Ecuador´s Next Top Model

Part 1: The day I left for the beach: Both my uncles dress like cowboys. I saw them both 15 minutes apart from eachother. One dressed in all black, with cowboy boots (Bad guy?) and the other like a sheriff, with horses running across the under shirt, faux leather vest with sewn on badge and boots. I know Ecuadorian fashions are stuck in other decades, but is it really necesssary to go back that far in time. And the fact that they were good guy/bad guy on the same day makes me wonder if it was planned. I wish I had a picture.

Part 2: So I´ve talked about random events that have happened here in Ecuador, but I haven´t talked much about the country itself or its people. Well, it´s been a bit of a time warp; pelvic thrusts and all. Going down the streets of Cuenca, the buildings are rather ancient churches, or the shops and homes resemble row-houses. They are all connected to each other and are built one on-top of the other. Everything is so clustered that a certain shop can be hard to find.

When we were in Otavalo, it was funny to see all these stores selling American style clothes. There were name brands (most of them were fake though) clothes from Ambacrombie, Hollister, American Eagle and etc. That´s what the Ecuatoriano youth try and shop for. What did we buy? We bought the hand-made clothes that the indigenous people made. It´s funny how we try to look like each other.

Second is the time warp that some of the people are in. Some of them are stuck in the 80´s. Being in Cuenca, I´ve seen mullets, fanny packs, neon-colored sweat suits, and gaudy, Mimi style make-up that goes all around their face. Then there are the indigenous people still dress the same way they have for hundreds of years. The women wear their tradition skirts, hats, and ponchos while the men wear traditional pants, shirts, hats and ponchos all of which are different according to indigenous group.

Another different thing is Jheri curl, and how it is still "in" here. Every man here has the slicked-back, over greased (not gelled, but greased) hair. The men apparently will go in big groups to the bathroom (like girls in the U.S.) to reapply more....Whatever it is, to their hair to make sure that it´s sleak and shiny.

Then there are the cars. They are brand new or from the 60´s. I saw a ´67 Chevy Impala parked on my way home. (And yes Supernatural fans, it was black, just not as shiny.) Not only that but the brands that we are use to in the U.S., here, most of those same brands have a fuel efficiency logo on them. They also have their own brands here, so it´s pretty cool to see their versions of cars versus our cars back home.

As of now, Ecuador is still a developing country, and Guayaquil has been the only city we have been to that felt modern. It´s acceptable to watch TV and text while at dinner, and frankly, it´s acceptable to take a shit on the side of the road as well. But, in ten years más o menos, maybe the times will catch up. In a way though, I don´t want them to because these are some of the things that have made Ecuador so interesting (Except the fecal matter and other wastes on the sidewalks and roads. That just gross.).

Globalization and the iPod

Coming to Ecuador without my laptop has been a very good decision. It's an expensive piece of equipment, it's bulky, and I really wouldn't feel comfortable carrying it around with the chance it could be stolen or broken. But to keep myself in the technological loop, I brought my iPod touch. It's versatile; I have all the apps I need to do homework, and to not do homework. It's compact so I can hide it well. Videos and games to keep me entertained at my host house. And when I'm in a wifi zone, I can keep in contact with those at home, and publish my blogs that I wrote at my house. But there is one thing I don't understand: the Internet is universal, why can't I get on Netflix?!

A theory of globalization is that time and space are shrinking because of the connections that exist like the Internet. So coming here, seeing Netflix commercials and expecting to see the last two episodes of Twin Peaks brought me hope. No dice. Then, I was hopeful to watch Supernatural on the CW app. That doesn't work in this country either. Pandora radio? Not a single note. Hulu? Nada.

So why does this happen? Why can't I access such things here? One day in class, we asked our teacher José if he had this problem. He said that his Netflix worked just fine. So my American Netflix account that I pay for doesn´t work in other country because...? How is it fair that I pay to watch movies whenever I want, but I have to be in my own sector of the U.S.?

Isabella

Think of an island paradise. White, sandy beaches; clear, blue-green ocean; palm trees swaying in the breeze; no crime; sea birds everywhere; and beach front huts selling coconuts and playing Jack Johnson. Well, that´s Isabella and there were some of the best moments of my life.

To get to  Isabela from Santa Cruz, where our base was, you ride a boat for 3+ hours. I get motion sickness. Always have, but since being here my body has adjusted to flying and long car rides. Just not boats. There were a few close calls off the stern, so when we landed, I was pretty much kissing the sand. The first night there, after seeing a flamingo lagoon and the most beautiful Pete Oxford like sunset (yes, I did take that photo), a small group of us decided to explore, and with the help of our guide, Alex, we found a tiny beach front bar, that was marked with a tree with rum bottles hanging from it, that served coconuts with and without alcohol. Let me tell you what, there is nothing more delicious than fresh coconut milk while listening to Jack Johnson and other fantastic music. It was just nice to listen to the waves and conquer our coconuts in peace.

The next day we had a rather rough hike around a volcano. Most of us were not prepared for such a hike (I packed water shoes and flip flops), and with some miscommunication involved and our groups getting split up, tensions were high. I was still a little sea sick from the day before, and the last thing I wanted to do was get on another boat, so two others and I decided to take our own trip to the beach and eventually watch the sunset together. It was the best decision we could have made. We peacefully got to play on the beach that was pretty abandoned other than a few people who wanted to watch the sunset later that night, play fetch with a random dog, sit and talk for a while which faded to silence as we watched the sun set behind a volcano. Then after dinner, we watched the stars appear, frolicked some more is the ocean in the spot light of the moon, and did some good ol´fashioned thinking.

Reach Out and Touch Faith

In the States, when we are not feeling well or are really sick, we go to the doctor. Here, it´s not uncommon to go to a healer to draw out the bad spirits that are making you ill. We have experienced two different healers. In our early days, on our way to Otavalo, we stopped at a man´s house. We ushered into a small back room,  where there was a table filled to the edges with a strange array of totems and statues from all parts of the world and religions. We were told that typicially when a healing happened, the person would be naked, but he asked the girl to take off just her shirt. The shaman had her rub herself down with an unlight candle. He proceeded to read it and knew so much about her medical past from it.  He put on his parrot feathered hat and started chanting to Catholic Saints that nobody had really heard of, at least that is what we came to believe because he was talking too fast everything was slurred together. He started the healing by blowing tobacco in her face, spraying her with oils, and the grand finale! Telling her to stand strong while taking a big swig of vodka and blowing fire at her. As scary and stressful as it was to see our friend become saturated in fire (she came out unscathed, other than some singed hair), there was this incredible energy in the room. After her appointment was complete, she said that she felt better than she had in years. As we were leaving, we saw a certificate saying that he was legit and had studied to become a shaman. Wish they had that major at BW.

The other healer was one that I got to experience myself. In the markets, there is a booth that  was filled with all sorts of flowers and herbs. Along with the flowers were the medicine women that ran it. We sat down and the woman started to hit us with a a thicket of flowers and chanting. After that, we were rubbed down with an egg that it suppose to gather the bad spirits, and when you crack open the egg it is black on the inside. I didn´t get to crack mine open unfortunately. I got three charcoal crosses drawn on me: on my forehead, stomach and lower back. I was a little light headed afterwards, probably from getting beat with flowers and deeply inhealing them. But there has been one thing I´ve noticed since the cleansing that has felt different. Earlier last year, a spot between my hip and my spine started to hurt when I moved a certain way, and I would get sharp pains all up my body. And here during hikes it would start to hurt too. But since the cleansing, it hasn´t bothered me at all.

Playa A Go Go

So I found out two days ago that when we were going to la playa, we were literally going to La Playa, Ecuador. Let me tell you what, my family wins. They own their own little beach house that is practically beach front. It´s been lots of fun. I´m bonding with my ¨mom´s¨friend, Marta. We´ve been tanning and swimming in the ocean. No one in my family speaks any English, except for the kids, but they know I need to practice my Spanish, so they won´t talk to me in anything but Spanish. I can understand well enough, but I have trouble speaking. I´ve been studying my dictionary and reading Ecuadorian Cosmo, which is still as raunchy as the American version. I am sad though that I missed Day of the Dead. It was really one of the things I was really excited for. It has been something I have always wanted to experience. Ohhhh well. I will have to come back again for it. And I did get a Wawa, a baby-shaped bread that is eaten during the Día de los Difuntos festivals, which was delicious.

There´s No Place Like Home

For the first time ever, I miss Sebring, Ohio. I miss the security, and being able to walk around town at all hours of the night. I miss how clean its air is, and just in general, its cleanliness (compared to here). I miss it's quietness as well. But mostly, I miss living in a village. I'm not a city person.

Up until Saturday night, I didn't miss my shady village surrounded by corn. I was having a great time traveling through Ecuadorian wilderness. But then we came to Cuenca, one of Ecuador's biggest cities. It was definitely a change compared to the first two weeks. We weren't living the nomadic life anymore, or living together in our hotels or shanty little cabins. We were dispersed throughout the city and kind of living an almost normal life. A monotonous normal life. So to break the monotony, on weekends, we have been going out to dinner and a club.

On Saturday, we went to some clubs and had dinner. We stayed out the longest we ever have been in Ecuador. After some fun at a diskoteca it was time to head home. Everything happened so fast that a friend and I ended up alone at the park trying for cabs. After 10 minutes of trying, we split up to head home. I tried for a taxi for 30 more minutes. I was ignored by the empty ones or the others were full. Not many people were out, so I wasn't greatly worried so I started to walk. Well soon after, a taxi load of young muchisimos started to bother me, and I thought that they were going to get out of the car. Luckily for me, there was a nice Ecuadorian family across the street from me, so I ran to them and asked them to help me. They were nice enough to walk me home, which I was locked out of somehow (just to make the night even better) but who knows what would have happened if they weren't there. It was probably one of the scariest moments of my life.

Darwin says, "Find a tortoise. Now."

Oh Halloween. One of my favorite holidays. I love watching the old Twilight Zones with my Dad (also for New Years), scary movies, pumpkin carving, seeing the costumes the little ones are wearing, the weather, Fall flavors (Pumpkin....everything), but mostly, The Hunt.

Every year for the past 4 years (ish) now, my second family (my bestests friends`family, but I`m the favorite) has a Halloween party. And at this party, is a scavenger hunt with the most ridiculous clues and stunts (Ex: One year, we got arrested for points.). It`s great fun. But this year, I couldn`t be there because I am on this wonderful adventure in Ecuador. But, since I couldn´t be there, the mastermind of it all made a clue in my honor. They had to bring back: 1) Something that was "Made in Ecuador" or "Product of Ecuador. 2) A copy of Darwin´s On an Origin of Species. 3) A real life Giant Galapagos Tortoise. Unfortunetly, no one found the tortoise, but one team did find some bananas. And one of my dearest of friends did not find said bananas, like she promised me, so she got to wear the hickey of shame (another awesome clue). Next year though, be prepared, because my team is going to dominate.

Loving the Alien

So it has been about two weeks now living with my host family in Cuenca. What I`ve learned so far: Water can be cold enough to put you in physical pain; libres means pounds; I still really hate hot dogs; and my Spanish is improving.

So what does this all mean? First off, the water. So in the states, there is usually a hot water heater. Not here. In my house you go to the basement and light a pilot light type thing (Hot water on demand) in order to get hot water. Well, only one person in my house knows how to turn it on from what I`ve been noticing. So, I`ve been skipping showers (Me=gross :(  ) because I never see the person who can turn it on. But, what I learned this morning is, when there is hot water, no matter how hot it is, don`t turn on the cold water. Don`t do it! The water will instantly turn icy cold. Not fun. But I think I would rather have what I have now than a breaker box in the shower that turns on the hot.

The other day I ran errands with my "aunt" around town. When we got back to the house, she told me to go to the tienda at the end of the street and get "azucar y dos libres de papas". Easy enough now, but I could not for the life of me understand the dos libres part. The lady in the tienda sent her granddaughter to my house to ask what I needed. The chica said something about potatoes so I assumed it was right. I was sent from one tienda to the next around the corner to get a bag of papas fritas (shoe string potato chips). Go back home. Not what I needed. Sent back to the first tienda. The lady just naming stuff off with potatoes in it until it matched up with what Marilu had told me. I finally got my damned potatoes after 20 minutes.

The number one things I`m missing right now: Mom`s cooking. In Ohio, my mom makes all the food. And it`s fresh. I rarely eat fast food or a lot of processed stuff. My family in Cuenca eats okay. Rice, cheese, bread, all mostly fresh....And hot dogs. The most vile of foods. I hate hot dogs pretty much more than anything, and for three days now, that`s what I`ve been eating. But I don`t want to be rude and not eat it since they were nice enough to house me and they are also taking my on vacation with them (¡Vamos a la playa!). So, for now, I will suck it up and eat them. But I don`t know if I can take it much longer.

A shout out to Señora for teaching me 4 years worth of Spanish. It`s all coming back now, and seeing that nobody really speaks English in my family, it`s necessary for it all to come back. Compared to last Monday when I arrived at my house, I can now speak in sentances, where before, I could say "si o no". And my "mom" will even joke with me about the smelly men working on the house, and I can understand. My speaking still needs improvement, but I still have 6 more weeks of practice ahead of me.

Straw Dogs

I´m becoming more and more convinced that Ecuadorian dogs are better than most American dogs.
Why? I will explain:

Before this trip, we were told stories of all the stray animals there are here in Ecuador. We were told that it was sad but don´t pet or feed the puppies or the kitties. We even got rabies vaccines (Not the treatment with the seven shots in the stomach.). When we were preparing to come here, I was expecting to be cornered by dogs foaming at the mouth everywhere I go. That really hasn´t happened (Okay, so there have been two cases: one slight chase on one of our walks in Quito, and one story of someone being surrounded on their walk home.). What I´ve noticed is that these dogs are completely independent. They walk on the sidewalks, look both ways before they cross streets (Usually. But humans don´t do that half the time), and really don´t bother people unless people bother them. The dogs here have a crazy tendency to get onto places they really shouldn´t be. I´ve seen them in the most random places, for example, the ledges on the sides of buildings. And they will be just sitting there, doing dog things. It´s mind boggling seeing that most of the walls in the area are lined with barbs or broken glass.

So, these dogs are incredibly smart and great climbers, but what else makes them great? One of the shocking things I´ve noticed about these dogs are their breeds. The other night, while walking home, I saw a full breed Chow Chow stray. This dog would probably be thousands of dollars in the States. Here, he was just another independent dog living a simple Ecuadorian life in the fast lane (He was walking down the road, and as I said before, there are no rules in driving, so there were no rules for this guy.)

The Last Remaining Light

The Amazon has been my favorite experience so far. I loved the Tiputini Research Station. The best part about the whole place was that it was so untouched. There were paths and some lights installed, but over all, nothing. We woke up every morning to monkeys and all sorts of birds outside of our cabins every morning. It was incredible to be there.

The mornings and afternoons were fun because we could see so much of the wildlife and the plants. But at night, when it was clear, that´s when you really get to see something that isn´t in Ohio: the stars and the Milky Way. Sure, we can see some in Ohio, but not as clear or as many as there were there.

The Amazon became a special place for some of us because it became a place of bonding, massages, keeping up our neighbors, Pete Oxford´s British humor and  his giant camera, and...Well, Mike McGinty...But that´s another story. But possibly the best day was the last day we were there:

We started off the morning with the normal hike in the forest. Our guide, Romero, the guide of all guides, somehow spotted a sloth (Cross off bucket list. Next on list: to hold one.). It was practically impossible to see from the ground, but somehow he saw our mossy, fuzzy friend.

We had lunch, then when for a dip in the Tiputini River. It was rather refreshing even though we really couldn´t see what we were swimming with, but that was just another part of the adventure. We really didn´t care about the big stuff that could have been swimming with us. We were a little paranoid about the candiru, though (I suggest looking it up and using it to scare kids into not peeing in the pool).

The best part of that day was the night time. Two others and I sat down at the dock and watched the sun set over the river and the forest together listening to Jason Mraz and just soaking in moment. Slowly the stars came out and the faint arm of the Milky Way was right above us. The jungle became more alive with its nocturnal critters and they sang us their songs from a distance. It was so refreshing to just sit and listen and reflect on where we were and what we were doing. I really hope that one day I can return to the station and do research there.

There are no rules in driving

So Ecuador is amazing. It feels like we have been here for a long time, and it has been less than a week.

We left Quito and went to the Intag Cloud Forest. You have no idea what fear is until you ride up and down the side of a mountain on a sketchy mostly dirt road that has barely enough room for the bus, let alone the other cars, construction crews and motorcyclists that share the road. Then looking out your window, and not being able to see the road underneath said bus, because the road is just that narrow. The only thing scarier is doing the same thing, but in an open air bus practically made out of wood. To make things a little bit worse, Ecuadorians don´t have rules in driving. There are speed limits, but they´re not followed. And you can almost do any illegal maneuver here and not be in trouble.

After surviviing the drive to the Intag, we arrived in Junin, where we stayed in an ecotourism cabin/tree house. Kristi and I slept in hammocks on the roof. We went on a hike to the little village of Junin (to learn more, watch Under Rich Earth). From Junin, we went to Carlos Zorrilla´s farm, where he grew a bit of everything to try and make it as natural and organic as possible. We were right on the mountains, and sometimes in the clouds. There was no electricity and barely running water. It was completely rustic, but so much fun. Other than the bugs. There were lots of those, and big ones at that. Our first night, after we turned off the lights, we heard something like a rock falling. I turned on my flashlight to see a giant cricket on the floor. He was probably around two-inches in any direction. He was promptly squished by Laura.


We had our own beds for a while, until the rain came. Our cabin leaked just a bit and three of our beds became completely soaked. Wednesday morning, we went on an intense four hour hike around the mountains. Our guide was cool and would make jokes about snakes hanging from trees. Soon into the walk, we actually found one...and it was poisonous. So what did we do? Get as close as we could to take pictures of it. The hike was rough and muddy, but some of the views we got to see were just breath taking. 

Dreaming of the Osaka sun

Well it has been a long couple of days. Yesterday was or departure from wonderfully rainy Ohio to the beautiful Ecuador! Our flight to Georgia was pretty smooth and tolerable since it was only around 120 minutes long. Our flight to Quito was a bit turbulent, but watching the sun set from our windows and flying over Cuba or the night lights from Panama wad incredible. By the time we landed, we were all ready to crawl into our beds at the nicest hostel ever.

You know those first few moments after you wake up and can't really remember anything? I had one of those this morning. Realizing that you're in another country and that the whole day before of flying and airports and emotions wasn't a dream wad really exciting. Especially looking out your window to see a mountain appear from the fog!

Today's biggest adventure was out tour through Quito and getting to straddle and fight over the Equator. Trying cuy, hot wine and just bonding by sharing all our food and drinks with each other (probably not the most healthy thin to do, but delicious all the same). Can't wait for more adventure and less altitude sickness! Pictured will come soon enough.

So long, and thanks for all the fish!

So it's the night before we leave, and getting ready to leave is utter madness! Had to buy a camera bag and a memory card adopter thing (The one thing the bookstore doesn't have) so I could clear out my full camera, since apparently Fuji memory cards are impossible to find. Still trying to make my side of the dorm look uninhabited, and pack the rest of my stuff. 

I sad good-byes to my family this weekend, which was sad. But there will be no more sad, since this is going to be the greatest adventure ever!

Also, tomorrow is my brother's 18th birthday, so my gift to him is not being able to harass him via text for the next 10 weeks. Happy Birthday! And have fun at Homecoming tonight.

Anyways, I should stop procrastinating and finish packing and what not. Byes!

TESTING!!!!!!!!!!!