Seeing my world through a 1st world lens

At a lookout point in Cuenca

My mother recently came to Ecuador to visit her favorite son. She and a friend were here for 12 days. We were able to travel a little bit around Ecuador and take in some sights and absorb a bit of the culture. I could write an entire post about the things we did and where we traveled but instead I would prefer to write about the impression that Ecuador left on my visitors. 

I have been in country for about 10 months now and have pretty well settled in. Things that seemed strange or difficult to deal with have now become the norm. I am no longer surprised by things that shocked me upon arrival. The reactions that my mom had to my day to day world were intriguing to say the least.

There were many things that I knew would surprise her here such as lack of air conditioning and heating, non-potable water, and bus transportation. These were to be expected. However there were far more “unknown unknowns” that popped up along the way. For example, I had forgotten the dependency that my mother has on Diet Coke. Seemingly every half hour I would have to venture out and search for the rare drink. “Diet” anything is not in high demand here. Lack of refrigeration and ice were a major issue when it came to this sacred drink as well. By the end of the trip mom had sworn off Diet Coke until she reached American soil where she could get a proper fountain Diet Coke. I can only imagine the trumpets that played in her head during that first sip of DC she had in Miami!

Mom even tried Cuy! (Guinea Pig)

Another comical example would be the lack of toilet paper in this country. I cannot tell you how many times my mom asked if there was a paper shortage here in Ecuador after returning from the bathroom. The bathrooms here largely do not have toilet paper. It is necessary to carry extra “important papers” most everywhere you go. I might have failed to mention this to my mother and her friend upon their arrival. After each trip to the bathroom they would report back whether or not it was acceptable and would rejoice if they were lucky enough to encounter both toilet paper and a toilet seat. It is the little things in life.

This pretty accurately describes the energy level after 8:00 in the evening

There were also other, less humorous, differences that my visitors noticed. We spent a considerable amount of time in my site, Latacunga, meeting my friends, seeing my work and where I live. When I took them to the school where I worked last year I thought little of the state of disrepair it was in. We walked around some of the classrooms and I explained a few of the difficulties that my teachers face. Having close to 50 high school students in a cramped room with open windows is not the most conducive learning environment but it is what we deal with here. I explained that I no longer think about my old American classroom. It is not that I don’t miss it; I simply have accepted this job and it’s restrictions as my reality. This, I told them, is now my life. 

As we walked around the school I noticed my mom and her friend were in a state of disbelief. At one point one of them said something to the effect how the school was in such bad shape and how it would be impossible to hold classes in such a place. This caught me off guard. Like I said, the school and its teachers are my reality and I have a sense of pride about the place. I wanted to make a stand for my school and defend it. Then I remembered back to when I arrived and the way I viewed everything here. It all was so backward and things seemed pretty hopeless. Now that I have been here for a considerable amount of time and know the people, I don’t constantly think about how rough life is. Granted, there are many days that are tough and lonesome but on the whole I am happy working and living here. The people here make it all worth it. 

For me it is wild to think about how much my thinking and my life has changed since moving here. I don’t constantly think about the lack of American commodities and luxuries. I no longer walk by the men peeing on the street and make a disgusted look and think how primal they are. I do not find it odd that 5 year olds are on almost every bus selling gum or asking for money. When I see drunken zombies walking around at 10 in the morning I do not cross the street and avert my gaze to avoid being near them. My desensitization is not fully complete but has come a long way. I am not sure that it is positive or negative change but it is a necessary one to live in a developing country. 

My boss and her family took us to Quilatoa

My mother was able to meet most of my Ecuadorian friends at a local market the following day. Despite the travel and beautiful sites we saw, she told me this was the best day of the trip. My mom likes to worry about me but she said she felt much better about me living here after meeting such great people that were in my life. It was great seeing the interactions between my mom, who speak NO Spanish, and my Ecuadorian best friends and co-workers. My English teachers threw a little party my guests when they visited the school. They all said very nice things about me and our work together. While they probably would have said nice things about anyone who brought their mother to school, it was still very nice to hear. 

Having my mom here was great. I was happy to host her and allow her to see a glimpse of my life. It taught me several very valuable lessons. My life here is much different than my previous life in the States, I am even more adaptable than I thought, and I have the best, toughest momma in the world. Oh and the most important lesson, if you are having two American women visit you, remind them to bring toilet paper everywhere you go or you are liable to have two very upset Gringas on your hands…

I found DP!!! 3 bucks though....

Mitad Del Mundo

Ladder to the top of a church. Like I said, tough momma