Galapagos! Days Two and Three.

On Friday we woke up in Paradise--I mean, the Galapagos Islands. The first activity of the day was a visit to Tortuga Bay, which I imagine will be the best beach I'll ever visit in my lifetime. It was perfect and well worth the mile and a half walk to get there. We stopped at a place where the waves are big and the currents are dangerous, so we didn't go very far into the water. Still, it was great enjoying the warm Pacific Ocean, talking on the beach, and watching the iguanas that come up on the sand to get some sun. After some time we walked down the beach to a mixed freshwater/saltwater pool for some serious swimming. On the way we passed a whole bunch of iguanas sunning under the mangrove trees--you can get so close! The bay where we swam was absolutely gorgeous. It was like a swimming pool, only the nature's version of it. So fun. 

After lunch we took a trip to the Darwin Center to see giant turtles native to the islands. This was easily one of the highlights of my trip, as I think the turtles are absolutely adorable. On the way back to the hotel I stopped for a smoothie with two of the staff just to cool off and enjoy the shade. I was happy to take a nap in the air conditioned hotel after that though, as this is the hot season for the Galapagos and boy was it hot in the middle of the day. 

That night I had the pleasure of eating sushi in the Galapagos, and wow was it good! We had shrimp, octopus, tuna, salmon, and crab, I think. What better place to eat sushi than an island?

On Saturday we took a two-hour boat ride to Isabela, the biggest island. The boat made me so thankful that I don't get seasick, as the ocean waves made for a bumpy ride. Once we got to Isabela, we hopped on a taxi boat to see some local wildlife. The trip was beautiful, and we got to see blue-footed boobies, sea lions, marine iguanas, sharks, crabs, and more. After that we hopped back in the boat to do a little snorkeling in the ocean. That was pretty cool, although I didn't see much more than coral and fish. Our guide spotted a manta ray and an octopus, but I was swimming with a broken flipper and couldn't get over to it.

After lunch we stopped at another, smaller beach to relax before seeing some more animals. Most of us opted to stay in the shade, as a lot of people got really burnt the day before. One thing to know about Galapagos: Wear sunscreen! The sun is extremely strong there because it's the equator, so you will burn really badly. In fact, Ecuador is one of the worst places in the world for skin cancer because the sun is ten points stronger than it is in southern California. I wore 50 SPF, reapplied it, and still got a little burned. So you can imagine how the other girls felt.

After the beach we went to see flamingos in the wild and more turtles at the turtle breeding center. There I learned more about Lonesome George, the famous turtle from the Galapagos who died last year. The scientists still don't know how long those turtles live, but they do know that they can weigh more than 600lbs.!

That afternoon we enjoyed another long boat ride back to Santa Cruz, during which I rode on top for a little bit. The next morning we stopped to see two giant volcanic craters named "Los Gemelos" (The Twins) before hopping on our plane back to rainy Quito. In retrospect, I loved the Galapagos even more than I thought I would. I never would have wanted to go there unless someone planned the trip for me, and I've never really been interested in tropical destinations because everyone wants to go there. However, the Galapagos proved me wrong! It is such a gorgeous, special place that I never dreamed I would experience in my life. I didn't want to come back to Quito, and I still sort of wish I was there!

Galapagos! Day One.

So, let me tell you about one of the most unbelievable experiences of my life. This past weekend we spent our "spring break" in the Galapagos Islands, which are located a little ways off the coast of Ecuador. They are property of Ecuador and are therefore just another province, so we got to fly domestically to get there. In case you forgot, the Galapagos Islands are super famous partly because of Charles Darwin, who visited them before forming his theory of evolution. They're one of the hottest tourist destinations in the world, and it is not cheap to get there! I'll tell you why in a minute. 

We left really early on Thursday morning for the new Quito airport. After I arrived in Ecuador the government moved the airport from the middle of the city to a suburb about an hour and a half away. This is supposed to be a lot safer, because it used to be really difficult for planes to land in the city due to  the inclement weather, the altitude, and the fact that the airport was in a neighborhood. So that's all pretty great, but the sad part is that now it's so much farther away :(

Anyway, we flew from Quito to Guayaquil (Ecuador's largest city, located in the Coastal region) and then Guayaquil to the island of Baltra in the Galapagos. Once off the plane we had to go through something like customs, even though Galpagos is part of Ecuador. They're very strict about what you can bring into and take out of the province because they're trying to conserve the environment there. At this time we also paid a "tax" (more like an entrance fee) of $100 per person, just to stand on Galapagos soil! And Ecuadorians only pay $6! That's one of the reasons why it's so expensive to visit. 

A long bus ride took us from the airport to a ferry, which would bring us to the island of Santa Cruz. We piled our luggage on top of the boat (not tied down or anything!) and rode a short distance across the channel to Santa Cruz. From there it was another bus ride to our hotel in the town of Puerto Ayora, on the south end of the island. We didn't stay there long though! We had an almuerzo (lunch) of the typical rice, beans, soup, a piece of meat, and juice before going on our first adventure in Galapagos. This involved hiking over volcanic rocks to a place called Las Grietas, which is freshwater pool surrounded by cliffs. The water was a bit chilly, but I still went in! A bunch of students climbed the cliffs and jumped off, although I was content to swim and watch. It was a beautiful place, even if the hike was a bit treacherous!

That night we had dinner on our own, and my group picked a grill restaurant. This involved another typical meal of grilled meat or seafood, a potato, and salad, and afterwards we beat the heat with some Pinguino ice cream bars (Pinguino is the best brand here). So that's day one of the Galapagos! More to come soon. :)

Rose's visit!

As I mentioned during my last post, my field professor Dr. Rose visited Ecuador this week. Her main purpose for coming is to support us in field and make sure everything is going okay, and she also makes plans for the next batch of students. The three of us social work seniors have a great relationship with her, so we were all so excited for her to come. She even asked us what she could bring us from the States! I requested caramels and she brought two big bags. And I've got jelly beans coming next weekend. Oh boy.

On Monday I had a regular day of field, sort of. When I arrived I was told that one of the staff was sick, and that it would be great if I could give a workshop and an English lesson that day. Normally I only do English on Mondays. If you know me, you know I can't say no, so that's what I did! I gave a workshop on anorexia in the morning and taught English in the afternoon (we finished learning how to count to 100). I had planned to play number bingo as a fun way to reinforce the concepts, and brought candies for the girls to mark their cards. Not surprisingly, many couldn't wait and ate them immediately! I was glad to add some happiness to their day. 

At four we had yet another group of short-term missionaries come. They're all from the States and have been to the house before, but not in a long time. I love it when missionaries come, because it takes the work off of me and gives me a chance to get to know more ministries and more great people. The girls all enjoy it too. Because the women were all American with one Guatemalan translator, they often tried to speak English with me. I think they're a lot more timid about speaking Spanish, especially in front of groups, so they rely heavily on their translator even though they seem to have a basic grip on Spanish. I didn't want to make them uncomfortable, but I make a point of speaking Spanish because that way the girls can understand too. A lot of times I'll say something to them in Spanish, then repeat it for them in English if need be, and then translate their reply. I'm definitely not shy about speaking Spanish in field anymore, because I have no translator--I'm on my own and I just have to figure it out! This is not at all because I'm super skilled or anything. It's really just because I've had no choice but to get comfortable with using exclusively Spanish. And I think it's good that I never had a translator to be my crutch. 

That night Dr. Rose and I met for dinner to get some field paperwork finished, and we started my midterm evaluation. The next day was another normal day of field for me, except Dr. Rose was visiting the house! I spent the morning pulling weeds and watching a workshop, and then in the afternoon I was on! I gave a workshop about cutting for Dr. Rose to see, and this was by far my biggest and more relevant workshop (because cutting is a significant problem with my clients). The girls took to my prof right away, and she participated in some English review I had planned later. My students spoke English with her, and I was so proud! They were so excited to practice on her because she speaks less Spanish than me. I spoke in both languages so that everybody understood each other, and Dr. Rose said I move between English and Spanish very smoothly (although not always! I often forget English words when I've been speaking Spanish so much. It's embarrassing when suddenly you forget your native language!). Overall, it was a great day! My professor loved the visit and so did the girls. They didn't want us to leave. 

Today I went to the office, and Dr. Rose and I finished my evaluation later at my favorite coffee spot. Right after that I moved out of my homestay, back into the apartment, and packed my bags for the Galapagos! Leaving bright and early tomorrow for some quality beach time. :)

Ending the homestay and receiving a special visitor.

I can't believe my last weekend with my Ecuadorian family is over! How the time flew by. Although this homestay occasionally challenged me to live in a new culture and language all the time, it was definitely for my benefit. During the past month I have learned several valuable things about Ecuadorian culture. My biggest lesson? Family is first. If you have free time, you spend it with family. While I grew up very blessed to have my extended family very close by, the amount of family time I grew up with still doesn't match the amount in my Ecuadorian family! They are always together--even during the work week. And although a great deal of them live abroad, those still in Ecuador live in close proximity. It really is a beautiful thing that I wish I had more of, especially now that I'm moving so far away from everyone I know. While the American value of independence isn't entirely a bad thing, I really believe we could all use a little more dependence in our lives.

Okay, so what did we do this weekend? Saturday started off with a neighborhood festival organized by the police. I hung out with my host abuelo and his friends chatting in Spanish for awhile before the police dogs put on quite a show. They did some pretty cool tricks for us--one dog (Whiskey, the crowd favorite) even walked on two legs! I decided AJ and I need to take a cue from the Ecuadorians and name our daschund Whiskey ;) After the dog show some students performed a traditional dance for us, and then we left so I could work a little bit. I'm losing all next weekend and the weekend after to work on field stuff, so I'm trying to get ahead as much as possible right now. Yes, it's a bit lame, but I guess that means I'm growing up!

As it turns out, I didn't get much done on Saturday and I missed out on the fun plans we had for that night. I came down with a fever that afternoon and was out of commission for the rest of the day, which really stunk. Still, I'm lucky it wasn't more than a headache, achy joints, and a fever. My family took real good care of me, even though I hate it when people see me sick.

On Sunday I took it easy and was feeling a little better, so I went to mass with my abuelos. It's really a great experience to worship in a church that you know is so very old. As an evangelical Christian, I never get to have this chance. There's a ton of history surrounding the Catholic church in Ecuador, and truthfully not all of it is good (at least when the Spaniards invaded). All the same, I have had the pleasure of getting to know the faith of my family, and it is real, genuine, and spurs me on to grow in my own faith.

After church we went on a quick shopping trip, where I picked up some candies to use with the girls for English bingo tomorrow. They'll be so happy! I had lunch in the house and then met the other two social work students and my field instructor, who is here visiting us all the way from Chicago! It was amazing to see her. I'm so looking forward to meeting with her this week to talk about how field is going and to receive my midterm evaluation (dun dun dun). We met at a coffee shop and then went to El Panecillo, which is a giant statue of the Virgin Mary you've seen in my facebook pictures from the Basilica. It's a pretty touristy spot, so we saw several gringos and some Ecuadorians tried to talk to us in English (I answer in Spanish whenever someone does that though!). Overall it was a pretty neat experience, and a great view. After that I showed them my favorite coffee shop, where we enjoyed some delicious coffee and ice cream (my prof treated to everything!). I'm so glad I was feeling well enough to go.

So, that's the weekend in a nutshell. This week I have only three days of field, and then we're going to the Galapagos! So excited for some beautiful beaches and giant turtles.

Field reflections.

Just checking in to give you guys a field update. :)

First of all, I really love what I'm doing. So much that it would be a dream to continue to work in this same capacity for the rest of my life! I don't even want to think about leaving. The population I work with interests me so much, and the girls are such a joy. Okay, once in awhile they're a little tough--but their resilient spirits and beautiful personalities far outshine their occasional bad moods. I'm much more at ease with them now, and I'm slowly getting more insight into their personalities and stories. I love being able to share in this journey with them, offer them tools and knowledge for their futures, and serve them in any way that I can. I am so blessed to work in an environment where missionaries visit twice a week, and so I have been free to share my faith and encourage the girls in theirs. In fact, I have shared the Gospel with one and taught her how to pray. She is now reading her Bible and I believe ready to accept Christ, so I have given her a prayer and talked about it with her. What a joy to be a part of that! 

Just to remind you of what exactly I do there: I'm in the house from nine to five every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday (Wednesdays I work in the office). While there, I just do whatever they're doing. Sometimes another intern gives a workshop, sometimes the lawyers come to talk with the girls about their legal cases (because all of them are basically serving a sentence for underage prostitution under Ecuadorian law, although the agency recognizes that most of these girls were coerced into sex slavery), sometimes there's a lecture on HIV. Sometimes we have group therapy, sometimes we play sports outside...it all depends and the schedule is very fluid. This week I spent some time sorting good potatoes from rotten ones so we can eat them later. So, the routine changes a lot, but I always have something to be responsible for. For instance, I teach English on Mondays, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays I give workshops about the theme of my choice. I tailor these workshops to the lives and culture of my clients and always try to make them fun and interactive. I've learned so much through giving these--from new Spanish words, to how to tailor interventions to fit another culture, to how to engage adolescents effectively. I've also learned so much about how social services are run in developing countries. I imagine that in the U.S., clients and social workers alike aren't sitting on the pavement sorting potatoes donated to the agency (or maybe they are!). And yet, there's something really humbling and just plain great in doing that. You don't need a fancy facility to have an impact on people's lives. What matters is the relationships, not the money. All of us in social services can learn from the way Ecuador does things.

Needless to say, I'm loving what I do. I really don't want to leave my field placement, and it is my dream to one day have a home of my own (although how God's going to make that happen, I can't imagine). But that's not to say that field is easy! Sometimes I find myself eating chicken feet or organs for lunch. Sometimes I don't understand a phrase in Spanish or get frustrated because I can express a thought so much better in my native language. And other times, I see, hear, and read really tough stuff. Really tough stuff. In my experience, you really don't notice that all the sin and suffering is affecting you until one day something just hits you, and it all comes to the surface at once. Sometimes I read case notes and just want to put my head down on the desk, because it's too terrible to imagine. Sometimes looking at the girls' physical scars and watching them continue to struggle with their past makes me want to cry. Sometimes knowing that a large number of my clients return to their pimps makes me think, "What exactly are we accomplishing here?" But that's when I remember how much I feel called to be here, doing what I'm doing. 

It's not an easy placement, but I'm right where I want to be, and more importantly, where God wants me to be. I cannot believe how blessed I am to serve here, and I have learned so much that will follow me throughout my social work career. Being here in Ecuador and working in this agency is a dream come true! Even on the days when I eat chicken feet!

Homestay weekend.

I'm sitting here in Sweet and Coffee after field, ready to update you about this past weekend with my host family. On Saturday I went for a run around the park, which was really nice but hard with the hills. No matter where you go in Quito, you are going up or down a hill (or so it seems). Thankfully the altitude doesn't bother me, otherwise I'd really be struggling!

Once I got back I was able to use the morning to prepare the next English lesson and Tuesday's workshop on stress management (last week we did goal-setting and Internet safety). We went to my host aunt and uncle's house for a lunch of fanesca, a traditional Ecuadorian soup eaten only during Lent. The soup has a ton of stuff in it, including six grains (Ecuadorians love their grains), a hard boiled egg, a little empanada, plantain, beans, potatoes, and salted dried fish. It's pretty good, but different because the grains and beans aren't really cooked all the way. Here's a picture:

After fanesca we had dessert and enjoyed each other's company for a long time. I've learned that Ecuadorians relax by spending a lot of time together as a family, and that it's pretty much expected that there will be a lot of family time every weekend. I think this is a super great custom that we need more of in the States; however, it can be really draining for me. I'm spending the whole day hanging out with a family I don't know all that well and there are a bunch of people speaking Spanish, often all at once. It's easier to speak Spanish in smaller groups, but when there are several conversations going it's exhausting. We stayed there for something like six hours. Needless to say, I was so tired!

But family time wasn't over! We had planned to go to a different host aunt's house to celebrate her daughter's birthday at 7:30pm, but that turned into after 8:30pm. Time just doesn't really matter in this family. I'm told a time, but we never do anything until an hour and a half or two hours later. Everybody knows and has agreed upon the time, but for some reason nobody gets around to honoring it. So that's been another cultural challenge for me, as I never know what's going on and when we'll be back. Anyway, we celebrated with coffee, cheese (with caramel on it--Ecuadorians eat cheese like it's a dessert, and even put it in their hot chocolate. And folks, I really don't even like the cheese here!), bread, and cake. 

On Sunday I found out that morning that we were going fishing with the grandkids. So, we piled in the car and headed back out to the country. This time we climbed in elevation, so it was cold and windy! But so, so beautiful. We enjoyed the llamas (who make sounds like birds! Who knew?) for awhile before the kids got to fishing trucha, which is a little fish whose name I don't know in English. Once they had caught enough, we had a small lunch of choclo with cheese, habas (beans, including lima beans), and little empanadas. After that we headed back to Quito with a gorgeous view to enjoy. Life in the country is so fascinating--people just live out by themselves, farming a few crops way up on a mountain. A lot of the fields are planted on such steep mountainsides that you wonder how people work them. There's laundry hanging to dry on the fence that holds the donkeys, horses and cows. So simple--so different from Quito and life in the States.

On the way back we took a detour through the new airport, which was moved after I got here. It's a lot farther than the old one, but supposedly safer because it's not situated smack in the middle of Quito. Sunday evening didn't consist of any plans, thank goodness--I needed some alone time and time to skype before starting another week. So there you have it! Less than a week left in my homestay now. Crazy!

El Transporte.

Today I am going to show you how to get around Quito in the form of my daily commute. Get ready, because it's a bit long. ;)

First, I need to walk to the bus stop. As I'm walking, this is what I see:

Then I come to "the hill". I have to walk up this guy after field every day, and possibly more times if I have to go anywhere else. Everything is down the hill, and it's pretty steep. But that's okay, because it's the workout I need.

Once I get to the bottom of the hill, I'm pretty close to the bus stop. Here's what it looks like:

I would post a picture of my stop, but it's probably not a good idea to do that on a public blog. So, I'll try to get you a picture of a more random bus stop later. I ride the bus for about 15 minutes or so, and then I come to the transfer station. Here I get on my second bus, which takes me to where I need to go.

I like the bus a LOT better than the trole. If I'm standing up (which almost always happens on my first bus in the morning) I always have an eye on my belongings. However, it's usually not quite as crowded so it's safer and less stressful. If I'm sitting, which is usually the case, I can read and pay less attention. There's usually salsa music playing, and usually there are kids hopping on and off trying to sell candy. Adults will sell things too, and often a blind man will get on with loud music blaring and sing for whatever money he can get. The vendors have a special sing-song way of selling their wares. Needless to say, there's a lot going on. I ride this bus for probably half an hour.

Once I get to my stop, I push the stop button or make my way to the front and hop off really fast. When I catch the bus going home, I check to make sure it's the one I want, flag it down, and then hop on, sometimes while it's still moving. It's not a smooth ride! If there's ever a time when I don't understand Ecuador, it's on public transit. For instance, why is it necessary to yell "Suba! Suba! Suba!" (Get on!) to the man helping an old lady get on the bus? She's not going any faster! Or why do I hear "Siga!" (Go!) when the bus is still moving and the doors are still closed? It's a mystery.

Anyway, I hop off and walk the rest of the way to field. The bus can take two different routes, so how far I walk depends on where it goes. This is what it looks like as I'm walking (not where I have field though, it's farther).

So yep, that's my commute! The whole thing takes about an hour and fifteen minutes, sometimes longer to get back due to traffic going back into the city. It costs me 40 cents one way, so 80 cents per day. Not bad, when you consider the L costs $2.25!

Family barbecues and Otavalo.

This past weekend was my first real weekend with my host family. On Saturday I woke up nice and late (for me, anyway) and went straight out the door for a much-needed run. After taking my time with breakfast and getting ready, I went with my host abuela to the clinic for my blood test results. We then drove to the market for some produce--apparently produce is fresher and cheaper at the market, which makes sense. The market is a fun place to be, especially when you have no idea what half of the fruits and vegetables are! It's not the cleanest, though, especially since the raw meat sits out there all day. It's quite a nice smell ;) You can eat there really cheap if you're Ecuadorian, but it's not advisable for foreigners. 

After a trip to Supermaxi (the grocery store here) we had just a few minutes before going to my host aunt and uncle's apartment for a barbecue. So good! We had chips, guacamole with aji (Ecuadorian hot peppers), hot dogs, chicken, beef, salad, potatoes, choclo, and a sweet bread for dessert. It was here that I discovered like like Ecuadorian Fanta better than the American kind. It was a fun, relaxing family time for them. We're never in a hurry in Ecuador, so I didn't get back from "lunch" until almost five. The rest of the night was fairly uneventful, so I took advantage of the time and planned the next English lesson and workshop.

On Sunday we piled in my host uncle's car and headed to Otavalo, an indigenous town known for its market. Once again, we left about two hours late. Typical of this country, fortunately or unfortunately. Otavalo was worth the wait, though! The Quechua culture is notably different from the mestizo culture that characterizes Quito. The native costumes of the women are just beautiful--they really take pride in their appearance, and it shows. The men typically wear North American clothes, but have long hair. The women dress a little something like this:

Anyway, we went to the market first, which is very peaceful and not overly crowded on a Sunday. My host abuela told me not to buy anything, as the same things are available cheaper in Quito. Which I have seen for myself, so I just enjoyed looking. You have to bargain there, too, which I stink at doing. While there, though, I was conversing with my host aunt and explained to her that I'm here to complete my social work internship. Some other Ecuadorians overheard this and were very impressed--one woman even told me welcome and thank you for coming to Ecuador! Helping break down some stereotypes I guess. :) After we were satisfied with the market we stopped for pies before lunch. They taste a little different, but were still delicious. For lunch we drove to a nearby lake, where I had this:

Avocado, peppers, onions, palm tree, "quiche", llapingachos, peanut sauce

Mama Imbabura.

After enjoying the scenery (including some llamas) we decided to take a boat out on the lake, where I enjoyed more gorgeous views of the mountains. The mountain right by the lake is called "Mama Imbabura", which is Quechua for "Mother Imbabura" (not to be confused with the Spanish word for mother, which emphasizes the second syllable). Mama Imbabura has a husband named "Taita Imbabura" and a baby named "Guagua Pichincha" (Pichincha is our volcano in Quito). While on the lake we conversed with the man who drove our boat, who is Quechua. He told us about indigenous marriage traditions and things like that. So fun. A little cold and wet, but fun.




After that it was a slightly scary 1.5 hour drive back to Quito (Ecuadorians have absolutely no reserves about passing in a no passing zone on the side of a mountain going 55 mph). But we survived and I'm here to tell about it. :)