Summer Camp: Cuidarte Los Huevos!

“Holding a two week summer camp that one created from scratch is the best and most relaxing way to spend one’s vacation time”, said no one ever…

Ok, so that may be a bit overly pessimistic. While the camp was a lot of work and drained me a bit I am happy to have had the opportunity to hold such a camp for kids who likely had never had the opportunity to attend a summer camp until a couple of Gringos showed up. For sure the rewards outweighed the drawbacks.

The idea to hold a summer camp was hatched by a fellow volunteer who lives in a small community about 15 km from my site. Her site, Pujilí, is comprised mainly of indigenous Ecuadorians and the city is at a significantly lower economic state than my site, Latacunga. My friend suggested we hold a free summer camp for the youth of Pujilí giving English classes along with other typical summer camp activities. I initially had reservations about jumping into such a large project so early into our service but was eventually convinced that we would be fine and the camp would be great. I would be lying if I said that I did not think back to my initial feelings of doubt when the going got tough over the past two weeks but I am still very glad that my friend twisted my arm just enough to get me to commit.

Chillin' wit da homies

The camp was…

…a day camp running from 8:30 until 1:00.

…held at a local high school that allowed us to use their campus.

…open to any youth in Pujilí ages 5-16.

…free.

…created completely from scratch.

…ran by two PCVs that looked like they had it all together when really we would meet every afternoon and scratch our heads as we tried to plan the activities for the following day.

…exhausting yet exhilarating.

The camp was attended by about 30 kids depending on the day. Many of them were from the city of Pujilí but after we were featured on the news a few students from very rural very indigenous areas joined the camp as well. I remember working at summer camps in the States and how accountable the counselors were for the safety and well being of each and every student. Those summer camps assumed the liability for the students that are at their camp. Here it is just about the opposite. Children here are very independent and this was reflected in their behavior during the two weeks. Many times a group of three or four students would simply leave our camp to go buy bread from a store down the road. Invariably they would return though with their bread and things would continue. It was my instinct to immediately ask where they went and instruct them that they could not simply leave whenever they wanted to. I was responsible for them and didn’t want them to get hurt. (My very American fear of being sued for losing a child sometimes gets the best of me). The children did not understand why we wanted to know where they were at all times and this was something that I had to adjust to.

My sunglasses and my backpack made Joel look so cool

The students ranged from 4 years old all the way up to 16. This presented a special challenge. Keeping all ages busy and happy was something that undoubtedly expedited my premature balding. We planned activities we hoped would appeal to all ages. Many times we would ask the older kids to help the younger ones to keep everyone working.

The children were not required to come every day. We told them that we had fun activities planned each day and if they wanted to take part in them they would have to show up. This enticed them enough and we had steady attendance from almost everyone. It probably didn’t hurt that we had a tall blonde American female leading the camp.

Camp Activities:

English classes: We started these with the best of intentions. We wanted only to play games that involved English words and phrases. I allowed my friend to teach these because I had had my fill of English education for the year. These classes ended up being a time for the older kids to ask us questions about the United States and how to say certain phrases in English. I think I taught more English at times when a kid would want to know how to say a random word. For example, a young boy ran up to me and grabbed my stomach. I told him he was grabbing my fat, in Spanish of course. He then wanted to know how to say “fat” in English. I suppose learning  how to say “fat” is better than nothing.

Scouts: This was my specialty. I wanted to teach a few basic things dealing with the outdoors and survival. On the first day we did a challenge course where the teams had to complete certain tasks and the team that finished them all first would win a sticker on their team’s card. This was our monetary system that we used to keep track of who was winning. One activity in the challenge course was searching for food, shelter, and water which were represented by three discs. Another activity was to get every member of the team over a “poisonous rock” that was represented by a rope that was about 4 feet in the air. If a member of the team touched as they tried to get over it the entire team would restart. This activity led to only one kid landing on his head from five feet in the air so I consider it a success.

Como Planear Mi Vida: This is an activity that the Peace Corps encourages us to implement in our sites. I realize not everyone who reads this blog speaks Spanish so I will translate. The direct translation of Como Planear Mi Vida is “Not a good activity for 6 year olds.” Actually it means “how to plan my life” and basically it is meant to make children think about the decisions they make and how they can affect their future. My friend decided she would use an activity where each child is given an egg and told to take care of it as if it were a baby. The activity is meant to give kids an idea what it might be like to take care of a child. On paper it sounded like a great idea. But when you give a room full of little kids eggs, the results are predictable. Within the first 10 minutes we had 3 baby casualties. Egg yolk was everywhere. As the day progressed I found “baby brains” in many random places including the bathroom. Hopefully when these kids actually have babies they will try and take care of them better than they did with their eggs.

Sports: I decided the kids needed to learn American sports. The first sport I taught was Ultimate. The kids took to it pretty quickly and even asked to play in the following days. We also taught kickball. Man those Ecuadorians kids can kick a soccer ball (couldn’t locate a kickball). Those two sports were fun but the kids fell in love with Capture the Flag. After we taught that game that was all they wanted to play. They would just scream “Bandera, bandera, bandera!” when we would ask what they wanted to play. (We told them that the name of the game was “Capturar la Bandera”.)

Recycled Art: Because the camp cost nothing for the kids we had no budget. Every resource we used was either something of ours or we purchased it. Therefore recycled art was very appealing to us. We made wallets out of used milk cartons. The kids really enjoyed making these and I enjoyed seeing the kids using them throughout the camp.

Recycled milk cartons turned into wallets

Music Class: A local musician offered to teach a music class to the kids. The younger kids really liked the class. The older kids decided they were too cool for music school and hung out outside with my friend and me. This was when we had “cultural interchange”. We would chat about the States and the differences between Ecuador and the USA. I call it “cultural interchange” because that is one of the main goals of the Peace Corps and just in case my boss is reading this I want to cover all my bases. Hey Maria Dolores! J

Musical production put on at the final meeting

Olympics: On the last day my friend planned Olympic Games for the kids. We set up 6 stations that the kids would have to complete. The team that finished all of the stations in the quickest time would win. Though the games were very simple and short the kids loved the activity.

It may look like gambling but really they were bowling down water bottles

Working within the system to get the camp set up and ready to go was probably one of the most difficult things about the whole ordeal. There were many leaders in the community that pledged support for our camp. While one of them was able to come through and deliver what was promised many fell through due to various reasons. It was frustrating to rely on someone and then when you really need them they fail to hold up their end of the bargain. Improvisation became the name of the game many times. This taught me the value of two things. 1) Rely only on people that you really trust and 2) have really good backup activities.

Each day I would return to Latacunga around five in the evening thoroughly exhausted. On Wednesday of last week my students at the university called me and asked if I was busy. I told them I was not but I had not planned on coming to the university that evening. They pleaded with me to come because they were not going to have classes on Thursday, the day I normally taught them. I wearily agreed to come even though I had no lessons planned. I arrived to a surprise party they had planned for me and another teacher. We ate dinner and the students thanked me for working with them. It was a very nice surprise. Near the end of the evening a student stood up and gave a small speech about how grateful she and her classmates were. She concluded her speech by giving us matching leather jackets from the class. I have never owned a leather jacket before and I like the one they gave me. I look as if I just got off a Harley. It was very nice of them and I am truly grateful to get to work with students that want to learn as strongly as they do.

University students in an English Masters program

Now that the camp is over I have been working on a presentation that I will give in Quito in a week. The work of a volunteer is never finished. Next Wednesday I will go to Quito to work at a summer camp for the US Embassy. It promises to be a lot of fun. Hopefully they don’t plan on giving the kids eggs…

Last day. I bet in a week or so I will miss them!

Corpus Christi, World Map, and Ecuadorian "NBA Finals"

 The last two weeks have been just as eventful as any other period of time here. My work weeks have been filled with attending my teacher’s classes and trying to work with them on their methodology. My work schedule was changed recently and now I work three morning shifts and two afternoon shifts. The schedule is difficult for me because I prefer to have a set routine. I suppose it is time for me to live up to all the talk I spouted during the application process about being “flexible”. Change and progress here will certainly come slowly but I can be patient. I think.

Many times when I feel that I am not being productive or useful I have moments of clarity when I look out my window at the snowcapped mountains and rolling hills that surround me and I remember how lucky I am to be here. Life is good and I need to remind myself of that fact from time to time. Another thing seems to always happen when I am feeling listless. A man that is probably in his late sixties crosses in front of my house two times a day. He uses arm crutches and has a very difficult time crossing my street due to the uneven sidewalks and steep curbs. If I see him resting and preparing to cross I hustle down to help him. As we laboriously cross the road we have a set script. I ask him how he is doing and the response is always the same. “Well, my legs hurt, my knees really hurt, my back hurts, I am tired and I am going to eat lunch with my daughter”. I am not sure if he ever remembers who I am but that is of little importance to me. While I sympathize with this man and his troubles it makes me feel somewhat useful on days that I am bummed out.

Cotopaxi from my bedroom window

On to more entertaining stuff. After I climbed Pichincha two weeks ago I got pretty ill. I ate at Mexican restaurant that was delicious but it turns out the savory taste was not worth the effects. I spent three days in bed and in the bathroom. After speaking with the Medical Unit of the Peace Corps I was given some drugs and eventually I began to feel better. My body is adjusting to Ecuador slowly but there are times that I get a shock to the system as I did in Quito.

Last weekend I went to a parade in a largely indigenous community, Pujilí, that is situated about 10 miles from Latacunga. The celebration is called Corpus Christi, or Body of Christ. I was invited by my Ministry of Education Coordinator to sit with her and her family. As usual I was welcomed with open arms by everyone in her large family. By the end of the day I felt as if I had many new friends. One man that I had met once before came up to me and saw a healing cut on my face that I recently got while running with my hand in my jacket (foolish, I know). He was appalled that I had not called him right when it happened despite that fact that I did not have his contact information. He, along with everyone else here was distressed over something that really needed little attention. Ecuador is community oriented. This cannot be overstated.

Group from Columbia

The parade started at 9:00 am. I expected it to last a few hours and then go eat some good street food. As usual, my expectations were way off. We settled into our seats and watched as the many colorful dancers and entertainers shuffled down the street. The cultures and traditions were on full display during the parade. Many groups donned the enormous headdresses that have been worn year after year during this parade. I was told the original headdresses from many years ago weighed close to 200 pounds. Of course they are much lighter and more maneuverable now.



Traditional Headdresses

The parade went on and on and on. I asked someone how long the parade would last and was informed it would probably last until 2:00 pm. That was fine with me. I was enjoying the parade and the company I was with. 2:00 pm came and went and the parade continued. The last portion of the parade was filled with dancers and groups from Peru and Columbia. One of the last groups to meander by was dressed as if they were from Mexico. Of course they were not but it was funny seeing Ecuadorians dressed up as Mexicans. At 4:30 in the afternoon, with my butt completely numb from the wooden bench I had been sitting on, the parade drew to a close. The festival was a lot of fun and I was glad I was invited to attend.

"Mexidorian"

Corpus Christi parade clip

 

 

This past week has been filled with acrylic paint under my nails. A fellow volunteer that has lived here for a year asked if I would help her paint a World Map at another campus of my high school. While new volunteers are really supposed to focus on settling in and less on starting projects, I jumped at the opportunity to “get my hands dirty”, plus I really love maps. The World Map is a project that many volunteers do around the world. It is a great way to teach geography and the English names of countries. There are countless activities that schools can use with this giant map.



Nearly Finished

We started on Monday by projecting the map on a large interior wall of the school. Throughout the week many students helped us trace, paint and repaint the map. I spent a good portion of my week at that campus working on the map with my fellow volunteer. She was really the boss lady and I sort of assisted. This was more than fine with me. She did a great job of organizing the whole thing and it was really cool to see a project go from an idea to a finished product. Though many students and teachers helped us paint, a majority of the school just stared at us. The male professors at the school would constantly come up and jokingly harass me or poke me when I was “in the zone” painting. The male professors enjoy having me around to joke with. I think the whole idea of being a volunteer is not the manliest thing to them. This machismo society is an odd thing. Where exactly I fit in on their hierarchy is somewhat of a mystery to me and possibly to them as well. But for the most part we all have a good time and they have welcomed warmly.

English teachers working hard on the Ecuadorian Map

The map came along fine throughout the week. On Friday a parent of a student showed up to help. It turns out he had some real artistic ability. He finalized a lot of the map and helped us mix colors to match what we had already painted. We asked him to paint a small Ecuadorian flag above the map. I assumed it would be a basic rectangular flag. Nope, in about 15 minutes he created a sweet flag billowing in the wind. Impressive. The map turned out great. It is a tangible thing that my fellow volunteer and I can be proud of. I encourage any currently serving volunteer to try it. I am not artist and the map turned out alright.

Awesome Improvised Flag

On Friday of this week I was invited but the male professors from my high school to go watch a professional basketball game here in Latacunga. Considering it the Finals are on in the States I figured I could use a little b-ball action. Latacunga was in the playoffs and the men were excited to go watch the game. I paid my three dollars to get in and we sat in the best spot we could find. When the players took to the court I was surprised to see so many white guys. It was explained to me that the teams here hire American players to compete during the playoffs. The other players were large Afro-Ecuadorians. I was hoping to see a bunch of stereotypically short Ecuadorians battling it out but that was not the case.

The game was very entertaining for several reasons. There was a large television screen that was streaming the Venezuelan soccer game behind one of the goals just in case you were bored with the game right in front of you. Also, watching the Gringos that were playing try to communicate with their teammates and coaches was hilarious. Hand motions and frustrated broken Spanish came from the white guys. I watched the same tall Gringo get two technical fouls because he was trying to explain to the ref that he did not foul another player. The ref assumed the player was spouting English profanities at him rather than simply pleading his case. Gotta love miscommunications.

Latacunga ended up losing the game pretty badly. In the final three minutes I watched as two Americans on the opposing team did some crazy alley-oops to rub the loss in Latacunga’s face. Oddly enough, when the final buzzer sounded the entire crowd erupted in cheers. All the men slapped me on the back and told me how great the game was. I am not used to celebrating a loss but these guys were just happy to watch such an exposition.

As usual the last two weeks have been full of new experiences and adventures. I am learning more and more that I still have no idea what is going to happen next. It is kind of like the more you know, the more you know that you don’t know anything. I am on a journey into the unknown and I know that I like it.

Ecuadorian Hospitality and Climbing Putzalahua

This past weekend held yet another lesson on culture for one of Ecuador’s newest and whitest residents. After the two days were finished I was physically exhausted, full to my eyeballs with Ecuadorian food and a bit red from the ever penetrating sun. I am just now beginning to recuperate.

Last week I went to an all day birthday party where I met a very nice family that invited me and a fellow volunteer to their house “anytime we wanted”.  They were very kind and seemed to be good contacts to have. Seeing as how we had nothing to do in the upcoming weekend we decided to call and accept the invitation to come to their house only six days after meeting them. I felt that it might have been an empty promise and was worried we might be calling a bit too soon. To my surprise they were ecstatic to have us come visit and so soon! We got the address of the house and a few more contact numbers and prepared for our whirlwind one day trip to Quito.

The family actually lives in Cumbaya, a suburb of Quito. Much like the song, Cumbaya is a very calm and relaxed. Oh and did I mention it is where some of the wealthiest people in Ecuador live? Yeah, after we realized where we were going I began to wonder what kind of experience was in store for us.

We left early in the morning on Saturday and embarked on our 3 hour trip. We arrived in the much warmer city of Cumbaya and waited in front of a large megastore for the family to pick us up. A man walked up and asked if we were Todd and Chelsea. Awkwardly we responded that we were and were quickly whisked into a nice car where the grandparents and the daughter were waiting for us. I realize that we as white folk stand out here but when someone comes up and already knows your name and who you are, it is a bit unnerving.

We made it to the house shortly thereafter. This house was amazing. It was in a guarded compound and the first thing I saw was the pool. We weren’t in Kansas anymore. We parked in the garage. That’s right, I said garage. I have not seen one here before this Saturday. Then we were escorted into the house. It was beautiful. The house had hardwood floors, three stories, and a magnificent view of the suburbs of Quito and the surrounding mountains. I tried to keep my jaw off the floor. What kind of Peace Corps experience was this.

View from the 3rd floor

Lunch was prepared for us and the rest of the family was about to arrive. We ate sandwiches and drank juice. I was happy that they didn’t go out of their way to make us a large meal. The parents arrived after lunch and we chatted for awhile. My friend had made a pie to give to the family. I made… drum roll please… Doritos. The family thought that was hilarious and because men here do not cook it was acceptable. They were very happy that we had accepted their invitation. We were asked if we had brought our swimsuits because it was time to swim. I packed my trunks in the anticipation of this offer. We were ushered to the pool and sauna both of which I thoroughly enjoyed.

After swimming we were told to shower and come downstairs for lunch. I had assumed that we had had lunch two hours earlier but as usual I never know quite what is going on here. An enormous meal had been prepared for the whole family. We ate a large cheesy soup followed by salad and fresh shrimp. Then we had the main course of spaghetti and French bread. Dessert was fresh fruit and whipped cream. It was all delicious and I was stuffed by the second course. I must admit that more than once I had to watch the family to decide what piece of the large array of silverware to use. This was a piece of knowledge that I did not think I would need to employ while in a developing country.

At the end of lunch we sat and chatted for about an hour. They, along with most Ecuadorians, love hearing about my family and where I am from. Both topics I am happy to talk about. I love the looks on their faces when I describe my city in Texas. They simply cannot believe people would live in a city that is flat, dry and dusty. When it was time to leave we let them know how grateful we were for having us there. They were pretty sad that we were not staying the night with them. They continually insisted that we could not leave. We promised we would return and stay the night at a later date. They turned this into a plan for us to stay a whole weekend and have the whole family together. They offered to drive us to the bus stop and we were happy to accept. Of course this meant we had to stop and get ice cream to delay our departure from the family. I offered to pay but they would have none of that. They then took us to the stop and we said goodbye and thanked them many many times.

I was amazed at the hospitality of this family. They had met me only a week before but I felt as if I was a member of the family. Despite the fact that this family was obviously very well off they still behaved like any other Ecuadorian family. They were very close to one another and were not arrogant or prideful. I am very proud to say that they are one of my new good friends. The grandmother kept hugging me and telling me how happy she was for us to be there. Ecuadorians walk arm in arm with people they are very close with. The grandmother walked with me in this fashion after only having known me for 3 hours. After she found out that my mom is coming to visit in October she insisted that we all stay with her. I thought she was just being nice but after the third time she mentioned it I knew she was serious. If her house is anything like her son’s I think my mom would rather enjoy that. She continually called me “my boy” when addressing me, in Spanish of course... This could also have been due to the fact that Todd is a ridiculously hard name to say in Spanish. I am hoping she just really liked me.

We got back very late in the evening but the bus trip was not very bad. My friend and I spent the ride chatting about how great and hospitable the family was. In the back of our mind I kept remembering that we had yet another very large day ahead of us.

On Sunday I woke up early without much rest and prepared a large strong cup of instant coffee. “Coffee, if it ain’t instant, it ain’t Ecuadorian”. Ecuador produces some of the best coffee beans in the world but for whatever reason, instant coffee is the craze. At my school the teachers use the drip coffee maker to make hot water to put into a cup and then add the granules of instant coffee. Appalling to all coffee drinkers, but it is what it is.

I headed to the central park of Latacunga at 7:30 in the morning. I walked around until I saw the man I was looking for. I recently met this guy and his wife at a literature night here in Latatcunga. While the poems and songs are in Spanish I can still appreciate the artistic prose. I told the guy that I wanted to climb a nearby mountain but didn’t have much information on it. In true Ecuadorian style he “Ok, let’s go this weekend.” So five days after having met this guy and his wife, I and another volunteer were about to be taken, by car, to the trailhead. The fact that we were taken by car was great. We assumed we would all take a bus but the guy told me that his father-in-law would be happy to take us. We all piled in to a very small car and headed off. We drove for about 20 minutes before arriving at a house on a hill. We all got out and were told to wait. Like always, I had no idea what was going on or about to happen. Then a large GMC 4x4 came rumbling up. We all piled in and headed off again. The man, my new friend, told me that the road is only passable by four wheel drive vehicles. I didn’t know it at the time, but we were going muddin’.

Cruising in the GMC. Can't beat 'Merican muscle.

The road got narrower and narrower. The rain didn’t help much either. We slowly crept up toward the mountain. The family kept calling the truck a “spider” because of the way it would lurch ahead with each touch of the gas. Other folks were making the same climb towards the mountain. Quickly we ran into a traffic jam. Trucks were stuck everywhere. It was very scary seeing the trucks slipping and sliding down the muddy road with large drops on one side. I was happy to get out of the truck and begin the hike.

We hiked for about 2 hours up the mountain, Putzalahua. I chatted with my new friend throughout the trip. He is somewhat of an intellect and enjoyed speaking and debating about socialism versus capitalism. He made some very valid points for his side and I feel that I did the same. It was refreshing to have an intellectual conversation in Spanish. The views along the hike were great. There were many indigenous people living high in the mountains and seeing them work in the fields and the housing always gives me a sense of humility. We made it to the top and soaked in the beautiful views. All around us the Andes rolled their hills out beneath us. I had yet another feeling awe when I thought of how lucky and blessed I am to live in such a beautiful place with such great people.

View from the top of Putzalahua

We had a picnic on the peak of sandwiches, chips and fruits. We took plenty of photos and then decided it was time to head down. When we got in the truck I realize just how exhausted I really was. I was struggling to keep my eyes open as my friend wanted to chat more. My weariness was a topic of conversation and great laughter in the truck as we drove back to Latacunga. We arrived back at his house and all piled out. I hugged each of them and thanked them profusely for taking us. I offered to help pay for gas but this family also would not have any of it. We are making plans to travel to another remote and beautiful spot 5 hours away next month.

Danilo and I

It is crazy to think that neither of these two families had not planned to host or hang out with two gringos this weekend but were more than happy to plan their weekend around us. The father-in-law most certainly could have spent his Sunday a better way than spending his time, money, and energy taking a friend of his son-in-law up a mountain but he was delighted to do it. The hospitality and genuine acceptance of new acquaintances here is incredible.

Couldn't resist taking a picture with this girl and her llama.

This is usually where I try to think of something witty or wise to say but honestly I am still too tired to think. So catch you on the flip side.

Sheep Fighting and a Birthday Party

After reading the title of this post you probably assume that I am going to write about two separate occurrences. Only in Ecuador do birthday parties include a sheep fight amid the festivities.

After a long week of working out kinks in my schedule and trying to persuade officials at my school what my actual job was I was ready for so rest and relaxation. This came in the form of a birthday party that a fellow volunteer and I were invited to. The Ministry of Education English Coordinator had invited us to celebrate her birthday in a near a small town named Pujilí about 45 minutes from my house. The birthday party began at 11:00 am in the city at a Catholic Mass in honor of her deceased parents. At the conclusion of the Mass the party moved to the cemetery to pay respects to her parents. Nothing says birthday fun quite like visiting a cemetery.

Up until this point my friend and I had a tough time actually finding the birthday girl. We walked from the church to the cemetery unaccompanied. Gringos stand out in any crowd here but on this day we got more than our share of stares. Dressed up white people walking from a church to a cemetery in front a slow moving procession tends to catch the Ecuadorian eye. Awkward moments abound here.

When we finally met up with the coordinator and her family outside the cemetery we were warmly greeted. I can not say enough about how genuinely nice, caring and community-oriented the people of Ecuador are. After all the introductions were made and tons of cheeks kissed we all hopped in cars and headed to a hostería where the party would continue. The location of the hostería was perfect. We were high in the Andes surrounding by lush green mountains. The site had a restaurant, spa, large gathering room and two pools. The skies were clear and promised good weather throughout the day.

Shortly after arriving lunch was served. We ate Chugchucaras, the famous plate from Latacunga. It consists of fried everything. Empanadas, pork, popcorn, bananas, and moté are on the plate and are all fried. Happy birthday was sung, the cake was cut and stomachs were filled. During lunch I had a good conversation with the brother of the birthday girl who lives in Quito. We chatted about where I was from and what I was doing. He was obviously an educated man and I appreciated the conversation. He even spoke broken English. By the end of the party he and his wife invited me and a fellow volunteer to come to their house in the coming months for lunch.

At the conclusion of lunch we were all escorted outside for “popular Ecuadorian games”. The first was a potato sack race. The man announcing the competitors was really hamming it up. My introduction to the field was something like, “Hailing all the way from the great state of Texas…. the amazing, the fantastic...TOOOD!” My name is very difficult to pronounce in Spanish. Even my debit card has my name spelled at “Tood”. We lined up and on the count of “Prepararse, Listo, Bueno” and we were off. After a mad dash I prevailed as the champion. I was given a small notebook and pen as my prize. Both will come in very handy because I am always in need of both.

We played a few other games but I did not have the same luck in these endeavors. My favorite was the “Baile Del Tomate”. This is a game where two partners dance while holding a tomato between their heads. My friend and I were coaxed into making fools out of ourselves. We practiced with the tomato wedged between our foreheads. When the time came to start we lasted a good 8 seconds and we were happy to have a seat. We also competed in a three legged race. We crossed the finish line close to dead last. Dancing began shortly after the games ended and prizes were handed out. I chose to rest and take in the moment. While watching the many couples that I had only recently met dance their hearts out I had a moment to reflect. I was out in a beautiful green field surrounded by lush mountains celebrating a birthday in a strange but fun fashion in a foreign country. I would have never imagined myself in that position two years ago. What a great opportunity I have to be in such a place with such great people. Even though I had not met 95% of the people before the party, I was already accepted and cared for by the majority of those at the celebration. True moment of bliss.

Now to get away from the sappy stuff and move to me fighting a sheep…

After the dance we were all ushered to a large pen that doubled as a volleyball court. As usual, I had no idea what was about to happen. The women were arranged and began walking into the large pen and parading around in a circle. Apparently this is the same a bullfight when the beauty queen of the city walks around the arena before the bull is brought in. A medium sized sheep lay in waiting. After the women scampered out the “bull” fighters descended into the pen. These were just men from the party that wanted to show their machismo side. Soon 10 men entered the pen and were being chased and hit by the sheep in a similar fashion as they would in a bull fight. The sheep behaved almost identically as a bull would. He would walk backward, scrape his feet and then charge. I got the nerve to jump into the fight. That round was a bit scary but mainly just fun. We all had some good laughs and the women cheered us on. Eventually the sheep tired and we all sat down. I had a great time “sheep fighting” and the Ecuadorians were happy to see my willingness to participate. I thought that was the end of it.

I was then made aware that the main event was about to commence. The bigger male sheep was about to be brought into the pen. I could tell this was a bit more serious by the anticipation that the small crowd seemed to have. Only two men went into the pen with their capes. This sheep meant business. I watched as the men did a pass or two before being chased out of the pen by the agitated sheep. A small group of women told me I should try. With much reluctance I worked up the nerve to enter the pen alone. My desire to be the center of attention got the best of me once again.

My heart was beating hard enough I could hear it. I grabbed a cape and prepared myself for death by sheep. The next 30 seconds are a blur but basically I practiced the same form that I had witnessed from the other men using. The sheep pawed the ground, backed up ten feet or so and then ran full speed at me. At the last second I stepped to the side as I had seen the others do and let the sheep slam head first into the cape narrowly missing my leg. As soon as I saw the sheep realize he had missed me I took off in a dead sprint to the wall with the sheep in hot pursuit. I am happy to say that I made it out unscathed other than wanting to wet my pants. I must say I think I heard more laughter during my Gringo sheep fighting experience than cheers but I will take what I get.

After the sheep fight, we went back inside and listened to a live performance by two local artists. They sang songs about Pujilí with pride and much to the delight of the audience. We then began to dance. Dancing here is much different that I am accustomed to. The DJ plays music non-stop and there are no apparent breaks. At the end of the hour and a half long session everyone was pouring sweat. So attractive. The CJ even played several classic American songs and I was expected to know the dances. I am unaware of the dance that accompanies “Rock Around the Clock” so I improvised with The Twist.

The party concluded around 8 pm after a mandatory firework show. Before I left I gave the mandatory kisses on the cheek to the women and a hearty handshake/hug to the men as is customary here. I promised several that I would stay in contact and then got into the car with a couple that offered to drive me the 45 min back to my house so I could avoid the bus at night. We chatted the whole way home. On that note, my Spanish has improved so much during my short time here. I am impressed with the brain’s ability to change and adapt so quickly.

All in all the party was great. I have never been to a birthday party that lasted nearly 10 hours and wasn’t sure what to expect. I certainly didn’t think that I would earn my stripes as a sheep fighter but I did. This was yet another wonderful experience to log into my memories of this great country.

Ecuador, you never know what to expect.