That next Saturday, I was supposed to cook Korean food for my family, but we decided it would take too much time since we woke up late, aka 10 am. So we postponed it and instead made this really good potato soup. We pretty much just chilled at home since the next day we were climbing Cotopaxi, the second tallest mountain in Ecuador at 5080 (or something like that) meters. It's an active volcano that can erupt at anytime and it's always snowing/always cold there, so no vegetation can grow. There were really cool volcano rocks that I picked up, though.
Anyway on Sunday, we woke up really early and met up with my Rocío's cousin, Marcelo, and his host student Maddy, who I talked about before I think. We drove for around 2 hours to Cotopaxi where there is a parking lot 4500 meters up the mountain. From there, we hiked up to the refuge, a building where people can sleep or rest if they plan on hiking all the way to the peak. It wasn't a really hard walk physically, but it was super freezing because it snows in Cotopaxi. That day, it wasn't actually snowing, but since there's always snow in this area, it's always cold and the wind is probably below zero. I thought my face was going to freeze off. And since it's really high up, it's harder to breathe, even if we're just walking literally 10 steps. It took around 45 minutes to an hour to walk to the refuge.
As we were reaching the refuge, we saw two foxes! It was really cool because they're usually never there since it's too cold for anything to grow/live on the mountain. When we got there, we got to drink the best hot chocolate ever (probably because we were freezing), and had Oreos and this other Ecuadorian cookie that was delicious. After resting for 30 minutes and then taking pictures, we started our walk down. When we were hiking up, actually, we took the zig-zag way because the shorter way was really steep and would have been much harder to climb up.
But we took this way down since it's easier to go down and it's shorter. It was kind of slippery, though, because there was a lot of sand and random huge rocks that we tripped on. I think I fell twice, but Maddy and Daniel fell more than three times. Maybe it was three times. I can't remember. But every time someone fell, I don't know why we all thought it was hilarious and started taking a bunch of pictures. Great times.
On our way back home, we had picked up a hitch hiker from Argentina who left his country 9 months ago to travel the world. And now he was in Ecuador. I personally didn't get to talk to him because I was sleeping... But Daniel told me about him. He said that the guy smelled like he had been traveling for 9 months. LOL Pretty sweet. We dropped him off somewhere along the way, and then headed home.
We had lunch at Marcelo's place, which was really delicious. We had hornado (baked pig?) with this really good sweet/sour sauce that you put on it with mote and choclo - aka the usual Ecuadorian food. It was delicious. Then we got to play with their puppies. Their dog, Chispa, just had puppies three weeks ago from now, and they are the most precious things I've ever seen. I was so in love with them, and I guess Marcelo's family realized that because they offered to give me one. And I was ECSTATIC!! So now I get to take a super cute Cocker Spaniel baby home in December. They said they'd keep taking care of her for the next two months, obviously, and then my host mom would arrange papers so that I could take her home with me when I leave Ecuador. Pictures are on Smugmug.com, or will be very soon! I am so excited!!
Then it was time to leave Los Chillos forever, which was really sad. My family dropped me off at the usual drop-off place in front of our school. I almost cried when I left because my host family had been super caring and loving for the month I had stayed with them. But I still have a lot of time in Ecuador, and we had planned a bunch of things for the weekends, so I'm glad I can still see them once in a while. We then went off to the Alston Hotel to rest before the Amazon! :D
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Busy Week
That Thursday, we had Final Exams for our language course, so we were all busy studying Wednesday night. The rest of the day was busy and full of planning/practicing for our class final presentations in front of the whole group, teachers, directors, and the assistant dean of our SIT program. No pressure. Our class decided to do a rendition of "El Ahogado Más Hermoso del Mundo" by Gabriel Garcia Márquez and turn it into a skit. It was fun making lines and actions up.
The next day, we had a few hours to practice and then we presented. First it was Andrea and Kara's group - they did a Jeopardy game with food, legends, famous people, ethnic groups, and Ecuadorian expressions. It was really fun, and at the end, we all got candy. Yum. The second group consisted of Lisa, Sophie, Joi, Chris, Abby, and Lucy, and they acted out all the crazy things that had happened to them so far. It was hilarious and by far the best "skit" I'd ever seen. They really did have interesting events throughout the month, and it was really cool to see things acted out. It's one thing to hear about it and another to see it kind of happening in front of you.
We were the last group. It was really fun to present what we had practiced. It probably wasn't our best run-through, but it was still really enjoyable and entertaining. We dressed up in "rural" clothing and even made a fake ahogado (drowned man) out of Dan's clothes and a bunch of pillows, bags, and newspapers; we even gave him a face that we cut out of a magazine. Hahaha it was pretty great. We also used real candles and flowers and other stuff that made the experience a bit more real. It was really cool.
Right after class, I went straight home to quickly take a shower and eat lunch, because I was planning on meeting Laura W. at the choclo (type of corn) monument so that we could go to Quito together. We met my host parents in Quito and drove to their work so that we could walk to the 30-S commemoration march. 30-S, or 30 de septiembre de 2010, was a really crazy day for Ecuador. The police and other people started riots in Quito because they were really against Rafael Correa (the president of Ecuador). So Correa tried to go stop them or something but the police had captured them. And so the military had to be involved and shot a bunch of people; in the end 4 people died and many more were injured.
Correa tried to make it look like it was all the police/anti-Correa's faults by using propaganda and controlling the media, and he claims that it was an attempted coup d'e'tat. I still don't think I can form my own opinion since I don't know much about this country's politics, but I really don't like Correa because of his previous actions, which you guys can look up or ask me if you really want to know. But yeah. Now he's trying to make it like a celebration that democracy is still living since he is president, and he's really sorry that 4 people had to sacrifice their lives for democracy. So in honor of those who were injured/killed, he had a commemoration ceremony/march in the Carolina Park in Quito.
It was seriously crazy that Friday because there were so many indigenous people walking around that had traveled for days just to be there. Apparently Correa pays some of them to make it look like he has indigenous supporters, when in reality he really doesn't because he's ruining their homes with the petroleum industry in the Amazon. But anyway. We got to be in the midst of tens of thousands of people who were chanting and holding flags and banners. Eventually we got to see Correa in person because he gave a speech. He's young and handsome and charming, and I can see how he got elected. But I still don't approve.
Then we went straight to our host family reception, since it was the last weekend with our Los Chillos families. It was really fun because we got to see all our group members' families and how they interacted with each other. The food was great, and afterwards, we got to dance a lot. It was so much fun since there were a lot of people, and the music was Ecuadorian. Afterwards, the group wanted to dance more, so we went to a discoteca (club) called Picante to dance. It had really good music to dance to. It was such a fun night. :)
The next day, we had a few hours to practice and then we presented. First it was Andrea and Kara's group - they did a Jeopardy game with food, legends, famous people, ethnic groups, and Ecuadorian expressions. It was really fun, and at the end, we all got candy. Yum. The second group consisted of Lisa, Sophie, Joi, Chris, Abby, and Lucy, and they acted out all the crazy things that had happened to them so far. It was hilarious and by far the best "skit" I'd ever seen. They really did have interesting events throughout the month, and it was really cool to see things acted out. It's one thing to hear about it and another to see it kind of happening in front of you.
We were the last group. It was really fun to present what we had practiced. It probably wasn't our best run-through, but it was still really enjoyable and entertaining. We dressed up in "rural" clothing and even made a fake ahogado (drowned man) out of Dan's clothes and a bunch of pillows, bags, and newspapers; we even gave him a face that we cut out of a magazine. Hahaha it was pretty great. We also used real candles and flowers and other stuff that made the experience a bit more real. It was really cool.
Right after class, I went straight home to quickly take a shower and eat lunch, because I was planning on meeting Laura W. at the choclo (type of corn) monument so that we could go to Quito together. We met my host parents in Quito and drove to their work so that we could walk to the 30-S commemoration march. 30-S, or 30 de septiembre de 2010, was a really crazy day for Ecuador. The police and other people started riots in Quito because they were really against Rafael Correa (the president of Ecuador). So Correa tried to go stop them or something but the police had captured them. And so the military had to be involved and shot a bunch of people; in the end 4 people died and many more were injured.
Correa tried to make it look like it was all the police/anti-Correa's faults by using propaganda and controlling the media, and he claims that it was an attempted coup d'e'tat. I still don't think I can form my own opinion since I don't know much about this country's politics, but I really don't like Correa because of his previous actions, which you guys can look up or ask me if you really want to know. But yeah. Now he's trying to make it like a celebration that democracy is still living since he is president, and he's really sorry that 4 people had to sacrifice their lives for democracy. So in honor of those who were injured/killed, he had a commemoration ceremony/march in the Carolina Park in Quito.
It was seriously crazy that Friday because there were so many indigenous people walking around that had traveled for days just to be there. Apparently Correa pays some of them to make it look like he has indigenous supporters, when in reality he really doesn't because he's ruining their homes with the petroleum industry in the Amazon. But anyway. We got to be in the midst of tens of thousands of people who were chanting and holding flags and banners. Eventually we got to see Correa in person because he gave a speech. He's young and handsome and charming, and I can see how he got elected. But I still don't approve.
Then we went straight to our host family reception, since it was the last weekend with our Los Chillos families. It was really fun because we got to see all our group members' families and how they interacted with each other. The food was great, and afterwards, we got to dance a lot. It was so much fun since there were a lot of people, and the music was Ecuadorian. Afterwards, the group wanted to dance more, so we went to a discoteca (club) called Picante to dance. It had really good music to dance to. It was such a fun night. :)
This Is Going to be Hell...
Because 1. you guys probably don't want to read a 100 page novel on my blog and 2. I'm super lazy, I won't go too in depth with my life in Ecuador since that one Sunday in Quilotoa (I think it was the 25th?).
The Tuesday afterwards, we visited an elementary/middle school in Fajardo, which is around 10 minutes away from our school. We were separated into groups based on each grade a couple weeks before and had to come up with lesson plans for the students. It was really fun to decide what we were going to teach and how because it reminded me of summer school at KCC last summer. I even had the same grade - first and second graders. Joi, Abby, and I were really excited and adement that we get this grade because we really love little children! We planned so many games and activities to do like: learning animals, shapes, colors, and numbers in English; weather and climate of Ecuador; making musical instruments out of cups and beans; among other random games like Simon Says and Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.
As soon as we walked into the class, they got really excited and would not shut up/stop moving around. Their teacher quieted them down with this really cute song called "Las Lechusas," which I have no idea what it means, but it's a song about being quiet and shushes them. Then also when they were wild, we would yell out "Abrazos de oso," which means bear hug, and then they would hug themselves so they can't move. And they usually quieted down. It was adorable. We got to know the students pretty well given that we only saw them for 4 hours. There was one student in particular who was really obnoxious and didn't listen at ALL. His name was Richard. And he is the kid in class who never sits down, never stops talking, never listens to directions, and always wanders off on his own. But other than him, all the other students were fairly attentive, especially the girls. They were so cute and kind of like suck ups like all little girls are to new people, especially foreigners.
At the end of our time there, we played with bubbles, and the kids enjoyed that thoroughly. They loved to jump and try to pop the bubbles, and they loved it when they got to blow from the bubble sticks. As we were about to leave, one of the kids - Luis - asked if we were coming back the next day. And when we told him we weren't, he asked when we were coming back. We couldn't answer, because we weren't going to be back.. So after like 5 seconds, he asked, "Are you never coming back?" And it just broke my heart. It was really sad. Even though we had only known the kid for 4 hours, we had formed such an impact on him and the rest of the class. I loved the experience of this rural school and really want to help/be involved in improving their studies so they can have brighter futures.
The Tuesday afterwards, we visited an elementary/middle school in Fajardo, which is around 10 minutes away from our school. We were separated into groups based on each grade a couple weeks before and had to come up with lesson plans for the students. It was really fun to decide what we were going to teach and how because it reminded me of summer school at KCC last summer. I even had the same grade - first and second graders. Joi, Abby, and I were really excited and adement that we get this grade because we really love little children! We planned so many games and activities to do like: learning animals, shapes, colors, and numbers in English; weather and climate of Ecuador; making musical instruments out of cups and beans; among other random games like Simon Says and Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.
As soon as we walked into the class, they got really excited and would not shut up/stop moving around. Their teacher quieted them down with this really cute song called "Las Lechusas," which I have no idea what it means, but it's a song about being quiet and shushes them. Then also when they were wild, we would yell out "Abrazos de oso," which means bear hug, and then they would hug themselves so they can't move. And they usually quieted down. It was adorable. We got to know the students pretty well given that we only saw them for 4 hours. There was one student in particular who was really obnoxious and didn't listen at ALL. His name was Richard. And he is the kid in class who never sits down, never stops talking, never listens to directions, and always wanders off on his own. But other than him, all the other students were fairly attentive, especially the girls. They were so cute and kind of like suck ups like all little girls are to new people, especially foreigners.
At the end of our time there, we played with bubbles, and the kids enjoyed that thoroughly. They loved to jump and try to pop the bubbles, and they loved it when they got to blow from the bubble sticks. As we were about to leave, one of the kids - Luis - asked if we were coming back the next day. And when we told him we weren't, he asked when we were coming back. We couldn't answer, because we weren't going to be back.. So after like 5 seconds, he asked, "Are you never coming back?" And it just broke my heart. It was really sad. Even though we had only known the kid for 4 hours, we had formed such an impact on him and the rest of the class. I loved the experience of this rural school and really want to help/be involved in improving their studies so they can have brighter futures.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)