I have established a fairly routine schedule in Machala. I have now been in Ecuador for three months, two have been in Machala. Sometimes the time flies by and at other times, the school week couldn’t feel any longer, but little by little, I’m becoming more comfortable with my surroundings, my “profession” as a teacher, and learning to live in a foreign country without any English speaking friends around. Friends, especially those who speak the same language, are one of the most comforting things in life. The importance and the comfort of friends is even more apparent to me here as some days pass with a twinge of lonliness and a strong desire for the friends I have spent the last five years of my life with.
We’re all going through some kind of major change in our lives right now, which I guess it typical for life post-graduation. Molly is living in Boston where she’s working in a dietetic internship. Adria moved to Paris in September to be and Au Pair…she’s been to France before and had always wanted to return to master the language and live the Parisian lifestyle. She sure is living the lifestyle, with a view of the Eiffel Tower from her studio window to boot. Nicole stayed in San Luis for the fall but is soon moving to San Jose to begin working for a landscape design company. And, Naomi, who has dabbled in work in Idaho, and Scotland since graduation, is now living in San Francisco working for a sustainable marketing firm. We have really spread ourselves as far apart as possible.
Despite the distance, I have been fortunate to maintain contact through email and Skype. I live with one of the handful of families in Machala who has the Internet in their home. I have the amazing convenience of logging on and connecting with friends and family back home via phone (internet connection through Skype) for free! My latest call home on Skype was for Thanksgiving where I was able to say a quick hello to the entire Hamby/Abraham clan that had gathered at my house for Thanksgiving celebrations. It’s truly a blessing that, with advances in technology, I am able to do such things while so far away.
An Ecuadorian ThanksgivingI decided to teach my classes about Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is not celebrated by many Ecuadorians but I was surprised by how little my students actually knew about the holiday. About as far as they could get, upon asking them what they knew about Thanksgiving in the U.S., was “turkey.” I updated their knowledge of the holiday and its traditions by giving them a little more history about they turkey, as well as Thanksgiving prayers, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Football, and Black Friday. They especially liked learning of Black Friday, such a strange non-traditional tradition the U.S. has acquired. On Friday, all of my students walked in to class saying “Hi Teacher, happy Black Friday!”
I also celebrated Thanksgiving with my students with a Thanksgiving feast potluck…Ecuadorian style, of course. My students brought so much food. We feasted on Chinese fried rice, hot-dogs, pizza, canned peaches, and cake, lots of cake! And no, my students were not trying to be friendly and bring familiar “American” foods. Hot dogs and pizza are eaten more here than at home!
Despite my frustrations with my students at times, they are genuinely kind individuals who have a desire to learn of other languages and cultures while openly sharing their own. They were so happy to assist in making sure their teacher had a Thanksgiving.
I also live with one of the few families in Ecuador who celebrates Thanksgiving. They began celebrating about five years ago of reasons I am unsure of. It works to my advantage though. On Thanksgiving night, we all headed to church where they had a special service and Thanksgiving meal...turkey and all. My host dad cooked up a mean turkey injected with wine and spices.
I contributed to Thanksgiving dinner by baking cookies. I made oatmeal raisin cookies and chocolate chip cookies. I have never been amazed by my cookie-baking skills. I tend to think they usually turn out just OK. But, after my Ecuadorian students, friends and family go their hands on my most recent batch of cookies, I feel like I should go into business, seriously (my host mom even suggested selling them on the street corner). They really weren´t the best, I wasn´t impressed. It must have been the novelty of the typical ¨American cookie¨that enhanced the flavor of my cookies here in Ecuador. It´s been two weeks and people are still talking about them! I´ve had several invitations to come over and help or teach to bake cookies. They all want my recipes (straight from online sources, one even including a cake mix from the box!). My students are asking if I´m going to bring them to our Christmas party...I will forever have the reputation as the cookie maker...they were even kind of burned! I just don´t get it, but I graciously accept the compliments anyway.
My Daily Routine (if interested)
I had mentioned my routine schedule. I don’t know if anyone’s interested or not, and it’s not much of a schedule, but I’ll give you the quick run-down of my “typical” day. I usually wake up around 8 am for my morning run to the stadium. Unfortunately, my wake-up time needs to be earlier because the sun has started coming out earlier in the morning and when the sun is out, it’s nearly impossible to run. I’ve tried. The heat is killer and the sun is absolutely blinding. It is a fact that Ecuador has the closest point to the sun in all the world (from the top of one of its mountains, I can’t recall the name).
After returning from my run, my host mom is usually in the kitchen and, every day, without fail, makes a comment at how much I have sweated.
By this point, I still have a good chunk of my morning left to plan my day’s lessons. Two lessons a day keeps me busy. The more I plan, the better I become and condensing the amount of time it takes me to plan a single lesson. Some people have the ability to walk into a classroom, no plans in hand, just an idea in their head, and pull of their class without so much as one problem (I think these are the same kind of people who passed classes without ever having to study), but I am not one of those people. I need my plan and I need to go over in my head before in order to make my plan look effortless!
Lunch is always at 1:30 when my host sister, Marietta, gets her lunch-break from work. Marietta comes over and we have a family lunch every day. Her lunch-break is from 1:30–3:30. They sure know the true meaning of a “break” here…
After lunch, it’s a little more planning, a trip downtown, or to school early for some reason or another. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I teach two classes. Level 4 from 5–7 and level 5 from 7–9. On Tuesday and Thursday I teach only one level, level 8 from 6:30–9.
After class, I catch a cab home with Bryce and spend some time alone which I have become used to and find relaxing. My parents are always out of the house at night participating in Bible study or church related meetings.
That’s it! Plain and simple. Doesn’t change much. Except I hope to change the run in the mornings to a swim instead! All I have to do is find the swimming pool in town…easier said than done.
Bryce and I found a bunch of bananas in this restaurant in Quito. It was suggested we take a picture together as the Banana King and Queen since we were soon to be moving to Machala, ¨Banana Capital of the World¨, together.
Thanksgiving with my level 5 class. This is the most easygoing and calm class I teach...only 12 students.
From the trip to the Amazon. Our guide made us crowns to wear during the hike, then handed me his machete to hold while he was busy trying to get a fruit from a tree for us to taste.
All the girls of the group during orientation in Quito. We outnumber the guys...by a lot!
Chelsea, my roomate for the first month in Quito, and I hiking in a park called Papallacta. I miss her a lot. Machala is a good 11 hour bus ride from Quito making it nearly impossible for us to visit each other.
