Quick Update

I`m alive and living in luxury for now. I will have some great pictures for you in a week or so when I return from my vacation.... errr work.

Let's See What Happens

 

 

 

 

Bootlegging My Time Here

I need DVDs and some new music here. Just make sure you do not send a package over 3 lbs or the headache I have to go through getting it is now worth it. We have a good video exchange going on amongst ourselves here, but I need some new music at least. I know you are really wondering how I go about obtaining new movies here on my extravagant salary of $5 a day. Well, every legit store here is also a bootleg DVD store. If I need to buy bread or fruit, there better be the Chuck Norris 5-movie set for sale in the back of the store or I begin to question the legitimacy of the store. Is this bread poisoned? Are these really apples I am purchasing? With bootlegs hanging up in the back, I know the answer. Going to the docotr's or dentist's office I better see the diplomas hanging up. The same applies to stores here in Ecuador, except the business owner PhD is a great copy of a new movie. I'll add my mailing address (for now) on the right side of my blog if you do not want me to suffer.

On a serious note, I am fortunate in my education in the States and the travels I have done. I have touched on this before, about the relativity of prices in the United States to here. First let me explain the size of Ecuador a bit. I am no expert, but I will guess that Ecuador is maybe half the size of Pennsylvania. Not that big. However, travel time wise, Ecuador is huge. If you are in the northern Sierra (Andes) in Tulcan and you want to travel down south through the Sierra to Loja- the trip could take about a day. To go from east to west in the country isn't as harsh, but travel time is still intense when you factor in the weaving through the Andes. So why is this all important? In size Ecuador is tiny, but when it comes to travel the country can feel like the size of the United States at times. This makes it difficult for Ecuadorians to experience much of their own country. Many are limited to exploring the local area when it comes to travel. When I go to explain that I have only been to a little bit of the United States, I try to remind them that we are almost on the same page.

Using my photos of my trip to Europe, photos I take here, and Melissa's pictures of Buenos Aires, I can open up a door to the rest of the world for the family. They get a slightly better grasp that the world is different then they thought. A map of the world showing the giant ketchup stain that is the United States and the pin prick of Ecuador. Both of those make it easier showing the scale of both countries. Add in pictures of worldy travels, and the scope comes full circle. I guess I am a good Peace Corps lackee so far, fulfilling the first two goals of the organization through the cultural exchange.

Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?

No excuses. No, this is not my motto for life or anything while I am down here in Ecuador. No excuses is what I expect out of people when I ask them to come visit me down here in Ecuador. Why am I saying this? Well, today was the big day. Site Day. Now I know where I will be living for the next two years of my life. I must be driving you all mad with the suspense over the course of these few sentences. I guess I will leave you in suspense a bit more and give some backstory. Last week, the Agriculture trainees saw all of the potencial sites for future work. We were told to rank our top three spots. From what I have told people in e-mails, Vilcabamba (near Loja), Cotacachi (where that lake is in my pictures), and one other were my top three. Naturally, I did not get one of my top three choices.

It isn't all bad news, however. What would have probably been my number four choice got selected. Atacames. If you go pull out your pocket guide to Ecuador, you just saw that I am going to be living in one of the best beach towns (and allegedly amazing surf) in Ecuador. The project has something to do with coffee and business, but I won't go into details until after my site visit next week. I know, you are all very excited for me right now, but there's at least one catch with living in paradise, right? Of course. Looking through the packet of information I received today, I noticed one interesting tidbit. My shower. My three options- the river, the ocean or the community hose. Small price to pay for glory (hopefully).

So yeah, there is no excuse to not visit me in Ecuador if this site turns out to be as good as everyone says it is. Just a small note at the end here, I will be traveling for the next three weeks for training. Next week- Atacames. Week 2- Puerto Quito. Week 3- Santo Domingo. Internet should be accessible in most of these places, but how often I will get to update this in the next three weeks is questionable. Get those plane tickets ready in a few months!

Quick Update: The site visit for next week got cancelled due to the flooding around Ecuador. The area around my site is fine, but the majority of southern sites are relatively inaccessible.

Cant Fit Here

I wish there was a sign when I entered Ecuador- "You Must Be This Tall to Ride This Country!" Just the other day, five times. That's right, five times. Five times, what? If you haven't guessed, the amount I hit my head either on the bus or exiting the bar in one day. Today was a shining beacon of my experience, it's the typipcal life in Ecuador thusfar. I was finishing up lunch, the usual arroz con pollo (go look that up if you want more Spanish training), and "BAM!" The five foot nothing doorway had its way with me. It romanced my cabeza with sweet-nothings.

On the same note, I did not know origami was a prerequisite for the Peace Corps. In order to fit into my seat on the bus, I need to take six years of yoga. If I do not know the "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," I cannot fit into my bus seat. I guess there are some disadvantages to being 6'2" and blonde in a foreign country. As enjoyable as twelve-year-olds whistling and howling at me is, it is somewhat awkward. I'll get used to it.

To change the pace a bit, many people are curious about my training class. One word sums it up pretty well, great. Even though we have only known each other for three weeks (close to a month now), we feel like family. It has been easy to fit in with this group of people. Some people share that same awkwardness that I tend to project, or at least understand it. Many people here make it easy to feel like I am at home, or at least miss my dogs (and sister, sorry Melissa) a wee bit less.

Anywho, this week and next, I find out future work sites. So far, there are two or three sites that really interest me, one near Loja, one in Cotacachi, and one on the coast. Two of the three are very easy to visit as an American (hint, hint). I will let you know more in the next week or two, in case you really wanted to come down here to Ecuador. So yeah, if you are over six feet and plan to visit Ecuador, cut off either your ankles or knees so you will have no trouble feeling comfortable. Or learn origami.