For Nelson

I've been meaning to blog for a while, but Nelson finally called me out on not writing! So here's an update.

Today, I am sick. I woke up and decided that being around older people with older immune systems (let alone preparing them breakfast and lunch) was not the greatest way I could serve them. I subsequently told my host-cousin I was going back to bed and have been in it ever since. I slept until 11:30 and am on my second movie of the day. I know it might sound like I'm wasting a day, but I'd rather take this time to get better.

Last weekend, I went to a place called Baños. It was ...an adventure. I left volunteering early to head all the way to the south of Quito. I figured out how to get to the second bus station with the help of two other exchange students. I waited around for a bit; there were some scheduling changes with the folks with whom I was traveling. We got our tickets and headed out around 4. That put us in Baños pretty late, but we went out and had a great night. No Ecuadorian's asked me to dance, but that is perfectly fine with me.

We got up the next day and this began my adventure. We had a delicious breakfast at our hostel, then we went horseback riding. I had a hard time deciding if it was an ethical thing for me to do; I didn't like how the horses were dragging their feet or how they didn't get a water break the whole time we were out. I also didn't like that the guide would give them a smack on the hind legs with a thin branch to get them moving. Apparently, my horse was in a bad mood that day, according to my guide. And according to the fact that he kicked a friend's horse in the chest. We got to go see a cool waterfall, then we headed back. Some of the group went puenting, which is essentially bungee jumping without the bungee. I could never do it; I'm so proud of my friends who did.

At this point, I become super melodramatic. The wind blew some dust into my eye that didn't come out until we went to a clinic 4 hours later. More on that in a second. We went canyoning, which is repelling down waterfalls. It could have been a lot of fun for me, but I was mostly just crying and keeping my eye(s) closed because it hurt so much. It was cool to be lowered down a waterfall, but I wish I could have appreciated it more. After that, it was an adventure to the clinic for me. I really appreciate the people who were with me. While sand in the eye sounds like a pretty lame thing to freak out about, I was freaking out like you wouldn't believe. The doctor put some solution in my eye (and didn't poke me in the eye with a needle like I thought he was going to!), got a q-tip and removed the foul grain, as well as an eyelash. He prescribed some anti-inflammatory pills as well as drops (gotas) because the sand had irritated the surface of my eye. I went back to the hostel and slept until the next morning. Other folks went out for dinner, drinks, and a chiva (open bus with music) up the mountain. I was just glad to close my eyes.

The next morning, some of us went to check out the basilica in town, which was gorgeous. After that, we ran pretty late, but four of us took another chiva to see some of the waterfalls; they were absolutely stunning. We got to climb down a mountain and see a beautiful waterfall up close. The hike back up was intense, though! Our other friends rode bikes and went to a different waterfall; because of this, they arrived super close-to-late for our bus home. One of the people in our group did an awesome job stalling the bus for 15 minutes while people made their way. The bus ride home, after that, was restful. It was nice to get back to Quito.

Last night, I went bowling with my family and another exchange student who lives across the hall from me. It was fun. I scored a 44. Roughly. I got a strike on my first ball, and then proceeded to not knock down any pins for about 4 more frames. Yessss.

So, on the whole, I am tired. Mentally, physically. I am close to half way complete with my adventure here, and that scares me. It means that I have to start thinking about my future and I really don't like that. I am in a weird lull/funk and I hope to get out of it soon. Next weekend is Carnaval and so we have two days off from school; I don't really know where I'm going. We'll see! Sorry this isn't much of an entry, but it's still something, right?

A Few Things I've Learned the Hard Way

01. Just because I'm white doesn't mean I have privilege anymore.

02. The rays of the sun actually do burn more severely along the equator.

03. Just because it's wireless doesn't mean it's free.

04. Men will cat call you regardless of what you look like.

05. But not always.

06. A semester is a really long time.

07. The day you accidentally have more than $15 on you is the day you will get robbed.

08. In a city of nearly 3 million people, there are people who will return your belongings, even though all the cash is gone.

09. Professors will not always care that your first language is not the same as theirs.

10. "Mandatory" does not always mean mandatory.

11. Spanish. (a thing I am learning the hard way...)

12. Life moves forward even when you feel like you're moving sideways.

13. You can't always be known.

14. Things won't always be fixable with an prettily worded e-mail.

15. Just because you're different doesn't mean you should expect everyone accommodate you.

16. But there is always an opportunity for conversation and learning.

17. Holding grudges doesn't really get you anywhere.

18. When the orientation leader says that that tarantulas are not more afraid of you than you are of them, he is not kidding.

19. It doesn't do any good to be afraid.

20. "Things change. And friends leave. And life doesn't stop for anybody." [Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky]

Estoy loca como el tigre

Hola a todos J

I have two and half things to update you about!

½. Night out in La Mariscal

Now, you may or may not know this, but I don’t really do the club scene. That’s what study abroad is for, isn’t it? Doing things one normally wouldn’t? I went out to La Mariscal, aka Gringo Land, to hang out with some friends and enjoy some Ecuadorian nightlife. We were at a cool Beatles-themed bar called Strawberry Fields Forever. I had a really nice chat with one of the people who was there, and I really came out of my shell. We left around 11:30 or so to head over to another place called Bungalow? I kind of forgot. (No, it wasn’t *that* kind of night!) The $5 cover was worth it, as we got a free drink as well as a whole night of what I considered decent music. They played a bunch of songs that are popular in the U.S. as well as some Ecuadorian tunes I am growing to love. We danced until about 2:30 when we left La Mariscal. I got asked to dance by a mildly awkward, potentially older person. I promptly was my awkward self and we sort of danced while I maintained a safe distance. After one song, he told me “ya venga” (I’ll come back) and didn’t approach me for the rest of the night. I really wouldn’t have had it any other way. I got home and in bed by around 3:00 a.m. …

01. Day-trip to Papallacta

… to get up around 6:45 a.m. to head out to Papallacta! There are only two words I can use to describe Papallacta, and it’s really a phrase so it’s kind of like one word: hot springs. We’re talking natural baths of hot water, sometimes warmer than a hot tub. We had to get there first: the group of us who went met up around 8:30 a.m. at the bus stop where we get off to go to school, so it was easy. For a city of just under 3 million, Quito sure is quiet on a Saturday morning. Our $2.50 bus ride to Papallacta was so worth it. When we arrived, we hopped in “el balde” (the back of a pick-up truck) for a 2.7 km ride to the springs. The view around us was absolutely Stunning (upper-case denotation was very necessary). We got there, changed into our suits, put on about 50 layers of sunscreen collectively (which did me a fat lot of good!) and hung out in the first pool. After a while, we got too warm so we sat out for a bit before heading to some of the other pools (which got progressively warmer). Thankfully, the frigid river was right next to the hottest pool. One of my friends slipped on some rock and cut up his foot, but the medics were able to fix him up nicely. After he was all fixed up, we went and got some lunch. I had churrascos (some beef, avocado, rice, lentils,etc) and jugo de mora (blackberry juice but so much better). We went back to hang out in the springs for a bit before changing and heading back to Quito. The bus showed a disgusting film and I had to stand for most of the 90 minute drive, which was fine. At this point, I was sunburned and super tired, so it would have been nice to sit. Ah well! All in all, a relaxing and beautiful day at the hot springs!

02. First day of Volunteering

Today was my first day at La Fundacion de Abuelitos y Abuelitas de la Calle, which is an organization for elderly people, mostly with lonely low-income lives. I managed to get there on time while using a new bus route and not knowing exactly where to go. (Those who remember my early fear of the buses should be proud!) It started slowly in the morning around 8 a.m. but I was able to sit and chat with some abuelitas, Maria and Josefina. They are beautiful people. I hope to see them again on Wednesday, as well as meet some more folks. I spent the whole day in the kitchen helping prepare breakfast and lunch for about 100 people. It was easier than one might imagine to fit in to a system that many people already understand. I met some volunteers from Germany as well as a person from Wisconsin. She’s here before her study abroad experience in Chile. It was fun to spend time with her, as well as help the volunteer from Germany communicate with some of the Ecuadorian volunteers. She doesn’t speak much Spanish yet. Today for lunch was soup of angel hair pasta, rice/lentils/veggies, salad (aka lettuce, cucumber, & lime juice), a piece of fruit, and juice. It’s amazing to see the system these people have in place to serve the people who need it. It’s also amazing to think that all the food we used today was going to go to waste otherwise because it couldn’t be sold in the supermarket. I stayed around and helped to clean up the kitchen afterward as well. I put in 7 hours today, out of 200! Maybe each post I’ll let you know where I’m at in my service. J I am already looking forward to going back on Wednesday. I think it was good that I was able to help in the essential functions of the organization today, in order to feel like I wasn’t just coming in to hang out. Before I headed home (which took two buses instead of one, which was an adventure!) I bought an empanada that was made by a person who works with us, and all sales go right back to the organization. I liked that.

On another note, I have a cold. I love my host parents for how they are helping. My dad said that he’ll make sure to get some tissues when he’s at the supermarket next, and gave me some vitamin c tablets. My mom made me some limeade-tea-with-honey and gave me (what I think/hope was) a decongestant, or cold medicine. My body is stressed right now with that, intense sunburn, and some other things, but I think I’ll be alright!

Thanks for reading this whole thing! Love to you all.

Aventura #1

Hello, friends!

This past weekend, I took my first vacation in Ecuador! Eleven of us went to Mindo, which is about 2.5 hours west of Quito. I took a different bus line to get there, so I arrived at the station late. Thankfully, there were enough tickets left for me to get one with the group. My friend Cynthia was the only person I knew, but by the end of the weekend I felt pretty comfortable with everyone who was there. The ride to Mindo was windy, but gorgeous. We arrived and it was raining... and it didn't really stop for most of the weekend. The person who owned the hostel came and picked us all up in his van so we didn't need to walk in the rain. Mindo doesn't have street names, you see, so it would have been tricky to get there on our own anyway. We got settled in and then went out to dinner, in the rain. There went my straight hair! I looked like a hot mess the whole weekend. I shared mushroom pizza with some folks and we all decided the plan for the next day. We went out to a couple bars that night, and I really only liked the second one because it was more open and a little quieter. We got in pretty late, but were still prepared for our adventure the next day.

We got up and had breakfast at 8 then proceeded on to zip lining! $13 for 13 zip lines! We also didn't sign any waivers or anything, which is TOTALLY different compared to the US. We got into our harnesses and helmets, heard safety instructions, and got started! If you're on facebook, check out photos from my album called ¨So, I Only Have a 20...¨ (I´ll explain more about that title later!) Like I said, there were 11 of us, and we had two guides as well. The first guide went across, then it was our turn! The first cable was slower and steadier than many of the rest, so it was a good one with which to start. I went toward the end of the group, and I was only a little nervous the first time. After that, I just wanted to keep going ALL day. The hikes between the lines were a little stressful to my out-of-shape self, but I made it. Eventually, we were given the opportunity to try 2 different positions: the mariposa (butterfuly) or the Superman. The mariposa has your body in the shape of a Y with your body hanging upside down and your legs forming the top part of the Y. You and the guide go simultaneously and the guide holds your body in place, which I found quite comforting. I didn´t try the mariposa but I did do the Superman, twice! For this, you wrap your legs around the torso of the guide and cross your legs behind the guide´s back and put your arms out like you´re flying, like Superman does. I can´t even describe the view; gorgeous is an understatement.

After ziplining (remember, it was raining the whole time!), we decided to go tubing down the river. For starters, we´re cold and wet. Then we get in the river in this huge tube raft. I am wearing my bathing suit and a t-shirt. There are 4 of us in the raft, 2 guides to steer, and 1 guide to sit in the middle to grab us if we start to fall out. For an illustration of how intense this river was: a trip that normally takes 30 minutes took us 12. The river was going SO fast and the waves were huge. We went down a couple 2-3 foot drops (!) and slid over some rocks. It was QUITE an adventure, and while it was probably the craziest thing we did all weekend, it was an awesome time. One person fell out of the raft behind us, but thankfully she is alright and the third raft scooped her up into their raft. We rode home standing up in the back of a pick up truck. Cold. Wet. Slap happy.

We hung around, went out to eat, came back, went to the bar. (At this point, I had essentially run out of money. And everyone else only had 20s, which are about as helpful in Ecuador as a winter jacket.) We met some people from Germany at our hostel, invited them out, and talked to them in Spanish. Oddly enough, it helped me feel more comfortable in my language. We came back and some folks got up the next day to go bird watching. I chose not to because later this semester, I´m taking a trip to a biodiversity station in Tiputini, so I figured I would just see animals then. (And I didn´t have $8!) The few of us that didn´t go walked around Mindo (aka turned left not right down the main road). It was pretty. The other folks came back and we were going to try and go to the waterfall but we ended up not having enough time. Instead, we walked down the road to find access to the river. We hung out there for a while; some of us collected beautiful stones to bring home. We took our bus back to Quito, and I went home to my Ecuadorian family.

What I can say about traveling outside of Quito is that for the first time, I felt like I was enjoying my life here. I liked getting away from the noise, the hustle and bustle. I liked letting my guard down a little. I think traveling away from Quito is going to be how I learn to love Quito. We shall see. Love to you all!

Let's Do Some Processing

Hello, friends!

Things I've told you so far in this blog:

01. I made it.

02. My address. (WINK.)

03. I survived my first day of school.

04. Advice to anyone thinking of studying abroad.

05. Details about my classes.

I've noticed that I haven't exactly dedicated an entry to how I feel, how I'm doing. So that is where this entry comes in. Apologies if it seems all over the place; welcome to my life as of the last 3 weeks.

Someone asked me today how things have been so far. I give it a 5/10. Don't be downtrodden, friends. It's a rising 5. There have been some frustrations, which I will share, but there have also been some great moments that will turn into the things I remember most.

So, there are frustrations with my program. It's to the point where I've started keeping a list of things I need to write on the evaluation form which I assume I will get at the end of my time here. There are 5 students who will complete this program in the Galapagos Islands, and 2 of us that will complete it in Quito. This is one of the smallest turn outs from this program about which I have heard. There are times when I feel like an after thought to the people whose job it is to handle my presence in Ecuador. While I am growing to understand the circular sense of time here, I still have trouble with it when my program coordinator calls my home at 9:00 am to tell me we have a meeting at noon that day. I feel like there will be continued problems, and I have been encouraged to (frankly) advocate for myself. At this point, though, I have gotten over whatever conflict there has been by the end of whatever day it happened.

Simultaneously, I am very excited because my interview for my service placement is tomorrow. When in the meeting and asked about my interests for the placement, I somehow threw up the words "adultos mas viejos". Old people; geriatrics. I have never worked in geriatrics in my entire life. Yet, somehow (God?), those words felt correct, felt good. I'll update again when I have more information about my service work.

.

I have been struggling socially. I am the only student at USFQ from Elmhurst College, and one of two students utilizing my program in Quito. For the first week or so that I was here, I felt like I was in survivor mode. I forgot that I had social skills and could make friends. There are large groups of students from Boston, Michigan, and other places. I've found it difficult (since the first time I saw students at the Quito gate in the airport) to simply approach anyone and say "hi, people tell me I'm cool. wanna be friends?" I have been okay on my own until about now. It's been nice to have some alone time to decompress, especially after (what felt like) a very demanding semester in the fall. The good news is, I am working on it. I won't say a lot here just in case Ecuador exchange students creep my blog, but I feel that there are many opportunities for potential, and I anticipate that I will be social soon enough.

I can say, with joy, that my host family has been nothing but kind and patient with me. Any frustrations I feel are with myself not being able to communicate the way I one day hope to. They make my meals, take me shopping, help me find the right words when I struggle to find them. My mom washed my sheets and made my bed today; my dad made some fresh, warm lemonade (which I think is actually limeade?) and brought it to me in my room while I wrote this. I really enjoy being in their lives, and I think I have already underestimated their impact on my time here.

People ask me if I miss Elmhurst. I'll tell you what I do miss: living on campus. Class starts for me at 8:30 am. I leave my house circa 7:15, so I get up around 6:30. That is much earlier than I would like! It also takes me a while to get home, and I must do so before dark. I have to leave campus around 4, 4:30 at the latest to do so comfortably. (side note: I took the wrong bus home yesterday and ended up just getting off and taking a taxi instead) So, yes, I miss the freedom I have of living safely in Elmhurst, but I think there is a lot for me to learn while being forced to manage my time differently here.

I'll be real. I am worried about money. Let me be clear: this is not me asking for donations to my Ecuador fund. I did that at Christmas. I am just saying that there are so many opportunities here, and I want to make sure I am taking advantage of them wisely. I am hoping my financial aid processes quickly, but I am almost certain that won't happen to the middle of the semester (aka after I want to plan a trip to Galapagos). I just need to budget a bit better; I've splurged some on the $1 ice cream on the way home, and the $3 bagel/lemonade combo a few times. It won't sound like a lot, but it adds up quite quickly. I can bring some lunch from home.. some bread and fruit. Maybe get ice cream every couple of weeks, not once a week. We will see.

I would comment on my spiritual life here, but it's not really happening. I've been to mass a couple times with my family, and there's something beautiful about scripture in Spanish. Simultaneously, I am recognizing how much I value my protestant (specifically, UCC) ties. Jesus on a cross in the front of the sanctuary reminds me of how much I can't do in life, or how much I can't be. The empty cross reminds me of how much I can do with new life, new hope. I wonder if I will find God in the Amazon, in nature, or in other people. I hope to. I think I need to quit hoping God will find me and start putting God in the important aspects of my life. A relationship is still made of parts, regardless of how much more amazing one part is over the other.

So, thank you to those who read this whole thing. I hope you can see now how I mean my experience is a rising 5/10, with so much potential to grow into an experience I will value for the rest of my life. I love you all, and appreciate your support.

One two three four

Hola a todos y todas :)

My last entry was not as in-touch with my life as some of you might have liked. That sounded super vain, but I know that many of you choose to read this to find out what the heck I'm doing in South America. For this reason, I will give you a school-related update. :)

I am taking four classes, just like I would at Elmhurst. I scheduled it so they would be only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. International students can't take classes that end after 6 because most of us have at least a 20 minute commute by bus (an hour in my case) with some walking as well and it isn't exactly the safest thing for us to be doing after dark.

Class #1: Introduction to Ecuadorian Culture

My earliest class at 8:30-9:55 is getting off to a slow start. We met the first day of classes with Cristina, but she has had some health issues preventing her from teaching our class consistently. Thus, class had been cancelled until today with our new professor. She had us chatting with each other and going over local Ecuadorian vocabulary. I really like that. It's neat, also, to see how much slang comes from Quechua. This class doesn't seem really challenging yet, so we'll see how the course evolves!

Class #2: Intermediate Conversation

I think I am going to really enjoy this course. It meets right after Culture, so I think it will be a nice pick-me-up. My professor is really dynamic and engaging. Today is the first day it met, so we're just getting started. Tuesdays are individual presentations. Guess who volunteered to go first? This kid. I figured I should get it out of the way now so I don't need to worry about it when I have volunteer hours to fill (see class #4). I have to choose an article, find 12-15 new vocabulary words, making a vocab sheet for the class with the definitions/synonyms, present the article to the class and use those vocab words, then create 3 open ended questions to spur class discussion. Thursdays are pair presentations following a very similar format. We also got a HUGE packet of what our professor described as vocab that English speakers almost always struggle with when learning Spanish. I look forward to mastering that list.

Class #3: History and Theory of Photography

Well, I had started in a drawing class. After a series of unfortunate events (teehee), I decided to drop that course. I am currently pleased with that decision. I signed up for this class because I believe it will still fulfill my Fine Arts general education requirement at Elmhurst. (It better!) I missed the first two classes but I am confident that I will still be successful. And it requires no artistic skill, thank goodness.

Class #4: Anthropology 316

This course has a really long title and I don't remember it. It's the course only IPSL students can take. There are 5 students who are doing their service placement in the Galapagos Islands and two of us in Quito. We meet sporadically to discuss readings about community development, volunteerism and such things. With this course, I'll be placed in a service agency in Quito where I will complete 200 hours of work with it. I'm nervous and excited. If I understand correctly, we'll be finding out our sites in a couple weeks after we do some visits. I'm pretty open to anything but I'd really like to not teach English to little children. *insert rant about education faults* :P

So those are my classes! Other things I have since done at school include:

-asked where the photo books are in the library

-found the photo books

-checked out a book from the library

-ate in the cafeteria (mushrooms, what?)

-gotten money from the ATM

-gotten my (free!) planner from the information desk

-used the computer labs

-napped near the lagoon

-gone to the bathroom (finding it was a challenge in itself!)

All in all, I'd say I am a pretty successful person. My next challenge will be using the copy center. That will happen on Monday or Tuesday.

Peace to you all.

Initial Reactions

For study abroad at Elmhurst, we have to write an entry to be posted here for future students to read. This is what I wrote.

Hola a todos y todas!

My name is Ally, and I am spending 132 days studying in Quito, Ecuador. As I write this, I have been here for 15 of them. I want to tell you about some things I like.

01. I like lists. Lists are crucial. I made a list of things I wanted to pack and people I needed to see before I left. Now that I’m here, I make lists of things to buy at the pharmacy and words to look up in my Spanish-English dictionary. Learn to love lists. When everything is unfamiliar in your new country, having something of which you’re in control is oddly stabilizing.

02. I like Skype. Download it. Learn how to use it. Tell anyone you love to get it. 5 minutes on a video chat with your partner or parent can change your day from awful to manageable. (iChat/AIM also suffices.)

03. I like knowing where I am. When you get to your country, find out what the closest *thing* is to you so when other students ask you where you live, you can tell them. For example, I live in the northern part of Quito off Av. America. Saying that is a lot more useful than saying, “uhh… I take a red bus, get off by the big satellite dish, then walk two more blocks.”

04. I like Harry Potter. While I’m not necessarily asking you to be a HP fan, make sure you bring your *thing* with you. Be it your favorite movie, book, photos, letter from your bestie: bring it with you. You will not regret leaving that one t-shirt at home in order to make room for it.

05. I like taking my time. That being said, if you are reading this and have not applied for your visa: do it! Seriously!

06. I like my iPod. Whatever your musical outlet: sync it, charge it, bring extra batteries. On a lonely night, having your jams will make all the difference. Also: invest in some black headphones. White scream “please steal me and the technology to which I am attached!”

07. I like classes. Seriously consider the courses you plan to take. Take some time looking at what is offered. Sign up for classes that fit for you while still stretching your horizons. For example, History and Theory of Photography is not a class I would choose to take at Elmhurst. Never limit yourself to how many new things you can choose to try abroad.

08. I like being safe. Listen to your program directors about safety precautions in your country. At the same time, take it with a tiny grain of salt. Imagine what they’d have to say about Chicago.

09. I like change. This is probably one of few times you’ll have the opportunity to live and learn in another country. I got on my flight to Quito not wanting to go. But here’s the thing: you go, and you adapt. Your new culture will have so much to teach you if only you let it.

10. The last thing I like is a phrase I learned on my first study abroad experience in England. It goes like this: “keep calm and carry on”. When you get nervous, scared, or feel like you can’t do it, take a breath. Really.

Remember this, as Christopher Robin said to Pooh, “you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” This is part of your Elmhurst experience, just as studying in Quito is part of mine. Even if I had this list when I was in your shoes, I would have been just as scared as I was to leave my comfort zone. For what it’s worth: if I can do this, anyone can!

Chao, y Buena suerte!