ecuador adventures

Hasta Siempre Ecuador

2007-06-22T20:37:00.000-05:00

Well, here I am wrapping up my blogging days. One and a half weeks ago, I arrived safely to the St. Louis, MO airport. My luggage was so upset that their traveling days were over that they decided to go to Chicago for one last adventure without me. I was finally able to track them down and bring them home in Nashville, TN (I was in Nashville for my cousin's wedding and to see my beautiful nieces...and sister...and brother-in-law). I would like to share a few last pictures of my students and friends at the Hacienda de Esperanza. I am so proud of these kids. They are speaking and understanding English. When I first began teaching and speaking only English with them in class, I got everything from disgruntled faces to real tears. After a few days, however, they were understanding pretty much everything I said. And now I am receiving e-mails written in English. I am so blessed to have been a part of this school. Above is the older kids in the "Prayer Dome" singing songs in English. I quickly learned that singing in English was a perfect way to make their new language fun and accessible.

Here is Pamela. She's a spunky one who is obsessed with the Disney Channels feature film, "High School Musical." I always had to ask her to stop drawing in class, or organizing her colored pencils, or playing with whatever was near, but even though she was easily distracted, she was a fast learner and has a gift for good English pronunciation.

This is Cristian. He's the leader of the group because he is the oldest. I don't think I've ever heard an American thirteen-year-old say prayers quite like Cristian does. He already has an understanding and love for God that most adults don't have. He can pray in English too.

This is Leo (Leonela). She's usually very quiet in class and I had to choose my words very carefully with her because she seemed to cry very easily. Sometimes, however, she would get into a silly mood that was contagious and made everyone around her laugh. She loved being the first one to turn to the Bible verse during chapel so that she could read it before anyone else.

The three little girls on the left were not my regular students, but because they lived right next to me I would often play outside with them in the afternoons. My favorite thing to do was to watch them playing from inside my house and then when they were out of sight I would sneak out and hide until they came back and then I would jump out and surprise them. They loved it and always humored me with loud screams.

Cati (Catalina) is the tallest and oldest girl in this picture. She was the sweetest girl. At some point during meals or chapel when I was sitting next to her, she would reach over and grab my hand or just touch my arm and look up at me and smile. She was the only girl in my younger students class, so it was refreshing to have such a sweety among the boys.

Here they are: los muchachos. I loved these guys. Jhon is on the left. It's hard to see from this picture, but that day his black pen had exploded and so he had ink all over himself. Most people would have thrown the pen away, but Jhon continued to use it which resulted in even more ink all over himself. I think he's one of those creative minds that needs the right outlet to show his genius. Darwin is next. He's a real perfectionist. When he got a 98 or 99% he would be very sad. His perfectionism did help him in a few good ways though. Pronunciation is the hardest part of learning English, but Darwin will sound like a native if he keeps up where he's at now. It's truly amazing. Andres I've mentioned before because he's the kid that wrote the bible verse "In me, Jesus, you have peach" instead of peace. I love that story. Jorge is the one making the funny face. Go figure. That boy is hilarious and super smart. He's definitely going places. And there he is again below. His birthday is two days before mine, so I told him that someday he should come to the States so that we could celebrate together. I am hoping that it really does happen. I miss Georgie Porgy a lot!

Well, that's it folks. The final blog. There probably won't be anymore Ecuador adventures from this lady for a long time. I'm still transitioning to life back in the U.S. and I think it will take me awhile to be totally fine with not living in Ecuador. Be sure and keep your ears open for jobs in Nashville that might be calling my name! Thanks so much for reading.

Visitantes de Los Estados

2007-05-31T17:30:00.000-05:00

Last week I took some time off of school to go to the beach. But as you will soon see, I have no pictures of the beach because it rained the whole two days I was there, so I left. Instead, I went to the rain forest with my friend Megan and her family who was visiting. It was definitely a great alternative to what I had originally planned. In the rain forest, we hung ourselves on a 300 meter cable, 400 ft. above the ground. And then we zipped across at nearly 50 miles an hour. Pretty crazy, but pretty amazing too.

After spending time traveling and sightseeing with Megan's family, I headed back to Tabacundo to be a part of a medical campaign from the United States. A group of about 40 people (including doctors, dentists and nurses) came to our town for a couple days to give free health care and medication to the residents in surrounding areas.
I was able to help out by translating which was a fun and important position. I had never done anything like it before and it was a little nerve-racking at times because I had to be very sure of what the people told me about their medical problems.

Everyone worked very hard and the first day we saw over 450 patients.

During the campaign, I saw and learned many new things including, a ruptured eardrum, how to tell if someone is anemic by looking at their eyes, and an astonishing number of children with no appetite (most likely due to parasites). It was great being able to be a part of this mission and see how many people were helped and through the free health care.

Soy de la U!

2007-05-21T17:21:00.000-05:00

One thing that I always regretted about my time in Spain was that I didn't go to a "futbol" game. So I made myself a promise that I would go to one while I was in Ecuador. This past weekend I fulfilled that promise. Now, some people might take the term "fair weather fan" as an insult, but I really don't mind. When I lived with my Ecuadorian family I rooted for the 2006 national champion team, El Nacional. But there wasn't an El Nacional game that I could make it to before I left, so I easily changed my allegiance to a team whose game I could attend. I am now an official fan of La Liga Deportiva Universitaria, otherwise known as La Liga. I even bought a jersey for the occasion. My friends, Megan and Emily went with me, as did our Ecuadorian pal, Jimmy, who is a HUGE Liga fan. Above is a picture of the Liga Stadium, La Casa Blanca.

Here are my friends donning their Liga gear as well.

I caught a nice head shot...action photos are tricky!

The crowd was fun and crazy. We opted for seats on the exciting but safe Northern side of the stadium. The Southern side is known for its extreme craziness (as in throwing things).

The team we were playing against was Emelec, from Guayaquil. They are the blue guys...we are the white ones.

Here's Megan and me. We really enjoyed the game--watching people, smiling at babies, standing in line to buy Salchichas (hot dogs). Oh yeah, and sometimes we watched the game. No but actually we did watch the game pretty intensely. Soccer is a great game because it's fast and almost always exciting. We expected Liga to completely demolish Emelec and were surprised that the blue team gave a good fight. Liga did end up winning, thankfully, so we left happy and now I feel like I really am part of the U!

Subiendo Mojanda

2007-05-15T15:32:00.000-05:00

Two weeks ago, the school that I teach at had a holiday. But instead of using this Friday to sleep in late and watch movies all day, everyone decided to climb a mountain. It was a good choice. We all live on the side of the mountain called Mojanda. Every clear day since February I have looked up at the craggy peak of this mountain and had the urge to climb it. Also, one day I was looking at a topographical map of Ecuador and saw that there were lakes on the other side of the peak. This was a trip that I knew I had to take before I went back to the states. So on Friday morning 9 children, 4 adults, and one baby packed snacks, water, coats, hats, and gloves for the hike up the mountain. I was a little skeptical about hiking with kids, especially since the climb was not going to be easy. But honestly during the 4 1/2 hour hike, those children were great. They persevered, didn't complain and genuinly had fun. It was great walking with them.
We only took a couple standing breaks and one sit-down break for snacks. I was really impressed with everyone.
This is Andres eating "chifles" (plantain chips) during the break. He's a fun kid and has an amazing memory for English vocabulary. One time when he was writing a Bible verse in his notebook he wrote: "In Jesus, you have peach." He meant to write "peace", and when I explained what he had written he thought it was hilarious. So now that's a favorite English saying of my 8 and 9 year old class.

This is Cristian, Jhon and Patricia during break. The kids all have trouble saying the word "bird" in class, they pronounce it more like "beard". One day Jhon was reading and said, "the beards have wings to help them fly." I told them what a beard was and why it was important to say "birds have wings..." Jhon continues to point out the "beards flying" and the "birds with beards"--he always gets a big laugh from that one.

Here is Leonela and Jorge. As you can see, Jorge is a Titans fan...well, not really. Leo is really quiet, but every once in awhile she'll get in these really silly moods...it's fun. Jorge is in a continual silly mood--he's so great. He loves Spiderman and always tries to spider bite me with two fingers. He also tries to tickle me a lot and he doesn't believe me when I say I'm not ticklish...he knows better.

So after four hours of walking up...we finally arrived at our destination. And what a prize it was. I think it was one of the most beautiful sights I've seen. It was well worth the struggle.

Martin deserves a gold star for his trek up the mountain. He walked the entire way with his 20lb son, Santiago, strapped to his back. And Martin is not a big guy...I think he comes up to my shoulder (like most average Ecuadorians).

And here we are at Lago Mojanda. The pictures don't capture the tranquility and beauty...it was amazing.

The rest of the clan--those too old and young to hike up--came by car (there is a bumpy road that winds up one side of the mountain to the lake). They also brought all of our food, tents, and wood for fires. Above is Isabella, Maria, and Gladys.

There were little huts that we were able to put all of our stuff in and we even set up a couple tents inside to keep out of the wind. It was helpful, but I still experienced one of the coldest nights of my life. I didn't sleep very much.

Here is Pamela. She's a fiesty one. It's really not that unusual for me to see children carrying machetes anymore. Abigail and Sydney have a birthday coming up!

More views of the lake. Amazing. What more can I say?

We couldn't have picked a better day (it was perfect, except for the cold night). When we woke up there were blue skies and a bright sun to greet us.

Finally this is me with Lorena. She is the wife of Martin and mother to the baby Sanitago, not to mention all of the little girls. She and her husband have dedicated their lives to this orphanage and have taken in all of the girls as their own daughters. They are great people.

So there's another adventure for you. I really though I'd be sore after this one, but thankfully I have no pain or scars left over...only pictures. Enjoy!

Lindo Mindo

2007-05-03T09:57:00.000-05:00

Speaking of small worlds, I have a perfect example. Two months ago my friend Megan, from college, came to Quito, Ecuador to live and work here for six months. I was aware that she was coming but our trip were completely separate. Another friend of ours from Truman, Neil, was traveling through South America and stopped for a few days in Quito and Tabacundo to hang out. Then, just two weeks ago, I found out that another girl from Truman, Emily, has been living in Quito, teaching English, since October. I had no idea that she was here! So last weekend Megan, Emily, and I took a short vacation together to a great little town called Mindo. It's one of Emily's favorite places and had been on my list of towns to visit.

Mindo is special becuase although it is only two hours West of Quito, in the mountain region, there is a low growth rainforest that makes the climate warmer. This area is home to hundreds of species of birds including hundreds of species of hummingbirds. Over the course of her time in Ecuador, Emily has made many friends in the tiny town of Mindo. One of her good friends is the owener of a beautiful hostel. Another friend is an adventure guide. So we were all able to take advantage of her friendships with these people and really enjoy our time.

This is Emily, Javier, Megan and I hiking through the hills of Mindo. Below is the hostel where we stayed--complete with hammocks overlooking the bird garden.

Breakfast was accompanied by the sound of hundreds of fluttering hummingbird wings.

Mindo is full of bird experts. I learned that in the continetal US there are 9 species of hummingbirds. In Ecuador (the size of Colorado), there are around 100.

Mindo is not only a great place to relax, but it's also a great place to have an adventure. If whitewater rafting is quite risky enough for you, you should try out whitewater tubing...

All this for only $2.50.

It was a fun weekend and I hope to go back to Mindo before I head home. But next time I think I'll try the zip line through the rainforest canopy.

The Real Culprit: Plantain Balls and How I Ended Up on the Floor of a Bus

2007-05-01T14:15:00.000-05:00

[This is a story of something that happened to me a few months ago...enjoy!]

Slashed purses, lifted wallets and stolen cell phones. These are some of the stories told from Quito’s Trolebus—the city’s public transportation notorious for pickpockets. Guidebooks caution tourists from entering this “red zone”, but I wasn’t a “Quito-in-two-days” kind of traveler. I would be living in the city for six months. So I took a chance.

Twelve years ago the Municipal Government of Quito established a new form of public transportation. The hope was to cut down on the amount of smog produced by city busses and to help transport the quickly growing population. The Trolebus was their answer. This line of busses runs on an electrical track going North and South through the city. In the historical part of town, the Trole runs along Guyaquil Street, passing colorful colonial architecture, busy plazas and cobblestone streets. Further North, in the new section of Quito, the line goes along the avenue 10 de Agosto alongside hotels, restaurants, car lots and clothing stores. The cost of a ride is equal to that of a city bus, so the main draw is that the Trole is faster. It only stops at specific points whereas busses stop and go constantly at the whim of the passengers. Because of its relative speed, the Trolebus is generally packed with people—leaving no places to sit (and barely room to stand) during the busy commute to work. It is for this reason that the Trole has been deemed a pickpocket’s heaven. In such cramped quarters it’s nearly impossible to know which shove, push, or budge is unintentional and which is the hand of the person next to you reaching for your wallet. Cautious and alert as you may be, these people are professionals. Many guidebooks and websites, therefore, tell travelers to save themselves the trouble and call a cab.

I heeded this advice during my first week in Quito, but soon realized that a $5 taxi trip could have been a $0.25 Trole ride. That’s $4.75 that could buy three almuerzos (lunches), five Pilsner cervezas, or: two pineapples, four avocados, 25 bananas, 10 mandarin oranges and a guanabana at the market. So I stepped onto the Trole. And I continued to take the Trole for five months without any trouble. That was before the bolon.

Bolones de verde. Those smashed-up plantains, filled with cheese, and rolled into balls of fried goodness. Mmm. I had eaten many bolones and become quite fond of their taste—especially when drizzled with Ecuador’s spicy ají sauce.

One night a friend and I went to share a cup of coffee and bolones. And it was good. The next morning I woke up at my regular hour to teach English classes. My Ecuadorian host-mom had prepared a breakfast of fruit, bread, cheese, and hot tea as always. Typically I ate every bite, but for some reason that morning I was not hungry. When I told Margot, she looked at me strangely and asked if I felt ok. I said I was fine, which I was, but I just didn’t have an appetite. After my first class, though, I started to feel a little weird. My stomach began to ache and I had less energy than normal. I blamed the symptoms on my empty stomach and thought about eating, but I still wasn’t hungry. It was during my next class that I knew something was wrong. Sitting there in front of my student (explaining the difference between “to”, “too”, and “two”), my palms became clammy and I felt that I needed to lie down. As soon as the class was over, I hurried to the closest Trole stop to head for home.

The day was Tuesday and the time was 11:30 am. Generally not a busy time for the Trole, but today the whole city of Quito seemed to be crammed into “my” Trolebus. I worked my way into a space large enough for a broom and grabbed the bar over my head. The windows were all closed and the sun was shining bright—creating a Trole oven. After the first stop I knew I should sit down, after the second stop I knew I should lay down. At the third stop the whole world went black.

I came-to nearly 60 seconds later sprawled on the floor of the Trole. I was in a frightened daze as hands from above lifted me to a seat. Then I realized the horrible reality. My purse was not on my shoulder. My head flew around in all directions, grabbing at my side where the bag had been.

I knew it! The reports were right. It would happen on the Trole that some coward thief would take advantage to rob an unconscious foreign girl. I never should have taken the Trole. Ever. If only I had listened!

And then, in the midst of my cries, “mi bolso, mi bolso!” an older gentleman kindly handed me my purse and told me that it had fallen off my shoulder when I fainted. I stared in awe. How was it possible that no one on the “infamous” Trole had taken the opportunity to steal my purse? How was it possible that someone on the Trole had helped a traveler in distress? Was it possible that not only pickpockets, but good Samaritans as well, rode the Trolebus? At my stop I exited the Trole and decided to take a taxi to my front door rather than risk another faint. I had the next 36 hours of lying in bed (between visits to the bathroom) to realize, unequivocally, that the culprit was my “tasty” bolon de verde form the previous night.
I have since not eaten a single bolon (and not sure if I ever will), but in contrast, I have taken many lovely trips on the “dreaded” Trolebus. According to me, guidebooks should amend their warnings: “stay clear of bolones de verde and enjoy your faint-free ride on Quito’s Trole!”

Fotos

2007-04-18T20:13:00.000-05:00

I sent out an email with pictures attached but for some reason a few people didn’t get them. So I’ve posted them here for everyone to see. The first is of the new school that we recently moved into. It’s a converted cow barn. The second is of two of the students. The third is of Jhon and Jorge tackling me the weekend that I stayed with them while the house parents were gone. The last one is of Jorge dancing and being silly. That kid is great and he’s going to do some amazing things in his life, I’m sure. And when you know his background it’s even better. Jorge was living alone on the streets of a nearby town just a couple years ago. Jerry, the director of the orphanage, found him and asked him about his family and living situation. At the time he didn’t have a name or know his birthday. He chose the name Jorge because he “always liked the sound of it.” He’s my best English student and he’s definitely made an impact on my life. So there’s a little more information on what my life is like here. Enjoy the photos!

Los Ultímos Días

2007-04-15T15:06:00.000-05:00

Alright, so here the final installment of my trip with my parents (and only two and a half months later…). So we decided to finish off our two weeks together just relaxing on the beach. It was a good thought that turned out to be not so great in reality. The pictures here are very deceiving. They were taken during the (possibly) three minutes of sun we had while we were there. The rain and clouds weren’t the only problems, but I’d rather not remember all the unpleasant details again—the bugs, lizards, humidity, depressing absence of people on the beach, etc.
So instead of staying for the four days that we had planned, we hopped on a little plane and flew back to Quito. From there we caught a bus to a place an hour and a half from the city. Papallacta is a town that, like Baños, is known for its natural hot baths. The difference between the two is that Papallacta is a more natural setting and there aren’t as many people (generally). So instead of relaxing on the beach, we relaxed in our own private hot pool—only a couple feet from the front door of our cabin. It was a great alternative to the ocean and a wonderful way to finish up our adventure. We had a day in Quito together before my parents flew back to the States.

So there it is my friends—the Runcie family Ecuadorian Vacation. Hope you enjoyed all the pictures and stories. From now on I will post entries about my current life and situation which is going pretty well by the way. Hasta la proxíma vez entonces.

Los Baños de Agua Santa

2007-03-14T14:08:00.000-05:00

After my parents and I left the jungle, we headed back West to my favorite little town: Baños. Now those of you who know a bit of Spanish know that “el baño” is “bathroom” but just so you’re not confused, in this context the word means “baths”. This tiny jem is nestled between the magnificent mountain region and the lush green jungle which creates an amazing view from any angle. That’s the great part of going to this place—it is breathtakingly gorgeous. The bad part of going is / was getting there. Since we were coming from the less-developed Eastern part of the country, the roads that we had to take were muddy and full of deep ruts. There was lots of rain on our bus journey so there was of course the fear of landslides. Thankfully we didn’t get buried, but we did get stopped by a landslide that had covered the road. We were stuck for an hour or so, but eventually cars from the other direction started to move across and finally we were on our way again. My parents were increasingly “impressed” with the driving and road situations here. This little girl was toting her younger sister in a sling as many young Ecuadorian children have to do for a number of reasons that involve the parents not being able to take care of their children.Once we got to Baños we checked into our lovely hotel, “La Posada del Arte” which is run by a couple from Chicago. A number of businesses in the town are owned by American Ex-pats. Our first night there we took a tour of the town and then visited the natural hot baths which give the place its name. The baths are heated by the currently active (and lava spewing) volcano, Tunguragua.

The next day after a huge breakfast at the hotel we all got massages. My mom and I also got pedicures. The massages were great (but not as good as my mom) and super cheap—only $20 for an hour!
That afternoon we took a ride on the famous “Chivas” of Ecuador. They are open air busses. Our tour was the “Route of the Waterfalls” that carried us passed four impressive falls and a handful of smaller but still beautiful ones. Here is my favorite waterfall on the tour called the “Manto de la Novia”, the “Bride’s Veil”. It was another great couple of relaxing and fun days we had together. I can’t wait for another reunion with my parents in a few months!

Benancio Grifo

2007-03-14T13:31:00.000-05:00

After leaving Monkey Paradise (thinking that life in the jungle couldn’t get any better) we found ourselves traveling deeper into the Amazon region until we hit the Río Misahaulli. To get to our next destination we had to ford the river in a dugout canoe. We didn’t know what to expect about our next stop—I mean, what could a place possibly like that was only reachable by boat and located in an Ecuadorian jungle? Then we turned the bend in the river and saw it…La Casa del Suizo. An amazing sight even if you were traveling down Interstate 64. But just imagine seeing this place when you’re in the jungle—truly amazing.

We were greeted by a number of the local staff members and eventually taken to our room that overlooked the river and the jungle. We had a hammock which I promptly tried out. For lunch (and every meal after that) we had a huge all-you-can-eat buffet of salads, meats, fruits, breads, desserts and exotic juices. After lunch that first day we went on our first jungle excursion.

The man that was our guide was possibly one of the best things about our entire trip. I think I can speak for my parents also and say that we were all incredibly blessed to know Benancio Grifo.

Benancio was all smiles all the time, not in a fake I-have-to-smile-it’s-my-job kind of way, but more in a wise and time worn I-am-grateful-for-my-life-and-am-honored-to-know-you way. So the first day he took us to a spot on the river where he could pan for gold. He got some gold dust and then taught my dad how to do it.

After that we started hiking through the jungle. Benancio, who used to be a shaman, knew every plant and what its medicinal purpose was. It was so incredible to see how God has put cures for everything from bad breath to headaches to ulcers and more right there in the jungle. The pharmaceutical companies wouldn’t like it one bit. Wow was it amazing.

Aside from plants used for medicine there was also a plant used for paint (which you can see displayed here) and a plant that had ants living in it that tasted like lemon. How do I know that? Yep I have eaten a lemon ant. Not to bad…We also had the freshest hearts of palm you can get and saw coca plants, pineapple, papaya and the plants used to make Panama (actually Ecuador) hats.

Here is a woman that we passed on the hike who was washing her clothes in the river.

The conclusion of the jungle hike brought us to a butterfly house where there were thousands of native butterflies filling the air. They would land on the pieces of little banana that were set out and eat the sugar from them. That was the first day.

The second day we took another jungle hike but we went a little deeper. Benancio was quite the jokester and he found a plant that looked like big red lips and put them on each of us. My dad was by far the funniest.
At the end of that hike Benancio took us to his home—a two room wooden shelter on stilts. We met his wife, children and grandchildren. After watching his wife cook with yucca and another typical plant, Benancio performed a shaman ceremony which was supposed to rid the person of all evil spirits. That experience was very humbling. To be in his house first of all was very special, and second to see him at work, doing something that was so important to his life was beautiful.
Nothing could top that experience except maybe floating home on a balsa wood raft. Which we did. My parents and I can now say that we have floated on a hand-made raft down a river that feeds into the Amazon. Hard to believe. And that brings to an end our jungle adventure. Next up: my favorite town in Ecuador.

Monos y Serpientes

2007-03-14T13:12:00.000-05:00

So finally Monday morning we left the Marcum's house and headed east toward the Oriente: the Jungle. Our bus ride was an thrilling mix of tight curves and daring heights on muddy and narrow roads. There were threats of landslides every ten meters but that wasn't the scariest part of all. The most "exciting" part was when anthother bus or truck would come down the road toward us. The road wouldn't have passed width regulations for an American sidewalk yet somehow both drivers calmly passed each other (with mere centimeters between) with ease. After six hours of driving on these roads (did I mention that they were main highways?) we arrived at our destination: Orchid Paradise on the Island of Monkeys.

It was only on the edge of the jungle but still the difference between the Quito's terrain and the plants and flowers here were astounding. The air was more humid and there were sounds of scurrying animals and chattering birds everywhere. The man on duty when we arrived was Humberto and he took us to our room. And as we walked down the path to our cabin we quickly realized that we were the only guests on Monkey Island.The solitude could have been a little uncomfortable and disconcerting, but Humberto took it upon himself to make us feel incredibly welcome. We then understood the advantage of being the only guests: preferential treatment.Humberto introduced us to a friend of his named Lucho ("luchar" is "fight" in Spanish). Lucho seemed nice enough but Humberto warned us that his friend was known for stealing camaras and anything else he could easily get his hands on. As you can see in the next picture, my dad became close to Lucho--I think they had a lot in common...

While my dad was becoming friends with theiving monkeys my mom and I decided we wanted a little more danger. So we wrapped a boa constrictor around our necks.

We were on a walk in the jungle and saw this snake slithering on the ground and my mom just picked it up like it was a garden hose. And then like Eve offered it to me. So I took it. Ok, now I'm just telling stories. Sorry. So the truth is that Humberto had this snake in a cage and he showed us how to hold it. It was probably declawed (or whatever the snake version of that is) but it was still pretty risky...feeling.

And here they are standing on the edge of the Amazonian Jungle. They are my parents, not my brother and sister, like everyone in Ecuador thought. I think one time someone even asked me if they were my children. They do look young, but come on. But really, I'm proud to have such young-looking parents becuase I hope that I have inherited the same genes.
Here is Lucho again, getting possessive with my mother. He paid us another visit during dinner and he got in trouble for that. After all who wants a spider monkey jumping on your table while you are trying to eat an amazing $5 filet minon? We really did eat amazing food there on Monkey Island. It was a great day and a half and one night introduction to the jungle. The next day we woke up hearing the sounds of the jungle and got ready to trek deeper into the wild. Our next stop: Casa del Suizo along the Misahualli River.

El Día dos: Domingo

2007-02-26T12:00:00.000-05:00

Day two of my vacation with the folks began with a Sunday morning church service at the Quito Norte Church of Christ. At church my parents were reunited with their college friend Sharla Marcum. Sharla and Kent Marcum began the church when they moved to Quito 18 years ago. I had fun acting as translator throughout the church service and my parents impressed everyone with their Spanish singing skills—who knew?!

After church the Marcums and the Runcies headed north to meet Jerry and Pat Snyder (the directors of the Hacienda of Hope children’s home / orphanage (where I currently live and work). We all met for lunch at a beautiful restaurant / hotel called San Luis. The grounds were filled with tall trees and exotic flowers.

After lunch we went to the Hacienda to meet the children and see what the place was all about (at the time I still didn’t know I would end up working and living here).

After a great tour of the property and houses, we drove back to Quito and spent the rest of the evening with Kent and Sharla and stayed at their lovely home that night. We got a good nights rest before the real Ecuador adventure started. Up ahead: Day 3, Monkey Island!

El Viaje

2007-02-12T15:17:00.000-05:00

I want to apologize to those of you who are faithful blog checkers that I haven’t had a new post in quite some time. I have been wanting to put this one up for awhile, but we’ve had some technical difficulties with the internet. Hope the many pictures make up for it!

Ok, so here it goes. We’re going to go back in time a little. I have really been wanting to post some pictures and thoughts about the two weeks that my parents were here. My dad took some great photos so I’m going to let them do most of the talking. All of these pictures are from their first full day in Ecuador. We stayed at a lovely little hotel in the historic center of Quito called Hotel San Francisco.

This is the beautiful courtyard in the center of the hotel with flowers and a fountain.

Every morning we ate breakfast in this restaurant below the hotel. The people there were so friendly and it is where my parents got their first taste of Ecuadorian fruit juice. All of the different kinds of fruit here are truly amazing.

After breakfast we walked around the different plazas and colonial buildings in the area.

Above is the Plaza San Francisco that is famous for the many pigeons that hang out there and below is a shot from above of Plaza Grande where there are many government buildings including the Presidential Palace.

After walking around the city center we went to visit my Ecuadorian family. This is me with almost the whole gang.

For lunch we went to a restaurant that is famous for their empanadas and good fruit juices. A popular drink here in Ecuador is called “batidos” and it’s juice blended with milk and ice. We sampled three different batidos during lunch. My mom had mora (blackberry), I had mango, and my dad had my favorite, guanabana. Besides great drinks and empanadas we tried a popular dish from the Sierra region called fanesca. It is sort of a stew type casserole made with just about every bean, corn and grain grown in the mountains here.

We had a fun and full day that first day (I think I wore them out). The pictures do not include: climbing hundreds of stairs to my favorite spot in Quito “Parque Ichimbia,” walking around Guapulo (a small and quaint neighborhood in Quito), eating ice cream at one of the best restaurants here “Fruteria Monseratte,” and finishing off the day with dinner at a cozy pizzeria.

So there you have it: Day 1 with the ‘rents in Ecuador! Stay tuned for the sequels.

Hacienda de Esperanza

2007-02-09T17:53:00.001-05:00

Hi! Sorry for the incredible lapse in posts--especially when you are expecting pictures from my parents' visit. Believe me, they will come soon. First, though, I must explain why I am not able to write about the wonderful amazing time with my parents yet.

Three days ago, my life completely changed. I was looking for some change, and God opened a door of opportunity for me. I no longer live in Quito, Ecuador. I now reside in a small town by the name of Tabacundo. I no longer teach private English classes to adults. I now have a full-time teaching position at a school for children.

A few days before my parents came, Jerry Snyder, the director of the Hacienda de Esperanza (Hacienda of Hope) gave me a call. He said that their school was in need of an English teacher. I have always thought that I wanted to volunteer or somehow work with this organization. The Hacienda de Esperanza is a children's home (orphanage) with ten orphans that live with Ecudorian families. Just this year they began a bilingual school for the 10 kids plus the biological children of the families living here.

So I am the new English teacher for the school. I've only been on the job three days, but so far everything is going well. Kids make transitions a lot easier because they are so loving and accepting. There are some difficult changes, however. There is a lot less to do around here. The closest town is very small and I'm still getting to know the other adults. I'm living by myself in a huge house--two stories, 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a living room with fireplace, full kitchen with a comercial size stove and oven, and a dining room with seating for 8. So you can imagine that living alone in this space can get a little lonely. I currently occupy only one bedroom and one bathroom. This house was built for a family and orphans to live in, and someday it will serve its purpose, but until then, I am living in possibly the biggest house of my life. If anyone wants to come and visit, I have plenty of space.

So anyway, soon I will have time to post pictures and tell stories of my travels with Mike and Nadine, but for now I'm in transition. Thanks for understanding.

Also, if you're interested the website for the Hacienda de Esperanza is this: www.haciendaofhope.org

¡Están Aqui!

2007-01-19T22:09:00.000-05:00

My parents are here! I am so happy right now! I wanted to let everyone know that they made it here safely with all their luggage and no problems along the way. Thanks for your prayers!

Hoy Mismo Vienen Mis Papis

2007-01-19T09:31:00.000-05:00

I have been counting down the days ever since my parents bought their plane tickets back in December. Finally, today, the day has arrived. Tonight at 7:50 pm my parents will be with me here in Ecuador. It's been the longest amount of time that I have ever been away from them--five months. So you can imagine how excited I am to see them. I have planned some amazing trips for us. In two weeks we will (relaxingly) visit Quito, the jungle, mountain towns, and the beach. It will be a great break for us all. Depending on internet access and time, I might not be able to post anything again until my parents leave, but for sure I will have some great stories and pictures at that time. Thanks for reading...see you again in two weeks!

Pasaje Bien

2007-01-02T11:58:00.000-05:00

Hello friends and family. Hope everyone had wonderful holiday celebrations with family and friends. Christmas and New Year was definately different for me this year. I missed my family more than ever, but at the same time I was able to experience more of the culture that I am living in the midst of here. I took a few days to finally get out of Quito and see more of Ecuador. I am in a beautiful country. The pictures, of course, do not show the extent of the beauty that I saw this last week. Even so, I hope you enjoy.First, I went to a small town in the Southern highlands called Baños. You may have heard about a volcano erupting in Ecaudor a couple times in the past few months. Baños is right under the volcano. Luckily though, the path of lava doesn't go into the town, so it is fairly safe from harm. Baños is famous for its adventure sports which I took part in a bit. Friends and I rode mountain bikes along the gorgeous "Ruta de las Cascadas" or "Waterfall Route." We also rode horses and four-wheelers through the mountains. I could have stayed longer to go rafting, climbing, bridge-jumping and much more, but I was limited on time and money. It's hard to see, but in this next picture there is a little yellow cable car that is going above the waterfall. It's quite a view from that height!Like I said, the volano Tunguragua erupted recently and this is a picture of some of the volcanic rock and ash that is left over. The white tube is a water pipe that usually is very high ebove the road, but as you can see the ash and rock has covered the road and everything in sight.Here is a picture of my friend Jimmy on a bridge in Baños. Here are three more friends, siblings actually, Fernanda, Paola and Denis. There are many foot bridges like this one that you have to cross thousands of feet over rushing rivers.
After Baños, I went to Guayaquil, the largest city in Ecuador. This is a picture of me on a boat on the river Guayas. It was very hot and humid. I also went to the beach one day and swam in the Pacific Ocean. The weather and pretty much everything I experienced this year was different from my past Christmases and New Years, but it was great. Now I'm counting down the days until my parents come and visit. I cannot wait to show them around this amazing country and spend two weeks hanging out with them. Thanks for your continued thoughts and prayers. I would love to hear from you when you get a chance. Take care!

El Día de Gracias

2006-12-04T11:18:00.000-05:00

I hope people aren't too dissappointed that I don't have any pictures for this entry. It's just kind of hard to take pictures when I'm just living here and working. If I was more of a tourist it would be easier.

Even though Thanksgiving has come and gone, and Christmas is just around the bend, I want to dedicate this post to things I am thankful for. Ecuador doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving, of course, but I was lucky enough to have a wonderful meal and celebration with the Marcum's (the missionary coulple here).

Ok here it goes...let the lists begin!

First, things I am thankful for in the States (aka "things I miss a lot"):
1. Family and friends (blogs and email are great, but nothing like real conversations)
2. Being able to understand everything everyone says
3. Autumn
4. Driving
5. Cheese (they really only have one kind of cheese here and its not very good)
6. Being able to drink water from any tap
7. Central heating
8. Hot water from any sink
9. Being able to flush toilet paper in the toilet
10. Shoe stores that actually have the shoes they show on display and that have size 9 or 9.5
11. People that say they will meet you at 3:00 and really show up at 3:00
12. Spicey food...especially Mexican (chips and salsa...guacamole)
13. Sarcasm
14. 819 E. Illinois Street, Apartment 207 and Felicity DVDs
15.Cooking for myself
16. Running / excercising
17. Walks with my mom to downtown Kirkwood and breakfast and conversation with my dad in Bread Co.
8. Fast internet connection in my house
19. Coffee shops that make really good coffee (not instant)
20. Other tall, light-skinned, light-haired people walking around

Now, things that I am thankful for in Ecuador:
1. A wonderful family that takes care of me here
2. Colonial architecture and beautiful, old church buildings
3. Friendly people who don't laugh when I make tons of misktakes in Spanish
4. Quito North Church of Christ
5. The Marcums and their cozy home
6. Soup, salad, chicken, rice, juice and dessert for $1.30
7. Public transportation (and people who use it)
8. My wonderful English students
9. The Andes mountains
10. 50-80 degree weather everyday
11. Guanabana, taxo, naranjilla, babaco, and other amazing fruits that aren't in the U.S.
12. Haircuts for less than $3
13. A culture that doesn't move too fast so they can enjoy life
14. The sentimentality of Ecuadorian people
15. People who are super interested in learning English (everywhere I go)
16. Morocho and empanadas (one of my new favorite foods)
17. Free live concerts in the park
18. Actual dances (salsa, merengue, etc.) that everyone (except me) knows--instead of the average American who just moves around (awkwardly) on the dance floor
19. Cuarenta (a popular card game that is really fun)
20. Futbol (aka soccer) and everyones enthusiasm about the sport and their particular team (El Nacional!!!)

I could go on with both lists, but this gives you some idea of what I appreciate about life (interestingly many things were about food...). I'll do my best to take some more pictures and get them posted. Thanks for reading.

Señor Presidente

2006-11-27T09:21:00.000-05:00

I want to share a bit about yesterday: election day. Back in October was the first presidential election day here in Ecuador. On that day, the choices were narrowed down from around 20 candidates to two. Yesterday was the "segunda vuelta"--the second go-around--when the new president was elected. The competition was between Alvaro "Alvarito" Noboa and Rafael Correa.

Noboa is a short, round, incredibly wealthy man who owns the companies that produce the mojority of wheat and salt products among other things. Noboa isn't good-looking, he's not very eloquent and he's older than his opponent. He is good at waving his money around. On the political side of things he's a righty.

Correa, on the other hand, is young, handsome, charismatic, intelligent, etc. He doesn't have the money that Noboa has, but his credentials are fantastic.

He's a professor at one of the best Universities in Ecuador. He's a lefty. He's not too fond of George "W" and he's buddies with Chavez.

I called it awhile back. I really didn't get into the election thing too much (I don't really enjoy politics), and so I didn't have a favorite candidate. But it just seemed too obvious to me that Correa would win. Everywhere I looked there were neon green "Dale Correa!" (Give us Correa!) signs. And almost everyone I talked to was for him. There was only a thin section of Ecuador along the coast that was in favor of Noboa. I'm not too sure what will happen with the country, the economy, education, etc. with Correa as president, but it sure will be interesting to witness (that is, if the U.S. doesn't ban its citizens from traveling here...just kidding).

Actually though I'm not sure what will become of the U.S.'s relationship with Ecuador. Until now, Ecuador has had a great relationship with the States. After all, it's the only country that has been allowed to use the US dollar as its currency. That says a lot. So right now a lot of possible changes are floating around in the atmosphere here in Ecuador.

The only thing I'm almost 100% sure about is that Noboa will make sure that the price of bread, pasta and salt goes up to punish people for choosing Correa.

Los Marcum

2006-11-12T09:30:00.000-05:00

One of the reasons I decided to come to Quito was because of a connection that my parents have here. A friend of theirs from college, Sharla Marcum, and her husband Kent have been living in Quito for the past twenty years. They helped to start the North Quito Church of Christ that today has over three hundred members. The Marcums have a beautiful home in a valley twenty minutes outside of the city. They own a fair amount of land with a fishing pond, three dogs and two horses. I had the priviledge to stay at thier home last week for a night.During my stay I was able to enjoy a few pleasures from the States, including speaking in English, eating homemade chocolate chip cookies (sadly, these are scarce in Ecuador), watching Direct TV while laying on a comfy couch in warm house (the Marcums have a fireplace and heaters in some of the rooms--very rare in Ecuador!). Sharla and I went to the newest and largest mall in Quito (comparable to a medium-sized US mall) and did a little shopping. She also took me to get a manicure while she got her haircut (when I told my Ecuadorian family that I had paid $3 for the manicure they shook their heads and said I had been ripped off. "The place I go to is only $0.50 or $1," Magui told me). Other than physical comforts it was great to hear the Marcums' story and talk about Sharla's friendship with my parents in college. I also told them a little bit about what I had done before Ecuador. The Marcums are truly self-less people who love God more than anything else. Their home is not extravagant, but rather it was planned with hospitality in mind. Last Wednesday Sharla invited me along with over thirty women from the church to have breakfast at their home. She prepared wonderful food for everyone and I had a chance to get to know more people from the church. Their home is always open for people to come and visit. They are so encouraging and giving. Apart from their own three children (who are all grown and married), the Marcums have an adopted son, James, who is from Ecuador. He is 10 years old and has been with the Marcums since he was 8 months old. He has some physical disabilities and Sharla has been homeschooling him for the past few years. I've been talking with the Marcums about some possible volunteer opportunities that I can participate with during my time here. There is an orphanage connected with the church and also some church members that have started a drug rehabilitation program. I'm not sure what is in my future here, but I feel very blessed to have the Marcums as friends here in Quito.I think that just about sums it up. Thanks again for reading. ¡Hasta luego!

Bread Babies and a Black Mama

2006-11-12T09:09:00.000-05:00

Sorry about the lapse in blog entries, but I've been pretty busy the past couple of weeks...

I finally got outside of Quito to see a couple of other towns. There were some vacation days at the beginning of November so most people didn't have work or school. During this extra long weekend many people go to the coast or to other towns for a holiday. I decided to take these days as vacation also so I could do some traveling. First, I went to a town that is about an hour and a half north of Quito, called Otavalo. This town is famous for its huge markets that happen every day, the most famous and largest of all being on Saturday. There is everything at this market: sunglasses, hammocks, jewelry, paintings, pants, shoes and bread babies (I'll explain later). I was so overwhelemed I couldn't buy anything (actually I decided to wait until my parents are here to "help me decide" what to get). Nearby the town is another town called Peguche that is famous for its waterfalls. I spent a good portion of the day hiking around the waterfalls and enjoying nature. It was a great trip, although short.

Above is a picture of a street in Otavalo. It's cute and quaint and a whole lot cleaner than Quito. Otavaleños seem to understand that trash goes into trashcans. Below is a picture of the famous "guaguas de pan" or as we would say in English, "bread babies." "Guagua" is actually the Quichua word for "baby," but like many Quichua words, it has become a normal part of the vocabulary in Ecuador. So anyway, these guaguas de pan are the traditional food for the "Dia de los Difuntos" (Day of the Dead) that falls on November 2 in Ecuador. Many people visit cemetaries on this day and bring food to share with their dead relatives. The babies made of bread are not eaten alone, however. They are accompanied by "colada morada" otherwise known as "purple strained" stuff. It's a thick juice type drink made of blackberries, strawberries, frutilla, pineapple, and mortiño cooked down with sugar until they are a purple liquid. It's really really delicious especially when you dip your bread baby in it.

Below is a flower. An example of some of the beautiful nature that I saw on my hike around the waterfalls of Peguche. There was lots of colorful vegetation that lined the path on the way to the waterfalls. It was so great to be out of the city for a few hours.
The day after Otavalo I went to the town of Latacunga, two hours south of Quito. This town is very close to the active volcano Cotopaxi--a huge and beautiful white-capped mountain that looms over the countryside. But I didn't go to Latacunga for the views. I went with some members of my family to see the most famous celebration of the year in Latacunga. It's called "Mama Negra" which translates to "Black (or "African" to be PC) Mama." I still don't know the exact significance of the celebration, but it has something to do with the mixing of Ecuadorian, Spanish and African cultures (when the Spanish brought slaves to Ecaudor this happened). Whatever it used to mean I'm not so sure, but from what I could see, today "Mama Negra" means tons of people (see below), dancing, music, parades, and beer. There were so many people that it was hard to distinguish between the parade and the people watching. It was quite a sight to see. Sometimes being a "gringa" has disadvatages, but when local people are happy and having fun it seems like everyone wants to talk to the "gringita" and it's good for me to practice my Spanish skills.
So that's pretty much it for now. I'll have another update soon (I promise), so check back in a couple days to hear about my "taste of America" in Quito when I visited the home of the Marcums (a missionary couple living here). Bueno, ¡que tengan un buen día y hasta luego mis amiguitos!

Mitad del Mundo

2006-10-30T13:07:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I went to the equator. Below is a picture of me standing in two hemispheres at once. I went with my Ecaudorian family for the day to see the sights, listen to some traditional music and eat some good Ecuadorian food.In this picture, Magui is on the right, silly. The sun is so strong here because of the altitude and because we are on the equator, so we all wore hats.
The next picture is Magui's little grandson, Jose Milio. He is so precious! It's good to have a little one around since I only see my nieces on the web cam. The other day I was walking down the street holding him and people thought he was my baby because his skin is so light. His mom thought that was pretty funny.

On Sunday afternoons at the "Mitad del Mundo," "The Middle of the World," there are traditional dancers. The family kept telling me to go join the dancing--they love to joke with me!Also last week I went to the local zoo and saw some of the animals that are indigenous to Ecuador. I also now have two new English students and more people have contacted me about classes. So it seems like things are picking up. This week most of my friends from the hostel are heading to other countries so that will be about it for speaking English. I have made a few local friends, so I have people to hang out with, but making good friends takes time--especially in a foreign language. For those of you interested in sending cards, letters, packages, money, peanut butter, etc. here is a good mailing address:

Miranda Runcie
Apartado 17-21-431
Eloy Alfaro, Quito
Ecuador

It's an organization call the South American Explorers club and I'm a member so they will hold any mail for me there. It generally takes awhile for mail to get here, so if you send something and don't hear from me about it, it will probably be here in another week or two. You can always let me know when you've sent something so I can be on the lookout. Thanks for reading and for your comments--I love the support and encouragement from friends and family!

No Pasa Nada

2006-10-17T14:51:00.000-05:00

Hello, sorry for the lapse in blog entries but Ive been very busy getting used to my new living situation and trying to figure out which internet cafes are closest, fastest, cheapest, etc. Ahh the days of having internet at home at any time I want...actually this is much better for me because I can become a bit addicted to the internet when it is so convenient.

So let me tell you a little bit about my new Ecuadorian family. Magui (pronounced Maggie) is the mother and she is an amazing cook. She loves to explain in detail all about the way she has prepared the meal and what ingredients have gone into it. Im eating very well, meaning that I am always served a very large portion (it seems like its more than anyone else in the family...), but it is all extremely healthy. Magui prides herself in cooking very simply, using only fresh ingredients, many fruits, vegetables and whole grains. She also makes a point to tell me that she only uses "ajo y cebolla" (garlic and onion) to flavor her food--becuase she doesnt like her food "picante." She has definitely had her share of rough times in life, but has managed to maintain a very positive attitude and feels very blessed (and she gives all the credit to God). This is a picture of where my new room will be. Im still not in my room yet. They have to paint it and furnish it. It was supposed to be done by last Wednesday...I just remind myself that Im on Ecuadorian time and when they say it will be done on Wednesday that really means whenever in the near or far future that it happens to be ready. No pasa nada. Thats the way I see it. It will be ready when its ready. Im in Alexandras (Maggies daughter) room right now so I have a warm bed to sleep in and thats really all that matters. My new home is only a 10-20 minute walk from the hostel (the time depends on whether Im walking down the mountain or up it) so its good to still be close. Quito is stretched out along a narrow vally and I moved from one side of the valley directly to the opposite side.
So just when I thought that my birthday was over and the celebration was finished, my family decides to buy a cake and have a party for me. Above is a picture of Joanna, Allison and...at the moment the last name escapes me...sorry. Anyway, they are all Maguis grandchildren. Allison lives in the same house as I do and the other two girls (sisters) live next door with their parents.
On the far right is Magui, next to her is Sandra (who introduced me to the family) and next to her is Ashley. Ashley also lives in the house. Im so bad with names so I cant remember the last grandaghter on the left side. In the middle is the cake. They lit a candle (they only had the numbers 3 and 4, so in one week I gained 10 years), sang to me in Spanish and English and then told me to take a bite. I wasnt sure if I was misunderstanding what they were saying so I asked them to repeat it. "Yes take a bite!" they said. I felt so weird taking a bite directly from the cake, but I thought, hey why not, it must be an Ecuadorian tradition...

...So I took a bite and as I did they pushed my face into the cake. Thats the real Ecuadorian tradition! I was so surprised. I had icing in my nose and all over my face. It was really funny. Im so glad that my family feels that comfortable around me...

As far as other things go, Im still only teaching one student, but Ive made signs to hang in the universities so hopefully Ill be able to get those up soon. Every other day or so I go back to the hostel to hang out with people. Im torn between wanting to be around people my age who I can communicate with in ease and wanting to immerse myself completely in the language and culture of Ecaudor. Poco a poco...Im still in transition. My Spanish is improving, of course. Everyday I have to ask Allison to speak slowly--shes eight so she can get really excited about things and speak very quickly. The family is patient with me and they are more than willing to explain words and repeat entire stories or questions.

There have been a few misunderstandings, but nothing too major. The other day I was watching the news and I asked Magui if she liked the presidential candidate with the last name Correa (elections were last Sunday). She misunderstood and thought I was asking her if she liked to run (the spanish word for run is "correr"). She didnt seem surprised by the question and answered me as if I was really interested in her exercising habits. "Only a little," she answerd. "I get tired very easily." I didnt realize the misunderstanding until she started talking about running and walking and exercising in length. I decided to let it go and not point out the mistake. Whats so funny is that Magui is in her early 60s, stays at home most of the day and is not, lets say, the athletic type. So Im sure she thought it was a bit strange for me to ask if she likes to run...out of nowhere.

Well my friends (and family) thats about it. I look forward to hearing from you. Always feel free to comment--I love knowing who is reading this. Choa!

Twenty-four in Ecuador

2006-10-08T12:02:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was my birthday and as you can see from the pictures there was a lot of celebrating. It was good to be with friends. The party was in celebration of a few different birthdays so the hype wasnt just for me. There was a bbq on the terrace of the Secret Garden and I ate so much food! It was delicious. The two cooks are seen in the last picture with me. As is with most Ecuadorians, I tower above them, so they had to stand on chairs to get a picture with me. The flower was a gift from Sandra, the one on the left. Today (in about two hours) Im moving to my new home. Im really excited to get settled there and be speaking Spanish all the time. I still havent finalized any new English classes, but this week Ill have more time to find students.
Above is my friend Raphaella, from Austrailian, and me. Raph and her boyfriend, Jordie are new volunteers for the month of October.
I dont think we ate half of the food prepared. I couldnt even fit the whole spread in one picture. Below is Al, from Switzerland, and me. Al has been in Quito for nine months and he goes back in December.Here the chicas. These women are so much fun. At times they act like fourteen year olds instead of twenty nine year olds, but they are really great. And they know how to cook. I have been eating so well this past month. Probably too well. Good thing there are five flights of stairs at the hostel so I can get some exercise in! Sandra is on the left and Maria Fernanda is on the right. Sandra is my connection to the family that Im living with. She always says, "Mirandita, mi favorita." Thats about it. Im going to pack everything together to make the move. Hasta luego desde Ecuador.

Muchas Cambias

2006-10-03T11:21:00.000-05:00

Changes, changes, changes...My life here is going to look very different in a few short days. Some of the new things have started already. For example, last week a new set of volunteers (for the month of October) arrived and began orientation. Then my closest volunteer friend, Phillipp, left for Argentina. My last day of work at the Secret Garden will be Thursday or Friday. I am thinking of taking a few days to travel outside of Quito, but I'm not sure if that will work out or not. Also last week I met a family who would love to have me live with them for a few months. I found out about them through a woman who works in the restaurant at the hostel. She took me to meet them and see their home. It's a 10-15 min. walk from the hostel--still in the old part of town. Their apartment is on the side of a hill/mountain which makes for amazing views of the city. I will have my own room and bathroom (currently being fixed up for me) and I will eat all three meals with the family. In the apartment are three adults and two children. Maggie is the mother of the family and she has a son Juan Fernando and a daughter Alexandra. Juan Fernando has a daughter, Allison, who is eight and Alexandra has a daughter who is four. They are a lovely family, so nice and easy to be around. The kids seem to love having a new person around and they always ask me how to say words in English. I need to make sure that they speak Spanish to me though! That's the point! So I will move into their home in a week or so--whenever the room is ready to be lived in. Another new thing in my life is that today was my first day as a "profesora de ingles." I found out about a pediatrician who needs to learn English so that he can understand medical conferences. Today, I went to his office for the first lesson. He knows some English so we just spoke about his life so that I could get a better feel for what level he is at. He is a very friendly man and I'm looking forward to having him as a student. He is really eager to learn. I have also heard about a job at the Hilton Hotel in Quito that would be writing letters in English and reading and translating English mail. I haven't heard back from the contact person yet, but I think it would be good to have a couple different types of work. Anyway, that's my story for now. There will be many more changes and adjustments in the weeks to come. As for the pictures, I can't take all the credit. The two of the views from the terrace of the Secret Garden are mine, but the other three (the one's that are professional looking) are my friend Phillipp's photos. Well, I think that's about it. Until next time. Ciao!

Guagua Pichincha

2006-09-24T16:30:00.000-05:00

Finally blogger is letting me post pictures again. The first one is me and some friends from the hostel riding on top of a Land Rover to the base of the volcano Guagua Pichincha. The second one is the view from the shelter that is halfway up the mountain.

These photos seem like they are from forever ago, but I guess it was only a week and a half ago. It was so great to get out of the city and do some hiking. By the time we got to the top, the clouds had moved in, so the view wasn't as good, but the experience was great overall. It seems like everyday I meet new people, Ecuadorian and gringo, who have ideas of work that I can do once I leave the Secret Garden. I'm contemplating whether or not to travel a little when I'm done volunteering or to try to find a paying job right away. I think that if I decide to live with a family and work here in Quito I can still volunteer at one of the many orphanages or do prison visits also. I haven't found a family yet, but there are lots of organizations that reccommend families. Also, the other day I was walking through a market and a man who looked about 70 years old came right up to me and started "interviewing" me--all in Spanish, of course. He asked me where I was from, what I was doing in Quito, how long I'd be here, etc. Then he took out a piece of paper and gave me his name and address so I could stay with him and his family to help my Spanish. It was so random and friendly...I guess. I'm glad the pictures are working again. I'll be sure and take some more and do another post soon!

Un Buen Dia

2006-09-20T12:54:00.000-05:00

For some reason, blogger.com won't let me upload any pictures. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know because blogs are much more fun with pictures. The screen says that my blog site cannot be found...anyway, I apologize for not having pictures once again.

The past couple of days have been pretty cold and have rained off and on, but today is blue skies, sunny, and warm--perfect. I'm beginning to feel more at home in this city. I walked from the Old Town (where I live) to the New Town by myself today for the first time. Up until now I had walked with friends, butI felt completely comfortable navigating alone today. This is all a part of the process of getting to know this city and culture and its people. I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to actually live in a place and not just come and visit as a tourist for a couple days.

Just today I learned about a group of people who go to visit women in prison every Wednesday afternoon. I think this might be a good opportunity for me to meet people and do volunteer work.

My Spanish is also improving which is encouraging. The other day I went and watched a movie in Spanish without subtitles. I didn't catch everything, but I definitely understood a lot.

Well, this is just a quick update. I'm going to try to figure out this picture thing so you can see more of what I see everyday.

Mi Vida

2006-09-15T17:10:00.000-05:00

I have a little more time today, so I will attempt to fill in gaps of the last couple of posts. Some of you might be wondering what is is that I am doing these days. I havent really had the time to explain that yet. So here it is.

Back in July I came upon a website that was for the hostel, The Secret Garden, in Quito, Ecuador. The description and pictures really interested me. I noticed a section that they had about volunteering at the hostel and I thought that it might be a good way for me to transition into living in Ecuador. I wrote the managers at the hostel, told them a little about myself and why I wanted to volunteer there. Long story short--they had a job for me. So for my first month here (now the next three weeks), I am working as a volunteer six days a week, eight hours a day. Its a lot of hours, but its a great experience. During my shift I do everything from checking guests in and out, serving food on the fifth floor terrace restaurant and answer phone calls (there are many other little things that I do also). In exchange for my work I get a free place to stay, freen breakfast and dinner and free spanish lessons. The rest of the foreign staff is made of two other volunteers and two managers plus the couple who owns it (the wife is actually Ecuadorian though). Also, there are several local staff members which is great for practicing my Spanish. I can tell that it is improving so much already.

So that is where a lot of my time is spent. Its a lot of hours, but the work is not hard. Its also a lot of fun meeting all the travelers that come through and hearing their stories. So far England and Austrailia win for having the largest number of people traveling. Its normal for people in other countries to have 6 week holidays. When I tell them that many Americans only get one or two weeks vacation a year, they dont believe me.

Besides work I have been spending my time walking around the old colonial part of Quito. The architecture is beautiful and there are so many people outside walking around. The other day I also had the opportunity to get out of the city. The hostel organizes a few trips to the jungle and on treks up some mountains. I was able to go on a trek up the (still active) volcano called Guagua (Wawa) Pichincha. The owner of the hostel was our guide and he took seven of us to the base of the mountain in his land rover. He even let four of us (including me) sit on the roof while he drove on the curvy dirt roads. It was loads of fun (Im sure all you parents out there are cringing). The altitude really hit all of us and we had to take it pretty slow up to the top. The top was at about 14,000 ft.

Yesterday during my time off, two other people and I went to a Turkish bath. It was definitely needed after the day of mountain climbing. The three of us had the whole place to ourselves. For six dollars we got three hours of a jacuzzi, sauna, turkish bath and pool. Then we went to lunch and had a three course meal for $1.30.

As you can tell Im having a lot of fun. I think that working at the Secret Garden is a great way for me to start my journey because Im saving money, meeting people and getting to know the city. It is, however, very different from how I imagine the rest of my time here. I am planning on finding a job teaching English and living with an Ecuadorian family, or Ecuadorian roommates so that I can really immerse myself in the language and culture. Also, I am currently researching more volunteer opportunities that work with orphans or homeless people.

Thank you all for your comments and for reading, I hope that this post serves to catch you up on what my life here is like so far. It was an overview of what Im doing and in the future I will write more about details of life in Ecuador. It is very different from the U.S.

I have more pictures that I want to post, but for some reason the computer Im on wont let me download them. Ill have more later.

Until next time...Ciao!

Algunas Fotografias

2006-09-14T09:45:00.000-05:00

i apologize for not getting pictures up sooner. it´s taking me awhile to get adjusted to this new city and life. also, i haven´t found wireless connection yet, so i have to rely on slow computers in internet cafes and their hours aren´t always convenient for me. i promise i will get better at this, but i hope you can be patient through the transition time. the picture above is the view from where i work. you can see the basilica in the background. it´s a beautiful church. i climed up the clock tower the other day and saw great views of the city. below is phillipe, another volunteer from switzerland, and maria, one of the ecuadorian cooks at the hostel. in the background is the kitchen. i´m sorry for the short post, but i have to run to my spanish lesson and then i go straight to work. i promise i will write in more detail soon and add more pictures. thanks for reading!

Quito Bonito

2006-09-08T16:28:00.000-05:00

Hello from Ecuador. I´m finally here after a long day of traveling on Wednesday. I arrived in Quito around 9:00 wed. night and went straight to the hostel. the volunteer on duty showed me around the place and showed me where i´d be staying. my room is called ¨the cave¨because there are no windows, but past volunteers have painted lovely murals on the wall, so it´s not so bad--hey, it´s free. thursday morning i went to a museum with some girls from the hostel to see the work of a famous ecaudorian painter, guayasamin...i think. then, thurs. afternoon at 3 i started my first shift. i´ll be working at the secret garden for at least a month. it´s a good deal for me because even though the shifts are 8 hours, 6 days a week, i get free food, bed and spanish lessons. and i automatically get to meet people. so i´m glad the volunteer position worked out. the people i´ve met have encouraged me by telling me that there will be no problem for me to get a job teaching english. so after the hostel, my next step will be teaching or volunteering depending on my money situation.

on another note, quito is beautiful. it´s surrounded by mountains and so far the weather has been amazing--sunny, blue sky and 70 degrees. the view from the hostel´s 5th floor terrace is gorgeous, and it´s the view i get all day while i´m at work.

i haven´t had time yet to walk around the city and see much, but there´s plenty of time. i´m living in the old town, the colonial part, which is the most beautiful and safe part of the city. the new town is where many tourists stay. so i´m happy to be situated in the ¨best¨part of town.

i will have pictures soon...i promise. i was waiting to write a first blog until i had pictures, but i decided on a whim to write a bit. so hopefully this will tide you over until i get pictures. thanks for reading, and as they say at the secret garde, ¨cheers!¨ (many of the travelers who stay there are from austrailia). and as they say in ecuador (or any spanish speaking country) ¨hasta luego.¨

My Grams

2006-08-31T12:19:00.000-05:00

As you can see from my previous post, I was supposed to leave for Quito, Ecuador tomorrow morning. Today, however, my plans have changed. My grama was taken to the hospital where she eventually passed away. Many of you knew her personally or at least met her and so you know how special she was.

After my grandpa died (the summer before I was born) my parents asked her to come live with our family. She pretty much was a second mom to me.

My mind is swirling with thoughts and emotions right now--sadness to never see her smile again or smell her fresh bread baking in the oven, but also happiness to know that she is exactly where she wants to be. She is not sick anymore. She is with God. That is amazing to me. She turned 92 this past summer, but no one would have thought she was that age from the way she lived. She went out dancing. Literally. At my aunt and uncle's 50th anniversary this summer she danced with all of her daughters. That was one of her favorite things to do. Her life was one of celebration and I know that if she saw how sad we are right now she would say, "Oh, don't make such a fuss over me!" I love her and miss her, but I am happy that her life was one of joy and that she is even more full of joy in her new life.

As for my plans, I have changed my departure date to next Wednesday. She would want me to go on with my trip, so I will, but I am taking some extra time to process things and be with family. So keep checking back for updates after next Wednesday.

why ecuador?

2006-07-26T20:04:00.000-05:00

~this first entry is just an overview of my thought process in deciding what to do after graduating from truman state university this past may. i'll expand on some points later.~

about a year and a half ago i came back from a semester in seville, spain. i was a different person. of course i hadn't changed completely, but some of my life goals had changed. that's pretty serious. i came back from spain totally in love with spanish culture--especially the language. from that time on i knew that learning spanish fluently was going to be a top priority for me. at first i thought about returning to spain, but i had already done the whole europe thing (a couple times). so i started looking into central and south america for possibilities. i knew that if i really wanted to learn spanish i would need to live in a spanish speaking country for at least six months--and maybe more. after months of looking at websites and reading articles and talking to people i decided that ecuador (quito) was the place for me. here are some reasons why:

- it's a small country, but it has a lot to offer. in one day you can go from beaches to mountains to amazon rain forest.
- quito is a perfect-sized city (about 1 million people).
- the average year-round temperature of quito is about 70 degrees (no more kirksville cold!).
- the tallest active volcano in the world, cotopaxi, is there (i'm taking baby steps--rainier, cotopaxi, everest???).
- the equator runs right through the country (you can balance an egg on it and watch water drain the opposite way on either side).
- ecuador's currency is the american dollar so i won't lose money in the exchange (but it does seem sad that our presidents are on their money...).
- english teachers are in high demand--which brings me to what i'll be doing down there.

my plans so far are to fly to quito on september 1 and stay at a hostel for the first two weeks (maybe more). while i'm getting to know the city i'll look for places to volunteer and work. i hope to volunteer in an orphanage for a couple months and then when i start to run out of money i'll get a job teaching english (right now i'm working on my certification). that's my "plan" as of now. i also hope to visit friends in peru and chile.

above is the hostel, the secret garden, where i'll be staying my first couple of weeks. check out the hammocks. and the mountains. my kind of place. below is a plaza in quito. in a few months i'll probably know a lot more about it. for now it's just a pretty picture to show you where i'll be. in the future i'll feature my own photos.

if you would, please keep me in your prayers. although i love adventures like this, the unknown can still be a little intimidating. i know (from previous experience) that i can't do this on my own. thanks for reading. i'll keep you posted.