#13 Night Rains

Now while talk of the rainy season struck terror in our hearts…tales of flesh eating cricket plagues and 40 days and 40 nights of non stop flood worthy rain…. It a) did not end up being Armageddon end of days b) sometimes the rain could be a joy.

In fact as the rainy season started to taper off in February the rain would mostly come at night. Not only would the air right before a rain be fresh and breezy, but the rain itself would bring some relief to the oppressive head and there is no sound better to sleep by.

My new tradition was when the rain came I would light a candle or incense and go to bed. Best sleep ever. So great, it made the list!

#12 Let The Sunshine

No one let’s the sunshine in like Ecuador booooyyyeeee! Now many days when I’m walking home and feel like I’m tight row walking directly ON the Equator. But really I could be walking miles and miles in the snow or the freezing wind and that would not be awesome. Truth is, I love the sun. I love sunny days, the energy it cooks into your skin and (I’m writing this as I sit DIRECTLY in front of my fan) I prefer the heat to cold. I mean I’m Sunshine Builder! So for those reasons I love Ecuador cause now one has Ecuador beat on the Lettin The Sunshine In!

#11 Condensed Milk

I don’t know what to say about this one, except for I never knew all the uses for Condensed milk until moving here. Sure you can cook with it right? Always an ingredient though. Um wrong. It can go in cocktails, it most Certainly goes on TOP of your snow cone as a frosting….and if you are under the age of 12 and can stomach this, then you’re eating it straight out of the can, drizzling it on your fingers and going to town. My first reaction was yelch! But then I was like…I mean it’s sweet, delicious…yeah why not. One snow cone with extra condensed milk please! ☺

#10 2009 Planners/Agendas/Year at a Glance

I don’t know what to say about this. Except for anyone who I have seen carrying around or in the case of the people I have the pleasure of working with, are all currently using 2009 planners. People on the street walking around, 2009. Some people have 2005, I don’t know if that year there was a planner sale or something, but that’s a whole ‘nother myster. It’s just comical to me, and it’s interesting how I see super professional people with it. So now it’s a game for me and I look for it. I Have finally seen a 2010 or two, but mostly 2009 reigns supreme. I’m interested to see what we’ll be totin next year.

Colimes!

Another place I don’t think I would have found myself if I didn’t have a friend that was volunteering there. It’s small but a town in it’s own right.
There is a river that divides the town and is the town swimming pool/beach when it gets hot outside. The only way across? A rickety old caña bridge! They too have a main town square there too that the weekend I was there was pretty live. It was one of the first places I visited after moving to Guayaquil and it was such a breath of fresh air, being in a small safe community.

How I'm Livin' Right Now

All of my stuff from my Guayaquil apartment, in one tiny room..aaaaand some stuff just chillin outside. Good thing it's now starting to rain for the rainy season! Everyone keep you fingers crossed that Peace Corps doesn't apply the "first three months living with a host family" rule to me this go around and that I can move in 2 weeks!!!

#9 Almuerzos!

I don’t know if I have to go into much detail about this before you see the how this should have really been #1 on the list.

1 Huge bowl of soup (talking, lentil soup, cream soup with cheese and noodles, chicken noodle soup take your pic the possibilities are endless, fresh fish or come one now…)

+

1 Entrée (I’m talking, beans, black, white, yellow whateva, chicken in all kinds of delicious sauces (even COCO flavored!), if you like carne, you got it…you know any part of a cow on a plate, lentils, fried egg. Main dish, With a side of …excuse me, a MONTON (i.e. mountain) of RICE, and a side salad,/side something. Salad meaning, carrots in mayo, cucumber tomato salad or if someone loves you some fried plantains!)

+ (I know it’s not even over yet!)

1 Delicious glass of whatever kind of fresh squeezed/blended jucie you want! My fav is Mora but you can have your pick of whatever juice is being served up to accompany your bien rico meal. (I know you’re thinking, yeah right like I’d have room in my belly!) But I haven’t even told you the cost!!!

= (drumroll please)
1 complete Almuerzo for…

1 dollar
50 cents

THAT IS IT! So here it for a single person, it’s sometimes cheaper to eat OUT than to buy groceries and cook. When is THAT ever the math?

When life gets crazy, knowing that you can get a full square meal for $1.50 really makes life seem okay again. Plus, usually I can’t get through my soup so that means my segundos (that’s the entrée part) I get para llavar..or “to go” That means no cooking AND I just ate lunch AND dinner for $1.50. Let’s be serious. Does it get any better than that?

Dos Semanas En Sua...

I wanted to write and update while I still had time, I have so many anecdotal stories to share, and they are slipping out of mind. However, I'm in between meetings right now, so I don't know when I can't tell those stories...so maybe just quick..

Fun things (or just things really) that have happened or I've done...
Running on the beach...with 5 kids behind me like I'm the momma duck...

In turn found a running partner/trainer, so hopefully I will be getting into shape

Finally seen the BEAUTIFUL Atacames Beach!!

Met my new Counterpart (boss) and he's super pilas and nice

Really excited about my new project. In the planning stages now, but basically I will have a captive audience of niños and get to plan activities, workshops and programs. Favorite thing to do!

Sunbathed while finishing The Autobiography of Malcolm X
and almost got a attacked by a crab!

Meeting new friends and making new connections everyday

Might go camping this weekend and to Santo Domingo next week..so getting to know different lugares.

Housing search, sometimes fun, sometimes tough..won't know if I can even move until the 14th so stay tuned...

Ate fried fish the first 5 days I was here...hey it was served up!

Best food and Jugo on the PLANET! So maybe won't be getting into shape, but I won't gain 50 lbs due to exercising off all of this foooood I am gonna be eating!!!

More later, just know I am still very much in transition, but things are looking up and I am def making the most of the change, and Sua IS pretty awesome...

Love.

Pedro Carbo

What to say about Pedro Carbo? I know one thing I would have never stopped through the modest campo town had it not for my friend who is a volunteer there. However, I have now been a couple of times and Pedro Carbo isn’t just a town you drive through. I thought Pedro Carbo was going to be super duper campo, as in nothing but trees and huts. It’s actually a small town, with a main park several stores and concrete houses. Also, it seems they are always celebrating something or putting on an event. My friend organized a concert series where people from Guayaquil came to perform! Another time I went there was a festival going on and we listened to music in the park and road on the caterpillar.> I didn’t know about the caterpillar before, but that is a CRAZY STREET ride. That’s right, imagine a rollercoaster in the middle of a main straight and there you have the Caterpillar. The youth group my volunteer friend works with are also a lot of fun and active presence in the community and it’s really great to see. For those reasons I love Pedro Carbo and will be back…yet again.

# 8 Malecon/Peñas

These gems have to make the list because they were the first things I liked about Guayaquil. The city was an attack on my senses and I was having trouble finding Peace. One day to get my cardio on, in search of some sanity, I went walked the Malecon and went up to Las Peñas. The Malecon is a boardwalk overlooking the water which was peaceful and I felt safe there. Then as I climbed the 444 stairs of Peñas I turned around and could see the whole city and the water and it was Beautiful! It was at that moment I was like, alight, maybe it’s not so bad. So the Malecon and Peñas will always be special to me for that reason.

Almost a Week In Sua

So it's hard to believe but I've been in Sua now almost a week now. I have had friend fish EVERY.SIngle day and I'm not tired of it yet lol. Sua is a tiny town with lots of friendly people. This weekend was a feriada so a normally super quiet Sua was pretty live! Of course there is the beach that I have gone to everyday and it's cute and fabulous. I am doing the host fam thing again and that has been an adjustment. Just to discuss it in one second, I don't have one second to myself...not one..I actually writing this post under the guise that I am taking a shower because it's the only only only time I am sola. I just wanted to touch base and say I"M HERE! I'm happy, I'm adjusting, but asi es la vida. The newest adventure is going to be HOUSING! Right now I'm in a little cozy room which would be fine except I have EVERYTHING from my apartment. So a full apartment worth of stuff in a tiny tiny room. There is stuff I need that I just don't feel like unpacking all these boxes to get ya know? So I feel like I'm camping and hoping I can move rather soon. I'm pretty sure PC is not going to make me do the standard 3 month jam...somethings gotta give if THAT is that call. The other issue with housing is that either you live in Sua or you come for a weekend. No one rents here really long term like a year. So I have had a TIME finding a place. I'm meeting a friend this afternoon to take pictures of two of my possibilities. If I can get more "shower" time, I will post those pics so everyone can be in on the decision making process :) More to come...