The Beginning of the End

So I have been in Ecuador for over seven months now, which means I have less than three months left here. On Monday I also began my final semester teaching, and it really does feel like the beginning of the end. I have plans for almost all of my weekends left in Ecuador, so I know time is just going to fly by. It hit me especially hard on Thursday night that this experience is finite and that the day will come, before I know it, where I will have to say goodbye to this place and the amazing people I have met here, for good. I know I just need to live up my remaining time here!

After I last wrote in Montañita, I went to La Libertad with Annie and Ava. We went to stay with Mark and the new volunteer Adam in their sweet oceanfront home. Not fair, right?! Mark's host father passed away years ago, but he was a very well-known artist and their home is now a museum. The night we were there happened to be the re-opening of the museum, and the opening of an exhibit with skeletons from over 1,500 years ago that were found under the house. Eek! But the house also has a gorgeous view of the boardwalk and the ocean, which definitely made up for the slightly creepy skeletons just a few rooms away from where I was sleeping. Mark took us to the nearby beach of Salinas (known as the Ecuadorian Miami) and we went wake boarding. I had so much fun and I could barely stand up on the board because I was laughing so much. We also got to visit Mark and Adam's school and explore a bit of the boardwalk as well.

I spent Wednesday night in Guayaquil. First I went to Annie's boyfriend Darwin's house, met his family, and we hung out on the balcony while enjoying the sounds and sights of the city. Later that night, we met up with Sarah and Shelby, the Guayaquil volunteers, and we indulged in some nachos, cheese fries, and a few beers as well. Besides the vendors trying to sell us things while we were eating, and the lack of toilet paper in the bathroom, I could have almost sworn I was back in the States again.

Then on Thursday, Mark, Adam, and I decided to take a spur of the moment trip to the city of Machala to visit some other volunteers there. Machala is the banana capital of Ecuador, yet sadly it has become the brunt of many WorldTeach jokes. It just has this reputation about being the ugliest city in the country, so naturally we wanted to go to see what all the fuss was about. And I must say we were very pleasantly surprised! Machala has a lot going for it- beautiful, modern parks, a scenic port (see the photo with me, Adam, and Mark), and three fabulous WT volunteers as well. Charlie had us over to lunch at his house, where his host mom (Mama Jenny) fed us delicious cream of shrimp soup and rice with fresh crab meat. Charlie's house also has a roof with an incredible view of the city. That night we met Charlie and Rob for dinner by the port, and on Friday morning Charlie took us on a city tour, which included visiting the outdoor fish market and a sea life museum on the water. I must say, though, one of our favorite parts of the trip was relaxing in our air conditioned hotel room while watching American cable programs! These are just two of the simple luxuries that I have learned to greatly appreciate over the last seven months. And of course it was a barrel of laughs hanging out with the four of them and being "one of the guys" for a couple days.

From Machala I went back to Guayaquil and stayed with Sarah. Her host family is so welcoming and fun! They taught me how to make bolones, a traditional coastal breakfast made with green bananas and cheese in the shape of a ball (trust me, it's tasty). Then Mark, Adam, and Charlie met up with us again and we took a whirlwind tour of Ecuador's largest city. Guayaquil is known to be the most dangerous city in the country, and people in the Sierra, where I live, especially talk badly about it. The Serranos and the Costeños have a very heated rivalry- each believing that the other region is vastly inferior to their own. I found Guayaquil to feel very safe, though, and certainly warmer than Quito- both the weather and the people.

We got to walk along the city's famous and newly renovated boardwalk, we visited the art museum, and we climbed the 500+ stairs of the colonial district known as Las Peñas. This area of the city used to be quite dangerous and run down, but the city poured a lot of many into it, and now it boasts beautiful pastel-colored antique buildings, great restaurants, a lighthouse, and some of the best views of the city. We didn't spend too much time there, though, because we had to rush to SportsPlanet, one of the few places in the entire country that shows American sporting events. We got to watch both games of the Final Four...which was such a nice taste of home. Then we dropped Mark off at the airport so that he could fly home to Wisconsin for two weeks before I headed to the bus terminal to catch my bus back to Ambato. I couldn't have asked for a better vacation, though I was ready to get back to my students and my final semester teaching.

Now after having finished my first week of classes, I am happy to report that this semester has started off great! I am really trying to focus on conversation in my classes this semester, and we have already had two class discussions and a class debate. This week was made even more special by our Día del Maestro celebrations. April 13th is the Day of the Teacher in Ecuador, though my students decided to celebrate it Thursday since we don't have class on Fridays ,and the actual holidays falls on a Sunday this year. My afternoon class brought in a cake and roses and my night class took me out to dinner and bought me a beautiful bouquet of fake flowers so that I can take them back to the States with me. Again, I was so humbled by their generosity and appreciation. I actually got really sad on Thursday night, though, because they were saying such sweet things and it started to hit me that very soon they will no longer be a regular part of my life. I really did hit the jackpot when it came to my students- they are such a joy to teach, and they enrich my experience here so much on a daily basis.

Marco invited me to celebrate Día del Maestro with the teachers in Pillaro for lunch yesterday as well. We went to a neighborhood in Ambato called Pinllo, which is famous for gallina (hen) and their special heavy bread, both of which were delicious! I had to laugh to myself as we waited for our lunch to be served because, instead of just making small talk as we would do in the States, all the teachers got up from the table and started a dance party in the middle of the restaurant! Ecuadorians sure do know how to have fun. Then last night we had our first English Club of the semester, and Aubrey and I were joined by Kat, one of our two new Ambato volunteers. It was great getting to spend some time with her and to hear about her first two weeks of teaching and of her impressions of Ambato so far. I hope she'll soon become a good friend as well!

Today Annie visited me from Riobamba because Darwin, who is a karate instructor, had a conference in Ambato. Who knew there is an entire underground karate culture in Ecuador?! We spent the day shopping because Riobamba doesn't have much to offer when it comes to food or fashion, so Annie came to the "big city" instead. We were laughing so much because every shoe store we went in had to send us to the special large sizes section because our feet are so much bigger than those of the Ecuadorian women. Not only did we not feel very feminine, but we felt downright beastly!

So after a busy week back in classes I am spending tonight in, writing cover letters and beginning that lovely process called "the job search." Please keep your fingers crossed for me. Also, a belated happy birthday to my dad who turned one year younger yesterday. And all the best to Sparky and Janet who are expecting a new bundle of joy hopefully sometime this coming week. Thinking of you all...and I miss you very much!