hola--
I´m in Cayambe and it´s raining cats and dogs!!! Update time--
The English teacher was not at school today, which I found out when I got there. So, I taught all day, every grade. I was with each of the 6 grades for 45 minutes, working on English. It was actually really fun and all of the kids were great, except for 3rd grade. They are a bunch of little rascals-- but what can you do? It´s a pretty satisfying feeling, teaching in another language.. I´m surprised at how much I enjoyed it!
On Saturday afternoon we all hopped in the van again and went to Cayambe to buy mayonnaise packets for the potato chips (they LOVE mayonnaise here). On the way back we stopped at Hirma´s mom´s house (so, my host grandma) to visit and it was SO fascinating. She lives in one little room with earth walls and dirt floor. Everything is in the one room, the bed, the stove, the dishes.... and the guinea pigs (let me remind you, guinea pigs are not pets here. They are dinner). I was trying to take it all in without being very obvious and disrespectful. The guinea pigs are just running around the floor eating grass and such. I´m still trying to get over the fact that they are food here. It just doesn´t seem right; I keep thinking of my old pet hamster Sammy..... Such is life. I´m definitely living much differently than what I´m used to in Tocachi, but seeing this house was just an eye opener.
I´m accustomed to being constantly entertained and having a wealth of material things (comparatively). Seeing the way this woman lives, so simply and without hardly any possessions really made me think. I´m learning an incredible amount during this experience, as well as learning to appreciate the small things. That sounds so cliche, but it really is true. The big entertainment and things happening all the time, always around people-- that´s just not the way it goes here (well, again, by my standards. I´m still viewing everything more or less from my cultural background rather than from the Ecuadorian culture´s viewpoint, if that makes sense). I have a ton of down time, so I definitely appreciate the random conversations or trips in the van to Cayambe...
That´s all for now, I can´t miss the bus back to Tocachi or I´ll be stranded in the land of bischochos and rain! Hope you all have a great week!
hasta pronto
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3 comments:
Hi Chelsea, This is from Dad. I'm waiting to hear how the Guinea Pigs taste. I take it that you didn't eat one while in Quito. Perhaps you can request it before you leave Tocachi. Perhaps they are meant for special occassions like we have turkey at Thanskgiving. Love, Dad
Please tell me you did not eat guinea pig...
Maybe the mayonaise makes the guinea pig slide down better? Love you Chel! Mom
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