Writer

I am a writer now, I don't know if you knew that about me. I get assigned articles, have to research them and produce content decent enough to represent a huge company. It's the kind of thing I have always wanted to try on, to see how it fits, with the convenient option to send it back to the rack if it doesn't quite accentuate me. No risk please, travel requires money, and I need travel, and therefore can only invest in something with a definite pay-off. In the US, I don't think I could just try writing... for money. I would have to invest in a degree first right? -- Potential internet adds aside. only to possibly find out that I am not a writer at all and had better find somewhere else to stash those eggs of mine. Here in Ecuador, I feel free - to be whatever I am and to try on all the hats I am attracted to. I speak, and write in English. These are my qualifications. If I listen to grammar podcasts (I do) to test out how well I can perform, that's my business.

Canoa and the Coast

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how the hotel garden grows...
The hammock-laden, bungalow encircled courtyard of our ocean-front hotel is brimming with life. Chickens claw into the dirt among the fumbling chicks that surround them; dogs run laps as lizards rustle the bush and a kitten tries to eat rocks.

My hair whips in the wind along the first leg of our nine-hour bus ride back to Quito. Cacti grow here; the air is dry and hot, and the windows are necessarily open. We'll be passing through alluvial flood lands and steamy rainforest as we ascend the western face of the Andes to our home in its narrow valley. In Quito, the weather is generally so comfortable, that it becomes quickly taken for granted, It is like a perfect spring day, with air neither moist nor dry. Lately, we are in the quadrant of the year when the rains come. For several hours a day, the sky cracks with lightning while the booming thunder reverberates in our bodies and compels me to note that I am as alive as the world I inhabit.

The Cable Car (TelefériQo)

Early in the morning, we headed out to the city's tram with a group of our friends. Foreigners have to pay $8.50 to ride, while locals only pay $4. A lot of tourist sites in Ecuador have a local discount (or foreigner surcharge). Several Ecuadorians have talked about this with me from the standpoint of it being wrong, racist even. I don't see this; I figure, people coming from better economies can afford to pay a little extra. Whats more, foreigners who have more than just a tourist visa can by an I.D. card ($4.00) which entitles them to these discounts.

So we paid our fare and rode up the eastern slopes of the Pichincha Volcano. It was a really cool view of the city and of the changing flora as we gained altitude. At the top, the lower oxygen levels made everything sparkle, at least in my eyes. There was an oxygen bar at the top, but we skipped it and went straight to the hiking trail.

After walking up the trail for a bit, we came across some locals selling fresh, delicious Ecuadorian food: meat, plantains, potatoes...the usual. It really hit the spot, as we hadn't eaten breakfast.

Some of our crew headed to the lodge for coffee and beer (and oxygen), while four of us headed up the mountainside. Bert turned back early, apparently to rent a horse and go galloping through the mountains on his own. He said it was awesome. As for me and the other two hikers, we continued on until we were atop a steep peak, taking in the sights and laughing profusely at how poorly our speech facilities were working at such heights.

Eventually, we all met up and made our way back down to the amusement park which sits at the base of the tram. It's pretty surreal to see people being entertained by clowns and roller-coasters at the base of these breathtaking mountains. Our buddies were into the rides, and the beer.... and Bert decided to show the locals how to play the sledgehammer game. He was the only guy to get the top prize in all the time we were watching, and the attendant looked shocked at his score. I was proud to be the chica with the biggest stuffed animal. Now we have a lovely stuffed vulture (or condor??) whom we named Condorito, after my favourite Spanish comic strip.

Bert in Vilacabamba!

Bert left for Loja on Thursday evening for a 15 + hour bus ride. He made it safely, although he was forced to sit though an improvised sermon on the bus, complete with hymns and a lengthy talk.

From there he caught a bus to Vilacabamba, which translates as 'sacred valley'. He ended up having a beer with an old man who wanted to practice English. A young boy tried to speak converse with him as well, but upon realizing that Bert's Spanish is limited, the boy settled for explaining that "God made all the plants".

Today Bert went for a four hour horse ride around Vilacabamba; and, tomorrow he'll head to his new home in the mountains of Sacred Suenos (Sacred Dreams) farm, accompanied by a burro carrying supplies.

He's said that the atmosphere is much more relaxed in the rural areas he's visiting. He'll be gone for approx three weeks, will come back for two, and probably return again.

For those of you who don't know, I'm still in Quito because I have some good work opportunities that I want to continue pursuing. Bert got tired of the politics at his job, and feels like he'll have a richer experience here by working on the farm. I'm looking forward to the return of what will soon become a very dirty, muscular, hairy Bert (the showers is a hose, and he will be working for 6-8 hours a day).

That's it. I'll update when I hear from him, he plans to make contact every weekend. He hasn't a phone or internet, and has to hike four hours both ways to get to a place that does.

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Holy Week/ La Semana Santa (28 March-April 4)

Holy Week is a really huge ordeal in Quito. The entire is abuzz city with ritual and fervor. "Sacred Concerts" happen all week, along with ceremonies, and various artistic and cultural events.






We attended the Good Friday Mass Procession, a trek that at a normal pace would take thirty minutes, but continues for five long hours. People gather in front of the San Fransisco Church in droves to watch festivities, sell religious wares, and to dress up and walk the streets in honor of Jesus' trek to the cross.




(above: San Francisco Church and Plaza)
Most people were dressed as the conical–hooded cucuruchos, many as veronicas (veiled women who represent the women who washed the face of Jesus), some were dressed as Lazarus, Roman soldiers, and even Jesus himself. The population is primarily made up of healthy adults, although some people are elderly, some disabled, and some children. Many people were barefoot, and the pain of doing this in the Ecuadorian sun was evident on their faces and by their limps. Some had wrapped their feet in cardboard by the end of the trek.







Some people wrapped their bodies in barbed wire, their heads in thorns, or simply whipped themselves with knotted ropes or stinging nettles as they walked along. These people were, of course, dripping with small amounts of blood as their bare backs scorched in the hot sun of Quito.







Some people wore chains around their feet and hands, and many bore crosses, both large and small. The cross bearers were often crumpled over in pain by the home stretch. This is considered to be an act of penance.






The costumed people were accompanied by bands, all playing the same sad, drone-like song. In addition, hundreds of spectators joined the procession as it wound through the streets.
As for us, we were seated on a comfortable balcony with a birds-eye view of the whole ordeal. We enjoyed chocolate fondue and fresh fruit along with cold cervezas (beer). We also had a hearty lunch of fanesca, which is a traditional meal that is only eaten during holy week, since the ingredients represent Jesus' disciples (twelve grains for twelve apostles) and are in line with the Catholic prohibition of red meat during holy week. I know Bert's Dad will want a recipe, so here's one . It is a very, very filling soup.




Back to the penitent:
Eventually these people were followed by the Virgin of Sorrows sculpted by Manuel Chili ’Caspicara’ in the 18th century, who is carried on a float by a dozen men. Following her was a likeness of Jesus the Almighty, sculpted from balsa wood in Quito in 1620 by Father Carlos, who is regarded as one of the great Franciscan artists. A priest on a loudspeaker read off Jesus’ death sentence, and we all threw rose petals at both statues.





As the procession was nearing it's end, the skies opened up in a torrential rain-shower, sending the massive crowds running for cover. We laughed from our balcony, most of the crowd fled to shelter, while many stayed to await Jesus' return. This was the most Jesus-centric Easter I have ever experienced, the obvious devotion and respect was striking.




Pigeons Flew Back and forth over the crowds all day.

A blind musician.











All the religious figures in the San Fransisco Church had their heads covered like this.

Englush

Being a native English speaker is a real advantage on the international front. Here in Ecuador, our English fluency is a skill that we have to offer. People here who have studied for years don't know certain subtleties of the language that we grasp effortlessly. For instance, there are several meanings for phrasal verbs like: 'break up', 'check out', or 'run into', which make them hard to learn. Also, it's hard to find a connection between things like "give the cold shoulder", "get cold feet" "breakout into a cold sweat", "quit cold turkey", "cold hard cash", etcetera.

According to Wikipedia, English is spoken by up to 1.8 billion people, and is one of the 6 official languages of the United Nations. It is also the international language of aeronautics, science, medicine, communication, entertainment, radio, diplomacy...

Most of the travelers we meet from all over the world can communicate in English, so it often becomes the mode of communication, the genuine lingua franca, at many of the social events we attend. Lucky us, we're 'experts' in English!

New Job & Stability

Now I have work again.

Team Stimulation: Go!
Team Financial Security: Go!
Team Spanish Classes: Go!
Team Plan Excursions: Go!


I must admit I was pretty blue about a thing or two.. and now I feel really grateful for what's come my way.


Work Details:

I don't think Bert mentioned this, but he works at a school called Cendia. Initially he was a conversation specialist, visiting different classrooms every hour to engage the students through activities and lessons that he would prepare in advance. Now he does that in addition to teaching his own class in the mornings.

I now work in the marketing department for a company that arranges cruises on luxurious catamarans. You can read about the company by clicking here, and see the cruisers by clicking here. A big portion of the job consists of stylistic writing and editing, which I'm very excited about. I'll also be teaching English for a few hours a day, and doing some other projects. Best of all, breakfast gets brought around the office every day at 10:30.