"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 :)