Las Tolas, Day 1
Ok, lets talk awesome. Woke up today at 5:55 to what I thought was the sound of children screaming in Jubilation. It turned out to be about a thousand roosters crowing at dawn. Pretty awesome. It was cold in the morning, but its not even 8 now and the temperature if perfect (hace fresco). What was the first thing I did? Even before breakfast? Learned to ride a motorcycle, on a dirt road, in the cloud forest. I don't think I can convey how awesome this was. Mecias, the father, took me in front, started the bike, said some stuff in Spanish which I didn't get, and then told me to drive. This didn't work. So he took off, with me on the back, and we drove up this very rocky mountain road (the only kind they have here) into the cloud forest. You can see the clouds burning off the mountain peaks and settling into the lowlands in the morning (Speaking of which, I am actually in a cloud right now, you can't see ten meters off the mountainside, it's all white). Then we stopped, and he showed me, with a great amount of gesture, and a lot of Spanish I didn't follow, how you start and ride a manual motorcycle. It took me a couple of tries, but I learned. He then let me drive off, alone, along dirt roads into the cloud forest. This is the most beautiful place Ive ever seen. Trees overhang mountaintops shrouded in trees. Everywhere you look are views from postcards. Motorcycles pass every few minutes.
After learning to ride a motorcycle, we went back to the house and had breakfast. Homemade fried cheese empanadas and boiled eggs. The eggs here are a little strange, that might be because they spend their time sitting on top of the fridge, but I'm not too worried about it. Today I am supposed to fill out some kind of paper with a woman at noon for the organization, and tomorrow I am going to the finca, some kind of farm/home base where the organization is run. Until then, I am relaxing I guess, studying up on my Spanish. Thank god my mother made me bring a dictionary. Good call mom. I have internet kind of right now, so i am going to try to post this and last nights before I lose it.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
First night in Las Tolas
Today I got the village. It didn't really strike me how crazy what I am doing was until I got on the bus, alone. The bus ride took 3 hours, but it was insanely beautiful. A much nicer bus then I expected, no animals as passengers either. I saw one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen through a gap in the mountains on the drive. The winding road along the mountain side was incredible, hues of pink and orange and purple lining the clouds as they appeared through gaps in forest shrouded peaks. Truly incredible.
I wasn't sure what bus stop to get off at, so I just waited till the last stop, and that turned out to be right. I was afraid my family wouldn't be there, but Elvirea was waiting around the corner and came over as soon as I got off. No one here speaks any English. None. Zero. Their house is 3 rooms, the ceiling is corrugated metal, and the walls are stucco. Their son Brian is a champ. He speaks the most English (which is none, except he knew how to say his age in English), he's eleven and seems like a cool kid. We went for a walk and looked around.
I have never seen stars like I saw today. Not in the colored canyon in Egypt, or in the wilderness of Minesota, nothing can compare to the stars I saw tonight. The milky way looked like a cloud of dust strewn across the sky. Every constellation was perfect. I could see for billions of lightyears. The forest looked beautiful but it was too late to really see it. I will look tomorrow.
We passed a volleyball court which seems like the villages main attaction. These kids were playing serious volleyball. They would have kicked the asses of the marines I played with in Rwanda. There are bugs around all the lights but it seems like only moths and some beatles. The moths range from a quarter inch in size to a three incher I saw on the outside of the window pane.
These people are really poor, and it blows my mind how well they have treated me. Of the three rooms there is a kitchen/common area and two bedrooms, and a bathroom. I have on of the bedrooms, and the nicest bed (which isn't nice). The mother, father, and son I think are sharing the second room. The two daughters are elsewhere, I am not sure specifically, but it was discussed and I just had no idea what was being said. Despite that, I managed to carry on a half-decent conversation. I expect my spanish to progress rapidly here. My room has a wooden shef, a window, and a small bedside table, with a gaudy plastic pink lamp which must have one day belonged to a daughter. There is a lightbult, but its hanging from a cord and is uncovered. The family decided I needed a chair, so they brought one of the several logs which are sitting outside for that purpose. Elvirea, the mother, put a little woven napkin on it to make it a seat. I was touched.
I gave everyone (except the daughters who are elsewhere) their gifts. They seemed very appreciative. I had to help Brian set his watch, and it took me a while to explain that it had a stopwatch and a alarm, and that I hadn't set the time to 00:00:00. He seems thrilled however.
As soon as I arrived we had dinner. It was simple beef soup, two chunks of tough beef, little noodles and potatoes, and some piece of egg I think. Similar to the common breakfast soup in Colombia. (Btw I take back the thing about the moth. There is a solid 7 incher smashing into the outside of my window. Black, loud, and slightly intimidating. I had to turn off the ceiling light to stop the bugs from smashing the outside of my window). The drink was a tea made from some kind of grass which they explained they picked from outside. As far as I can tell they only drink tea for safely, but there is a pot of water which is filtered to use for tooth brushing and etc.
I don't know if my internet stick will work out here, but as I have cell phone signal in some places it should. Photos will have to wait until I get back to Quito, but I will hopefully be able to post this. Those people who I should be emailing please take blog updates instead, as even being able to access my blog is iffy. Mom, if your reading this, youll be happy to know the village has no cars, only motorcycles, which i plan on learning to ride very soon.
I don't know how to explain how I feel right now. I am completely lost and alone in a world I don't understand, but at the same time I have a new family that has given me everything they have in order to make me feel welcome, and I don't even have enough language to properly thank them. I don't know what I am going to be doing, but I imagine I will start to find out tomorrow. These are the simplest surroundings I have ever been in, and I will be in them for months, and yet I am super excited. I have already seen a world I couldn't possibly have imagined, and I haven't even been here for half of a day. I'm gonna go to sleep, as I imagine I have a big day tomorrow (though in truth I have no idea). I'll keep you all posted as best I can.
I wasn't sure what bus stop to get off at, so I just waited till the last stop, and that turned out to be right. I was afraid my family wouldn't be there, but Elvirea was waiting around the corner and came over as soon as I got off. No one here speaks any English. None. Zero. Their house is 3 rooms, the ceiling is corrugated metal, and the walls are stucco. Their son Brian is a champ. He speaks the most English (which is none, except he knew how to say his age in English), he's eleven and seems like a cool kid. We went for a walk and looked around.
I have never seen stars like I saw today. Not in the colored canyon in Egypt, or in the wilderness of Minesota, nothing can compare to the stars I saw tonight. The milky way looked like a cloud of dust strewn across the sky. Every constellation was perfect. I could see for billions of lightyears. The forest looked beautiful but it was too late to really see it. I will look tomorrow.
We passed a volleyball court which seems like the villages main attaction. These kids were playing serious volleyball. They would have kicked the asses of the marines I played with in Rwanda. There are bugs around all the lights but it seems like only moths and some beatles. The moths range from a quarter inch in size to a three incher I saw on the outside of the window pane.
These people are really poor, and it blows my mind how well they have treated me. Of the three rooms there is a kitchen/common area and two bedrooms, and a bathroom. I have on of the bedrooms, and the nicest bed (which isn't nice). The mother, father, and son I think are sharing the second room. The two daughters are elsewhere, I am not sure specifically, but it was discussed and I just had no idea what was being said. Despite that, I managed to carry on a half-decent conversation. I expect my spanish to progress rapidly here. My room has a wooden shef, a window, and a small bedside table, with a gaudy plastic pink lamp which must have one day belonged to a daughter. There is a lightbult, but its hanging from a cord and is uncovered. The family decided I needed a chair, so they brought one of the several logs which are sitting outside for that purpose. Elvirea, the mother, put a little woven napkin on it to make it a seat. I was touched.
I gave everyone (except the daughters who are elsewhere) their gifts. They seemed very appreciative. I had to help Brian set his watch, and it took me a while to explain that it had a stopwatch and a alarm, and that I hadn't set the time to 00:00:00. He seems thrilled however.
As soon as I arrived we had dinner. It was simple beef soup, two chunks of tough beef, little noodles and potatoes, and some piece of egg I think. Similar to the common breakfast soup in Colombia. (Btw I take back the thing about the moth. There is a solid 7 incher smashing into the outside of my window. Black, loud, and slightly intimidating. I had to turn off the ceiling light to stop the bugs from smashing the outside of my window). The drink was a tea made from some kind of grass which they explained they picked from outside. As far as I can tell they only drink tea for safely, but there is a pot of water which is filtered to use for tooth brushing and etc.
I don't know if my internet stick will work out here, but as I have cell phone signal in some places it should. Photos will have to wait until I get back to Quito, but I will hopefully be able to post this. Those people who I should be emailing please take blog updates instead, as even being able to access my blog is iffy. Mom, if your reading this, youll be happy to know the village has no cars, only motorcycles, which i plan on learning to ride very soon.
I don't know how to explain how I feel right now. I am completely lost and alone in a world I don't understand, but at the same time I have a new family that has given me everything they have in order to make me feel welcome, and I don't even have enough language to properly thank them. I don't know what I am going to be doing, but I imagine I will start to find out tomorrow. These are the simplest surroundings I have ever been in, and I will be in them for months, and yet I am super excited. I have already seen a world I couldn't possibly have imagined, and I haven't even been here for half of a day. I'm gonna go to sleep, as I imagine I have a big day tomorrow (though in truth I have no idea). I'll keep you all posted as best I can.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Last afternoon in Quito
Leaving for the bus for the village in an hour. Thought I'd post a few pics while I still have capable internet.
One more night in Quito
Tonight was awesome. I didn't make it to the bus today as it took far longer then expected to get a cell phone and internet stick, but I called my family and told them I would arrive tomorrow, and its no big deal. It turned out to be well worth it.
After an Ecuadorian lunch of roasted and fried pig, and the cell phone debaucle, I returned to the house, where I met Shiram, Sisima's sister. She invited me to join her and a friend on a trip to Guapolo, a very historic area which turns into party-central at night. It was thundering when we left, but stopped within a half hour, before we got to Guapolo. After parking we walked less then two hundred meters and stumbled upon a giant concert in the middle of a square in front of a beautiful famous church (which is a famous landmark of Guapolo, which may actually be Guapola). There was a full twenty person band, all in blue zoot-suits playing spanish brass ensemble music with a little bit of a faster beat. In front of the band were hundreds of people dancing around. Before we even got there three people in full gorilla costumes passed us. I saw a fellow in a Guy Fox mask later on, as well as various other costumes. There was a sculpture of a cow which shot plumes of indiscriminate sparks onto the crowd in every direction which several men were carrying dancing around. It was basicaly paper-mache covered with fireworks, I don't know how it didn't go up in flames, although later on I saw one catch on fire.
Behind the crowd of a few hundred (which grew to around a thousand around midnight) were various stands selling food. Miguel, a friend with us bought an ear of roasted corn dipped in cheese, which was delicous. We wen't to climb up a hill to a bar, but decided it was too far and ended up in a dingy little joint with Bob Marley, Sublime, and Dylan posters right next to the square. This turned out to be a great decision as the party in the square turned out to have three successive giant towers, which appeared to be built of exclusively fireworks and paint. Each one at least 40 feet tall, they shot sparklers and fireworks into the air (and into the crowd, and I mean actual fire works shooting directly into people). I got a small burn a solid forty feet away, so I have no idea how the people dancing directly around the tower survived, but I guess it was ok because they were all drunk.
After a few beers I got some roasted pork, straight off a whole pig, with some fried mashed potato pancakes and boiled corn (2$), as well as some cheese filled sugar crusted giant empanadas (2 for 50c). All this was delicious. There was a very popular drink which I tried but i am blanking on the name of, which is basically grain alcohol and cinnamon lemon-soup. I saw some guys in the back of the bar pouring this soup into empty beer bottles and adding booze, and I gave em a big thumbs up. The pot of soup had carrots and cinnamon in it and who knows what else. I didn't look too closely, but it was served warm (and its chilly, 8 degrees C when we left) and is delicious. After the third tower shot its last sparks and the final third degree burns were administered, we finished our beers and headed back into the city, with a backdrop of lights sparkling over the hillsides of Quito. Pretty great.
wasn't safe to bring a camera, sorry no pictures. I'll post some soon.
After an Ecuadorian lunch of roasted and fried pig, and the cell phone debaucle, I returned to the house, where I met Shiram, Sisima's sister. She invited me to join her and a friend on a trip to Guapolo, a very historic area which turns into party-central at night. It was thundering when we left, but stopped within a half hour, before we got to Guapolo. After parking we walked less then two hundred meters and stumbled upon a giant concert in the middle of a square in front of a beautiful famous church (which is a famous landmark of Guapolo, which may actually be Guapola). There was a full twenty person band, all in blue zoot-suits playing spanish brass ensemble music with a little bit of a faster beat. In front of the band were hundreds of people dancing around. Before we even got there three people in full gorilla costumes passed us. I saw a fellow in a Guy Fox mask later on, as well as various other costumes. There was a sculpture of a cow which shot plumes of indiscriminate sparks onto the crowd in every direction which several men were carrying dancing around. It was basicaly paper-mache covered with fireworks, I don't know how it didn't go up in flames, although later on I saw one catch on fire.
Behind the crowd of a few hundred (which grew to around a thousand around midnight) were various stands selling food. Miguel, a friend with us bought an ear of roasted corn dipped in cheese, which was delicous. We wen't to climb up a hill to a bar, but decided it was too far and ended up in a dingy little joint with Bob Marley, Sublime, and Dylan posters right next to the square. This turned out to be a great decision as the party in the square turned out to have three successive giant towers, which appeared to be built of exclusively fireworks and paint. Each one at least 40 feet tall, they shot sparklers and fireworks into the air (and into the crowd, and I mean actual fire works shooting directly into people). I got a small burn a solid forty feet away, so I have no idea how the people dancing directly around the tower survived, but I guess it was ok because they were all drunk.
After a few beers I got some roasted pork, straight off a whole pig, with some fried mashed potato pancakes and boiled corn (2$), as well as some cheese filled sugar crusted giant empanadas (2 for 50c). All this was delicious. There was a very popular drink which I tried but i am blanking on the name of, which is basically grain alcohol and cinnamon lemon-soup. I saw some guys in the back of the bar pouring this soup into empty beer bottles and adding booze, and I gave em a big thumbs up. The pot of soup had carrots and cinnamon in it and who knows what else. I didn't look too closely, but it was served warm (and its chilly, 8 degrees C when we left) and is delicious. After the third tower shot its last sparks and the final third degree burns were administered, we finished our beers and headed back into the city, with a backdrop of lights sparkling over the hillsides of Quito. Pretty great.
wasn't safe to bring a camera, sorry no pictures. I'll post some soon.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Quito!!!
Arrived in Quito today at 6:30 local time. Didn't sleep before my flight last night, but caught a couple hours on the floor at Miami international, before the second leg of my flight. 25 minute delay for hurricane Earl, but no big deal. Accidentally rented a bus instead of a taxi, and overpayed as a result, that being said, 12 bucks to go all the way across the city isn't half bad, especially when you consider the driver let me use his cell phone to call Sisima.
Got to the Duchicela's house around 7:30, where I met Sisi and her boyfriend Miguel, both are really awesome people and speak good English (partially because they are taking the GREs in English very soon, I told them I would probably resign myself to a career at McDonalds if I had to take the GREs in Spanish). Sisi is working on her doctoral thesis in biology, on a special kind of tree which grows at high altitudes (more on that later), however several of her friends had just graduated, so we basically went out right after I arrived to see some friends.
Took the public bus down to a hopping area, the bus costs 25c, including transfers. We started off with some food and a cup of Pepsi (which was crucial for my night). There is a famous hot-dog stand/restaurant in Quito called Zona (The Zone), which I learned is in reference to the Amazon, although apparently only about ten people know that and the rest are just in happy oblivion. For two double foot long hot dogs, loaded up, 3 soda's, and what was basically a double quarter pounder, the total came to under 8$.
Next we went to meet the graduates and various friends at a bar nearby, a kind of grungy, very down to earth place, but really pleasant in its lack of pretentiousness. Our group kept growing and sucking up tables like an Amoeba, and after a beer (Club Verde, quite good) we went to a dance club nearby called Lark. It took a minute for people to start moving, but the dancing was alot of fun. The DJs were terrible, but they did manage to play a few goodies, Stevie Wonder's superstition was the highlight, followed by Daft Punk and a lil bit of James Brown. The use of Blind Melon, Franz Ferdinand, and Sublime caught me a little off guard, but the crowd seemed ok with it, although the dancing waxed and waned depending on the music. Very open, a lot of fun, the dancing started in a circle (another Amoeba) which soon broke up into various smaller Protozoa. Miguel winced when we heard that Tequila shots were 5 dollars, so of course I bought a round, half to spite Adams Morgan and their 20 dollar drinks, and half because I wanted Tequila! Didn't have any other drinks in order to make sure I can acclimatize myself to the altitude, although so far I haven't even noticed it.
Tomorrow I will sleep late. After that I will probably have Lunch with Sisi (trying to eat very traditional, I'll try to take pictures), and then hopefully buy a cell phone and internet key. After that I hop on the bus from Ofelia station (which is conveniently very close) and am off to Las Tolas, where I hope my family will be waiting for me.
As far as gifts go, got Remy Martin VSOP for the Duchicela's, and a boxed bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label for the father in Las Tolas. I'll keep you posted on reactions.
Got to the Duchicela's house around 7:30, where I met Sisi and her boyfriend Miguel, both are really awesome people and speak good English (partially because they are taking the GREs in English very soon, I told them I would probably resign myself to a career at McDonalds if I had to take the GREs in Spanish). Sisi is working on her doctoral thesis in biology, on a special kind of tree which grows at high altitudes (more on that later), however several of her friends had just graduated, so we basically went out right after I arrived to see some friends.
Took the public bus down to a hopping area, the bus costs 25c, including transfers. We started off with some food and a cup of Pepsi (which was crucial for my night). There is a famous hot-dog stand/restaurant in Quito called Zona (The Zone), which I learned is in reference to the Amazon, although apparently only about ten people know that and the rest are just in happy oblivion. For two double foot long hot dogs, loaded up, 3 soda's, and what was basically a double quarter pounder, the total came to under 8$.
Next we went to meet the graduates and various friends at a bar nearby, a kind of grungy, very down to earth place, but really pleasant in its lack of pretentiousness. Our group kept growing and sucking up tables like an Amoeba, and after a beer (Club Verde, quite good) we went to a dance club nearby called Lark. It took a minute for people to start moving, but the dancing was alot of fun. The DJs were terrible, but they did manage to play a few goodies, Stevie Wonder's superstition was the highlight, followed by Daft Punk and a lil bit of James Brown. The use of Blind Melon, Franz Ferdinand, and Sublime caught me a little off guard, but the crowd seemed ok with it, although the dancing waxed and waned depending on the music. Very open, a lot of fun, the dancing started in a circle (another Amoeba) which soon broke up into various smaller Protozoa. Miguel winced when we heard that Tequila shots were 5 dollars, so of course I bought a round, half to spite Adams Morgan and their 20 dollar drinks, and half because I wanted Tequila! Didn't have any other drinks in order to make sure I can acclimatize myself to the altitude, although so far I haven't even noticed it.
Tomorrow I will sleep late. After that I will probably have Lunch with Sisi (trying to eat very traditional, I'll try to take pictures), and then hopefully buy a cell phone and internet key. After that I hop on the bus from Ofelia station (which is conveniently very close) and am off to Las Tolas, where I hope my family will be waiting for me.
As far as gifts go, got Remy Martin VSOP for the Duchicela's, and a boxed bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label for the father in Las Tolas. I'll keep you posted on reactions.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
What gifts are appropriate?
One of my last remaining projects before I go is figuring out what gifts are appropriate to bring my host family. I want to bring something really nice and that I put personal care into, but not too flashy or rich as money isn't exactly flowing around Las Tolas. My family has 3 kids, 10 year old boy, 12 year old girl, and 16 year old girl. I ended up getting a watch for the boy, nothing crazy but a solid Casio that's waterproof and has plenty of funky gadget. For the father I plan to get a bottle of nice whiskey at the duty free, as thats an easy way to go and a nice gift. For the sisters and mother, after deliberating over pendants (I didn't want to do earrings because I don't know if they have pierced ears) I ended up going with pearls. Flashy? Yes, but I strung them in a way that wasn't obnoxious. And the fact that I made the necklaces myself makes them more personal. I got pink pearls for the little girl, purple for the older, and a big strand of wild white pearls for the mom. I hope they like them, and that it isn't too much, but I imagine this will be a nice thing that this family will have for many years. I want them to be able to remember me fondly many years down the line when they have a chance to wear their pearls on some occasion.
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