5 Ways I'm Still the Same

Earlier in the Week I listed a few ways that I had definitely changed as a result of living here as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador. Well, here I present to you...

5 ways I am still the same old me!


1. I still Love my planner. - while I can go with the flow, I definitely still love to make my list, I rely on my planner and I actually still make plans even though I know the people around me aren't as steadfastly scribbling in their own agendas. I see now that after all this time this is a habit/ritual/personality trait that isn't going away.

2. In that same vein, I still look at my watch. Even though I know time isn't honored or monitored in the same way, I still find myself asking "what time is it" to which most people do not know because it doesn't matter. Sure it matters if it's the mañana (morning) or the tarde (afternoon), generally speaking, but that fact that it's 2:37 definitely does not matter to anyone but me. I don't know I always care what time it is, but I guess that's just my US ways drilled into my being.

3. I still love my "me" time. - Here the culturally appropriate thing to do is to never walk alone, be alone and to always chop it up with your neighbors. Me? I love having ME time. Time to sit by myself and do whatever is my hearts content. In fact if I don't get that time I get anxious and irritable. After ALL this time I should have been able to get with the program of being around people all the time (especially as a single female because that's the expectation) and while I've gotten better with being "neighborly" I still love/require my "me" time.

4. Language Resistance - While I do give myself a shout out for being able to communicate in Spanish, I feel like my brain is VERY resistant against taking the full plunge into the language. I live in a country where Spanis his spoken Everywhere All The Time. This isn't one of those countries that while Spanish is the official language you hear plenty of English too. I very much still form my thoughts in English and then try to translate them into Spanish before speaking. When will I start dreaming in Spanish? When will my thoughts flow in Spanish first and not require the extra step of translating? In thinking along the lines of Zhaungzi I feel at some point I should go from a Volunteer who is translating English thoughts to Spanish, to a Spanish thought that is Expressing itself as a Volunteer. Ha! Hey, it's a stretch but that's the only way I can explain how I feel about it :)

5. Style! I want some! I have spent two years wearing frumpy, hole-filled threads to deflect attention, appear modest and stay thrifty. Well, lately that has just depressed me. I know in a machismo filled society I shouldn't be showing my knees or wear anything that would even give a hint to my shape, but how many times can you a) be asked if you're pregnant and b) wear the same tent like gear before you go nuts. I'm going to the states soon and I think I am going to have to upgrade my wardrobe for the next year. I am going to try to make it as modest and non attention grabbing as possible, but man girls just wanna have fun and I want to have some style! (materialistic american much?) Hey I can have only 5 outfits, I just don't want those 5 outfits to be tents, trash bags and maternity wear!

The end :)

5 Ways I've Totally Changed...

While reflecting about spending another year in Ecuador I was thinking, man I have really changed and then at the same time I was like, no... I have my old ways about me and really haven't changed a bit....

So I don't know, you be the judge. I feel that in the beginning I was so stuck on integrating that I didn't even know what my own opinions were anymore. What food did I prefer, how do I walk, dress etc... now I feel like, I've tried the cuisine, seen the daily routines and now I've finally reached the middle of the road...whatever that is. I can't decide..have I tried a new thing on, abandoned it and started doing my own thing? Or am I just in a different country and finally comfortable in my own skin?

I'm still figuring it out but here are

5 Ways I Have Definitely Changed:

1. I Speak Spanish Now! - when I left the country I pretty much felt comfortable with Hola, Adios and Gracias so the fact that I can hold a conversation no matter how basic is still an accomplishment!

2. I can Cook! - Matter of survival? Who knows, but on a Peace Corps budget you're not able to go out and eat all the time plus if you want the kinds of food you like....sometimes you have to DIY! I'd like to take this time to give a big thanks to "Buen Provecho"

3. More Mellow- I like to think that I've mellowed out some. My days used to start with me making a 45 action item to do list. Now I have learned (though the lesson was a toughie to get!) that things move at a much slower pace and to just go with the flow. I am no comfortable with accomplishing 1 to 2 things daily ;o)

4. Soy pilas-this one I'm not sure yet if it's a positive or a negative. "Pilas" in Spanish means aware, savvy, dare I say even street smart. While I do NOT give myself a street cred badge just yet, I do know that I no longer walk around with my head in the clouds, I am aware of my surroundings (even though sometimes there is nothing I can do, I always see it comin...) and I'm always ready. I mean before I left the states stuffing my bra, shoes, socks, pants, you name it with money, keys and other valuables just to leave the house, was a behavior I never even knew existed...now, I know that it's a necessary precaution. That's a definite 180 for me. I would say

4b. Just to piggy back off of #4, If would have known that I now have to be so pilas, I would have NEVER thought that I would happily live in a place where all of that is necessary. So 3 gold stars for that!!

5. No longer scared of kids! I used to be scared of kids in so many ways. How do you make them happy? What if they don't like you? How do you relate to them? etc. The list goes on. Those fears also affected the way I thought about having some of my own! Now, while I'm no expert, I feel perfectly comfortable with the unpredictability that comes with hanging out and working with kids!

Stay tuned for 5 ways I haven't at all changed or tried, but am just stuck in my old ways...

Field Day @ The Aldea

Just some pictures I came across when the Aldea had a soccer tournament and we also had a presentation of the first two months of classes we had with Via Via. So much fun! It's hard for me to do Piccture Blogs on Blogger cause it's hard to gauge what photos will fit were, so excuse the haphazardness of it all. Enjoy :)

Capoeira With The Kiddies!

As promised, I am giving a close up look at some of the activities I'm doing in conjunction with Via Via. The first week of class we had was pretty much getting to know the kids and doing dinamicas (ice breakers). The real vision for the partnership with Via Via is for the kids work with teachers and artist who can teach them different skills and show them different activities they may be interested in. So the next week we secured a Capoiera teacher and the fun began. I had been taking Capoiera classes in Guayaquil and was so excited to be co-teaching Capoiera!

Capoeira is a martial art that involves dance, martial arts and music. This art form was created by Brazilian slaves who wanted to train each other on how to fight and defend themselves in an environment where such a thing was prohibited. That is why Capoeira involves fluid movements that look like a dance and incorporates musical instruments and song. That way their oppressors did not know that they were training physically. I love the rich history that comes with this amazing sport/expression and was stoked to get the kids involved.




The kids loved it too. Every age group was able to learn something too. The younger kids learned the basics and loved having the opportunity to move around. The teen group got really good and learned the basics, sequences, lifts, flips, positions everything. There were times that I thought there weren't listening or catching on, but then later they would illustrate that they not only knew the names of things and how to do them, some masters of the art emerged too!


It was interesting to see which kids had a natural knack for the art while other kids worked through their frustration and persevered through the tough times. We all had a great time working out, working hard and working together.

HAPPY COS DAY OMNIBUS 102!!!

When you join the Peace Corps you are committing to 27 months of service. 3 months of training and 2 years of service. Just reflecting on the times when we arrived into country it feels like it was yesterday, a lifetime ago and a dream all at the same time.

I remember hearing how people would ET (early termination of service ie. leave early) and when I first got to country I would ask "but HOW after you did all that paper work!?" After my first week here I was more like, "I mean I don't think I would leave early, but I see how people can", Then after tough times in training or those first few months at site I was like "Lord PLEASE just let me cross the finish line!!" Well today officially marks that finish line, so Thank you God again for answering my prayers.

Don't get me wrong. Somewhere in there you stop counting the months. Somewhere along the way you realize this isn't just a project, it's your life. A time where you find the balance of integrating, being culturally sensitive all the while being able to be yourself and comfortable in your own skin. Ah, yes the search for BALANCE!

It trips me out that today is our official COS day and it trips me out even more that, for me, it's just another Friday. As you all know I have decided to extend and will be staying here another year! I knew when I set the goal to join the Peace Corps that I would absolutely LOVE it. As years passed by and I started working instead of going straight out of college, I almost let this dream pass me by. I told myself, "You'll be turning 30 while you're there, maybe just apply when your 50 because right now is when you should be married with kids" Well I wasn't, and I was also in a line of work that wasn't fulfilling me. I am really pleased that I reached my goal, completed the task and am ready for more!


I knew I was going to find people to connect with, friends for life, experience challenges and have a blast through it all.
What I never expected was, living in a city as a volunteer, having security issues, getting a site change (making me one of those "special cases") and Extending. These are things I did not envision when I would daydream about what my life would be like. I knew the office may not even know me because I was going to be so under the radar and involved in my site that they wouldn't have to worry about me. The things I didn't expect are things if I KNEW were going to happen I would have projected that that's something I wouldn't be able to handle. I'm a big scaredy cat, so if I knew I would be robbed, would I have still come? If I knew I was going to get close to an amazing group of women only to then have to leave midway through my service would I have even bothered to enter in to such a relationship? If I knew coming to an unknown land I would be having starting anew three different times, in training, then Guayaquil and THEN again Sua would it have sounded like WAY to much work and drama to even deal with?

You never know where the path will take you. Sure it sounds cliche but it is the truth. On this day August 19th, we have fellow 102ers that had to go early and it was always sad to see them go. We have volunteers that have COSed as early as July 21st as they embark on their next adventure, the bulk of us will be leaving today and there are a handful of that have signed on for MORE time here in country.




I am really excited to see what this next chapter brings. I am so pleased that I was able to stick it out on the challenging days and I am content to the highest degree at this time. What's next? Only time will tell, but I've learned to be open, flexible and optimistic about whatever the winds bring my way, for it always works out for the best in the end.

Congrats 102 We did it!!!

Dia/Semana de Los Niños (late post)

The Beginning of June 1st was the Dia De Los Niños,

but at the Aldea we are All about the kids, so we had more or less una Semana De Los Niños. We had a party one day, went to the pool the next and the day after that the kids participated in a marathon. I didn’t get any pictures of the day at the pool, but enjoy some pics of the party and the marathon!

One of those Days

It was one of those days where I was tired, overwhelmed and just feeling over it and wanting to “call in sick” but I mean, as a volunteer can you really do that?

I prayed to the heavens to please rain down little angels in the place of my sometimes gremlins. If the kids were on the best behavior I could make it but when does THAT happen?

OH Yes God answers prayers!! The kids were soooo good today. When the chicos that can be the worst sometimes were front and center and ready to go, I was worried and weary. They didn’t almost get hit by cars and I didn’t have to throw my body in front of moving vehicles to save them, they asked permission to go to the store to get change while the others waited in a quiet congregation by my side. When the bus finally came they waited on the side walk, boarded in order and miracles of all miracles SAT Quietly on the ride there!! I couldn’t believe it!! I mean I was looking at them like, I was really sent angels! Gracias a Dios!

Class went great, they painted an amazing mural outside without painting each other like the day before and left in order, so much so I was sad to see them go! Ha. The second group too was tranquilo and painted portraits of themselves and were also calm on the way home.

Whoo weeee! Thank you God for sending me these angels the day I needed them to be, now I know I can get them whenever I ask, but tomorrow por favor, I would like my gremlins back as they are way more feisty, fun, hilarious and keep my on my toes :o) -Signed Yours Truly