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…

Salasaca

Something I’ve noticed about the culture here, especially in the indigenous communities, is that there’s always an underlying emphasis on the importance of coming back.  Whenever I go to Muñequitos, even though they’ve seen me every Wednesday for a while and know that I only come on Wednesdays, they always end the day with, “Hasta mañana”.  When I went to Salasaca, the feeling was the same – our guide mentioned several times that he was always available to help whoever might want to do an anthropology project on the community or come back for any reason at all.  Most importantly, he just hoped everyone would come back someday.  I think that’s important to the people in the communities here – not just that you come once, but that you come back…

Highlights from this Week:

• Wednesday – Today is Ash Wednesday, so my family and I went to Mass and we were blessed with ashes, just like in the United States.
• Friday – Greetings from Salasaca!  Naomi and I came with our Antropología class to this indigenous community for the weekend to learn about the culture here.  We watched a demonstration of how yarn is made and got to try carding wool and spinning hilo (thread or yarn).  We also went to our guide’s house to watch his brother-in-law weave on a special loom that wrapped the whole way around his body, which looked really challenging and neat.

• Saturday – We went for a walk this morning to various religious sites around Salasaca.  All the sites had holes dug in the ground, so people could receive energy from the Pachamama (Mother Earth).  Two of the sites also had crosses either made of stone or carved into stone and one was surrounded by aloe.  Seeing how the people of the community combined Christianity and the indigenous religion was very interesting.  We also went on a walk around the hostel to see a number of the gorgeous views in the area.  There were deep canyons and long rivers and everything looked like a painting.  We even got to see three nearby volcanoes: Cotopaxi, Chimborazo, and Tungurahua.  Our guide, Alonso, said we were blessed by the Apus (mountain gods) to see all three mountains in one day.  After dinner, a group of musicians from the community performed traditional music for us.  We clapped along and danced around the fire and enjoyed a perfect end to an awesome day.
• Sunday – After another wonderful Salasaca breakfast, we said “thank you” to the family in whose hostel we stayed and then headed home.

Random Notes:

• Occasionally (very rarely, but occasionally), you will run into problems with people switching out products in bottles for lesser quality ones.  For example, I have been liberally applying sunscreen for the last week and a half and seem to continue burning.  It never even occurred to me that someone might have switched my sunscreen for basic lotion until my professor, who came with us on our Salasaca trip, suggested that might be the case.  So, if you are applying lots of sunscreen and still burning, it’s not you – just go buy more sunscreen (preferably from a supermarket and a different brand than the one you just tried).
• Sábila (aloe) can be used to help heal burns, including sunburns.  Especially if your burns hurt or itch like crazy, I would highly recommend it.  Just get a leaf of sábila, peel it (you may need a knife), and rub the wet, slightly sticky inside of the leaf over your burns.  Ahh, so much better!
• The word for “Lent” is “Cuaresma”.
• Take every opportunity you get to learn a few Quichua words while you’re here.  It’s a really neat language and many of the words work their way into mainstream Spanish here.
• As I’ve mentioned, there is such a thing as a “perfect taxi.”  However, if you want to be really safe, just call Pato.  Pato is one of the host dads in Lumbisí and, even if he can’t come get you, he’ll send his son or one of his brothers to come get you.  (Many of the men in the family are taxi drivers.)  They also charge fair prices and don’t mind driving late at night or early in the morning and are just glad you have a safe ride home.

¡Feliz Carnaval!

Happy Carnaval, Everyone!  Carnaval here is, more or less, Mardi Gras, only way more awesome than it is in most of the United States.  Pretty much everyone here goes on vacation – the cities are deserted and the beaches are crowded.  The majority of the people in my program went to Atacames for the long weekend.  We stayed at a delightful hostel a hop, skip, and a jump from the beach and spent our days playing in the water, lounging on the sand, and walking along the shore collecting shells.  Our nights were generally spent walking around the town near the beach getting into espuma battles with whoever tried to spray us.  During Carnaval, carrying a can of espuma around with you is almost a requirement.  Everyone participates and no one avoids being covered with water, espuma, and all manner of other things.  We had a wonderful time relaxing, exploring, and just being together.  This is a completely awesome holiday and we need to have this in the United States!

Highlights from this Week:

• Monday – I talked with María about volunteering and a few things I should or could do in the future.  I’m especially excited about a few ideas for working with FEVI because it sounds like we have lots of stuff to do to help the community in Lumbisí.  Javi, Kirstie, Tara, and I taught our first English class for jóvenes (teens) this afternoon.  We pretty much talked about and taught whatever the kids wanted to learn and they were wonderfully (and somewhat surprisingly, at least to me) enthusiastic and happily worked with us on vocabulary, pronunciation, and whatever else we were doing.
• Tuesday – ¡Feliz Día del Amor y la Amistad!  Happy Valentine’s Day!  We pretty much celebrated all day by learning about the history of Saint Valentine in my conversation class, celebrating with our Study Abroad program at Corfú (an ice cream shop near the school), making Valentines during our first EFL (English as a Foreign Language) class for niños (children), and giving out lots of Valentines.  Also, we celebrated Danielle’s Birthday as part of our gathering at Corfú.  Today was just a wonderful day of friendship!
• Wednesday – When I volunteered at Muñequitos this morning, I was surprised at the quantity of tears shed.  I guess it’s just not a good day to be 3- or 4-years old…  Or, maybe, we just need to work on our spatial awareness and not walk in front of the swings…I guess children this age tend to do that…
• Thursday – I met my USFQ Conversation Club partner, Javi, today.  He is very nice and his English is at about the same level as my Spanish, so I felt quite comfortable talking with him.  He even taught me a few words in Quichua, which was so neat!  He seems nice and I think I’ll enjoy talking with him throughout the semester.
• Saturday – Greetings from Atacames!  We got here early this morning and pretty much just crashed as soon as we arrived.  Later, we went swimming in the ocean and Kirstie and I walked along the beach collecting shells.  We also explored the town a bit to find useful locations, like the bank (definitely good to know where there’s a reliable ATM).  We watched the Sun set on the beach and walked through the streets a bit, listening to the constant popular music playing from all the shops and bars.
• Sunday – Paige and I went to find the bank again this morning and I was delighted to learn, upon arriving at 8:20 at the church right next to the bank, that Mass was at 8:30, so we went to that.  We spent most of the day hanging out at the beach and just relaxing.  There seems to be an increasing number of people spraying each other (and us) with water and foam…hmm…must be Carnaval!  We also celebrated Danielle’s 21^st Birthday (we celebrated earlier in the week, but this is her real Birthday) by going to dinner, presenting her with a mini tres leches cake, singing Happy Birthday, and going to a bar for her first U.S. official drink.  We listened to music, played cards, and danced, and just thoroughly enjoyed the day.
• Monday – All four of the people in our room in the hostel slept in until 9:30, which doesn’t seem like breaking news, except that’s the longest I’ve slept in since I got to Ecuador.  I walked along the beach shore with Paige and played in the waves with Carolyn, Zack, and Tara.  We walked around town getting in espuma battles with whoever had a can or water gun and wanted to play.  Upon returning to the hostel, we attacked each other with whatever espuma we had left and ended up taking pictures of each other covered in espuma.
• Tuesday – We wished Yolanda, the owner of our hostel, well and went to the bus stop for our long ride home.  This was a fantastic weekend.  ¡Feliz Carnaval!

Random Notes:

• Join the USFQ Conversation Club.  It’s a great way to make Ecuadorian friends, practice your Spanish, and become more culturally aware.  Many people who’ve been in this program before stay friends with their conversation partners long after the semester is over so, if you have time (which you really should), do it!  The people in charge of it will send you an email asking if you want to sign up, so no need to freak out trying to find it.  They tend to send emails about a lot of clubs, especially the ones international students really care about.
• Batidos are, basically, really good smoothies with some of the best fruit you’ve tasted in your life.  They’re made with fruit, milk, ice, vanilla, and I have no idea what else, but they’re really good.  If you want particularly good ones in Atacames, I would recommend Café Tío Julio.
• Assuming you’ve been in the country long enough to not instantly get sick from the street food (I would wait at least a month), try the fruit they sell on the beach.  Again, it’s some of the best you’ve ever had.
• If you’re looking for a hostel in Atacames, try the Chill Inn.  It’s a very nice hostel and the lady in charge, Yolanda, is so nice and really wants to make your stay pleasant.
• During Carnaval, espuma (foam) is an absolute necessity.  You will be sprayed many times, so don’t wear clothes that are too nice and do have tons of fun spraying them back!
• Never go anywhere alone, partially for safety reasons and mostly just because friends make everything more fun.

Papallacta

Today, our program went to Papallacta, which isn’t too far from where we live.  Although we didn’t really explore the town, we learned a lot about the landscape, which is one of the most important ecosystems in Ecuador.  That system is the páramo, a high-mountain terrain covered in short plants and grasses that hold water well.  Papallacta is a beautiful area known for this landscape and its hot springs.

Highlights from this Week:

• Monday – At Penn State, we have a very important weekend during the Spring semester called THON weekend.  THON is a 46-hour no-sitting no-sleeping dance marathon to raise money to help families with kids with cancer.  Today, I went to the post office to send a few of the dancers cards, which they will (hopefully) receive during the dance marathon to encourage them to keep going and keep dancing For The Kids.
• Tuesday – I got a package from my family today.  Just like at college, getting packages here is like Christmas!
• Wednesday – I had my first big Ecuadorian test today.  Usually, I do pretty well with tests, but this one was a little intimidating.  Some of the questions seemed a bit vague and I don’t know that I did particularly well, but like everything else here, it’s an experience.
• Thursday – We did an activity in anthropology that involved trying to explain the Quichua religion, which seems complicated, but really neat.  After doing that, I actually really want to learn Quichua now.  When I got home from classes, I found that no one was home, so I started making dinner.  I have no idea if anyone else actually liked what I cooked, but I had a fun time making it.  I always forget how much I enjoy cooking…
• Friday – We read a story for literature called Axolotl, which is about someone who is obsessed with the Mexican salamanders and sort of turns into one, so he can see things from their point of view.  It actually kind of reminded me of what it’s like to be an exchange student, so I enjoyed discussing the story and relating it to experiences we’ve all had here.  After classes, I helped at the venta de ropa (clothing sale) in Lumbisí, which was really fun and a great success – we made over $450 to help the community!
• Saturday – Today, our program went to Papallacta.  We hiked around a lake near the town and admired the beautiful scenery.  Then, we went for a walk through what seemed like a secret garden and enchanted forest to learn about the páramo, one of Ecuador’s most important landscapes, and explore what I believe was a cloud forest.  Afterwards, we went to some nearby hot springs and enjoyed hanging out together and visiting while relaxing in the warm water.  Later that evening, there was a dance in Lumbisí for el Día del Amor y la Amistad (Valentine’s Day) and Carolyn, Zack, Daniel, Lauren, Tara, and I went to that.  Apparently, this was the first time the community put on a dance for Valentine’s Day, so it took a while for people to come, but there was lots of music and dancing and it was a great cultural experience.
• Sunday – We had a minga in the organic garden and a group of us were there to help with that.  We put up most of the poles for the greenhouse and we just need to do a little bit more to finish it!

Random Notes:

• Baking soda is illegal in Ecuador.  Apparently, you can use it to make drugs.  At least, that’s what the very nice and understanding man at the market told me when I asked where I could find it.
• If you don’t know how to light a match, learn before you come.  This includes “safety” matches.  The stoves here use gas, but you need to use a match to light them.  I have enough trouble with regular matches, let alone safety matches.  Learn how to light a match.
• Half a dozen eggs cost $0.72 at the panadería.
• People social kiss here.  “Social kiss” means (roughly) put your right hand on their left shoulder, move like you’re going to actually kiss them on the cheek, but instead just touch your right cheek to their right cheek (sometimes, they don’t actually touch, though it certainly wouldn’t be considered rude or awkward either way).  Girls “kiss” girls and boys and girls “kiss.”  Boys shake hands with other boys.  These rules also apply when you are first meeting someone (though usually, boys and girls don’t “kiss” upon first meeting), though many Ecuadorians know Americans tend to shake hands when meeting someone, so they won’t feel awkward if you do (or try to do) something different.  Just go with the flow and try to do whatever they’re doing.
• Vendors tend to hop onto the buses at random to sell things.  Although what they’re selling usually sounds delicious, remember, no street food for the first few weeks (and only limited street food after that).
• Ecuadorians have cédulas de identidad, which are identity cards.  You do not have a cédula de identidad, but you do have a passport.  This means that many people helping you do many different things are going to want to know your passport number, so I highly recommend you have it memorized.
• You’ll hear this a million times, but make sure you get a cultural exchange visa, not a student or a tourist visa.  I hear getting them changed is a pain…  (Did I mention the government likes to makes its processes really difficult?)
• Having some basic “handyman” skills before you come would also be really useful, especially for fixing things in the house or helping with volunteering.  For example, if there isn’t enough water to flush the toilet, what do you do?  Put water in the tank (not in the bowl).  You might want to be able to use simple tools, too – you can be a huge help if you can accurately hammer a nail into a piece of wood.
• Speaking of toilets, you don’t put the toilet paper in the toilet here, since the water pressure’s rather low and you could clog the pipes.  There’s always a wastebasket next to the toilet and you put toilet paper there, instead.  Also, the word for toilet (the thing, not the room) is inodoro, not toileta.
• If you forget to pay the electricity bill, the power will go out.  Unlike in the United States, the people who turn your electricity back on only work until 5:00, so make sure you remember to pay the bill!
• Lots of professors will let exchange students use Spanish-English dictionaries during tests, so make sure you bring one with you to class.
• Neighbors often call each other veci, which is short for vecino (neighbor).