Before I write anything else, I have something to fess up to. I feel awful having to admit this, but I have recently realized that Rodrigo’s (my padre's) name might not really be Rodrigo? Not in a creepy Hollywood-thriller “dun, dun, dun” sort of way. But still a bit of a nightmare nonetheless. I’ll explain…
It started about a week ago when my madre kept talking to me about this man named “Galo” during dinner. I was a little confused as to why but thought he was just some friend of the family whose life story she thought I might want to know absolutely everything about. Plus, he seemed like a pretty interesting guy so I didn’t mind at all.
Then the other day she was telling me about how she was glad Galo was coming for dinner. I was so excited that I was actually going to get to meet this mysterious Galo guy after hearing so much about him.
That night, I headed downstairs around dinner-time to see if I could help out at all. Aware of my cooking skills (or lack of cooking skills), my madre and sisters just asked me to stay and chat as usual, which I was happy to do because Rodrigo had showed up and it was fun to catch up with him as he hadn’t been around all week. All the while, I was wondering when the guest of honor was going to arrive.
Dinner-time came, but “Galo” never did. Or at least I thought he hadn’t until my sister Sandi asked someone named ReGALO to pass the ensalada. I watched in horror, as confusion turned to shock, then to a lot of embarrassment, while “Rodrigo” passed the salad down the table. Moral of the story: I am a terrible hija.
Luckily, I don’t think I’ve actually ever called him by name (or by what I thought was his name) to his face, but who knows! Goodness gracious. I guess it just goes to show how confused I spend most of my days here immersed/lost in Spanish pretty much 24/7. Who knows what else I have misunderstood so far…
On a more exciting note, my family is taking me somewhere tonight. I’m not exactly sure where, and even if I thought I was sure I don’t think I would trust myself (or that you would believe me either). But I’ll be sure to let you know after the fact… :)
Friday, January 23, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
¿¡Hay Más Para Subir?! y Más y Más y Más.....
Enough about classes, school, tests, and all of that boring (but okay, maybe important and kind of the reason I am here) stuff! Believe it or not, even with a teacher who goes by “Professor Homework” I do get to do more than just study my Quito-life away. A lot more!
I have had so many great experiences so far during my short time here. There is so much that I absolutely need to do and see that I have no idea how I am going to fit it all in! But I must say, things are off to a pretty good start.
This past weekend was full of making plans, breaking plans, and loving where the new ones led. Saturday was our first full free day in Quito, and of course we were not about to let it go to waste. We had all sorts of great ideas about what we wanted to do…
And then it rained. And rained and rained. The rain fell all day long, and with it our plans fell through as well.
Still, we decided we couldn’t let the rain stop us from taking full advantage of our first weekend here. Plan B: visit the nearby markets (covered of course) where we could check out the work of the local artisans. I had way too much fun looking at all of the jewelry and other crafts. I have decided that I must have been Ecuadorian in a past life, as every piece of jewelry I saw seemed to be made just for me. I would’ve bought out the entire market if I could have but decided to hold off on buying anything, let alone everything, until next time at least.
Sunday a bunch of the people from my program decided to head to the park and play some soccer, banking on the weather cutting us a break…which it did! The other people in the park however did not. The park we went to is called el parque Carolina and is absolutely ginormous! But somehow not ginormous enough to fit all of the people who wanted to play soccer. Every inch of the park seemed to be taken up with a soccer game, and there were at least 50 going on at once, probably more. A little bummed at our luck, we decided the day was too beautiful to waste and found an empty basketball court. After watching a little basketball, a couple of my friends and I decided to check out la Basilica.
La Basilica is the largest church in all of Ecuador, and we had heard it’s definitely something you have got to see while you are here. The church was absolutely beautiful from the outside and none of us could resist taking way too many pictures. I was already more than satisfied when I found out that you could not only go inside, but could also climb all the way up the huge towers for only 2 bucks! I was excited, but had no idea what was ahead of us.
The staircase leading up the first tower was definitely not what I expected. The staircase was small, dark, cramped, and dirty. It was so bizarre to think that it could possibly be inside of the overwhelmingly beautiful and intricate building I had just awed over. Still, we climbed excitedly for what seemed like forever until we reached the next level. There were a number of levels that you could stop at along the way where you could take pictures both inside and of the view of Quito outside.
With the first two levels reached by stairs, we were then led across a wood-plank bridge to a ladder-like staircase that definitely would not have flown in the US. It was at this point that I realized the climb wasn’t going to be quite as easy as I had expected.
With each level, reaching the next got more and more difficult and it felt like we were constantly being tested on just how far we were willing to go to get to the top. Each time, the ladder got steeper, the rungs further apart, and my heartbeat faster. Not to mention most of these ladders were outside as well, circling around the tower. I wish there was a way to describe it all that would truly get across just how terrifying it was. Had my hands not been shaking too much to do anything but keep putting one foot in front of the other, I would’ve taken pictures, but not a chance. There are a few in the pictures I posted, none of course that do it justice, so you will just have to take my word for it.
Anyways, against my better judgement and despite the Basilica’s apparent wish to keep anyone from making it to the end, I reached the top (which by the way didn’t even have a real floor to reward you with…only a grated metal covering that was anything but reassuring). Beyond that, I even crawled out onto one of the ledges (too terrified to even breathe at this point of course) to take some pictures (okay, maybe just one picture) before scrambling back inside. Overall, it was an awesome experience with some incredible pictures to be taken too and I’m so glad that I was able to do it.
I have had so many great experiences so far during my short time here. There is so much that I absolutely need to do and see that I have no idea how I am going to fit it all in! But I must say, things are off to a pretty good start.
This past weekend was full of making plans, breaking plans, and loving where the new ones led. Saturday was our first full free day in Quito, and of course we were not about to let it go to waste. We had all sorts of great ideas about what we wanted to do…
And then it rained. And rained and rained. The rain fell all day long, and with it our plans fell through as well.
Still, we decided we couldn’t let the rain stop us from taking full advantage of our first weekend here. Plan B: visit the nearby markets (covered of course) where we could check out the work of the local artisans. I had way too much fun looking at all of the jewelry and other crafts. I have decided that I must have been Ecuadorian in a past life, as every piece of jewelry I saw seemed to be made just for me. I would’ve bought out the entire market if I could have but decided to hold off on buying anything, let alone everything, until next time at least.
Sunday a bunch of the people from my program decided to head to the park and play some soccer, banking on the weather cutting us a break…which it did! The other people in the park however did not. The park we went to is called el parque Carolina and is absolutely ginormous! But somehow not ginormous enough to fit all of the people who wanted to play soccer. Every inch of the park seemed to be taken up with a soccer game, and there were at least 50 going on at once, probably more. A little bummed at our luck, we decided the day was too beautiful to waste and found an empty basketball court. After watching a little basketball, a couple of my friends and I decided to check out la Basilica.
La Basilica is the largest church in all of Ecuador, and we had heard it’s definitely something you have got to see while you are here. The church was absolutely beautiful from the outside and none of us could resist taking way too many pictures. I was already more than satisfied when I found out that you could not only go inside, but could also climb all the way up the huge towers for only 2 bucks! I was excited, but had no idea what was ahead of us.
The staircase leading up the first tower was definitely not what I expected. The staircase was small, dark, cramped, and dirty. It was so bizarre to think that it could possibly be inside of the overwhelmingly beautiful and intricate building I had just awed over. Still, we climbed excitedly for what seemed like forever until we reached the next level. There were a number of levels that you could stop at along the way where you could take pictures both inside and of the view of Quito outside.
With the first two levels reached by stairs, we were then led across a wood-plank bridge to a ladder-like staircase that definitely would not have flown in the US. It was at this point that I realized the climb wasn’t going to be quite as easy as I had expected.
With each level, reaching the next got more and more difficult and it felt like we were constantly being tested on just how far we were willing to go to get to the top. Each time, the ladder got steeper, the rungs further apart, and my heartbeat faster. Not to mention most of these ladders were outside as well, circling around the tower. I wish there was a way to describe it all that would truly get across just how terrifying it was. Had my hands not been shaking too much to do anything but keep putting one foot in front of the other, I would’ve taken pictures, but not a chance. There are a few in the pictures I posted, none of course that do it justice, so you will just have to take my word for it.
Anyways, against my better judgement and despite the Basilica’s apparent wish to keep anyone from making it to the end, I reached the top (which by the way didn’t even have a real floor to reward you with…only a grated metal covering that was anything but reassuring). Beyond that, I even crawled out onto one of the ledges (too terrified to even breathe at this point of course) to take some pictures (okay, maybe just one picture) before scrambling back inside. Overall, it was an awesome experience with some incredible pictures to be taken too and I’m so glad that I was able to do it.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Los Autobuses, la Escuela, y Mucho Tráfico! (Oh my?!)
Hola!
I can’t believe a week has gone by since my last post… Things here have been so so busy, and it’s nice to finally have a break to look back and share it with you all.
Last Monday was our first day of classes. I had to get up at 6 (yes, as in A.M.), as Rodrigo was going to take me to catch the bus by 7. Luckily my stop is only one street away, but the ride takes at least 30 minutes, often closer to 45 depending on traffic. Even though it’s one of the longest bus rides of everyone in the program, I have kind of started to enjoy the long ride (prime place for people watching as well as last-minute cramming). It can get pretty crowded at times and if I’m stuck standing (or constantly trying to keep myself from falling over) while the bus bounces through the roads and around sharp turns, it can makes things even more interesting.
Speaking of roads, traffic here is NUTS. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before (well, other than in Kenya…but Matatus are certainly in a league of their own). I’m not sure what their road laws are (if any), but they are certainly not enforced and so drivers are absolutely ridiculous. Friday I was waiting to catch a bus and I watched in horror as one of the workers from the bus jumped out to direct the driver through a stopped-up intersection (as all intersections seem to constantly be here, especially during rush hour). He was running through traffic, waving his hands, paying no attention to the oncoming traffic, which was paying no attention to him either, and he got hit straight-on by a car. He somehow landed on his feet, stood there for a second, obviously a little dazed, and jumped right back on the bus he had successfully gotten through the intersection and they went on their way. No one else paused for even a moment either. Except for me who stood there with my mouth gaping open. All I know is, I could never imagine driving like the people here. Or with them for that matter.
Anyways, as I was saying Rodrigo took me on the bus (and home) my first three days of class until I got the hang of doing it on my own...or thought I had the hang of it at least, as today was the very first time I actually got off at the correct stop by myself. Not that my lack of bus-taking skills would surprise any of you… Luckily, there are other people from my program who are often on the same bus and who have picked up on this as well, so they try to help me out.
School is still school, even in a country as awesome as Ecuador, although my classes are set up a little differently than they would be at OSU. We only take one class at a time (rather than 3 or 4) and they cram each class into 3 weeks (as opposed to the usual 10). It’s nice to only have to focus on one class, but at the same time it is insane how quickly we move through everything. We’re already almost halfway through our textbook and I’ve only had 6 days of class! We had our first midterm on Friday and will have a midterm (or final) every week from here on out. I’ve been learning a lot, but it has been a lot of work as well. Apparently they are actually expecting us to study while we’re “studying" abroad? Who would’ve thunk it?!
I think the best (or at times the worst) part of the classes here is that there are only 6 people in each one, so we are constantly forced to participate - not to mention stay awake. My teacher is AWESOME. He is this little tiny Ecuadorian man named Mario (or Profesor Tarea –“professor homework” – as he calls himself) and he is absolutely hilarious. Despite the stress of trying to cram in all of the information each day, he still finds time to make things fun and keep us laughing.
Well, that’s all I have time for now. Hopefully I’ll be able to get back on here later tonight or tomorrow and talk more about everything. I have pictures too, so cross your fingers for me and maybe they will finish loading one of these days.
I can’t believe a week has gone by since my last post… Things here have been so so busy, and it’s nice to finally have a break to look back and share it with you all.
Last Monday was our first day of classes. I had to get up at 6 (yes, as in A.M.), as Rodrigo was going to take me to catch the bus by 7. Luckily my stop is only one street away, but the ride takes at least 30 minutes, often closer to 45 depending on traffic. Even though it’s one of the longest bus rides of everyone in the program, I have kind of started to enjoy the long ride (prime place for people watching as well as last-minute cramming). It can get pretty crowded at times and if I’m stuck standing (or constantly trying to keep myself from falling over) while the bus bounces through the roads and around sharp turns, it can makes things even more interesting.
Speaking of roads, traffic here is NUTS. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before (well, other than in Kenya…but Matatus are certainly in a league of their own). I’m not sure what their road laws are (if any), but they are certainly not enforced and so drivers are absolutely ridiculous. Friday I was waiting to catch a bus and I watched in horror as one of the workers from the bus jumped out to direct the driver through a stopped-up intersection (as all intersections seem to constantly be here, especially during rush hour). He was running through traffic, waving his hands, paying no attention to the oncoming traffic, which was paying no attention to him either, and he got hit straight-on by a car. He somehow landed on his feet, stood there for a second, obviously a little dazed, and jumped right back on the bus he had successfully gotten through the intersection and they went on their way. No one else paused for even a moment either. Except for me who stood there with my mouth gaping open. All I know is, I could never imagine driving like the people here. Or with them for that matter.
Anyways, as I was saying Rodrigo took me on the bus (and home) my first three days of class until I got the hang of doing it on my own...or thought I had the hang of it at least, as today was the very first time I actually got off at the correct stop by myself. Not that my lack of bus-taking skills would surprise any of you… Luckily, there are other people from my program who are often on the same bus and who have picked up on this as well, so they try to help me out.
School is still school, even in a country as awesome as Ecuador, although my classes are set up a little differently than they would be at OSU. We only take one class at a time (rather than 3 or 4) and they cram each class into 3 weeks (as opposed to the usual 10). It’s nice to only have to focus on one class, but at the same time it is insane how quickly we move through everything. We’re already almost halfway through our textbook and I’ve only had 6 days of class! We had our first midterm on Friday and will have a midterm (or final) every week from here on out. I’ve been learning a lot, but it has been a lot of work as well. Apparently they are actually expecting us to study while we’re “studying" abroad? Who would’ve thunk it?!
I think the best (or at times the worst) part of the classes here is that there are only 6 people in each one, so we are constantly forced to participate - not to mention stay awake. My teacher is AWESOME. He is this little tiny Ecuadorian man named Mario (or Profesor Tarea –“professor homework” – as he calls himself) and he is absolutely hilarious. Despite the stress of trying to cram in all of the information each day, he still finds time to make things fun and keep us laughing.
Well, that’s all I have time for now. Hopefully I’ll be able to get back on here later tonight or tomorrow and talk more about everything. I have pictures too, so cross your fingers for me and maybe they will finish loading one of these days.
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