Puerto López

Puerto López is the beach town closest to la Isla de la Plata, “Poor Man’s Galápagos.”  If you don’t have enough money to go to the Galápagos Islands (or if your Spring Break trip to the Galápagos is cancelled, which is what happened with me) or you just want an adventure, this is the place to go.  The island is gorgeous – you can find blue-footed boobies, rainbow-colored lizards, sea turtles, all sorts of tropical fish, and more, depending on the time of year.  I went with three friends from my program and we went on a tour of the island, which involved riding a boat to the island, hiking around various landscapes, and snorkeling just off the coast.  We also spent each evening watching the gorgeous sunset on the beach.  Exploring a new part of Ecuador was exciting and spending time with friends over our vacation without worrying about schoolwork was wonderful.

Highlights from this Week:

• Monday – I helped Jesús and Cecilia make humitas this evening.  I didn’t get home in time to help too, too much, but they turned out well and were delicious!  I’ll definitely need to take this recipe back to the United States!
• Wednesday – I didn’t have to go to the doctor today!  Yay!
• Thursday – In Ecología, a veterinary professor came to talk to us about illegal trafficking of wild animals, which is a problem in Ecuador and around the world.  Only about 1 of every 10 trafficked animals makes it to its destination alive, so make sure the things you’re buying (including pets) are classified as “exotic” rather than “illegal.”
• Friday – Greetings from Puerto López!  Today’s bus ride was very long (12 hours), but Allison, Lauren, Paige, and I are finally here!  We checked into our hostel, the Sol Inn, and went to dinner at the Blue Water Grill, which I would highly recommend if you’re ever in the area (their spaghetti con albahaca is amazing).  I had some trouble putting up the mosquito net around my bed at the hostel, but once I did, sleeping in it was wonderfully comfortable…oh, Study Abroad problems…
• Saturday – Today, we went to the beach, which is quite close to our hostel.  We relaxed on the sand and played in the water.  I rested on my towel reading La ciudad y los perros for my Literatura class.  A few Ecuadorians stopped to talk to Lauren and they must have known I was reading it for a class because Lauren said they were wondering why I was reading such a terrible book!  We had lunch at our hostel and enjoyed the fruit from the local market.  Later, we bought our bus tickets for the ride back and walked along the beach to watch the Sun set.  Back at our hostel, we played cards and visited well into the evening, which was lovely.
• Sunday – Happy April!  April Fools’ Day doesn’t seem to be too big of a deal here, but that’s absolutely fine with me!  We spent most of our day on a tour of la Isla de la Plata.  We had a 1.5-hour boat ride either way and took pictures of blue-footed boobies resting on cliffs around the island.  We hiked through all the gorgeous landscapes and, after getting back in the boat, found sea turtles and then went snorkeling above a coral reef just off the island.  I saw all sorts of beautiful fish and swimming around was so much fun!  Later, we walked along the shore to watch the Sun set and sat on the sand while a new dog friend curled up next to Lauren.  The beach is so beautiful here…
• Monday – I walked along the shore this morning collecting pretty-colored rocks and I also found a piece of coral and a little conch shell.  After I came back, Allison was determined to find a shell and soon returned with a conch shell about 10 times the size of mine, which made me laugh.  We watched the Sun set in the evening and ran into a friend from school.  We talked with her a while and then got on the bus for the (much shorter – only 8 hours this time) ride home to Quito.  This has been a good weekend.

Random Notes:

• Humitas are kind of like cornbread, only awesome.  Take raw sweet corn and grind up the kernels until you have over half a pot full of them.  Add 3-4 eggs and about half a pound of sugar plus a pinch of salt.  Clean the cornhusks and put a spoonful of filling in the center of each leaf.  Fold one side over the filling, fold up the bottom of the cone-shaped leaf, and fold over the other side.  One end of the humita should be closed and the other should be open.  Boil some water.  Take a large, empty pot, put a few cornhusks on the bottom, and put in the humitas, stacking them carefully so that the open ends are slightly above the closed ends.  Put a few more cornhusks on top and pour an inch or two of boiling water over the whole thing.  Put a cloth on top of the cornhusks, pressing down so the cloth is flat on the husks and little steam can escape, and put the lid on the pot.  Let that sit for 45 minutes.  Remove your humitas (if you can – be careful, they’re hot!), dry off the cornhusks, and let them sit a few minutes before eating them.  Once they’re cool enough (or almost cool enough) to touch, enjoy!  (Oh…but just eat the filling, not the cornhusks…and you may need a fork.)
• In case I haven’t mentioned it, the doctors at the USFQ clinic are really nice and really want to help you feel better.  It may take a while and you may need to have a lot of tests done, but you will get better eventually.  Just be patient and have fun with all the new Spanish medical words you’re learning!
• As I mentioned, baking soda is illegal in Ecuador.  If you’re wondering why all the cookies in the country are crunchy or crumbly rather than soft, that’s why.
• If you’re planning a trip anywhere, take the night bus!  I know you don’t sleep as well on a bus as in a bed, but trust me.  The day buses take way longer than the night buses do to reach their destinations and the bus drivers on day buses stop a gazillion times and take a million random breaks.  Half the time, the night buses are also nicer (temperature control, bathroom on the bus, etc.).  Just take a night bus.
• According to the people at our orientation, to many Ecuadorians, we as gringos look “exotic.”  This means that you may have lots of random people coming up to you to say “hi,” especially on beaches (swimsuit = less clothing = now you look really exotic!).  Just be nice and say, “hi” back.  Who knows?  You could make some new friends.
• Ecuadorian nausea medication is called Mareol (from the word for seasickness, which is “mareo”).  It works in cars, on boats and, I imagine, in planes.  If you don’t feel particularly well on any given trip, give it a shot.  Ecuadorian roads are necessarily winding, since the country is divided by a very high mountain range, so even if you don’t normally get carsick, watch yourself for the symptoms (nausea, headache, possibly vomiting or feeling like your going to vomit, etc.).
• The fruit in Ecuador isn’t just awesome in Atacames.  It’s amazing everywhere, so eat lots and enjoy living close to where all the tropical fruit is grown!

Around the Town

My family and I went around Quito this weekend.  We went to Mass in the Basilica, which was enormous and beautiful.  We took pictures with elaborately dressed guards in front of the President’s Palace and watched people dancing in the plaza to the music of a random band that was playing there.  Although being in a big city still makes me a bit nervous just because of all the things you hear about thieves, Quito really is nice and quite beautiful, as long as you don’t mind walking up and down hills all the time.  There are so many random, interesting things you can find in cities and towns in this country, especially in a city as large as Quito.

Highlights from this Week:

• Monday – So, the first day back in class was not the best in the world, but what did I expect after having missed a week of classes?  The second class was more enjoyable than the first, though, so I suppose I’ll survive.  I very much appreciate that at least one of my professors was so understanding of the fact that I was gone for so long.
• Tuesday – Today was much better with classes.  All my professors were very understanding of the fact that I was gone for a week from my illness.  There’s no way I could catch up so easily in college in the United States and I’m so glad it’s so easy (for the most part) to catch up here.
• Thursday – Ellie and I took a “partner” test together for Conversación this morning.  Before we took the test, Ellie asked our professor if we could be a little late for class, so we would have time to get lunch after taking the test.  I highly doubt that would fly with any professor in the United States, but our professor here was so nice, she said, “sure”!  We went to the Empanada Company, which is a great place right across from the front gate of the university.  I’d never been before, but Ellie had, and their empanadas are delicious!  Allison, Lauren, Paige, Tara, and I went to see the Hunger Games in the theater in Ventura Mall later this evening.  The movie was wonderful and it was exciting to see a movie in English, just like at home.
• Friday – FEVI had its monthly venta de ropa in Lumbisí, so I helped fold and organize clothes for a while to help out.  We also made pizza and sold it with lemonade to earn more money for the organization and use some of the ripe, homegrown tomatoes from the community.  The pizza was really different from what I’m used to, but it was very good.
• Saturday – I went to help and what I believe is the last greenhouse minga in the organic garden.  I was the only gringa at the minga, but I enjoyed cutting plastic, wrapping poles, holding ladders, and just generally helping in any way I could.  I had to leave before the greenhouse was finished after I realized I was burning through my sunscreen, but I can’t wait to see the greenhouse when it’s finally done!  Later, I went to interview a gentleman named Manuel for my anthropology project.  He was the Treasurer of the Lumbisí Cabildo (the community’s government) during a period when members of the community were fighting for their rights to their land and talking with him was wonderful!  He knows so much about the atmosphere of the community and about its history and he had a number of truly wonderful stories.  Most impressive, though, was one of the last things he said, “Nosotros aquí, somos unidos.”  I love Lumbisí!
• Sunday – I went with Jesús this morning to meet Cecilia in Quito after her velada (night shift) at the hospital.  We went to Mass in the huge Basilica and I thoroughly admired the Gothic design of the cathedral.  Afterward, we wandered toward the Gran Plaza and had lunch while listening to music played by a band at the edge of the park.  We walked up in front of the President’s Palace and took pictures with the elaborately uniformed guards on either side of the door and then paused for a while to watch people dancing to the music in the plaza.

Random Notes:

• If you have to miss a lot of classes, it’s OK.  After being a college student in the U.S. for a while, you probably think I’m crazy to say that, but it’s true.  Professors are very understanding if you have a trip or if you get sick and, for most classes, it’s very easy to catch up.  If you know ahead of time that you’ll be gone, just like in the United States, it’s polite to let your professors know in advance, but if you’re sick and can’t let them know, that’s OK, too.
• The Empanada Company is kind of like a fast food restaurant right across from the main gate of the university.  Just go out, take a right, and cross the street.  It’s pretty much right there.  Just an empanada is usually about $1.50 and they’re delicious!  And empanada is kind of like a calzone – just a big circle of dough folded in half over a bunch of filling.  The restaurant has empanadas stuffed with meat, cheese, vegetables, fruit, and lots of other stuff, depending on what you want.  I had a vegetarian empanada (mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and olive oil) when I went there and I’d definitely like to go back to try their “sweet” empanadas (banana and manjar, which is kind of like dulce de leche, or strawberries and chocolate).
• Movies in theaters here are usually in English with Spanish subtitles if they were originally released in an English-speaking country, which may be why going to the movie theater doesn’t seem to be quite as popular here as it is in the U.S.  Sometimes, they’ll wait to release the movie until it’s been dubbed in Spanish, but when we went to the movies here, it was in English.
• In Ecuador, they really like their spices.  Pretty much the only bland thing you’ll find on a normal menu is rice.  The pizza we sold at FEVI’s monthly venta de ropa was dough covered with tomato sauce, cheese, ham, and a ton of oregano.
• Odd though this sounds, if you don’t have thigh muscles, you might want to work on them, especially if you’re a girl.  Try doing squats or pressing your back against the wall while in a “sitting” position.  The thing is, if you can, you want to get to the point where you can use the restroom without actually sitting on the toilet.  I know that sounds weird, but many public restrooms in Ecuador are not particularly clean and it’s best if you don’t actually touch your skin to the toilet to avoid the risk of getting sick.  I do not have the muscles to do this and I haven’t exactly died, so clearly you can survive without this skill, but I would highly recommend working on your thigh muscles if you think you can reach the point where you don’t need to sit to use the restroom.
• Though you should really keep your guard up at all times, especially in the city, on buses, and in other crowded places, potential thieves are not always particularly difficult to spot.  Usually, there is one man alone or a few men who seem to be hanging out in roughly the same location.  If you see someone acting suspiciously, just keep an eye on them, hold onto your stuff (preferably in front of you), and walk on the other side of the sidewalk or, better yet, on the other side of the street.  Don’t make it overly obvious you’re watching them in case they really aren’t thieves and are really just waiting for someone, but do be aware of what they’re doing and make sure they aren’t following you.  As soon as they realize you’re onto them, they’ll leave you alone – there are far easier targets than someone who clearly knows what they’re doing.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!  This isn’t exactly a wildly celebrated holiday in Ecuador, but I shared stories about Saint Patrick and American Saint Patrick’s Day traditions with my Ecuadorian family.  I also cooked a dinner that consisted almost entirely of potatoes.  I made baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, potato scones, and later, potato candy.  When I realized that I had made an all-potato dinner, I laughed and half-apologized, mentioning that I’d never made so many potatoes all at once.  To my surprise, though, rather than thinking it was silly that I’d made so many potatoes for dinner, my family was thrilled!  They kept commenting on how amazing it was that one could make so many different things with potatoes!  Well, I’m glad something I made was a success…I’d forgotten how much I like potato scones…

Highlights from this Week:

• Monday – Happy 100^th Anniversary of Girl Scouting!  Although I didn’t really notice the celebration here, apparently, it was pretty big in the United States.
• Tuesday-Friday – Obviously, this isn’t exactly a highlight, but I’ve been really sick the past few days.  The highlight, then, is probably that I learned a lot about the Ecuadorian medical system, gained a bunch of new medical words in Spanish, and got to know many of the doctors and nurses at the university clinic.  I’m now at the point where I can walk into the clinic by myself instead of having to be pushed in a wheelchair, but everyone says, “hola,” and asks how I’m doing.  I’ve been told getting sick here is a “cultural experience,” but I still really hope I don’t have to go through that again.
• Saturday – Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!  I wore green today and told my family stories about Saint Patrick and the traditions we have with Saint Patrick’s Day in the United States, especially in my (very Irish) family.  Éirinn go Brách!  Ireland be Saved!

Random Notes:

• If you’re in the University of Illinois program and have María as a program director, you should know that she’s amazing at getting things done.  When I needed to go to the clinic and have attention right away, she always got it for me.  She helped me understand what the doctor said and just made sure I was taken care of as soon as possible.  In addition, if you need a ride to the clinic or the hospital, she has a car and will either pick you up herself or send her son to come get you (he’s very nice and, like María, speaks English quite well).
• Saint Patrick’s Day is really only celebrated by gringos and a few Irish-American-themed bars and restaurants here.  This does not mean you shouldn’t wear green and wish people a Happy Saint Patrick’s Day.
• People don’t drink cold beverages in the Ecuadorian Sierra, just on the Coast.  So, if you want something cold, you’ll need to put it in the refrigerator yourself to prove to your family that, when you say you’d like something cold, you’re not kidding!
• Being sick is really hard in a foreign country, but trust me, you’ll get through it.  Yes, you’ll be homesick (most people are when they’re sick) and, yes, you’ll discover everything about the local culture that drives you crazy that you didn’t really notice when you were well, but trust me, you’ll get through it.  Just keep going to the doctor and believing that you’ll get better.  Keep talking to friends who understand what you’re going through (either because they’ve been sick, too, or just because they’re from your culture) and just, well, keep going.  You will get better.  You’ll see.

Otavalo

I must say, the artisan market in Otavalo is really a site to see!  I feel like I learned so much about local culture just by shopping around the largest artisan market in South America.  I learned how to bargain (though I certainly have a lot to improve on in that area) and I re-learned what to do and what not to do in crowded places in Ecuador (hide money all over your body, keep your hands in front of you, etc.).  The indigenous cultures in this country are beautifully vibrant and that’s especially apparent in Otavalo.

Highlights from this Week:

• Monday – I took my laptop to school for the first time today.  I got the Internet set up with the WiFi people at the school and discovered two things.  1) Skyping with my parents is fun, especially since they’ve never done it before.  2) Bringing my laptop to school frequently is definitely not worth it considering how slow the connection is.  However, it’s still good to bring it once and a while and realize how much easier it is having your entire life on a computer rather than a flash drive.
• Tuesday – Lauren and I went to tour Lumbisí’s high school this morning.  The campus is lovely and has 600-and-something students, 60 of whom are girls.  It’s a technical school that teaches both “theory” (English, history, etc.) and “practical skills” (mechanics, computer technology, etc.).
• Wednesday – We didn’t have classes today, since it’s a día de desarrollo (Professional Development Day) for the professors at USFQ, so I volunteered.  I started the day at Muñequitos and then went with Kirstie to the Comedor to help serve food.  This was my first time helping at the Comedor, since I can’t usually go because of classes, and it was and whirlwind of serving food, cleaning up, and not getting in the way!
• Thursday – ¡Feliz Día de la Mujer!  Happy International Women’s Day!  You celebrate this special day (March 8) in Ecuador by buying flowers for the special women in your life, so I got my family pretty light-purple flowers.  Apparently, there was also a huge protest today in Quito advocating for the rights of indigenous people.  We were advised to stay away, but I heard it was enormous – so big, in fact, that two of my Anthropology-Major friends couldn’t even find the indigenous people to talk to!  Finally, I helped Carolyn and Zack finish cleaning out their apartment this evening.  I wished Carolyn a Happy Women’s Day and wished Zack the best of luck with everything in his move back to the United States.  There’s no such thing as “goodbye,” only “see you later.”
• Friday – This evening, much to my surprise (especially since I was cooking), we had a total of eight people for dinner.  Tía, Jesus’ daughter and her three children were visiting, so I made manicotti and garlic bread for all of them.  I’m not really sure the children liked it (probably just because it’s different from what they’re used to), but Jesús seemed to like it, so that’s good.
• Saturday – Greetings from Otavalo!  After setting off this morning, our program first went to Cayambe, el Mitad del Mundo (the Middle of the World).  We took lots of pictures of monuments marking 0° latitude and of an enormous sundial that sits on the Equator.  We stopped for bizcochos (biscuits) and queso de hoja (string cheese) in a town known for those things and then went to a lake overlook to see the beautiful views around Lago San Pedro.  Afterward, two young ladies boarded the bus and sang a few songs in Quichua for us on our way to the market in Otavalo.  After shopping around the largest artisan market in South America for a few (way too short) hours, we went to two workshops to learn about the different musical instruments and weavings made there.  The musicians not only showed us how to make a pan flute, but also danced, sang, and played there instruments for us.  We also had a chance to watch someone work on a tapestry and learn about the natural dyes used in the yarn.  We then left town a bit to hike to a nearby waterfall.  We followed a stone path and I felt quite at home among the tall trees and peaceful sounds of the forest.
• Sunday – We went back to the artisan market this morning and, knowing what I was looking for, I was much more successful this time.  Then, we went for a hike near Lake Cotacachi, taking pictures of all the beautiful views from the mountain ridge around the lake.  We also went for a boat ride around the lake and learned about the volcano that formed it.  I would certainly love to come back to Otavalo if I get the chance – the artisan market really is something to see!

Random Notes:

• Relatively few people from Lumbisí go to high school compared to people in the United States.  Most people graduate from elementary school, but things like work and costs of schooling prevent many from continuing their education.  It’s even more rare to find people who go to college, but that number, along with those attending high school, is rapidly increasing as people realize the importance of education and actually have the time and resources to send their children to better schools.
• The pineapple here is amazing.  I could probably eat a whole one in one sitting if the fruit itself wasn’t so acidic.  There are two names for a pineapple based on how ripe it is.  If it’s yellow it’s called, “hawaiana”, and is sweeter than any pineapple you could find in the mainland U.S.  If it’s white, it’s called some other word that no one can seem to remember.
• There is no sense of urgency in Ecuadorian culture.  Fortunately, if the one shower in your house breaks and no one seems in a particular rush to fix it, there are showers at the school.  They’re in the Coliseo, in the locker rooms.  Just follow the path around to the other side of the lake from where you come in the main gate and enter the building from that side.  On your immediate left once you walk through the door are the entrances to the locker rooms.  You have to wait a while for hot water, but the showers are usually quite nice and clean (though, of course, I would still wear shower shoes if I were you).
• When baking, remember the oven rack should not go on the bottom shelf, no matter what your host mother tells you.  It goes on the middle shelf, just like at home in the U.S.
• If you go to Otavalo (to paraphrase a quote from a friend who went there before me), don’t bring lots of money because you don’t want it to get stolen, but do bring lots of money because you’ll want to buy everything!  I took $200 with me (in cash, of course), which was about perfect, at least for me (I was planning on buying a lot at the artisan market).  Wear a money belt for some of the money you carry and hide bills all over your body, if you can (in shoes, in socks, in your bra if you’re a girl, in your underwear line, etc.).  These are just a few tricks to keep large amounts of money from being stolen, though I definitely wouldn’t recommend carrying lots of cash with you if you don’t have to.
• In the artisan market, it is appropriate (and highly recommended) that you bargain with the stand owners to lower prices.  Many of them will give you “gringo prices,” which are always way higher than the prices they would give to Ecuadorians.  As soon as they realize you speak at least some Spanish, most will significantly lower the prices of their items if you work with them on it.  I’m not particularly good at bargaining, but I would probably recommend taking the price down to half (I know that sounds low, but trust me) and slowly working your way up to meet them as low as they’ll take it.  If you’re worried about exactly what to say, don’t.  You’ll figure out what to say just from listening to other people bargain, but honestly, you could just name numbers and that would be sufficient.  I would usually ask, “¿Cuánto cuesta esto?” and point to something for sale.  They would give me a price, I would pause for 5-10 seconds and look over the thing I was considering buying, and say, “Pienso que puedo pagar $_,” or pause only for a moment and then say, “Sólo puedo pagar $_,” if I really didn’t have a lot of money left.  Just don’t make the same mistake I kept making over and over again – always start with a price lower than the one you want, then work your way up to meet them part way.

No Such Thing as "Goodbye"

It’s the middle of the semester – no one’s supposed to be leaving yet.  So why does Zack have to leave now?  Why does the guy who makes our program awesome and who made us feel at home in Lumbisí when we first arrived in Ecuador have to leave now?  I guess I shouldn’t be complaining, though – he’s from State College, so I’ll probably have a chance (or, hopefully, many chances) to see him again.  And I’d have a hard time believing he’ll never come back to Ecuador – Lumbisí is his home now, too.  I guess there’s no such thing as “goodbye,” only “see you later.”  Zack, May the road rise up to meet you.  May the wind be always at your back, The Sun shine Warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields.  And until we meet again (which I hope will be soon), May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Highlights from this Week:

• Monday – This afternoon, I started salsa lessons.  A group of us have been trying to get together for lessons for a while, but it hasn’t been working, so I finally just went and it’s so much fun!  It’s definitely different than dancing I’ve done before, but even after just this class, I feel like I’ve learned a lot and I’ll be so much more confident at dances in Lumbisí or wherever!
• Tuesday – Happy Birthday, Allison!  We celebrated our friend’s 20^th Birthday at her house with pizza and cake and singing and lots of visiting.
• Wednesday – Happy Leap Day!  Kind of fun having an extra day in Ecuador…
• Thursday – Happy March!  This afternoon, I went with Paige to SuperMaxi to buy ingredients to make things for Zack’s (surprise) fiesta and who did we run into?  Zack!  As soon as we realized he was there, we kind of made up stories about why we were carrying cake mix and stuff to make fruit punch and just kind of went with it when he came over to say “hi.”  Of course, it was lovely to see him…and we laughed quite a bit later…oh, coincidences…
• Friday – In the middle of my conversation with Javi, someone came over and interviewed me about why I chose to come to Ecuador.  I mentioned falling in love with the program and things I love about the country.  After classes, I went to María’s house to celebrate Allison’s Birthday with everyone in our program.  Later, in Lumbisí, we had a party for Zack, since he’ll be returning to the United States soon.  Everyone’s so sad he’s leaving, but we stayed mostly happy for the evening eating and dancing together.  Many people said nice things about Zack and all he’s done for the community and wished him well in all his future endeavors.  Carolyn also presented him with a quilt made by the families of Lumbisí.  At one point, Carolyn and Zack were dancing together and we all formed a circle and danced around them, which was wonderful.  We’re going to miss him so much…
• Saturday – I met up with Paige this afternoon and we walked around Lumbisí and took pictures of the area.  This really is a beautiful community.
• Sunday – Daniel, Paige, Tara, and I went to the annual Inauguration of Lumbisí’s fútbol field.  All the teams paraded across the field and the “Reinas de Deporte” and the best-uniformed teams were chosen.  A band played and the whole street leading to the field was bustling with people enjoying the festivities.  This evening, I talked with Zack about Lumbisí and how he got here.  Technically, it was for an anthropology project, but it hardly seemed like that because it was all so wonderful and interesting.  “I could talk about Lumbisí all night.”  “That’s the problem – so could I…”

Random Notes:

• Ecuadorians can’t keep secrets or, at least, lumbiseños can’t…not like Americans can, either…  Our party for Zack was supposed to be a surprise, but by the time the party happened he, of course, knew almost everything about it.
• Moras (blackberries) are sold with the tops still on them, like with strawberries.  This makes them take much longer to prepare than blackberries do in the United States.  However, it also makes them much less expensive.
• If you are the guest of honor at a gathering, prepare to be served way more food than you could possibly eat.
• Apparently, Ecuadorians don’t cry in public.  I don’t even know how that’s possible, but I guess it’s a cultural thing.  I also appreciate that lumbiseños understand that gringos most certainly do cry anytime they’re really sad or someone else is crying, in public or not.
• There are no fiestas without dancing.  And the music is usually very loud and carries on late into the night.
• Having a friend who speaks Spanish really well helps a lot, especially when dealing with Ecuadorian men who don’t understand that you do, in fact, speak Spanish.  Heads up, Ladies, it’s perfectly normal for men to compliment you at random.  Don’t be offended – they don’t mean anything by it, it’s just what they do here.  For example, they may call you Princesa, Preciosa, Niña, Linda, or a number of other harmless things.
• Dogs are allowed just about anywhere and tend to go anywhere they please, including into the school or the church.
• Bring slippers.  Ecuadorians don’t usually walk around the house in bare feet or even just in socks.  In fact, they usually walk around in shoes, but who wants to do that all the time?
• Ecuadorian women can carry an amazing amount of weight on their backs.  Several times, now, I have gone with my host mother to cut grass for the cuy (guinea pigs) and pick corn for the chickens and it still amazes me how much she can carry on her back.  Following her home, I feel like I’m walking after a giant bush!
• I’m really going to miss Zack…