The First Few Days in a New Country

After long days of travel and getting adjusted in Quito, we met our host families on Saturday night. Along with two other volunteers, Bryce and Craig, I was picked up by Miguel, Marcia, and their son David. It's a big family with two sons, a daughter and son-in-law who have a 1 year old baby, Stephany, and a niece who lives with them because she is studying in Quito.

Bryce just graduated from Wake Forest and is from the Washington D.C. area. Craig is a lawyer in Atlanta, and it's a good set of guys. We were miffed at first because we'd heard that the house was an hour away from the orientation site, and since we're going to have long, 12 hour days, it wasn't something we were looking forward to. But that all changed once we met the family. Everyone is extremely warm and welcoming, immediately treating us like one of their own children.

Any doubts about the house were blown away when we arrived. It's basically a mansion just outside the city. The entire family lives here in two different buildings, and another building is rented out to another person. In the courtyard is a giant grill and tons of flowers and fruit plants from which you can pluck a fruit called "taxi" any time of the year. It kind of tastes like pomegranate but is stickier. There is a rooftop terrace with a view of the entire city, stretching in a narrow valley high in the Andes, over 9000 feet above sea level. Suck on that, Denver.

Besides a couple of headaches, the altitude sickness problem hasn't bothered me. Of course, when I walk up 6 flights of stairs, I feel like I just ran 5 miles, but that will hopefully improve with time. After a long dinner in which we talked about anything and everything, it was time for bed and our first day off.

On Sunday we had a picnic planned in a local park with the WorldTeach volunteers and their families. The picnic was supposed to start at 10:30, so of course we got there a little after noon. Piling into the family Land Rover, we got to see some of the city and learn our route to the city. Once at the park, with the mountain Pichincha in the near distance, we started to play soccer, or futbol. Within just a couple of minutes, we were winded and struggling, but we pushed on and played for at least another half hour.

It was great to play with Miguel and Daniel and some other volunteers. After some lunch, we headed towards La Mitad del Mundo, also known as the equator. We took the bus for 35 cents each way and were there within a half hour. The park cost $2 to get in, and of course, was nothing more than a tourist trap. A line runs through the park marking the difference between the Northern and Southern hemispheres, and everyone can be a putrid tourist and stand on the line for 5 seconds to snap a photo. Since I was already here, I did the same.

Some people argue that La Mitad del Mundo isn't actually the equator, and that it's further north of the official monument. We didn't check out the unofficial source, but rather walked around and listened to a live band perform over the line of the "equator." Whether or not we were exactly over the line wasn't really important. It's the ideal that you're straddling two hemispheres that's interesting enough, and in reality, you're still there.

Of course, being at 9000 feet with a cloudy sky all day, I didn't put on sunscreen. So Casper over here got sunburned. My nose is now shiny and boiling, as well as the lower half of my face. I'm going to have to start carrying around sunblock with me no matter where I go.

The initial expectations have been met and I have to say, I'm having a great time. Everyone we've talked to and spent time with has been great, and our hosts have been excellent and caring. Patient and considerate, we are made to feel right at home. And we are home, for the next month anyway. Then it's on to Machala.

The food has been delicious. At lunch you can get a good meal for $2, which includes soup and a drink. A taxi should cost about $1.25-2. A bus trip should cost no more than .25 cents. Everything in Ecuador, we've been told, is negotiable. It's time to put some good haggling experience to use. We've heard enough cautionary tales to ward off an army from invading, but we've also seen how gentle and kind the people can be. All you can do is keep living and look out for yourself. Life in Ecuador definitely won't be easy, but it will be a rewarding challenge that I'm excited to tackle.

Alive and Well

This is just going to be a short post, as I don´t have much time at the Internet cafe. I am now in Quito, alive and well. and though I´ve been battling fatigue and the rigors of travel, I am here and safe with the rest of the WorldTeach volunteers. It´s a good group, and though orientation will be long and probably an overload of information, it´s good to get to work.

Yesterday we flew in from Miami and got settled at Hotel 6 de diciembre, and after some introductions, met with U.S. Embassy representative John Mason, who did his best to scare us and tell us everything we should watch out for and never do. Hopefully, we´ll never have to call him or we´ll be in real trouble.

Today we began orientation and had a few hours to walk around Quito and get lunch. After a great $2 lunch of meat soup and meat with rice and vegetables, some of us walked around and then got some drinks before stopping in at the Internet Cafe. Later tonight we´ll meet our Quito host families and head home with them. I´ll be staying about an hour away from the orientation site in the city, which will be a tough commute, especially during long days, but have been told that the family is great. I´m looking forward to meeting them. Hopefully the next post will come not too far in the future.

In the Airport

From this morning...

Sitting in the airport now, it’s 7:47 a.m. and as usual, I’m here too early. It wasn’t easy waking up at 5:45 off of 2 crappy hours of sleep, and now I need to sit around and wait to leave Boston. Waking up that early usually leaves you numb and emotionless; you simply react on instinct and training. And this morning, I feel even number, as I struggle to figure out how I’m already sitting here at my gate, about to leave town for a year.

My stomach had this weird feeling on the ride into the city, not quite easy, but keeping its cool at the same time. It’s a strange feeling to be at the beginning of something huge and not knowing exactly what you’re going to see and do. My legs felt a little weak, my lower lip trembling at I fought back shivers. It was cold when I woke up, but these shivers were of a different breed. This was it, and there was no looking back.

In my experience, I’ve found that life doesn’t sit around for you to accept the change until you’re ready, it just happens. You have to find some way to get through it and keep going. One day it’s the incredulity that you’ve just graduated college. Then you can’t believe you’ve finished your job for the summer. And the next, you’re saying goodbye to your family as they watch you walk through the snake path to security.

As always, I manage to suck at packing. My enormous backpack, all 5500 cubic centimeters of it, came out to 42 lbs, for once under the weight limit, rather than straddling it. My other suitcase flew just under the radar at 52.5 lbs, and I wonder what I could have left out of the bags. I always either over pack or under pack. There is no middle ground with me, even after all of the traveling I’ve done. Add on my carry-on backpack with my lap top and other odds and ends, and it’s nearly on the verge of busting open. The lap top was advertised as “travel sized,” yet it’s clearly too large and heavy to do anything but weigh down the bag. I’ve probably got another 15 or 20 lbs with that one. And to top it off, I have my rather large camera bag for my new digital SLR and it’s accessories, which when slung around my neck, adds at least another 5 lbs to my neck.

All of this stuff better make it to Ecuador so I can stuff it in a closet and never use half of it. One of the most stressful parts of traveling is simply the traveling itself, and it’s even worse when you have a huge backpack on, another backpack on your stomach, a camera bag slung around your neck, while pulling another large suitcase. I might as well have a target on my back. All someone has to do is push me over and I’m done for.

By the afternoon I’ll be in Miami where I’ll meet up with the rest of the WorldTeach group. One more early flight tomorrow morning, and then I’ll be an ex-patriot. From here on out, I am a gringo.

I am now at the hotel in Miami, watching some football, meeting the other volunteers, and getting ready to leave for Quito at 5 a.m.

A Quick Note on the Top 10 European Cities

If you'll notice on the left of the post is a list of my personal Top 10 Cities in Europe. I've never really given much of an explanation for how I came to this list, and since this is a travel blog, it only makes sense to give a reason. Now, I obviously have not been to every city in Europe, but I have been to a lot, so if your favorite city isn't on the list, don't feel bad. It could just be that I haven't gotten around to your neck of the woods yet. But in due time, hopefully, I'll get there.

Here's the list again:

• 10. Barcelona, Spain
• 9. Granada, Spain
• 8. Taormina, Sicily
• 7. Rome, Italy
• 6. Interlaken, Switzerland
• 5. Lagos, Portugal
• 4. London, England
• 3. Dublin, Ireland
• 2. Prague, Czech Republic
• 1. Sevilla, Spain

There are a few different things that go into making the list. First and foremost, Sevilla is at the top because I lived there for four months and had a great experience. But it was also a great party town with its own unique culture. Flamenco dancing and bullfighting are the pride of the city, and as images people associate with Spanish culture, they represent the very best in Sevilla. Cheaper than Madrid and Barcelona, it was also a city where you could stretch the dollar a little bit, though admittedly, not much further.

Sevilla, Spain

Prague was one of the best cities I've visited in any continent, and comes second to Sevilla only because I didn't live there, thus not being in town long enough to truly capture the local flavor. The exchange rate was great, allowing us to eat like kings for reasonable prices. There's so much energy and artistic beauty in the city that most people fall in love with it instantly.

Dublin and London, while fun cities with great cultures, dropped down on the list because they were so expensive. In Dublin, even buying food at a grocery stand and making it yourself costs a ton. The British Pound is bad enough, and when you take into account the fact that one beer could wind up costing around $10, that's going to take away from any relief you might get from the drink.

Lagos, Portugal and Interlaken, Switzerland were two amazing towns that were known within the circle of travelers backpacking the continent, but not overcrowded by buses of tourists. Lagos is an amazing beach town with a laid back attitude, yet there is still a downtown area with a few bars and clubs. The beaches were stunning and the surrounding scenery left you in awe. Interlaken, on the other hand, was a quiet little mountain town in the middle of the Swiss Alps where extreme sport junkies came to get their fix. Everything about the town was small and friendly, and with only a handful of hotels and two hostels, there was never a moment of overcrowding. The only bar in town was at one of the hostels. The scenery in Interlaken was like something out of a fairy tale.

Interlaken, Switzerland

Rome is a fun city with amazing history and activities to keep you busy for a week. Though I had a great time both times I visited, the city dropped down on the list because of how dirty and sketchy parts of the city could be. Street peddlers and gypsies were all over the place, and it was always necessary to keep your eyes open. I never felt unsafe and would go back again and again, but the city could be too much at times. Other Italian cities just seemed more laid back, which is where Taormina comes in.

Taormina is really more of a bigger town in Sicily, but with a rich history and a pretty promenade, it had a charm that made you feel welcome and at home. Delicious bottles of wine cost 1-2 euros, the food was great, and the locals friendly.

Blending in, Taormina, Sicily

Granada makes the list because of a cozy feel, tucked away in the Sierra Nevada. Also, I made a point of trying kebab in just about every city and country I visited in Europe, and Granada by far had the best kebab out of them all. I've even tried kebab in the Middle East, and it wasn't as good as it was in Granada. I tip my hat to the chefs.

Barcelona comes in at number 10, which may be a surprise to some. It's not that I don't like Barcelona, I do, but I don't necessarily love the city. So why does it make the list? It's a fun city with a great night life, but with that being said, you need to watch you back or you're in trouble. Don't even think about hanging out on Las Ramblas past 1 a.m. if you can't take care of yourself. Much like Rome, there is a problem with crime and theft, and it's important to keep guard. Visiting the city for a few days was fun, but I wondered if an extended period of time there would burn me out. Barcelona also had some great architecture from Antonio Gaudi and interesting museums, including the Pablo Picasso Museum.

There were other cities that just didn't make the list simply because it would have to keep going and going, nulling the point of a "Top List". I had a great time in Berlin and Vienna just like I did in Dublin and Granada, but for different reasons, they were kept off the list. I encourage everyone to get out there, experience these cities and others as well, and make their own list. There's a ton of world out there to see, and more often than not, you'll find yourself having a good time.

Goodbye Stranger

Two days before departure and it seems that all of the pieces have finally fallen into place. Just after I'd finished up packing most of my stuff into one wheelie suitcase and my old trusty backpack, I received an email telling me my family placement for Machala. It's a relief to finally know.

I'll be living with a couple in their 30's who have a 5 year old son. The description says I'm living in a centrally located apartment with my own bedroom and bathroom. Amazingly enough, I lucked out with hot water, which is a rarity on the coast. The father is an electrical engineer and the mother is studying to be an English teacher, so I'm sure we'll have some great conversations and practice with each other.

Another cool thing to look forward to is the aspect of having a little brother. I'm the youngest child, and I've always wondered what it would be like to have a little brother to show the ropes to. Hopefully I'll be able to teach the boy some English and teach him a little bit about the U.S. When I was volunteering in Uruguay we worked closely with some kids and it was a great experience. I'm glad I'll be getting to do it again. Living with a child will be a culture shock on its own.

When I studied abroad in Spain I also had a home stay, but it was quite different than I'd imagined. Our Señora ran the place as if it were a bed and breakfast, rather than like a family. With two other American guests from my program, we were joined by constantly coming and going Europeans from England, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy, you name it. She had her moments, but could also be crazy, and it made life difficult.

Now that I'll be living without any other roommates and totally immersed in the culture and lifestyle, I'm excited to see the difference and just how much Spanish I can pick up in the process. Less than 2 days now until I check out...

Prepping For a Journey

In the months preceding my trip down to South America I've done a lot of research. Much more than I normally do before a trip. The reasoning is simple. When I go somewhere, I want to let my own experiences and perceptions happen naturally and not be affected by what I've read or heard beforehand. Naturally, as a good journalist should do, I do a bit of research in order to not go in looking like a fool, but I want the experience to be mine.

With Ecuador, however, I've been reading just about anything I can get my hands on. I'm excited to know about the place I'm going to be living for a year, and this time around, I want to know a bit more before I go in.

In my research I've come across the South American Explorers Club, which is a club for outdoor enthusiasts living throughout South America. With branches throughout the continent, including one in Quito, the club can offer a number of services. Besides maps, expert advice for local sights and adventures, and discounts on various travel related things, they also have services at their branch locations. From movie nights to free internet access with a membership, you can also just hang out at the office and talk with other travelers.

The only catch is that the membership is $50 for a year, which isn't too much when you consider the amount of things you get with it, but $50 is a lot of money to be shelling out at one time, especially when you only make $150 a month. Also, because I'll only be in Quito for a month, I need to figure out if it will really pay off to have the membership when I'm down in Machala. Either way, I'm sure at some point in my stay in Quito I'll take a walk down to the SAE office and see what the deal is. If it's as good of a deal as it seems, I'll spread the word.

Changes to Travel Guy

If you've opened up Travel Guy today and thought you clicked on the wrong blog, don't run away yet! There have been some changes and, I think, improvements to the blog. What does this really mean? Absolutely nothing.

These changes are only aesthetic. There is now a picture on the top of the page which I may update with a new photo every week or two. The background and font colors have changed, which I think is easier on the eyes. The old style kind of made your eyes blur and hurt after reading for more than a couple of minutes. This style should be better for everyone. Of course as time goes on, I might find the need to change it up again, but this will have to be decided in the future.

So again, nothing too major has changed. There aren't any new features, the writing will still be there with some photos if possible. And video will accompany stories if they exist. Keep posted for new updates from the road.

Jon