I had the great
fortune of finding a small back-house here in Latacunga that was available. The owner
of the house was enthusiastic to have me move in. Over the Christmas break she
and her daughter fixed the place up and Peace Corps came and did their
mandatory housing check. I was given the green light and moved in last month.
It is a small one bedroom back-house on the property of my landlady. Three
generations of her family live in the main house, as is customary here in
Ecuador. My landlady supplied the furniture which is decent shape. I am grateful
that I did not have to start from scratch.
It is funny to see people’s reaction when I tell them that I
live alone now. Most are shocked to hear that I lived alone in the US and feel
more comfortable living that way. Moving out of your family’s house here before you
are married is very odd. Many times you stay in the house even after you are
married. I am really blowing some Ecuadorian minds here people.
I will say that it is very nice to come home to my own house
after work and be able to fully relax. I can play my music without worrying
about bothering my host family. I can walk around the house without my shoes on
because no one will see me commit such a taboo. Actually, that habit is
probably permanent by now.
I love my new house but just so everyone doesn't think that
I am living in a “posh corps” house here are a few minor details:
-My sink faucet is a water spicket.
-My electric shower head shocks the bejeezus out of me if my
head gets too close to it.
-My only cooking appliance is an industrial stove top.
-I still wash my clothes on a rock.
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| The "kitchen" |
Embassy Summer Camp
I and two other volunteers were asked to take charge of a US
Embassy summer camp for 17 kiddos that are Ecuadorian minorities
(Afro-Ecuadorian and indigenous). The kids are part of an initiative by the US
Embassy in Quito to prepare economically disadvantaged kids for the university.
They had been in the program for nearly two years so their English level was
decent which made our camp activities that much more fun.
The camp was held on
the beach in the province of Esmeraldas. The facility was great. All our meals
were served on an outdoor patio with a great view of the ocean. We were served amazing
seafood including my favorite, ceviche!! Ceviche, for those of you that do not
know, is a dish of fresh raw seafood that has been marinated in citrus juices.
So good!
Most of our activities at the camp were held on the beach
because… WHY NOT!?
A few of our activities:
-Capture the Flag (difficult to explain to non-native
English speakers…)
-Bonfire with s’mores
-Camp-wide treasure hunt complete with rhyming clues
-English classes focused on following your dreams
-Talent show
-Movie night
-A myriad of English games
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| Capture the Flag |
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| Karaoke |
Many of the students had never seen the ocean before. The
first afternoon we let them swim and it quickly became apparent they did not understand
the science behind waves. Several girls would all hold hands and walk into two
feet of water and the first wave that came along would take all their legs out
from under them. They spent more time on trying to get back up than on their
feet.
On our movie night we showed “Remember the Titans”. The campers
are ethnic minorities so it was interesting watching them as they identified
with what the African Americans were going through in the movie. In Ecuador,
people from the coast and Afro-Ecuadorians are called “monos” or monkeys and depending
on the intonation it can have rather racial undertones. The most poignant part
of the movie occurred when the rival coach calls Denzel Washington a monkey.
Many of the kids immediately made the connection that they were in the same boat
as African-Americans in the late 20th century.
I love the Ecuadorian coast but let me tell you I was made
to be in the mountains. I think I lost about 20 lbs of water weight that week.
From the time we got off the bus on the coast to when we arrived back in mountains
I did not stop sweating. Also, the
mosquitos must have a thing for Gringo blood because by the end of the week I
was just a giant walking mosquito bite. I wore enough bug repellent to keep a
herd of elephants mosquito-free but to no avail. I would be constantly swatting
while the kids sat nearby with nary a bug bothering them. It started the first
night when I was bitten on the eye lid and I proceeded to look like Popeye for
the following two days. Enough of my whining, it was a great trip and I hope
that the kids had half as much fun as we did.
This year has already been full of changes and great
experiences. Looks my sophomore year here in Ecuador is shaping up to even
better than last year. Hasta luego!
Oh and one more thing. A volcano near my house erupted while
I was one the coast. Check it out!
