Return to Guayaquil

Well, once I got word that I had permission to come to Guayaquil (since we have to get special permission now to travel to this now labeled a “high risk” area) I didn’t have time to blog about how nervous I was about the whole thing. What prompted me to ask in the first place was the despedida (goodbye) party of my former site mate Molly. We had braved the city together since the beginning and now she was leaving two month early to be able to attend an orientation of a prestigious scholarship she had received. Sure, I had some anxiety about going back but was that a reason to miss this proper send off?

For starters I traveled by day as we had gotten correspondence reporting some security issues on the night busses. That meant about 8 hour on the bus, all day long. I had stayed up until 3 am one morning making banana bread for the ladies as there was know way I could show up empty handed and I learned how to make the banana bread after we had gotten an insanely large donation of bananas, so it was a nod to the old days. I had a ton of work to do leading up to the trip and it’s a good thing that I didn’t go on and on about how nervous I was about returning.

Nervous about what you ask? Nervous about the city that essentially chewed me up and spit me out, nervous about seeing old friends and how it would feel, worried about going back to the barrio and seeing the ladies… it had been SO hard leaving I just didn’t know what to expect emotionally. Had I called enough? Will they be as happy to see me as I was I knew I would be to see them? Etc..It would have been an exhausting blog entry I’m certain!

What I can report now is that I am back and that the trip was absolutely amazing and cathartic. I was (as usual) worried for absolutely nothing. As I mentioned Friday I traveled all day by bus. I twisted my hair, read and slept and it actually was a quite enjoyable ride. I got in kinda late so I stayed in a hostal for the first time even in Guayaquil that had internet, AC and cable. It was fun little mental escape.

The first order of business of course the next day was to see the ladies. It turned out that they had a meeting near the hostal I was staying so we planned to just meet up there. I rolled up to the hotel where the meeting was being held. The ladies hadn’t arrived yet, but it turns out I knew SO many people at the event. It was a workshop of community organizers and I felt so welcome as even without the Ladies present I had made friends over the year and a half I had worked in Guayaquil. The meeting started and the Ladies still hadn’t arrived, so when they finally did show up in the middle of the meeting we caused a huge scene as we ran to each other hugging, talking, kissing with tears in our eyes. Hey it’s Ecuador, you can do stuff like that!

Not only was it great to just see the Ladies and be in there presence the meeting was amazing. One thing I miss about being there is the sophisticated issues the Ladies and these community leaders confront. The discussions they have are a far cry from the chasing after kids I do now. I love what I do now, but it was a great to change gears for awhile and it was great to remember the kind of work I was doing. The meeting was ALL day however, so I had planned on going to the barrio that day…so I let the Ladies convince me to stay until Monday and go to the barrio then. I HAD planned on coming back Sunday, but hanging in Cristo de Consuelo was worth staying an extra day.

The meeting was until 5 but I had to dip around 4ish to get ready for the Despedida. I showered and changed and went to Molls for the last time for a pizza party. Then we headed to the house of some other volunteers and had a fiesta. It was a lot of fun to meet new volunteers and to get together in honor of our friend. We went on from there to La Zona Rosa, which I had never been to while living in Guayaquil so that was something new. We had a great time and it was a good send off. I know from experience you don’t want to hear “don’g go!” all night, so we were all aware of that and kept the party going. We had beer, wine, brownies, cake, chips, played games and danced and danced. I was sad on the inside but we were in full fiesta fun mode so that made the goodbyes easier and we were able to send off our girl in style.

The next day was a fun filled marvelous day with my homie Liam. He and a new teacher Derrick were out and about to see the city and I was able to tag along. We hunted down the best Encebollado and talked and laughed until we couldn’t eat another bite. We went all around the city, to the pool, meet even more new friends out for dinner and I ended up spending the night as the good times kept goin.

The next day was barrio day. I was so excited I could hardly stand it. I was going to get to see the group of elderly I worked with, the kids, the neighbors and everyone one in between. When I showed up everyone was happy to see me and I was so stoked to see them too! I got to see the construction that is being done on the Tienda. When I was in Guayaquil we had been working tirelessly to get a propsal approved to build a community center where all of the small businesses could exist in one location. Well it had finally gone through and they were doing construction and it was a DREAM Come True to actually see that happening. Amazing. I went to everyone’s house and fell right back into the fold easily. The Ladies are amazing and resilient. They dream big and make things happen. They will be getting a new volunteer soon too I heard so that will be great. I left with one of the ladies I used to always ride to the centro with and it was such a great return. She dropped me off and we said our goodbyes..well our hasta luegos (see you laters). When the Construction is complete the ladies said they will let me know so that I can come back or the inaguration. So it wasn’t as sad this time to say goodbye.
I then went to the Malecon to meet my tutor and friend Lily. It’s where we used to have lessons and it was so great meeting in our old spot. We both had a lot of news and updates for each other and time flew by. She ended up riding on the metro via with me to the Terminal to catch my bus and that was such a sweet gesture and a wonderful send of.

Some volunteers never get to “go back” and see how they project is progressing since they left. I was able to see steps that we had taken together are still advancing and that was rewarding. All in all the Gqui return was more amazing than I could have ever imagined and I am looking forward to going back to visiting again.

A Change Is Gonna Come....

I could have been posting everyday, the ups and downs of what has been happening, but emotional roller coaster not only sound cliché, it doesn't even BEGIN to describe what I've been going through of feeling. I'll just give you the facts and as austerely as possible.

I'm being taken out of Guayaquil and moved to Sua for safety and security reasons.
This a HUGE change, I was just in Mid Service planning my next year in Guayaquil with the Mujeres, and now that is all changing. You never know what news tomorrow will bring.

Well in this case this has been dragging out for a month. I wasn't sure where I was going or when, and while it has been nuts, I have really great program managers that have I think taken care of the situation better than most people would have.

There have been tears, lots of stress and with all the unknowns hanging over me for weeks, it's been insane.

Now I have definites, so now I'm writing.

Location: Sua, a playa (that means beach and that's a plus) in Esmeraldas...a region I have never been to...It's going to be small town versus the big city I'm used to an aaaalll the changes that go with it...

When: Oct 29th is my official move out day...

In the meantime: I'm packing like a crazy person, STILL have to go to Quito to complete site change paper work and other Peace Corps Business...So I essentially have 3 days to pack up my aparment.

I know it's for the best, but the hardest part was telling the Mujeres I work with. I'm going to miss them SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much I can't even think about it!! I will keep in touch and I just know everything happens for a reason and I just hope and pray that this is the best path for all of us. One of the ladies was saying to look at it in a positive light, that I'm going to get a chance to help another community that may need me even more like I have helped them. I thought that was really sweet for her to say. All of them have said that they are most concerned with my well being and are going to miss me.

That has been the most shocking thing for me actually how much even my site mates are going to miss me. I feel like all I do is go to work and shut myself indoors. I am not half as sunshiney or social as I normally am, so I was surprised at everyones sadness...I thought it was only going to be ME missing Everybody else! Same with the ladies, they are so amazing and have been around for 10 years, so I knew EYE was destroyed with the news, but I didn't know they were going to equally miss me as much. I always planned to have Mujeres de Lucha in my life beyond my time with them, even when I returned to the states, so that still hasn't chanced. My Program Manager said I can still stay in touch and help out a little bit as well.

So that is the news...it's the beginning of my second year in Peace Corps and I'm starting in a completely different location! So lucky for everyone I have started blogging again and you can be a part of this new adventure of mine. Ahroa, I'm packing, saying good bye, and trying to get my wits about myself in this topsy turvy turn of events!

Love and Light

JC

Let Me Count The Ways...Starting From The Top!

So after having another robbing incident I'm pretty *grumble grumble* about Guayaquil and approaching *sick and tired of being sick and tired* status... So In true Sunshine Builder form, I'm going to have to kill Gquil with kindness and count the ways of love that I feel deep (right now so deep I think the love is hidden...) down inside....I may have to extend actually my love list to all of Ecuador...but still...

Guayaquil and Ecuador oh let me count...and continue to count the ways!

#1-Ecuador is a land of SNACKS

Seriously you can get an tortilla de verde on a two hour bus ride to the beach or walk down the street and get some pork on stick with all the fixins. Ecuadorians take their snacking seriously and that is right on time for me! Before you can say "I could use a snack" there is a lady walking around with a wooden try strapped to her shoulders with chifles, maize, canguil, chicles, those delish popcorn things I forget the name and the list goes on. Oh and the deliciousness will cost you cents on the dollar and are packed with flavor. Don't wanna snack? Needing some hot comfort food no problem! People set up their frying skillets on cualquiere corner frying up chancho, chicken, carne empanadas and tortilla everything. I REALLY try to resist most of the time, cause if I let my eyes do the eatin we'd neva stop! But even when I don't partake I always smile pleased that everyone is so for real about getting their snack on ALL the time here.

See feel better already.... Lata folks!

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!

Country Mouse City Mouse

So the first time I left the city I went to visit my main chica Conks!
I was so excited to finally get some Campo Living.

Since I've been writing all night I'm now tired and I really wish I had written about this experience right afterward. Our lives are Night and Day! We are Truly Country Mouse, City Mouse. I don't even know how I remember that story! But after that trip I was like, man, our lives are polar opposites.

Her life is my original Peace Corps dream. I know have had to realize a new dream and I do love my life here but the Campo is so what I'm talkin about!

First a little just about this visit. It was so good seeing my girl! I'm so proud of her. She has done such a good job integrating and he Spanish is awesome. She was in the beginners group with me and she was just using verbs ad tenses I had neva heard. I was like you go girl! She lives with the cutest abuelaita and a fam that loves her to pieces. Before when she went to her site visit she was like there is no way I can live in that place. It was a cluster of houses with no privacy, some of the floors were dirt and it was just way campo, way outdoorsy and roughin it. Now she's talking aobut stayin with the family and just moving into a house that's attached to them! I thought that was really awesome and shows tremendous growth. I got to met her youth group, her counterpart, her wonderful family and neighbors. Oh my lord she lives in front of a huge vast bamboo forest!! ITS INCREDIBLE its so beautiful I would be out there aaalll the time. Her family owns that land too. We went to a fiesta until three at night and walked back in the woods and across a bridge that was a single piece of bamboo across to a creek with a bamboo handle bar. So scary but so fun. See this is why I need to have a camera when I travel. I cannot imagine walking N E where at night like that without a care in the world. It was great. We went to a soccer tournament game that was ooodles of fun. She has an aerobics class that she gives in the front yard of a family and all the ladies came and we had so much fun. The men of course were looking out of the windows commenting or making jokes to show off. Men. lol. Def didn't get out of there hammocks or put down the beers to come work. No. They were so funny too. Not like the men here. So let me just give it to you the Country Mouse/City Mouse Comparison list...since I keep making the references....

Let's see...
The Campo has a certain quiet that is sooooo wonderful. I long for quiet all the time. It's soooo loud, and active and even when its quiet at 3 am it's more of a city eerie quiet. Like is someone going to jump out of a bush and stab me? quiet. Usually though it's just loud loud loud noise noise noise. In the campo even when there is music or people talking, all the trees and grass and dirt just pad noise and it's tranquilo. Here one car passing by sounds like it's driving through my room and I'm on the 7th floor! But this concrete jungle echos and carries noise everywhere. So quiet....

Oh Greeeeen, green, green everywhere! And wide open spaces! It's so nice. Again it's just easy on the senses. Of course with Green comes the bugs though right? So that's the trade off there. I long for green though. I do go to the Malecon where there is water to try to touch nature, but it's nice when your back yard is a forest.

The people. I love campo people. You can speak to them, actually it's expected. You can say hi, wave, smile it's all allowed. Here in the mean streets, you get to speakin and smiling and in a block you would probably have a line of men drooling at your heels wanting to know what's up with tonight. No.thanks. It's SO hard not to look at people and smile. I mean I'm from Missouri! I hear its a very New York thing. Get your mean mug face, walk brisk and fast and don't make eye contact. That's why I didn't move there! It was so nice and friendly and of course everyone knows the nice new gringa and it was really refreshing to be able to put my guard down. Having your guard up around the clock is BEYOND exhausting right?

The trade off there though is that she can Never disappear. She was not feeling well and wanted to nap but he fam kept coming to the door to just talk, offer treats, all sweet things..but I know how tired I am and how serious I have gotten about my naps! If I was worried people were going to wake me up I probably couldn't sleep for one and if I was asleep I probably wouldn't be so pleasant waking up. When I go to my barrio, it's a good, day, bad day...whatever. I go, I leave, I come home, and I do what I want. Be it sleep, get up with a volunteer, go see a movie...whatever. I can disappear. I can separate my Peace Corps project life with my personal life. The Campo Vols do not have that luxury at all. Anything she does outside of her house the people she works with knows, he youth group knows everyone... So I try to think of that when I find myself longing for campo life...

Fast friends vs Site mates... in the small campo life it seems like since you integrate you make Ecuadorian friends easier. Here since you're in the city and can't even make eye contact, it's kinda hard to make new friends. However, we are set with a small cluster of Vols living in the same city. How easy is that? Sometimes all you need is someone who knows Exactly what you are talking about. So I'm sure that's something I take for granted to. Just knowing your in the same city as someone is helpful. I want some Ecuadorian friends too though...I'm sure it'll come. Just slower. Maybe when I start my dance classes...

Little things like walking around at night, not worrying about your safety, having a sweet familiy that cooks and loves you is all very sweet and what she has, but she can't get up at 7 at night and go to Pizza Hut like can when she's tired of the comida tipico aqui.

All in all we are totally having an opposite experience and they are just different. One is not better or worse than the other. She lives 4 hours away and the bus ride was easy and peaceful. Translation? We both can have the best of both worlds whenever we want. When she wants sushi, pizza hut and honking cars (she's used to the East Coast and actually likes the hustle and bustle...) she can get it...when I want a piece of that bamboo forest and to feel a love of a fam, I can get it! So in conclusion our lives here in Ecuador serve us up daily challenges, but really our lives are pretty sweet :)

Hasta Luego!

Halloween

I have fallen so behind in blogs... I have ideas of stuff to write, but I'll never stop writing if I do them all. I wish you all were here for every moment! It's a daily adventure, comedy, drama series. Something I couldn't even write about you just had to be there. I'm sure a lot of it I still have yet to discover as usually the joke is on me.

One event I guess I can pick out is Halloween. Now while here in scary Guayaquil I feel older than ever. Not only am I just older than a lot of my Volunteer friends, but they seem to be WAY more fun than me too! lol. I know to anyone who knows me is like what? Not you J "where's the party at" Cov lol but it is SO true. All I think about when I'm in the loud busy streets getting hissed and kissed at my the men in the street, is my room and my bed. It's my perfect safe haven. I'm not sure if its fear or age or a deadly mixture of both :)

Either way my fun friends had been talking about Halloween aaaalll month. I kept saying don't care what we do, don't really want to do anything and I'm not spending a lot on a costume. I KNOW so grumpy old lady right!?!? Told ya! My poor new friends have to put up with me daily. Anyway. Long story short (too late!) We all were going to Cuenca to meet up with a bunch of Vols for a party but then we 102ers (the equivalent to the freshman class of Volunteers here in Ecuador) couldn't go because we are still in our first three months in our sites so that means no vacation days. Don't ask.

So I was like great i'm staying here, everyone that's wants to party is going somewhere else and everybody is happy. Wrong again! Another long story short. The Gquil folks got the spirit to kick it and friend new by got the word and felt the vibe and came ready to ppaarrtaaay. Now turns out Halloween weekend turned out to be one of my absolute worst as far as my Spirit goes, but that was just due to stress and not honoring myself. Besides that it was a fun time. I cannot go into all the drama and shenanigans that went on that Saturday and into Sunday trying to get costumes (ugghghghg) mega slumber parties and what not. But we went to a 3 story club that was just like being on the MetroVia when it's so crowded if you jump you wouldn't land back on the ground cause it's so stuffed. Sounds pretty undesirable huh? Yeah, maybe, but we had fun. I was a...well... I was "sporty" for Halloween. Didn't want to spend a dime so I wore my busted tennis shoes, my bright green knee socks, and my soccer shorts from the 4th of July futbol game in Cayambe, my selecion camiseta that every good Ecuadorian has and then I put those smudge marks under my eyes like football players do. Which makes no sense...but it just made me look Sportier... Whateves.

We had a major slumber party at my crib which is always fun. And then actually skipped town for the day, but I had a TON of stuff to do in the coming week and I REALLY I mean REALLY paid for it the whole week ugh. I was trying to not be such an old fogie (sp?) but hey if the shoe fits...I knew I was going to be paying for it too so I wasn't able to enjoy myself like I really wanted to. but it was good being around my girls so all in all it was a success. If pics of Halloween ever surface I'll add it to this blog.

The weekend AFTER Halloween, friends that are teachers at the Colegio Americano (the American School) had a big costume birthday bash the weekend after. The Theme was Heroes and Villians. Well "Generic Sporty Person" is no Hero! Again, I had that busy week that I was talking about and had no time to rethink a costume. I can always pull out "hippie" from my wardrobe...So I put on my Peace sign tank top my mom sent me (love it thanks mom!) my flare leg jeans...this sash from the Sierra and a scarf around my head. Now how do I make hippie a hero. I I was like I'll be Janis Joplin. But looking at me...it didn't really translate...I was looking more Jimi than Janis. So when people I asked what I was... I said I was the off spring off Janis (hero) and Jimi (hero) which makes me a super hero! Right? Looking at pictures I could have just been "Peace Personified" that's a hero if I ever have known one right?




Chao Gente!

The Things We Do... Finale Journey Through Pics...

Things we Do....Just to Name A Few (We = PCVs)

Hike in Bamboo Forests


Non-Stop Charlas at the Crib



Make friends for life...(just an example don't be mad everyone)


Work with the Youth of today for a Better Tomorrow (they have all the answers...)

Join the Winners Circle


Sleep 5 To Bed...in rooms with no water, toilet, sink, windows...etc...


Play Ball!!!


Get Judged...


Smile through the Discomfort...(well most of us...)


Find Paradise Where ever We Go



Integrate...then become part of a Family


Learn that We Never Know What Tomorrow Will Bring....



Laugh at it All...


Good Luck to Omnibus 102! The Skys The Limit!



Stay tuned for a Journey Through Pictures the Guayaquil Edition....(don´t hold your breath I have two years to complete that one...)

Ladies & Gentlemen, I present to you, My New Man, GQ...

So wouldn't know it I've been hooked up with this new guy GQ....

At first glace I'm not too keen on him...

He's very loud all the time, it's like he never sleeps...

He can be pretty rude at times and whooo wee the machismo is out of control!

He can be dangerous and right now I'm little scared of him...but I can't let on that I am...

He's so confusing and has a lot going.....

I mean don't get me wrong the ladies love him. All the girls in my group can't wait to come meet him and stay awhile. They wanna go out till the wee hours approach and spend the night. Not me thought, yet I'm the one stuck with him...

I get the allure though, GQ is big and tough with a lot to offer, however the rough exterior is less than inviting if you ask me...

I prefer some one a little bit more natural, possibly Indigenous, or maybe beachy, I was definitely looking for a more laid back vibe and to be honest straight up country/campo. Gentle, laid back, small and quaint is what I was looking for...I wouldn't even mind a little bit of dust and dirt...

But alas, these are the cards I've been dealt....

On and upside GQ is pretty modern and can provide for me anything I should ever need...once I know how to get it from him...

He definitely knows the right people and has the perfect group of people for me to work with. I'm giving GQ major points for that!

Right now he and I don't even speak the same language so our communication is at an all time low.

Once I can start speaking the same language and understand his rhythm things should look up.

I also don't trust GQ and until I can I'm going to be walking on eggshells which is no fun for anyone. Trust takes time so I just have to be patient.

I guess it's just awkward because we don't know each other but have just been thrown together and now we have to learn to live together in perfect harmony for the next couple of years....

So wish us luck! Hopefully this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship....

First Days In The Mean Streets...

Alright, I found a Internet Cafe, but nothing on this computer works...

Just wanted to touch base and say I´m here safe...

not gonna lie...these first few days have been pretty rough...

I´m so worn out and my Spanish is muy malo ugh...but with patients everything will turn out just fine...

I know I owe people emails...and Ihave even written some, but my flashdrive is playing me or maybe it´s this viejo computer that won´t recognize it.

Either way I can´t send off these messages ugh...

I have updated my new mailing address and that´s about all I can do today...

Hopefully I´ll have more luck with my computer, my flash, my language, my energy and all things here in the near future!

Love and miss you all!!!

(comnig attractions... I´m trying to do a journey in pictures that has proven to be quite the task on these old computers...but my first (and only at this point) will post tomorroww) Besos!

Guayaquil

I´m back from my site visit and don´t know really what to report. I was going to try to have Wikipedia do everything for me but here Wiki was in Español. Okay do you want the good news or bad news first? Okay I´ll just get the bad news stats about Guayaquil out of the way. It´s kinda way dangerous. You have to your pilas about yourself. Robberies are really big...so I had money in my bra, in my little satchel thing, I had my bank card in my right shoe under the my insole thing, and an extra ten in my left. So even if my satchel got stolen I wouldn´t be down an out. My friend Jen wrote emergency numbers inside of the tongue of her tennis shoe. Yeah we were getting down like that. Take that G-quil robos. All of the volunteers that I talked to while there have most definitely been either held at gun point or knife (point?). So that´s uber scary. But they have techniques of getting out of the situation without getting shot or harmed. Peace Corps goes through GREAT lenghts to make sure that we are beyond prepared to live in these cities and if you estar pilas then they support you all the way. Like if I got held and gunpoint and have to give up my decory money and cellphone, Peace Corps will reimburse me because my life is more important than those things. I don´t know how other people make it but, as a PCV I feel well protected and support. On the flipside, we are responsible for our own safetly. I´m going to be so street savvy in dos años! I grew up in a place where we don´t even lock our doors...so it´s an adjustment. I´m up for the challenge. The public transportation right now to me is INSANE I´m sure if I lived in NYC I would be more accustomed, but since everything is in Spanish and my big city experience is LA where we drive everywhere. I am muy overwhelmed with it all. Que mas? My host family is 180 degrees different than my family here in Cayambe. Which I am happy about. I was not going to be able to fall in love with another family. In G-quil, my host landlandy is just that, I rent a room from her, she works all day long, she has a son who is so sweet and helpful and they don´t cook any meals. They saved me a shelf in the fridge and they are like fend for yourself. I prefer that. No pressure to eat heaping plates of food. Since the ladies I work with cook such huge lunches I think that´s going to serve as lunch and dinner.

Que mas, que mas, I wish I had organized this but I didn´t. So G-quil is peligroso but I´m in good hands. My living sitch is nice. No pressure and the accomadations are nice. I have a shower, a flushing toilet, a soft grande cama, I have a TV but I´m not going to watch it, I have a fan which is really great in the hot city. It´s like normal room. I have bats outside of my window and there is a liiiitttlle bit of a roach sitch in the kitchen, but I didn´t really go in there for the 4 days I was there. All in all it´s a sweet deal and no one can replace my Cayambe family. I´ll be in touch with them for ever and really think of them as my second fam.

Let´s get to the best part of my trip. The Good News. Mujeres De Lucha. That is the organization of Afroecuadorian Women I will be working with. The name translates to Women of Struggle. I absolutely love love love them already. It´s a task and a challege. I don´t even understand what they are saying but they do great work and are muy amable. Maybe actually I will do a post just about them, because they are that special. The whole point is that there are some challenges about living in Guayaquil but I´m so up for it because I´m SO excited for my project. I think even when I return to the states I will want to be involved somehow, but that´s in two years. I need to just figure out what they are saying lol. They are just like my family, my aunts, cousins, sisters and mothers all talking at once and cracking up. It´s great fun.

The barrio I work in is also supposed to be kind of dangerous, but the women I work with are well known and after I¨ve been seen with them a lot around the neighborhood I will be fine. I feel safer in my barrio than the mean streets of G-quil already. While a lot of people will work and live in their same community my set up is a bit different. My barrio isn´t safe enough for Peace Corps standards especially after dark, so I can come and work and then leave and go to my house in G-quil. When I pictured my time in the peace corps I imagined myself on a dirt road sitting on the porch of my grass house waving to my neighbors that I work with. It´s a bit different than that romantic vision. I actually report to work everyday and then leave at night. I have so much to say but I can´t free style on this blog anymore.

Coming attractions:
Mujeres De Lucha
Otra Cosas Part III
Maybe some pictures....(all old)

Site Assignment!

Just got my site assignment! I'm going to Guayaquil the city and I'm going to be working with an amazing AfroEcuadorian woman's group! I cannot be happier!!!!! My group is actually visiting thier sites today I just wanted to send an update. Send positive vibes and prayers as Guayaquil being a major city definitely has it's risks. When I safely return on Wed/Thurs I will update again on how the site visit went. Besos y abrazos!