Reflections

So, I thought for my last entry about Ecuador ,I would reflect back on my time there and try to capture it as best as possible. To do that, I have placed below my responses to the questions our dield Directors posed to us at End of Service, in addition to a list of things that I will miss about Ecuador. Enjoy!

My host family and me!

End of Service Questions:

1. What was your most memorable experience with WT, and why?
I wish I could pick one most memorable experience here in Ecuador, but that would be impossible. I have different favorite memories with my co-volunteers, with my students, and with myself, learning more about another culture, challenging myself, and growing in so many different ways. I would have to highlight, though, all the many times my students showed me kindness and just gave me all of their love and gratitude. I have never been so humbled, so often, in my life. They bestowed presents upon me, invited me to their homes, took me on day trips, and showed me every day a sincere interest not only in learning English, but in me and my life as well. They went above and beyond. For example, when my dad came to visit from the US, they prepared “Welcome to Ecuador” presentations, complete with costumes, food, props, and audio/visual aids. My dad could not believe their efforts, and it was so special for me to share not only my teaching experience, but also my pride in my students, with him. Then they surprised my dad with some Ecuadorian gifts to take back home with him! Again, their generosity continued and it was I that felt so thankful to be a part of their lives. They are such loving people, and I hope they will remain a part of my life when this experience is over.

2. How would you describe your students? What do they respond to? What do they like? What motivates them? What motivates you to return to their classroom?
Amazing!! My students have been by far the worst rewarding aspect of my WT experience. They have become my best friends and such a source of support and comfort. They also have a wonderful sense of community in the class, always planning dinners, field trips, and class parties. There is such a feeling of mutual respect in the classroom, and they all encourage each other on a daily basis. They are motivated by a strong desire to learn English, but also because they have helped to create a fun class environment in which they enjoy learning and spending time with one another. They in turn motivate me with their enthusiasm, determination, and never-ending generosity.

3. What is the most interesting thing you learned about yourself through this experience?
I learned that I could go to a new place, not knowing anyone, and make it on my own. I have gained so much self-confidence this year, knowing that I have lived abroad in a developing country, dealing with all its daily frustrations and annoyances. But because of that, I know that I can now live anywhere, travel to any place, and in both situations find happiness and find a home.

4. What did you find most surprising about the program, the country, or your teaching role? What have you learned from this experience?
I think I am most surprised from the relationships I have gained throughout this experience. I have made friends with my host family, people in the community, neighbors, shop owners, cafe waiters, and especially with my students and co-volunteers. I had been so sad leaving behind my family and my best friends in the States. And though my loved ones from home remain as important to me as ever, if not more so, I have also learned how many loving, generous, and fun people there are the entire world over. Though we come from different cultures, speak different languages, listen to different music, and eat different food, people everywhere share more similarities than differences when it comes to what really matters. I hope that is a lesson that I will always keep fresh on my mind.

5. What was most difficult for you in this experience? How did you meet the challenge?
Living with my host family was my biggest challenge this past year. I was not only my family’s first volunteer, but after raising three sons, I was my parents' first daughter as well. It was an extremely hard adjustment having to report to someone, answer to a million questions whenever I came home from somewhere, constantly struggling with pressure to eat, and especially always having eyes on me. Privacy was a very foreign concept. I eventually learned that my happiness should be a priority, and that it is okay to stand up for myself, as long as I do so in a polite manner. I also realized that I should not feel guilty spending time alone in my room away from my family, not finishing all my food, or confronting my family if I had a serious concern. That all took time, though, so on a daily basis what really got me though was a lot of patience and a focus on the big picture instead of trivialities.

6. What was most rewarding for you in this experience? Was it what you thought would be rewarding?
Sorry to mention it for the 10^th time, but again I found my students to be the most rewarding aspect of my experience. I just never imagined what a reciprocally beneficial relationship it would become- me teaching them and them all giving me back so much of themselves in return. I thought the teaching itself, actually conveying the grammar and tenses, would be the most rewarding- seeing them progress from no English to conversational English. And though of course that was very rewarding, and something I will definitely treasure, it does not compare to the friendship and memories that my students have given me.

7. What sort of qualities do you think are important for WT volunteer teachers to have?
Patience, flexibility, a sense of adventure, a desire to challenge oneself and to live outside one’s comfort zone, and probably most importantly, a love for long bus rides!

8.What advice would you give to someone thinking about applying to be a WT volunteer?
-On a daily basis life in a developing country can be very trying, but the overall experience is more valuable than you can imagine, probably on account of those difficult moments.
-Do not expect to make your best friends in the first few weeks. Making good friends with other volunteers and people in your community takes time, but it will happen without you even realizing it.
-Do not expect to return home completely fluent in your new language. Becoming fluent takes a lot of outside effort and does not happen by osmosis. You will definitely build vocabulary and confidence speaking, but the rest comes on account of individual effort.
-A year is no time at all. I remember being so worried that I would miss out on precious time with family and friends. Home is still there, and yet I have had this incredible experience that will remain with me always. Trust me that a year just flies by!

The 75 Things I Will Miss Most About Ecuador:

1. My students
2. Crazy bus rides
3. Andes outside my bedroom window
4. Reading in the parks
5. Ecua lunches
6. Darring vueltas
7. Volcano eruptions
8. Markets
9. Movie nights
10. Gym and gym friends
11. Crazy times with co-vols
12. Megamaxi
13. People not understanding what I’m saying in English
14. Tea before bed
15. Cho-chos con tostado
16. Ecua-nappings
17. Quest for good chocolate cake
18. Talking with Maria
19. Walking downtown
20. Weekend trips
21. Mi reina, mi vida, mi preciosa
22. Cabs honking at every corner
23. Kisses on the check
24. Beers for less than $1
25. Salsa and Reggetón
26. Speaking Spanish
27. SECAP chats with Dan
28. Aubrey’s family’s store
29. View from 13 de Abril
30. Ecua generosity
31. Colada morada
32. Freshly-made juice
33. Smell of bread in the streets
34. Being treated to meals
35. Answering to “Teacher” and "Kati"
36. SECAP snack bar
37. Saturday morning basketball
38. Visiting other volunteers
39. Exploring new places
40. Rides home with the Saas
41. Classes with Monica
42. Salsa with Julio
43. SECAP staff
44. Ambato’s parks
45. Children in Pillaro
46. 60 cent ice cream
47. Cafe Oasis
48. Ahí on everything
49. Texting in Spanish
50. Update emails from friends back home
51. Favorite restaurants
52. Macará games
53. La Roka and El Emperador
54. Daniela and her bookstore
55. Third-wheeling with Dan and Carla
56. Paseos with my students
57. Confusing Spanish and English...all the time
58. Choclo con queso
59. Taxis anywhere for $1
60. $2 manicures
61. Indigenous clothing
62. Vendors on buses
63. Fruit stands in the streets
64. Blunt speech
65. English Club
66. Lunch with my family
67. Updating my blog
68. Guys that can dance...and like to!
69. Saying “Oh Ecuador” to myself countless times
70. Sharing drinks Ecua-style
71. My classroom
72. My commute to class
73. The excuse of Ecua-time
74. $5 haircuts
75. Never knowing what to expect

Adios Ambato

So my final week in Ecuador has come and gone. It was full of many more goodbyes and of course many bus rides as well. The visits started with my good friends Annie and Hilary in the town of Riobamba, about an hour from Ambato. Though it's only an hour away, I had never spent more than a few hours in Riobamba, sadly. I guess you always take for granted what is right in front of you. So I decided I must go for a better visit, especially since my friend Annie is extending her time in Ecuador for another year and she has her own apartment! So she took me for a fabulous walk all around the town, which I loved, especially because Riobamba has much more Colonial architecture than Ambato. Then we met up with Hilary for dinner and a sleepover. The next morning, Annie took me to the main church of the town with an incredible view of the buildings below, the surrounding mountains, and Volcano Chimborazo in the distance. Little did I know how well I would get to know Chimborazo in the coming days!

From Riobamba, I headed on a bus to Quito to visit my good Quiteña friend Andrea. That night at her family's house we all watched the all-important Liga game (one of Quito's teams) against Brazil's team Fluminense. In the first half Liga scored 4 goals...incredible! So we came out victorious in the first of 2 games of the Copa de Libertadores, and the entire country could not have been more proud. Aubrey was actually lucky enough to go to the game in person, and said it was an experience she'll never forget. Besides spending more time with Andrea the next day, I also got to meet up with some volunteer friends, Mark and Ava, and had to say goodbye to them yet again. Then after some shopping and lunch at Andrea's house, I was back on a bus to Ambato.

Friday morning brought a lot of excitement as I went with Marco to my elementary school in Pillaro for the last time. Marco also brought his new teacher, Peter, the summer volunteer. It was great to meet Peter, but also a bit strange at the same time! I don't know if I like sharing all my beloved students;) No, I know Peter will do a fabulous job with the conversation classes...though he is only 18 years old! I know, it sure made me feel old. So we arrived to Pillaro and I made my rounds to say goodbye to the administrators, teachers, and of course all the kiddies. And it wouldn't be an Ecuadorian despedida without more speeches and gifts! Marco had all the students of the school come sit in the courtyard to say thank you to me...and they presented me with a plaque and flowers. Again, I couldn't have been more humbled. Then they brought out the traditional Pillaro diablos, or devils, that are present at all the Pillaro festivals.  They danced just for me...and of course they made me dance with them!  I was happy that I could then give the school some gifts as well- I donated many English children's books that I  had brought from the States, grammar books, holiday decorations, markers, and other teaching supplies that I didn't need any more. Of course that didn't compare at all to all that school has done for me this past year. So it was great to share the Pillaro experience with Peter, and I hope he and other volunteers continue on the tradition of volunteering there. Finally, after the ceremony, the administrators took Peter and I out for my last fritada experience, and fittingly, Peter's first. Later that night, Aubrey and I took Peter out downtown, and ended the night on a search for Ambato's best cheeseburger. Not a bad way to spend my last night out in Ambato.

I had planned to go to Baños Saturday morning for some last-minute souvenir shopping, and it turns out that Peter had planned to go there to meet up with some other summer vols from Quito. It was fun meeting with Peter and showing him around the town before the other volunteers arrived. At one point he asked me how I learned everything I know about Ecuador, and I just laughed to myself because I guess I have learned quite a lot, but that just comes from experience. And as I told Peter, he'll be surprised how much he'll know when he leaves Ecuador in 7 weeks. But it was great as I head back to the States, to be able to share a little of what I know with a newcomer...just as Dan guided me when I first arrived. Gotta keep the cycle going I suppose:)

Sunday morning, I headed with my entire host family and Aubrey to Volcano Chimborazo at 6:30am. The peak of Chimborazo is the point furthest away from the center of the earth. Though Mount Everest has a higher elevation above sea level, because Chimborazo is a degree south of the equator, where the earth bulges, the peak of Chimborazo is further away from the center of the earth than Everest's peak- 3,968 miles to be exact. So we arrived at the volcano early in the morning, parked the car at the first refuge at 4,850 meters, and hiked for 45 minutes to an altitude of over 5,000 meters, or over 16,404 feet above sea level (phew!). It was incredible what an altitude like that does to the body. We would hike about 20 feet and be completely out of breath with our hearts racing. But the views were incredible and it was so much fun to be in snow again, especially because I hadn't seen any in over a year! So we spent some time taking photos, and making snow angels of course, before making our way back to Ambato. It was a wonderful last Sunday activity to enjoy with my host family, and it just proved to me again the grandeur that Ecuador has to offer.

That night, I went to Aubrey's house for my goodbye dinner there. We made tropical fruit curry (delicious) and had a gift exchange (see the photo of Aubrey and her host niece Emily). Aubrey's host mom hand-knit me a beautiful scarf...though it's a shame I'll have to wait 6 months to be able to wear it! Then we watched a wonderful Ecuadorian movie called Qué Tan Lejos, which I will definitely be watching again when I am Ecuador-sick. It has beautiful scenery from around the country, and Aubrey and I couldn't stop laughing at all the typical "Ecua" things that the movie showed- arguments about not having small change, bus adventures, people dancing in the street after a soccer victory, crazy nights at the beach, and more! So if you would like a view into life in Ecuador...I hope you will watch the movie with me at some point in the future.

On Monday, Aubrey and I finally got ourselves to Ambato's famous Monday morning market...after 9 months of living here. We met my student's mom at 6:15am outside the entrance, and entered into a crazy world of vendor stalls of everything you can imagine- clothes, shoes, blankets, curtains, purses, food, potatoes, veggies, hanging dead chickens, you name it! It was the first major market of it's kind in Ecuador, though now you can find similar markets in all the major cities. People arrive very early to this market to buy goods at a cheap price, and then take them to their stores downtown to sell and make a profit. So though we didn't buy anything, it definitely was an incredible experience and a window into a whole different way of shopping. Then we met up with Dan and his mom, Carla, Kat, and Peter for our last traditional Ambato breakfast. I had the famous Ambato llapingachos, or potato tortillas, with sausage and avocado...yum! Then I walked around downtown with Dan and his mom a bit before I had to say goodbye to Dan for good...well at least for a good while.

Those goodbyes are just so strange. I don't think my mind has really processed that I'm leaving. I just feel so comfortable here now, that saying goodbye to my friends here just doesn't feel real. I also think I have just known this day was coming for a long time, and I am so excited to see my loved ones back home and to begin the next chapter of my life. But I know the sadness will hit harder once I am back in the States, yet again in a routine...and all I will want to do is hop on a bus to the beach or the jungle, or just share memories about Ecuador. So while these goodbyes are hard...I think the hardest is yet to come.

And then the goodbyes just continued. Yesterday morning Aubrey and I went to say goodbye to our friends at the gym. Then I went to say one last goodbye to 10 of my night students at SECAP, which got me all choked up. Then I went out to my favorite restaurant in Ambato for kabobs with Aubrey, Carla, and Aubrey's student Rosie...only to have to say my final farewells to all of them afterward. But goodbyes are a part of life, and I guess I should just be thankful that I have been touched by so many incredible people on this Ecuadorian adventure of mine. It’s terrible to say goodbye, but how terrible instead to have no one to say goodbye to. I am blessed to have met all these people and I know I will continue to stay in touch with those who have made the greatest impact on me.

So this is it! This is my final full day in Ecuador. I am going to have one last lunch with my family before they drive me up to Quito. I bought them all goodbye presents, which I am excited to give them...and I just hope they know how appreciative I am for all they have done. Then when I arrive in Quito I'm going to run by the WT office for some last minute business, shop a bit, and then watch the final game of the Copa de Libertadores with some volunteer friends. Go Liga! Then tomorrow morning I fly out at 9am to arrive in DC at 6:15 pm. Appropriately, today is the 10-month anniversary of when I first arrived in Ecuador...and I will be home just in time to celebrate the 4th of July with friends and family. Quite a great homecoming party if I do say so myself. I will definitely be wearing my red, white, and blue proudly.

So thank you to all of you who have been there for me throughout these 10 months...it's been quite a ride! And I certainly couldn't have done it without all your love and support. This has been an experience that I will never forget and that has taught me an incredible amount...hopefully lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. So thank you so very much....and here I come USA!!!

From Goodbyes to Galapagos

I had such a wonderful last week of classes with my students! Besides taking their final exam, that they all did really well on (yay!), they also prepared presentations. The assignment was to invent a new product and to create a 3-5 minute TV commercial to advertise it. Yet again, their creativity and efforts amazed me. I could not stop laughing throughout the commercials- they had everything from a machine that makes someone learn a language instantaneously to a spray that magically dissolves dog poop and its odor on the spot. They had costumes, props, and AV equipment as well. I even videotaped them all so that I could keep the commercials to watch later...maybe when I'm having a nostalgic, missing-my-students moment back in the States.

On Thursday, my night class wanted to commemorate our last time in our classroom all together. They presented me with a "certificate of friendship" with all their names on it! And while it might not be worth much monetarily, it is one of the most special things I have ever received. They also gave me an Ecuador soccer jersey and a statue of an Ecuadorian man (who I have been calling my husband), so that I can take some of Ecuador back home with me. Then on Friday I had goodbye dinners with both my classes (and I must say I have never eaten so much in the span of 8 hours or so!). I met with my afternoon class at a restaurant called Marcelo's downtown, and we each got a chicken plate and ice cream for dessert. They gave me an over-sized card made of felt with photos of them and all their signatures! Sometimes I am just speechless with the measure of their generosity- their really aren't words to describe how full my heart felt for them all at that moment. I did try to tell them though, as best as I could. I had prepared a letter for all my students in Spanish, telling them how much they mean to me and how they have become my family in Ecuador. I also gave each student a photo from his/her respective class. So I stood up at dinner and read the letter to everyone, and I don't think there were too many dry eyes at the table (mine sure weren't!). I had also made all my students a mixed CD with some songs we had learned throughout the year, and then all my other favorite English songs, together with a packet with all the lyrics so that they can learn the words. So even though it didn't compare at all to all my students have done for me over the last 9 months, I hope they could tell how much they mean to me and how deeply appreciative I am.

Then after a quick stop at home, I ran over to my second restaurant of the evening. My night class had chosen to have dinner at Illusiones, a BBQ restaurant close to my house that has an adjoining dance club. So after another delicious meal, this one boasting steak, pork, and sausage (oh my!), the sentimental stuff began again. There happened to be a live singer that night who made it a point to acknowledge me and the fact that I was soon leaving...and then proceeded to serenade me and the rest of the table! Too funny. So eventually I asked the singer for the mic and I stood up in front of the entire restaurant and read my letter to my class (of course apologizing for my terrible accent). In the middle of it, because I was so choked up, some man from another table stood up and offered me a drink, "for my nerves!" It was special that not only could I tell my students how much they mean to me, but everyone else in the restaurant heard as well.

Then to finish the night off with a bang, we headed to the dance club upstairs. I was so happy that some of my old students showed up as well...in addition to members of my afternoon class! I loved looking around the room and seeing all these people who had really made my experience here all that it has been. So we danced for a long time, and then one by one my students started to file out. And while of course it was sad, it could not have been a better nor more memorable goodbye celebration, or despedida as they say here in Ecuador. I quickly went back to my house, grabbed my suitcase, got to the bus terminal, and Aubrey and I hopped on an overnight bus to Guayaquil...and then we were off to the Galapagos in the morning!

After some confusion with our departure time and waiting in the airport for hours, we finally left ground at 11am. Since we were going to the Galapagos, a place which obviously takes extra precautions when it comes to preserving island wildlife, we had to go through a few extra security measures. First of all, before we checked our baggage, we had to scan it through a special x-ray machine to make sure we weren't smuggling plants or animals. Then on the plane, the flight attendants sprayed all our carry-on luggage with a chemical to kill any bacteria we might have been bringing into the islands. Aubrey and I could not get over the amount of gringos and spoken English on the airplane, which we soon because accustomed to over the course of the week. After an hour and a half flight, we landed on Isla Baltra, and stepped out of the plane into the world of Charles Darwin. The best part about our first few hours in the Galapagos was going through "customs," as strange as that may sound. The reason being that since Aubrey and I have special visas, we are considered Ecuadorian nationals and got to bypass the line of hundreds of foreigners into the line for Ecuadorian citizens! We felt so cool:) So not only did we get through the check point in 5 minutes instead of 30-45 minutes, we also got to pay an entrance fee of $6 instead of the $100 that all the foreigners had to pay. Woo-hoo!

Then we met up with our tour guide and began the journey to our hotel, Tortuga Bay, in the town of Puerto Ayora on Isla Santa Cruz. First, we took a 15 minute bus to the water where we crossed in a ferry over to Santa Cruz. Then we took another bus for an hour to Puerto Ayora, the most populous town of the Galapagos. I absolutely fell in love with Puerto Ayora. It had so much charm- cute gift shops, pretty parks, and an incredibly beautiful view of the bay. And while it still had everything Ecuadorian that I love, it lacked the crime and pollution that so many towns in Ecuador have. So we were able to walk around at night without fear, which is a definite no-no in other places in Ecuador, especially for women.

Now I guess I should give a short description and history of the Galapagos Islands. The islands get their names for the giant land tortoises that are unique to the island, in Spanish known as los galapagos. There are 16 main islands and 6 smaller islands, of which Aubrey and I visited 4. The islands were first discovered by a Panamanian bishop in 1535, and became an official part of Ecuador in 1831. The islands were visited by Charles Darwin during his famous expedition The Beagle in 1835. Darwin was especially interested in the islands' finches, which differed on each island, and that eventually lead to the development of his theories on natural selection and evolution. He then published the famous book, The Origin of Species. The Galapagos Islands face many threats in recent times, including invasive plants and animals and the damage done my humans. But hopefully with strong conservation efforts, the Galapagos islands will be around for many many years to come, to be appreciated for all their marvels.

After we checked into our hotel, our first stop was the Charles Darwin Research Station. Here we learned about the history of the islands and Darwin's influence, in addition to seeing some island animals up close. The most famous animal of the island, Lonesome George, is a giant tortoise who is the last surviving member of his specific species. He is suspected to be around 90 years old (!!!) and though they have tried to get him to mate, for unknown reasons (though maybe we can guess), George is just not interested. We also saw many little lizards running around, sea iguanas, and crazy cactus trees. Aubrey and I were also very lucky in the people that we met during the week- we shared all our activities with two mother-son Ecuadorian pairs, Sonia and Jose and Elvia and Juan. We soon became like a little family, chit-chatting on our outings and eating our meals together. And because we had booked our tour as Ecuadorians ourselves, we were not with any other foreigners at our hotel and during most of our activities, which we loved! So we got all our tours in Spanish and really felt like we were getting the real Ecuadorian view of the islands.

On Sunday, we headed out early to the Isla Sante Fe for a snorkeling expedition! It was by far one of my favorite experiences of the week. We got to swim and snorkel with sea lions, giant sea turtles, and tons of beautifully colored fish. And the animals were sometimes just inches from us! We also saw tons of blue-footed boobies perched on the rocks. We went over to a little inlet in the island (I actually got to steer the boat a bit!), and it had the most crystal clear waters I had ever seen. Aubrey and I could not believe when we looked up at one point at another boat, only to see our good friend and co-volunteer getting into a launch boat! So I guess even in the Galapagos, it's a small world after all. And though we were in yelling distance to each other, we couldn't meet up with Mark because he was off to a land tour of the island, whereas we stayed in the water. So after a full day out at sea, we returned to our hotel to explore a bit more of Puerto Ayora before going to bed.

On Monday morning, we ventured off to Tortuga Beach, the most incredible white sand beach I have ever seen. The coolest part about the beach, though, were the sea iguanas that were just roaming around and swimming in the water. We stopped at an inlet for a bit to soak up some sun (and to defend ourselves from huge wasp things), and our hotel friends took the opportunity to go kayaking. Then we took the long walk back to the street to catch a taxi to the hotel for lunch. In the afternoon, we all headed to the "Parte Alta," where we first visited two huge craters that had formed from sinking land. Then we took a stroll in lava tunnels, which had formed from the stream of lava that traveled from the mountain to the sea in the earlier years of the island. Finally, we went to a giant tortoise ranch where the tortoises roam about in their natural habitat. I was blown away again by their size, and I really felt while looking into their faces that I was looking into the face of a dinosaur. Aubrey and I got to climb into giant tortoise shells, and then we all relaxed for a bit while drinking home-grown Galapagos coffee.

On Tuesday, we stayed close to Puerto Ayora and really got to know the bay. We first stopped at La Loberia to get an up-close and personal look at some more sea lions. Then we went snorkeling in a canal of sorts that is known to house many small sharks, but because it had rained the night before, the water was too cloudy to see anything (but to know they were swimming below me was enough of a thrill!). Afterward, we walked to La Playa de los Perros to see tons more sea iguanas climbing about the rocks. And lastly, we went to a swimming hole known as Las Grietas, where the turquoise water and surrounding rock walls were quite a spectacle. Because we still had the afternoon free, the six of us jumped into a cab to the Garrapatero Beach 45 minutes away, where we were hoping to see flamingos. Though the flamingos were nowhere to be seen, we did get to explore the tide pools before the park closed. Since our hotel friends were leaving the following morning, we decided to all play hookie from dinner at the hotel and instead go to a nice dinner together. I loved sitting there with our new little family, eating delicious seafood and looking back on our memories of the week. Juan and Elvia even gave us each Galapagos figurines with their names to take back to the States with us!

On Wednesday, Aubrey and I were left on our own. We booked an extra tour to Isla Bartolomé, and because it was so far away, we got picked up at our hotel at 5am. Then we took an hour bus ride to the port where we began our 2.5 hour trip to the island. Along the way, we got stopped by the Ecuadorian Coast Guard, who came onto our boat to check the captain's documents. After a 30 minute delay and a bit of a scare, we were off again. One of the best parts about these boat day-trips are all the cool foreigners you meet. We made friends with a kid from France, an Irish couple, an Israeli couple, and a Ecua/American couple. It was cool how in the middle of the Pacific ocean there existed such a beautiful and eclectic mixture of cultures- all gathered to appreciate and learn about the same breathtaking sights.

Now Isla Bartolomé is one of the Galapagos' smallest and youngest islands (young meaning 4 million years old). Because of that, one can see the remaining lava formations and craters all around the island. There is also almost no vegetation or animals on the island...they are still a few million years off. When we reached Bartolomé we climbed really steep stairs to the peak, which had the most beautiful view of the ocean and surrounding islands- displaying incredibly browns, blues, and greens (see below photo). Then we went down to the water and spent an hour watching the frisky penguins swimming around. Our Captain also came and gave Aubrey and I a personal tour of the inlet in a launch boat, and we got to see more sea lions, blue-footed boobies, and penguins up close. Finally, we all loaded up for our long trek back to Puerto Ayora.

That night we made a lot of Galapagos friends out on the town. Aubrey and I found everyone to be so friendly, unlike the Ecuadorians in Ambato who are a bit more reserved. I think the young people in the Galapagos are just so used to tourists that they are very welcoming and open. On Friday, we spent the morning shopping and then our new friends invited us to watch them surfing. Sitting on the beach, watching surfers with the sunset in the background is not a bad way to spend a Friday afternoon, I've learned. And there ended our Galapagos adventures. It is surely a trip that Aubrey and I will not soon forget...and thank you to all of you who helped to make it a reality for me!

Aubrey and I spent 2 extra nights in Guayaquil with friends before heading back to Ambato early Sunday morning. Now I have little more than a week left in Ecuador, though I feel like I have 3 weeks worth of things to do! I need to run errands, visit people, and just tie up all my loose ends. And I am afraid with all of that to do, this week will just fly by, like the rest of the year. So I am going to try to live up my last few days in Ecuador as much as I can! Because before I know it, I will be home again and I will have to pinch myself to realize that all of this actually happened.

It All Comes Back to Quito

I don’t know where June has gone...or the rest of the year for that matter. This has been such an incredible month full of such fun experiences, but the beginning of many sad goodbyes. It all began at our End of Service Conference the first weekend of June. My whole class of volunteers reunited for one last time in the place where it all began- Quito. I arrived on Thursday morning and got together with my friend Liz to make a slideshow of photos that we planned on showing and giving to all the volunteers. You know how much I love photos and anything sentimental! So after working on that for awhile, we went out to sushi lunch with a big group of other vols who had arrived in town. Who knew that one could find such good sushi in South America...but it was delicious! Then I met with some other vols to create a list of Superlatives for the volunteers to vote on, which is always so fun. Then we all headed for our sessions to begin at 4pm.
 
I just love being with the other volunteers and our Field Directors. They are such a fun group of people and I am always guaranteed to have many good laughs when I am with them. So even though we sat through some long sessions, it was always very enjoyable. We talked about all sorts of things-preparing ourselves to leave Ecuador and readjusting to life back home. We discussed “culture shock” a lot, and what might surprise us about our own culture when we return to the States. We also talked about how going home is not really going home because we have changed, as have loved ones that we left behind. I really like this quote that they gave us, that I think describes the situation well: “The problem is the word home. It suggests a place and a life all set up and waiting for us; all we have to do is move in. But home isn’t merely a place we inhabit; it’s a lifestyle we construct wherever we go...”

I handed out Superlative ballots to everyone on Thursday, and at lunch on Friday, Shelby, Sarah, and I tallied them all up for our presentation that night at the final dinner. So after another day of sessions, we all left to get dolled up for a fancy meal together. Kane, our Director, took us to his favorite restaurant in Quito, an incredible Italian restaurant. I hadn’t eaten so well in a long time...they brought appetizers galore to share, and then I got filet mignon and tirimisu for dessert. I had quite the international food experience I guess! The best part about our final dinner, though, were the toasts. Each volunteer had chosen another’s name out of a hat, and was told to prepare a toast to the character of that person. I was toasted by my friend Katie Skipper, and she said super sweet thinks that I definitely did not deserve. I oddly enough chose Aubrey’s name! So I told everyone that while I could probably say the most about her, she was the hardest one to talk about because we have just shared so much together- the good, the bad, and everything in between. But it was just so nice hearing all the beautiful things everyone had to say about each other- special memories, funny moments, admiration and appreciation- and it really just became so obvious that we had become a family of sorts after all our months together, experiencing the vida ecuatoriana. Then after the tears were shed, Mark, Sarah, and I stood up to present the Superlatives to the rest of the group. And lastly, the group presented our directors Kane and Katie with cards, gift certificates, and blow-up superhero dolls because they really were our super heroes for the year. Then of course we all went out dancing!

On Saturday morning I got up early and went with my friend Annie to the elementary school that Liz volunteers at outside of Quito. I really enjoyed seeing another side to a co-volunteer’s experiences here. Liz had taught all the classes to perform songs in English, including the Hokey Pokey and The Lion Sleeps Tonight, and they performed them for their parents for Family Day. Liz was so great standing in front of the kids, doing the dances herself, with more enthusiasm than many of the students! Annie and I were laughing so hard at the spectacle- precious kids in super cute costumes signing with terrible English accents. But it was such a wonderful way to spend the morning and we were all so proud of Liz and all the love and dedication she has given to those kids.

We ladies arrived late to our Saturday morning sessions because of our trip to the school, but we got to work quickly writing a letter to ourselves. This is a tradition at every End of Service- to write yourself a letter reflecting on your time in Ecuador and your goals for the year ahead. So this letter that I wrote will be sent to me a year from now, and hopefully I will have accomplished many of the goals I have set for myself- continuing learning Spanish, finding a job I love, working out and getting back in shape, and most importantly keeping the memories of Ecuador alive and staying in touch with the people who have touched my heart throughout these past months. After we finished, I was excited to have been elected as the Alumni Group Liaison, so I will be in charge of keeping the volunteers connected post-Ecuador. So you better believe I am pumped for planning volunteer reunions! Then we finished by having a ceremony to commemorate what Ecuadorians do to ring in the New Year every year. They burn dolls of famous people, both liked and disliked, in the streets- every family having their own burning ceremony. This symbolizes burning what is old and entering the new year with a fresh slate- a world full of opportunities. So similarly, we each made our own paper doll decorated with our favorite memories, accomplishments, lessons, etc, from Ecuador, and one by own we burned our dolls in the fire. Everyone also had to share their favorite memory, so I said that one of mine was the entire celebration of Carnival, which was just a week of ridiculous fun. Watching the flames grow and hearing about so many happy times really was the perfect ending to our year together as volunteers.

Last but not least, after the official conference had ended, we carried the festivities to Liz and Joel’s apartment for a BBQ. We grilled burgers and hot dogs, hung out together, and Liz and I showed our slideshow to everyone as well! So finally hugs were given and goodbyes were said...and one by one everyone left to go their separate ways- some back to teach, others back to their sites to pack up, and still others off to travel around Ecuador or the rest of South America. And while it was very hard for me to say bye to these people with whom I have shared so much and have really learned to admire, I know that we can stay in touch and that we will see each other again (at the reunions of course!).

So from EOS, I returned to Ambato ready, but apprehensive about my last week with my students. I know that the week will be so enjoyable with final presentations, dinners, and parties, but with that all comes even more goodbyes, and to the people I have spent time with every week, class after class. But as my mom says, to say hello one must learn to say goodbye first, so hopefully I will just take this as an opportunity to spend more time with my students and to know that maybe one day we will see each other again. Such is life I guess!

My Ecua Olympics

In addition to my normal running around Ecuador, this past week provided some extra calorie burning for me (which is always welcome with this super-carb Ecua diet). On Friday morning ,my student Jazmin's mother, along with her 5-year-old grandson, took me to the Ambato markets. The family was horrified that I had lived in Ambato for 9 months and had not eaten the traditional food found at the permanent markets downtown. To be honest, I didn't realized they even existed because the markets are hidden in large buildings that are decorated with little stores and restaurants all around them- almost too obvious to be obvious. So we ventured inside and I was ready for anything. The bottom floors contained an abundance of fruits and vegetables, more than you can possibly imagine. There were also vendors with rice and grains, and of course the most entertaining were the meat vendors with their pig heads and hanging dead chickens on display. Then upstairs was a food court of sorts, but instead of McDonald's and Subway, they had stands with every possible Ecuadorian food imaginable. So they treated me to an avocado batido (milkshake of sorts), hornado (a portion of a pig roasted in its entirety), llapingachos (the potato pancakes Ambato is famous for) and empanadas de morocho (a cousin of corn). Then we went a few blocks away to an even bigger market, which in addition to all the aforementioned things, also provided clothing and shoes. Needless to say, even after speeding along through the markets, it didn't do me much good after such a big lunch!

Then on Saturday, I played basketball with my host dad and his students, but this week we had the pleasure of playing with my fellow Ambato volunteer Kat as well. Kat is very tall and basically towers over all the Ecuadorians. She also played basketball in high school and continued in her spare time in college, so for lack of better words, she is a real beast on the courts. While playing is usually fun for me, this past weekend was even better! Kat and I played on the same team and I must say we dominated the courts. I don’t think I have ever played with such determination in my life! So after losing the first game, we blew the other team out of the water in the second- unfortunately after having broken my host dad’s glasses and having given Kat’s host brother a bloody nose (wasn’t me I promise)! It was all in good fun though, and my host dad keeps talking about the next opportunity we can all play together again.

After basketball, I met my students downtown to make up one of the classes I missed when I flew home. Because I hated to take away from their Saturday, I really wanted to do a productive activity that would be worth their efforts, and that they would really enjoy. So after grabbing some breakfast, we went to a store that has a bunch of phone booths (they are basically on every street corner in Ecuador), and each student had to call one of my fellow WT volunteers to practice conversation. Now if you think speaking in another language is difficult, try being a beginner and speaking over the phone, without being able to see the other person’s facial expressions or lips moving. I remember how scared I was making phone calls in Spanish when I first arrived, so I totally empathized with my students. They all seemed to really enjoy talking with my friends and asking them questions, though, and of course I was so appreciative of the help my friends gave me. My students were shaking and they told me their hearts were beating very quickly, but I think they walked away with a new confidence in speaking, which definitely brought a smile to my face.

Then when we were finished, I hopped on a bus to Quito, ready for a relaxing night before my big race the following day. I couldn’t stop laughing because my host family had dressed me in a full-out tracksuit as a belated birthday present, which they told me would make me look more like a professional. So looking as athletic as possible, I arrived in Quito at my Assistant Field Director Katie’s apartment and met up with Ava and Ashley as well. Ava had prepared an incredible dinner of pasta with vegetables, fruit salad, and a garden salad. I hadn’t tasted something so light, fresh, and delicious in a really long time. Then we all chit-chatted and relaxed as we tried to mentally prepare ourselves for our race that next morning.

So, every spring Quito hosts the Últimas Notícias 15K (9.3 miles) for the public. Ava had invited me to participate a few months back, and besides a great excuse to train everyday, I also thought it would be a great way to see the city. I was really nervous about the race, though, thinking that I would be miserable the entire time or that I wouldn’t be able to finish, but it turned out to be such a fabulous experience! We all got jerseys, numbers, and chips to put on our shoes to keep our times- I felt like such a pro. The four of us ladies took a taxi to the South of the city in the morning and waited with the other 9,232 participants in the cold for the race to begin at 8:30am. Then we were off! My director Katie and I became running buddies and we stuck with each other the entire time. Besides a momentary break to relieve ourselves (sorry to be crude), we didn’t stop or walk the entire time. It was such a beautiful experience overall- from running through the historic downtown, looking out at the volcanoes in the distance, listening to the cheers of the hundreds of people on the sidewalks along the way, seeing people in wheelchairs and with braces or prosthetic legs chugging along, running beside people in costumes who were inciting laughter from the crowd, and just finding strength within myself to keep on going. We ran all throughout Quito, past many places I recognized and many new places as well, only to end up running into Quito’s huge soccer stadium as we sprinted across the finish line. And though I certainly didn’t try to rush myself too much, I was happy with my time of 1:48:43…at least for my first try. And at the end, we all got goodie bags filled with water, an apple, a recipe book, a bottle of ketchup (it’s Ecuador, what can I say?), and best of all, a gold medallion! You better believe I will have that hanging proudly in my room when I return home.

After we all showered and grabbed lunch, I spent the rest of the day relaxing at Liz and Joel’s apartment in Quito watching movies. And while I hadn’t really been out of breath or experienced any pain during the race, my legs were basically petrified by late that afternoon! It really took until about Wednesday for me to feel normal again and not feel like a grandma every time I stood up or tried walking down stairs.

In classes this week, we just started reviewing for the final exam and finished learning about phrasal verbs and the differences between “do” and “make.” On Monday we played Jeopardy…which my students loved! They had never heard of it before, so while it took some time to explain, by the end of the game they were as fierce and competitive as veterans of the game. They also competed for some gum I had imported from the States, and I loved to see their enthusiasm fighting for something that was for me so commonplace.

Tuesday morning I took my likely second-to-last trip out to Pillaro with Marco. I attended another meeting with all the English teachers and helped them to lesson plan with specific grammar points for every week. I also sat in on a dance class of the 7th grade as they were learning a traditional indigenous dance. The movement was so beautiful and the children were so patient…even the boys were really into perfecting their moves! I tried picturing kids from the US in a similar class and figured that most would have either been disinterested or embarrassed. I really enjoyed seeing these children so proud of their heritage and so willing to devote time and effort to learning the dance.

Lastly, my week of sporting events was topped off with the Liga-America soccer game Thursday night. Talk about the icing on the cake! So Ecuador is currently competing in the Copa de Libertadores championship among all of Latin America. Ecuador’s best team at the moment, Liga from Quito, made it to the semifinals. They flew to Mexico City to play Mexico’s team, America, and then played the second game in Quito on Thursday night. Kat, Aubrey, and I went to a bar downtown to watch the game, and it turned out to be one of my favorite evenings in Ambato. We were crammed in a back room with the game projected on the wall, along with probably 75 other screaming fans. We even learned the team cheer! I must admit that I have never watched a soccer game with so much dedication in my life, being more of a baseball, football, and basketball fan myself. The teams ended up tying, but because they had scored a point on Mexico’s turf the previous week, Liga advanced to the finals! Now Liga will be playing Brazil’s team for the championship- a game in Quito in late June and the final game in Brazil in early July. Of course all of us our now trying to get tickets to the game in Quito…so we shall see. And after Liga won, all of the room went crazy singing and cheering, and the streets were just full of people honking their cars and waving Liga jerseys outside of their windows. What a sight to see…Viva la Liga!

So now after that whirlwind week of sports, it’s time to get gamed (pun intended) for our End of Service Conference this coming weekend. I will be leaving Thursday morning for our conference in Quito, which will go until Saturday afternoon. As always, I am looking forward to seeing my fellow volunteers, but I’m also anxious to say goodbye to them as well. They have contributed so much to my experience here and are really wrapped up in so many of my favorite memories.  It will certainly be a weekend of many mixed emotions. And then I will come back only to have 5 days of classes left with my students…and then I’m off to the Galapagos! So many new and exciting things to come, along with probably some tears as well. Seems like this might be the trend for these last 4 weeks that face me in Ecuador, but how lucky I am that I have those tears to shed- just the mark of an incredible experience. Have a great weekend and happy June!

Viva La Cumpleañera

Well, I am a year older and hopefully a bit wiser as well (I know, I shouldn’t hold my breath). But I have decided that being 23 is pretty fabulous, and that is probably because of the wonderful welcome my new year received! On account of my family and friends, this has been one of my best birthdays yet, and definitely one I won’t soon forget.

The celebrations started in the States when some friends surprised we with a Carvel ice cream cake (my favorite!). That was such a great birthday present in itself, getting to see friends I hadn’t seen in so long. Then when I returned to Ecuador the festivities just kept on going! I hate to go on and on about my birthday celebrations, but it really is a tribute to the generosity of everyone here. And there were some pretty funny moments over the course of the weekend as well!

On Friday, both of my classes surprised me with cake and presents. My afternoon class gave me Sylvester slippers and my night class gave me beautiful silver jewelry. It’s also a tradition in Ecuador to have the birthday boy/girl take a tiny bite from the cake after the candles are blown out, when at that moment, someone else sticks the person's face in the cake! So needless to say, I got my face shoved in cake twice that day, and not to be too graphic, but even the day after I was blowing chocolate out of my nose! And of course my students loved seeming me with icing all over my face and didn’t hesitate to take lots of photos. Then that night, I met up with Aubrey and some guy friends to welcome my birthday at midnight. I was then subjected to another Ecuadorian birthday tradition- a spanking! I was hit in the dairy-aire with a belt 23 times, and so hopefully that means I will have lots of good luck in the year ahead.

I woke up early Saturday and made the one-hour trip to Baños to meet up with some other friends. At around 10am the 7 of us set off on a 61km or 36 mile ride to the jungle town of Puyo. We were lucky to have perfect weather- lots of sun and blue skies! So the ride was really enjoyable. We stopped for lunch at Ecuador’s biggest waterfall, El Pailon del Diablo, or The Devil’s Pot. After a long leisurely rest, Ava, Chris, and Karina, and I kept on going to Puyo while the others headed to a different waterfall and then back to Baños. Along the way we got hit by a huge downpour (common in the jungle in the afternoon) and Ava got a flat tire, but nothing could hold us back! Chris and Ava fixed the flat and we pressed on through the rain to finally reach palm trees and flat land a few hours later. We reached Puyo around 5pm and treated ourselves to Chinese food before getting a truck back to Baños. I had such a nice time seeing the countryside and having some wonderful conversations with the other along the way. It was definitely a great way to spend my birthday!

That night ,all the volunteers were hanging out in our hotel room as we got ready for the night ahead. I think that was one of the highlights of my birthday celebrations, just sitting together and laughing. It’s so rare for me these days to have a whole bunch of friends around me, since so many of them live so far away in Ecuador.  Then eventually we headed out on the town, equipped with glow sticks my mom had sent and a huge birthday hat that Aubrey had given me. I loved wearing the hat because all the Ecuadorians were wishing me “Feliz Cumpelaños!” all night long. Often they would shout, “Viva la cumpleañera,” or “long live the birthday girl!” So I had a great time dancing with my friends and it amazed me how I felt so at home with these people I had met only 8 months before. I guess the bonds of Ecuador are pretty strong.

Lastly, I came home on Sunday to a huge extended family lunch at my house. Maria’s son Juan Gabriel had his Confirmation that morning, so all the grandparents, uncles, and aunts were there to celebrate. After a big lunch, Juan Gabriel and I both had our own cakes, and of course our faces were smashed into them, yet again! Then my family had bought me a bottle of wine, and since it is so rare here, I was happy thinking of having a nice glass of wine with my birthday cake. Well, yet again I assumed too quickly, because instead they made me race my host brother and chug 2 glasses like shots! Ecuador is known for having quite a high level of peer pressure when it comes to alcohol- usually it is seen as very rude if you deny it. But since it was my birthday I didn’t mind a bit, and my host brother sure seemed to enjoy beating me both times in front of the family (I even think he was trying to let me win!). So it was a very nice little get-together and by the end I surely felt like my birthday had been celebrated as much as humanly possibly. But then I checked my email and was so delighted to see so many emails from family and friends back home! It brought such a smile to my face to know that while I was on the other side of the world, so many birthday wishes were coming my way from home. I really am so lucky to have so many people who care about me! So thank you all for making my birthday such a wonderful one:)

Now I am ready to finish out my last three weeks teaching, and I hope to make the most of it. I have so many exciting things to look forward to, though I am so nervous that these next 5 weeks will fly by and my time abroad will be over before I know it. This weekend I am running in the 15k in Quito with some friends, then the following weekend all the volunteers are meeting in Quito for our End of Service conference, and the next weekend Aubrey and I are headed to the Galapagos! So lots coming up and I just hope I can appreciate every moment that I have left here and take one day as it comes. Thanks again for remembering me on my birthday and happy kickoff to the summer! xo

Tribute to My Grandma

My grandma is one of the most remarkable people I have ever known and a true inspiration in my life. She’s the only grandparent I’ve had for the last 12 years, and she has far exceeded the expectations of the position. She has always been so present and supportive in my life, continuing just as strong while I’ve been in Ecuador. She is the epitome of selflessness and generosity, and she is one of those people who brings joy to all around her. I have always admired her love of education and art, and her devotion to her loved ones. Often while I have been overseas, I have thought upon my grandma’s youth and how she served as an airline stewardess and went overseas with the Red Cross. I love the thought that she had the traveler’s bug that I have, that itch to see the world. But more than anything I love her because she is my grandma- the person who always made me drink a glass of orange juice in the morning when I visited, who always sent cards for every possible holiday, who always made me feel so beautiful and special, who was always willing to lend an ear, who always took 10 minutes to say goodbye on the phone, who never let me leave her empty-handed, and who helped to show me the meaning of unconditional love. I have been blessed to have her in my life and I only hope that I can be half the woman one day that she has been.

I flew home Thursday morning and was at the hospital within the hour. Though it was terribly sad to see my grandma in her condition, it was wonderful that the family was all around her and that the room seemed to be filled more with love than despair. We spent the day telling funny stories and saying goodbye, and experiencing every emotion in between. Grandma passed away that evening with children and grandchildren present, and she went so gracefully and peacefully.

I know I will miss my grandma terribly. On big occasions like my wedding, I know I will be longing for her to share in the day, but I will miss her on a daily basis over little things, like every time I talk about tomatoes or eat a Kit-Kat bar. But I am just thankful that I had the time with her that I did, and that she is able to rest now and be in the comfort of God and all her loved ones who have gone before her. And it’s nice to think I have an extra little angel on my shoulder now too.

And while I would have thought the funeral and such would have brought me the most heartache, it was really those events that brought me so much comfort. I loved spending time with my extended family and sharing both sadness and hope with them. There was such a feeling of love and unity when we were all gathered, that I really thought my grandma would have been proud. And my favorite event of all came after her memorial Mass when some of us sat at her favorite restaurant for over 5 hours just telling stories and laughing together. What a great tribute to her life and the impact she had on others.

Being home was definitely difficult at times, but I am just so thankful that I was able to share in that time with my family and participate in the tribute to my grandma. I also was so lucky to have friends in the area that gave me so much support as well.  I know I need to carry on, yet while keeping my grandma’s memory alive. So I am back to Ecuador! But now I won’t have to call my grandma to tell her about my experiences because she has a front row seat:)