Two weeks! Sometimes it feels like I’ve been here forever and other times it’s like I just got here yesterday. David (my host brother) left for Germany on his exchange last Friday, which is when I met my host father for the first time! He didn’t stay long however, and since Andrea is away at University most of the day, usually it’s just me and Mami.
I feel like I want to say way too much to write in chronological order, so I’m going to go through a typical day and try to fit everything in that way.
Alright, so I wake up and I usually have to wait a few minutes to get over the dream I just had. I have no idea why, but my dreams here are MUCH more vivid and seem very real compared to the ones I had at home. Lately I’ve woken up terrified, completely depressed and furious. So I manage to pull myself out of bed all happy again and go to take a shower in the bathroom that happens to be in my bedroom! I get dressed and make my bed (yes mom, every day).
I always take a deep breath to put myself back into “Spanish mode” and then make my way out to the kitchen.
Like I said, breakfast always consists of fresh fruit. The yogurt here is very runny, so yogurt and milk are kind of interchangeable. I’ve often had my cereal with yogurt. This morning I had an apple and half a banana mixed with yogurt. Mami made strawberry milk (basically put milk and strawberries into a blender) and orange juice from the oranges we got at the market last night. Breakfast has to be big enough to tide you over to “la hora de la comida” which is never before 1:30 pm. After desayuno (breakfast) I either help Mami get lunch started or study Spanish and verb conjugations…. Which is less fun, but very necessary.
When they told me that Valle de los Chillos was small, it’s because they were comparing it to Quito. The valley is about the size of Moncton and from what I understand it also had three main parts: Conocoto, Sangolqui and San Rafael. I live just outside the San Rafael part…. I’m pretty sure… The view in the valley is gorgeous, you can see mountains in every direction. All the businesses and wealthier peoples’ homes are all closed in by huge walls, usually made of concrete or stone I suppose. A lot of the walls even have broken bottles and other forms of glass or wire sticking out on top. Usman’s host mom calls it cheap fencing. I’m thinking the glass and wire would add an exciting element to parkour (Jeff). Even though we’ve driven by my school several times, today was the first day I actually saw it due to the huge wall and gate enclosing it. Similarly to many of the stores here, there is a guard at the gate of my school.
Back to my day! After lunch I go out for a walk. I’m not allowed to go any farther than our street by myself and I have to take a call phone with me when I go. My dad put it this way: “You’re white and a girl”. I miss the freedom of Sackville, but I do enjoy my walks, no running yet! It is quite harder to breathe here, and being the asthma kid that I am, I have no chance…YET! Once I manage to make it up our street (I use “up” because of the HUGE steep hill) without needing to catch my breath I’ll try running. I was really serious when I wrote about the animals all over the streets. I’ve counted at least seven stray dogs (on our road), one of our neighbours has a pig in his front yard and yesterday I actually walked behind a chicken!
Due to my still existing lack of Spanish skills I have done a lot of hopping in the car with no clue where I was going. My favorite word is probably “vamos” it’s kind of a synonym for adventure. Last Saturday Mami, Andrea and I went to La Basilica. It’s a huge gothic style church in Old Quito, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. We got to climb up to one tower and then to the bell tower. We used ladders and tiny stairs to get to the top. It was pretty much as scary as rock climbing (Patrick, Selina + Daniel). The church isn’t finished being built yet and Andrea told me it’s been under construction for over 100 years!
I think it was Monday that Mami, my aunt Ceci, a few of her friends and I went to see the German youth orchestra. They were performing at the German University in Quito and were very good. I had to keep reminding myself that I was in Ecuador, most of the people at the concert were German! That was also the first day I took a bus here in Ecuador! Let’s put it this way; I tried to take a picture, but the bus was gone before I could turn on the camera. You basically have to jump on to it and personal space isn’t really an option. The ride was fast, bumpy and hot… I kind of loved it! I’m not allowed to go on buses by myself either, but once I learn how they work, Mami said I’ll take the bus to Quito with my friends a lot.
I’ve been to Quito very often; it’s a really cool city! At red lights, people swarm the cars selling fruits, books, candies and other things. There are also performers who stand at the line and either juggle or do magic tricks. It’s all perfectly timed too, when the light turns green, everyone has cleared out of the way of the cars. Cool fact about Quito: from what I’ve understood, there are certain days that cars aren’t allowed to drive through the city because of the last number on their license plate. For example, the last number on our license plate is a 6, so we’re not supposed to drive through Quito on Wednesdays.
I’m understanding much more than I did two weeks ago. I can have little conversations with people as long as they speak slowly. Although, I do love using the “hablo ingles” line when someone is trying to sell me something. Once again I want to thank everyone for your thoughts, prayers and support. All I can do is smile when Mami tells someone that I’m the only exchange student she’s had that hasn’t gotten sick because of the food or water. I do miss home, but this country is really starting to grow on me.
Ciao for now!
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