January, but they just recently moved out of the house. It´s a bit nuts. I can´t say `Maria´; otherwise, 3 or 4 heads turn to respond! Ah, the Marias!

Ecuadorian Survival Words Part 2

2006-02-05T12:35:00.000-06:00

On Oct 28th, I posted the first part of my list of Ecuadorian Survival Words. After living with a family for 3 weeks, I have a few more to share.

1) PLENO - This word means the same thing as chevere such as 'cool' or 'awesome' or 'great'. I told my family that I have an easy schedule this time because I am teaching the same level and I don't have too much to prepare. They say, 'Que pleno!' (or 'How great!').

2) QUE BESTIA - This has two meanings and it all depends on your tone. It can mean 'Wonderful, marvelous, wow!' or 'How horrible!'. I have been sick all week with gripes (a cold). On Thursday, I couldn't talk at all and how to teach my class without a voice (new challenge/adventure) and my sister said with a sad tone, 'Que bestia!'.

3) CHUTA - It's the equivalent of 'Crap!' in English. When something bad happens, you say, 'Chuta!'. For example, I decided to share my binder of notes and ideas with other teachers for a level I wasn't teaching at the moment. I left it in the teachers' lounge for everyone to see with a note on the front asking everyone to please return everything to the binder. Two days later, another teacher and I were looking at the binder, and we discovered a bunch of things were missing. At this moment, I said, 'Chuta!'. See if I leave anything in the teachers' lounge again!

I`m Sick!

2006-01-31T19:17:00.000-06:00

My crazy weekend caught up with me! I have gripes (some kind of cold) - sore throat and pressure in my head and ears. My host brother and sisters are taking such good care of me - getting me tea, feeding me, etc. They blame it on the weather in Quito - everyday the weather changes from hot (like it´s spring or summertime) to cold (like it`s the fall). But, I know I did myself in this weekend! Oops! I hate being like this cause I don`t have enough energy to really teach my classes. 6 hours on my feet and being sick is really tough! But, I am self-healing with tons of water and sleep.

My follow-up: I am now without voice. Chuta, I have to teach today!! No worries, I think I have a plan. And tomorrow, I changed with my friend Karen and it`s going to be my movie. Thank goodness!

5 AM Bedtimes?

2006-01-30T09:34:00.000-06:00

First of all, who am I? I am 26 years old, almost 27, and don`t really think of myself as a party animal. But this weekend...yikes!

It all began on Friday nite after classes (Friday was an exam day). Some of my old students, a few teachers, and I decided to head to the bar Cavo that would be closing on Saturday nite (to change locations and renovate). Now, most of you know that I love to dance, but, after 4 hours straight, my feet were starting to hurt. I was ready to go, but wouldn`t you know my friends were not.

Yes, this wouldn`t be a problem elsewhere but Cavo (and some other bars in Quito) are like jail. Yes, I used the word ´jail´ cause that`s what it felt like. The bar is gated and you enter with your group and a card to pay when you are leaving. Of course, the bars like having more women than men so my `group` was two girls and a guy. And you can`t leave until everyone in your party is ready to go. To make matters worse, my friend had put my backpack in a closet somewhere so I just had to wait. Finally, after 5 1/2 hours of dancing (close to 4:30 am), everyone was ready to go. I finally laid my head down to sleep at 5 am.

Saturday, I treated myself to a massage in the afternoon at the Hilton. I would have never guessed but it`s cheaper for outsiders than for the guests of the hotel. Does that make any sense to you?? I then treated myself to my first shawarma since returning to Quito. Yummy! I even got the opportunity to practice my Spanish with the owner. Go me!

In the early evening, I met a couple of friends to go see a show. I had no idea what the show was about but decided to check it out anyway. It turned out to be amazing!!! It was a group of young girls from Argentina and Ecuador. The Argentine girls came to live with the Ecuadorian girls for a few months. Together they put on a show of these amazing modern dances. They were so talented and I really enjoyed the show!

Saturday nite was the celebration of my friend´s golden birthday (she turned 27 on the 27th). Her amignovio (aka Friend/Boyfriend or something of the sorts) organized a party for her at a bar he was playing at. Afterwards, we headed to a salsa bar (get to practice my new moves). After some time, we headed to my friend`s apartment and stayed up talking until 4:45 am. Yikes!

Sunday, I spent grading exams. I finished and my students did pretty darn well. I am so proud of them. My host sisters, another guest in the house, and I also watched the movie `Notting Hill`. I still don`t really care for the movie but my host sisters have never seen it. So we relaxed in front of the TV.

Luckily, I had time to eat this weekend. One of my favorite dishes is ceviche con chochos (like soybeans). It`s so yummy and I ate some this weekend :). I also enjoyed an awesome waffle with chocolate chips on top. And of course, the shawarma.

What a weekend! Anyone else tired?

A Strange Dining Experience

2006-01-22T10:27:00.000-06:00

Imagine it´s Friday night.

A group of 7 people including a married couple decide to go out to eat at a tapas restaurant with a special deal – pay $10 and all the tapas and wine you want. Upon arriving at the restaurant without reservations, they discover the place is full and there won´t be availability for at least another hour. One person suggests a restaurant nearby so everyone follows.

The group arrives at the new place – a swanky restaurant with lights, colors, and music playing in the background. They seem happy with the place until they get menus and see the prices. This place is quite a bit more expensive than the other place. But nonetheless, they´ll try it.

The waiter comes to take their orders but no one is ready yet. Soon after, the married couple decides they will go home. It´s been a long first week of classes and they are tired (and the prices too - wow!). The waiter then returns and takes everyone´s orders. Only 3 people order food. A little while later, 2 more friends arrive and one of them orders food as well.

20 or 30 minutes pass and the waiter comes with a dish in hand. He indicates that it´s theirs but no one at the table recognizes the food. He indicates that the woman of the married couple ordered it but they argue that the couple left before the food was ordered. The waiter insists that the group will have to pay for it. Arguing continues for a while and then the waiter finally leaves with the dish – the group will not pay for this. 5 or 10 more minutes pass, and the waiter returns with another unrecognizable dish. He argues that the man of the married couple ordered this dish. They argue again for a few minutes and he finally leaves with the dish in hand - not paying for it.

Finally the actual ordered food of the 3 people arrives. They enjoy the meal and pass the time eating and chatting. But the 4th person´s food never arrives. She asks the waiter about it but he has no idea what she is talking about. He asks her if she wants to order something and she does not want anything from this overpriced restaurant (but she doesn´t tell him that).

The group pays for the meal they had, leaving any additional tip (12% tip is normally included). What a strange dining experience!

Auntie Em, Auntie Em - that´s me!

2006-01-18T09:42:00.000-06:00

Excitement from the States...my first nephew arrived on Monday, January 16th. According to my dad, he was 6 lbs 15 ozs and was 18 1/2 inches. I just missed him by 3 days (had to get back to Quito on Saturday to start teaching on Monday). It´s nice to see him in pictures (with a full head of black hair), but I want to him in person! Not that he´ll remember me though...

MIA - Where have I been?

2006-01-15T15:29:00.000-06:00

It´s been over a month since I last wrote. Guess it´s time for a quick update.

On Dec 20th, I packed and stored most of my bags and headed back to the states for a 3 1/2 week visit. After a few days of relaxing in Houston, I headed to San Diego to see my cousin´s gorgeous wedding. Wow, what an event! I got to see a bunch of my family too! Back at home, I relaxed and was introduced to the show LOST. It´s gonna be a bit of a problem being an addict here since they don´t have the show - guess I´ll catch up when I return to the states. Please don´t ruin it for me! I spent a week in Austin with my sister in hopes of meeting my new nephew before returning to Ecuador but no luck there. She is still preggy as I write this. It might not be until June that I meet the little guy.

So I´m back and looking forward to new adventures. I moved in with a sweet Ecuadorian family today and got my schedule for the next cycle (I teach from 2-8 pm and the same Intermediate 2 class 3 times). Looks like I´ll have plenty of time to practice Spanish and travel.

¡CHEVÉRE!

Solo Journey

2005-12-14T11:28:00.000-06:00

This past weekend, I traveled solo to a little town called Salinas. They have tons of factories in this little place - cheese, chocolate, wool, ceramics, etc. I enjoyed the little adventure alone. I do enjoy traveling with groups though. I met some interesting people along the way (practicing my Spanish) and ate like a champ for super duper cheap. That´s Ecuador for ya!

Classes end tomorrow and then I think I am off to the beach for a few days. Then, I have to get all my stuff packed up because I am switching houses in January to live with an Ecuadorian family. On Tuesday, I am heading back for a 3 1/2 week visit to the States. Plans include my cousin´s wedding in California, the birth of my nephew (or I hope so), spend time with my family, and RELAX!

Brands, Stores, and Other Fun Names

2005-12-12T08:32:00.000-06:00

Being in another country, you find many funny and unusual names for products and stores. Here are a few of my favorites:

SUPERMAXI - I do all my grocery shopping at this place. The one near my house is in the mall and it´s really nice. They have a larger version similar to Walmart or Target called MEGAMAXI.

HORNIMANS - tea, anyone? This is one of the brands for black tea. We have a big bag of it at home because my English roommates like to drink it.

SNOB - This is the brand name of products in cans and jars such as corn, olives, etc. Ironically, we buy it cause it´s probably the CHEAPEST stuff on the shelves.

Riding on Chivas, Drinking Canelazo, and More!

2005-12-07T07:33:00.000-06:00

The past few weeks has been the celebrations of Quito´s foundation day (Dec 6th). The major part of the parties is riding on a chiva (party) bus which includes a band and canelazo (a warm cinnamon-flavored alcoholic drink). You can either ride on top of the bus with the band, behind it, or inside (boring!!). The chiva takes people around town including the beautiful Old Town. The best views of the city are on top and in the back. I had the opportunity to ride on a chiva twice.

Thursday night, my student Liz and I were waiting for a bus to go to the park for a concert and a chiva came by and offered us a ride. So we jumped on back. Little did we know that we wouldn´t arrive at the park until 2 1/2 hours later! The best part of it was dancing on the back of the chiva and in Plaza Grande (in the Old Town). Friday night, CEC organized a chiva for the teachers. Again another fabulous ride around town including dancing next to the Basilica.

Luckily, we had Monday and Tuesday off so it was a nice and relaxing long weekend. This is a short week of classes. Actually this week is 3 days of classes and then next week is 4 days and then we are finished. I am back to the states in just 2 weeks for a 3 1/2 week visit! Holy smokes!

Thanksgiving Ecuador Style

2005-12-07T07:29:00.000-06:00

I forgot to mention that I celebrated Turkey Day here in Quito with a group of teachers on the Sunday after the day. We ate turkey, mashed poptatoes, green beans, pumpkin bread (courtesy of my mom when she came to visit in October), pies, and màs! It was a great day with a Euchre tournament included. It was my first Thanksgiving away from home so it was nice to be together.

Are Baños people called Bathroomers?

2005-11-22T10:28:00.000-06:00

I visited this cute little town this weekend called Baños nestled between the Andes. The town also sits next to Tungurahua Volcano that has ash spewing from it on most days. The town has many hot springs and you can bathe all over the place :). Of course, the town has become a major tourist spot so the baths are a bit overrun.

Nonetheless, I fell in love with the town. There´s ton of excellent food and activities! We (6 of us) only spent Saturday and Sunday there but we packed in the adventures. Saturday, we went on 4-wheelers up to the top of one of the mountains for some excellent views. Sunday, we went on a 4-hour hike outside of town and rode on a cable car to cross over a river. We ate well and partied Saturday night away.

There is still much to discover in Baños (people keep asking me if I visited the waterfalls - what waterfalls?). Hope to head back very soon!

To Improve or Not to Improve - That is the ?

2005-11-18T10:20:00.000-06:00

I am in the process of making an extremely difficult situation. I have a perfect living situation right now - two other CEC teachers and two other gals. In the apartment we are like a family. We sit down to eat dinner almost every night (Sarah is an amazing cook/chef/bread-maker/etc) and we have fabulous conversations! I have really enjoyed it!

BUT, everyone is a native English speaker so my Spanish has NOT really improved since I arrived.

What to do? I know my mom would say to make a pro/con list and weigh the options. And, some of my students have offered to help me find an Ecuadorian family to stay with. So I´ll probably go meet some of them - of course, I don´t want to offend anyone.

I´ll keep ya posted!

Results: Cuenca - 0, Guayaquil - 0

2005-11-12T12:33:00.000-06:00

Visited Cuenca and Guayaquil last week and I have to say I wasn´t too impressed. The highlights of the trip were hiking in Cajas National Park, dancing at a bar called Lamè, seeing iguanas running free in a park, and watching E! on the TV in our hostel room.

Cuenca was cold and rainy everyday. We all expected huge parties for their independence day on Thursday but not much was happening. Later, I discovered that everyone had to work on Friday (not us!!) so the parties were pretty tame. The city was nice (sort of an European feel) and the ice cream was the best I have had in Ecuador! My travel companion Katie and I met up with others and shopped, ate, and relaxed. Oh and of course, dancing at a bar called Lame (in Spanish, the verb `lamer´ means to lick)

Friday, we went hiking around this gorgeous lake in Cajas. Shortly before the end of our 2-hour hike, I ended up falling in some mud. To make matters worse, it was the only pair of pants I brought on the trip. I spent that evening in my PJ pants, going to the lavanderia and paying 45 cents to have my pants cleaned.

Guayaquil is not much of a tourist town. They have modernized the coastline with shopping centers, restaurants, and much more (aka the Malecon). There are some gorgeous parks (one with iguanas) and gardens, but that´s really all the city has to offer. Ok, we did have some excellent ceviche there too!

I came back with a cold because of all the weather changes..Cuenca - cold, Guayaquil - hot and humid (wait was I in Houston?), Quito AM - rainy and cold, Quito PM - warm. Finally a week later, I am starting to feel better!

So there you have it! I wouldn´t recommend Cuenca except for the helado. I would recommend Guayaquil except it´s the closest point to fly to the Galapagos so I hope I´ll be going back for that!

Lions and Tigers and Mites - Oh My!

2005-11-12T12:10:00.000-06:00

Over the last month or so, I have been sleeping with the `mites´. Every morning I would wake up with little bites on my ankles, hands, and sometimes my belly. After some investigation by my flatmate Sarah and my parents, we determined that I would need to wash all my sheets, covers, blankets, etc in hot water, cover myself in some scabies medicine, and spray my mattress with disinfectant. Ugh!

But, today is the 4th day since the above tasks were completed and I am still without new bites. What a relief!

Vaquitos a Quito?

2005-11-01T13:29:00.000-06:00

My parents came to visit for not 1, not 2, but 3 days! It was a quick visit but we jam packed the weekend with tons of fun-ness! And they brought me more stuff than you can imagine!!

Friday: I showed them places I had been before and we went to new places. First to the Teleferico (cable car) where we were totally in the clouds with no views of Quito up there! Off to Old Town to see the Plaza de La Independencia and lucky for us there was a protest in progress. This was followed by a visit to the Basilica which offered much better views of Quito. Lunch at Pims, the restaurant on the same hill as the Virgen (or Panecillo) that watches over the city. Yet more wonderful views of Quito! Back to the hotel - we need a nap!

Saturday: Off to Otavalo, a town with an excellent and cheap artesian market.. The bus experience was a new one for them but they enjoyed it. Only $2 to go two hours away! We bargained and bought a few things. When we were on the bus back, my mom observed that the bus driver´s assistant hangs out of the bus yelling out to people. At one point, she thought he was talking to the cows - Vaquitos a Quito (precious cows to Quito)? Nope, there was someone standing on the side of the road that we couldn´t see. But excellent idea, Mom!

Sunday: The middle of the world is waiting and we went to see it. We saw some excellent experiments (same ones I saw with Ilan but awesome to see again). Then we headed to the Capilla del Hombre (Guayasamin´s museum) which my parents loved! Before they can leave, there is some necessary shopping...so off to some stores and markets to buy!

And then early Monday morning, with tears, they were off. I return home in 7 weeks for a visit so it´s not too far off. I am really looking forward to being home for some time!

But FIRST, tonight starts a 5-day weekend! I am off to Cuenca and Guayaquil for the celebrations (Cuencan Independence Day on Thursday). Have a good week, y`all!

Ecuadorian Survival Words Part 1

2005-10-28T13:10:00.000-05:00

Showing the lack of excellent Spanish I have, I accidentally deleted (instead of editing) an entry about my Ecuadorian survival words. So here I go again (and with corrections):

1) CHÈVERE - like `super` or `excellent`. Everything is chèvere in this country! I am going on vacation - chèvere. We watched fireworks two weeks ago outside our window - that was chèvere too! My dog died - chèvere (ok, bad joke).

2) SIGA and SIGA NO MÀS - to continue or move forward. I was recently educated that they both mean the same thing. I thought `siga no màs` meant to not go anywhere but it´s not. Some things we just don´t ever understand. I hear both of these all the time on the bus from the assistant of the bus driver. Doesn´t really help to get people moving to the back of the bus!

Don´t Cry for Me, Argentina!

2005-10-15T16:56:00.000-05:00

So I couldn´t resist the subject!! I just spent 6 wonderful days in Buenos Aires with my new ¨cousins¨- Hector and Beatriz. With some excitement (the Uruguay soccer team was on my first flight) and bumps (bought a brand new ticket for a bit more; flight was 4 hours late b/c of fog in B.A.), I safely arrived on Sunday morning into the arms of a lovely couple.

Hector and Beatriz picked me up at the airport and spent the next 3 days spoiling me with the sites (Recoleta, La Boca, San Telmo, Puerto Madero, Pink House, etc), sounds (danced the tango), shopping (leather, jewelry), food (yummy carne, Danish pastries), and drinks (mate, VINO!!) of B.A. I also spent time with another couple who showed me more of the northern part of the providence (Tigre, San Isidro, San Fernando) and took me into their home for some delicious meals!

It´s an amazing city with so much history (2010 is the bicentennial - I plan to be there for it!). I can´t say enough thanks to all my hosts that welcomed me into their homes and lives in Buenos Aires. And it´s all thanks to my amazing cousins David and Marcia in Israel who connected me with my newfound family in Argentina!

Now back to work on Monday....better schedule this cycle. I am only working from 2-8 in the afternoon/evening! Whoo hoo!

The Highest Compliment

2005-10-05T10:45:00.000-05:00

My first cycle as a teacher in Ecuador ends on Friday. Today is our review day and the following two days are exam days (Thursday - written exam and Friday - oral exam). I have really enjoyed the majority of my classes, especially my 6-8 pm Immediate 1 class. They are a great bunch of energetic adults and we have a blast in and out of class. At the end of class last week, they asked me if I would be their teacher for the next level (Immediate 2). Even though I have never taught that level before, I really enjoyed being with them so I accepted their invitation (I guess it´ll require some lesson planning effort on my part). On Monday, they passed around a petition and about 10 students signed it. The director came to inform me of the petition and it looks like I´ll be teaching these students next cycle. To be asked by my students to teach them again was the highest compliment for me as a new teacher!

Various Updates

2005-09-26T17:09:00.000-05:00

Hurricane Update: My family and friends are safe and sound in Houston. Rita made its way a little east of Houston. The worst of it seemed to be many people in Houston (including my parents and grandparents) losing power over the weekend.

Weekend Update: This was my first weekend in a while to stay in Quito. I went dancing with my students on Friday, caught up on sleep, and visited downtown to see the amazing World Press 2005 exhibit (might be coming to a city near you if you are lucky) and some of the churches.

Bed/Mattress Update: I think I have forgotten to mention in previous blogs that I have a new bedframe and mattress since one of my flatmates moved out (and we moved her nice bed into my room). So I slept extremely well this weekend :)!

Spanish Update: My Spanish is un poco (a little) better since I arrived. In addition to my daily Spanish class (11-12 every weekday), I am taking private lessons. I think I need more opportunities to speak, and I am not getting that with my living and working situation. Hopefully, after this cycle ends in 2!!!! weeks, I will have more chances to practice.

Vacation Update: I am off to Argentina in less than two weeks for the break between cycles. My cousin David in Israel has been so extremely helpful in finding me someone to stay with and the folks in Argentina are so welcoming! I really am looking forward to meeting them!

Me Update: Life is going well! At times, I feel overwhelmed with work, life, etc but I am trying to learn from all my experiences. There might be a few things I would change but at the moment I am pretty content!

Hurricane Rita

2005-09-22T09:39:00.000-05:00

At this moment, the hurricane (now a category 5) is on its way to my hometown (Houston, Texas). I hear they have already evacuated Galveston Island and many people are talking about leaving Houston. My grandparents are heading to Dallas to stay with my aunt and cousins and my mom is discussing the option of going to Austin to stay with my sister. During this time, it´s really hard to be away from my family. I sometimes feel helpless; there is nothing I can do but just hope and wait. If you are in or near Houston or the coast, please take the appropriate precautions and evacuate if necessary. My thoughts are with you all!

Off on another weekend adventure...

2005-09-20T12:43:00.000-05:00

So I told myself I would take a weekend off from traveling BUT there was a great trip planned to Cayambe (only volcano on the equator) and the hot springs in Oyacachi. Wow, what a weekend...here´s my best effort at a summary.

Leaving on Saturday morning and traveling by bus, the 9 of us (8 CEC teachers and my flatmate Sarah) arrived in Cayambe late morning. Annie and Geoff (a British couple teaching at CEC) led the pack. Everyone was hungry so we headed to a restaurant we could find open. We all enjoyed a nice breakfast of bread, bizcochi (popular local food), cheese, jam, eggs, etc. The treat was the large selection of postres (desserts). But, looks are deceiving...it definitely wasn't the best tasting cake.

Breakfast was followed by a quick walk around town, a visit to the City Museum, and hanging out in a cemetary. The majority of the graves are above ground and are put in holes (the size of the casket) above each other. The holes are sealed once a person is placed inside. That way, families can be 'together' for all eternity (ok, maybe creepy thought).

Nearby Cayambe are some pre-Incan ruins and hot springs. The troops rallied and we found a camioneta (truck) to take us. This did not come without some negotiating on the gringos´part. With the help of Sarah´s excellent Spanish and others going to compare rates with other camionetas, we were able to get the rate from $60 down to $45. As Sarah said to the driver (translated from Spanish), 'Better idea to take us because you won´t make anything just sitting here.'

The ruins (remains of pyramids from pre-Incan times) are spectacular. We have a Spanish guide and learn some more history on Ecuador. Queen Quilago ordered that all the pyramids be covered in preparation for invading armies. One pyramid that deserves mentioning is the fertility pyramid. Supposedly, 3 couples have gotten married on the pyramid in the last year.

Now comes the fun part. Not really believing our truck driver, we hopped into the back of the camioneta for what turned out to be a 2 1/2 hour ride to the small town of Oyacachi, a small town nestled in between the mountains. Cold from the ride in the back of the camioneta and hungry, we didn´t arrive until after dark. We were able to arrange sleeping arrangement - we stayed in two different houses. Ours was the newly but not completely built house at the top of the hill. Dinner was a fabulous trout meal.

4 of us had an early morning wake-up (5:45 am) to go to the hot springs. Oh boy, fun, fun, fun! ¡Que bueno! The water was fabulous and relaxing. The jump into the freezing lake didn´t seem so appealing to me so I stayed in the hot pools. After the hot springs, we headed to breakfast and a guided tour of the town's ruins (the town moved because of avalanche scares). Our guide was a young local with so much enthusiam - it was only his 3rd tour of the town and ruins. He took us around the town and back to his home.

Two buses leave Oyacachi a day - 4 am and 2 pm. So we made a run to catch the second and last bus of the day. There were a few bus adventures getting back to Quito because of a football game, but we made it back safely.

What a short but fabulous trip! I enjoyed visiting a less touristy town (most of my students hadn´t ever heard of Oyacachi). But now, I think it´s time I take a weekend off from traveling because I am heading to Argentina for the long break in October. Besides, I still haven´t seen much of Quito :).

Chivalry is almost dead in Quito

2005-09-19T13:10:00.000-05:00

I must comment on the men in Quito.

First, my disclaimer: this is not true for ALL men but for the majority of the men that I have encountered.

Men here are so disrespectful of everyone, especially women. When a woman walks down the street in Quito, more likely than not, a male will whistle, hiss, or make some comment to her. The best option is to ignore them because anything you say or do encourages them even more.

Not only are the majority of the men on the street disrespectful, but I have also found many men on the buses to be rude. On the buses, trains, etc, men tend to take up more space than they necessarily need and the ons I have seen sitting typically don´t stand up for older women. Perfect example: this past weekend, my flatmate Sarah and I were standing on either side of a man whose legs were spread apart in a 3 foot stride. It wouldn´t have been such a big deal if there was so much room on the bus but we were tightly packed in like sardines. When someone vacated a seat near us, the man made a bee-line for it without politely asking if anyone else would like to sit. Ok, not that big of a deal, but it´s an example of something that has happened to me.

Finally, something I find unbelievable is the acceptance of men cheating on their wives. I may be totally ignorant to this in the States but here it happens a lot and women are just supposed to accept the situation.

Did I mention the plumbing?

2005-09-16T12:44:00.000-05:00

More on life in Ecuador... we cannot flush ANYTHING down the toilet, including toilet paper. The custom here is to throw your toilet paper in the trash can. So, after a few days, you end up with a huge amount of smelly waste. It took some getting used to (both the rule to not flush toilet paper and the smelly waste), but I now follow suit.

My friends from the States tell me that when you go back, you have to remember that you CAN put waste down the toilet. I have one friend who said she was confused when she was back home and the trash can was on the other side of the bathroom from the toilet. Go figure!

Team Platanos

2005-09-12T17:21:00.000-05:00

The title of this blog is dedicated to my flatmate Karen who organized a fabulous vacation for us on the coast (the beach!!). Karen, one of her old students Diego (who speaks amazing English), Kristin, and I spent this past weekend in Puerto Lopez - the gateway city to the Machalilla National Park including Isla de La Plata where whale watching is popular this time of year.

It´s quite a long trip to Puerto Lopez - an 11-hour overnight bus one way. I felt really safe on the bus because they wouldn´t allow us to bring any bags (except small grocery ones) and we were all body searched by the receptionist woman. Now that was an experience! Arriving early Saturday morning (6:30), we were welcomed by the whale watching tour company (a special welcome sign for Karen), and they helped us find a hostel. We walked down to the beach for breakfast.

After breakfast, it was time for our tour. We were pre-warned about the rockiness of the ship but boy, nothing can prepare you. I brought Dramamine and shared it with Kristin and another girl who both really needed it. I was able to do without it! Thank goodness for that because it made Kristin extremely drowsy. Near to our arrival at Isla de La Plata, the guides stopped the boat and we whale-watched. They didn´t seem to be very active at that time so we moved on.

At the island, we had a three hour hike which included bird watching. These were such interesting looking birds with BLUE feet (check out my pictures). It was a gorgeous island with beautiful waves crashing all around it. And now, Karen calls us - Team Platanos (from the name of the island, Isla de La Plata).

After the visit to the island, we got to eat watermelon and pineapple on the boat (my mom´s two favorite fruits - note the sarcasm; Mom - I was thinking of you). It tasted so fresh! Then we had the chance to go snorkeling around the island. How gorgeous!

Time to head back before it gets dark. Our 1 1/2 ride home was paused when we saw the whales jumping out of the water. It was spectacular - they just kept jumping and slapping against the water. I think that is their way of calling each other (something I learned at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago with the dolphins).

Safely back in Puerto Lopez (with a few folks sick from motion sickness), we made plans for dinner with others from the boat. Kristin planned to leave on Saturday night (22 hours on buses to be in P.L. for 15 hours - wow!) so we saw her off. A nice Italian dinner recommended by Let´s Go - and wow, it was amazing!

Sunday was a sleep-in day and then a visit to some gorgeous secluded beaches called Los Frailes (the monks). 6 of us from the boat went and had a fabulous time hiking, playing in the water, and relaxing on the beach. But oops, I forgot to put enough sunscreen on the back of my legs so I am burned there!

Overall, it was a fabulous trip. Karen was a great organizer, easy going, and fun to be with. Diego was so helpful with his ability to speak both English and Spanish. He was funny, using English sarcasm and I didn´t even know it. You know someone really has learned a language when they can be sarcastic in the language :).

Primera Visitor

2005-09-08T12:43:00.000-05:00

My first visitor (my boyfriend Ilan) came for the 3-day long weekend (Labor Day on Monday in the US). Besides his getting sick (so I say) on the first day (most likely from the altitude), we had a fabulous time spending time together and doing ¨touristy¨things. Along the way we had some interesting adventures.

Saturday was a relaxing day of eating, sleeping, and visiting a nice quiet cafe with a view of the valley in Quito. What a beautiful city Quito is!

On Sunday, a visit to Mitad Del Mundo (aka the only place you can actually stand on the equator because everywhere else is mountains, water, etc.) I was told that there is a bus you must take to get there. We spent almost two hours walking and climbing uphill in a city at almost 3000 meters trying to find the bus. Finally, we learned we needed to take two buses. An hour later we arrived and went to the ¨non-tourist¨museum (Inti-San, aka Path of the Sun) next door where GPS has calculated the real center of the world. With a fabulous tour guide, we learned about the history of the people who first found the equator. We also watched some demonstrations with water (northern hemisphere, it drains counterclockwise; southern hemisphere, clockwise; and on the equator, straight down) and participated in exercises related to weight (lighter on the equator and easier to balance an egg on a nail). We both received certificates for our excellent ability to balance an egg on a nail - what talent! Of course, afterwards, a quick visit to the City of Mitad del Mundo (the tourist destination) was necessary to take pictures.

The visit to Mitad was followed by a visit to the Plaza Grande in Old Town. But not without getting lost in the process. We ended up in some interesting neighborhoods on a hill in Quito having the opportunity to see how the people live. No worries, several Quiteños were helpful and we found our way to our destination. Enough of the plaza, we are hungry - tapas in the Mariscal (aka Gringolandia and the part of town I work in)! Yummy!!

Monday, I arranged with other teachers to take my classes for the day (more about that in a later blog). Off to the Teleferico (cable car) for a spectacular view of the city on a mountain about 5000 meters high. After much waiting (note to self: Teleferico opens at 11 am on Mondays), we headed up the cable line. Little did we know that it would be so freaking cold at the top. And we weren´t really dressed appropriately (more layers needed). Oops! But the views and hikes around the area were wonderful.

Time for a little shopping (a Panama hat, dice, groceries, etc) and eating (yummy chicken shwaramas) and then relaxing at home!

What an amazing weekend together! And now someone back home has seen a little glimpse of my life here! One of my favorite quotes made by the boy in reference to my flatmates and me: ¨You guys are so nice to each other.¨ Gosh, I hope so :)!

Thanks for visiting - come again soon!

Cotopaxi - The Adventure

2005-09-06T17:41:00.000-05:00

Since the pictures are posted and the trip has been mentioned, I believe the adventure to, at, and from Cotopaxi deserves a posting. With 9 other teachers from CEC, I took a day trip last Sunday to Cotopaxi. Cotopaxi is a volcano that, on a clear day, you can see from Quito. Similar to the Riobamba trip, we sat on top of a train, but this time only for 2 or so hours (my body thanked me later).

The trip began early Sunday morning (ugh, 6 am wake-up) so that we could catch a trolley train to a bus (40 minutes long) to the ¨tourist¨ train that drops off near the volcano. I say ¨tourist¨ because the train´s main purpose is to deliver tourists to/from Cotopaxi. My flatmates Karen and Bryn and I were making good time on the trolley but then had major trouble finding the bus. Without much information as to where to go (typical Ecuador style), we ended up walking around in confusion (up and down hills) trying to find the bus we needed for the train. After walking some time, Karen stopped a bus driver and asked him how to get to the train. Ah ha, we found the bus we needed and jumped abroad.

40 minutes or so later, the bus driver yelled at us to get off. As we got off the bus, we heard a train horn and saw the train tracks. Without tickets, we made a run for it and jumped atop the train. We found the others and were on our way (paid a little extra on the train but what can you do?). The nice ¨short¨ train ride (in comparison to Riobamba) to the station near Cotopaxi Park included conversations with kids who were curious about the gringa (me!).

Upon arriving, the 10 of us discovered it would take another ride in a truck to get to the park. So we jumped in the back and off we went. Riding in the open bed of the truck, we had a windy and cool ride to the park. After some negotiating about park entrance fees (didn´t have my national ID card yet), we all were able to pay the $2 national entrance fee (instead of $10). Finally, we arrived at about 5000 meters on Cotopaxi, and the driver said we had about 45 minutes to climb to the refuge. Oh boy, was it windy and difficult but a great challenge! We only made it about halfway to the refuge and had to turn back so we could make the train back.

The ride back to the train station felt faster but not fast enough. As we were pulling up, the train was honking and starting to move. The 10 of us made a run for it and one teacher jumped aboard an empty car. Others began to jump on and then pulled others on. The train wasn´t moving very fast but it was a hilarous process to watch. We all made it aboard safely and decided to sit in the shady car rather than on top of the train in the heat.

What an amazing day - I need a nap!

Exams

2005-08-30T17:09:00.000-05:00

We (including my Spanish class) have exams every two weeks at CEC (5 exams in total over 8 weeks) . In addition to a written exam, there is a listening component and every other exam, there is an oral. I spent all of Friday night grading exams so that I could enjoy the rest of the weekend (party and trip to Cotopaxi).

The grades were pretty good on the exams. My Advance 1 classes did ok but my Immediate 1 students were the superstars. They are my evening students (6-8 pm) who, I think, care more about learning English. Or maybe they just really understand the concepts. Either way, I was really proud of the work they did.

My first Spanish exam went well. It covered past tense (definite and imperfect), future, and conditional. It was a lot of material but some of it was review for me. There are so many ways to conjugate a verb in Spanish - absolutely incredible!

Next Friday (Sept 9th) is the next exam. The fun just doesn´t stop around here!

Cumbaya, my Lord

2005-08-29T17:40:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, my flatmates (Sarah and Karen) and I went to a going away party in Cumbaya (barrio in the north part of Quito) for our neighbor downstairs and his friend. They are both going to Canada for a few months for a Masters program.

There was tons of delicious grilled carne (meat) and cebollas (onions). I tried a new alcoholic beverage (Switch). How different it is to drink at a higher altitude - you feel the effects of the alcohol much faster! Don´t worry, I felt fine by the end of the evening (we were there from 4:30 pm - 12:30 am).

Later in the evening one of my students appeared. Turns out that his girlfriend is friends with one of the guys leaving. I think he enjoyed speaking to me in Spanish for a chance (students are NOT allowed to speak Spanish at all in class).

I really enjoy spending time with the Ecuadorians because they are really friendly and are helpful with my Spanish although I did a lot of listening without much comprehension. The truth: the first half of the evening, we all spoke in Spanish but at some point we reverted to English. Then I had an interesting experience. For any of you familiar with SARBOX (my work for the last year at Hewitt), I talked to a Ecuadorian who is a consultant with PriceWaterhouse who knows all about it! He just loves it (note the sarcasm).

(Later to blog - my first exams on Friday and adventure to Cotopaxi Volcano on Sunday!)

Parties, Sights, and Sleep!

2005-08-24T17:04:00.000-05:00

On Friday night, we had a huge celebration for the school´s 5 year anniversary. What I didn´t know (or understand) is that the event was formal. Most of the teachers came straight from work and were not so dressed up. There were some seriously formal outfits such as the one girl wearing a wedding dress (no joke). We ate and danced the night away. Since I had been up at 5:30 am, I lost momentum around 2 am and went home to sleep.

On Saturday, I went to two different parties. In the morning, Britton (used to live in the flat) threw herself a going away crepe party. So she made fresh fruit crepes for some friends and hung out. In the afternoon, my flatmate Karen and I went to another going away party in La Florista (an area in Quito). The flat was gorgeous, overlooking the valley, and the food was excellent! We stayed until dark chatting with others.

On Sunday, my flatmate Bryn and I decided to meet some other teachers at La Capilla del Hombre (The Chapel of the Man) to see the artwork of Guayasamin. He is probably the most famous artist from Ecuador. Before he passed away in 1999, he designed a museum to house some of his larger paintings, murals, and sculptures. It turns out the museum is near a gigantic park (Parque Metropolitano) that is on some hills. After an hour long walk uphill in the park, we found the museum and walked around. I began to feel light-headed and had to sit down for a while. Luckily, I got better and enjoyed the artwork.

It was a fun and exciting weekend - a chance for me to catch up on my sleep! Bryn and I both are trying to see Quito so I think we´ll do one new thing a weekend together. So much to see, so little time :)!

Nutty Schedule

2005-08-17T13:01:00.000-05:00

Teaching my lessons began today. The first two days of classes were just introductions, rules, and games. In one day, I already feel a lot more respect for all my teachers, even the bad ones. There is so much time and energy that goes into teaching. WOW!

So here is my nutty schedule during the week:

-My first class is Advance 1 English and is from 7-9 am. These students are mostly professionals who come to learn English for work. They are eager to learn and ask lots of great questions. They definitely will be challenging me this cycle.

- I am taking a Intermediate Spanish class from 11-12 everyday. So far so good, but I am having trouble remembering words and tenses. Ugh!

- My second class is also Advance 1 English and is from 2-4 pm. These students are high school level and most of them are at school because their parents are paying for them to come.

- My last class is Intermediate English and is from 6-8 pm. These students are a mix but I think they are mostly working professionals.

Needless to say, I have a very long day, leaving the house at 6:30 am and arriving back at 8:30 pm. I already told the Director NOT to give me this schedule next cycle (this cycle ends on October 7th). I have many 2 hour breaks and have spent the time in the teacher´s lounge. At least I am getting to know other teachers and they are sooooo helpful to me!

Don´t Quite Fit

2005-08-15T17:07:00.000-05:00

Compared to Ecuadorians, I am pretty tall. As I mentioned before, I am in an apartment with 5 other people. My bedroom is great except for the small twin sized bed. The first night I tried to sleep on it, and my legs were hanging off the end of the bed.

To resolve the problem, my flatmate Bryn helped me to take apart the bedframe. Now I sleep on the floor on the twin mattress. It´s not perfect but it´s much more comfortable. I am now trying to decide if I should buy another mattress (they don´t use boxsprings here) to make my bed a little higher. I found a bed at a consignment shop for $70. But is it worth it?

What Kind of Nose was that?

2005-08-11T18:36:00.000-05:00

After spending 7 hours on top of a train with little space to move, we (my friends Marion from Cali and Kathy from New Zealand and I) discovered that el Nariz del Diablo (Devil´s Nose) wasn´t anything to write home about (although it´s worth a blog posting). Yes, we actually had to buy a ticket for $11 to sit on top of the train.

The girls and I arrived in Riobamba by bus on Tuesday afternoon. After buying our tickets and finding a $5 hostel, we walked around the town for a bit and ate Chinese (chifa) food. I just recently learned that there was an influx of Chinese and Korean people to Ecuador in the last few years.

The train only runs on Wed, Fri, and Sun at 7 am from Riobamba to Alausi (4 hr trip) and then to the ¨Nose¨ (roundtrip about 3 hours). Wednesday morning we woke up early and walked to the station. It was a zoo in there! Most of the spots on the top of the train were already taken but we managed to squeeze in there somehow. I didn´t have much room to move (oh my aching body) but I tried to make the most of it. After 5 1/2 hrs, we finally went down the Nariz by way of 3 switchbacks. Not very exciting.

The best part of the ride was seeing all the indigenous people and children. Everyone would wave to us on the train. We soon discovered that people on the train were throwing candy to the children so we joined in the fun.

It took 6 hours to finally get back to Quito on two buses. I enjoyed being with the other girls (new friends) and seeing more of Quito. Other than that, I guess all I have is: been there, done that, eh?

Arrived!

2005-08-09T15:43:00.000-05:00

I made it! I am in Ecuador. I arrived safely late on Sat nite with all my bags (5 to be exact). Alright so I might have overpacked just a bit but I didn´t know what to bring! My friend Kristin picked me up at the airport and we went to her apartment. It´s very nice and in a prime location. I looked at a place upstairs from her as a possibility to live on my own. I liked it but I wasn´t sure I liked the idea of living alone. I was concerned about getting lonely and not having as much of an opportunity to practice my Spanish .

After a day of looking around the city, the next evening, we went to a friend´s 5 bedroom apartment that has two rooms available. It´s further away from the school (15 minute bus ride) but I like the idea of living with other people. So I moved in the next day! One of the girls in the apartment is German but teaches English and French at CEC. As long as we have similar schedules, we can ride the bus home together at night.

I am slowly getting acquainted with the people and customs. Riding the buses are an adventure. There is no liability here and so the bus drivers are nuts! You can stand near the curb anywhere and the bus stops to pick you up. You have to get on pretty quickly though or you´ll be riding halfway out the door. It only costs $0.25 to ride. Which brings me to my next point... they use US dollars here. Ecuador went through the dollarization process back in 2000. NO KIDDING! If you get money out of any cash machine and you´ll get US dollars with the US president faces on them. They do have some additional coins (centavos) with some local faces (most likely, politicians). Also, men like to whistle and hoot at American women walking down the street. Kristin says the best thing to do is totally ignore them.

New teacher orientation begins on Thursday. There are only 4 or 5 new teachers beginning this cycle because the August - October cycle is the shortest one (good timing to start for me). Saturday is the all teacher meeting - then, I´ll get to meet more teachers.

I am on my first little vacation in Riobamba to take the train to El Nariz del Diablo (Devil´s Nose). I will report on that in my next posting.

Going Away Dessert Party

2005-07-30T16:50:00.000-05:00

My parents threw me a fabulous dessert party so I could say goodbye to everyone before I left. So many yummy desserts (tres leches, dulce de leche caramel cheesecake, macarrons, flan, carrot cake) and great company! Thanks to everyone for coming out to see me off! There are a few pictures from the party posted - hope you enjoy!

Chi-town Ties

2005-07-29T10:59:00.000-05:00

Chicago is my favorite city in the US (minus the winters which suck after 3 months). What a beautiful skyline, friendly and helpful people, great neighborhoods, tons of museums and parks, public transportation (paging Houston - WAKE UP, IT'S THE 21ST CENTURY!), awesome food, and much more.

Except for all my amazing friends in Chicago, I will be parting ways with my other remaining ties - my cell phone number (bye, 773 area code) and my Chicago bank account (bye, Bank One at Work). Going abroad forces me to part ways with these things - I am sad but it's time to move on. But don't worry, I'll be back to visit soon....

Vaccinations Galore

2005-07-21T16:06:00.000-05:00

Here are all the vaccinations I have had: tetanus, yellow fever, hepatitis, and typhoid (with prescriptions for altitude sickness - Diamox - and malaria prevention - Malarone).

I think taking the typhoid vaccine has been the most challenging - you can't get more specific for something that doesn't even give you full immunity (it's only 70% according to the CDC). The typhoid vaccine at a cost of $55 is 4 separate pills that have to be taken every other day (basically between the 48 and 49 hours) with a tall glass of cool water. You cannot eat 2-3 hours prior to taking it and cannot eat for an hour after taking it. After forgetting to take the 4th pill the first time around, I learned my lesson - planned well, restricted myself from eating, and delayed my family from eating dinner. Now I am 70% immune.

Now what about the other 30%???

A Way With Words

2005-07-12T09:02:00.000-05:00

When I told my friend Brian about my leaving, he summarized my sentiments exactly (thanks for letting me quote you, Brian):

"Go Emily Go! You are going to love your decision. I relate quitting the “good life” at ExxonMobil and following my dream to live on the West Coast to jumping off a high dive: you stand at the edge with your body conflicted with what you want to do, jump off, and being scared to jump…but, then you take that scary jump and you might hit the water in a belly flop or you might break the water without a single splash…but either way you float back to the surface just fine. Enjoy the jump!!!"

I plan to break the water with just a few splashes...I think it'll be good for me.

Rats, Cattle, and People

2005-07-07T19:22:00.000-05:00

This morning I felt like a rat. I got two vaccinations - one for yellow fever and one for Hepatitis. I guess it's better than the alternative - as my uncle puts it, you would rather be dead than be sick with those diseases.

Then I paid $80 this morning to get a non-immigrant visa. I allocated a small amount time to go to the consultate to get my visa so that I could be on my way to work. Sometimes things take a lot longer than you expect - say 2 hours instead of 1. But hey I can't complain, I walked out with a visa (one step closer to Ecuador). Now if I can just figure out what to pack?

Upon arriving at work, I pulled my co-workers into a conference room and told them about my leaving the company. I was afraid that they were going to be mad that I was leaving them with all my work but I was pleasantly surprised when they were excited and happy for me. I work with such great people. I am really going to miss them!

Parting Ways - Telling Work

2005-07-06T17:59:00.000-05:00

My manager is on maternity leave so I had to inform my manager's manager up north that I am leaving. Very impersonal - I had to do it over the phone - but I had no choice. He once told my manager that he has a lot invested in me. When I told him, he was surprised and worried at first but he was totally understanding and supportive of my decision. It's so weird .... I am leaving the first company (not first job though) I worked for after college. We left it open about my last day - I leave for Ecuador on August 6th and our busiest days in the office are the last day of the month and first few days of the month.

In the beginning...

2005-07-04T21:30:00.000-05:00

My first blog ever! I am leaving my normal 8-5 job to go teach at a school in Quito. I want to share with my family, friends, and all you other random folks out there about my crazy experiences, adventures, challenges, and just about every day life in Ecuador. Enjoy the ride!