Weekend in Banos!

Right now I'm sitting at Coffee & Toffee- a cafe in "Gringolandia" sipping a cappuccino, utilizing the free wi-fi, and listening to really bad American songs covered in Spanish. This is the first free afternoon we've had since arriving in Quito, and it's really nice to be able to relax and reflect on the weekend we just spent in Banos!

Last Friday after spanish school Mark, Serena, Holly, Dunc, Annie, and I hopped on a 4 hour bus ride to Banos, a city south of Quito frequented by tourists for its fun outdoor activities and beautiful mountain views. By the time we arrived and checked into our hostel, it was time for dinner at Casa Hood- a cute little restaurant that caters to travelers with a plethora of cheap food options, a colorful decor, and a wall of bookshelves set up for book exchanges

 in different languages. After dinner we retired to the hostel rooms where we spent a few hours playing double decker Cuarenta, quoting YouTube videos, and acting like giddy 5 year olds.  : )

The next day we arose early to grab some desayuno and head out on a bike ride through the Andes! The ride itself was a few hours, and almost completely downhill (with only a few exceptions). It was raining/sprinkling almost the whole time, which made the ride all the more adventurous with muddy potholes and "puddles" that came up past our pedals (we were all completely soaked from the knees down). The end result was our arrival at la Cascada el P

ailon del Diablo- a giant waterfall that we hiked to through a

 path in a mini-jungle a little ways from the main road. We had some lunch at the only cafe by the massive waterfall that was made up of a collection of huts built up the side of the mountain. For the record, empanadas de choclo, hummus, chocolate-banana bread, and a stunning jungle view following an exhilarating mountain bike ride = an amazing afternoon. 

The next morning we were all hurting a bit from our tour through the Andes, so Serena, Annie, and I treated ourselves to a cheap yet effective hot stones massage. MMMmmm... After that, we hopped back on a bus to San Golqui where we joined the rest of the group to see the newest Batman movie! We had to wait around the mall for a few hours to see the un-dubbed version, which allowed us plenty of time to dine on turkey and mozzarella sandwiches and a 3 liter bottle of orange fanta (that almost exceeded our limited budget). The movie was amazing and we all headed back to Quito content and cansados. Check out the pics on my other website! Miss you all! 

Subjunctive Tense is the Bane of My Existence

So for the past week and a half, every morning has began promptly (or 5-10 minutes late according to Ecuadorian practice) with 4 straight hours of Spanish language classes. The first day I started strong- Ruth could understand what I was trying to get across (I assumed) and for the most part I could understand her. My feelings of success however were short-lived as we progressed extremely quickly to a brutal review of ALL the Spanish verb tenses including pluscomperfect, past and present subjunctive, and who knows what else. The next few days, I backtracked, and actually got worse at my already menial conjugating skills. At times, I would slip and a few words of English frustration would spurt from my mouth- such as "Ahhhh- subjunctive is the bane of my existence!!!"- after which I would have to explain the phrase's meaning in Spanish to my "profe" (not as easy as it might seem since Spanish was the source of the frustration in the first place). The past few days, however, have been hopeful! Now, I think there might be a light at the end of the tunnel that slightly resembles a more fluent me after 12 more months. Nevertheless, I implore you all to keep your fingers crossed and think of me the next time you frequent your neighborhood Chipotle or El Fenix and hear the employees effortlessly shouting preterite, subjunctive, imperfect, and reflexive verbs on a whim. Ciao for now!  : )

How to Become an Ecuadorian...

Living in Ecuador isn't that easy. Between the altitude, the rapidly changing weather, street muggers, the terrain (which can lead to accidents involving feet and bookcases), and inevitable food sickness (which I am currently experiencing less than a week into my stay), it takes a somewhat strong-willed person to thrive here. The native Ecuadorians definitely have that mentality. I have had conversations with both my host mother and my Spanish language teacher about what it is like for them to live and work in a country that for North Americans is so cheap, but for natives is relatively expensive. The people here work hard and have little to show for it. Each day is a constant reminder of how lucky we Americans are to have daily modern conveniences like indoor heating and AC, steaming hot showers, clean tap water, FAA food regulations, personal computers and internet access, and the ability to experience personal gain from hard work. Here, it is nearly impossible for the middle class (which is much poorer than the middle class in America) to become wealthy or to improve their conditions at all. And since the people here are so poor relative to other countries, they cannot afford to move to a place where they might find better opportunities. In a sense, they are stuck, working day to day, living dollar by dollar. 

Despite this, the people here are so incredibly good-natured and agreeable. Everyone I have come into contact with is positive and happy. Maybe this is a result of the fact that Quito is so beautifully situated. While much of the city is rundown, the backdrop is breathtaking. All you have to do is peel your eyes away from the fast-moving taxis, street vendors, and crowded

 streets for a second to look up between the buildings and see the mountains (which surround the city from every angle). During the day, you can see each individual house built on the mountainside, the trees, the rocks, and the clouds. Some of the clouds float halfway up the mountains so that the people who live there have only to look out their bedroom window to see them. During the nigh

t, all the little houses are lit up with people eating dinner or visiting with family. The side of the mountains look like they have been carefully decorated with Christmas lights for some festive celebration. Coming from Dallas and Ohio, which are both extremely flat, it's fantastic to have such a beautiful landscape each and every day. 

Food, on the other hand, is a completely different matter. Those of you who know me best know that I am a big fan of food, which can make traveling to certain places somewhat difficult. The good thing about the food here is that it's cheap. A typical "almuerzo" that you find at most street cafes costs about $1.50 to $2, a roll at the Panaderia is anywhere from 30 to 60 cents, and when they're in season, I hear you can buy avocados 6 for a dollar. The bad thing about food is that a lot of it is unsanitary for Americans (especially fruit washed with tap water), and Ecuadorians don't seem to know anything about the food pyramid. Every lunch and dinner I've eaten has for the most part consisted of potatoes, rice, rolls, and some type of meat. I am completely starched out. At least with breakfast we have a plate of fruit and some cheese to put on the rolls, but in 6 days I've been served vegetables once (and they weren't very good). What I wouldn't give for a huge salad from Central Market! I can't wait until we move into the Manna house in two weeks and begin cooking for ourselves. Does anyone have a good recipe for enchiladas?

Day 5

Hello all! I have been in Quito for 5 days now and already so much has happened. My visit so far has been an absolute whirlwind that I've loved every minute of. I will try to update this blog often so that anyone who is interested can follow my experiences and keep in touch (please comment!!). Miss you all and hope to hear from you frequently. Besos!  : )