After weeks of rain...Ecuador dries up.

Now it's true that the past few days have been pleasantly free of rain (mostly), however this holds a double meaning this weekend.

It's census time in Ecuador friends, and for those of you familiar with what it means to partake in a census, you are about to be thrown for a loop. Whether it is the extreme need to count every human that happens to be on dry land this weekend or an extreme need to control every last detail of the entire affair, there are some strange things going on.

1st: Rather than hiring census workers, the government has opted to exploit the free labor that is it's High School students--it's 1oth, 11th and 12th graders to be exact. Not only does this seem a bit out of whack, but it has caused mass disruption in schools all across the country for the past month. The students had to be trained--which means the teachers had to be trained in order to train the students. As you might imagine, what this means is many missed days of school for the students. Three days here, a day or two there (what are they training them to do?!?) and it is finally time for these kids to show the country what they have learned.

2nd: The census will take place tomorrow: Sunday, November 28th. Since the kids will be out walking around counting heads for 9 hours, they have been given the day off on Monday (which conveniently coincides with the beginning of the biggest week long party in Quito: Fiestas de Quito. Hmmm. Beginning to wonder if I will see any of my students the rest of the week).

3rd: The country has literally been put on lock down for this occasion. All travel has been prohibited between the hours of 7am and 5pm on Sunday. I'm talking, domestic flights canceled, cruise ships (and people on them) held in ports, no one allowed to leave the airport, all auto traffic--nothing, nyet, nada. I mean, I guess it's important to be counted, but seriously?

And last but not least: from Midnight Friday, until 11am Monday morning, there will be NO ALCOHOL SOLD in all of Ecuador. That's right, a DRY weekend. I guess the government is worried that people will be so out of sorts due to drinking that they won't be able to... be counted? This is confusing. As people that might be attending post thanksgiving celebrations, this could prove interesting (read: party over at 8pm).

If you are doubting the craziness that apparently is census season in this little country (roughly the size of Colorado) please see below.

If you need me, I'll be home. ALL DAY.

http://ecuador.usembassy.gov/service.html (on the right hand side...)

Lost in Translation...

Preface: This is purely based on widespread observation and not on any kind of negative connotations toward any peoples!

To Stare:
Def.

1. to gaze fixedly and intently, esp. with the eyes wide open.

2. to be boldly or obtrusively conspicuous
3. to cause to become uncomfortable by gazing steadily at one

This word, "stare," or "to stare," (this is what we call an intransitive verb, needing an object...geeky English teacher moment) strangely doesn't really exist here Ecuador. Like literally. As it turns out, in Spanish, there is no direct translation for the concept of staring at someone. If you try to translate it, it is: "Para Mirar" which really means to look, or to watch.
The fact that this doesn't seem to exist has become painfully obvious as a "Gringa" in Ecuador.

The 3rd definition is my favorite.  I had been warned of the tendency of people here to stare at white people or Gringos when they are out and about; but honestly, this is like a whole new level of staring. When I first noticed this phenomena, I tended to be a bit self-conscious, a bit shy; you know the routine. You think to yourself, "is there food on my face, in my teeth? Bats in the Cave? (that's for you Abby...)" I truly felt like there must be something tragically wrong with me, you know besides the fact that my hair happens to be mostly blond-ish.
After being here and experiencing this quite frequently however, my reaction has turned to what can only be called (and is all too often) NEW YORK. I get a little bit rude, I might have a quiet comment or two...I have recently gotten the point where it's hard to hold back from shouting across the street (sometimes into a restaurant or such where the culprit(s) are blatantly Mirar(ing) "WHAT? YOU'VE NEVER SEEN A BLONDE HAIRED WHITE GIRL BEFORE??"

But alas, I am trying to keep this little gem of an attitude contained...for as long as I can anyway.

So I've been here just over 2 months and while I am having a blast and loving my ecua-life, I have to say, I have become a little homesick this week. I know that everyone's lives go on without me, but it seems like there is SO much going at home that I would love to be a part of. My 2 sisters-in-law are expecting again and the 2 adorable nieces (see right) that I already have seem to be growing so fast! Sadie, for example, said my name the other day when I was desperately trying to be "a part of things" over skype! Well OK, she kind of said my name...as much as a 14 month old can really say "Mer." :) But still! How do you sit on the other end of the computer and have it be good enough?!? Although it's amazing sometimes Skype just doesn't cut it.
A good friend just got engaged... (CONGRATS LIRON AND NICK!!) and still another good friend is due to have a baby in just 2 weeks (GOOD LUCK and CONGRATULATIONS HEATHER AND MATT!!!). And my amazing P.I.C in DC is about to run the Marine Corps Marathon which I was supposed to also be running this weekend (GOOD LUCK ERIN!!)
And just because you might not have something epic happening to you right now, I miss you just as much (you all know who you are:)...

I am finding it hard that I want to be able to be there and celebrate all of these amazing milestones and at the same time, still live my life here in Ecuador.
I expected of course that that this would happen at some points, or lots of points, but it's hard to know what it will really feel like until you are in it.

Just wanted to say to all those near and dear back home (in all my "homes":) that I miss you all like crazy and think about you all the time...oh and also: COME VISIT ME!!!! :)

I'm attaching a picture of the aforementioned 2 adorable nieces...so you all have an idea exactly how much cuteness I am missing here in South America.

xoxoxoxoxoox

Ecua Chaos (sorry...had to:)

WOW. It has been a crazy 24 hours, and the chaos just continues south of the equator my friends.

While yesterday started off as a normal, even quite pleasant Thursday, none of us had any idea what was about to happen on a national level.
Around 10:30 I was outside while my freshman were posing for their 9th grade class picture, watching them laugh with each other and thinking how nice it was that it actually felt like summer outside after all the recent rain. I headed indoors after the picture was finished and ran into one of my 12th graders. "You know there's a police strike in Quito right now..." he said as they now that I live about 8 miles north of school in the capitol city. "Really?" I said and brushed it off. I had heard many stories of the strikes that go on quite frequently in Ecuador. I guess I should have paid more attention. By the time my 11am 9th grade English class began to filter in (well, actually they all ran in rather dramatically and frantically yelling that we are all going to die...) over half of them had already been picked up by parents. The half that were left, were trying to get touch with family members who worked in Quito and people who could come pick them up. It was only then that I started to feel slightly nervous and yes, admittedly, slightly excited: what would I be going home to??

Well as it turns out my principal closed school for the day and today too and arranged carpools to get the teachers who live in Quito home as they didn't feel it was safe to operate buses in a security vacuum.
As we drove up the mountain through Cumbaya, I had my camera out, hoping that I could get some good pictures of the destruction I had heard about and seen on websites. Oddly, all seemed extra quiet, there was less traffic than usual and the ride was uneventful. Huh.

As we sat around last night refreshing CNN and trying to get an idea of what was going on, I fielded emails and facebook posts from concerned friends and family (thank you all for thinking of me!!!). But we got no further news on the "state of emergency" being lifted or anything like that.
Around 10, there was a shootout between the police and military at the police hospital where the military was trying to free Correa. Unfortunately, it didn't end without casualties but Correa was rescued unharmed.

We have no idea what is to come this weekend/next week however there are crowds of Correa supporters across the street making for a noisy day and military trucks all over the street packed with Ecuadorian army dudes. These are our "police" for the time being. CRAZY. I am of course on edge and nervous, but frankly kind of excited to be a part of this moment in history--I know, I'm a bit twisted....but you all knew that already :)

Stay tuned for more info and pictures...Miss everyone and I promise I am staying safe!!

Bautizo!

So it’s possible that some of you are tired of my never ending “Ecua-talk.” I have made a bit of a habit of turning every word into something Ecua…I can’t help it, I think it’s kind of Hilarious.

Of all of the Ecua things I have experienced so far, what I saw yesterday may in some ways top them all. Not because it was so out of control that it could never happen under any other circumstances…but more because it happened at SCHOOL.

Yesterday was an event that took place during class time (my charter school friends are probably picking their chins up off the ground in disbelief…WHO HAS TIME FOR THAT???), a tradition that they have just recently brought back called…The Bautizo. Now, this word in Spanish can be translated to literally mean Baptism. But what it really was folks? A School Sanctioned, Student Council run, Principal approved, Freshman Hazing activity. Since I teach both Freshman and Seniors, I got to attend…stealthily avoiding any mud, flour and egg covered child that came within 10 feet of me in order to try to take as many pictures as I could of this ridiculous show. There were stations set up that appeared to have no greater purpose than getting people as dirty as humanly possible within the span of 30 seconds. Mud tunnels, Pies getting smashed in faces, eggs being cracked on heads, bags of flour dumped everywhere. Then…the culmination of all of these shenanigans, the last and final “station,” was something that gave me vivid flashbacks of summers in my childhood. It was a GIANT “slide” that resembled a little too closely the yellow (never quite long enough) slip and slides that would always inevitably get you a serious case of ground rash and grass stain on your face when you flew off the end. THIS particular slide however had multiple hoses, pounds of mud, and a crowd of seniors lined up and down the hill waiting to throw whatever they could get their hands on all over the poor souls that actually volunteered to partake.

In all honestly, it definitely wasn’t the mean spirited, anxiety ridden “Freshman Day” of my (somewhat distant) memories but more of an afternoon where the Seniors and Freshman got to hang out, and well….roll around in and throw mud and flour and eggs (not to mention bowls of Aji which is a spicy Ecuadorian sauce) at each other, while simultaneously eating disgusting combinations—the likes of which I had no interest in finding out. The seniors did seem be having just as much fun being covered in slop as the 9^th graders did… It seemed like kind of a mix between a Senior Buddy thing and Fear Factor.

When asked multiple times by multiple students if I would be joining in the chaos, I could only answer, that one “freshman” day was enough for me thanks. Even if it is an Ecua-tradition. :)

Ecua-time

Ecua-time

Def: The day/time that someone tells you they will have something done in Ecuador + a week (give or take).

HOW DOES ANYONE DO BUSINESS HERE??

Oh right... because EVERYONE has their watch set to ECUA-TIME.
How Ecua-fabulous.

O(2)h No!

So, I've quickly come to the conclusion that there is little to NO Oxygen in the whole of Quito. And whats left is eaten up by exhaust from the thousands of crazy buses. This is especially awesome when you are trying to go running.

Yesterday, I set out to complete my second run since arriving here a little over a week ago. Now I'm not an olympic athlete or anything but I was training for the Marine Corps Marathon right before I took this job and left. I was probably at about 18 miles, give or take. So, yes, I was feeling a little bit cocky or in the very least confident that for my SECOND run (I'm not even going to talk about the first one...if you could call it that), I was going to rock it out. Not only was I going to run faster than last time, but I was going to do 2 laps around the park that I live right across from (I'm guessing it's roughly 2-2.5 miles around).


Well if you haven't already guessed, I was sorely mistaken. I started off a bit faster than last time and actually felt pretty good at first. And then, friends, things went rapidly down hill from there.


Within approximately 7 minutes I'm pretty sure every one of my body systems was beginning to break down. My lungs felt like they were on fire, my muscles were aching like I'd been running for an hour and (and this is a new one for me) my jaw was hurting. My JAW. Why my jaw was hurting from a lack of oxygen is beyond me but trust me, it was not pleasant. In sum, I felt as if I was exerting all of my energy only to be resisted by the huge hand of the Angry Oxygen God who most definitely was probably laughing uproariously.

This is probably why there's no oxygen.

So I finished my lap feeling defeated (it wasn't the quite triumphant finish I had in mind), surrendered to the aforementioned Oxygen God, and then obviously had a drink. For which excessive amounts of oxygen are not required. Thank god.
Lesson Learned.

Equa-World

Lore:

–noun

1. the body esp. of a traditional, anecdotal, or popular nature, on a particular subject: the lore of herbs.

2. learning, knowledge, erudition, the process or act of teaching; instruction

something that is taught; lesson.

So in the spirit of explaining the title of my blog (which has been long contemplated, I promise) I have noticed that out of convenience or maybe just for fun, people here tend to take the first part of the name of their country, and tack just about whatever you can think of on the back.
A sample conversation:

Person A) "Does he have a girlfriend?"

Person B) "No, but he has an Ecua-girl."
This was puzzling for me at first but I have soon learned that one can make anything into an "ecua"
there are companies named simply, "Ecua-auto." Like it's an auto company of the entire nation. Very bizarre. There are Ecua-people, Ecua-dogs, Ecua-cars, Ecua-teachers, Ecua-a holes. No I made that last one up (but then aren't they all made up?!).

So it was after this discovery that I had a spontaneous, creative, clever thought and jumped on it. Hence the name Ecua-lore. Ecua, for obvious reasons and all of the definitions of lore that I found seemed to play a role in what I'm doing here...plus it was that or "I'm an Ecua-girl, in an Ecua-world" (you have get the tune to that barbie song going in order for this one to work...)

I think I made the right choice.