Al empezar al principio...

So I’ve been here for a week, but of course it’s felt like at least three due to all of the things we’ve been doing and seeing upon landing.

Our first night we stayed in a hotel and just hung out… met some Cuban musicians who played music for us and we danced, which was a fun way to start to get to know one another. Tuesday morning we woke up, had breakfast, and dragged our stuff back out to the shuttle to head to CIMAS (where I’m taking classes) for the day. Our day was filled with orientation-type lectures and a typical Ecuadorian lunch of locro (a soup made with potatoes, milk, and cheese… yum).

Throughout the day, it became increasingly apparent that in Ecuador, the family and community is tantamount. CIMAS is one big family for us in the MSID program. There are 29 students, mainly from Minnesota, but counting myself we’ve got three representing California! The faculty at CIMAS is absolutely fantastic—passionate, intelligent, genuine, caring, dedicated, and incredibly patient as well. We have two “mamas” at CIMAS— Emilia and Michita, both of whom are very dear to my heart. Emilia is an academic coordinator and one of the most passionate people I have ever encountered. Michita is the housing coordinator who has literally been to all of our houses here to make sure they’re good for us! In any case, they’re all great and very much interested in our growth as individuals and our learning not only as students but also as global citizens (and casi-ecuatorianos).

At the end of the day, it was time to meet our host moms who were at CIMAS to pick us up and bring us home for the evening. It was so funny because as nervous as all of us students were, when we came downstairs you could tell all of our Ecuadorian mamas were just as nervous, twiddling their thumbs and looking at each of us to see if they could recognize their new “gua gua” (quichua for “baby”). My Ecuadorian mom, Magdalena, and my “hermanita” (little sister) Alegría (which means “happiness”) were there to meet me and we all hugged and headed out to the car where my Ecuadorian dad, Rodrigo, was waiting for us. We came back to our cozy little apartment sort of near the airport and settled in to chat. Words cannot express how full of love Ecuadorians are—immediately I was “mija” (my daughter) and felt some much love coming from every direction. Basically, my Ecuadorian family is pretty cool and I think living with them is going to be great. Oh, and we have a little bird that sounds like a car alarm that’s pretty much always screeching…he’s the joke of the apartment.

Throughout the rest of the week we had all sorts of sessions about culture, colonialism, biodiversity, the new constitution that’s up for referendum 9/28, as well as our own fears, expectations, and commitments/compromises. It was definitely a whirlwind of information and new things to see and do. I experienced my first Quiteño rain, which was absolutely ridiculous! In the mornings it’s cold/foggy, it’s hot in the middle of the day, and then it gets cold at around 4 and usually rains in the evenings. It’s kind of like the bay area on steroids.

Some fun facts/words I’ve learned:
1) vacán—means “awesome” basically
2) they’re always using diminutives—everything becomes “-ito/a” or “-cito/a” (like “cafecito” or “mijita”)
3) Gringolandia—named by gringos, an area that is actually called La Mariscal, where all the bars/discotecas are and where all the young people are most nights
4) Llamas descended from camels!—in our biodiversity session we learned about the massive camel migration that left llamas stranded in South America
5) They don’t really eat many beans here—contrary to popular belief

My Spanish has served me well thus far, and I’m improving I think (for example, I forgot how to say “procrastinate” in English the other day which was frustrating but cool at the same time. I like that my classes are all Spanish all the time and that I’m learning the ins and outs of Ecuadorian Spanish. There’s a very profound significance in Spanish that I haven’t observed in most English, and it’s been interesting to see how powerful words really are here. Musings, I guess.

Anyway, sorry it took me so long (causing such a long entry). The computers/internet at CIMAS are super spotty and it’s not safe for me to take my computer on the bus with me in the mornings. However, I am working on a system of heading to my ecua-dad’s office after classes once/twice a week to Skype and whatnot. I can also take a taxi to school every once in a while so I can Skype from there. I have a cell phone (+59398256590) and I’m checking my email when I can. I miss you all and I hope you’re doing well! I’ll try to keep it short next time, I promise…