Sunday, July 31, 2011

Ruku Pichinca


Ruku Pichincha

Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is a sprawling city stretching more than 30 km. I live in the north of Quito, the modern part, then there is the center of Quito (Centro Historico which is very old with cobblestone streets and white buildings, old cathedrals-very European) and the south of Quito which reminds me of slums. I could see ALL of Quito yesterday when I went up the new TeleferiQo, a gondola system that takes you up Ruku Pichincha volcano.

Yesterday, probably wasn’t the best day to do this because it was cloudy. But I still got some great views. From the top of the TeleferiQo you can hike further up to the summit of the volcano. I attempted this yesterday. The trail was great, just a bit of an incline but as I got closer and closer I was walking through thick fog. The weather began to change dramatically. I got really cold, heard thunder and then it began to hail. Luckly I’ve been hiking enough to know to always carry extra raincoat, hat and gloves. I was fine walking down in the hailstorm. But I passed other hikers who were soaking wet, running down the hills to the base. Some of the women were even in high heels! I guess yesterday wasn’t my day, but hopefully someday soon I’ll be able to summit Ruku Pichincha.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Space-Public versus Private


Living in another country makes me think about unspoken norms of the US. I am reminded of the difference between American’s concept of personal space versus Ecuadorian’s concept of space. First there is public space. These are parks, busses, markets, etc.  This is not so different from the US. What IS different are the norms around the noise in these spaces…whenever I board the bus bound for a longer trip inevitably there will be music blaring from the speakers or a bad martial arts movie dubbed in Spanish. Or a vendor will board the bus and talk for 45 minutes about a miracle plant that will cure any health illness for only 2 dollars! Or the lady selling potato chips yells loudly, “Papas, papitas a cincuenta centavos!” just as I am dozing off. So I guess that in the US, this would all be frowned upon. “Hey, have some respect, I’m trying to sleep!” But, Ecuadorians don’t see it that way.

Then there is private space-homes, public bathrooms, shops, etc. I have made several cultural snafoos involving private space. The other day, I was out for a run at Parque Carolina. I needed to use the bathroom. Normally you pay 15 cents to use a restroom, but in the park they are public (or so I thought). So, I walk into the restroom, do my business and come out. Boy did I get a talking to by the man running the place. He basically said, “Wow, girl, not even a greeting, not even a good morning, you are so rude, lacking respect, walking into MY bathroom like this.” So, now I need to remember, even if the restroom belongs to the public, I still have to say something like, “Please good sir. lend me your restroom.”

Another place that is different are stores. When you walk in, you always say good morning or good day. Then you ask permission to enter the store. Then you ask the vendor if he/she has the thing you want to buy. Window shopping is kind of frowned upon here. It is an unspoken norm that if you enter the store, you have every intention of buying something.

Homes are the ultimate private space. Now of course this is different in the city versus the countryside. In the countryside, you never ever enter someone’s home without first begging permission, sometimes excusing yourself several times. (Also, there are usually dogs that will keep you away, unless the owner holds onto them). It is understood that you are the guest. In the city, there is also the begging permission before you enter. The other day when I got my internet installed the two guys who installed it asked me several times if they could enter. Each time my response was of course, come in, you are offering me a service that I am paying for!

Ah…so much to learn and remember J

Photos from Black Sheep Inn































Friday, July 29, 2011

Transportation



Transportation
Some have asked, “So, Rachel, when are you going to buy a car?” Never, is usually my response. It’s hard to explain to an American who is used to driving everywhere, but I really have absolutely no need for my own car. When I’m in the city, I can walk to the park, fruit market, grocery store, even the futbol stadium (if I would want to go there :-). Stuff that’s not walkable is so accessible by Ecuador’s public transportation system. In Quito, I am steps from the Ecovia, a trolley system that runs along a main street. At just 25 cents, it’s a real bargain. Or I can just stick out my arm and hop on a bus that can take me anywhere I could ever want to go. If I’m feeling extravagant (or just don’t feel like battling the crowds) I can hire a private taxi…which for me still feels like a real bargain (for example, I can go for an hour and pay about $7.00) although for the average Ecuadorian, a taxi is kind of expensive. When I traveled to Quilotoa a beautiful volcanic crater lake. It costs about one dollar per hour of travel. So for me, I was able to travel on bus for about 4 bucks. Quite a deal, huh? Traveling by public bus is actually kind of fun. You pass through small hamlets and villages, get to see the inside of farming life, family life, and just everyday Ecua stuff. Great people and nature watching. I am very content to rely on my legs and public transportation. No need for a car right now J. If I ever did decide to drive, I would need to practice a lot! There are so many unspoken rules of driving in Quito that I’d need to learn. Traffic is crazy! There are too many cars in the city and everyone driving seems to be too much in a rush.

Pedestrians have zero rights. This is going to take me some getting used to! Whereas in the US, if a pedestrian is crossing the street at a crosswalk, cars stop and let you pass. Not here, no way. You RUN across the street. And don’t trust that cars will stop at traffic lights either! I’ve seen cars blast straight through red lights. Kind of scary, huh!

Yet, there must be an angel watching over Ecuas because rarely does anyone get hurt. I was thinking about this the other day as I instinctually reached for my seatbelt in the taxi. Then I remembered, Duh, Rach, you’re in Ecuador. No working seatbelts. Then I think about all the unsafe things Ecuas do, yet they live so long! Riding without helmets on motos, babies without car seats, running across busy streets, even eating unwashed veggies and fruits (gasp!)…not saying that I don’t think precautions are important, but I think the carrying around hand sanitizer culture of the US is a bit extreme…

I was in Mindo the other week, talking to a couple about how I got there and how I was getting back to Quito. They had arranged a private car to get them from Quito to Mindo. I said I went to the bus terminal and paid 2 bucks and got on the bus. They asked how I was getting home. I said well, I’ll just go up to the road and wait till a bus comes, then stick out my arm and get on. It feels weird for me to explain this because it’s so natural, but I guess to an American where everything is so regulated, standing on the side of the road, waiting for a bus to come seems a little weird too.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Quesos y Bosque Humedo

Los Quesos y El Bosque Humedo

Another day in the Andean paradise that is Black Sheep Inn…after a hearty breakfast, we headed for another beautiful hike, this time bound for a cheese co-op and then cloud forest. Hiking to the cheese factory involved a lot of hills and climbing. When we first arrived, no one was there…but then an older man came running to open the small cheese factory and give the grand tour. This cheese factory was started 32 years ago by a Swiss aid organization. They produce 4 types of cheeses, mostly selling them throughout Ecuador, but in some cases they export to Colombia, Peru and Spain. The cheese co-op buys milk from the local milk farmers and members of the community take turns working in the factory. We tried some of their sharper cheese and it was actually good! (I’ve never been impressed with the normal Ecua cheese, queso de campo. TO my palate it’s soft, bland, rubbery and liquidy). After the factory we headed up some more to the high paramo (this is above tree line and dry, dusty, windy and cold). After walking on the paramo for several miles we came upon a new eco-system, the cloud forest. Amazing that you have so many micro climates here. I didn’t quite get the full story on how a cloud forest can survive here, but it does! For those of you who don’t know, cloud forest is basically the rain forest but at higher altitude. As we entered it suddenly got humid (but remained chilly), lots of verdant moss, huge trees, orchids, bromeliads, mushrooms and these weird trees that grow together to form twisting, winding branches. We passed waterfalls, mud holes, heard birds singing, it was really magical. Suddenly, the cloud forest kind of just ended and we were back into the dry air of the Andes. Sr. Miguel, my guide explained all the medicinal plants along the way…plants for fever, colds, infections, problems with kidneys, even one for heart problems! I’ve got just one more half day here, then it’s back to reality in Quito. It’s good to know though that when I need an escape from the city I can spend a few days here at Black Sheep Inn.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Quilotoa

Day 2-Laguna Quilotoa Hike

I’m experiencing the Andean High. There has to be something about living in high altitude, clean, dry mountain air. I feel so healthy. I am sleeping so well. I feel awesome. The yoga studio was a great place to do some practices before breakfast. They have homemade muesli, milk from the cow, fresh fruit, strong coffee, homemade bread and jam.

The hike yesterday was from Laguna Quilotoa back to Chugchilan. I caught a pickup truck for an hour bumpy ride to Laguna Quilotoa. From there we gazed into this volcanic crater lake. The color is just indescribable…sort of greenish, blue depending on the color of the sky, position of the sun, etc. The lake is very significant for the indigenous people of the area. The crops grow very well in the area and the animals are strong, all because of this water. So the first part of the hike was going part way around the Laguna. It is over 12, 000 feet and windy! Then we hiked away from the lake through fields of mountain wild flowers, a sandy beach from a high mountain stream, over bridges to a canyon look out. From this point you could see the entire canyon, valley and mountain/hills. Spectacular. Then it was down, down, down into the canyon on in old Inca trail. As my guide told me, “Tu sabes que todo esta bajada hay que subir” (translation-You know, all this going down hill, we’re going to have to come back up). Yep. And up we did. The last hour or so of the hike was up up up. I think the concept of switchbacks has not arrived yet to Ecuador. It’s like point A to point B-let’s just go straight DOWN or straight UP. Well, it gets you there quickly, but definitely not easy. Finally at the end of a 4 hour hike, we arrived to the village of Chugchilan. Wonderful hike.

Let’s just say my glutes are feeling it this morning! To alleviate my soreness, the Black Sheep Inn has a resident masseuse, an indigenous woman who trained in Quito. She has a cozy little room with a fire lit. Andean flutes are playing in the background. So even though the air outside is chilly you are nice and toasty. I was very impressed with her massage, it felt great! It’s interesting that she, as an indigenous woman is a masseuse. The fact that she touches, manipulates, kneads other people’s bodies (men and women) and heals them though touch has to be very empowering for her as a woman in a culture where usually women who touch men are looked down upon. (you get what I’m saying…)

The fun part of traveling is meeting other travelers. I’ve met John and Gina, a couple from Southern California, taking it easy in Ecuador. Yesterday was a group of 20 high schoolers doing three weeks in Ecuador combining service and learning (they were loud and kind of annoying, so I’m kind of glad our time only coincided by one night). Other solo travelers hiking around…

As I’ve written, dinners are family style, everyone seated around a big table, sharing stories of the day’s adventures. Last night was cream of cauliflower soup (straight from the garden), four cheese pasta (with cheeses from the local cheese factory), marinated beat salad and homemade oat bread-all using local ingredients. Que delicioso!

Today I’ll be hiking up to the cheese co-op and then up further into the cloud forest. More pics and stories to follow!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Black Sheep Inn

Black Sheep Inn

So someone asked the question, “Why Ecuador?” Places like The Black Sheep Inn are the answer. I can live with all the modern conveniences I need or want in Quito. However, when I want to escape for some real hiking, nature or just to breathe, I can hop on the bus and travel to places like Chugchilan, in the province of Cotopaxi (about 6 hours by bus from Quito) I’m staying at this wonderful eco-lodge, The Black Sheep Inn (www.blacksheepinn.com), nestled in an Andean indigenous community. This is community tourism/sustainable development at it’s best. Now, I’m not paying just a few bucks to be here. It’s quite expensive, but worth it in every way. This place has won numerous awards from travel magazines, vegetarian magazines, eco places, etc. For example, National Geographic named them Top 50 Eco lodge, Delta SKY magazine named them top 10 Eco-Resort, Outside Magazine, Top 10 Eco-Lodge in the world, etc. Now awards are one thing…but what makes this place so unique and special?

The Layout
OK, so you’ve arrived here from the city. You walk up a steep (and I mean STEEP) driveway to your main lodge, the Black Sheep Inn. You’ll need to catch your breath (we are high here-over 10, 500 feet). They have a wood fire going (it gets cold up here at altitude). You are offered fresh brewed coffee, tea, water and a map of all the hiking trails in the area. I was shown to my room-with a wood burning stove, lots of blankets on the bed. There’s several rooms like mine. Also a yoga studio that overlooks this majestic panoramic view of the Andean mountains and hills. To describe these hills without pictures…it’s as if the hills were draped with a patchwork quilt made up of different textures and colors-greens, yellows, browns even reds. The studio is all windows with hammocks, yoga mats, a station for tea and coffee. The perfect place for relaxation. The main lodge is where all the meals are taken. Meals are all delicious, vegetarian cooked by local women that the lodge employs. (Breakfast was fresh fruit with muesli and milk (straight from the cow), lunch was packed cheese sandwiches (cheese from a local cheese co-op, dinner was one night mushroom Shepard’s pie and fresh veggies from the garden).

The Journey
As the owners say, getting to the tiny hamlet of Chugchilan and the Black Sheep Inn is half the fun! I think since the inception of the Inn, the roads have improved (another example of development for the better for this town, as a result of the inn). So, I had to travel to the provincial capital, Latacunga from Quito (about 2 hours). Then catch another bus from Latacunga to Chugchilan. This bus goes on winding roads, some paved, some bumpy, some dirt, some dusty. The road cuts right through the steep mountains and hills. The views really were breathtaking. Lots of little patches on the mountains with crops like potatoes, fava beans, wheat, quinoa, barley. Makes for a beautiful trip!

The Owners and the Community
Michelle and Andres are an American couple. They were backpacking through Ecuador and specifically the Chugchilan area in 1994. They fell in love with the people and the scenery of this village. They did not want to leave! Someone asked them, why they don’t buy this land that was for sale. So, they went back to the US, worked several jobs, saved up every penny and bought the land. They returned to Chugchilan, built the Black Sheep Inn and have been open since 1996. Their vision (taken from their website is) “to provide a comfortable, educational experience for guests while contributing to and improving the local community and the natural environment. Our goal is to be a leader in environmental stability and ecotourism.” They are a couple that has so much energy and creativity. For example, in addition to running this entire Black Sheep Inn, Michelle teaches English and Computers in the local high school. Andres often repairs the town water system and phone lines. They have donated computers, phone lines, and a copy machine to the local school, health clinic and police station. They have subsidized school text books and extra teachers too. One of their most successful projects has been the establishment of a local Library/learning center stocked with Spanish language books and 8 computers. Children and teenagers are now interested in reading and have a place to conduct research. All this was possible by donations from Black Sheep Inn guests. They also have encouraged the community to open hostels, restaurants, become hiking/tourism guides. They hire all local folks for the running of the Inn.

The town of Chugchilan has one of the elementary schools for the parish. Although just 100 people live in the town, over 300 kids attend schools here, some walking over an hour each way. Still 41% of adults in the community cannot read. I think that Michelle and Andres description of the town is perfect. “Tourism is new to Chugchilan, starting when the Black Sheep Inn opened in 1996. Since then tourism is providing a necessary source of income for the community. While hiking in the area, you will see campesinos in the fields, caring for their crops, planting and harvesting. The main crops are barley, potatoes, fava beans, corn, squash and lupines (chocho beans). There are still many traditional adobe buildings and thatch huts called chosas. People are very poor and live simply and traditionally, yet they are happy and have an unusually strong sense of humor. The opportunity for cross cultural learning and exchanges is high, but please be sincere, humble and polite. If you can speak a few words of Spanish you can usually share in the tasks that the local people are doing, but please be careful as they work very hard and they are used to the thin air of high altitude.” (So have I convinced you yet to come! Check out their website at www.blacksheepinn.com)

Activities
So you’re here, relaxing in the yoga studio, eating great vegetarian meals, chatting with the guests, but you want to get out and explore the community. There are tons of hiking trails in the area. Yesterday, I did two hikes. One down a steep hill to this beautiful canyon area and the other up, up, up walking along a ridge with a panoramic view of the mountains on both sides. Today was Laguna Quilota hike. (more about that later)

Come here!
So, I know I’ve convinced you to come. Check out their website: blacksheepinn.com for more photos and more about this place. It’s really a find J I’m here for two more days, yay! so I’ll write more later.

Amazing photos to come...

Sunday, July 24, 2011

New Photos on Facebook

I published some new photos to Facebook...of the chocolate tasting, me holding a boa and some views in Mindo. Enjoy!

Odds and Ends



I got back from Mindo and now I’m in Quito for a few days before my next trip to a volcanic crater lake, Quilotoa. More about that later…

Now that I’m back home (J) I spend today just doing odds and ends. Went for a nice run at the Carolina Park. Did some laundry and cleaning. Today, Saturday there was a huge festival in the park, honoring street art. I thought that was very progressive of Quito. There were TONS of street performers getting recognized for their talents. (normally they just work for spare change at long traffic lights). Jugglers, hula-hoopers, jump-ropers, sword swalloers and drummers. It was awesome! Lots of music, art, performances. The people watching was incredible!

I checked out the reptile/amphibian house near the park. They have a nice collection of Amazonian snakes, lots of bright colors. I also got to hold the boa and got my photo taken. That was kind of fun.

Keep the nice notes coming! I miss you all.
Rachel

Friday, July 22, 2011

Paradise in the Cloud Forest

My Idea of Paradise is El Monte

Quito’s been wonderful-the restaurants, shopping, everything so convenient. But its loud, dirty and busy. I needed a little bit of paradise, so I traveled to the small town of Mindo and am staying at an ecolodge in the cloud forest (basically the rain forest, but at a higher elevation). The town of Mindo takes some explanation. It’s really an anomaly in Ecuador. This little progressive, green, environmentally conscious town. They separate trash into organic and inorganic. There is NO litter in the streets. Everyone is so friendly (this isn’t an anomaly). The town lives by ecotourism and the tourists come. Yet, it doesn’t feel like a tourist town.

Every time I come here, I treat myself to a night or two at this wonderful ecolodge called El Monte. This is my idea of paradise-and it’s just two hours by bus from Quito. I have an open cabaƱa. The place is surrounded by a rushing river that you have to cross by cable bridge. The place tries to be as green as possible without sacrificing comfort-composting toilets, hydroelectric power, the blender is run by a bicycle wheel, a garden with fresh veggies for all the meals, shade grown coffee, all nestled in the cloud forest. I’ve been here several times and each time I come, I’m so impressed. You get a bird watching guide (Mindo has won international bird watching competitions for the most birds seen per square kilometer, beating out even the Brazilian Amazon!) You can see quetzals, birds of paradise, cock-of-the-rocks, and other tropical birds plus TONS of hummingbirds. It has to be one of the most relaxing spot in the world. The other neat thing about El Monte is they hire people from the Amazon region (where they have a partnership with another jungle lodge). So you’ve got these indigenous folks earning a good income, perfecting their English and preparing wonderful foods. It’s all vegetarian, organic, clean, tasty, wonderful. YUM!

Mindo also attracts hippies, free spirits and wanderers. I wandered into this wonderful chocolate shop called “Chocolarte” (chocolate art in Spanish). It’s run by an Argentinean woman and her 5 year old son. She reminded me so much of the woman in the movie Chocolat. Dios mio, her chocolate is AMAZING. One truffle with pure cocoa beans, cocoa butter and sugar. Wow. It puts even Godiva to shame. I got to witness the whole process of how she makes her chocolate during a chocolate tour. Then we ended with the richest mug of hot chocolate and a brownie using the cocoa beans. The reason I think her chocolate was divine is because it is minimally processed-really just pure chocolate from the fresh cocoa beans grown right here in Ecuador. I can go on and on about this woman’s chocolate-I think I might invest in her truffles.

You can do zip lines, hiking, rafting, birding…but for me, I spent most of the time reading and relaxing in the hammock, going for walks into town and really just recharging my batteries. It was wonderful.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Quito vs. The Rest of the Country

Quito vs. the rest of the country

It’s easy to forget that I live in a developing country when I’m in the sheltered paradise of my apartment complex and surrounding neighborhood. But I don’t want to forget…

The Ecuador I have described thus far in my posts is the Ecuador of the elite, those, like myself, who can afford to live just blocks from beautiful green space, huge shopping malls with any product you could ever think you needed or wanted, restaurants serving delicious international cuisine.

On a walk yesterday through my neighborhood, I passed a pet grooming and dog clothing boutique. This, in a country where most dogs are lucky to get a few scraps a day, are subject to abuse and belong to no one.

Another irony was the “Eating Lite” restaurant I passed. Full of diet menu items-sugar-free this and that. In a country where for most of the poor population, getting enough calories is not the problem (a typical plate of a poor family might be piled high with rice along with a side of potatoes and plantains), but getting enough balanced nutrients is. Protein and veggies are lacking in the diet of many. Malnutrition is the problem.

I’ve done the Peace Corps thing before-fleas, dirt floor, latrine, no showers. I don’t want to live that way again. But, visiting my village and friends I have in the jungle will be a good reminder for me of how simply most of Ecuador (and really the whole world) lives. It is a totally different world.

Family Time-Sunday in Quito

Family Time-Sunday in Quito

Sunday, more than any other day of the week is family time. When I say family, I mean grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, parents, kids, grandkids. Family is not just Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister. Sundays are the days when the family unites.

As you might expect, family is extremely important for Ecuadorians. When people find out that I live on my own, I’m not married and that my parents live in the US, they think I’m more than a little weird. “What, you live by yourself! Where are your parents! Oh, you poor, poor thing.” is the typical response I get.

Yesterday, being a Sunday was a great day to experience a typical Sunday in Quito. As I’ve written before, I live just blocks from Parque Carolina-Quito’s equivalent to New York’s Central Park. Green space is really important to me. My apartment complex is ALL concrete…absolutely zero green. So, I have to get out at least a few times a day to nature. For some QuiteƱos, a Sunday begins with a brisk walk or jog through the park. Some even rise early enough to lay stake to one of the many soccer fields, basketball courts or volleyball courts. 

After the morning exercise, some might reward themselves with a huge fruit salad that the vendors sell in big plastic cups full of cut up pineapple, mango, bananas, watermelon and papaya. Then it’s back home for a shower and a little TV watching. Then they might gather up the family, and go for a car ride to one of the smaller villages, maybe visiting family who has prepared a huge Sunday meal. 

Or others might stay in Quito, choosing to ride bikes on Avenida Amazonas, which is a main city street closed to traffic on Sundays for bicyclists.

During the day the city parks are full of families, watching soccer matches, playing volleyball, running, playing, laughing. Vendors are in full swing-cotton candy, balloons, crafts, meat on a stick, coconut juice, flowers, newspapers, etc. (I just sat for about an hour yesterday, watching all the activity-wonderful people watching).

Evenings, family disperses and then it’s the nuclear family, enjoying a simple meal (perhaps leftovers from lunch or bread, cheese and coffee/tea). Then it’s ready for the work week.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

The Importance of Small Change




I emptied my wallet and put it away for awhile, the wallet with a million compartments for credit cards, insurance cards, Blockbuster cards, Panera cards, Driver’s licenses and the TINY compartment for change. I just don’t need it here. I find that here in Ecuador all I need is a small change purse. And when I say small I mean small bills and coins. Instead of having my credit card available what I really need are quarters, half dollars and one dollar bills. These are much more valuable to me. Why you ask? Because NO ONE in this country has change! Even though Ecuador uses the American Dollar (since the year 2000, when their own currency the Sucre was so devalued, they have switched to the dollar). However stuff here just costs so much less that in the US. A twenty dollar bill is virtually useless. So, I end up with this mentality of always trying to break my twenties so that I can have small change. This is possible in some of the nicer restaurants where perhaps in stead of paying just $1.50 for a three course lunch (paying with a five dollar bill is just about the max), perhaps I go to my favorite coffee shop with fresh juices, sandwiches, coffees  and WiFi. I can end up spending the whopping amount of four dollars and then, maybe then will I be able to break my twenty.  Just to give you an idea of the cost of things:
One way on the trolley that travels from one end of the city to the other-25 cents
A roll filled with chocolate 8 cents
The use of a public toilet 15 cents
An hour bus ride one dollar (increases by a dollar for every hour-so a bus ride to a town 8 hours away is 8 dollars)
A nice three course lunch or dinner ($1.50-$3.00)
An hour of internet 60 cents
30 mandarin oranges $1.00
6 avocados $1.00
(OF course, not everything here is cheap. Imported goods like electronics, cars, American brand clothing is almost double the price of back home.)


One must always have small change. One of the most common phrases you’ll here is “No tiene sueltitos?” (Don’t you have any small change?)

So for now, I’m happy with my small change purse!

Otavalo Market



I’ve got this beautiful apartment with lots of white walls. So what’s a girl to do? Go to Otavalo, the largest indigenous crafts market in Ecuador (and some say the largest in S. America!). I braved the Saturday crowds and took the two hour bus ride, listening to Cumbia music the whole way. The town of Otavalo is nestled high up in the Andes, surrounded by hills of various greens and browns. Plus, you can see several of the snow covered volcanoes. It’s really easy to get overwhelmed at Otavalo. There are stalls upon stalls of brightly colored tapestries, scarves, ponchos, jewelry, art, carvings, and any other craft you could possibly want. But what I like about it is the indigenous vendors are not too pushy. They let you peruse the stalls and always are wanting to strike up conversations. The Otavalo indigious group is the most successful in all of Ecuador. The reason is, they are crafts people. Plus, their culture is not being destroyed because it depends on tourism. Tourists are less likely to buy from a person dressed in western style clothing than a woman with her golden beads, embroidered blouse, navy blue wrap skirt speaking a mix of Quichua and Spanish. Many OtavaleƱos have visas to the US, Canada and Europe where they sell their high quality crafts. It’s really amazing how successful this group is and I was glad to support them. Yesterday, I left with a lavender and red weaving, a brightly colored pillow case, and lots of artwork for the walls (and some fresh mango, yum J)

Also, the apartment is coming along nicely. I am really happy with it. Even though I am smack dab in a huge urban city, I wake up to birds singing. I don’t hear too much traffic noise and there are no street lights shining in my windows. (For those of you who know me well, you’ll know I’ve had sleep problems for awhile. Here, I am sleeping like a baby, thank goodness!) I wake up feeling refreshed in the cool dry mountain air of the morning.

I attended a huge wedding this weekend…more about this later once I can put captions with photos.

Friday, July 15, 2011


Now that I’m rested, I’m feeling much better. It’s amazing what lack of sleep does to me!

Yesterday, I spent a lot of it organizing stuff, figuring out how to make the apartment mine, planning what sorts of stuff I want to buy, walking around the new neighborhood, etc.

What I love…
the cool, crips mountain air
older ladies who call me “my daughter” and “my love”
fresh flowers
tropical fruit
how easy it is to get around on public transport

Today will be another day of shopping, walking, resting, enjoying life in Quito. I hope to travel soon to some smaller towns where I have friends and see them.

Running in Quito



This morning I woke up early, but couldn’t go back to sleep. So, I just got up and piddled around the new apartment. It’s been so much fun planning how to make it mine! (The framed picture above my bed of Virgin Maria with the 6 swards stabbing her flaming heart got the boot!)

Back to running. So the main park in Quito, Parque Carolina is just blocks from my apartment. This is where QuiteƱos go early in the mornings for their daily exercise. There are several types of exercisers I’ve noticed:
·      The people who are bundled up like they’re in the Artic, walking at a leisurely pace.
·      People like me who are just out for a nice relaxing morning jog.
·      Speed walkers who are training for national competitions. For real! Jefferson Perez, is an Olympic Gold Medal winning Ecuadorian. Ever since his medal, speed walking is somewhat of a national sport. And these folks have the hip swivel down just right.
·      Runners who look really fast and must be training for some big race at altitude.
·      Folks out for exercise, but not running. They’re doing a combo of old school calisthenics. It’s hilarious to watch and makes my run exciting seeing the variety of folks out for a little morning fitness.

What I love about running in Parque Carolina is the variety of people you see. Old, young, fast, slow, fat, skinny, some dressed for fitness, others dressed for warmth. All of us trying to do something good to start the day. Not a boring run!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

La Llegada

Wow. I´m finally here. It was a marathon journey. DC had tremendous storms yesterday so I left late out of the airport. When I got to Bogota I had missed my connecting flight to Quito. But I got a nice hotel out of it. This morning, the flight was again delayed. Finally around noon I arrived to my new home in Quito. The apartment is beautiful. I spent most of the day walking around my new neighborhood. Checking out the fruit stand (I got some wonderful tropical fruits), the flower shop 25 roses for one dollar! and other fun stuff. I´m going to take my time unpacking. Poco a poco, I´ll make the apartment home. Ecuador has such lovely artisan crafts, I want to take advantage of that. Let´s see...what else can I say. I´m just so glad to finally be starting this new journey. It´s so exciting for me. Keep in touch!
Rachel

Saturday, July 2, 2011

What I'm looking forward to...


So, some of you are wondering what exactly I’m going to be doing in Ecuador. Well…I am going to teach 2nd grade at a private school in the Ecuadorian capital, Quito. The student population is about 1/3 Ecuadorian, 1/3 American and 1/3 other country nationals. Lots of the kids have parents who are embassy workers, foreign service, business people, etc. The language of instruction is English, although lots and lots of kids only speak English at school. I’m sure I’ll be using all my good ESL strategies daily!

This new job really is an ideal situation for me for several reasons. I’ve already lived in Ecuador as a Peace Corps volunteer several years ago. I loved this experience, but the physical deprivation really took a toll on me because….it was in a small rural Andean village about 4 hours from the capital. It was the typical Peace Corps experience…no running water, sparse transportation (if any at all!), simple house, etc. I love Ecuador, but need some modern conveniences, so this new job is perfect.

This time, I’m living in a modern city, in a modern apartment with internet, phone, etc. Sort of like living in the US, except Spanish is the language, the culture is quite different and the climate.

Let me tell you about that. Yes, Ecuador is a tropical country sitting right on the equator (that’s how Ecuador got its name after all-it means equator in Spanish). So you’d think it’s very hot, right? Well, because Quito is about 9,500 feet above sea level in the Andes the climate is just about perfect. You get the thin mountain air that keeps things cool but the hot sun keeps it from getting cold. Usually during the day the maximum high is about 72-73 degrees. In the evening it gets into the mid 50s. And the nights can get down to high 40s or low 50s. Now, don’t get me wrong…this is just Quito and the Andean region. Once you travel to the Ecuadorian coast or the Ecuadorian jungle regions it gets downright tropical feeling! But for me, Quito’s climate is ideal.

Now, I alluded to the culture of Ecuador earlier. For me, because I speak Spanish and have dark hair, I can pass for an Argentinean or Chilean…sometimes an Ecuadorian, which is really convenient. I always feel sorry for the really blonde looking tourists who just look lost and can become a target for pick pockets or worse. By now I’m pretty much used to the cat-calls, the crowded busses, the folks who try to rip me off because I’m not Ecuadorian. That’s the worst of it. The best…wow. The wonderful musica folklorica that plays from the streets, tropical fruits available all year round, the tradition of weavings and other indigineous crafts, the wonderful breathtaking landscape of snow capped volcanoes, verdant rolling Andean hills. 11 more days!

Friday, July 1, 2011

The Countdown Begins

Well, today is July 1...just 12 more days and I'm off to Quito to begin two years teaching Grade 2 at Academia Cotopaxi, an International School in the Ecuadorian capital. I've got a place to live, my 400 pounds of stuff are somewhere between here and Miami, my health is good :-). I think I'm ready. Although there are the odds and ends to do still. I hope to update my blog very frequently, so check back often!