Over a week in country and I already feel like I am getting a hold of things. We moved out our summer camp-style hacienda and in with our host families. It was sad to say goodbye to the large training class, but now we are finally living like Ecuadoreans.
I live in the small town of Olmedo (over 10,000 feet in elevation) with five other volunteers at my language level. My host family consists of my madre and padre who have 82 and 78 years, respectively. My madre has six children just like my grandma Sima, so I feel right at home. She operates a small clothing store in front of our residence, where we spent hours last night chatting about her life since birth in this same town. One of her daughters, and her three daughters, live in the house with us, so there is always gossip going on at the dinner table. My room opens up to a patio with a beautiful view of the snow-capped Cayame volcano.
This morning I had to be in class by 8 AM, so after a breakfast of rice, tomatoes, and fried something, I went to take a shower. During my initial house tour, Iness (my madre) explained that we had hot water. Neglecting to consider the overnight cooling of the water tank, my shower was not only cold, but at a surprisingly high pressure that I could barely escape clean.
Two hours of class today was devoted to describing the differences between the idea of time in the States and in Ecuador. Something I may get used to just in time to return home. We spent another two hours walking around town, talking with people about life here. I guess the exercise is designed to condition us as the strange gringos asking for information.
So here I am after a nice big lunch of cerdo and maíz. I need not a cell phone and carry a minimal amount of cash. I guess I´ll go for a siesta before capping the afternoon off with a game of fútbol.
Update:
It is now four hours after the original post. The afternoon which I had hoped would be tranquilo turned out to be the opposite. I went for siesta and gradually realized my stomach was not agreeing with my lunch. I spent the last four hours twisting and turning in bed with a terrible cramp. When it got too painful to bare I tried to go to the baño, but to no avail. Oh well, it will pass and was bound to happen eventually. Must have been the lettuce.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
¡Bienvendos a Ecuador!
After 16 months, one interview, a college graduation, more doctors appointments than I can count, two plane rides, a new passport, and 5 overcrowded bus rides, I sit here in Cayambe, Ecuador during my first week of Pre-Service Training for Peace Corps.
I arrived in country 5 days ago at Quito International with my group of 54 fellow trainees (we are not volunteers until the swearing in ceremony two months from now). I knew I was in for an interesting experience when, the following day at the Peace Corps office, I found myself eating chicken during lunch. What was purported be the familiar food I had recently eaten for one of my last meals in the States resembled something closer to a spongy, round accordian with brown spots. Oh well, it won´t be the strangest thing placed in front of me in the next few years.
As I said, my life consists of intensive training for the next two months. So far, it has treated me well. My entire training class (Omnibus 103 in PC lingo) lives in a hacienda in the town of Cayambe in the northern Sierra region. The living situation is a cross between college dorm life, summer camp, and a high school cafeteria. I spend my days in Spanish immersion class (I impressed myself by placing into the most advanced language class, below the native speakers, of course), attempting to learn some bank of agricultural knowledge, haggling at the market for fruits with names like maracuya, tomate de arbol, and pepino dulce, eating comida Ecuatoriana, playing basketball, frisbee, or soccer, and enjoying the equatorial sun (Dont worry, Mom, the PC medical kit supplies sun cream), under the ice-capped Cayambe volcano.
I do not have any thing to complain about so far. Ecuador fulfills all expectations that one would have of a tropical South American country. The weather here in the mountains is comfortably warm during the day, and gets cold enough at night that I wear an LL Bean wool sweater and thick wool socks. My fellow trainees all have interesting stories and provide a positive energy that is very welcome during our long days of training classes (we had been in class since 8 this morning until 5:30, with an hour break for lunch). When all is said and done, my committment to the full 2 years has not waivered at all. Life in the Peace Corps is just fine.
I arrived in country 5 days ago at Quito International with my group of 54 fellow trainees (we are not volunteers until the swearing in ceremony two months from now). I knew I was in for an interesting experience when, the following day at the Peace Corps office, I found myself eating chicken during lunch. What was purported be the familiar food I had recently eaten for one of my last meals in the States resembled something closer to a spongy, round accordian with brown spots. Oh well, it won´t be the strangest thing placed in front of me in the next few years.
As I said, my life consists of intensive training for the next two months. So far, it has treated me well. My entire training class (Omnibus 103 in PC lingo) lives in a hacienda in the town of Cayambe in the northern Sierra region. The living situation is a cross between college dorm life, summer camp, and a high school cafeteria. I spend my days in Spanish immersion class (I impressed myself by placing into the most advanced language class, below the native speakers, of course), attempting to learn some bank of agricultural knowledge, haggling at the market for fruits with names like maracuya, tomate de arbol, and pepino dulce, eating comida Ecuatoriana, playing basketball, frisbee, or soccer, and enjoying the equatorial sun (Dont worry, Mom, the PC medical kit supplies sun cream), under the ice-capped Cayambe volcano.
I do not have any thing to complain about so far. Ecuador fulfills all expectations that one would have of a tropical South American country. The weather here in the mountains is comfortably warm during the day, and gets cold enough at night that I wear an LL Bean wool sweater and thick wool socks. My fellow trainees all have interesting stories and provide a positive energy that is very welcome during our long days of training classes (we had been in class since 8 this morning until 5:30, with an hour break for lunch). When all is said and done, my committment to the full 2 years has not waivered at all. Life in the Peace Corps is just fine.
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