An organic farm. Howler monkeys. Horseback riding. Three beaches. Coconut batidos. Pizza bars. Tubing. Boating. Bonfires.
This last week has been incredible. BCA Quito took our group to Rio Muchacho, an organic farm in the coastal region of Ecuador. In many ways, it reminded me much of Auroville in South India. Rio Muchacho is its own community, run by an Ecuadorian man and a New Zealand woman. They train students in organic agriculture. They use dry compost toilets, live in beautiful cabins that are very much like tree houses (MY DREAM), eat and drink from clay and coconut shell bowls, and use animal compost to grow their crops, which for the most part sustains them and their visitors. They all eat vegetarian, and so did we for the three days that we were there. The food was delicious, but I was never quite fulfilled.
We also had the opportunity to take part in preparing our food. I helped muck stalls and gather sugar cane to feed the horses and cows, we all made natural coffee (so so) and chocolate (yum) and gathered banana leaves to pack our lunches in for the day that we rode horses up the road to a 97 year old ladies’ house to see howler monkeys.
I was stoked to be riding horses again. It’s always something I miss when I don’t have the convenience of four four- legged friends standing around in my back yard. However, the horses in Ecuador are a bit different…and so are the saddles (awful butt-busting blocks of wood). My horse was a tiny black horse with a roached mane and he was…absolutely covered in ticks.
If there is a bug that I despise more than any other bug in the world, it would be ticks. And my horse was providing blood for approximately 60% of Rio Muchacho’s tick population. I counted at least 22 shameless ticks just on his neck, earning him the name Señor Tick. We all named our horses. Some of the names included Maria, Kevin, Tornado, and Sampson.
We had a dog with us when we went to see the monkeys, so naturally, the monkeys weren’t very pleased with us and we came very, very close to being showered with monkey excrement.
Rio Muchacho was a great experience. I loved the weather. I loved being surrounded by greenery. I loved hanging out in hammocks and sleeping in an open loft and spotting lightning bugs. We worked, but we played too. I don’t know much about agriculture, but it brought a new perspective on what it is like to be self sustaining. It is a lot of hard work who are truly dedicated, but most good things often are.
I must admit though that the very same day that we left, I shamelessly bought myself packaged coconut ice cream and continued to contaminate my body with loads of packaged food. I couldn’t get enough to eat on this trip.
After leaving Rio Muchacho and returning to the beach town of Canoa, we were given the option to stick around the coast for the weekend so long as we came back to Quito before the start of classes on Wednesday. A few people remained in Quito, but four of us-Laura, Marie, Risa, and I, decided to head north to Mompiche in search of sunnier shores, as it was raining in Canoa. So we parted ways with the group and caught a bus that took us to a crossroads. We all laughed in amusement as we adjusted our baggage on our backs and began to walk down the muddy dirt road that a single sign inscribed “Mompiche” pointed us down. Eventually, a friendly truck picked us up and we arrived in the small beach town. The four of us mud splattered gringas were quite a spectacle to the locals, who bombarded us with their marketing offers, but one, named “Negrito” showed us to a hostel that cost us each $5 a night and opened up right on the beach. Score! It was a hole in the wall and we didn’t have hot showers, but it was really all we needed.
We swam in the water, discovered the amazingness of coconut batidos, ate pizza cooked by an Italian women, and played some card games. The next morning we went for a walk and a boat ride, then headed farther north to Atacames.
Unfortunately, when we arrived in Atacames, we discovered that there was not a single room available to us. We backtracked ten minutes to Sua, the little sister beach town of Atacames, but everywhere we checked, we found “No hay habitaciones.” We were at a loss for what to do. The sun was out, the weather was hot, and the beach with its banana boats was blatantly tantalizing, but we had nowhere to stay and nowhere to set our stuff down to even enjoy it for a little time. For a moment, we all wished we had just stayed in Mompiche.
Then came our saving grace, the “Coffee Bar.” To take a break from the heat and to satisfy Risa’s never ending quest for good coffee, we walked inside and ordered some coconuts to drink from. Marie was smart enough to ask he knew if there was anywhere he knew of that we could stay…and for the first time, we got a positive response. There was a lovely cabin out back. However, it wasn’t yet guaranteed that we could stay there. A couple had already reserved it, but we could have it if they didn’t show, and even if they did, we could stay upstairs in a small room…all for no more than $7 a night.
We were so thrilled that we could stay. We quickly dropped our stuff upstairs, giggling about what we were doing-staying in a…Coffee Bar?...and jumped in the water, enjoying an afternoon of playa goodness that included tubing that cost a whopping $2 each. To celebrate, we splurged a little on a fantastic seafood dinner which was possibly one of the best meals that I’ve ever eaten. I never used to like shrimp…
The inhabitants and visitors of the Coffee Shop were all quite some characters. There was Stalin the chill and generous owner, Tillman the old German man that never shut up, Nacho the creepy 30 year old Rasta-looking man, some boys about our age, the most talkative named Bernardo who swam with me and Risa to some cliffs with caves the next day.(the reason why I have an infected cut on my foot)and a few other girls from different countries like Spain and Canada. We stayed up late Saturday night listening to music and bonfiring.
The next morning passed by slowly. We were informed that if we wanted to leave that day, we would need to go buy our tickets back to Quito in Atacames first thing, but Tillman, who had been our informer, suggested we make expresso and learn to make balon, a common breakfast ball make from banana. Unfortunately, I put salt in my coffee, mistaking it for sugar, but I hadn’t liked it anyway, and making the balons took much longer than we had anticipated. By this point, we were all a little annoyed with Tillman. He showed us around Atacames and took us to the bus station and, sure enough, there were no tickets available until 12:30 on Monday. He also suggested that we make dinner that night, so we went and bought some macaroni and threw some dinner together after we returned to Sua and swam some more. That night we drew in the sand, played games with the boys on the beach (ninja!) and frolicked in the low tide and moonlight before turning in. We left Sua around 10 the next morning after some pictures with our new friends.
I didn’t speak nearly as much Spanish on this trip as I should have. I was kind of the quiet one of the group, but I still had a lot of fun. There’s still a lot I need to learn and maybe a lot of things I personally should have done differently or tried harder to communicate, but it was what it was and I am thoroughly grateful for this awesome experience of a week on the coast, complete with loads of awful smelling laundry, lots of money swapping, two days sin duchas, an infected foot, and many, many inside jokes with three incredible friends.
:)
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
California Girl Like Katy Perry
August 5
Last night, I had a date with the bathroom. My body was not feeling so fond of Ecuador, and I was not liking my body very much either, not when I had to walk 20 minutes to the bus station with some rather energetic acrobats flipping around inside my stomach.
I had to laugh a little that the subject of Spanish class on this particular day was all about food. Food food food. I went to class covering my nose to repudiate any possible aroma or thoughts of food, and here we each had to describe in detail how to prepare a type of food. Pan. Lechuga. Tomate. Mora. Arroz.
My previous trips to developing nations had me expecting illness, but one always hopes that they’ll be spared the unpleasantness of abruptly rushing out of their class to puke in a public restroom.
I guess that’s all part of the Study Abroad experience.
But really, I wish that I wasn’t always the first one…
Anyway, after being cocooned under my covers for something like 14 hours enduring the angry stomach acrobats, all is well again! Risa, George, Kelly and I visited two parks in Quito with our professor, Sonia, where we listened to music, rowed a boat (at first a little shaky, but we quickly became experts) and then shuffled off to Sonia’s apartment to cook some comida. I cooked! Well, actually, I mostly peeled potatoes, but…same thing.
There’s supposed to be a big celebration in the Historical Center this weekend to celebrate Independence Day. I’m excited to go! I was planning on going out tonight with my cousins as well, but that’s been postponed until tomorrow which is probably a good thing. Sometimes 14 hours of sleep just isn’t enough.
On a side note; I’m already working on my Ecuador bucket list, which includes water skiing and cliff jumping.
August 8
Weekends in Quito…WOW. I had wanted to go to the Historical Center for their festivities, but we heard that it was crowded and possibly dangerous, so we (as in my cousins Karen and Andres and our now mutual friend Andres… I’m fairly certain that 98% of males in this country are named Andres) went dancing at a club called Love. Now, I’m 98% sure that clubs here are 98% more fun than 98% of clubs in the States. BOYS CAN DANCE. However, their flirting skills are terrible. For example:
-“You have beautiful eyes.” (You can tell in the dark?)
-“So you’re not going to kiss a Latino boy?”
“No.”
“My heart hurts.”
-“I’m going to go to school in Texas.”
-“Why don’t you want to be my friend on Facebook? You don’t have feelings for me?”
-“Let’s play a game. I won’t kiss you, but look at my face and see how close I can get.” (I declined)
-“California girl like Katy Perry?”
Fun fact: I watched Eclipse in Spanish.
This week got off on the wrong foot with losing my phone and then getting sick, but it quickly turned into something good. Two weeks strong!
August 10th
I was going to update my blog today, but my flash drive was not in my bag. I remembered that I had taken it to the internet café on Sunday and returned to the house with it in my pant pocket. Since it was not on my bedside table, I assumed it was still in my pant pocket. But it wasn’t. I know that it returned safely to my side table on Sunday, but I cannot account for it on Monday. Did I have it in my bag yesterday? Perhaps maybe? Could it have been stolen? Could I have dropped it? I don’t know. I really don’t know. Can I lose my phone and my flash drive in the span of two weeks? Am I really that incompetent?
August 11th
I do not talk nearly as much as I should with my host mother, but I admire her greatly. She is kind. She is patient. She is caring. She is dedicated. Just last week, she was up til 4 or 5 in the morning three nights in a row making and decorating tortas for a wedding. With very little sleep, she was always there to greet me with breakfast in the morning and then to receive the rambunctious grandchildren, whom I so easily lost patience with the other day as they threw handfuls of game pieces around my room.
Everyone comes to her kitchen to unload their worries and receive some “tecito.” She listens patiently to her sister, offers advice to her niece, and chats comfortably with the lady who lives on the top floor. She lives simply. Nothing is rushed. This apartment has a pleasant, peaceful feel to it that draws everyone else in the family to visit, from the energetic little ones to outgoing and confident Karen to the quieter, yet friendly Andres.
She even gathers the bread crumbs at the table to leave for the birds.
August 14th
Every time I go out dancing, I love Quito a little more.
This weekend is turning out much different than planned. Karen had intended for us to go to the beach. We had a ride, but no place to stay, so that fell through. Then we thought that we might go to Banos, but that also fell through. But there’s always something to do here. Karen, Andy, Andy, and Andy’s girlfriend took me Papallacta; beautiful volcanic hot springs in the mountains. The hot water was a wonderful contrast to the drizzly weather and the landscape was breathtaking. Steam and light rain clouded our vision, ceasing every so often to reveal a clearer view of the thick, rolling clouds that embellished the lush greenery of the mountains that surrounded us. The ride home was treated with sightings of waterfalls and rainbows and I thought of how lucky I was to be able to come to this gorgeous country and experience such a thing as this.
Then there was salsa. I think I might become obsessed with salsa dancing. Karen and I are even considering taking lessons. They are $45 a month for 3 times a week. If I can fit it in my schedule, I will, because it is just absolutely so much fun. Even the times that I wasn’t dancing, it was incredible just to watch. Oh the things they could do…I had the privilege of dancing with a national champion who will be on ESPN for a competition in December. How cool is that?
August 15th
Last night we went to a rodeo in the Plaza de Torros that is just down the street. With country music blasting and everyone decked in chaps and cowboy hats, I felt more like I was in the Midwest than in the capital of Ecuador. I’m not sure how I feel about rodeos. I don’t agree with the way that most of the animals are treated, particularly the broncos and bulls. But I enjoyed watching the barrel racing competition and a beautiful display of dressage.
I’ve also been missing some Desi influence in my life. I’ve missed it so much that I bought Dhoom and made mi prima watch some of it with me. Everyone here knows about my lovely Indian roommate. Karen loves my “I love youuu” Ruchi impression.
Last night, I had a date with the bathroom. My body was not feeling so fond of Ecuador, and I was not liking my body very much either, not when I had to walk 20 minutes to the bus station with some rather energetic acrobats flipping around inside my stomach.
I had to laugh a little that the subject of Spanish class on this particular day was all about food. Food food food. I went to class covering my nose to repudiate any possible aroma or thoughts of food, and here we each had to describe in detail how to prepare a type of food. Pan. Lechuga. Tomate. Mora. Arroz.
My previous trips to developing nations had me expecting illness, but one always hopes that they’ll be spared the unpleasantness of abruptly rushing out of their class to puke in a public restroom.
I guess that’s all part of the Study Abroad experience.
But really, I wish that I wasn’t always the first one…
Anyway, after being cocooned under my covers for something like 14 hours enduring the angry stomach acrobats, all is well again! Risa, George, Kelly and I visited two parks in Quito with our professor, Sonia, where we listened to music, rowed a boat (at first a little shaky, but we quickly became experts) and then shuffled off to Sonia’s apartment to cook some comida. I cooked! Well, actually, I mostly peeled potatoes, but…same thing.
There’s supposed to be a big celebration in the Historical Center this weekend to celebrate Independence Day. I’m excited to go! I was planning on going out tonight with my cousins as well, but that’s been postponed until tomorrow which is probably a good thing. Sometimes 14 hours of sleep just isn’t enough.
On a side note; I’m already working on my Ecuador bucket list, which includes water skiing and cliff jumping.
August 8
Weekends in Quito…WOW. I had wanted to go to the Historical Center for their festivities, but we heard that it was crowded and possibly dangerous, so we (as in my cousins Karen and Andres and our now mutual friend Andres… I’m fairly certain that 98% of males in this country are named Andres) went dancing at a club called Love. Now, I’m 98% sure that clubs here are 98% more fun than 98% of clubs in the States. BOYS CAN DANCE. However, their flirting skills are terrible. For example:
-“You have beautiful eyes.” (You can tell in the dark?)
-“So you’re not going to kiss a Latino boy?”
“No.”
“My heart hurts.”
-“I’m going to go to school in Texas.”
-“Why don’t you want to be my friend on Facebook? You don’t have feelings for me?”
-“Let’s play a game. I won’t kiss you, but look at my face and see how close I can get.” (I declined)
-“California girl like Katy Perry?”
Fun fact: I watched Eclipse in Spanish.
This week got off on the wrong foot with losing my phone and then getting sick, but it quickly turned into something good. Two weeks strong!
August 10th
I was going to update my blog today, but my flash drive was not in my bag. I remembered that I had taken it to the internet café on Sunday and returned to the house with it in my pant pocket. Since it was not on my bedside table, I assumed it was still in my pant pocket. But it wasn’t. I know that it returned safely to my side table on Sunday, but I cannot account for it on Monday. Did I have it in my bag yesterday? Perhaps maybe? Could it have been stolen? Could I have dropped it? I don’t know. I really don’t know. Can I lose my phone and my flash drive in the span of two weeks? Am I really that incompetent?
August 11th
I do not talk nearly as much as I should with my host mother, but I admire her greatly. She is kind. She is patient. She is caring. She is dedicated. Just last week, she was up til 4 or 5 in the morning three nights in a row making and decorating tortas for a wedding. With very little sleep, she was always there to greet me with breakfast in the morning and then to receive the rambunctious grandchildren, whom I so easily lost patience with the other day as they threw handfuls of game pieces around my room.
Everyone comes to her kitchen to unload their worries and receive some “tecito.” She listens patiently to her sister, offers advice to her niece, and chats comfortably with the lady who lives on the top floor. She lives simply. Nothing is rushed. This apartment has a pleasant, peaceful feel to it that draws everyone else in the family to visit, from the energetic little ones to outgoing and confident Karen to the quieter, yet friendly Andres.
She even gathers the bread crumbs at the table to leave for the birds.
August 14th
Every time I go out dancing, I love Quito a little more.
This weekend is turning out much different than planned. Karen had intended for us to go to the beach. We had a ride, but no place to stay, so that fell through. Then we thought that we might go to Banos, but that also fell through. But there’s always something to do here. Karen, Andy, Andy, and Andy’s girlfriend took me Papallacta; beautiful volcanic hot springs in the mountains. The hot water was a wonderful contrast to the drizzly weather and the landscape was breathtaking. Steam and light rain clouded our vision, ceasing every so often to reveal a clearer view of the thick, rolling clouds that embellished the lush greenery of the mountains that surrounded us. The ride home was treated with sightings of waterfalls and rainbows and I thought of how lucky I was to be able to come to this gorgeous country and experience such a thing as this.
Then there was salsa. I think I might become obsessed with salsa dancing. Karen and I are even considering taking lessons. They are $45 a month for 3 times a week. If I can fit it in my schedule, I will, because it is just absolutely so much fun. Even the times that I wasn’t dancing, it was incredible just to watch. Oh the things they could do…I had the privilege of dancing with a national champion who will be on ESPN for a competition in December. How cool is that?
August 15th
Last night we went to a rodeo in the Plaza de Torros that is just down the street. With country music blasting and everyone decked in chaps and cowboy hats, I felt more like I was in the Midwest than in the capital of Ecuador. I’m not sure how I feel about rodeos. I don’t agree with the way that most of the animals are treated, particularly the broncos and bulls. But I enjoyed watching the barrel racing competition and a beautiful display of dressage.
I’ve also been missing some Desi influence in my life. I’ve missed it so much that I bought Dhoom and made mi prima watch some of it with me. Everyone here knows about my lovely Indian roommate. Karen loves my “I love youuu” Ruchi impression.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Llamas and Cell Phones
Tuesday, July 27th
I look to my left into my closet and feel a twinge of despair. There are 8 forlorn clothing items dangling from the hangers. Granted, I have one sweater draped over my chair and another resting on mi cama (ah hell yeah Spanglish), but my closet looks so bare. For shoes, I have one pair of boots, a pair of awkward tennis shoes, chonclas, and my beloved moccasins. I should be content, but I do indeed miss having a full closet. But then again, such is the circumstance of those procrastinating fools that pack last minute. J
After salsa lessons today (I repeat, SALSAAAAAA, ME ENCANTA SALSAAAAA) I walked home by myself. I feel a little bit like I did when I walked home from the bus stop for the first time when I was 5, though come to think of it I was never really alone and my public enemies were more along the lines of snakes and stickers, not cars and catcalls. But anyways, armed with my new keys, I employed my navigational skills (straight, left turn by the Ecovia, right turn by the Jipijapa station, left turn by the panaderia, key for the gate, key for the building, and key for the apartment, yyyy…I’m home! My nephews were here and two more relatives. It’s so much fun to have people over. Gaston told me he was going to teach me how to play squash. Estoy emocionada! And of course I played futbol in the hall again con mis primos Matthias y Juanca…and even several round of a card games, one of which I won. Heck yeah! Matthias and Juanca are so adorable.
I later had some alone time con mi mama. I showed her lots of pictures on my laptop and tried to explain them in terribly broken Spanish while we sipped some tea. That’s another reason why she is so great: she loves tea. Ariel, if you are reading this, I brought the tea you gave me from Nepal and it has found its way to an Ecuadorian kitchen. You are a contributive global citizen. (It’s super good!)
Quote of the day:
Yui Takashima: “Heather, how do you get George to talk? I’ve known him for two years, but all our conversations just end. It’s soo difficult.” Jajajajaja oh Yui. Me encantan mis chinitos mucho J
Wednesday, July 28
Today we went to El Banco Central Del Ecuador (a museum). I liked the pottery, but thought that the pictures and figurines of holy people and Jesus on the cross were not very appealing at all.
I was very tired when I got home today, so I didn’t play futbol in the hall with my nephews.
Monday, August 2nd
Where to begin? I spent a wonderful weekend in Otavalo, but I am currently very angry at myself. I LOST MY PHONE. Already. It’s only been a little over a week. I also got home late which made my host mom worry because I couldn’t call her and she couldn’t call me, so now I feel kind of like an irresponsible jerk. Ughhhh.
Anyway.
Otavalo.
No wait, before Otavalo…
We had a scavenger hunt in the Centro de Historico, and afterwards, 4 of us went to Parque Carolina and talked about our experiences growing up, which were all, not surprisingly, extremely different. I’m really excited to get to know each person on a deeper level.
Ok. Now Otavalo. I went to la cine with Karen and Gaston, my awesome relatives, the night before we left, so I didn’t get to sleep until almost 2 before I had to wake up around 6:30 to walk to the station and meet our bus, but I am extremely grateful for long bus rides and the ample amount of nap time they provide. Plus, there’s nothing like sitting on a llama amidst ancient temples in the middle of the world to get you energized.
In brief, this is what we did:
· Visited ancient temples and llamas. (Sachiyo’s favorite animals are llamas and alpacas and her face was absolutely precious when we went here)
· Straddled the equatorial line
· Shopped in Otavalo. (I bought a bufanda, a sweater, 2 pairs of earrings, a slice of pie and some hot chocolate for when it rained)
· Went to a club
· Scampered around a gorgeous waterfall
· Ate qui (guinea pig) I did feel a little guilty. It didn’t help that it was still in guinea pig shape on the plate
· Watched a bird show at the condor park
· Visited the house of professional weavers. They were adorable…so I bought a wall hanging. I have a whole semester to plan what my dorm room is going to look like when I get back. (Nandini!)
Then I fell asleep while doing homework, made friends with a stranger at the university, had salsa lessons, and realized that I’m an idiot for losing my phone.
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