¿En Serio...?

Seriously...?

 

As I sit and write this I cannot honestly believe that it has been three months since I stepped onto the island of San Cristobal and four months since I have left the United States and started this crazy adventure. My month in Quito helped me face my fears of city life and I gained a lot of confidence in my Spanish and city skills.

 

The Galapagos have changed me even more, but in a different way. I am definitely more laid back (island life will do that, I guess) and think of things more positively. When a hike, camping trip or dinner plan didn't work out, instead of getting annoyed like I would have before, I've learned to look for other, better solutions and seize the new opportunity at hand. I hope that this newly acquired outlook will help in my transition back to US customs and the hectic life at Bucknell, especially with my newly elected position as president of my sorority.

 

A few weeks ago I was very homesick and so ready to go home, but as I walked up the insane hill that my house sits on top of one last time I once again became annoyed with myself for wanting to leave this paradise. The animals, scenery and people here are like no where else in the world. Even if it is cloudy, you are still guaranteed a sunset.

 

There are many things that I will not miss about Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, especially the cat calls us girls get daily from taxi drivers, passerby and creepy young boys, but I know there are many things that I will definitely miss. For one, the weather; going back to 25 degree New Jersey is going to be a shock, it has been moving into the warm season here and I can't walk anywhere without breaking a sweat, even in a tank top. Prices; they are so cheap! We get soup, juice, rice, some form of meat/chicken or fish and a small salad for $3.50 everyday for lunch. Food; I am definitely going to miss sweet plantains, "patacones", fresh fish, chifles, the endless amount of fresh read and I'm sure I will eventually miss the rice.

 

I am so excited to fly into Newark on Sunday afternoon (even if it is snowing). I cannot wait to be home for the holidays and truly get into the holiday spirit; seeing Christmas decorations in 80 degree weather it is a foreign concept to me. I am really looking forward to seeing my family - James just turned 15, Jacob is a senior in high school and will be hearing from colleges in the next day, Mom is still cooking up a storm with Taste & Technique and Dad has somehow been able to deal with all this craziness without me. I am really looking forward to American food: real steak, vegetables, salad and quinoa are on the list for my first dinner.

 

I know I will deal with reverse culture shock and have to adapt to the customs and ways of the US upon my return. I am scared of what is to come, but it is all part of the journey. Tomorrow afternoon, the 36 students in my program will board a plane that will take us to Quito. We will be in Quito for two nights (the shock of a huge city will be interesting) and then I will get on my 2am shuttle to the airport for my 6am flight to Panama City and eventually Newark.

 

The next two days will be emotional. I have made such wonderful friends while here; they have been my family the past 4 months and not seeing them everyday will take some adjustment. I believe that this experience has changed me and will always be a part of me. It is one more thing that defines me for who I am on this crazy journey called life. Cause after all, it's not the destination, it's the journey...

 

Until I touch down in los Estados Unidos, Chao :)

 

 

"Under the Sea...

...Darling it's better
Down where it's wetter
Take it from me"

 

The Galapagos Islands are known for their land creatures: sea lions, marine iguanas, land iguanas, giant tortoises, finches, etc., but when people think of the Galapagos they often forget about the immensely diverse life found under the sea. Being in the center of the Pacific Ocean, the Galapagos Islands are affected by multiple currents coming from Panama, Peru, the mainland and Australia. These currents combine to make water that is insanely cold but rich in nutrients. When we first arrived the water was around 18 degrees Celsius (64F) and as we approach the warm season it has been getting into the lower 20sC (low 70sF). 

 

Since my arrival in September, I have done a lot of scuba diving and I am currently working on the next level of dive certifications. The frigid water requires many more wetsuit layers than I was used to with diving in the Caribbean, but it's now becoming second nature. The 2.5mm shorty on top of the 5mm full only takes 2 minutes to put on now opposed to 10!

 

When I first arrived, I expected to find coral reefs and lots of colorful fish, similar to the Caribbean, since the water is so nutrient rich, but there are only coral reefs on the northern most islands. The fish here are unique, but not nearly as plentiful as the Caribbean, and most dives are done along rock walls that continue down into the abyss.

 

This past Saturday, we had our final dives for class (yes, we had a dive included in each class!) and visited the site Leon Dormido (aka Kicker Rock) for the fourth time since I've been here. I was reluctant to go back to the same site for a fourth time, but I am so glad I did, as fourth time was the charm!

 

On our way out to the rock (about a 45 minute boat ride) we found a pod of wild Galapagos Dolphins. There had to be over 100 of them! We convinced the captain and our dive master to let us snorkel, and the 10 of us quickly stripped down to our bathing suits and jumped into the water with snorkels and masks without thinking twice about putting on wetsuits. The first shock was that the water was so warm (at least compared to September); we didn't get cold without wetsuits! Secondly, the dolphins were amazing! The like riding the bow waves that the boat creates, so the captain kept bringing them back around to us. We cold hear them talking to one another and they were so close to us. It was a truly unforgettable experience!

 

On our first dive, we did the same dive that I had done 3 other times, but this time the visibility was the best it's been (about 40 ft). As we swam through the channel, we were surrounded by hundreds of Galapagos, white tip and black tip sharks! They were so elegant and neat to watch; we sat on the bottom for 10 minutes just looking at them.

 

my friend Abby who turned 21 that weekend - there is a shark behind her

 

The second dive was the best dive I have had here. We convinced the dive instructor to go to a different site on the rock that has had hammerhead sharks recently with the warmer water. Upon descending to 50 feet we were greeted by a large hammerhead in the distance, but the best was when we rounded a corner and there was a huge (10+ ft) scalloped hammerhead shark right in front of us! He circled us and stayed fairly close for a good minute or so, putting on an awesome show. We were all so excited; we definitely went out with a bang!

huge school of fish on the second dive

The final dive I have for my advanced certification is a night dive. Definitely nervous about it but supposedly we just sit on the bottom in the pitch black with big lights and wait for the sharks to come. Just your typical diving experience...NOT, but it should be interesting. The sharks feed at night, so hopefully I will make it out alive and be able to enjoy my last few days in paradise. Until then, Chao!

Third World Country Status

Most tourists who travel to "the islands that changed the world" are probably unaware that they are touring a third world country. The areas of the islands that are explored by tourists are neatly kept, modern-ish and create a welcoming environment. After being here over 2 months, I have spent plenty of time outside of the tourist areas and have had a few experiences that bring me back to reality and remind me that I am in a third world country.

My daily walk to school is a little over a mile long. Although most of the walk is on a newly paved road, I pass a wide variety of living conditions. My house is very modern, spacious and well kept. On my walk I pass some houses that are similar, or nicer than mine, but there are other houses that I honestly can't believe people actually live in. One "house" that I pass is built out of sheets of plywood with a variety of random doors, no windows and a roof that looks as though it isn't secured to the "foundation". The yard is covered with other pieces of plywood, garbage and random pieces of material. If you look close enough, you can usually find a dog perched on this mountain of junk. What strikes me most interesting about their living situation is that the house looks like it could literally be blown over, but you can hear a TV inside and see the bright light emitted by the screen. The fact that that "house" can support people, and electricity, reminds me of how little you really need to survive.

"house" I walk by on my way to school everyday

my house

 



One of the first weeks that I was here, I went on a long run and came home drenched in sweat and so excited to shower. I got into the shower and when I turned the knob no water came out. I then tried the sink, no water. I went downstairs and found three 8 year old girls in the family room. No one else was home, so I attempted to explain the shower situation to them. The three of them marched up the stairs to my room and tried every knob in the bathroom. Still, no water. Eventually, Sandry (my host mom) got home. She explained that the tank on the roof that feeds my bathroom must have been empty. As a solution she filled a large container with cold reserve water that was kept in a bathtub out back. I bathed with the container of water and a cup that I used to pour the water onto my body. It was cold, but at least it was water. I realized that by bathing this way I used a lot less water than using the showerhead; I learned how little water I actually need to be clean. It reminded me of the kids in Africa that we saw walking back and forth on dirt roads to get fresh water to DRINK. It wasn't until I did not have fresh water readily available that I realized how blessed we are to have the resources to have a constant supply of fresh water; there are numerous people who do not have this luxury. It was quite an experience, and definitely snapped me back to reality.

bath time

One daily sighting that reminds me of where I am truly living are the dogs that roam the streets and roosters that crow at all hours. It is rare to go for a walk and not pass any stray dogs. The Charles Darwin Foundation has implemented a new law this past month requiring people to leash, collar and keep their dogs from roaming the streets. The dogs are harmful to the endemic wildlife here, especially the sea lions. The Galapagos has a ridiculous rule that dogs on the islands are not allowed to be vaccinated because certain vaccines contain living viruses (even though there are now vaccines for distemper and rabies that are not living). Unfortunately, the stray dogs harass the sea lions and often infect them with distemper (a lifelong cold). On another note, the roosters crow at all hours of the day, Mom and Dad can vogue for their excessive loudness since they have been able to hear them when we Skype...

As great an experience that living in a third world country has been, I am definitely looking forward to returning to the US and knowing that I will have hot water, a house with sturdy walls and a quite room to sleep in. Three weeks from today I will be home; it's crazy how time flies! Until next time, Chao!



Off the Beaten Path

Before arriving to the islands and since being here we have been warned time and time again not to go off the marked trails that the National Park has created. There have been stories of people disappearing for days or indefinitely because they strayed off a path and could not find their way back. We all wondered how this could be so, since the islands are so "small", but we learned yesterday that it is definitely possible.

This past Sunday, three of my friends and I, along with one friend's host dad (Pablo), 8 year old host sister (Ashanti) and 8 year old host cousin (Ariel), decided to tackle a path that we had heard about to a deserted beach. We had been told it was about a 45 minute hike to get there. We started the journey on a nicely laid stone path, which turned into steep wooden stairs and eventually a very dry, lava-rock, poorly managed path. With the exception of the steep stairs, most of the rigorous hike was downhill, meaning that the way back was going to be mostly uphill. We hiked/climbed over various lava rock formations on the marked path for about 45 minutes until we reached the first beach of many on the trail. Pablo told us that if we continued, there was a larger, nicer beach "muy lejos" (very close) to the first beach that we had stumbled upon. We decided to continue, and after 20 more minutes of hiking/climbing over uneven lava rocks we arrived at Playa Baquerizo.

View from the top lookout point

Playa Baquerizo was beautiful. It is a decently sized beach with only a few sea lions and completely isolated from civilization. It was empty of people, with the exception of us and one other family that made the treacherous hike. We spent 2.5 hours enjoying the beautiful beach and swimming in the crystal-clear (but freezing) water.

We started the journey back around 3pm. Pablo had explained to us that when he was a kid he would hike to Playa Baquerizo on weekends with his friends and spend Saturday night there camping and return on Sunday. We trusted him, since he had been to this beach countless times, and let him lead the way back to civilization. To avoid climbing the very steep, dry and uneven conditions of the hill Pablo suggested that we hike along the cliff; the tide was low enough that we wouldn't be caught by the water and it was "faster". We trusted him and opted to take his way to avoid the monstrous hill we had slid down earlier. 

Off the beaten path is an understatement. Our route back has probably only been explored by sea lions, blue footed boobies, sea birds and the few teenagers brave enough to venture off the path. We climbed up and down huge lava rocks along a very steep cliff. The lava rocks were covered in Boobie poop and I eventually gave up on trying to avoid it, deciding to focus more on planting my feet. Towards the end of the trek, when we could see the "caminata" (marked path) up ahead, we reached the scariest part of the journey. Pablo turned to us and told us to hug the wall; I looked down to see a 60 foot drop onto sharp lava rocks and water. The only thing to prevent us from tumbling down was to hug the wall and shuffle along the 1.5 foot ledge that supported us. At this point Ariel started saying "Voy a morir, Voy a morir" (I'm going to die, I'm going to die") - we were definitely all thinking it, but it took the 8 year old to say it.

one of the easier sections heading back

We eventually made it back to the caminata and were relieved to be standing on truly solid ground. The rest of the hike was a cake-walk compared to the previous part. When we finally reached the school we realized that taking the ledge, rather than the path, had taken about an extra 20 minutes. But hey, we got an awesome experience, full body workout and an adventure out of it, I'm just glad I'm alive to tell the tale. You definitely cannot spend a Sunday doing this in the cornfields of Lewisburg!

Until next time, Chao :)

Dia de los Disfuntos

November 2nd is Dia de los Disfuntos, or "Day of the Departed". My host family did not partake in any festivities here on the island, but my host dad is planning on flying to Guayaquil this coming weekend to visit his mother's grave. Abby, Emily and I decided to jump in a taxi and head up to the cemetery to meet Abby's host family and check it out. We really had no idea what to expect, except for a lot of people in the cemetery.

What we found when we jumped out of the cab was a busy street lined on either side with vendors selling roasted pig, empanadas, ice cream, almuerzos, fake flowers and candles. We walked down a slight hill to find the cemetery.

The cemeteries here have the graves above ground in white cement mausoleums, some that are bigger than some student's houses. This past week the people here have been working to clean the cemeteries for today. Today the cemetery was bustling with people, with everyone from infants to elders. I expected it to be fairly quiet and depressing, but kids were running around the graves with ice creams and people were conversing amongst themselves. The cemetery looked beautiful and was filled with life.

 

Each compartment within the mausoleum is cemented shut about 2 feet from the edge, creating little shelves. Each of these little shelves was decorated with various flowers, candles, pictures and, in some cases, the departed's favorite foods. Abby's host dad explained to us that it is a celebration of the departed's life and their accomplishments. Lots of families gather at (and on) the tombs of their loved ones and decorate the graves. When we got to the cemetery a mass was being held in the center. As the mass went on more and more people joined in the celebration.

When I spoke with my host dad earlier that day, he asked me if in the US we have a holiday similar to Dia de los Disfuntos. I explained that we don't and that most people visit the deceased throughout the year, especially on the anniversary of their death. As I explained it to him you could tell that he was puzzled by this.

As I spoke about it with friends we realized that in the US we look at death as a tragedy and something that is not talked about much. Here it is the opposite. When someone dies they celebrate the life they had and each year visit their graves with gifts and food to reminisce on the good times. I think the part that really impacted me were three little girls sitting on a tomb looking at the shelf. It made me wonder how much they actually know about the person buried there and how much they know about the holiday. I feel that in the US it would be considered disrespectful to sit on a loved one's grave giggling and eating ice cream, but here it a norm. Made me wish we had a day similar to this in the US to celebrate, rather than mourn, the life that the deceased lived. It would make it easier to talk about, and quite possibly lessen the fear associated with dying.

 

I am very glad that I got to experience this holiday first hand after learning about it numerous times in Spanish class. It is completely different than anything in the US, but it's these differences that makes each country and their culture unique.

 

On a funny note, here is an adorable sea lion who positioned herself perfectly to use the rock as a pillow:





 

Until next time, Chao :)

"Ratito..."

"Vamos por un ratito..." translates into "let's go on a little trip"; what we would consider errands or "I'm gonna run to the store" type outings. Something quick with a purpose. I'm learning that this phrase can mean more than "a little trip".

"Vamos por un ratito por pan..." = Let's go on a little trip for bread.
Duh I jumped on this one, who wouldn't want to go on a little trip for fresh, warm pan (bread)? Here, pan is such an important part of the culture. On San Cristobal there are three panaderias (bread stores), quite a few for this size island. My host dad typically makes a "ratito" for pan a little before 7pm, when the fresh batch is just being brought out of the oven. He comes home with fresh steaming croissants, pan ducle (sweet bread - my favorite) and pan sal (salted bread) right before dinner. It is so hard to politely say "no thanks" when he offers me some, as I don't want to ruin my appetite for dinner.

One night he decided to go for pan after dinner. It was a "ratito" including me, my host mom, dad and sister. We piled into the little sedan and headed down the hill for pan. It took about 2 minutes to drive to the panaderia. I had never seen it at this hour (8 pm). It was bustling with people coming in for fresh pan for the morning - moms, kids, elderly people; literally everyone on the island seemed to be trying to squeeze into this closet-sized bread store. Sandry (my host mom) was back in the car within 2 minutes with fresh pan - it was incredibly delicious and fresh. From there we ended up driving around the malicon (board walk) and around town at what must have been the slowest speed the stick shift car could go without stalling. We somehow drove around the malicon for 30 minutes (you can walk it probably 8 times in 30 minutes) and eventually returned to the house around 8:30pm. At home, if mom or dad have to run an errand at night it's a quick run to the store and back. Here, going "on a little trip" for bread turned into a half hour excursion through the streets - but then again, what else do they have to do on this tiny island?

"Vamos por un ratito, ven con nosotros" = We're going on a little trip, come with us.
On Wednesday night I came home from dinner expecting to ice a cake and sing happy birthday to my host mom. I came home, iced the cake and was waiting in the sitting area when my host mom came downstairs all prettied-up. She told me they were going on a small trip and that she would like for me to come. It was her birthday, how could I refuse? Of course, since she said "ratito", I was expecting maybe a trip for pan or ice cream... nope ended up being an hour and a half long dinner at a restaurant. I had already eaten at the University, so I politely sat with my family at the restaurant while they all ate dinner. We got back to the house around 9:30pm and eventually sang happy birthday and ate the two cakes I had made (they found out I bake and want to learn how to make so many different cakes). To say the least, I wasn't expecting to spend 1.5 hours at a restaurant when I was told "ratito" - I still had readings for class the next day. But it's all part of the experience, right?


As I learn more and more about island life I'm finding that I have to "go with the flow" even more than in Quito. My one friend was told she was going on a "ratito" with her family - it ended up turning into 2 hours of riding around town on a two person moped with three people. I honestly don't know how you can ride around this one-square mile town for 2 hours, but they somehow did! I can only wonder what my next "ratito" will be...

Until then, Chao :)

P.S. So excited for Mom and Dad to arrive here tomorrow! I can't wait to share this amazing place with them! I'm sure some good stories will come out of their visit :)

Island Life

We finally made it to the islands, and it sure is different than the city life of Quito! I've successfully completed my first full week of "classes" here on San Cristobal, ending the week spending the entire day on Friday diving at Leon Dormido and sun bathing on secluded beaches "for class".

 



San Cristobal is the eastern most of 18 islands that make up the Galapagos; only three of which are inhabited. All of the 18 islands are a national park and marine reserve (extending 40 miles off the coast of the islands), creating a habitat that preserves animals and marine life that are seen no where else in the world.

There are pleanty of unique animals, but the sea lions ("los lobos" en espanol) run the island. You cannot walk along the boardwalk (malicon) or a beach without seeing them lounging on a bench, the sand or splashing around in the water. They make different noises here than the sea lions in San Francisco, and it is really only the "macho" or dominant male that does all the talking/barking.

San Cristobal is super safe, but definitely looks like a developing country beyond the malicon. I lucked out and my house is really nice. I have my own room (with two double beds) with an attached bathroom and a huge window that overlooks the ocean. Other students live in "shacks" where the walls don't all touch the ceilings and they share bathrooms with their family members.

My host family is super sweet and active. I have a mom, dad, 14 year old brother and 8 year old sister. There is also a 24 year old daughter from the dad's first marriage that is with us occasionally. I don't see them as often as my Quito family, since I'm usually out of the house all day and our dinners rotate between with our host families, on our own, or at a restaurant that the university pays. Whenever I do see them they are super sweet and are looking forward to meeting my mom and dad when they come in two weeks. They also found out that I cook/bake - I am now in charge of my host brother's birthday cake this Friday; hopefully the island has all the ingredients for a chocolate cake with chocolate ganache. We also have a cat and two dogs that live on the roof. It's weird listening to the dogs run over the ceiling of my bedroom as I fall asleep at night.

The University here has about 4 classrooms and a really nice science center with advanced marine labs. It is pretty impressive for the size that it is, but internet is definitely a hit or miss. The best part about the university is that the beach is literally across the street; some sea lions from the colony across the street have a tendency to walk into the university out of curiosity! There is also a great deck on the second floor where we eat breakfast, and occasionally do schoolwork, with a beautiful view of the beach and ocean.

 

looking out from the university doors



 

On the island we walk EVERYWHERE. Thankfully, everything is in walking distance and being back at sea level makes it doable. The only real nuisance is "gurua" or this mist-type rain that occurs in the morning and evening and occasionally throughout the day. It's hard to explain in that you get damp, but not wet and its a little more rain than a mist, but not quite a drizzle. Otherwise it has been fairly cloudy most days, with the occasional sun coming. As we get further into October the weather is supposed to turn and be sunny almost the entire day, can't wait! When the sun has come through, it is super strong - after all I am on the equator.

Shout out to Daddy: Happy Birthday! Can't wait to share this place with you in 10 days! I love you!... Until next time, Chao :)