Homestays and such.

Last Saturday I officially began my homestay here in Ecuador. I live with two wonderful people named Lupe and Carlos in a beautiful house not too far from the apartment where I was before. My host abuelitos are in their late sixties, early seventies, and it's just the three of us in this house. However, they are never boring! Ecuadorian families are very close, so my Ecuadorian cousins, aunts, and uncles stop by all the time. We also visit their homes quite a bit, even on the weekdays! 

Since Sunday was our first day together, we were super busy. Ecuador's presidential election was that day, so the whole family went to vote that morning. It's a very exciting time in Ecuador; everyone is on the move and excited to hear the results. The government still isn't all that stable right now, so any change is a big deal. The military is all over the place, especially at the polls. After voting we went out for empanadas chilenas on the way to the town where I work (outside Quito). And the verdict is in: I like empanadas chilenas more than empanadas de morocho. The former are spicier and have more flavor in general. My abuelitos treated me to blackberry pop and a coconut dessert before we drove out to see the neighborhood where I work. That night I attended Mass with Lupe and returned just in time for the election results (Rafael Correa, the incumbent, won another term). Some family came over for a traditional Ecuadorian dinner, which is coffee, bread, and sometimes cheese. Lunch is the main meal here, so dinner is much lighter. I actually really like that custom. I eat in my field placement each day, and wasting food is a huge no-no here so I always have to eat it all-whether I like it or not. Typically we eat very simply--fruit juice, tons of rice, a small piece of meat, soup, and some kind of vegetable or fruit (fried plantain, potatoes, etc.).

On Monday I was back to work, getting up before the sun. This week in field I've listened to workshops about self-esteem, played soccer, taught English, and listened in on two very long group therapy sessions. The English lessons have been a hit, which is so encouraging to see. I don't know if you've thought about this, but teaching English to beginners is really tough! This week a lot of issues have come up in the house that we needed to discuss--bulimia, child maltreatment, relationships among the girls, respect, distorted ideas about sexuality, etc. In short, I'm doing my dream job here. It's tough, to be sure, but this is exactly what I would love to be doing in the states.

Today I left the house at 6:15am to register my visa (super fun) and went straight to work in the office after grabbing a big latte. Thankfully my commute is much shorter on Wednesdays, so I'm home early to pack before we leave for the jungle tomorrow. Super excited, and sorta looking forward to a break from all this field madness!