December Part II: When the Sleigh Bells Hit The Fan

So the last half of the month marked one of my first seriously low lows. We were Ca-razy busy in the barrio. Crazier than normal. We are wrapping up last minute stuff for the year and the most important thing is the Christmas Party. So many things at once. Traditionally there is a fiesta for the niños, the day before Christmas Eve (you know, Christmas Eve Eve ;op) Again, I'm glad it's all a blur cause it was a not a good time. Everyone was on edge, it's stuff they the Ladies do annual, so the expected me to just KNOW what to do without explanation.

Along with the $2 a week for the Padrino program for the Comedor, there is also the responsibility of the Padrino/Madrina to provide a present to their ahijado (god child..SURE didn't know what that word meant ALL December, but anyway..) for Christmas. I thnk it’s a great way to bring Christmas cheer to the barrio…except for not ever child has a Padrino/Madrina or families that can afford gifts.

So the big stressor (one thing? Clue Reference sorry…) was getting the kids toys. We had a totally of what…7 days max? The ladies would grab their chests, rock in their seats and sing sad songs about the sad state of affairs. It was more than I could handle. I was like “JCov, don’t try to be a hero…we are in this together and it’s the last minute..don’t you worry yourself crazy..” When I tried to figure out what they did in the years past. They would stay stuff like “Well in OCTOBER we usually do X,Y,Z” Ugh the overwhelming feeling of WHY DIDN’T I KNOW THEN!? Sure I’ll know for next year, but when the chest grabbing crooning came, I was like oh man we need toys and we need the fast and we need about 100…well really a 150,(or 200?) but whose counting? Guayaquil has a wide socioeconomic divide. There are some very rich people here so it’s possible to get donations, but it’s true, both parties (the rich and the poor) have usually have joined forces around October, November at the lastest to get their tax write offs and other logistics and what not all squared away.

To make matters worse…relationships were on shaking ground. I didn’t know if it was happening with everyone, but Mary who I work the closest with was resenting me more and more by the minute. I’m a replacement volunteer, which means there was a (truly fabulous) volunteer before me who just happened to be her best friend. So any given day, if I mess up or make a mistake (um hi everyday, all day) I get “the look” that says, I really wish you weren’t here and my best friend was back. After some mistake free days, and me telling myself, don’t let “the look” or eye rolls bother you, you’re doing your best… I had learned to not let it ruin my day.

Mary like myself is also in a unique situation. She lives near the barrio, but not IN the barrio. She has a husband who works and she has two adorable kids, one that she leaves everyday (usually crying for her to come back) just to benevolently work tirelessly helping the ladies. She seriously does it out of the kindness of her heart and is pretty instrumental to the success of the ladies. That’s why we work together so much, she’s a lot…most…pretty much all…of the outreach, administrative (writing letters, thank you letters, solicitations..etc), organizing, note taking the list goes on. When I first got to the barrio my job was to pretty much shadow her (see how annoying that is? A non speaking, non understanding, non best friend all up in your mix…all of a sudden) and learn the ropes.

Well during one party planning meeting it’s business as usual. We are talking about how yet another day has past by and still no toys for the niños. Well also THIS year we need to start planning the party for the Adultos Mayors (the elderly group we started) as well as the niño’s fiesta. Well the panic started when I pointed out that even though Lottie kept sayin that the Adultos Mayores party was on the 23rd and the Niños party is on Wednesday…that Wednesday was ACTUALLY the 23rd. You see, most of the ladies are using planners that date back as far as 2005. So days and dates don’t coordinate. Just what you need when there is a language barrier. It’s such classic case of the Ecuadorian Ya Mismo though that it’s just funny. I’ll have to explain ya mismo some other time.

So that got everyone up in arms that we had double booked. So that complication sent that day spinnin. Then we were also working double time on this propuesta (grant proposal) with two gentlemen that were pretty demanding and when they sent something they wanted feedback ASAP. So Lottie got a call during the party planning crisis sayin that we got a new email from the guy and that we need to go check the account. Mary and I are the ones that check the email, I was away during the call so I just got the info that we need to go check the computer for a new email. So we are there and there was nothing. I checked my account too cause sometimes he would just send things directly to me. Nothing. I asked Mary, what exactly did he say. The response was something like, I wasn’t on the phone, but Lottie just said look for a new email. So after digging around and waiting to see if maybe it was going to pop p any minute. We go back to the Lottie sayin no dice. She then goes on to describe the document she is talking about. OH THAT ONE! I say, one that was sent back in November. It wasn’t new at all. Well I guess that was a last straw for Mary who then said something to the effect of “I wish you weren’t here and the other volunteer was here she always knew what to do, that’s why I miss her so much” or something. The type of thing you would kindly say behind someone’s back and not while standing in the presence of someone…I would imagine.

It’s December, I survived Thanksgiving sans loved ones…I’m brasing myself for another family-less holiday, I’ve been driving myself crazy trying to meet rich or influencial Ecuadorians trying to get toys for the niños... working everyday in the barrio and exhausting myself just to DO everything that is asked of me by the ladies and the tasks at hand day in and day out and then leaving the barrio and seeking out strangers, until the sun goes down, who can help. So getting THAT comment, which as I said before is always “said” through the non verbal “look” was now put to words. I was hoping by December we would be past all of that as well. But it was apparent that no.we.weren’t. So totally taken aback by the rudeness and the disregard for my feeling instead of snapping something back in bad Spanish (and poor taste) I just leave and go to the internet café to retrieve the document, that once explained, I knew exactly what it was.

I don’t even like reporting this, cause it feels like gossip and I adore every last one of the ladies. This stuff just happens in relationships, but since it was a milestone as being the lowest low and explains why I pretty much was not heard from all of December as well. I was so OVER IT! Ooops…

Yeah so rest of the day I was in a cloudy haze stuck in between “why am I here” and “this totally sucks” . It takes concentration and a concerted effort to actively listen and understand Spanish when you are a beginner…or really any gringo living in the Coast where they talk SO fast and drop letters from words. As I had mentally checked out at that point, anything anyone said to me went right over my head. Which further frustrated my collegues but it took everything I had not to hop on the bus and roll out.

I honestly can’t even tell you what happened the rest of the day in the barrio or anything until “dinner” that night. I feel like I had plans actually but I def called in a rain check due to my achy breaky heart. Oh, and as miserable as I sound, I was trying OH so hard to stay positive. I have had too many tears already, and I was going for a new approach. So when I get home and there are more dead gigantic dead bettle/roach/beasts lined up in bathroom as my welcome home wagon…I just say to myself. At least they are not alive, or gigantic spiders! So now that I’m left to fend for myself for dinner, I have tuna and all the fixins. Great. I’ll make that. Ooooh and as a treat I can put EGGS in my tuna salad for the first time. Since I’ve been in Gquil I’ve been having tuna as my fall back meal (I’m a huge fan, I know not everyone feels that way…) but oh how I miss putting hard boiled eggs in it which really makes it a delicious hearty meal. Due to no stove that would be completely impossible.

Well now I have a pity, please don’t get a refund microwave. Maybe I can just boil the water and the eggs in the microwave? I wouldn’t normally do experiements, but my heart was wound so tight, and I was trying to do every little thing to hold myself together. Walking the tight rope of…stick with this…or take the plunge (aaaalll the way back to the US...not really..but I was going close to calling me Program Director). Great take two eggs, but them in a plastic conister of water (which is what you do when you have no dishes) and give the microwave it’s first spin around the block. Again, due to emotional blacking out, I know I was standing in my kitchen, reading? Whipping up the rest of the ingredients? No really sure…the.next.thing.I.know…

KAAAABOOOOOOOOOOMMM BBBBAAAAAAMMMMM SHAAATTTTEEER CRACCCKKK SPLAAAAAAT!!!!!!!!!!

I whip around only to see, water, egg, and glass EVERYWHERE. My two little devil eggs erupted (in the same manner that I wish I could have early that day) and completely blew the door of the microwave open, completely Shattered the thick glass turn table on the inside, had cooked it’s middles into chicken basically and splattered white yoke all over (some liquid some solid..weird..). I couldn’t believe it. Oh sure at the present time I know two things a) my microwave is crazy, it’s got insane nuclear powers that overcook everything, even for 15 seconds b) YOU CAN”T HARDBOIL EGGS IN A MICROWAVE! They EXPLODE! I knew that you know, I really did…I know they have air in the top and while you can cook an open egg maybe (still may get some fireworks) but an egg in a shell is what you Don’t do. WHATEVER I WAS STRESSED TO THE MAX! I think part of the explosion had to do with my electric heart energy that was at capacity as well. Hey we are big bundles of energy as well and I know my energy was volcanic at that point.








Still completely shocked I say to my self…”at least you weren’t standing in FRONT of the Microwave as this thick glass spewed out stabbing you in a kidney or something” honestly though…had I been in the wrong place that could have been awful. My duena came by actually to see if I was okay lol. That was good to know that I have people that care had I been bleeding to death on my kitchen floor sigh. So now my new microwave was broken, my whole place smelled like burned chicken baby (sooooooo scary and not cute. Thought that smell would never go away), I was super shaken to the core, and hungy…but in no mood to eat.

Everyone now asks what happened to my microwave. I hope they read my blog, cause I never have the heart to go into it lol. I’m like yeaaaah I’ll write about it one day lol…sigh…

Alright, this is an action packed entry as well, and I actually gotta get going. Stay tuned for the riveting conclusion of Happy Holidays? In the Barrio…Chao!

December Part I: The Big Move...

Well I don’t feel so bad writing about Dramatic December after writing about how much fun I had in November. December just about did me in. There were high high and low lows, but hey that’s life. (may make this a two parter…)

I don’t even know where to begin. One thing I can say, is that I was going to write/journal/blog, during the time, but I just couldn’t and now I’m glad, I was so charged with so much emotion that it would have probably been a heavy read. Now I can just report on what I remember but it won’t be so…well dramatic…I mean who am I kidding, it’s still me…so some drama…but not as much…

Where to even begin? I guess from the beginning (get ready for more stream of consciousness writing!)… Right, right, right after the full Thanksgiving weekend, my director came to stay for a week to approve everyone’s housing. It took a lot just to prepare for that! I had to get that door put on, which in the U.S. would have taken an hour maybe. But OF COURSE in Ecaudor I learn more and more everyday. Things that take a an hour normally take FOREVER and it takes everything out of you! It’s not just the taking forever, it’s the arguing, it’s the getting taken advantage of, it’s the back and forth…it’s just a lot. My friend Mathais was even with me helping me, but it really just took a lot. You just have to experience it first hand to really understand how it can drain the life out of you…oh and in this case a third of my monthly living allowance. But great whatever. I needed to do it to move in. Got the door on, bought some pliers the day I was meeting Cris my Director so we could even open the door( don’t ask). I got all the upgrades I needed and it was approved! Yay. Oh sure I had to pay two months rent, which PeacE Corps doesn’t cover so that was more money out of my pocket…but just REALLY wanted my own place and this was my one and only chance to get it. Just to explain, our directors go on a sort of “housing approval tour” you get one day of their time, and if your place is ready. Great you can move in. If not, you gotta wait for when they can schedule a whooole special trip just for you to come approve your place…and they are super busy so that’s not an easy thng to get. So it was now or never.
So I have my place with it’s big window (that I love), built in closet and nothing else. I gotta buy everything. Some places come furnished but now this one. So the first week of Dec consisted of Moving in woes. Getting my stuff moved from my host fam to my new crib (couldn’t have done it without the help of my Guayaquiña girls Molls and Sabriga) going a whole weekend without electricity because my dueña forgot to tell me that I had to get it turned on. I had bought new light bulbs just thinking all of the lights blew out (eyeroll). I don’t even mind no electicity except when it’s hot as Hades fire and you have no fan for a break in heat or no fridge for a cold beverage. So it was pretty rough. I had moved my bed (sans sheets) my first night so at least I had something to lay on.

Again since everything that would take an hour takes a day, I had to miss work just to buy and get my bed delivered. The next thing I needed to get was a fridge. Enter week two. Honestly I can’t even get into this. The fridge drama could have never been forseen. A couple of volnuteers got refurbished fridges (or nivera…didn’t know that was the word for it…maybe have made some of the drama less if I knew what people were saying…) I said…even though we gotta be frugal as PCVs. I’m going to buy a fridge new, to cut down on the drama of always needed to get my fridge re-repaired over the next few years. Don’t get me wrong, I spent a week of searching for a refurbished fridge…it just wasn’t panning out…I had already wasted so much time, I was going new. Since I’m not much of a cook I did’nt need a full full size, but I also did not want to speand $300 bucks on a college fridge which is how much they go for here. So I searched and found the perfect size for an okay price.
Alright, I said I’m not going into it and I’m not. In the U.S. you go to a store, you buy a fridge, you get it delivered (usually FREE) you plug it in. The rest is blissful drama free history. WHY did start getting ripped off starting with the delivery guy…then why did my fridge only get hotter the first…then second day, why did the store stop answering my calls and made me roll up in there, not once, not twice, but three times before they sent someone..not to repleace it…just to “repair it”. Random repair guys in my house is EXACTLY why I bought a new fridge! So not one, not two, but three random repair guys come day after day…not able to figure it out. WTH!? I’m takin off work, I had to throw my food I had transferred from my host fams house cause now it’s been about a week. Oh it doesn’t help that the ladies in the barrio were hurt that I didn’t have them come with me to get my fridge and then swore that the reason this is happening is cause I went by myself. They are probably right, but I got it on a Sunday, the one day they take off…and I got a new one so who knew I still needed an Ecuadorian to oversee the operation. Okay smart alecs, YES this is me not going into it! There was SO much drama I can’t even tell you. So when the final guy tells me that they are going to have to take the fridge to a shop and I’ll get it back in three days (Which would be taking me into the next week) I lose it. Oh and these repair guys were SO sleazy I can’t even tell you, but anyway. I BACK up to the store that will no longer answer their phone, straight LOSING it In Spanish on just about everyone demanding my money back they finally, throw in a microwave (That I CAAAARRRRYYY, down the street on the crowded metro and too my house..only pure rage can give you that kind of strength) and agree to give exhange the fridge “mañana” I tell them if I Hear mañana one more time it’s going to get REAL ugly as I’m going to get the brava ladies from my barrio to come up there and really raise some hell. I wanted a new fridge and it needed to be in my house the same night. So at about 9:00 PM (store has been closed but…) another sketch ball comes and delivers my fridge. Sure they make me wrap the lemon of a fridge in the original packaging..probably to resell it. Whatever. It was out of my hair. Lost a week of my sanity felt, robbed, taken advantage of, and totally annoyed and missing a simpler life…If every new thing I get in my house is going to take all that I’ll never be comfy and cozy in my home I thought… Plus I just didn’t have the energy for that cause I had BIGGER stuff to worry about…like the Christmas party in the Barrio….stay tuned for week, 3 and 4 of Dec…

Thanksgiving Recap!!

Aaaaand were back…but just for a moment. November/December proved to be quite the whirlwind and now as I write this in the third week in January, I’m just now feeling like I have exhaled….only to start back up in Feburary…but you’ll have to read about that later. Right now I have to give you account of what went down in December…wait did I update on November?

Okay Maybe this will actually be a quick review of my faboo Thanksgiving. I can posts about Dramatic December next 

I wish I could remember Thanksgiving actually. All I remember fully is that I kept calling it an uncharacteristically fun weekend in Guayaquil. 2 of my friends from my language group came from the Campo and the Oriente to visit little ol me and we had a blast.

I think the festivities started Wed. There about 6 Guayquil volunteers so counting all of and our friends and significant others that came to visit, we already had the makings of a big family feel for the Thanksgiving.

So many reporting Thanksgiving to be their favorite holiday it was interesting. I like Thanksgiving for the fact that it’s a non religious holiday and therefore everyone celebrates it, at the same time, get together and shamelessly pig out. I however am not comfortable with the seedy history of Thanksgiving which you have to explain to your Ecuadorian affiliates that want to know why all the hooplah for this holiday they clearly don’t celebrate. All in all since most of the volunteers were serious about getting their celebration on, much effort was put into making sure we rung in the holiday in proper form.

I also work with the U.S. Consulate and The Colegio Americano which = more gringos who wanna get down in an good ol American Traditional way. For starters We were invited to a potluck dinner on Wednesday by the Consulate. Eeeek I’m expected cook something? Ah no worries I now have the dish I can always bring whenever faced with a potluck…Salad! Pam and I made giant salad that we put in two giant containers and took to every party we went through from Wednesday to Saturday. It was a very humanitarian Thanksgiving dinner, as the affiliates of the consulate brought food and the kids of the school where we had the event were able to eat and enjoy a Thanksgiving feast. They even sang songs for us and did a little presentation in English. We all have had to do our little “Thank you for coming…” introduction speeches in Spanish since we got here, so we could totally relate to the stuttering nervous girls who were attempting to speak our native tongue. It was really really sweet.

We thought the evening would end there but the good times were flowing and we all hadn’t been together like that in forever, so we went back to a friend the house of a friend that works for the Consulate (translation is livin large and fabulous). He’s a former PCV (as so many foreign service people are) and understands how it is. So of course even though we know better, upon arriving to his house we are all but kissing the ground as we pet the carpet, marvel at how clean, how nice, how cool, how big etc it is. Conversations flowed effortlessly until we couldn’t keep our eyes open anymore.

For us that was just the intro to Thanksgiving day…the Real Holiday. First on the agenda (well after a fitting breakfast of left of pie, green beans and cake) we met at the Colegio Americano bright and early…but definitely not on time lol. I mean you try getting 8 girls together and out the door! Plus we had to take a cab which PCVs just don’t do if they don’t have too cause frankly we can’t afford it. So we had to organize that as well. The only reason time was even an issue was because I was supposed to be playin in the flag football game we were attending. Yeah that sooo did not happen. When we got there the Consulate vs the Teachers and Staff were duking it OUT. When I thought flag football I was thinking Powder Puff…This was more Capture the Flag meets Rugby and people were out for blood. I DID get a jersey with my name, but I was just a cheerleading on the (BLAZING HOT) sidelines. There was no way I was getting in that game, even if the sun as bien fuerte as it was.

I also realized since I am linked to both parties…to play for just one of the teams would have been choosing sides! I’m the Peace Corps! I’m all about the Peace! They were out there warring, so that’s how I reasoned with my teammates who wanted to throw me in the game. We had a nice time and met some new friends. Also, my fellow vols were able to put faces on the names of people I talk about in my daily life.

As if we didn’t already have enough dinners we were going to we were invited to a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner with the Consulate folks. This would have a been a no brainer and an easy “yes” however we had plans much later that night to attend our very one quaint little Peace Corps Volunteer potluck dinner in Porto Ondo (no clue how to spell that!) the site of a Natural Resources Volunteer in Omnibus 99 (i.e. she’s been here almost 2 years…). If we had cars…we could easily hop parties…but some of us had cookin to do for our potluck and we all had to get back together and hose ourselves off from sitting out in the blazin heat. (I guess one day I have to break down how the North and the South are two different worlds and how we PCVs live in the south and the people with money live in the North and how it’s totally baffling how we are gingas and don’t have money…)

So, Jen, Pam and myself were all about fittin in as much Thanksgiving grubbing as we could (that’s how the huge salad got incorporated as the fall back contribution to every party) while our other half needed to get home and actually make real delicious dishes such as carrot cake and cookies!!! Molly (one of the other Guayaquiñas) always split custody of our visitors so we decided, those who wanna go to the dinner can come with me. Those who can bake and actually want to sit still for a minute can go to the bakery home of Molls  Oh the only way this was EVEN an option though was one of the new guys in Homeland Security offered to give us a ride…SWEET! Alright I think we had about 2 hours between when we left the Colegio and when we needed to be ready….wwwweeelll since we all insisted on taking public transportation back south that pretty much ate up our two hours. So we were getting called to get picked up before we had even walked in more door for showers! They just don’t understand how we be livin! Anyway, we scrambled, ran ourselves crazy...ran around outside trying to find our ride (only getting ourselves just as sweaty as before our showers…but whatever!) but finally we were in a car with AC on our way back up north. The house of full of people and TOTALLY FABULOUS! That is what living abroad should look like. I mean marble pillars, pool right outside with a fountain, beautiful gigantic kitchen perfect for entertaining all the gringos in Guayaquil for Thanksgiving. I usually don’t even CARE about home furnishings and such, but Peace Corps will take you there, believe me.
Oh and OMG!! THE FOOD!?!?!?!? It got to be ridiculous. WE PIGGED OUT! It was completely insane and so much fun. It really felt like Thanksgiving. I just wish our families had been with us. We recapped fun moments of the football game, we were basically interviewed about the Peace Corps and just laughed and talked about life in general. It was a nice time for sure. Being in the Peace Corps people don’t really mind if you eat and run, and while we had been there a few hours it still felt a little rushed as we had to duck out to go to our NEXT dinner. We waddled out of the door to our next destination (by car! Que Suerte) with our Consulate friend (we weren’t sure how we were going to get to Porto Undo at first) we arrive (with Salad in hand of course) to the Very PeacE Corps Potluck. More Volunteers had come in town and everyone had contributed such delicious dishes. I don’t know how they did it. Pefect Carrot Cake, Baked Mac and Cheese (using Campo cheese! There is no Kraft here people..), Apple Pie, Ice Cream, Rice (but not plain white, you know mixed rice…) Cake, Oh Stuffing, I can’t even remember…It was soooo good and so fun. Jen, Pam and I were trippin. We were SOOOOO Stuffed but Kept.on.eating. It got to be insane, but if you can’t do it Thanksgiving, when can you!?
We played games and even had a coloring contest. We got some goods from Lisa (the 99 vol) I even got a guitar! So all in all it was a blast! After that I felt like, alright I survived a real family holiday away from my family. I of course was thinking of fam and friends that whole time…thinking this is fun, but if my fam/friends were here it would be even BETTER! But I still stayed in the moment and enjoyed myself.

Oh there is so much more to the Uncharactaristically fun weekend in Gquil that I haven’t even gotten too. Like the bday party we went to celebrating the life of once othe Colegio teachers. There was a bar crawl (that we missed since we had been shoppin in the Bahia all day …I don’t recommend it!) and a Chiva (read: double decker party bus) We sat on the roof, had noise makers and a cooler full of whatever you wanted! Pam opted to sit in the bus like a civilized human while Jen and I chose the roof lol. We also got prime spots sitting ON the cooler, making us the bartenders as well as the guests. We went ALLL over Guayaquil…the South AND the North and that is no short distance. We ended our journey in Urdesa at the fabulous apt of some of the teachers. WE made still MORE great new friends and danced that night away. I don’t know how we were even standing but we got home at some crazy hour in the morning. I never go out here cause I don’t feel safe, so it was just fun being out and feeling safe and being around friends.

Even after my guests left, and I swore I was going to take it easy on Sunday to recouperate from the those 4 days of hittin it hard. There was another surprise bday that needed to be celebrated…by hiking up waterfalls. I can’t even get into, it was so ridiculous and so fun. Waterfalls so steep you needed ropes to get up, and sketchy latters. There was cliff diving, rock sliding and good times all around. I lost my one and only sweater on the bus and we had to take an hour and half bus standing up on our way back…but it was so freakin fun. So all in all Thanksgiving “weekend” which really was Wed-Sun was actually way more fun than I anticipated. I also anticipated this to be a blog over my December…and it totally wasn’t  So stay tuned and thanks for following my crazy story telling…I guess I have a problem with tenses in Spanish AND English!

Feliz Año Nuevo!

Hola familia y amigos!!

I hope everyone had happy holidays and I´m wishing you all a Happy New Year! I of course had fallen off of the face of the Earth pretty much Nov/Dec. We´ve hit the ground running too here in January, but I have a little more air to breath. I was going to try to squeeze out some posts this week, but I´m not going to be able to. Next week I go to Cuanca for our "Reconnect" Meeting (even though we are all going to be Disconnected, because instead of us all going together there are three separate locations...totally bummed about that...)I´ll be gone aaaallll week. While it would be nice if you all could have some fun reading material in my abence...I gotta grind out a presentation and prep my counterpart, along with the other zillion daily grind stuff we have all the time. So promise when I get back I´ll blog my little heart out and maybe set you up for some reading enjoyment that will take us far in to February! Miss you all more and more cada dia!

xoxoxo

P.S. Mañana es mi cumpleaño! Yay!