¡Feliz Navidad!
We have been preparing for Christmas here and I love it! One thing I was a little disappointed about was on Guadete Sunday here (the third Sunday of Advent) the priest does not wear pink vestments … that’s always one of my favorite parts of this season; remembering this is the joyful Sunday because the birth of Jesus is almost here! We came home from a weekend trip to Otavalo to a very festive, Christmasy house: a nativity set up in the chapel, our doors decorated like giant presents and other little ornaments here and there! It’s fantastic and makes me want to sing Christmas carols and drive around looking at Christmas lights! We have also been singing Christmas carols with the kids.
In Otavalo we had a great time enjoying the indigenous market; we were really fortunate to arrive on Saturday when the whole town basically becomes a giant street market and all the surrounding indigenous people come to sell their unique products. There was everything from alpaca sweaters, to jewelry, pottery, purses, toys and lots of traditional foods. After bargaining with the locals to get some good deals, we ventured on to the nearby village of Peguche. This indigenous village is known for its weaving and we walked through a couple of weaving shops, although no one was inside (a little creepy, we let ourselves in and looked at all the wall hangings etc., walked through the workshop/house even though we didn’t see anyone). Next we hiked up to the Cascada de Peguche (waterfall) and enjoyed a beautiful view of the mountains and pueblo. We came back to the town to the sound of fireworks and discovered a celebration for the completion of the local church. The next day we got an early start with 6:30 a.m. Mass in the beautiful Cathedral and then caught the bus to nearby Cotacachi. From here we traveled to Laguna Cuicocha (Guinea Pig Lake), so named for the island in the middle that apparently resembles the backs of two guinea pigs (it just sort of looked like two mounds to us!). The landscape was well worth it, and we hiked up a ways to get the view of the lake and surrounding countryside before taking a boat ride around the little island. We got a brief history lesson from our boat driver about how the lake is formed in a volcanic crater and saw where there were still gases coming up from underneath. Very informative! We decided to make an afternoon trek to see Parque Condor, a local wildlife refuge for rescued eagles, condors and other birds. This proved to be a bit more than we bargained for because we were on a time crunch to catch the bus back. We ended up arriving (after a 5K uphill country road hike) just in time for the flight demonstration. It was worth it! I even got to hold one of the smaller birds, with a leather glove of course! All in all, another great weekend, exploring a new place and getting to know a little more of this small but beautiful country. One thing that really struck us about the villages we visited were the people. They were so friendly, willing to help and really seemed pleased we had come to learn a little more about their culture and way of life. It was really beautiful to see such a strong tie to tradition, family and the heritage of the indigenous people. There were so many sights we wanted to capture on film, but couldn’t. The woman carrying her crops on her back that were almost longer than she was tall walking barefoot down the dirt road, the many shepherds almost lost among their sheep and cattle in the vast green fields, the long braids of all the men in the community and the children playing and chasing each other down the paths in between the fields. There’s just such a simplicity about their lifestyle, its wonderful to experience and be able to realize people still really do live like this.
On Wednesday began the novena (nine days of prayer) before Christmas. Here this is an awesome tradition where the community gathers and has a prayer/ catechism service each night to reflect on the birth of our Lord. They also have a tradition called the Posadas. During the posada the group processes from house to house asking to be allowed to stay in each posada (inn) at pre-chosen houses in the community and singing Christmas carols. At each house there is a brief reflection and meditation on some part of the nativity: Mary and Joseph, the journey, following the star etc. At the final stop, usually the church, when the posada song is sung, the people inside sing the last verse replying that they will allow Mary and Joseph to stay.
This weekend we had the school Christmas fiesta which began with a procession from the school about 10 blocks to the church. It was a traditional posada and we had incredible participation from the children and families. We ended with a program at the church and all of the kids dancing! They are really into dancing here, and I love it! The parents and children were dressed in amazing costumes: animal, shepherds, kings, angels and of course Mary and Joseph. It’s incredible to see the devotion and traditions of Ecuador celebrating the coming of our Lord. How incredible it is to reflect that He chose to become human like us, born of such a humble birth, to give us an example of how to live and ultimately to die for our sins. How beautiful is this time of advent that we can prepare our hearts for Jesus’ taking on our humanity and coming in the most unlikely way; I pray that you can prepare your hearts and minds to truly appreciate this sacrifice and that you can humbly come before our Lord this Christmas, with the simplicity, dependence and trust of a child, the same way He chose to come to us.
May you experience the peace and joy of the coming of Christ in your heart this Christmas and always,
April
Monday, December 21, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
¡Viva Quito!
Mis queridos amigos y familia,
This past week we have been celebrating the Fiestas de Quito, the celebration of the founding of the city by the Spanish each Dec. 6th. Yes, I said week, here they celebrate the entire week before! We were invited Friday night to check out the sites in the city by the priests who live in our neighborhood. :) We went for a drive through Colonial Quito and were amazed at all the people out (there isn’t really a night life here, because it gets so chilly at night people stay in!). We walked around the center of the city and through La Ronda, the historic neighborhood with lots of coffee shops, bars and artsy stores. We enjoyed some caliente canelazo (sugar cane alcohol that comes in assorted fruit flavors) with the Fathers and taking in all the festivities. On Saturday we went with Hermanita Alex to watch a grand parade. It was full of color, bright costumes, bands, traditional music and dancing. They have a lot of bells in their marching bands which looked really heavy, but sounded awesome, and all the girls marching were wearing these ridiculously tall boots with their short skirts… How Uncomfy! There were also a lot of people on stilts (really impressive since I can barely walk without tripping in the stone streets) and many, many reinas including the queen of Quito. I loved seeing our friends from the barrio dancing in the parade and afterwards we watched them perform at a small music and dance festival! The next day we returned to see more bands and dancing in the plazas around town and attend mass at Santa Catalina the cloistered convent we toured. It was beautiful to hear the sisters voices singing, even though we couldn’t see them. We also happened upon the Museo de La Ciudad which was open, and museums in general are never open on the weekends! What a great find! We learned all about Quito through the years and also saw a temporary contemporary art exhibit. My favorite work was the pile of leaves Nicole almost stepped on in the middle of the floor. It was just a giant pile that the artist had laid in and left the imprint of his body. It reminded me of a snow angel. haha What is considered art still baffles me sometimes, but it was very interesting! As we were walking through the streets we kept hearing loud music and thinking it was another parade, but found out it was just another chiva. These open “party buses” have their own live bands playing on the top deck. Awesome! During the week we didn’t get to do too much with our school schedule, but we did enjoy a school fiesta on Friday. Many of the kids came dressed in their finest, or costumes. My class did a reenactment of the legend of Cataluña. This indigenous builder was contracted to build the convent and church of San Francisco (the largest in the city) and wasn’t going to finish on time. So, he made a deal to sell his soul to the devil if he would help finish the church. However, the night before the deadline, Cataluña removed one stone from the church, meaning the church was never “finished” and thus saved his soul. The kids were fantastic and very dramatic! We spent the weekend in the city watching spontaneous parades, dancing, concerts, and visiting museums. We saw the huge monastery and art museum of Santo Domingo, the museum of the house of Maria Augusta Urrutia (a VERY wealthy philanthropist), and a fabulous historical wax museum telling a lot of the political history of the country. Each night there were huge street dances and parties all over the city and even in our small barrio. I couldn’t believe how many people came out to celebrate that lived in our neighborhood alone! ¡Viva Quito!
I have also been learning about their advent traditions here. One thing that is different is on the advent wreath there are 4 different colored candles: purple, green, red, and blue. They signify penitence and preparation, hope, the martyrs, and Mary. I thought it was really interesting because we just have the two: purple and pink, to signify the time of preparation and hope and the joy of the coming of Christ. I’m getting very excited, I love this season and the spirit of giving and joy that comes with it! There are lots of windows with trees and lights going up all around - not as grandiose because people don’t really have houses or yards to decorate, but still beautiful.
I pray you can experience peace in your heart this Advent season and truly prepare for the birth of Jesus.
Un abrazo fuerte,
April
This past week we have been celebrating the Fiestas de Quito, the celebration of the founding of the city by the Spanish each Dec. 6th. Yes, I said week, here they celebrate the entire week before! We were invited Friday night to check out the sites in the city by the priests who live in our neighborhood. :) We went for a drive through Colonial Quito and were amazed at all the people out (there isn’t really a night life here, because it gets so chilly at night people stay in!). We walked around the center of the city and through La Ronda, the historic neighborhood with lots of coffee shops, bars and artsy stores. We enjoyed some caliente canelazo (sugar cane alcohol that comes in assorted fruit flavors) with the Fathers and taking in all the festivities. On Saturday we went with Hermanita Alex to watch a grand parade. It was full of color, bright costumes, bands, traditional music and dancing. They have a lot of bells in their marching bands which looked really heavy, but sounded awesome, and all the girls marching were wearing these ridiculously tall boots with their short skirts… How Uncomfy! There were also a lot of people on stilts (really impressive since I can barely walk without tripping in the stone streets) and many, many reinas including the queen of Quito. I loved seeing our friends from the barrio dancing in the parade and afterwards we watched them perform at a small music and dance festival! The next day we returned to see more bands and dancing in the plazas around town and attend mass at Santa Catalina the cloistered convent we toured. It was beautiful to hear the sisters voices singing, even though we couldn’t see them. We also happened upon the Museo de La Ciudad which was open, and museums in general are never open on the weekends! What a great find! We learned all about Quito through the years and also saw a temporary contemporary art exhibit. My favorite work was the pile of leaves Nicole almost stepped on in the middle of the floor. It was just a giant pile that the artist had laid in and left the imprint of his body. It reminded me of a snow angel. haha What is considered art still baffles me sometimes, but it was very interesting! As we were walking through the streets we kept hearing loud music and thinking it was another parade, but found out it was just another chiva. These open “party buses” have their own live bands playing on the top deck. Awesome! During the week we didn’t get to do too much with our school schedule, but we did enjoy a school fiesta on Friday. Many of the kids came dressed in their finest, or costumes. My class did a reenactment of the legend of Cataluña. This indigenous builder was contracted to build the convent and church of San Francisco (the largest in the city) and wasn’t going to finish on time. So, he made a deal to sell his soul to the devil if he would help finish the church. However, the night before the deadline, Cataluña removed one stone from the church, meaning the church was never “finished” and thus saved his soul. The kids were fantastic and very dramatic! We spent the weekend in the city watching spontaneous parades, dancing, concerts, and visiting museums. We saw the huge monastery and art museum of Santo Domingo, the museum of the house of Maria Augusta Urrutia (a VERY wealthy philanthropist), and a fabulous historical wax museum telling a lot of the political history of the country. Each night there were huge street dances and parties all over the city and even in our small barrio. I couldn’t believe how many people came out to celebrate that lived in our neighborhood alone! ¡Viva Quito!
I have also been learning about their advent traditions here. One thing that is different is on the advent wreath there are 4 different colored candles: purple, green, red, and blue. They signify penitence and preparation, hope, the martyrs, and Mary. I thought it was really interesting because we just have the two: purple and pink, to signify the time of preparation and hope and the joy of the coming of Christ. I’m getting very excited, I love this season and the spirit of giving and joy that comes with it! There are lots of windows with trees and lights going up all around - not as grandiose because people don’t really have houses or yards to decorate, but still beautiful.
I pray you can experience peace in your heart this Advent season and truly prepare for the birth of Jesus.
Un abrazo fuerte,
April
Monday, November 23, 2009
La Finca, Ballet and Mindo
¡Hola a todos! ¿Como le va?
As those of you who’ve lived abroad can attest, every day in another country is a new adventure full of its own challenges and surprises. Last weekend one of the teachers at our school, Mayra, invited us to visit her family. We didn’t have plans, and want to see as much of the country as possible so we went with her to nearby Quevado (about a 5 hour bus ride). We arrived at 2 a.m. and stayed the first night with her sister’s family in town. The next morning we went to the city center where an awesome market is set up all the time. Here we bought some fresh fruit, fresh chicken, flowers, birthday cake and everything we would need for the weekend. We continued on to the family finca (ranch) about an hour away, with 7 of us in the back of the single cab pickup. It was an incredible journey, full of orchards and farms along the way. Mayra’s husband was great and explained to us the many different fruit trees and plants and their uses. When we arrived at the farm we pulled onto a dirt path that wound through the orchard to get to the house. There were several aunts and uncles who lived within 100 yds. It was so amazing to see the simple lifestyle. We also got in on quite a tradition, the whole family gathered for the weekend to celebrate the birthday of her deceased father. There was an altar set up in the middle of the living room with a picture of him, flowers and candles burning the entire weekend. In the afternoon we drove to a nearby field, (fútbol field, but also literally a field) to watch a soccer game. It was great to be surrounded by the community who turned up just to spend the afternoon watching the local teams play. Then we continued into Guayas, the town about 10 min. from the farm to “bathe” in the river. We just waded and swam/played in the water, but other people were actually washing clothes and bathing here. Mayra kept joking that it was “sacred” water because the President stayed here for a few weeks and actually did bathe in the river. I thought that was a pretty cool show of solidarity with the people, can you imagine our President bathing in the river? :) Many of the houses in the country are very simple and do not have running water (where we stayed included). We washed the dishes with water from a bucket and the water just ran outside, but we did have an outhouse and we just used a hose to bathe outside, thank goodness its warm on the coast! We returned home to prepare for the night, all the family was coming for a rosary and celebration of the life of her father. It was really fascinating, we said the rosary at the time he passed away and then ate a full 3 course meal at 10:30p.m. The whole extended family stayed the night and (as we found out in the morning) no one else except us and the kids slept. It was quite impressive how many people fit in our little house. The next day we went to the cemetery to light candles and leave flowers on his grave. We had almost 20 people in the truck this time! We went in the finca to pick some mangos since they are in season right now. We enjoyed watching them hit the branches with a large stick to knock down the fruit and then helping retrieve the mangos. We got as many green ones and ripe ones, but they also eat them green with salt. A little bitter but sweet! We went to take pictures in the orchard a bit later and sort of got lost, thankfully someone came looking for us! haha It was just so peaceful and beautiful there. I loved being in the country, it was a nice change for us, from being scared of our own neighborhood here on the outskirts of the city. But by far the best was being surrounded by such a beautiful, loving family. I felt very at home there; we were welcomed into their homes, thanked for sharing this time with them and kept getting asked when we were going to return. They were amazing.
During the week we found out about a local ballet that was going on in the city and spend the evening watching a traditional folkloric ballet. There were 30 bailarinas and a band playing the traditional music. It was very upbeat and fun to watch with all the brightly colored and glittery costumes. We couldn’t take pictures, which was a shame, but totally enjoyed the dances that have been passed down from many of the different indigenous groups. Our favorite was the dance they did with ribbons tied to the top of a pole; they danced around and wove the ribbons down the pole, then reversed the dance and untangled the whole thing. It sort of reminded me of our elementary school May Pole, only much more precise and synchronized! It was super impressive!
This weekend we traveled to Mindo, about a 2 hour bus ride from the city. We had a blast trying out all the touristy activities! We made some friends from India during our ziplining adventure through the cloud forest (it’s a bit more humid there, b/c of all the clouds and rains almost everyday). Our guides were great and allowed us to zip upside down, in the “superwoman” position and we tried the mariposa (butterfly) upside down with your legs in the air! They also pointed out several species of tucans and birds as we hiked to the next platform. (Mindo is known for its birdwatching and many people come here to see the over 6,000 species). We got to zip 12 different lines through the clouds, rain and trees, it was phenomenal! On our way back a friendly local driver offered us a ride into town in the back of his truck (we are just pros at this now!) haha We made friends with the Germans who were also riding along. It was quite a culturally diverse trip for us! We had to choose between tubing and canyoning and decided to try the latter. It was definitely vale la pena (worth it)! We hiked for longer than the descent of the waterfall, but the trekking was great exercise and full of beautiful views. Across the stream and through a pasture we went, along with our Austrian friends, before getting to the forest where the falls are. We followed our guide up a narrow mountain path through the slippery, mossy rocks and trees to get to the cascadas (waterfalls). I decided to go first and try it out! She explained how to descend and then strapped me into my harness, with my rope tied to a tree, I let myself down. The rocks were super slippery; the best part by far, was the middle of the waterfall, where you were getting pelted in the face with the water and just had to keep descending! We wanted to go to the mariposa farm in the afternoon, another thing Mindo is know for, but it was raining and the butterflies were sleeping. Outside the farm there was a little hummingbird reserve. We just stood and watched in amazement as over probably 30 or more hummingbirds zoomed in and out. They move so fast you could here their wings just buzzing and it was almost impossible to get a picture. I’ve never seen so many in one place before. Simply beautiful. Anyone want to come and visit me?! :)
Well now, you’re all caught up on the Ecuadorian Adventures. Until next time,
Dios te bendiga, (God bless you)
April
As those of you who’ve lived abroad can attest, every day in another country is a new adventure full of its own challenges and surprises. Last weekend one of the teachers at our school, Mayra, invited us to visit her family. We didn’t have plans, and want to see as much of the country as possible so we went with her to nearby Quevado (about a 5 hour bus ride). We arrived at 2 a.m. and stayed the first night with her sister’s family in town. The next morning we went to the city center where an awesome market is set up all the time. Here we bought some fresh fruit, fresh chicken, flowers, birthday cake and everything we would need for the weekend. We continued on to the family finca (ranch) about an hour away, with 7 of us in the back of the single cab pickup. It was an incredible journey, full of orchards and farms along the way. Mayra’s husband was great and explained to us the many different fruit trees and plants and their uses. When we arrived at the farm we pulled onto a dirt path that wound through the orchard to get to the house. There were several aunts and uncles who lived within 100 yds. It was so amazing to see the simple lifestyle. We also got in on quite a tradition, the whole family gathered for the weekend to celebrate the birthday of her deceased father. There was an altar set up in the middle of the living room with a picture of him, flowers and candles burning the entire weekend. In the afternoon we drove to a nearby field, (fútbol field, but also literally a field) to watch a soccer game. It was great to be surrounded by the community who turned up just to spend the afternoon watching the local teams play. Then we continued into Guayas, the town about 10 min. from the farm to “bathe” in the river. We just waded and swam/played in the water, but other people were actually washing clothes and bathing here. Mayra kept joking that it was “sacred” water because the President stayed here for a few weeks and actually did bathe in the river. I thought that was a pretty cool show of solidarity with the people, can you imagine our President bathing in the river? :) Many of the houses in the country are very simple and do not have running water (where we stayed included). We washed the dishes with water from a bucket and the water just ran outside, but we did have an outhouse and we just used a hose to bathe outside, thank goodness its warm on the coast! We returned home to prepare for the night, all the family was coming for a rosary and celebration of the life of her father. It was really fascinating, we said the rosary at the time he passed away and then ate a full 3 course meal at 10:30p.m. The whole extended family stayed the night and (as we found out in the morning) no one else except us and the kids slept. It was quite impressive how many people fit in our little house. The next day we went to the cemetery to light candles and leave flowers on his grave. We had almost 20 people in the truck this time! We went in the finca to pick some mangos since they are in season right now. We enjoyed watching them hit the branches with a large stick to knock down the fruit and then helping retrieve the mangos. We got as many green ones and ripe ones, but they also eat them green with salt. A little bitter but sweet! We went to take pictures in the orchard a bit later and sort of got lost, thankfully someone came looking for us! haha It was just so peaceful and beautiful there. I loved being in the country, it was a nice change for us, from being scared of our own neighborhood here on the outskirts of the city. But by far the best was being surrounded by such a beautiful, loving family. I felt very at home there; we were welcomed into their homes, thanked for sharing this time with them and kept getting asked when we were going to return. They were amazing.
During the week we found out about a local ballet that was going on in the city and spend the evening watching a traditional folkloric ballet. There were 30 bailarinas and a band playing the traditional music. It was very upbeat and fun to watch with all the brightly colored and glittery costumes. We couldn’t take pictures, which was a shame, but totally enjoyed the dances that have been passed down from many of the different indigenous groups. Our favorite was the dance they did with ribbons tied to the top of a pole; they danced around and wove the ribbons down the pole, then reversed the dance and untangled the whole thing. It sort of reminded me of our elementary school May Pole, only much more precise and synchronized! It was super impressive!
This weekend we traveled to Mindo, about a 2 hour bus ride from the city. We had a blast trying out all the touristy activities! We made some friends from India during our ziplining adventure through the cloud forest (it’s a bit more humid there, b/c of all the clouds and rains almost everyday). Our guides were great and allowed us to zip upside down, in the “superwoman” position and we tried the mariposa (butterfly) upside down with your legs in the air! They also pointed out several species of tucans and birds as we hiked to the next platform. (Mindo is known for its birdwatching and many people come here to see the over 6,000 species). We got to zip 12 different lines through the clouds, rain and trees, it was phenomenal! On our way back a friendly local driver offered us a ride into town in the back of his truck (we are just pros at this now!) haha We made friends with the Germans who were also riding along. It was quite a culturally diverse trip for us! We had to choose between tubing and canyoning and decided to try the latter. It was definitely vale la pena (worth it)! We hiked for longer than the descent of the waterfall, but the trekking was great exercise and full of beautiful views. Across the stream and through a pasture we went, along with our Austrian friends, before getting to the forest where the falls are. We followed our guide up a narrow mountain path through the slippery, mossy rocks and trees to get to the cascadas (waterfalls). I decided to go first and try it out! She explained how to descend and then strapped me into my harness, with my rope tied to a tree, I let myself down. The rocks were super slippery; the best part by far, was the middle of the waterfall, where you were getting pelted in the face with the water and just had to keep descending! We wanted to go to the mariposa farm in the afternoon, another thing Mindo is know for, but it was raining and the butterflies were sleeping. Outside the farm there was a little hummingbird reserve. We just stood and watched in amazement as over probably 30 or more hummingbirds zoomed in and out. They move so fast you could here their wings just buzzing and it was almost impossible to get a picture. I’ve never seen so many in one place before. Simply beautiful. Anyone want to come and visit me?! :)
Well now, you’re all caught up on the Ecuadorian Adventures. Until next time,
Dios te bendiga, (God bless you)
April
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Cuenca, Santa Catalina and nuestro barrio
Buenos Días!
It has been another exciting couple of weeks here in Ecuador. We enjoyed another National Holiday to celebrate the independence of the city of Cuenca on Nov. 3. It was especially nice, because we had a 4 day weekend to celebrate el Dia de Difuntos (All Souls Day), in conjunction with the independence day. We took a trip to see the festivities in Cuenca and stayed with the sisters in nearby Zumbahuayco. They run a retreat house about 30 min. from the city, so it was very peaceful, beautiful to be in the country and I loved waking up to see llamas out my window! We had a 2 km trek down a windy dirt road to catch the bus into town, but it was well worth it! We enjoyed the sights in the city: the few museum that were open (during the weekends and feriados most things are closed), seeing the Inca ruins from a distance (also closed haha), many mercados where venders sell art, jewelry, blankets and toys, live music and traditional dancing in the parks and many beautiful churches. We went to mass in the Huge Cathedral on the actual Dia de Difuntos and got to see many people buying flowers and other ornaments to put on the graves of their families and friends. In general, they have a great reverence for the dead and we were excited to get to see the crypt of the Cathedral all decorated with the gifts of the families. It was incredible! We got in on some fireworks to celebrate also, we were about 5 feet from them watching a live dance performance when they set them off! haha A little different from home …
We went to Azogues, a nearby town on our way home to see a few of the sites there and got stuck on the other side of a parade. We tried to cross the street in about 5 different places before people finally let us through, it was a bit of an inconvenience with our huge backpacks … but we made it and got to see another Cathedral and plaza on the other side.
At school we had a small celebration with the kids, which mainly consisted of eating! haha The tradition here is to have Colada Morada (a fruity cider) with Guaguas (bread made in the shape of a child) the colada celebrates the life of the deceased and the guaguas represent new life. The kids loved the treat and I enjoyed learning about the customs.
I started teaching English a few weeks ago to my Kindergartners. It’s a challenge because they can’t read, so we just are working on pronunciation. Which they are actually picking up rather quickly. Thank goodness I don’t have them all at once (we split them for a half hour each group of 14). A few kids have moved up into our level and now we have 28 kids. As you can imagine at 4-5 years old, they don’t have a very long attention span. We are just working on really simple vocabulary for now, sort of following the curriculum they are working on in class. I’m impressed by how well they retain it for the amount of time we spend and how much attention they pay. haha :) Little sponges!
We are diligently trying to see all we can in Quito as it seems every time we go into the city our select museum or place of interest is closed. The weekends are not the best time for tourist activities. We did get to see the Monastery of Santa Catalina (St. Catherine of Sienna) which was incredible. We took the guided tour of the art museum, saw the church from above, climbed the bell tower to see the old city, AND got to see the nuns during the one hour they get to speak a day (they are cloistered so they never leave the convent and actually spend the whole day in silence except 1 hr.). It was really beautiful to witness the simplicity of the life they live and how they choose to serve in this closed community. Next we went to a few more churches because they were open, we feel like when they’re open we have to go because we don’t know if we’ll get another chance! There are so many beautiful, historic churches here, its crazy. In San Sebastian there were many paintings of the founding of the city and historic national events and in the background of each was the Virgin Mary. It was really fascinating to see how intertwined their history and faith is.
Sunday I decided to try to get to know the community a little better so I went with Alex (one of the young sisters who’s a Postulant, just starting the process) to her class for 15-17 year olds. The high schoolers were a nice change and super friendly. Then we walked a few of them home and met their families. In the afternoon I went with another sister, Ale to a college group. These girls were awesome and I was really excited to finally meet some people closer to my age. It’s hard for them to meet with classes and homework, but I’m hoping to get to know them better as the year goes on.
This week I started teaching Ale English, she’s really funny and it’s actually helping me probably more than she knows. Its going better with her than the kids, you know the motivation and being able to read and write helps a little! :) I’m excited to finally be able to feel like I’m using the training I have as a teacher.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Un abrazo grande,
April
P.S. I´m not sure what´s exactly going on, but we keep getting the electricity shut off in the p.m. ... it´s led to some candlelit Masses, some adventures in our house with my rechargable flashlight etc. I know I´m strange but its sort of fun ... except when I plan to use the internet and the electricity is out!
It has been another exciting couple of weeks here in Ecuador. We enjoyed another National Holiday to celebrate the independence of the city of Cuenca on Nov. 3. It was especially nice, because we had a 4 day weekend to celebrate el Dia de Difuntos (All Souls Day), in conjunction with the independence day. We took a trip to see the festivities in Cuenca and stayed with the sisters in nearby Zumbahuayco. They run a retreat house about 30 min. from the city, so it was very peaceful, beautiful to be in the country and I loved waking up to see llamas out my window! We had a 2 km trek down a windy dirt road to catch the bus into town, but it was well worth it! We enjoyed the sights in the city: the few museum that were open (during the weekends and feriados most things are closed), seeing the Inca ruins from a distance (also closed haha), many mercados where venders sell art, jewelry, blankets and toys, live music and traditional dancing in the parks and many beautiful churches. We went to mass in the Huge Cathedral on the actual Dia de Difuntos and got to see many people buying flowers and other ornaments to put on the graves of their families and friends. In general, they have a great reverence for the dead and we were excited to get to see the crypt of the Cathedral all decorated with the gifts of the families. It was incredible! We got in on some fireworks to celebrate also, we were about 5 feet from them watching a live dance performance when they set them off! haha A little different from home …
We went to Azogues, a nearby town on our way home to see a few of the sites there and got stuck on the other side of a parade. We tried to cross the street in about 5 different places before people finally let us through, it was a bit of an inconvenience with our huge backpacks … but we made it and got to see another Cathedral and plaza on the other side.
At school we had a small celebration with the kids, which mainly consisted of eating! haha The tradition here is to have Colada Morada (a fruity cider) with Guaguas (bread made in the shape of a child) the colada celebrates the life of the deceased and the guaguas represent new life. The kids loved the treat and I enjoyed learning about the customs.
I started teaching English a few weeks ago to my Kindergartners. It’s a challenge because they can’t read, so we just are working on pronunciation. Which they are actually picking up rather quickly. Thank goodness I don’t have them all at once (we split them for a half hour each group of 14). A few kids have moved up into our level and now we have 28 kids. As you can imagine at 4-5 years old, they don’t have a very long attention span. We are just working on really simple vocabulary for now, sort of following the curriculum they are working on in class. I’m impressed by how well they retain it for the amount of time we spend and how much attention they pay. haha :) Little sponges!
We are diligently trying to see all we can in Quito as it seems every time we go into the city our select museum or place of interest is closed. The weekends are not the best time for tourist activities. We did get to see the Monastery of Santa Catalina (St. Catherine of Sienna) which was incredible. We took the guided tour of the art museum, saw the church from above, climbed the bell tower to see the old city, AND got to see the nuns during the one hour they get to speak a day (they are cloistered so they never leave the convent and actually spend the whole day in silence except 1 hr.). It was really beautiful to witness the simplicity of the life they live and how they choose to serve in this closed community. Next we went to a few more churches because they were open, we feel like when they’re open we have to go because we don’t know if we’ll get another chance! There are so many beautiful, historic churches here, its crazy. In San Sebastian there were many paintings of the founding of the city and historic national events and in the background of each was the Virgin Mary. It was really fascinating to see how intertwined their history and faith is.
Sunday I decided to try to get to know the community a little better so I went with Alex (one of the young sisters who’s a Postulant, just starting the process) to her class for 15-17 year olds. The high schoolers were a nice change and super friendly. Then we walked a few of them home and met their families. In the afternoon I went with another sister, Ale to a college group. These girls were awesome and I was really excited to finally meet some people closer to my age. It’s hard for them to meet with classes and homework, but I’m hoping to get to know them better as the year goes on.
This week I started teaching Ale English, she’s really funny and it’s actually helping me probably more than she knows. Its going better with her than the kids, you know the motivation and being able to read and write helps a little! :) I’m excited to finally be able to feel like I’m using the training I have as a teacher.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Un abrazo grande,
April
P.S. I´m not sure what´s exactly going on, but we keep getting the electricity shut off in the p.m. ... it´s led to some candlelit Masses, some adventures in our house with my rechargable flashlight etc. I know I´m strange but its sort of fun ... except when I plan to use the internet and the electricity is out!
Monday, October 26, 2009
E.R. Guayasamin and Canoeing
Hello again!
So I feel like every time I write, something really crazy happens right after that I must tell you! Last weekend we went into the city for Mass at La Catedral and once we arrived, we discovered it was an ordination mass for 6 new priests! Crazy and exciting. A little while later, I start feeling ill and we tell the Sisters we’re going outside. After taking the bus back home and a little rest, the sisters were concerned that I didn’t have an appetite and decided that I needed to go to the doctor. I’m thinking, it just started this morning, it hasn’t even had time to do anything, but ok. After taking public transportation across the entire city, we end up in the ER of this clinic and I have to pay $24 just for them to see me, because I’m a foreigner. Once they come to talk to me, they decide I’m dehydrated and put an IV in my wrist. They didn’t really ask me about any allergies, medications, etc. which is a bit concerning, but I was sort of out of it and just exhausted. Two hrs later, they decided I needed a little more and gave me a smaller bag of still more fluids. Then the Dr. came in, said he thought it was an intestinal infection, wrote me a prescription and sent us on our way. We went back to have a lab test run on Wed. and it came back Negativo! So, now I’m just on a special diet for a while: no meat, no milk, no eggs and no grains (but apparently that doesn’t include tostada o arroz, toast or rice, which I should eat). :) ?Quien sabe?! (Who knows) has quickly become one of our favorite sayings.
School is going well; we had parent teacher conferences last week. Ours was more like a big meeting and overview of what we do everyday. It was funny; that’s the first time I’ve ever seen the actual daily schedule for our kids … I’m going to start next week, teaching English to half the class at a time (24 is a bit too many at once for foreign language). ☺I’m really excited and excited to be allowed to leave the house (since I’ve been sick, I’ve been here and not at school … without keys, so I can’t even get out of the yard).
This weekend we went to a Canonization Mass for Damian de Veuster, Apostle of the lepers; he was just declared an official Saint by the Catholic church. Brief synopsis of his life: He was born in Belgium the son of a peasant farmer, left school at 13 to help his family and then went to study French at 18 and discerned his calling to join the Order of the Sacred Heart; At 23 he volunteered to take his older brother’s place (he was too sick) to go on a mission on the other side of the world. He worked in Hawaii as a missionary on many of the islands and then went to live in Molokai, where the leper colony was located. He spent the remainder of his life living among the lepers, caring for them and loving them. I’m sure you can google him if you’d like to know more. Anyway, the mass was beautiful, the church was gorgeously decorated and there was even a little concert at the end with traditional music. It was very interesting and I just kept laughing when the sisters and priests all had their hands raised, clapping with the beat. The bishop officiated and there were many sisters and brothers of the Sacred Heart, His order. It was beautiful to see so many holy men and women come together to celebrate a life dedicated to service of the poor and those cast out by society. He truly led a life of humility, sacrifice and love. If only more people would follow this self-less example instead of judging or turning away in disgust.
We also got to visit the Capilla del Hombre by Guayasamin. He was a famous artist, dedicated to non-violence and making known the suffering of the poor and oppressed. His work is truly incredible and inspiring, I took a few pictures, but google him and see for yourself. We have one of his works hanging right outside my room, called El Ternura, The Tender. It’s of a mother and child and really profound. He sort of reminds me of a combination of Picasso and Ghandi.
We made it back to the city on Sunday to go to mass at La Companía, the Jesuit church that locals say is the most beautiful. It is really gorgeous inside, the ornate designs in the architecture and all the gold work around the altar and the ceiling is phenomenal. Next we went to a market where we saw a lot of indigenous artwork and clothing made from Alpaca fleece! :) Yay, my fuzzy friends! We climbed to the top of the Basilica, in 3 minutes flat after finding out it was closing shortly, so that we could have time to take in the view. It was worth it and we enjoyed climbing all the way to the top of the bell tower for a look out of the entire city. Next we went to a park called Alameda, where we went for a canoe ride. For $2, we figured why not?! All in all, another great adventure and great day!
One side note, I thought I’d share, my views on driving. Ok now, I’m sure some of you are thinking really, April, you aren’t the best driver ever. But, here the buses are on a schedule where they punch this card every few stops to be held accountable. The last bus I was on, was Obviously late … we were flying around every corner barely stopping long enough for the people to step onto the bus much less, be completely inside. It was sort of a frightening experience, but I just take for granted that people obey traffic signals, signs, care about other cars, etc. Here, not so much, although there are quite a few speed bumps just on regular city streets (thank you God!). I’m surprised constantly that there aren’t more accidents reported each night on the news along with all the robberies. People here are so desperate. It’s really despairing to see the crime, because you know its not out of vengeance or greed, it’s merely a means of survival. There are also many, many people (children included) selling everything: dried fruit, yogurt, lottery tickets, ice cream, even shoe shining services. Often these venders will hop on the bus, walk thru and sell their product out of a cooler bag, then hop off at the next stop. It blows my mind that they can (or maybe not) make a living this way. Please pray for the people and this great country.
Love and peace to you,
April
P.S. I put up pictures on Facebook. Here is the link: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2065657&id=62902453&l=c8698b8d09
So I feel like every time I write, something really crazy happens right after that I must tell you! Last weekend we went into the city for Mass at La Catedral and once we arrived, we discovered it was an ordination mass for 6 new priests! Crazy and exciting. A little while later, I start feeling ill and we tell the Sisters we’re going outside. After taking the bus back home and a little rest, the sisters were concerned that I didn’t have an appetite and decided that I needed to go to the doctor. I’m thinking, it just started this morning, it hasn’t even had time to do anything, but ok. After taking public transportation across the entire city, we end up in the ER of this clinic and I have to pay $24 just for them to see me, because I’m a foreigner. Once they come to talk to me, they decide I’m dehydrated and put an IV in my wrist. They didn’t really ask me about any allergies, medications, etc. which is a bit concerning, but I was sort of out of it and just exhausted. Two hrs later, they decided I needed a little more and gave me a smaller bag of still more fluids. Then the Dr. came in, said he thought it was an intestinal infection, wrote me a prescription and sent us on our way. We went back to have a lab test run on Wed. and it came back Negativo! So, now I’m just on a special diet for a while: no meat, no milk, no eggs and no grains (but apparently that doesn’t include tostada o arroz, toast or rice, which I should eat). :) ?Quien sabe?! (Who knows) has quickly become one of our favorite sayings.
School is going well; we had parent teacher conferences last week. Ours was more like a big meeting and overview of what we do everyday. It was funny; that’s the first time I’ve ever seen the actual daily schedule for our kids … I’m going to start next week, teaching English to half the class at a time (24 is a bit too many at once for foreign language). ☺I’m really excited and excited to be allowed to leave the house (since I’ve been sick, I’ve been here and not at school … without keys, so I can’t even get out of the yard).
This weekend we went to a Canonization Mass for Damian de Veuster, Apostle of the lepers; he was just declared an official Saint by the Catholic church. Brief synopsis of his life: He was born in Belgium the son of a peasant farmer, left school at 13 to help his family and then went to study French at 18 and discerned his calling to join the Order of the Sacred Heart; At 23 he volunteered to take his older brother’s place (he was too sick) to go on a mission on the other side of the world. He worked in Hawaii as a missionary on many of the islands and then went to live in Molokai, where the leper colony was located. He spent the remainder of his life living among the lepers, caring for them and loving them. I’m sure you can google him if you’d like to know more. Anyway, the mass was beautiful, the church was gorgeously decorated and there was even a little concert at the end with traditional music. It was very interesting and I just kept laughing when the sisters and priests all had their hands raised, clapping with the beat. The bishop officiated and there were many sisters and brothers of the Sacred Heart, His order. It was beautiful to see so many holy men and women come together to celebrate a life dedicated to service of the poor and those cast out by society. He truly led a life of humility, sacrifice and love. If only more people would follow this self-less example instead of judging or turning away in disgust.
We also got to visit the Capilla del Hombre by Guayasamin. He was a famous artist, dedicated to non-violence and making known the suffering of the poor and oppressed. His work is truly incredible and inspiring, I took a few pictures, but google him and see for yourself. We have one of his works hanging right outside my room, called El Ternura, The Tender. It’s of a mother and child and really profound. He sort of reminds me of a combination of Picasso and Ghandi.
We made it back to the city on Sunday to go to mass at La Companía, the Jesuit church that locals say is the most beautiful. It is really gorgeous inside, the ornate designs in the architecture and all the gold work around the altar and the ceiling is phenomenal. Next we went to a market where we saw a lot of indigenous artwork and clothing made from Alpaca fleece! :) Yay, my fuzzy friends! We climbed to the top of the Basilica, in 3 minutes flat after finding out it was closing shortly, so that we could have time to take in the view. It was worth it and we enjoyed climbing all the way to the top of the bell tower for a look out of the entire city. Next we went to a park called Alameda, where we went for a canoe ride. For $2, we figured why not?! All in all, another great adventure and great day!
One side note, I thought I’d share, my views on driving. Ok now, I’m sure some of you are thinking really, April, you aren’t the best driver ever. But, here the buses are on a schedule where they punch this card every few stops to be held accountable. The last bus I was on, was Obviously late … we were flying around every corner barely stopping long enough for the people to step onto the bus much less, be completely inside. It was sort of a frightening experience, but I just take for granted that people obey traffic signals, signs, care about other cars, etc. Here, not so much, although there are quite a few speed bumps just on regular city streets (thank you God!). I’m surprised constantly that there aren’t more accidents reported each night on the news along with all the robberies. People here are so desperate. It’s really despairing to see the crime, because you know its not out of vengeance or greed, it’s merely a means of survival. There are also many, many people (children included) selling everything: dried fruit, yogurt, lottery tickets, ice cream, even shoe shining services. Often these venders will hop on the bus, walk thru and sell their product out of a cooler bag, then hop off at the next stop. It blows my mind that they can (or maybe not) make a living this way. Please pray for the people and this great country.
Love and peace to you,
April
P.S. I put up pictures on Facebook. Here is the link: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2065657&id=62902453&l=c8698b8d09
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Mitad del Mundo and Changing of the Guards
Estimados Amigos y Familia,
It has been another good and full week! This past weekend we went to a quinceanera Mass at the church in our neighborhood. It was beautiful and like a mini-wedding. There were roses on every pew and she was escorted by her brother (I think), two friends, her parents and many other relatives. In fact, I think we were the only non-related people there. :) We were a little underdressed in our jeans, compared to the beautiful pink dress she was wearing with roses all around it! Father gave a great sermon about how her family was presenting her as a woman to God and now she would have more responsibility in school, her home-life and her faith. It was a beautiful ceremony and we were so excited to get to partake in this part of the culture! One thing that was really unique was the removing of her slippers and replacing them with high heels (that Father blessed with a rose) representing the transition from childhood to womanhood.
The next day we went to Mass at the Cathedral in Quito. It is known for its paintings and historical tombs. We saw where Mariscal Sucre (the leading man in Quito’s independence) and Pres. Gabriel Garcia Moreno were buried. Moreno’s story was a bit more descriptive and interesting. He was slashed with a machete (yes our book on Ecuador, thank you Cindy, used the word slashed) outside the President’s Palace and then carried dying into the Cathedral across the plaza. We checked out the burial sites and paintings of many events in Jesus’ life, including a Nativity painting complete with llamas after Mass. There was a children’s choir who sang and it was phenomenal. Especially in that larger church, their joyous voices just resonated throughout the place, giving glory to God.
Then we took a bus ride outside the city to El Mitad Del Mundo (The Middle of the World). We started at the Museum Intinan which was complete with Indigenous artifacts, solar instruments used by the ancient peoples and experiments proving the location of the equator. We balanced an egg on a nail, which is supposedly easier because there’s less gravity on the equator, watched water drain with a clockwise vortex south of the equatorial line and counterclockwise north, and took pictures standing on the equator! (According to our book, not all of these experiments are completely legit, but we still enjoyed them.) Next we ventured down a dusty trail to the actual Mitad Del Mundo Monument, a huge cement pillar with a globe on top. It was not as impressive as the live music, souvenir shops, planetarium, mini-museums, and view from on top. We spend the rest of the day here sightseeing and enjoying the gorgeous weather. Did I mention its lovely spring temperatures everyday? I have been getting a little pink, because the sun is so strong here! I guess we are about 3000m up (the elevation is a bit higher than KS).
Monday we took the day off from school (I know it sounds like sightseeing is all we do!) to retrieve our passports from the immigration office (we just really wanted them back!) It worked out beautifully because the changing of the guards happens on Monday, so we decided to catch that while we were there. What we didn’t realize was the students from a school in Guayaquil (who just celebrated their independence day) were there also for the festivities. We got in on not only the regular ceremony, but an actual audience with President Correa himself! It was awesome to hear the military band, see the armed guards, secret service agents, horseback cavalry and all the people gathered in the plaza to show their national pride and applaud the students and their President.
Our water line broke the other day and I was concerned it wasn’t going to be fixed. We had to go two days without showering (it felt like forever!) but then it was back on and I was so glad, I took a 20 minute shower! haha I am so thankful to have running water and a warm place to live. It makes my heart go out to all our homeless neighbors and people in the city. The poverty is severe here, and people are living in not great conditions. It scares me that at school, sometimes the kids drink the water from the faucet, I’m worried they’ll get sick. Not even the sisters drink the water in our house. It has begun the rainy season, and rains at least once a day. This makes it a little tough when the kids are at school and have to stay inside for their hour of recess. Since they spend the rest of their day inside its difficult to keep them entertained. Rosita, one of my students escapes multiple times a day. Other staff are constantly returning her to the classroom saying they found her in the boys bathroom, outside, kitchen, any number of places really. She’s quite ornery, but keeps us laughing. Some of the kids are just not very mature. They have been biting each other lately which scares me.
Well, I should probably stop rambling on and let you get back to your day. Hope all is well.
Love you,
April
It has been another good and full week! This past weekend we went to a quinceanera Mass at the church in our neighborhood. It was beautiful and like a mini-wedding. There were roses on every pew and she was escorted by her brother (I think), two friends, her parents and many other relatives. In fact, I think we were the only non-related people there. :) We were a little underdressed in our jeans, compared to the beautiful pink dress she was wearing with roses all around it! Father gave a great sermon about how her family was presenting her as a woman to God and now she would have more responsibility in school, her home-life and her faith. It was a beautiful ceremony and we were so excited to get to partake in this part of the culture! One thing that was really unique was the removing of her slippers and replacing them with high heels (that Father blessed with a rose) representing the transition from childhood to womanhood.
The next day we went to Mass at the Cathedral in Quito. It is known for its paintings and historical tombs. We saw where Mariscal Sucre (the leading man in Quito’s independence) and Pres. Gabriel Garcia Moreno were buried. Moreno’s story was a bit more descriptive and interesting. He was slashed with a machete (yes our book on Ecuador, thank you Cindy, used the word slashed) outside the President’s Palace and then carried dying into the Cathedral across the plaza. We checked out the burial sites and paintings of many events in Jesus’ life, including a Nativity painting complete with llamas after Mass. There was a children’s choir who sang and it was phenomenal. Especially in that larger church, their joyous voices just resonated throughout the place, giving glory to God.
Then we took a bus ride outside the city to El Mitad Del Mundo (The Middle of the World). We started at the Museum Intinan which was complete with Indigenous artifacts, solar instruments used by the ancient peoples and experiments proving the location of the equator. We balanced an egg on a nail, which is supposedly easier because there’s less gravity on the equator, watched water drain with a clockwise vortex south of the equatorial line and counterclockwise north, and took pictures standing on the equator! (According to our book, not all of these experiments are completely legit, but we still enjoyed them.) Next we ventured down a dusty trail to the actual Mitad Del Mundo Monument, a huge cement pillar with a globe on top. It was not as impressive as the live music, souvenir shops, planetarium, mini-museums, and view from on top. We spend the rest of the day here sightseeing and enjoying the gorgeous weather. Did I mention its lovely spring temperatures everyday? I have been getting a little pink, because the sun is so strong here! I guess we are about 3000m up (the elevation is a bit higher than KS).
Monday we took the day off from school (I know it sounds like sightseeing is all we do!) to retrieve our passports from the immigration office (we just really wanted them back!) It worked out beautifully because the changing of the guards happens on Monday, so we decided to catch that while we were there. What we didn’t realize was the students from a school in Guayaquil (who just celebrated their independence day) were there also for the festivities. We got in on not only the regular ceremony, but an actual audience with President Correa himself! It was awesome to hear the military band, see the armed guards, secret service agents, horseback cavalry and all the people gathered in the plaza to show their national pride and applaud the students and their President.
Our water line broke the other day and I was concerned it wasn’t going to be fixed. We had to go two days without showering (it felt like forever!) but then it was back on and I was so glad, I took a 20 minute shower! haha I am so thankful to have running water and a warm place to live. It makes my heart go out to all our homeless neighbors and people in the city. The poverty is severe here, and people are living in not great conditions. It scares me that at school, sometimes the kids drink the water from the faucet, I’m worried they’ll get sick. Not even the sisters drink the water in our house. It has begun the rainy season, and rains at least once a day. This makes it a little tough when the kids are at school and have to stay inside for their hour of recess. Since they spend the rest of their day inside its difficult to keep them entertained. Rosita, one of my students escapes multiple times a day. Other staff are constantly returning her to the classroom saying they found her in the boys bathroom, outside, kitchen, any number of places really. She’s quite ornery, but keeps us laughing. Some of the kids are just not very mature. They have been biting each other lately which scares me.
Well, I should probably stop rambling on and let you get back to your day. Hope all is well.
Love you,
April
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Visas and Sightseeing!
Hello again! It’s been quite a week of adventures here in Barrio Quiteño. We have been working hard at the school, making sure all the kids are getting fed, clean clothes on at the end of the day and have tied shoes all the time! haha Oh, the joys of working with small children!
We had quite the trip into the city on Tuesday. We went to get our visas registered for the Ecuadorian census, I guess they are trying to keep track of who all is coming into the country and it was such a catastrophe! We first went to a place near the U.S. Embassy, got told we were no where close and sent across town by a friendly music store owner. Then we found the post office and I mailed a letter for $2 where we asked again, is the embassy close? No, no it’s very far, was the reply. And we were told to take another bus. We decided to learn from our last mistake and ask a second opinion. This kind doorman at a nearby hotel told us the same thing, but gave us a map and showed us the bus to take. We hopped on the bus, rode about 40 minutes back across the city where we finally found the hospital that is very close to the Embassy. At this point, I was so glad to see the hospital that we had been searching for, I didn’t even care. haha I was confident if we continued to ask, we would find it. So the next three people sent us in the same direction (always a good sign) and we ended up walking in a circle around the hospital to where the Embassy was, (we actually walked right past the block it was on when we first got off the bus!) But we were relieved and content to see the American flag flying high above the huge building. We waited 30 min. for the doors to open at 1:30 p.m. (what straining hours!) and after passing through the metal detectors and giving up our cameras and my electronic dictionary, were told we needed to go to the General de Extranjera del Ministerio del Gobierno (The General of Foreign Ministry). After walking about an hour, 3/4 of the way, (we didn’t want to risk another bus trip) we got on a bus after being told for the 5th time oh it’s very far from here. We got off the bus and walked to the dept. only to find out we needed a bunch of copies of our documents and to pay $10 into the Foreign Minister of the Government bank account. We were not too happy, but only had about an hour before the office closed so we caught a taxi to the bank, came back, made copies and cut people in line to have them say, ok, you can come pick up your passports in 3 days. Which meant, Monday because Friday was a holiday! So we will be returning in a few days, to our favorite place … to retrieve our most prized possessions.
Friday was the Independence Day for Guayaquil, the 2nd largest city in the country. We had the day off, but celebrated on Thursday with the children. We had a brief history of Ecuadorians fight against the Spanish, which we got more out of than the children. haha We have to learn somehow! Then we had traditional music and dancing. They were so precious!
So for Friday, Nicole and I decided to go into the city for our day off. We stopped off first at this large park, which turned out to be the Ministry of National Defense. We tried to take a picture of the outside, got waved over by the guard and thought we were going to get in trouble. Instead, he talked to us, asked all about where we were from and why we were here (don’ worry, we were very vague!) and ended up getting a private tour of the inside from another person who worked there! haha We took lots of pictures and then got a ride to the Panecillo, a beautiful statue of the Virgin of Quito. It is enormous and stands on a hill in the center of the city. You can see the mountains and Quito from all sides. Beautiful! Next we decided to stop for some lunch and tried almost everything my Ecuador guidebook recommended from this quaint little Cafeteria Modelo. It was just what we needed to head out for the afternoon. We went to the Palacio del Gobierno, where President Correa does much of his work, sort of their capitol building. It was a free tour and afterward we realized we didn´t take the free picture that went along with it, so we asked about it, waited, took the picture and went on the tour a 2nd time! Haha We were able to listen a little better since we weren´t worried about taking pictures. The first time around we sort of got in trouble, Nicole sat in the PRESIDENT´S Chair! The guards were quickly walking toward us, but we didn´t know! Oops! It made for a great story and lots of laughing from everyone in our group. Afterwards we walked around the Bohemian neighborhood, La Ronda. It was very artsy and cute! We stopped for coffee and enjoyed lots of music from the surrounding stores. All in all, a much better day than our last trip to the city.
We are adjusting to living with the sisters. Its going well. We try to get up in the morning, do our chores before breakfast and then get ready to be at school by 8.30. We get home around 5 and relax for a little while before evening prayer, followed by mass and then supper around 8 p.m. After supper we usually watch the news for awhile and then do our own things. It is a pretty full day, but we are enjoying getting accustomed to our surroundings and the people in the neighborhood are very friendly!
Thanks for all your comments and support. I really appreciate hearing from you!
Besos y abrazos, (Kisses and hugs)
April
We had quite the trip into the city on Tuesday. We went to get our visas registered for the Ecuadorian census, I guess they are trying to keep track of who all is coming into the country and it was such a catastrophe! We first went to a place near the U.S. Embassy, got told we were no where close and sent across town by a friendly music store owner. Then we found the post office and I mailed a letter for $2 where we asked again, is the embassy close? No, no it’s very far, was the reply. And we were told to take another bus. We decided to learn from our last mistake and ask a second opinion. This kind doorman at a nearby hotel told us the same thing, but gave us a map and showed us the bus to take. We hopped on the bus, rode about 40 minutes back across the city where we finally found the hospital that is very close to the Embassy. At this point, I was so glad to see the hospital that we had been searching for, I didn’t even care. haha I was confident if we continued to ask, we would find it. So the next three people sent us in the same direction (always a good sign) and we ended up walking in a circle around the hospital to where the Embassy was, (we actually walked right past the block it was on when we first got off the bus!) But we were relieved and content to see the American flag flying high above the huge building. We waited 30 min. for the doors to open at 1:30 p.m. (what straining hours!) and after passing through the metal detectors and giving up our cameras and my electronic dictionary, were told we needed to go to the General de Extranjera del Ministerio del Gobierno (The General of Foreign Ministry). After walking about an hour, 3/4 of the way, (we didn’t want to risk another bus trip) we got on a bus after being told for the 5th time oh it’s very far from here. We got off the bus and walked to the dept. only to find out we needed a bunch of copies of our documents and to pay $10 into the Foreign Minister of the Government bank account. We were not too happy, but only had about an hour before the office closed so we caught a taxi to the bank, came back, made copies and cut people in line to have them say, ok, you can come pick up your passports in 3 days. Which meant, Monday because Friday was a holiday! So we will be returning in a few days, to our favorite place … to retrieve our most prized possessions.
Friday was the Independence Day for Guayaquil, the 2nd largest city in the country. We had the day off, but celebrated on Thursday with the children. We had a brief history of Ecuadorians fight against the Spanish, which we got more out of than the children. haha We have to learn somehow! Then we had traditional music and dancing. They were so precious!
So for Friday, Nicole and I decided to go into the city for our day off. We stopped off first at this large park, which turned out to be the Ministry of National Defense. We tried to take a picture of the outside, got waved over by the guard and thought we were going to get in trouble. Instead, he talked to us, asked all about where we were from and why we were here (don’ worry, we were very vague!) and ended up getting a private tour of the inside from another person who worked there! haha We took lots of pictures and then got a ride to the Panecillo, a beautiful statue of the Virgin of Quito. It is enormous and stands on a hill in the center of the city. You can see the mountains and Quito from all sides. Beautiful! Next we decided to stop for some lunch and tried almost everything my Ecuador guidebook recommended from this quaint little Cafeteria Modelo. It was just what we needed to head out for the afternoon. We went to the Palacio del Gobierno, where President Correa does much of his work, sort of their capitol building. It was a free tour and afterward we realized we didn´t take the free picture that went along with it, so we asked about it, waited, took the picture and went on the tour a 2nd time! Haha We were able to listen a little better since we weren´t worried about taking pictures. The first time around we sort of got in trouble, Nicole sat in the PRESIDENT´S Chair! The guards were quickly walking toward us, but we didn´t know! Oops! It made for a great story and lots of laughing from everyone in our group. Afterwards we walked around the Bohemian neighborhood, La Ronda. It was very artsy and cute! We stopped for coffee and enjoyed lots of music from the surrounding stores. All in all, a much better day than our last trip to the city.
We are adjusting to living with the sisters. Its going well. We try to get up in the morning, do our chores before breakfast and then get ready to be at school by 8.30. We get home around 5 and relax for a little while before evening prayer, followed by mass and then supper around 8 p.m. After supper we usually watch the news for awhile and then do our own things. It is a pretty full day, but we are enjoying getting accustomed to our surroundings and the people in the neighborhood are very friendly!
Thanks for all your comments and support. I really appreciate hearing from you!
Besos y abrazos, (Kisses and hugs)
April
Monday, October 5, 2009
The City and Cooking!
So this will be a really brief update, since I just wrote earlier this week. There is so much happening everyday that is unique and different. I just love it!
I didn’t tell you much about the sisters last time, which was very rude. They are very kind and hospitable; we are well taken care of and definitely well-fed. We eat some type of bread for almost every meal! We all work at La Guardaría (the school/ daycare) together with a few other teachers. Angeles and Alexandra are teachers, I believe Carmita is the principal (she’s always working in the office) and Rosario (my favorite) does a little of everything. She is like the cute little grandma of the group and always working really hard behind the scenes. She was telling us the other day a few of the kids were actually calling her “abuelita” little grandma, which she just found really funny.
The sun is really strong here, did I mention that? The altitude is so high; we are in one of the highest neighborhoods of Quito, called Oriente Quiteno. Out our windows we can look down upon much of the city. It’s so beautiful! I also didn’t tell you Nicole and I have our own rooms with our own bathrooms! It is so nice and really comfortable here.
Some of our most recent experiences include:
- Trying to make banana bread with oritos (similar to bananas but much smaller) and having the dough overflow into the oven and of course having the sisters all notice before we could clean it. What a mess! The oven is sort of like the one we had in Spain, it takes forever to cook anything. We spent 2 ½ hrs. waiting for the bread to cook, finally took it out and this morning it was still a bit doughy.
- We made fried potatoes and scrambled eggs for our first cooking duty, the potatoes were very crunchy and the eggs a little well done … a bit of a fiasco!
- A trip into the city, getting on the wrong bus and riding in a circle back to the bus station to get on ours. We visited about 6 of the many churches (it seemed there was about two per block for awhile).
- Everything is really cheap here, they use American money but have different coins. I bought an icecream cone, in the city so it was more expensive but it was 50 cents. Toilet paper is like 25 ... oh we did have to pay 10 cents to use the bathroom though in Quito. That was crazy!
- The sisters leave sometimes without telling us, we’ve decided its better to ask multiple times to make sure we know what’s going on, which still doesn’t always guarantee anything. Last night the neighborhood alarm sounded and they all went out to see what was going on, we just kept doing dishes! haha. We have a shared alarm to sound when there are thieves. We’re not quite sure how it works, but a little nervous that its already gone off twice.
- I’m noticing my English is getting worse; I’m forgetting certain words and can’t always explain myself when Nicole and I are talking. My Spanish is improving, but it’s still hard to understand the kids all the time (we are learning together!).
- Cleaning everyday, it’s a little crazy but we are getting the hang of it. We finally know the schedule – sweep everyday, mop twice a week, water flowers twice a week, and dust once a week.
I’m adding a few photos so you can see, the house, the school and a little of the city. It’s so gorgeous! We have to stop almost everyday on our way to school to just look and enjoy the scenery. Here is the link http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2065657&id=62902453&l=c8698b8d09
Praying for you all,Mucho amor,
April
P.S. I love updates from you, send me an email and tell me about your life. I know what´s going on with me ... haha It´s fun to hear from everyone!
I didn’t tell you much about the sisters last time, which was very rude. They are very kind and hospitable; we are well taken care of and definitely well-fed. We eat some type of bread for almost every meal! We all work at La Guardaría (the school/ daycare) together with a few other teachers. Angeles and Alexandra are teachers, I believe Carmita is the principal (she’s always working in the office) and Rosario (my favorite) does a little of everything. She is like the cute little grandma of the group and always working really hard behind the scenes. She was telling us the other day a few of the kids were actually calling her “abuelita” little grandma, which she just found really funny.
The sun is really strong here, did I mention that? The altitude is so high; we are in one of the highest neighborhoods of Quito, called Oriente Quiteno. Out our windows we can look down upon much of the city. It’s so beautiful! I also didn’t tell you Nicole and I have our own rooms with our own bathrooms! It is so nice and really comfortable here.
Some of our most recent experiences include:
- Trying to make banana bread with oritos (similar to bananas but much smaller) and having the dough overflow into the oven and of course having the sisters all notice before we could clean it. What a mess! The oven is sort of like the one we had in Spain, it takes forever to cook anything. We spent 2 ½ hrs. waiting for the bread to cook, finally took it out and this morning it was still a bit doughy.
- We made fried potatoes and scrambled eggs for our first cooking duty, the potatoes were very crunchy and the eggs a little well done … a bit of a fiasco!
- A trip into the city, getting on the wrong bus and riding in a circle back to the bus station to get on ours. We visited about 6 of the many churches (it seemed there was about two per block for awhile).
- Everything is really cheap here, they use American money but have different coins. I bought an icecream cone, in the city so it was more expensive but it was 50 cents. Toilet paper is like 25 ... oh we did have to pay 10 cents to use the bathroom though in Quito. That was crazy!
- The sisters leave sometimes without telling us, we’ve decided its better to ask multiple times to make sure we know what’s going on, which still doesn’t always guarantee anything. Last night the neighborhood alarm sounded and they all went out to see what was going on, we just kept doing dishes! haha. We have a shared alarm to sound when there are thieves. We’re not quite sure how it works, but a little nervous that its already gone off twice.
- I’m noticing my English is getting worse; I’m forgetting certain words and can’t always explain myself when Nicole and I are talking. My Spanish is improving, but it’s still hard to understand the kids all the time (we are learning together!).
- Cleaning everyday, it’s a little crazy but we are getting the hang of it. We finally know the schedule – sweep everyday, mop twice a week, water flowers twice a week, and dust once a week.
I’m adding a few photos so you can see, the house, the school and a little of the city. It’s so gorgeous! We have to stop almost everyday on our way to school to just look and enjoy the scenery. Here is the link http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2065657&id=62902453&l=c8698b8d09
Praying for you all,Mucho amor,
April
P.S. I love updates from you, send me an email and tell me about your life. I know what´s going on with me ... haha It´s fun to hear from everyone!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Los primeros dias
Hola Todos!
I arrived safely Saturday night after making it through immigration, customs and my bags (yes all 5 of them, I´m an overpacker) getting x-rayed. I found Nicole pretty quickly, she´s about a head taller than everyone here! haha I was so relieved I wasn´t too worried when she told me she hadn´t seen the sisters yet. Then we looked over and saw a woman in a purple dress. I was convinced she was the one we were looking for so we got creepily close to her. She had this sad look in her eye, like sorry I can´t help you. So we asked anyway, if she was one of the Sisters of the Asumption and then Nicole said our names. They got really excited and repeated my name, but then looked super confused about Nicole. It turns out they didn´t realize she was coming then too. Thank goodness our flights were only a few hours apart. That was the joke for the next few days, they came to pick me up and got both of us. It was quite a surprise for them! haha. We went to mass the next morning in a beautiful little church about two blocks from the sister´s house. It has a fantastic mural behind the altar of Jesus, Cotopaxi (the mountain nearby) and just a very Ecuadorian landscape. Its maravillosa! We have been enjoying the food, haven´t tried anything too crazy yet, pork chops, roast beef, soup, noodles, rice and pizza! Everything is seasoned a bit different, but it has been quite tasty. They also have lots of fresh fruit which is always wonderful! Our house is really cute and cozy also, it gets a bit chilly at night and in the mornings. We don´t have heat, but there is a great sky window in the middle of the house - its my favorite place to just sit and soak up the sun! The last thing about the landscape - we are in the mountains so we have a panoramic view of the city and Los Andes! Its so beautiful, especially at night with all the city lights!
We´ve been watching the news, which is a bit concerning. There are indigenous protests in many parts of the country. They are being treated poorly by the government. I don´t know too much about it, but it sounds similar to the situation of the Native Americans. The wealthy people want their land, and are willing to do anything to get it, because they can get away with it. Que triste!
The KIDS!!!! Oh man, school is VERY different. But the kids are adorable! All of them saying, ¨Hola Senorita,¨ just melts my heart! I am helping teach the 4-5 year olds (they call it Kinder). They are the oldest kids in the school. They are just getting adjusted to the school year, but we aren´t learning too much. I just keep thinking of the Emporia school district and how so many things would not fly! haha. I have to remind myself, its ok that its different. They are learning about the body - this week we learned legs, arms, head and trunk. I think they know more than that, but we are just beginning. They don´t write that I´ve seen, but do have some time to color. They do a lot of puzzles and building for center time. We have a teacher Paul who comes in to teach music and dance twice a week. He is awesome with the kids and apparently has some extensive dance experience. Nicole and I are thinking about asking him to teach us! haha. I think its awesome that dance is part of their curriculum. The kids take a nap after lunch and that´s when we teachers have our lunch. So the kids are left unattended for about 30 min. That makes me really nervous, but they´ve been doing this for a long time and nothings happened yet I guess. Also, the kids play outside on some sort of dangerous equipment. But there are many teachers to keep an eye on them. Its just very different. Of course there is no janitor, so the teachers clean their own rooms each day. Don Gonzalo, a very kind van driver picks up 15-20 kids from 1-5 years old. We all smoosh in the van without carseats and drive around. Its all very unique!
Ok to end, two of my most different observations:
1. We don´t flush our toilet paper - probably many of you already guessed that, but its still something to get used to!
2. There are dogs wandering loose everywhere here. They are a little scary and I´m thankful for my rabies shots. I´m always telling Nicole, I´ll walk closest to them. haha Anyway, they joined us for mass on Sunday, just wandered in the chapel from the street and were there the whole time! Que raro!
Vale, (I´ve got to stop saying that! It´s how they say ok in Spain and the Sisters tease me about being a Spanaird!) haha I must go, but I hope you are having a fanstastic day and enjoy my ramblings!
Love you!
I arrived safely Saturday night after making it through immigration, customs and my bags (yes all 5 of them, I´m an overpacker) getting x-rayed. I found Nicole pretty quickly, she´s about a head taller than everyone here! haha I was so relieved I wasn´t too worried when she told me she hadn´t seen the sisters yet. Then we looked over and saw a woman in a purple dress. I was convinced she was the one we were looking for so we got creepily close to her. She had this sad look in her eye, like sorry I can´t help you. So we asked anyway, if she was one of the Sisters of the Asumption and then Nicole said our names. They got really excited and repeated my name, but then looked super confused about Nicole. It turns out they didn´t realize she was coming then too. Thank goodness our flights were only a few hours apart. That was the joke for the next few days, they came to pick me up and got both of us. It was quite a surprise for them! haha. We went to mass the next morning in a beautiful little church about two blocks from the sister´s house. It has a fantastic mural behind the altar of Jesus, Cotopaxi (the mountain nearby) and just a very Ecuadorian landscape. Its maravillosa! We have been enjoying the food, haven´t tried anything too crazy yet, pork chops, roast beef, soup, noodles, rice and pizza! Everything is seasoned a bit different, but it has been quite tasty. They also have lots of fresh fruit which is always wonderful! Our house is really cute and cozy also, it gets a bit chilly at night and in the mornings. We don´t have heat, but there is a great sky window in the middle of the house - its my favorite place to just sit and soak up the sun! The last thing about the landscape - we are in the mountains so we have a panoramic view of the city and Los Andes! Its so beautiful, especially at night with all the city lights!
We´ve been watching the news, which is a bit concerning. There are indigenous protests in many parts of the country. They are being treated poorly by the government. I don´t know too much about it, but it sounds similar to the situation of the Native Americans. The wealthy people want their land, and are willing to do anything to get it, because they can get away with it. Que triste!
The KIDS!!!! Oh man, school is VERY different. But the kids are adorable! All of them saying, ¨Hola Senorita,¨ just melts my heart! I am helping teach the 4-5 year olds (they call it Kinder). They are the oldest kids in the school. They are just getting adjusted to the school year, but we aren´t learning too much. I just keep thinking of the Emporia school district and how so many things would not fly! haha. I have to remind myself, its ok that its different. They are learning about the body - this week we learned legs, arms, head and trunk. I think they know more than that, but we are just beginning. They don´t write that I´ve seen, but do have some time to color. They do a lot of puzzles and building for center time. We have a teacher Paul who comes in to teach music and dance twice a week. He is awesome with the kids and apparently has some extensive dance experience. Nicole and I are thinking about asking him to teach us! haha. I think its awesome that dance is part of their curriculum. The kids take a nap after lunch and that´s when we teachers have our lunch. So the kids are left unattended for about 30 min. That makes me really nervous, but they´ve been doing this for a long time and nothings happened yet I guess. Also, the kids play outside on some sort of dangerous equipment. But there are many teachers to keep an eye on them. Its just very different. Of course there is no janitor, so the teachers clean their own rooms each day. Don Gonzalo, a very kind van driver picks up 15-20 kids from 1-5 years old. We all smoosh in the van without carseats and drive around. Its all very unique!
Ok to end, two of my most different observations:
1. We don´t flush our toilet paper - probably many of you already guessed that, but its still something to get used to!
2. There are dogs wandering loose everywhere here. They are a little scary and I´m thankful for my rabies shots. I´m always telling Nicole, I´ll walk closest to them. haha Anyway, they joined us for mass on Sunday, just wandered in the chapel from the street and were there the whole time! Que raro!
Vale, (I´ve got to stop saying that! It´s how they say ok in Spain and the Sisters tease me about being a Spanaird!) haha I must go, but I hope you are having a fanstastic day and enjoy my ramblings!
Love you!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Hola Friends and Family,
I'm currently on my way to Quito, with a layover in Houston. I decided since I had a few hours I would make myself useful and set up a blog. I will be updating it periodically so you can keep track of my time in Ecuador. Feel free to click on the links and read about my experiences as I add to it. I'm hoping to have internet access about once a week and be able to keep in touch that way. Please feel free to send me messages on here, via email: ahoffman@emporia.edu and through regular mail (although it is very slow ...). My address at the Sister's house is:
April Hoffman
c/o Las Religiosas de la Asuncion
Apdo 17-01-678 Calle B-Lote E8-116
Barrio Quiteno
Quito, Ecuador
America del Sur
For those of you who aren't sure what I'm doing ... I'm not either! :) But, here's what I know as of today. I am a volunteer through the Associate Missionaries of the Assumption. This is a program based out of Worcester, Mass and is run my the Sisters and Brothers of the Assumption. This year there are 11 volunteers total and we are going to many different sites where the brothers and sisters are located: England, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Mexico City, The Philippines and Ecuador. We are doing many different jobs, but Nicole and I will be mainly teaching English as a Second Language at the school run by the sisters. We are excited to get there after a few delays ... and ready to get started. :) This is a volunteer position, but we are receiving a small stipend and the sisters provide room and board.
If you'd like to read more and see a few photos of my fellow volunteers here is a link to the site: http://www.assumptionvolunteers.org/.
I'm scheduled to be in Quito tonight around 11 p.m. and have made arrangements for one of the sisters to pick me up. They said just look for the purple skirts (the modified habit of the Assumption Religious). Hopefully no one else will be wearing a purple skirt!
Hope to add some pictures and a real update soon! Thanks for all your prayers and support.
I'm currently on my way to Quito, with a layover in Houston. I decided since I had a few hours I would make myself useful and set up a blog. I will be updating it periodically so you can keep track of my time in Ecuador. Feel free to click on the links and read about my experiences as I add to it. I'm hoping to have internet access about once a week and be able to keep in touch that way. Please feel free to send me messages on here, via email: ahoffman@emporia.edu and through regular mail (although it is very slow ...). My address at the Sister's house is:
April Hoffman
c/o Las Religiosas de la Asuncion
Apdo 17-01-678 Calle B-Lote E8-116
Barrio Quiteno
Quito, Ecuador
America del Sur
For those of you who aren't sure what I'm doing ... I'm not either! :) But, here's what I know as of today. I am a volunteer through the Associate Missionaries of the Assumption. This is a program based out of Worcester, Mass and is run my the Sisters and Brothers of the Assumption. This year there are 11 volunteers total and we are going to many different sites where the brothers and sisters are located: England, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Mexico City, The Philippines and Ecuador. We are doing many different jobs, but Nicole and I will be mainly teaching English as a Second Language at the school run by the sisters. We are excited to get there after a few delays ... and ready to get started. :) This is a volunteer position, but we are receiving a small stipend and the sisters provide room and board.
If you'd like to read more and see a few photos of my fellow volunteers here is a link to the site: http://www.assumptionvolunteers.org/.
I'm scheduled to be in Quito tonight around 11 p.m. and have made arrangements for one of the sisters to pick me up. They said just look for the purple skirts (the modified habit of the Assumption Religious). Hopefully no one else will be wearing a purple skirt!
Hope to add some pictures and a real update soon! Thanks for all your prayers and support.
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