Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Ok so some of you might realize that a)I have not posted in way to long.
I am sorry about that, but I do have an excuse. and that is that
technology seems to hate me here. So first my computer died and I had to
do a complete scrub of it, but now I am waiting for an update CD
because my computer hard drive is now so old that it doesn't function
with most websites. Sigh. and it happens that at the same time the
computer that I use in our household died too. Its been a comedy of
errors. But it is on the mend (thanks daddy!). and b)That you are
getting two posts in on time this time. This is because I wrote the post
above this one first but then had the computer problems and feel that
you might like a more ecua-post. So here it is.
This weekend we had our 5 month and half way done with the exchange get together with AFS students from all over the country. We had students from Guaranda (my town), Quito (capital), Salcedo, Latacunga and Esmeraldas... and it was awesome. I really enjoy these get together's, not for the programing, but for the chance to chill out with people that speak your language. I am finally not the white person because I am with a group of 39 other white people. We all talk about life here in Ecuador, your families, how we cant eat another bite of rice, how school is super easy, and how freezing it is 10,000 ft up in the mountains. But we also chat about things that people here don't understand or aren't interested in: the ACT we have to take when we go home, how we got enough signatures for a recall election on Walker (WAY TO GO WISCONSIN, SO PROUD!), how we miss american sweets, or how we really miss hot water. It is a time to feel normal and have great conversations. very much enjoyed.
One of my favorite parts of these weekends is the languages and how that is dealt with. One day this weekend I was sitting there having a conversation in English when I stopped to listen and realized that the Belgium's behind me were talking in flemish, the Germans across me were chatting away in German, and the two people to the left of me were having an animated conversation in Spanish. This was too cool to realize. All of our official orientation material was in Spanish because that is the language that connects us (even though all minus two of the participants spoke english too, the US was shown up my Europe in that case). Not uncommonly we would have conversations with groups of people that would jump back between spanish, english, german, and any number of other languages. It really showed me how I am not only learning about Ecuadorian culture, but about Belgium, France, Germany, Japan and Italy, just to name a few.
So this reunion takes place in a different city each time and lets just say we were not happy with the city placement this time, we were placed in a very very very small little town wayyyyy up in the mountains so we were freezing our behinds off the whole time and it was always raining, thanks rainy season. But the town does have a cool story that I think some of you might enjoy. We were in a town called Salinas. It started out as a little village because of the salt mine there, everything in the town revolved around that mine, it was the only source of income, it even gave the town its name (Salinas...sal=salt in spanish). But then a bunch of years ago a missionary came into this dirt poor town and saw hope. He started a Queso making co-op. People from all the surrounding area would bring in milk that was then made into Queso for a large portion of Ecuador. This idea blossomed in this town and now there are a couple of different co-ops. Including a chocolate factory that makes some amazing chocolate and then some flavors that I tend to say away from, but some people love, like hot sauce and Pajaro Azul (a very strong home made liquor that is very popular here). There is also a co-op that makes amazing alpaca fur sweatshirts and knit hats, scarves, gloves and many other things. These co-ops have put this little town on the map and have made it a very livable (even though its freezing!) little town.
So this was my weekend, filled with good conversations, many languages, and lots of chocolate!
Livin' on the loose.
This weekend we had our 5 month and half way done with the exchange get together with AFS students from all over the country. We had students from Guaranda (my town), Quito (capital), Salcedo, Latacunga and Esmeraldas... and it was awesome. I really enjoy these get together's, not for the programing, but for the chance to chill out with people that speak your language. I am finally not the white person because I am with a group of 39 other white people. We all talk about life here in Ecuador, your families, how we cant eat another bite of rice, how school is super easy, and how freezing it is 10,000 ft up in the mountains. But we also chat about things that people here don't understand or aren't interested in: the ACT we have to take when we go home, how we got enough signatures for a recall election on Walker (WAY TO GO WISCONSIN, SO PROUD!), how we miss american sweets, or how we really miss hot water. It is a time to feel normal and have great conversations. very much enjoyed.
One of my favorite parts of these weekends is the languages and how that is dealt with. One day this weekend I was sitting there having a conversation in English when I stopped to listen and realized that the Belgium's behind me were talking in flemish, the Germans across me were chatting away in German, and the two people to the left of me were having an animated conversation in Spanish. This was too cool to realize. All of our official orientation material was in Spanish because that is the language that connects us (even though all minus two of the participants spoke english too, the US was shown up my Europe in that case). Not uncommonly we would have conversations with groups of people that would jump back between spanish, english, german, and any number of other languages. It really showed me how I am not only learning about Ecuadorian culture, but about Belgium, France, Germany, Japan and Italy, just to name a few.
So this reunion takes place in a different city each time and lets just say we were not happy with the city placement this time, we were placed in a very very very small little town wayyyyy up in the mountains so we were freezing our behinds off the whole time and it was always raining, thanks rainy season. But the town does have a cool story that I think some of you might enjoy. We were in a town called Salinas. It started out as a little village because of the salt mine there, everything in the town revolved around that mine, it was the only source of income, it even gave the town its name (Salinas...sal=salt in spanish). But then a bunch of years ago a missionary came into this dirt poor town and saw hope. He started a Queso making co-op. People from all the surrounding area would bring in milk that was then made into Queso for a large portion of Ecuador. This idea blossomed in this town and now there are a couple of different co-ops. Including a chocolate factory that makes some amazing chocolate and then some flavors that I tend to say away from, but some people love, like hot sauce and Pajaro Azul (a very strong home made liquor that is very popular here). There is also a co-op that makes amazing alpaca fur sweatshirts and knit hats, scarves, gloves and many other things. These co-ops have put this little town on the map and have made it a very livable (even though its freezing!) little town.
So this was my weekend, filled with good conversations, many languages, and lots of chocolate!
Livin' on the loose.
sounds l;ike you are haveing a blast cant wait to see you up at camp
ReplyDeleteSounds soooo refreshing!
ReplyDeleteTo be surrounded by people of all different cultures, speaking in different languages is so cool. There is so much to learn and understand in this world. And who would have thought that by going to a small town in rural Ecuador you would not only learn of that culture but have a window to the whole world? Very cool...
ReplyDeleteChocolate has its own warming action, and it spans so many cultures!
ReplyDelete