Show and tell

My sister and brother-in-law teach english at the high school down the street, and Tuesday I accompanied them as the American guest. The students were asked to come up with questions for me in english. It was pretty fun. Their questions ranged from What are your hobbies? What kind of music do you like? to Do you have a boyfriend? And What are your thoughts on Ecuadorian men. Yes, 16 year-old boys are the same here.
I was quite the spectacle. It's very rare for them to see a white girl walking around town. Ashley has been here for almost a year, so they are used to her. It cracks me up. Small children look at me with horror and cling to their parents as if I was a monster looking to eat them for lunch. The men and women just stare. So, if you are attention starved or need an ego boost, Gualaquiza, Ecuador is for you!

Out on the town -with no translator!

With pocket dictionary in hand and four dollars in my pocket, I went out on the town last night with Henry and Anita (My brother-in-law's siblings). I was slightly nervous because they do not speak english and I do not speak spanish. Hmmmm...what were wegoing to do, sit there and drink in silence?

It turned out to be an amazing time! Apparently, there english is a little better than they let on, they are just shy and nervous to try and speak it. But after a few cervezas, we were communicating VERY well -And even better when we broke out the whiskey. Also, I'm using my amazing charades skills. It is helpful, but I look like a total idiot. You should see my airplane. (I think I almost hurt someone last night with my wing span).

Wilderness Woman

I feel like one.
Yesterday afternoon Ashley, Javier, Aiden and I went to the small farm to feed the animals. Well Javier tended to the animals while we lounged around. I was drinking a beer, sitting on a bench chewing on fresh sugar cane watching the cats play and listening to the chickens squack. It amazes me how self-sufficient they are here. Oh yea, and I saw a chicken/rooster thing up in a tree! crazy. Also on the farm, lives a cat with no tail. I call him a Cabbit because he looks like a mix between a cat and a rabbit. He's adorable. I want to steal him for Kat my co-worker, who is an animal lover. The Cabbit cannot walk straight because of his lack of a tail. Ashley told me he fell off the top of the bench once. Poor guy.
I have learned A LOT about the culture here. Did you know that they think America is just New York. Or they assume if you're from America you are from New York because it is such a huge city where they would go to live and find work easily. I thought that was interesting. Also, no one reads here. They can read and are literate but do not read for pleasure. They think it's strange that Ashley and I can bury ourselves in a good book for hours.
I have come to really love Javier's family, my new nephew and this great experience called "traveling." This experience has made me realize how much more of the world I want to see.

Firsts

I have tried, and done a lot of things for the first time, like:
-Visiting South America
-Drank milk straight from the cow
-Ate roasted pig
-Held my nephew
-Was bit by a bug, killed it on my shoulder, and thought I was going to die
-Saw a farm full of guinnea pigs, chickens, cats, dogs and pigs. The cat had no tail.
-Saw Ecuadorians perfom their civic duty by voting
And lots more!

Different things about the culture:
-We eat with our hands, or maybe a spoon
-We share glasses. You drink your soda or beer fast and give it back for someone else to use
-We do not flush toilet paper
-Roosters crow all day
-I was given a chicken as a gift (When I went to the roof to read, he was just there, tied to a chair)
-Everyone knows the mayor, and everyone else in the town
-You ride around in the back of a truck -No seatbelts, no carseats
-You can't drink during election weekend (Even though we did)
-Voting is required by law. Men with guns guard the polling sites
-No one speaks english very well. It is not a necessity here. In America, it is a useful tool to know other languages.
-We eat a lot of starch. Rice, yuka, plantanes....
And more! But I have to get going. I think we are visiting a couple farms today.

Hello Culture Shock, it's me, Charis.

I am having an incredibly amazing time!
I arrived in Quito Thursday night, and Javier (my brother-in-law) was there to pick me up. We hopped in a taxi, and my super star status, or "Gringa" (American idiot) status began. Apparently, the second a cab driver sees a white girl the fare doubles. Javier only spent $2.50 for a cab from his aunt's house to the airport, and when we went to go to his aunt's the cabbie said "$6.00" Javier argued with him and they settled on $4....still screwy.
From there, I felt like a fugitive in the night, Javier's aunt owns a store and filled a bag full of snacks and drinks for the 18hour bus drive and then scurried us off in to another cab. Then we got on the bus, where I continued to get odd stares and people actually come on the bus and try to sell you crap. Of course, white girl here, was a target. Anyways....we arrived last night at around 7:00. The bus ride was like a cross between The Sound of Music and The Jungle Book...I half expected Julie Andrews to be dancing around on the mountain tops, or Baloo the bear to come out of a tree singing the Bear Necessities of life. It was a beautiful (bumpy) LONG ride.
When we arrived, Javier's family greeted me so nicely. Fresh roses in the living room, a dinner they thought I would like (Ash's favorite), and cervesa. It is extremely difficult to express myself for all the great things they are doing for me because I don't speak the language.
Ashley (my sister) has become our translator, but messes up sometimes, telling me stuff in spanish and Javier's family english. It is funny.
Javier's brother, Henry brought 4 of his friends over last night for some cervesa. I thought it was just a normal Friday night gathering, but later, Ashley told me they came to see "The Gringa." I feel like a famous person or a rare breed of something.
His friend Fernando asked me out on a date, or later asked if I could help him with his english. *Good line*
Okay, I am totally babbliing, but so much has happened in 3 days.
My nephew, Aiden is amazing. We had a nice heart to heart earlier. Okay, I am being called for dinner.
Adios

The day before. Dun dun dun

I am leaving for Ecuador tomorrow --Excited, yet nervous. I have many requests from co-workers and friends. I must return with a goat for Kat, try not to get stuck in the midst of a coup, avoid Ecuadorian naval projects (for fear of piracy), and to try and avoid yellow fever, malaria, and other foreign ailments/diseases that may kill me.
I will land in Quito, Ecuador at 8:00 tomorrow night where my brother in law will be there to pick me up (hopefully). I am very nervous about this part because I don't speak ANY spanish and will have to go through customs and all that crap. I just want Javier to appear as I exit the plane so I don't get lost. After that...we will embark to Gualaquiza Ecuador, the village where my sister, my nephew, Javier and his family live. That, I believe, is something like a 15 hour bus ride across the country...Should be very interesting.
So, in sum, I have no idea what I am getting in to, or what to expect. I am just so excited to see my sister and meet my little nephew, Aiden! And it doesn't hurt to have 2 weeks off from work.
Stay tuned...