This week went by pretty quickly, and the fact that it was the last week of classes also added to the speed. My friend Ricardo visited for less than a day on Wednesday, but we all went out for dinner at the Colombian restaurant around the corner and then went out dancing at La Mesa until closing time. It was my first time going there even though I'd heard about it so many times. I'd been told that it was full of gringos, which it was, but it was pretty cool. It was a little dive bar with room for dancing salsa.
Ricardo left early Thursday morning and I had the rest of the week to be tired as a result. On the last day of classes yesterday my afternoon class went out with me to Pizza Hut, which was a very big deal. The Pizza Hut was a fancy restaurant with high prices, but the students loved it. The night class was supposed to come out eating and dancing also, but only 6 of the students showed up. We went out to eat and then everyone went their separate ways.
I was a little disappointed because I was expecting to go out with them, just like we did last semester. That was a really fun night, and I was hoping lightening would strike twice, but it didn't go as planned. Instead I went to a bar where my student works and had a drink with one of my students while watching the Celtics play the Pistons on ESPN International. I was totally surprised to see it on and it really made my night.
Once my student left I called up a friend and went to a house full of expats and played poker for a while. We only played for $2 each, and I came in second place, losing a dollar. We were all floored when I had a royal flush, something that rarely happens. Later on we went up to the roof, even though it was extremely cold, to wait for people to walk by and throw water balloons at. People are getting ready for Carnaval, and as a result water balloons are being thrown everywhere. These gringos decided they wanted to strike back.
The street was pretty empty, so we mostly hit a few cars as they drove by and waited for some people. As we were about to ambush 3 guys, water balloons started to rain down on us. We had no idea where they were coming from because we were on the high point. We looked all over and couldn't see anyone near by. Later when one of the guys left he got hit by about 10 water balloons and saw where they were coming from. Somehow, with terrific aim, they'd managed to hide a few roofs over and pegged us as we were sitting ducks. It was perfectly aimed and executed. True professionals. Playing with the water balloons made me feel like a kid again, and it was a lot of fun, even though it definitely annoyed the people we targeted.
As a result of being outside in the cold for too long, I have a cold again today. This is the third weekend in a row in Cuenca that I have gotten a cold. The weather has been pretty lousy, going from hot to cold in a matter of seconds and totally messing with my immune system. Sneezing is the name of the game today, and I just need to wait it out. Tomorrow is the Superbowl, and I'm looking forward to watching the game with some friends, if we can all figure out where we're going to go.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Costa vs. Sierra
Now that I've had a chance to see some more of the coast, I feel like I can make better comparisons on the regions of Ecuador. I still haven't seen the Oriente, and I'm going to the Galapagos next month, so until then I can only speak on the differences between the coast and the mountains. In some parts they are only separated by a short, 2-3 hour drive, but they might as well be thousands of miles apart. To me, it seems as if the cultures, people, and traditions of each region are like their own countries in themselves.
Take for instance on the coast the heat factor. It's so hot that no one wants to be in the house baking even more. So everyone is just outside in the streets. As a result, it seems like people mingle with their neighbors more and are more social in general. The whole culture on the coast is about being friendly and open to neighbors, so even if you've never met someone before, you're going to talk to them as if they were your long time friends. In the sierra, the people are just as friendly, but because it's colder, no one hangs out in the streets. You do what you have to and then you get back inside your house. This results in less interaction with the neighbors, in my opinion.
Also in the sierra you will find more of an indigenous influence, and as a result, it comes across in the culture. Everything from the mixing of Quichua in the language to haggling at the market it somehow related to the indigenous influences. I've been told that in relation to the indigenous culture in Peru, the part of the culture here is treated worse, but I won't be able to speak about that until I go to Peru next month. Down on the coast, however, there is a considerable drop in indigenous presence, and it seems as though the majority of the culture gets its influence from Spanish traditions. That isn't to say that in the sierra there isn't Spanish influence either. It's quite prevalent. Yet on the coast it seems much more evident.
And of course there are the little things. You can get away with wearing shorts and sandals on the coast because it's so hot, but if you wear them in the sierra, people will look at you like you have 3 heads, even if it's hot out. On the coast, men will fold their shirts up over their stomach and up to their chest, revealing their often bloated beer bellies. If for nothing else, it's to get a little air on the skin, but it's just odd that they wouldn't take the whole shirt off. In the sierra, it would never be hot enough to pull that off.
Furthermore, there are the differences in how people look at each other. Those who are from the sierra call the costenos, "monos" or monkeys. It's all in good humor, but I think they deep down consider themselves a little better. On the contrary, those from the coast think of people from the sierra as a bit snootier, and they use their accents as a way to mock them. Understanding costenos is another headache in itself. People also look at the coast as more dangerous, which might be true based off of reported incidents alone. However, you will still find some of the friendliest people you could imagine, ready to open their arms and welcome you in to their world. It's somewhat ironic that Guayaquil, one of the richest cities in the country, is also one of the most dangerous. Because of the success of some, violence has become a problem there for almost all.
There are many other things to consider when talking about the cultural differences, but these are just some ideas to scratch the surface and think about how difficult it is to define a country with one idea. Each region is its own entity, just as each city is different from another, and each person is different. Ecuador is extremely diverse, and that's as easy as it is to put it.
Above: Montanita, Quito
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Small Classes
This week is not only the last week of classes for the intensive language classes, but also the week of finals for the rest of the general courses. As a result, I've had pretty slim classes. In my night class, nearly half of the students have been away on a trip to Peru. On Monday night only 8 showed up, and last night only 5. But it's actually not that bad.
It's hard to teach to a large class, and I'm finding with the smaller classes that it actually changes the way you teach altogether. Instead of standing up, walking around, and projecting loudly, we can sit in a circle and talk, making it a more personal learning experience. The few students who are coming are also asking more questions, as if they are less embarrassed to ask questions with fewer students. It makes the whole atmosphere better.
We've also been getting through the material faster. Last night we waited until 6:15 to get started in case more students came late. We made it through all of the material I had planned by 7:35. Granted, we cut out the usual 10 minute break at 7 pm, but it's just easier to move along with fewer students. It even seems that they're really getting it. I just wish I was able to teach smaller classes all the time.
I also wanted to pass this along. This is an article from the New York Times writer Matt Gross, known as the Frugal Traveler. In this article, he writes about how to use credit cards and bank cards while traveling overseas. This is something that I've had to deal with quite often, and I actually use a Capital One card as well for the same reason that he mentions. Read the article for some good advice.
It's hard to teach to a large class, and I'm finding with the smaller classes that it actually changes the way you teach altogether. Instead of standing up, walking around, and projecting loudly, we can sit in a circle and talk, making it a more personal learning experience. The few students who are coming are also asking more questions, as if they are less embarrassed to ask questions with fewer students. It makes the whole atmosphere better.
We've also been getting through the material faster. Last night we waited until 6:15 to get started in case more students came late. We made it through all of the material I had planned by 7:35. Granted, we cut out the usual 10 minute break at 7 pm, but it's just easier to move along with fewer students. It even seems that they're really getting it. I just wish I was able to teach smaller classes all the time.
I also wanted to pass this along. This is an article from the New York Times writer Matt Gross, known as the Frugal Traveler. In this article, he writes about how to use credit cards and bank cards while traveling overseas. This is something that I've had to deal with quite often, and I actually use a Capital One card as well for the same reason that he mentions. Read the article for some good advice.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Future Plans for February
This is the last week of classes for me, and I'm already looking ahead to what I will do with my almost month of vacation in February. Exams will take place Monday through Thursday, and then on Friday, February 6th, I will be heading to the Galapagos Islands for 5 days and 4 nights. I'll be there from the 6th to the 10th, and you can be sure that I'll be taking plenty of photos and maybe even some videos of the wildlife and scenery that I come across.
I'll be traveling there with some friends from my organization, as we were able to get a pretty good deal. I only found out about this a week ago. For about $630, we will get round trip airfare, pick up at the airport, hotel, meals, guided tours, and equipment for the excursions we do. We'll be staying on an island but taking day trips to surround islands. The price is right, especially since we only have to pay $6 to enter the park, rather than the normal $100 that foreigners have to pay. This is because we have Ecuadorian residence.
After the Galapagos, I'll come back to Guayaquil and might need to spend the night, then come back to Cuenca for a few days to rest and relax. I'll be taking off again on February 16th, this time bound for Peru. Going with two other friends, we'll be leaving from Guayaquil and flying to Lima, where we'll spend a day. We then fly to Cuzco, where we will see the city and spend a day at Machu Picchu. After a couple of days in Cuzco we will take an 8 hour bus ride to Puno and spend some time at Lake Titicaca. We'll be on the border of Bolivia, and we'd love to go in and get as far down as La Paz if possible, but there is a $135 entrance fee for Americans, so we probably won't be able to do it. It's a let down.
We'll head back up to Cuzco, fly into Lima for another night, and then head back to Guayaquil. From there we will still have a week before classes start again on March 2, so we could visit some other cities in Ecuador like Zaruma, Loja, and Vilcabamba. I'm excited to see all of these places, and to write about them and photograph whatever I can. So if I don't have many posts in February, it's not because I've abandoned the blog, but rather because I'm out there getting more material for it. And once I get back I'll definitely update on what we've been up to.
I'll be traveling there with some friends from my organization, as we were able to get a pretty good deal. I only found out about this a week ago. For about $630, we will get round trip airfare, pick up at the airport, hotel, meals, guided tours, and equipment for the excursions we do. We'll be staying on an island but taking day trips to surround islands. The price is right, especially since we only have to pay $6 to enter the park, rather than the normal $100 that foreigners have to pay. This is because we have Ecuadorian residence.
After the Galapagos, I'll come back to Guayaquil and might need to spend the night, then come back to Cuenca for a few days to rest and relax. I'll be taking off again on February 16th, this time bound for Peru. Going with two other friends, we'll be leaving from Guayaquil and flying to Lima, where we'll spend a day. We then fly to Cuzco, where we will see the city and spend a day at Machu Picchu. After a couple of days in Cuzco we will take an 8 hour bus ride to Puno and spend some time at Lake Titicaca. We'll be on the border of Bolivia, and we'd love to go in and get as far down as La Paz if possible, but there is a $135 entrance fee for Americans, so we probably won't be able to do it. It's a let down.
We'll head back up to Cuzco, fly into Lima for another night, and then head back to Guayaquil. From there we will still have a week before classes start again on March 2, so we could visit some other cities in Ecuador like Zaruma, Loja, and Vilcabamba. I'm excited to see all of these places, and to write about them and photograph whatever I can. So if I don't have many posts in February, it's not because I've abandoned the blog, but rather because I'm out there getting more material for it. And once I get back I'll definitely update on what we've been up to.
Photos From the Coast
On the beach at Alandaluz
Grey morning in Montanita
A bonfire on the beach
Sitting around the fire
Sunset at Alandaluz, Manabi Province
Monday, January 26, 2009
Mid-service Conference on the Coast
I've been gone for a few days, the reason being that I was at a Mid-service conference on the coast with the rest of my organization. I'm not going to explain the entire weekend, but rather go over some of the more interesting points. The volunteers from the Cuenca-Loja-Vilcabamba area left on Wednesday morning to make the long drive to the coast and get in nice and refreshed on Thursday afternoon.
Instead of taking the public transportation, we hired a private van from the University of Loja, as one of the volunteers who works there was friendly with the driver. A private van should make the trip quicker, but since the van had a lawnmower sized engine, it took much longer. It was also more expensive, but we were getting reimbursed for most of the expenses of the travel, including the hostel and meal stipend. It was still fun to ride with our old friends and catch up.
Leaving from Cuenca around 1 p.m., we headed through Cajas National Park towards Guayaquil. We were unsure if the indigenous strike would cause problems, but we were happy to find there were no issues, as the government had promised to crack down hard on anyone arrested. Around Guayaquil we got a little lost and as a result, the drive took a few hours longer than it needed to. We agreed to spend the night in Montanita, a well known beach town that was big with surfers and gringos. We wouldn't even get there until 9 p.m.
We were glad we got a chance to see the town, but I think for the most part it was a bit of a let down. It was extremely touristy and expensive, and I felt embarrassed just walking through the one dirt road in the main part of town. Music blasted all night, so even after a long day of traveling, we couldn't get any sleep. Once the music finally ended around 3 a.m., loud Chileans congregated outside our room and were being loud, obnoxious drunks. I finally got up to tell them to shut up, but that didn't seem to help. Once they left around 5 a.m., drummers walked through the streets banging to a dull beat for about an hour and a half, until finally there was silence, but by that point it was still so humid in the room that sleep was nearly out of the question. After all of that, it actually felt like we'd gone out and partied.
We went up the "Ruta del Sol," a well known road that runs along the coast and goes through several towns. Montanita is only a 40 minute drive from Alandaluz, the hotel where we were staying, just south of Puerto Lopez, so we were the first ones there around 2:30 p.m. The hotel was an eco-friendly resort in the middle of National Park Machalilla. With our own private beach we were able to relax with our friends and reunite, talking about the last 5 months in Ecuador. None of us could really believe that 5 months had already gone by.
Though we were there for a conference, it was pretty laid back, and no one was being run too hard. We still had time to relax on the beach or do whatever, and beach football and Frisbee was also included in the schedule. The sunsets on the beach were awesome, watching the sun quickly fall beyond the horizon, directly westbound, just slightly below the equator.
On the last night we had a bonfire and sat around as the bamboo burned and wheezed, some people making smores as it went on. This was only my second time really visiting the coast, and I still find it amazing how different the cultures between the coast and sierra are. They are like two different countries in a way. For example, on the coast everyone hangs out outside of the house because it's just too hot inside, but in the sierra everyone is bundled up and cold inside the house. As a result, the cultures of how to interact with people is different.
On Saturday we ended the conference and went our separate ways. Our van group stayed at the hotel for a couple of hours to eat and go to the beach one last time, then started the long trip back. We left Alandaluz at 2 p.m. and didn't get to Guayaquil until 7 p.m., where we stopped for dinner and to drop off another volunteer. The rest of the way back it rained and the van went slowly up the mountains through Cajas. We had to stop at one point because an enormous tree had fallen into the road, blocking all traffic. The whole area was prone to mudslides. As more cars came to stops, more men came out with machetes and cleared the tree. Finally, we got into Cuenca at 1 a.m. The Loja people still had at least 5 hours ahead of them. It was a long trip, and we all felt sore like we'd been hit by a bus, but it was a good trip. And now it's time to get back to teaching.
Instead of taking the public transportation, we hired a private van from the University of Loja, as one of the volunteers who works there was friendly with the driver. A private van should make the trip quicker, but since the van had a lawnmower sized engine, it took much longer. It was also more expensive, but we were getting reimbursed for most of the expenses of the travel, including the hostel and meal stipend. It was still fun to ride with our old friends and catch up.
Leaving from Cuenca around 1 p.m., we headed through Cajas National Park towards Guayaquil. We were unsure if the indigenous strike would cause problems, but we were happy to find there were no issues, as the government had promised to crack down hard on anyone arrested. Around Guayaquil we got a little lost and as a result, the drive took a few hours longer than it needed to. We agreed to spend the night in Montanita, a well known beach town that was big with surfers and gringos. We wouldn't even get there until 9 p.m.
We were glad we got a chance to see the town, but I think for the most part it was a bit of a let down. It was extremely touristy and expensive, and I felt embarrassed just walking through the one dirt road in the main part of town. Music blasted all night, so even after a long day of traveling, we couldn't get any sleep. Once the music finally ended around 3 a.m., loud Chileans congregated outside our room and were being loud, obnoxious drunks. I finally got up to tell them to shut up, but that didn't seem to help. Once they left around 5 a.m., drummers walked through the streets banging to a dull beat for about an hour and a half, until finally there was silence, but by that point it was still so humid in the room that sleep was nearly out of the question. After all of that, it actually felt like we'd gone out and partied.
We went up the "Ruta del Sol," a well known road that runs along the coast and goes through several towns. Montanita is only a 40 minute drive from Alandaluz, the hotel where we were staying, just south of Puerto Lopez, so we were the first ones there around 2:30 p.m. The hotel was an eco-friendly resort in the middle of National Park Machalilla. With our own private beach we were able to relax with our friends and reunite, talking about the last 5 months in Ecuador. None of us could really believe that 5 months had already gone by.
Though we were there for a conference, it was pretty laid back, and no one was being run too hard. We still had time to relax on the beach or do whatever, and beach football and Frisbee was also included in the schedule. The sunsets on the beach were awesome, watching the sun quickly fall beyond the horizon, directly westbound, just slightly below the equator.
On the last night we had a bonfire and sat around as the bamboo burned and wheezed, some people making smores as it went on. This was only my second time really visiting the coast, and I still find it amazing how different the cultures between the coast and sierra are. They are like two different countries in a way. For example, on the coast everyone hangs out outside of the house because it's just too hot inside, but in the sierra everyone is bundled up and cold inside the house. As a result, the cultures of how to interact with people is different.
On Saturday we ended the conference and went our separate ways. Our van group stayed at the hotel for a couple of hours to eat and go to the beach one last time, then started the long trip back. We left Alandaluz at 2 p.m. and didn't get to Guayaquil until 7 p.m., where we stopped for dinner and to drop off another volunteer. The rest of the way back it rained and the van went slowly up the mountains through Cajas. We had to stop at one point because an enormous tree had fallen into the road, blocking all traffic. The whole area was prone to mudslides. As more cars came to stops, more men came out with machetes and cleared the tree. Finally, we got into Cuenca at 1 a.m. The Loja people still had at least 5 hours ahead of them. It was a long trip, and we all felt sore like we'd been hit by a bus, but it was a good trip. And now it's time to get back to teaching.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The Inauguration
With a jolt of excitement, I rushed downstairs this morning to see if we were getting coverage of the inauguration of the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama. I was happy to see that on channel 30, we were in fact seeing CNN International, in Spanish, yet showing the same coverage of Washington D.C.
I went downstairs after quickly downing my soup lunch at 11:30 to see the beginning of the festivities. A new guest in the hostel, a Scottish girl, joined me on the couch. The scenes were incredible, with apparently 2 million people at The Mall to see the historic event. Within a few minutes, however, the TV started cutting out, and though we had audio, the video went black. I was pretty disappointed, because your country only inaugurates its first black president once.
Within a couple of minutes my host mom, Cecilia, told us to come upstairs and watch on the small TV in the family room. We watched quietly as the festivities went on. I was a little nervous because I had to leave for work by 12:30, and I wanted to see everything. My fears were relieved soon though as the swearing in took place. It sent chills just to see it all and I couldn't help but let a smile rip out across my face. It was historic.
The only drawback was that the speech was being dubbed over in Spanish, so it was basically taking away from the impact of it all for me, and though I was piecing it together by bits and pieces, it eventually got me in a zone out mode and I didn't hear much of anything. So at some point in the future I'll have to get a transcript of the speech or see a video of it. Yet it was still a thrill to be able to see it and see how the Ecuadorians were excited about it as well. Even the Scottish girl was excited.
And for the rest of the day I was able to carry that same feeling around with me. It was a beautiful feeling. Tomorrow we leave for the coast, headed toward Puerto Lopez. Hopefully the strike that began this morning won't make too much of a problem for us. And then it's a couple of days of conferences and hanging out with friends from Quito. It should be a nice little weekend. There will definitely be photos and stories to come.
I went downstairs after quickly downing my soup lunch at 11:30 to see the beginning of the festivities. A new guest in the hostel, a Scottish girl, joined me on the couch. The scenes were incredible, with apparently 2 million people at The Mall to see the historic event. Within a few minutes, however, the TV started cutting out, and though we had audio, the video went black. I was pretty disappointed, because your country only inaugurates its first black president once.
Within a couple of minutes my host mom, Cecilia, told us to come upstairs and watch on the small TV in the family room. We watched quietly as the festivities went on. I was a little nervous because I had to leave for work by 12:30, and I wanted to see everything. My fears were relieved soon though as the swearing in took place. It sent chills just to see it all and I couldn't help but let a smile rip out across my face. It was historic.
The only drawback was that the speech was being dubbed over in Spanish, so it was basically taking away from the impact of it all for me, and though I was piecing it together by bits and pieces, it eventually got me in a zone out mode and I didn't hear much of anything. So at some point in the future I'll have to get a transcript of the speech or see a video of it. Yet it was still a thrill to be able to see it and see how the Ecuadorians were excited about it as well. Even the Scottish girl was excited.
And for the rest of the day I was able to carry that same feeling around with me. It was a beautiful feeling. Tomorrow we leave for the coast, headed toward Puerto Lopez. Hopefully the strike that began this morning won't make too much of a problem for us. And then it's a couple of days of conferences and hanging out with friends from Quito. It should be a nice little weekend. There will definitely be photos and stories to come.
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