Adios, Ecuador... 4 Meses Increíbles. Reflección Final.

As I sit here reminiscing about the past four months I cannot fathom the idea that it has all finally come to an end. I can remember August like it was yesterday… the anxiety and doubt about whether or not I wanted to actually take my flight, my fear about the language barrier and portraying my personality while speaking Spanish, how absolutely mortified I was at the thought of living with a host family. Everything was new, everything was exciting, and everything was strange. However, with the passing of time all the oddities in Quito and, Ecuador as a whole, for that matter, have become part of my daily routine, part of my identity here in South America. Most of the BC Gringos agree that it is the little things that made this experience so unique, that make South America so different than anywhere else… those little things that we will be absolutely shocked when we don’t encounter them back home, in the States. To give you a better understanding, the BC Gringos compiled a short list of the things that make South America so different from culture in the US. Things that, like I said, both amazed and frustrated us in August but have grown to be such an integral part of life as a BC Gringo.

1) Food is served when each plate is ready, not all together. Don’t try to be polite by waiting because it could be over ten minutes.

2) People in Ecuador like to honk approximately every 5 seconds… maybe just to let us know that they are driving?

3) IF you plan on singing karaoke, don’t stand up. Ecuadorians sing from their chairs and kind of “bop” up and down with the beat.

4) Public waiting lines do not exist… it’s a battle of the fittest and no, it is not uncommon to have an 80 year old lady as your opponent.

5) Don’t think that your advanced Spanish skills will be praised, even when you form perfect grammatical sentences, Ecuas will often pretend like you are speaking Chinese and will belittle you by responding in English.

6) When using public transportation, don’t give more than the quarter you owe. If you so dare to give a dollar, expect some change sequence like this: five dimes, three nickels, and ten pennies. This is not a joke.

7) Every Sacajawea dollar coin in existence can be found in South America. If you, by chance, come across an actual dollar bill, it’s like Christmas come early.

8) The meat found in soup is not meat, it is a dirty looking animal bone with some fat and what looks like a tiny portion of chewed up flesh. Steer Clear!

9) Whether it is a taxi ride, a sweater, a sandwich, or well, basically anything else in the country, you can negotiate the price.

10) While traffic lights and signs do exist, they are simply there as decoration.

11) Many Ecuadorians are very theatrical which makes it appear like every time they talk they are delivering their final Shakespearean monologue or have just been cast in a dramatic telenovela.

12) In Quito, it is uncommon to not see a street performer during a red light. Preferred acts include juggling, fire breathing, and stilt walking.

13) The other half of people who will ask you for money at a red light appear to have not showered for 4 years, are blind, or missing limbs. Sad but true.

14) Pedestrians NEVER have the right of way. NEVER.

15) On the coast of Ecuador a large percentage of the population is comprised of American Hippie stoners who move to the beaches of Ecuador to sell jewelry and empanadas… this is strange to me when I consider the thousands of Hispanics who attempt to enter the US every year for job opportunities.

16) When shopping, NEVER show too much interest in an item if you don’t want to be harassed into buying it.

17) You can buy one pill at a pharmacy, 1 cigarette, 1 piece of gum, or 1 beer can from a corner store. Just one.

18) Milk is sometimes served out of plastic bags… Yuck.

19) Ecuadorians never learned of the invention of seran wrap. In fact, all of their leftovers are left uncovered in the fridge.

20) When you make a purchase it is common for the store to ask for your phone number… this still confuses me.

21) Men on the coast roll their shirts up exposing the majority of their fat bellies.

22) If you are on a longer bus trip and hope to watch a movie, it will ten times out of ten be a violent movie with blood and murder. This is a correlation that I have yet to comprehend.

23) On public transportation there will almost always be a freelancer selling candy, jewelry, CDs, etc. They will market their product as if it was gold.

24) You can illegally enter a bordering South American country by paying off border patrol. I include this because it worked in both Bolivia and Perú. Corruption my friends.

25) Drinks are always served with or after the meals, not before like they are back home.

Perhaps one of my biggest fears about returning home, even though it will only be for a month, more or less, is facing that moment when friends and family ask me “How was Ecuador”. How do I even respond to that without breaking into an hour long rant about the incredible adventures I was a part of this semester. “Good” would definitely not suffice, nor would “Incredible”, “Life-changing”, or “Unbelievable”. How can you transform the best four months of your life into a single sentence. The issue is that it is impossible and for that reason I am so grateful to have my BC Gringos… the only group of people on this earth who will ever fully understand.

I imagine that when I get on that flight in a couple of hours and return home, I will look back on this experience and it will all seem like a dream, like it never actually occurred. When your life changes that instantaneously, one must compartmentalize and, as a result, begin to separate the places in which they have lived. While I must move onto the next chapter in my life I will take with me the lessons that I have learned here in South America. I am coming home with not only amazing memories but also, a new outlook on life. I have become more cultured and appreciative of every opportunity that life has provided for me. I have become more spontaneous and less worrisome about the little things. I have gained more confidence with español, which I am excited to continue practicing while in Spain. And, finally, not to sound too cheesy, but I have had the privilege of spending the last four months with the same 12 gringos. While this may sound frustrating to some, sharing these once in a lifetime experiences with a group of such talented, passionate, intelligent, and hysterically funny people made the experience what it was. Every one of the twelve was completely different, but we are leaving Ecuador today with something important in common… a love for Ecuador and a love for each other. They have been my family and support system here and I am forever grateful.

But, it’s finally over. My bags are all packed, my cornrows from the beach have been removed from my hair, the tan is starting to fade, and I have already said my final goodbyes to all of my friends. While I am so incredibly sad and nervous to leave, I cannot wait to see my family, all four of them, waiting for me at the airport in New York tonight. Because, after all, perhaps the most important lesson that this experience has taught me is that life will always change… I will continue seeing new parts of the world, will be graduating in a year and a half, may move to a new part of the country, and will (hopefully) receive a great job offer. My friends and surroundings will constantly change as well as my hobbies and interests. However, the one thing that will always keep me motivated, the one group of people that will always challenge me to be the best version of myself, is my family… the people that I love more than anyone in this world.

To conclude this South American blog I would like to quote the literary genius of Dr. Seuss who once wrote, “You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own and you know what you know. And you are the guy who’ll decide where to go. You’ll be on your way up! You’ll be seeing great sights! You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights. And when you're alone, there's a very good chance you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won't want to go on. And will you succeed?

Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)”- Oh the Places You’ll Go

Quito, Ecuador

Las Islas Galápagos

Voluntariado a la Macarena

Mindo, Ecuador

Experiencia Rural... Santa Barbara, Ecuador

Baños, Ecuador

Isla del Sol, Bolivia

Machu Picchu, Perú

Canoa, Ecuador

La Ruta del Sol: Puerto Lopez, Los Frailes, Montañita

I could not have imagined a better way to spend finals week in Ecuador than by relaxing on the coastal beaches along La Ruta del Sol. Not only was it a week of relaxation, amazing sights, ceviche, and maracuyá, it was also my opportunity to return back to the states tanner than anyone reading this blog... muoohahaha.

Our first stop after our 8 hour bus ride on Tuesday night was Puerto Lopez. We got in around 5AM where we were greeted by some Ecuaman who I am pretty sure stalked us for the rest of our stay in Puerto Lopez. Everywhere we went this man would mysteriously pop-up. Anyways, he showed us to a good hostel where we stayed for the remainder of our time in PL. The first day was pretty tranquila... we all relaxed on the beach, ate some good fish ceviche, played some beach volleyball and then headed to Puerto Rico, a smaller neighbor town where Colleen lived for two months this summer. The town was incredibly impoverished and Colleen's room was similar to a tiny windowless cell without any dressers. However, if you walked down the road it led you to an incredibly secluded beach where we watched the sunset. In the pictures below you can see how complex and diverse this town was!

The next day Nate arrived!!! We all woke up early, had some waffles and eggs, and headed to Los Frailes which is considered to be the nicest beach in Ecuador. We did a 45 minute hike to get there but it was completely worth it because there was no one else on the entire beach. We passed the day relaxing, playing in the water, trying to build a huge sand hole, etc. Waking up from a nap on the beach, opening my eyes to see clear blue water and huge cliffs, feeling the sand between my toes, and thinking of all of the BC kids slaving away in Oneill and Bapst made me a very happy camper.

Los Frailes

The group!

That night, unfortunately, Colleen and Nate had to leave to head back to Quito for finals. The five of us, Tori, Kasia, Pat, Nate, and I played Eukre in the hostel and passed out. The next morning we got on a bus to Montañita, which would quickly become my favorite Ecuadorian town. I know I said this about Canoa, but, if I was to move to Ecuador I would, without a doubt, move to Montañita. Right when we walked into the town I knew I was going to stay an extra day because I simply fell in love. 

We headed straight to the beach where Pat and I got our hair braided for 8 dollars (as opposed to 45 in the states). We spent the rest of the day relaxing on the beach, throwing around the football, and just enjoying Montañita. Nate, Tori, and Kasia headed out to be back for finals so Pat and I decided to stay. We had the best dinner at this restaurant where you ate on beds... there were no chairs... it was awesome. We met up with Crystal and Ariana to go out that night. We had the best drinks made from maracuyá, piña, y fresa but called it an early night because we were so wiped out from traveling. 

Our favorite restaurant!

The last day of our beach trip was, again, filled with relaxation, relaxation, and more relaxation. Pat and I ate pancakes and french toast at the same restaurant with the beds the next morning and then headed to the beach. The sun was so strong that after a few hours we had to flee the beach to find some shade, pack up, and head back to PL to catch our bus back to Quito. 

How to describe Montañita: pregnant ladies selling weed brownies on the streets, fathers with bong stands selling their pieces with one hand and holding their 2 year old daughters in the other, everyone has either half shaved heads or dredlocks, many American hippies move there and make a living by selling empanadas or jewelry on the streets, Bob Marley music blasting, topless skinny hippie chicks, longboards... the coolest place for people watching I have ever witnessed. Paradise. 

Montañita!

The Amazon Rainforest

During our international student welcome orientation we were advised that each and every one of us would most likely become very sick during our time in Ecuador. Jessie, thinking she is invincible, refused to believe the debauchery that was coming from the mouths of the USFQ officials. 3 and a half months in, after eating all of the street food I could find, sharing drinks, etc... I was still untouchable. That was of course until last Thursday night which, will go down in my ecuahistory as being the worst night of my study abroad experience. I will spare you the worser details but let's just say I vomited 5 separate times between the hours of 10pm-3:30am. What was worrying me was the frightening thought that my sickness would inhibit my ability to accompany the BC Gringos on our weekend trip to the Amazon Rainforest. Although I had 4 final projects that had to be done, as well as a VISA meeting at the consulate, I made the decision to stay in bed all day which, paid off as I was able to spend the weekend in the selva!

We spent most of the first day traveling to the selva. After about a 5 hour bus ride to some tiny little town, we ate lunch (correction: everyone else ate lunch because I didn't have an appetite for another 3 days or so), and headed on this boat down the Napo river for two hours to our hostel. While on the boat, Colleen and I devised an entire book series which, regardless of the fact that I am a dreamer and not a realist, I honestly believe could become the next Harry Potter or Hunger Games... the book series will be famous one day so get ready. When we finally got there we relaxed on some hammocks for a long time which was much needed. After dinner everyone went on a night hike that I chose to skip because I was still exhausted and sick. Unfortunately, that night at around 4:30AM, right before I finally got to bed, I vomited once more. This vom was a particularly tricky vom on the account of there being no lighting units whatsoever in the selva. So there I am, at 4:30AM in the middle of the Amazon, trying not to wake up all of the girls in my cabin yet, unable to find the door to the bathroom. I wish this was a lie but, I was fairly certain for a moment that I was going to have to vom on one of the girls because I was completely blinded.

The next day was hands down the best day in the selva. We visited an amazonian village in the middle of the jungle where they taught us about their crops, cooked for us, and showed us some of their traditions. We were able to bring them a lot a lot of food which was great but I felt a little too much of the "Jesus Complex" while we were there. Ya know, the civilized white university students showering the impoverished with food... Anyways, they then cooked their traditional jungle food for us which involved larvae.. yes, I tried larvae... and no, I couldn't quite get it down. We then got jungle paint on our faces, feathers in our hair, and learned how to shoot blow darts. Toryn and I were the only ones who shot the dart through the fruit!

We then headed back for lunch and a little relaxation at the hostel before heading back to the Napo river to construct our own raft out of logs and rope. While I will admit, the guide and the boys did most of the work, I still found it really cool to say we were floating through the Amazon Jungle on a raft that we made. While on the raft everyone was pushing each other off and the current was really strong so it was really fun to just let the river take you. We also saw one of the most beautiful sunsets while floating on the river.

After dinner that night we were visited by a Shaman who, we were told, would cleanse the devil spirits from some of us. Four of us had little "sessions" with the Shaman which included sitting in a chair across from him and having him so a series of things. First, he would make all of these weird noises and wooshing sounds and would graze your face and shoulders with this leaf wand stick things (bad description, I know). Afterwords, he would smoke from some cigar and take your scalp and blow the smoke into your head. Things started to get a little weird when he appeared to be dry heaving (vom sounds) and would then blow the good spirits into your scalp. Of the four that participated (Me, Pat, Jon, and Toryn), Pat and I were told that we had bad spirits that he needed to release. It was a very... strange experience but definitely one I will never forget.

The next morning the group did a four hour hike but Beth and I, who had been sick that week, decided to stay back and rest more. This kind of thing is so unlike me but I just didn't have the energy. It was a great decision, however, and we napped in our beds and on the hammocks for four hours. After lunch we did about an hour hike/boat ride to this little village where women make pottery. Not gonna lie, very anticlimactic, but hiking through the jungle during the night was really cool. That night, Colleen, Toryn, Pat and I stayed up late playing Yukur, a game that I learned while in Nicaragua with Arrupe. Pat and I dominated which always makes the game more fun.

The last day we visited an animal preserve where we got to see monkeys, cheetahs, birds, crocs, and some animal that looked like a guinea pig on steroids. Our guide was one creepy looking cat.. I don't even know how to begin to describe it but, we collectively realized that all accents are sexy to girls except for chinese and german accents... I think this is true. Afterwards, we took the boat back to the mainland, then took a five hour bus back home. Pat and I played the Newlywed Game against Beth and Casey... we kicked ass but no, for the record everyone... we're not dating (just to end all of the speculations).

As I write this I cannot believe I have a week and a half left in Ecuador... tempus fugit.

Canoa, Ecuador: Spear the Conch, Spread the Gnar

While missing Thanksgiving in the States was definitely very difficult, especially after an hour-long Skype conversation with my entire extended family, it was definitely made better by our weekend in Canoa. Ecuador is a fascinating country because, although it is tiny, it is made up of four very distinct regions: the sierra, the jungle, the coast, and the Galápagos. As someone who has grown up living on the beach her entire life, the one thing I wish Boston College had was closer access to the shore. However, here in Ecuador, the coast is just an overnight bus ride away.

Thanks to my lack of Friday classes I was able to leave on Thanksgiving night to take a bus to Canoa with Pat, Tim, and Seth. The bus ride was about 6 hours and we arrived at around 4AM. Our hostel had a really cool vibe to it and was right next to the beach… I am not sure I could accurately describe this coastal Ecuadorian beach town… it was something you had to see for yourself. However, without a doubt, if I had to move to Ecuador for a period of time, it would be to Canoa. It has that small town feel that I miss about Locust Valley, no one has a care in the world, the weather was beautiful, and the beach was fantastic.

-Our Hostel-

The first day we relaxed a lot on the beach, Seth and Tim went exploring for a while and returned with the most God-awful 10 dollar shell/bead necklaces that they were forced to buy from some rando. At around 3PM, after eating lunch, we rented surfboards. I had not been surfing in a while so I was nervous about getting up but within about 30 minutes I was catching every wave. For the rest of the weekend every time we surfed we all spoke about catching the gnar and feelin’ the swell, bra.

That night the four of us watched the sunset, went to dinner and had some of the best food I have eaten all semester, however, the owner of the restaurant was the creepiest mofo I have ever met and kept making the most random remarks to us.  The next morning Kasia, Toryn, and Colleen came! We all had a huge breakfast at the surf shop and then headed out for a full day of the swell. I got up basically every time which, made surfing a lot of fun for me. By the end of the day, the waves were vicious and we were all being completely thrown around. Before dinner we had a little fun in the hostel and Pat and I found ourselves alone in the room marching in circles to “Hey, Soul Sister”. Again, many of these references won’t make any sense to anyone reading it but it is for my own memory that I write them. That dinner was hands down one of the funniest dinners I have ever experienced. Spear the conch and spread the gnar. I will leave it at that.

The next day was our last day at the coast and a relaxing one at that. We played some beach tackle football and surfed a little more. Right before dinner we found a bat that we named Samuel, dead, lying outside of our door. We thought it would be funny to play with the bat and take pictures with him. When it came time to eat dinner I had the brilliant idea of putting Samuel in a cup, in a plastic bag and bringing him back to Quito as a practical joke. The next day in school Colleen opened her backpack in Amanda’s class to find a dead Samuel resting atop her books. All in all, very successful trip to the beach. The weekend was absolutely amazing and reminded me how much I miss the beach. I cannot wait for our 6 day beach trip right before we leave!!!

-Samuel-