Quito: Land of Murder, Rape, and GREAT Live Music.

"Less than one percent of murders and rapes in Ecuador result in a conviction. Just a few weeks ago we found the body of a young American traveler in pieces. Last night we received 6 serious cases involving felonies. Ladies, don't wear anything revealing.. it's like an open invitation to be hissed at or groped inappropriately. Less than 50% of the taxis in Ecuador are legitimate. In many cases taxis will force you to an ATM and steal all of your money; however, sometimes there are people simply waiting outside the bank because the tellers tipped them off that a gringo took out money from their account. They know precisely how much you have and in which pocket. In other cases a group of men in a truck will jump out at you on the street and steal your purse or cut it open on a public bus without you realizing. Also, look out for people passing out flyers on the street... a lot of time people take the flyers that are laced with an airborne substance... three days later you find yourself naked and confused in a hotel room without your wallet. The United States embassy has placed Quito as a level four extremely high danger level. But really, it's not that bad. Welcome!"- United States Ambassador in Quito during our orientation.

From the United States Embassy Website: "Crime is a severe problem in Ecuador. Crimes against American citizens in the past year ranged from petty theft to violent crimes, including armed robbery, home invasion and sexual assault. Several U.S. citizens have also been the victims of murder and attempted murder in the last several years with some of the cases still unsolved. Very low rates of apprehension and conviction of criminals – due to limited police and judicial resources – contribute to Ecuador’s high crime rate. Armed or violent robberies can occur in all parts of Ecuador. Thieves and small gangs armed with guns or knives are active not only in Quito, Guayaquil and Manta, but also in smaller cities. Multiple U.S. citizen travelers have been robbed after using ATMs on the street and when exiting banks. Travelers should avoid withdrawing large amounts of cash at one time from banks and ATMs. In some cases, robbers have used motorcycles to approach their victims and flee the scene. Tourists have also been robbed at gunpoint on beaches and along hiking trails. 

I apologize for the crazy statistics but I felt that including them was completely necessary for you to fully understand the fear that they instilled in the international students. At my orientation with Boston College we got to watch funny skits about the risk of plagiarism or missing class because you drank too much the night before. We played spoons and watched diversity videos. We played dodgeball and had an ice cream social... yay! At my orientation in Quito I was mortified by stories of brutal murders and theft by a United States Ambassador. It's completely safe to say I have lived my life in a bubble. Oh and, how could I forgot, on my way to orientation I sat next to a man who had a tattoo tear drop on his face. For those of you who are unaware, that means that he has killed a man. Yeah.

After orientation our group went out for dinner at Chipote Chillon which is a Mexican restaurant. We sat outside on the patio overlooking Quito and had the luxury of 2 for 1 Margaritas. Colleen's host brother brought all of his friends who definitely like to party. Rum bottle after Rum bottle... I was amazed. We then went to a bar/lounge called House of Rock where we got a table and many a drink. One of the Ecuadorian guys casually mentioned that his friend was shot 23 times at the Colombian/ Ecuadorian border (what!) A band came on at 12 and all of us gringos were screaming and dancing on top of the tables. We were more than surprised to hear The Killers and Oasis classics being played but hell, we didn't complain. First night out... GREAT SUCCESS.