¿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 :)



Oh The Places You'll Go...

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

-Dr. Seuss

 

Great places indeed! In the five weeks that I have spent living on the main land in Quito, Ecuador I have visited and seen so many beautiful sights that you can truly see no where else in the world. Each day I continue to be enamored by everything Ecuador has to offer - and I haven't even made it to the Galapagos yet!

 

In/Near Quito:

Cotopaxi - This beautiful volcano was a struggle to climb on my third day here, but totally worth it. The elevation is insane, but the park is beautiful. Check out my post about it "Up In the Clouds".

 



 

Mariscal - Also known as "Gringo Landia", or International Land, this is the main touristy area of Quito, lined with restaurants, bars & nightclubs. It definitely made for some fun nights out and was a lot safer than the University made us think during orientation.
 

Artisan Market - An overwhelming amount of the same crafts overflowing from aisles, but a great place to get truly Ecuadorian souvenirs and keepsakes. Its fairly easy to get to and made for two fun afternoons in the city.
 

Mitad Del Mundo - Translated as "The Center of the World", it is one of the equator tourist attractions. I went once with my host family and a second time with a group of friends. It was definitely neat to be able to say that I stood in two hemispheres at once!

La Rhonda - We went to this touristy place one Friday night for dinner. The cab ride took about an hour because of traffic, but only cost $15 (gotta love these prices!). We ate at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant that was packed with people. The menu had 5 entre choices. I got a huge plate of chicken with rice and a salad and a huge beer for $5.50. I'm very glad we made it down here and would definitely return to putts the shops and restaurants if we had more time here.

Teleferico - This touristy attraction is a cable car ride that you take to multiple trails. Very rigorous hiking at a very high altitude, but amazing views of all of Quito.

 

Hop on A Bus:

Mindo - We took a $2.50, 2 hr long bus ride to this cute little town in the cloud forest. It is full of wildlife and activities. We spent 5 hours hiking through 5 different beautiful waterfalls, enjoyed a traditional Ecuadorian dinner for $5.50 and went horseback riding. There are so many things we could have done here, but we limited ourselves to two activities, leaving out tubing, the butterfly museum, chocolate & coffee museum and canyoning.



 

Esmeraldas - This was our first class trip. It was about a 7 hr bus ride on some very windy roads, but we were surrounded by beautiful landscapes the entire ride. It was a very isolated beach, where we stayed at an eco-lodge with compost toilets and open-air rooms. Very interesting experience and very pretty place.

Puerto Lopez, Machalila - Our second class trip was to this more populated, touristy town with a beach, beach bars and numerous restaurants, only problem was it was a 10 hr bus ride. Another Ecuadorian class joined us on this trip, accompanied by one of the student's dogs; they were an interesting group of people to say the least. Our hostel wasn't the nicest, but the owner treated us as her own kids. We did our first dives here, and I dove at Isla de la Plata, where we got a sneak peak of what the underwater life is going to be like at the Galapagos! It got me so excited!

 

Same, Esmeraldas - This trip was for a class, but for the second module. Here we stayed at a very nice resort with individual cabins that could sleep up to 8 people. The ocean kept us awake at night, pounding against the cliff below us, but life could definitely be worse. We spent three days whale watching (humpbacks), and saw way more whales than we expected. It was really awesome and made me fall in love with humpbacks - they are truly amazing animals.



Tomorrow morning I'm catching a flight to San Cristobal, Galapagos for the next three months. I am so excited, but could definitely see myself returning to Quito to hit up some places I didn't get to visit in my month here. I'll be hanging out with sea lions, blue footed boobies and marine iguanas for the next three months - is this really school? I can't wait, but I am sad to leave my host family here. Until next time, Chao! <3



Hora Ecuadoriana

Throughout my many orientations here we were warned time and time again about "Hora Ecuadoriana", or Ecuadorian Time. Basically, everything is super slow and they are not specific about time at all. If you are invited to a party for 5pm, its expected that you won't arrive until 6:30 or 7 (kind of like the Rue side of my family, just a little more extreme). This concept was hard for me to grasp, being that I am a very punctual person and usual early to most meetings/events/classes etc.

This past Monday we had our orientation for the Galapagos. We did not have class that day since we just returned from a trip on Sunday. Orientation was scheduled for 8am; those of us weren't too pleased having to be here so early especially with readjusting to the altitude yet again. I gave myself plenty of time, calling the taxi at 7:30am. Usually the taxis come within 5 minutes. On Monday, when I actually had somewhere to be at a specific time, the taxi came at 7:45. I had him take me directly to the school, rather than catching my bus, assuming that it would be faster. And of course, traffic was horrible. Being punctual me, I was getting anxious about getting to the university on time and having to be that one awkward student who shows up late.

I eventually got to the school at exactly 8:00am and hustled to the assigned room. I found all 35 other students in my program standing outside the room. Ends up the room was booked. We stood outside it for 20 minutes, until the director decided to find another room. All those rooms were booked too, so we eventually took over a space on the lawn and started our "orientation" at 8:35am. They quickly threw pointless information at us for 25 minutes so the students with class at 9am would be on time.

Throughout this whole mess of an "orientation" the director and other Ecuadorians were very calm and collected, not at all stressing out over the missed time like a typical American would have been. Even though I have been here a month, I am still getting used to the laid-back mentality here. We have been warned that the islands are even more laid back...not sure if that's possible. But I will be finding that our for myself in another week's time. Until then, Chao!

In The Streets

When I arrived here in the dark two weeks ago today, one thing I knew for certain was that there was a cow in the middle of my street. Arriving in the dark was a little scary, since I could barely see my surroundings with the limited street lighting. 14 days of sunlight erased my worries and I have become very accustomed to the cows, dogs, motorcycles and other oddities of the streets.

Perritos. Most families in Cumbaya, the suburb of Quito where I am living, have one or more dogs as pets. Their concept of a pet is different than what I am accustomed to. Here, the dogs live outside and are never brought inside the house. All properties are gated with cement walls, so the only opportunity for the dogs to run into the street is when the garage door opens; the two dogs at my house take full advantage of the open garage door. Although there are tons of pet stores and dog food advertisements on every other billboard, I am yet to see my madre feed the dogs dog food. They are usually given left over stale bread or rice. The dogs inside property lines are cared for and definitely a part of the family, just in a different way than I am accustomed to. There are numerous dogs on the streets, most are skinny and beg whenever the opportunity presents itself. It's sad from a pre-veterinary perspective, but it's no oddity to Ecuadorians.
 

one of my host perros

(I want to bathe him so badly!)



Basura. Since there are so many dogs in the street, most garbage cans are not actual cans, but rather a metal basket raised on a pole or mounted on a cement wall. Bags of garbage are put into the raised baskets. I've been awoken many mornings by the "garbage trucks" driving through the neighborhood. Here, garbage is collected in an open bed, pick-up truck. A mega-phone speaker is attached to cab of the truck and the driver yells out that the truck is coming through the street to collect the garbage. There doesn't seem to be any schedule to this craziness and it's 10x louder than the garbage trucks at home. As dad joked, its similar to the scene in Monty Python & the Holy Grail where they come through the streets with a wheelbarrel collecting the dead; Ecuador is just a little more civilized.

Driving. I am a born and raised Jersey girl, and I definitely consider myself a Jersey driver, going fast on freeways, getting annoyed when I hit a red light and when I'm a pedestrian, I have the right of way. Ecuador has very few rules and regulations on driving; Jersey drivers don't even compare to the people on the road here. In Ecuador, the most expensive price I've seen for regular gas is $1.50 a gallon. Yes, $1.50 a gallon. Since gas is so cheap, Ecuadorians drive EVERYWHERE, creating a ton of traffic and putting too many cars on the road. With tons of cars, comes insane amounts of rule breaking with very little regulation from the policia. Most people go right through red lights, stop signs, although there, appear non-existent, and you WILL get run over if you try to cross the street and you don't have the green man walking signal.

Most people have a car, but the public transportation system here is widely used. My commute to school everyday involves a 5-minute, $1.00 taxi ride and then a 5-minute, $0.25 bus ride. The buses here cost 25 cents whether you're on them for 5 minutes or 2 hours! At first I was fearful of taking the taxis and buses (orientation did a good job of scaring us), but I'm glad to say I'm feeling really comfortable using them. I'm really proud of myself for figuring out a city transportation system in a foreign country that speaks another language. Coming from the beach of NJ and the cornfields of PA, that's quite an accomplishment.

I can't take credit for this pic,

I'd look like a real gringo if I photographed the buses



Glad I've learned some sense of Ecuadorian Street Smarts. I imagine I won't be dodging motorcyclists, buses and cars on the isolated islands of the Galapagos, but after conquering the streets of Quito I have another perspective on city life. Hopefully I won't incur any street injuries in my 2 more weeks here! Chao! :)

La Gringita

In the few days that I have been here I have been overwhelmed by the difference in culture and the amount that I have learned!

 

La Langua:

I learned Spanish all throughout high school but there is still so much to learn! I am learning a ton of new vocabulary and ways of expressing myself. I was taught Spanish as it is spoken in Spain, but everywhere that Spanish is spoken has different dialecs and uses different vocabulary. Ecuador's spanish is different from what I am accustomed to in that everything is made tiny by putting "-ito/-ita" on the ends of everything... como pocito, camino despacito, duermo solito.

 

The indigenous people are called Quechua ("qu-" is pronounced "ch-") and their language greatly influences the vocabulary used here in Ecuador. A LOT of the words used have a "ch" sound to them. I know "chaquete" to mean jacket, but here "chompa" is jacket; I know "boracharse" = to get drunk, here it's "chumarse"; I learned "gato" to mean cat, but here it is used to describe a person with blue or green eyes.

 

I also have never had to put a preposition before a name. Here, "el" or "la" is put before a person's name. I am referred to as "la Betany" (they can't pronounce the "th"). When you translate it into English, they are referring to me as "the Bethany", which sounds odd and is taking a little getting used to.

 

The natives refer to international people as "gringos", so I am considered "la gringita". Thankfully, I'm not as obvious as the blonde-haired, blue-eyed gringas, as most natives are short and fair skinned. One of the first things the kids asked their mom at dinner my first night was what color eyes I have. I quickly responded "cafes" and they all laughed realizing that I know that they were looking for signs that would show I'm a gringa. To most people first arriving to Ecuador, they would probably consider gringo a racist term, but in reality its simply a descriptive term of endearment, kind of like "sweetie" in the US doesn't mean you're candy. It is still nice to know that Karen introduces me to others as her "hija" (daughter), not "gringita".

 

Costumbres:

I was told in orientation, and have experienced numerous times, that Ecuadorians have no concern for personal space. Nicky, granted he is 5, often climbs over the sofa to sit on someone or leans his head against you when he is close enough to. When meeting or greeting someone, if they are a woman you kiss them on the cheek, and if they are a man you shake their hand. People are rarely seen alone; if you are seen walking by yourself, especially on campus, Ecuadorians think you are a loser and have no friends.

 

In the states, most girls go to the bathroom in groups. It's just a thing we do. Boys like to joke about it and you seldom see a girl going to the bathroom alone when in public. Here, even more so - even the guys go to the bathroom in groups! They are very collectivist and it is not unusual to see a group of guys go into the bathroom together.

 

If you pass someone in a building or on campus and don't say "buenas dias" (good day) or "que tal" (what's up/how's it going") it is considered rude. Everyone is very friendly and for the most part very welcoming. I have made a point to keep my head up and smile at people as I pass them.

 

La Comida:

So far la comida (food) has all been delicious and I have made a point of eating everything different that is put in front of me. My first breakfast consisted of a hot cheese sandwich, cut & peeled apple and instant coffee. Breakfast seems to be eggs or hot cheese sandwiches with fruit (sometimes with yogurt), coffee, jam, cheese and other breads, such as croissants.

 

Bread is a very big thing here and is on the table for all three meals. When I say "bread" I don't mean a French baguette or piece of toast, the bread here is more of a pastry-type; they are usually croissants or personal round, small loafs. There are "pandarias" (bread stores) on almost every corner with numerous baskets of fresh bread! Karen always has fresh bread in the kitchen and a variety of fresh fruit on the table.

 

Lunch: Lunch is not considered lunch unless there is soup. Lunch is the main meal of the day in Ecuador. The soup is followed by a meal comprised of a meat (chicken, pork, beef), rice (ALWAYS), and vegetables. The ongoing joke at orientation is that you will be served rice with every meal. I am yet to be served rice with breakfast, but some of my American friends have. Lunch is usually finished with dessert; of the two restaurants we've eaten at one served fruit salad and the other tres leches.

  

 

Potatoes are quite common, whether boiled, baked, in soup or cut like French fires; I've eaten a decent amount of papas. Fun fact: we learned that most indigenous women can differentiate 200-300 types of papas. They are very common in indigenous tribes and even with the local folk. 

 

Dinner is similar to lunch, but a smaller meal without the soup and is eaten much later than in the states; last night we didn't eat till 9pm! Again, there is always rice with whatever is being served, even if it's dinosaur shaped chicken fingers. I was so happy when Karen offered me ice cream last night for postre (dessert), I'm really missing my Turkey Hill Mint Chip :( Hot chocolate is offered almost every night for dessert and it is not uncommon to completely submerge a piece of bread into a cup of hot chocolate; Nicky has pan choloate all the time. I'm yet to try it since I'm not the biggest fan of soggy bread.

 

rice, ham & cheese wrapped in chicken breast,

BBQ chichen and tomato, carrot and cucumber salad



 

At least in the home, Ecuadorians really enjoy their salsa de tomate, or ketchup. They put it on almost everything! I'm accustomed to putting ketchup on the side of my plate in a little puddle, here they simply pour it on top of seasoned meat and tend to mix it into their rice.

 

I am yet to be offered alcohol, but JUICE is huge here. Fresh squeezed orange, watermelon, melon, a native orangey-tomato fruit and other fruit juices are present in every house and at every restaurant. They are all so fresh and delicious, but have a lot of pulp.

 

 

I have learned a crazy amount in only four days and know that I have so much more to learn! I hope that I start to appear like less of a gringita as I spend more time here. I imagine that I will integrate these differences into my daily habits, but only time can tell. Chao :)

Up In the Clouds

I was welcomed into Ecuador with a round of applause for the pilots (usually daddy kisses each of us and says "welcome to ______"). The new airport is situated closer to the mountains that surround the city, making for difficult landing conditions, and supposedly a few bad landings since its recent opening. Quito is famous for being the highest capital city in the world, sitting 9,350 feet above sea level, and sits in a basin created by beautiful mountains and volcanos. I have definitely felt a difference in altitude since getting off the plane, feeling dizzy at times and getting out of breath after going up a flight or two of stairs (I was in shape when I left) :/ Ecuador is known for its various ecosystems. During my orientations, the natives have said many times how you can dive on the coast in the morning, eat lunch in the mountains, and have dinner in the amazon! So far, I've accomplished breakfast, lunch and dinner in the mountains; I have a ways to go.

After getting through the longest immigration line I have ever waited in, I was introduced to my host madre, Karen, and my 20 year old host sister, Ani. They were very welcoming, especially with it being 11:45pm, and very happy that I speak Spanish; their last host student did not speak any! I also have a younger host sister, Giuliana (Guili), who is 9 years old, and a younger host brother, Nicolas (Nicky), who is 5 years old. At first the kids were really shy and polite (greeting me with handshakes and kisses) but now they have warmed up to the point where they hold my hand in the mall and snuggle when we watch movies :)

 

I had a fun-filled, exhausting weekend. I met most of Karen's family (well two of her four sibling's families) and spent almost the entire weekend with all 20 of them. To say the least, it was A LOT of  Spanish. I was grateful to be able to have a conversation in English today with other American students.

 

As if Quito wasn't high enough, we ascended 10,000 feet more on Saturday to visit Cotopaxi ("coat-o-pax-e") National Park. Cotopaxi is the world's second highest active volcano and to say that I felt the altitude change is an understatement! Cotopaxi sits at 19,347 feet above sea level. We were literally up in the clouds!

 

We drove through the park on a very bumpy dirt road that twisted, turned and curved for multiple miles until reaching the parking lot where we got out and "hiked" (more like a slow climb) up the volcano. Most of us only made it half way to the building up top; even the people who live in Quito had to stop every 100 feet or so of climbing to catch their breath. It was so cold that it was snowing! I was bundled in a heavy fleece, jeans, gloves, hat and scarf and it still took me a good hour to regain feeling in my toes when we returned to the car. Cotopaxi was beautiful and when you look at the mountain it looks as though lava is coming out from under the snow since the rock is red!

 

We drove down to the laguna in the park where we lasted for about 15 minutes out of the car since it was so cold and windy. When we returned to the cars, we ate rotisserie-like chicken, rice and papas on china plates; I found it very funny to be eating on china plates and so well out in the middle of nowhere. 



 

"climbing" Cotopaxi

 

Cotopaxi - notice the red rock and snow!

la laguna y las montanas

 

 

After Cotopaxi, we went to their Abuelita's (little grandma's) house for dinner. She threw food at us  once we walked in the door (spahetti with a marinara-type sauce with chicken) and was so happy that I spoke Spanish. Unfortunately, I found her the most difficult to understand since she speaks faster. I did know that she kept offering me hot chocolate after I finished my dinner, but I kept politely declining it since I'm not the biggest fan. Hot chocolate seems to be a common after-dinner drink.

 

On Sunday we drove back to Abuelita's where we picked up some cousins and 9 of us piled into a 4 door sedan. Totally illegal in the US, but I'm realizing there are very few rules here for driving. One IES student was picked up by her host family with the 9 month old baby buckled in the front seat - no car seat, just buckled; we were all stunned! Anyways, we piled into Karen's car and drove about 10 minutes to a small amusement park, Valqano Park, where everyone went on rides and played games. It was kind of on the level of the Fair Haven Fireman's Fair, but is there year round. After Volqano Park we returned to Abuelita's and then drove Karen's brother's family to the airport. They live in California (the wife and kids were born there), used to live in Quito, and now come back for the summers. It was nice to meet them over the weekend, especially because they spoke English. On the way back from the airport we stopped at the mall; it is gorgeous and huge! A lot of American stores, but more expensive than home.

 

On Friday and today (Monday) I've had orientation. Both days have been super long and boring, but the other kids in the program are all really nice and we have been finding a lot in common. It's really neat hearing about everyone's weekends and host families. Everyone's families are so different! One girl has an older couple in their 70s, another a couple in their 20s with a 9 month old baby, and another with a bunch of 20 year old siblings that speak fluent English! Some students in the program have never taken a Spanish class and are struggling with their families; I am so glad I can understand most of what's going on!

 

That's all for now! It's been a long 4 days and I am exhausted. I'm hoping I can rest up before our first trip this weekend! Chao :)

Trail Blazer

This morning I said goodbye to the beautiful United States of America and started my journey to Quito, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands for my 4 month long semester abroad. I am sad to leave behind my family, friends, Bucknell and my usual customs, but I am excited for the path that I am about to blaze in the book of Rue family travels.

I am very grateful that I am an experienced traveler, thanks to our crazy family vacations. The ambition to travel has been a part of our family since my parents met on their study abroad program in Germany, through IES, the same program provider I am going through! Little did they know they would be sending their daughter to another country through the same program provider that I am considered a "prodigy" of.

To keep track of our travels we have a magnetic map in the basement. We place magnets on the places that we have travelled to, whether it be individually or as a family. Last night my dad mentioned that Ecuador is the first country he is sending one of his children to that he will not be arriving to with them or has not visited first. Being that my Dad has been all over the world, I'm glad I've happened to find somewhere I can beat him to. I am blazing my own trail! I think that deserves a pink magnet on Ecuador and the Galapagos downstairs :)

I've made it safely to Houston. Saying goodbye to Mom and Dad at the security checkpoint this morning was very hard, but I find I am getting more and more excited to meet my host family and other program participants the closer I get to Ecuador. I hope that my Spanish is good enough that I don't sound like a complete fool when I first meet them. Hopefully my Spanish will have improved by the time I meet my second host family in the Galapagos.

Saying goodbye was one of the biggest challenges so far, aside from the luggage weight limit of 44 lbs. I was told by IES that I am only allowed to check 44 lbs when we go to the islands. My big bag this morning weighed in at 63 lbs. Woops. Hopefully I won't have to leave too much behind. I'm expecting "eternal spring" temperatures, so I did have to pack everything from jeans to shorts and sweaters to tanks... I promise I'm not making excuses :)

Hopefully the flight to Quito is as easy as the one to Houston. First class isn't bad, thanks Daddy! I'm not sure how I am going to keep in touch, but when I have wifi I plan to check facebook, email, instagram and hopefully I can write on here. Keep in touch friends! I promise I'll respond when technology allows me to! Te amo! Adios!

luggage!

(in total it weighed in around 90lbs, derp)