I know I just posted the other day, but seeing as the police rioted and took the president hostage, I figured I might as well post again. The day started out pretty normally, but at 11 a guy came into my class and said that classes were suspended for the day. Then through various sources of information I gathered that apparently Correa (the president of Ecuador) had recently passed a law that the police didn't like. They then scheduled a strike for today that kinda got out of hand. They tear gassed the president and held him hostage in a hospital. Apparently the police are mad because a law was passed that eliminated certain medals they could give out, at least that's what I understood from my host father.
The college I go to here is USFQ and is located in a small town called Cumbaya and is about ten miles outside of Quito. The international kids weren't allowed to leave campus for a while. Apparently the bank across the street got robbed and some students were robbed while trying to get a taxi as well. Since all the police are striking, there's no law enforcement. Thus looting is going on in the city as well. We were warned not to join any riots, so I assume that means I shouldn't loot either.
So while all this excitement was going on, several other students and I decided to play ultimate frisbee on campus. We were told that the campus was the safest place to be, but later they told us to go home while negotiations were going on. Walking home from my bus stop was pretty exciting. Like I've mentioned before, I stick out a tiny bit here so I would have been a prime target for a mugging in the lawlessness going on right now. I did make it home all right though. It's still kind of ambiguous whether or not we're going to have class tomorrow, and since I have a test, it would be nice to have it canceled. The test has already been postponed two and a half weeks, so I figure an uprising would be a good enough reason to delay it some more. I had a volcanology field trip planned this weekend as well, but that's liable to be canceled as well. I'll keep you guys updated on any more craziness and revolutions going on here.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Tiputini
I meant to post this earlier, but my internet here decided to take a break for the past couple of days. Anyway, this past weekend I was in the Ecuadorian rainforest at a research station. It was one of the most amazing experiences ever. The trip there itself was a pretty sweet adventure as well. On Friday morning we took a plane from Quito to an oil town called Coca. From Coca we took a five minute bus ride to a dock. At the dock we took a boat down a huge river where we got a nice view of the amazon. It was kinda like being in an episode of Planet Earth. After 2 to 3 hours on the boat, we got out at an oil checkpoint where we got into an incredibly uncomfortable bus. After a one and a half hour drive, we got onto yet another boat. This was on the river Tiputini which is what the research station is called as well. This river was much smaller and there were chances to see wildlife. I saw turtles. There were also tons of butterflies. After about two hours we got to the station. At this point it was 6 at night. Dinner was at 7 so we got our rooms and explored a little bit. There was a hammock house with a water tower so I climbed the water tower with some other guys. After about five minutes we saw a woolly monkey slowly climbing across the trees. Next thing we knew, there was a group of maybe 20-30 squirrel monkeys climbing all around us. It was incredibly exciting. We then had dinner at 7 and I played a couple of hands of Euchre with some people and went to bed.
Breakfast was at 630, and then we got split into smaller groups to walk through the rainforest with a guide. My guide was a pretty cool guy named Jose, whose first language was Quechua. We saw some crested owls which were really cool. He also found a plant whose seeds have a red dye, so we all gave ourselves war paint. We proceeded to walk until 1130. We saw lots of toads, spiders, birds and monkeys. We also got to a lake where we took a boat around and saw a cayman. I also climbed a tree which was fun. Jose found a vine and let us swing around on it, so that was awesome as well. We ate at twelve and afterwards we swam in the Tiputini river with piranhas and caymans. Caymans are similar to alligators for those who don't know. I swam to the other side with a friend of mine to Yasuni national park. There may or may not be indigenous people who spear intruders on that side, but I'm not completely sure. Around three we went for another walk. The most exciting thing we did on this walk was eat ants that tasted just like lemons. They were really good. Speaking of eating insects, our guide had found a huge beetle and asked who wanted to eat it. When I volunteered, he ended up saying it wasn't possible. I guess he didn't think anyone would actually volunteer. That evening we took a boat along the river at night to look for caymans. It wasn't as exciting as I had hoped. We saw a couple, but it was difficult to see much. The one that we got the best view of was relatively small and missing part of its tail.
The next day I saw a sloth right after breakfast. After that we went on a canopy tour. They had built a huge tower which was about 45 meters high with 144 steps. It was really cool and we got to see a group of three scarlet macaws flying around the canopy. Afterwards Jose asked us if we were tired. He had a plant which was supposed to help. The whole group wanted to try it out, so he ended up smacking us on the arm with these huge leafs. Pretty much they felt like stinging nettles. And then our arms got real tingly. Then we got little white bumps all over our arms. Then the next day the bumps turned red and really itchy. In fact, I still have red spots all over my arm two days later. And I didn't feel any more energy after being smacked with it. Anyway, after that we went to another canopy tower with really shaky wooden bridges above the canopy. It was incredible. There was an aluminum ladder which went higher up to a tiny little platform without rails. I was wearing a harness and I'm not really scared of heights, but climbing up there was terrifying. It was well worth it and awesome though. The bugs were kind of annoying up there though. On our way back to camp Jose gave us some leaves to chew on and then we would get a surprise. The surprise ended up being that our tongues and spit turned blue so that was pretty cool.
After lunch we took a boat further downstream and then we got out of the boat and floated downstream for about two hours. It was incredibly fun. I wished we had more time, but it was great nonetheless. At night I went down to the river with a couple of my friends and we saw a cayman. On the way back to our rooms we saw an army of leafcutter ants at work. They were pretty cool. Much cooler than I thought leafcutter ants could be actually.
We left in the morning in the same fashion as we came only everything backwards obviously. The first boat ride back was much more eventful than the way there. We saw a tapir, capybara, and some mammal that I think was a peccary. I also saw a lot more turtles. When we got back to the dock at Coca there was a type of zoo with free ranging and illegal jungle animals. There was a parrot, toucan, peacocks, guinea pigs, turtles, and monkeys. These squirrel monkeys were somewhat tame and would climb all over you if you stuck your hand out. Naturally I did this. It was really cool. I really want a pet squirrel monkey now. The highlight of getting home was taking a shower. I hadn't showered at all in the jungle. This was mostly because it would have been pointless. It was so hot and humid that five minutes after a shower I would have been soaked in sweat and disgusting again. The air was awesome though. There was so much oxygen, compared to Quito. I felt 100 percent healthy for the first time since I've been in Ecuador. My only real complaint about the rainforest was that I was only there for two whole days.
I'll post pictures later I think, my internet has been off and on (mostly off) since I've been back so I'll wait until its a bit more reliable.
Breakfast was at 630, and then we got split into smaller groups to walk through the rainforest with a guide. My guide was a pretty cool guy named Jose, whose first language was Quechua. We saw some crested owls which were really cool. He also found a plant whose seeds have a red dye, so we all gave ourselves war paint. We proceeded to walk until 1130. We saw lots of toads, spiders, birds and monkeys. We also got to a lake where we took a boat around and saw a cayman. I also climbed a tree which was fun. Jose found a vine and let us swing around on it, so that was awesome as well. We ate at twelve and afterwards we swam in the Tiputini river with piranhas and caymans. Caymans are similar to alligators for those who don't know. I swam to the other side with a friend of mine to Yasuni national park. There may or may not be indigenous people who spear intruders on that side, but I'm not completely sure. Around three we went for another walk. The most exciting thing we did on this walk was eat ants that tasted just like lemons. They were really good. Speaking of eating insects, our guide had found a huge beetle and asked who wanted to eat it. When I volunteered, he ended up saying it wasn't possible. I guess he didn't think anyone would actually volunteer. That evening we took a boat along the river at night to look for caymans. It wasn't as exciting as I had hoped. We saw a couple, but it was difficult to see much. The one that we got the best view of was relatively small and missing part of its tail.
The next day I saw a sloth right after breakfast. After that we went on a canopy tour. They had built a huge tower which was about 45 meters high with 144 steps. It was really cool and we got to see a group of three scarlet macaws flying around the canopy. Afterwards Jose asked us if we were tired. He had a plant which was supposed to help. The whole group wanted to try it out, so he ended up smacking us on the arm with these huge leafs. Pretty much they felt like stinging nettles. And then our arms got real tingly. Then we got little white bumps all over our arms. Then the next day the bumps turned red and really itchy. In fact, I still have red spots all over my arm two days later. And I didn't feel any more energy after being smacked with it. Anyway, after that we went to another canopy tower with really shaky wooden bridges above the canopy. It was incredible. There was an aluminum ladder which went higher up to a tiny little platform without rails. I was wearing a harness and I'm not really scared of heights, but climbing up there was terrifying. It was well worth it and awesome though. The bugs were kind of annoying up there though. On our way back to camp Jose gave us some leaves to chew on and then we would get a surprise. The surprise ended up being that our tongues and spit turned blue so that was pretty cool.
After lunch we took a boat further downstream and then we got out of the boat and floated downstream for about two hours. It was incredibly fun. I wished we had more time, but it was great nonetheless. At night I went down to the river with a couple of my friends and we saw a cayman. On the way back to our rooms we saw an army of leafcutter ants at work. They were pretty cool. Much cooler than I thought leafcutter ants could be actually.
We left in the morning in the same fashion as we came only everything backwards obviously. The first boat ride back was much more eventful than the way there. We saw a tapir, capybara, and some mammal that I think was a peccary. I also saw a lot more turtles. When we got back to the dock at Coca there was a type of zoo with free ranging and illegal jungle animals. There was a parrot, toucan, peacocks, guinea pigs, turtles, and monkeys. These squirrel monkeys were somewhat tame and would climb all over you if you stuck your hand out. Naturally I did this. It was really cool. I really want a pet squirrel monkey now. The highlight of getting home was taking a shower. I hadn't showered at all in the jungle. This was mostly because it would have been pointless. It was so hot and humid that five minutes after a shower I would have been soaked in sweat and disgusting again. The air was awesome though. There was so much oxygen, compared to Quito. I felt 100 percent healthy for the first time since I've been in Ecuador. My only real complaint about the rainforest was that I was only there for two whole days.
I'll post pictures later I think, my internet has been off and on (mostly off) since I've been back so I'll wait until its a bit more reliable.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Otavalo
This weekend we went to an indigenous market in the city of Otavalo. We also visited a volcanic crater with a lake called Cuicocha and a town specializing in leather goods called Cotacachi. It was about a two hour bus ride there. I really enjoyed the ride because we were traveling down windy roads through the Andes. Plus we got a really good view of Puntas, so it was cool to know that the mountain I almost got to the top is very visible in the surrounding areas.
Cuicocha was really cool. We ended up taking a boat around the lake. I was not all too impressed with Cotacachi. There was a street where there were a million stores selling leather goods. Unfortunately I was not in need of a purse, leather jacket, or saddle and thus couldn't take advantage of the shopping opportunities. I ended up breaking away from the group with a friend of mine named Brian and we wandered to the main plaza where there was a convent. The center was fairly nice and then we wandered along some sketchy streets to the edge of the town where there was a forest.
After Cuicocha we went to the city of Otavalo. I didn't think I liked haggling going into the market, but it turns out that I'm a big fan. I really enjoyed the mini-battles with the vendors trying to get a cheaper price. Unfortunately I didn't really know what anything was worth so I probably overpaid anyway. I ended up buying some stuff just because I wanted to haggle. Because of this, I ended up with more stuff than I originally intended, but I convinced myself that its ok, because they're mostly gifts anyway. I did end up with a lot of ponchos though... The market itself was awesome just for how big it was. It took up several main streets, plazas and side streets. An interesting aspect was that in the sections where mostly Ecuadorians shopped, the vendors charged me more because I stood out a lot more and I figure they thought I had no idea what I was doing. My least favorite part about Otavalo was that there were tons of beggars. Apparently there is a law that beggars aren't allowed in Quito so all people living in poverty in Quito are given clothes and food. This is unique to Quito however so there were plenty of beggars who would follow me around in Otavalo.
After visiting the indigenous market of Otavalo, we went to "Parque Condor" As you have probably guessed, this was a park with birds. The condors were super impressive. They were much bigger than I imagined. We saw other birds and went to a show where they had a variety of birds who flew around for us. Afterwards we headed back to Quito.
I've started playing ultimate frisbee two days a week in a local park in Quito. Its a lot of fun and very nice to be doing some kind of exercise, but you really notice the thin air. The first time I played, I was still trying to breathe normally for about an hour or two afterwards. Its mostly American students and some expats who play because frisbee is not a popular sport in Ecuador. When I told my family I was going to play, I had to explain the rules because they thought I was just going to the park to throw a frisbee back and forth and they didn't see how that could be tiring/fun.
As far as bad news here, I've started developing a phobia for black dogs, especially the one that lives on my street that bit me. Pretty much every other time I pass he gets a bit angry and either barks at me or follows me threateningly. It wasn't too bad until Friday when he attempted to bite me again. I was carrying a tent for my andinismo class and fended him off with it. He ended up biting the tent and ripping off the handle of the case. I've nicknamed the dog Cerberos, because I'm convinced he was spawned in Hell. Its pretty much the only thing I'm scared of in this whole country. But I'm pretty terrified of it. I get along with most other dogs though. I feel like its a sign of a third world country to have stray dogs.
Speaking of dogs, I went with my host sister and host brother-in-law for a walk with their dog, Rigo. We went to a different park that I hadn't heard of. Its a huge park that is partially in a forest so it was pretty awesome. It's also very close to my home so I feel like I'm going to spend a lot more time there.
Condor flying around in its cage
Some stands in Otavalo
The main market plaza
Cuicocha
Cuicocha was really cool. We ended up taking a boat around the lake. I was not all too impressed with Cotacachi. There was a street where there were a million stores selling leather goods. Unfortunately I was not in need of a purse, leather jacket, or saddle and thus couldn't take advantage of the shopping opportunities. I ended up breaking away from the group with a friend of mine named Brian and we wandered to the main plaza where there was a convent. The center was fairly nice and then we wandered along some sketchy streets to the edge of the town where there was a forest.
After Cuicocha we went to the city of Otavalo. I didn't think I liked haggling going into the market, but it turns out that I'm a big fan. I really enjoyed the mini-battles with the vendors trying to get a cheaper price. Unfortunately I didn't really know what anything was worth so I probably overpaid anyway. I ended up buying some stuff just because I wanted to haggle. Because of this, I ended up with more stuff than I originally intended, but I convinced myself that its ok, because they're mostly gifts anyway. I did end up with a lot of ponchos though... The market itself was awesome just for how big it was. It took up several main streets, plazas and side streets. An interesting aspect was that in the sections where mostly Ecuadorians shopped, the vendors charged me more because I stood out a lot more and I figure they thought I had no idea what I was doing. My least favorite part about Otavalo was that there were tons of beggars. Apparently there is a law that beggars aren't allowed in Quito so all people living in poverty in Quito are given clothes and food. This is unique to Quito however so there were plenty of beggars who would follow me around in Otavalo.
After visiting the indigenous market of Otavalo, we went to "Parque Condor" As you have probably guessed, this was a park with birds. The condors were super impressive. They were much bigger than I imagined. We saw other birds and went to a show where they had a variety of birds who flew around for us. Afterwards we headed back to Quito.
I've started playing ultimate frisbee two days a week in a local park in Quito. Its a lot of fun and very nice to be doing some kind of exercise, but you really notice the thin air. The first time I played, I was still trying to breathe normally for about an hour or two afterwards. Its mostly American students and some expats who play because frisbee is not a popular sport in Ecuador. When I told my family I was going to play, I had to explain the rules because they thought I was just going to the park to throw a frisbee back and forth and they didn't see how that could be tiring/fun.
As far as bad news here, I've started developing a phobia for black dogs, especially the one that lives on my street that bit me. Pretty much every other time I pass he gets a bit angry and either barks at me or follows me threateningly. It wasn't too bad until Friday when he attempted to bite me again. I was carrying a tent for my andinismo class and fended him off with it. He ended up biting the tent and ripping off the handle of the case. I've nicknamed the dog Cerberos, because I'm convinced he was spawned in Hell. Its pretty much the only thing I'm scared of in this whole country. But I'm pretty terrified of it. I get along with most other dogs though. I feel like its a sign of a third world country to have stray dogs.
Speaking of dogs, I went with my host sister and host brother-in-law for a walk with their dog, Rigo. We went to a different park that I hadn't heard of. Its a huge park that is partially in a forest so it was pretty awesome. It's also very close to my home so I feel like I'm going to spend a lot more time there.
Condor flying around in its cage
Bird cage with Volcano Imbabura in background
Some stands in Otavalo
The main market plaza
Cuicocha
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Puntas Pictures
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Cerro Puntas
So this weekend I had my first Andinismo trip. The trip was to a dormant volcano called Cerro Puntas. Nobody in Ecuador has ever heard of it, but I was excited nonetheless. I spent this week getting supplies which included a sleeping bag and tent. We left for the mountains from the University at 9 am on Saturday. We had to take a bus to a small town called Quinche which has a huge church and lots of street vendors. From Quinche we took "taxis" which were actually pickup trucks where you could ride in the back. I didn't manage to get in the back on the way there, but on the return trip I managed to get a seat in the bed of the truck. After about a half hour ride we ended up at a hacienda where the actual hiking started.
The hike was pretty much amazing. It was harder than I anticipated at first because you really feel the lack of oxygen. Plus since I had never gone backpacking before, the fully loaded backpack was pretty annoying most of the time. After I got accustomed to everything though, it was loads of fun. The paths were at times not even paths and we had to fight through large bushes and high grass. It was also cool because there were no other people hiking there, just us, some cows and a wolf. Unfortunately at around 2 on Saturday it started to rain. We quickly found a clear area of grass and set up our tents as fast as possible. The problem with the campsite was that there were these large plants that were very bumpy and everywhere. Therefore we had to wait for the rain to subside and then some of the guides flattened them with machetes. We ended up staying at this place for the night, instead of pressing on to the planned spot. As a result we didn't actually get to the peak of Cerro Puntas.
The camping was fun though. The rain subsided and we ate dinner outside. The food I brought was a big stick of salami, chorizo, bread, and a hunk of cheese. After three meals of this, I was pretty sick of it, although it wasn't bad. We were promised a campfire which never happened, so we were pretty disappointed about that. However they did make hot tea which was delicious and one of the guides brought an ipod and speakers. He had the most random selection of songs which included I'm a Barbie Girl, Party in the USA, random Latin American music, Pink Floyd and Dragonforce. We ended up going to bed around 8 and I spent the next two hours trying to find a comfortable sleeping position which was practically impossible.
In the morning we walked close to Cerro Puntas, but did not have time to climb it which was disappointing. The views were amazing though. Our campsite especially looked like it came from a camping magazine for very rugged men, so that was pretty exciting. I came back home pretty exhausted. I also looked homeless because my pants ended up ripping and were completely filthy as well. I think it helped deter muggers so I might continue with the homeless look though.
The hike was pretty much amazing. It was harder than I anticipated at first because you really feel the lack of oxygen. Plus since I had never gone backpacking before, the fully loaded backpack was pretty annoying most of the time. After I got accustomed to everything though, it was loads of fun. The paths were at times not even paths and we had to fight through large bushes and high grass. It was also cool because there were no other people hiking there, just us, some cows and a wolf. Unfortunately at around 2 on Saturday it started to rain. We quickly found a clear area of grass and set up our tents as fast as possible. The problem with the campsite was that there were these large plants that were very bumpy and everywhere. Therefore we had to wait for the rain to subside and then some of the guides flattened them with machetes. We ended up staying at this place for the night, instead of pressing on to the planned spot. As a result we didn't actually get to the peak of Cerro Puntas.
The camping was fun though. The rain subsided and we ate dinner outside. The food I brought was a big stick of salami, chorizo, bread, and a hunk of cheese. After three meals of this, I was pretty sick of it, although it wasn't bad. We were promised a campfire which never happened, so we were pretty disappointed about that. However they did make hot tea which was delicious and one of the guides brought an ipod and speakers. He had the most random selection of songs which included I'm a Barbie Girl, Party in the USA, random Latin American music, Pink Floyd and Dragonforce. We ended up going to bed around 8 and I spent the next two hours trying to find a comfortable sleeping position which was practically impossible.
In the morning we walked close to Cerro Puntas, but did not have time to climb it which was disappointing. The views were amazing though. Our campsite especially looked like it came from a camping magazine for very rugged men, so that was pretty exciting. I came back home pretty exhausted. I also looked homeless because my pants ended up ripping and were completely filthy as well. I think it helped deter muggers so I might continue with the homeless look though.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Second week
So I'm still alive and avoided getting mugged for the first two weeks
in Ecuador. I was bitten by a stray dog on my first day of class
though, so that was exciting. It lives on my street and just jumped
up and bit me after I walked past. It didn't break skin though, so I
was told that I don't need a rabies shot.
I like my classes for the most part. As I've already told some of
you, I'm taking a class called andinismo, which is mountain climbing.
It's going to be awesome. It meets once a week on Fridays where we
learn to tie different knots, and then there are field trips every
weekend. Its convenient because I won't have to make any plans and I
get to climb various peaks in the Andes. Another cool class I'm
taking is Volcanology. Its a geology course, but there are going to
be two field trips I get to go on. They go to various volcanoes and a
thermal spring in a town called Banos. A cab driver told me that its
a beautiful place and that I should go, so that's cool. There's also
a trip to the coast where we get to go paragliding. The professor is
the coolest guy ever. He's Greek but grew up in Germany and speaks 7
languages fluently. I'm also taking two history classes, one of which
seems like it will be good and the other seems like a lot of work.
I'm also taking an international relations course which could be
interesting. The problem with my classes is that they're full of
Americans and I don't really get to know any Ecuadorians.
Last weekend I went to a little town called Mindo with a bunch of
Boston University students. It was really cool. The town is tiny but
the bus ride there was amazing. Mindo is part of a cloud forest so we
spent the first day zipining across which was awesome. We stayed in a
five dollar hostel which was pretty comfortable. There was a
butterfly place where you could walk around and they had lots of huge
butterflies. We also went water tubing down rapids, so it was a
really fun weekend. I also liked it because since we were in the
country you could really tell that Ecuador is a third world country.
We're really pampered in this program because we live with fairly high
class families and the university is much more like a miniature
paradise than anything else.
Ecuador is very interesting because while at Bucknell I look just like
everyone else, I'm pretty much the most distinctive person on campus.
People here don't care about staring and continue staring at me even
if I see them doing it. Sticking out like this causes a big divide
between the gringos and Ecuadorians, since all the gringos pretty much
hang out with each other. It seemed like all the Ecuadorians already
knew each other so it's hard meeting them, especially since I'm not
really that social anyway.
An annoying thing is that the bus system is impossible to figure out.
They don't have any maps besides main three lines, but they all go
north to south so I don't know how to get anywhere east to west.
Besides not having maps, the buses are loads of fun. There are sorta
stops but not really. Pretty much if you walk along a bus route you
can flag down a bus, and they'll slow down just enough for you to jump
in while its moving. You can exit at any time too and they usually
drive with their doors open. That's mostly all that's going on here.
Sorry about the novel. I'm thinking of maybe starting a blog, so I
don't have to fill up your inboxes, so if you would prefer that or the
emails let me know.
in Ecuador. I was bitten by a stray dog on my first day of class
though, so that was exciting. It lives on my street and just jumped
up and bit me after I walked past. It didn't break skin though, so I
was told that I don't need a rabies shot.
I like my classes for the most part. As I've already told some of
you, I'm taking a class called andinismo, which is mountain climbing.
It's going to be awesome. It meets once a week on Fridays where we
learn to tie different knots, and then there are field trips every
weekend. Its convenient because I won't have to make any plans and I
get to climb various peaks in the Andes. Another cool class I'm
taking is Volcanology. Its a geology course, but there are going to
be two field trips I get to go on. They go to various volcanoes and a
thermal spring in a town called Banos. A cab driver told me that its
a beautiful place and that I should go, so that's cool. There's also
a trip to the coast where we get to go paragliding. The professor is
the coolest guy ever. He's Greek but grew up in Germany and speaks 7
languages fluently. I'm also taking two history classes, one of which
seems like it will be good and the other seems like a lot of work.
I'm also taking an international relations course which could be
interesting. The problem with my classes is that they're full of
Americans and I don't really get to know any Ecuadorians.
Last weekend I went to a little town called Mindo with a bunch of
Boston University students. It was really cool. The town is tiny but
the bus ride there was amazing. Mindo is part of a cloud forest so we
spent the first day zipining across which was awesome. We stayed in a
five dollar hostel which was pretty comfortable. There was a
butterfly place where you could walk around and they had lots of huge
butterflies. We also went water tubing down rapids, so it was a
really fun weekend. I also liked it because since we were in the
country you could really tell that Ecuador is a third world country.
We're really pampered in this program because we live with fairly high
class families and the university is much more like a miniature
paradise than anything else.
Ecuador is very interesting because while at Bucknell I look just like
everyone else, I'm pretty much the most distinctive person on campus.
People here don't care about staring and continue staring at me even
if I see them doing it. Sticking out like this causes a big divide
between the gringos and Ecuadorians, since all the gringos pretty much
hang out with each other. It seemed like all the Ecuadorians already
knew each other so it's hard meeting them, especially since I'm not
really that social anyway.
An annoying thing is that the bus system is impossible to figure out.
They don't have any maps besides main three lines, but they all go
north to south so I don't know how to get anywhere east to west.
Besides not having maps, the buses are loads of fun. There are sorta
stops but not really. Pretty much if you walk along a bus route you
can flag down a bus, and they'll slow down just enough for you to jump
in while its moving. You can exit at any time too and they usually
drive with their doors open. That's mostly all that's going on here.
Sorry about the novel. I'm thinking of maybe starting a blog, so I
don't have to fill up your inboxes, so if you would prefer that or the
emails let me know.
Quito Arrival
I still haven't been mugged but sat through a lecture explaining all
the sicknesses I'm going to get and all the different ways I will be
mugged. I went to the old town today for the first time. I went with
a bunch of other Boston students and we figured out the buses and
stuff. The buses are cool in that they don't always stop and
sometimes you just jump in as they're driving past. They only cost a
quarter per ride so that's awesome as well. The university resembles
a fancy resort more than anything else. There's even a pagoda and
waterfall. Downtown Quito is really cool. There are palms around and
its much different from anything I really know. It's slightly similar
to France I would say but still very different. The best part is that
there is a view of the Andes almost anywhere. The colonial
architecture is cool too.
My host family is very nice. They've been doing this for ten years so
I'm not really much of a novelty. This can be good in that I get a
lot of independence to do what I want. The food is delicious. I've
been eating everything they offer. I didn't recognize half of the
fruits in the supermarket. There's usually an exotic juice to drink
and lots of rice and potatoes. They have a special spicy sauce called
aji that is always available so if there's something thats kind of
bland I can just pile that on. I haven't had guinea pig yet. I'm
definitely eating healthier than I ever have before.
My Spanish is ok. At times I surprise myself with how good it can be,
but other times I'm completely lost. I rarely understand my one host
sister so I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm an idiot. I talk a lot with
her husband though, and I understand him most of the time. He's a
pretty cool guy. The house I'm living in is really nice and spacious.
I have my own room and bathroom on the second floor. The sister with
her husband and daughter live upstairs. There's an adjacent apartment
where another daughter lives. They also have a dog who I get along
with wonderfully. One thing I've noticed is I cannot tell an
Ecuadorians age at all. When I first met the married daughter I
thought she was my age or a tad older. Since she has a daughter who
is at least 12, she must be much older. I feel like it would be rude
to ask so I just sit in the dark regarding that. Another weird thing
is greeting girls with a kiss on the cheek.
As a side note to Martinez and Megan the second song on the radio on
the way from the airport was Bad Romance, so that was very exciting.
the sicknesses I'm going to get and all the different ways I will be
mugged. I went to the old town today for the first time. I went with
a bunch of other Boston students and we figured out the buses and
stuff. The buses are cool in that they don't always stop and
sometimes you just jump in as they're driving past. They only cost a
quarter per ride so that's awesome as well. The university resembles
a fancy resort more than anything else. There's even a pagoda and
waterfall. Downtown Quito is really cool. There are palms around and
its much different from anything I really know. It's slightly similar
to France I would say but still very different. The best part is that
there is a view of the Andes almost anywhere. The colonial
architecture is cool too.
My host family is very nice. They've been doing this for ten years so
I'm not really much of a novelty. This can be good in that I get a
lot of independence to do what I want. The food is delicious. I've
been eating everything they offer. I didn't recognize half of the
fruits in the supermarket. There's usually an exotic juice to drink
and lots of rice and potatoes. They have a special spicy sauce called
aji that is always available so if there's something thats kind of
bland I can just pile that on. I haven't had guinea pig yet. I'm
definitely eating healthier than I ever have before.
My Spanish is ok. At times I surprise myself with how good it can be,
but other times I'm completely lost. I rarely understand my one host
sister so I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm an idiot. I talk a lot with
her husband though, and I understand him most of the time. He's a
pretty cool guy. The house I'm living in is really nice and spacious.
I have my own room and bathroom on the second floor. The sister with
her husband and daughter live upstairs. There's an adjacent apartment
where another daughter lives. They also have a dog who I get along
with wonderfully. One thing I've noticed is I cannot tell an
Ecuadorians age at all. When I first met the married daughter I
thought she was my age or a tad older. Since she has a daughter who
is at least 12, she must be much older. I feel like it would be rude
to ask so I just sit in the dark regarding that. Another weird thing
is greeting girls with a kiss on the cheek.
As a side note to Martinez and Megan the second song on the radio on
the way from the airport was Bad Romance, so that was very exciting.
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