Party Time, Sort of
Day Six: Time for Ourselves before a Party Hosted by Ecuador
Mark dropped us near a Metro station; we had breakfast appropriately enough at a nearby Subway Sandwich Shop. Then we rode to the station near the old Smithsonian and took a look inside its castle-like structure, where I was reminded that its founder was an Englishman who never even visited the USA. His fortune of approximately $1,000 established the museum system. Don’t you wish a dollar could stretch so far today? Then we walked to the relatively new Museum of the American Indian, which neither of us had ever visited. Typically it was impossible to absorb it all in one day, even with some of it not open that day. I was sorry not to be able to see the section of the effect of the horse on the people of the plains. There was a lot on the three greatest native civilizations: the Maya, the Inca, and the Aztec. No tribe, however small, was overlooked as the displays covered aspects, such as the concepts of the universe. The gift stores can be fun just to look through.
Then we went to the Capitol Visitors’ Center to see a preview of documentary to be released soon. It has different vignettes titled “Postcards from (whichever country)” as RPCV’s reflect on their experiences years later. This presentation was followed with a panel discussion on the “soft power” of the Peace Corps.
We met Mark and changed to our new guayaberas to head to a Friends of Ecuador party hosted by the Embassy of Ecuador. Originally scheduled for the embassy itself, it was changed to the ambassador’s residence because the embassy had suffered extensive damage during the recent earthquake. Unfortunately it was much too crowded and hot to enjoy fully the time there, but the food was very good. I recognized the music from the Andes played the band and thought I might even be able to imitate a common folk dance done with a handkerchief but decided not to. We left somewhat early to regain our strength for Saturday.
This is from Saturday's party.
Day Seven: A Chance to Kick Back and a Second Party:
Saturday we used to catch our breath, rest our feet, and visit with the family. We continue to be amazed at Mark’s latent talent for making furniture. I really like the poker table built to double as a display cabinet for his grandfather’s partial collection of fossils. Grandpa himself who liked to craft things would love to see this work of Mark’s. We decided to skip some of the events scheduled for Saturday. We’d already found that there were more things to do these four days than possible. Some even conflicted with one another.
That evening we attended a second party just for our country’s group. I never did fully understand the differences between the two parties. This one was in Chevy Chase, MD, and was a very nice setting, air-conditioned, roomy, and well decorated with photographs and displays of various kinds. Each of us received a CD of contact information about many former PCV’s in Ecuador as well as short biographies of our time there and since. We took pictures of various training groups together. I was identified as the oldest volunteer present in point of service and training. It will be forty-seven years in October since I first arrived in Ecuador. Once again, we chose not to be among the last to leave and were picked up by Mark and Jocelyn, who had dined out nearby.
Mark dropped us near a Metro station; we had breakfast appropriately enough at a nearby Subway Sandwich Shop. Then we rode to the station near the old Smithsonian and took a look inside its castle-like structure, where I was reminded that its founder was an Englishman who never even visited the USA. His fortune of approximately $1,000 established the museum system. Don’t you wish a dollar could stretch so far today? Then we walked to the relatively new Museum of the American Indian, which neither of us had ever visited. Typically it was impossible to absorb it all in one day, even with some of it not open that day. I was sorry not to be able to see the section of the effect of the horse on the people of the plains. There was a lot on the three greatest native civilizations: the Maya, the Inca, and the Aztec. No tribe, however small, was overlooked as the displays covered aspects, such as the concepts of the universe. The gift stores can be fun just to look through.
Then we went to the Capitol Visitors’ Center to see a preview of documentary to be released soon. It has different vignettes titled “Postcards from (whichever country)” as RPCV’s reflect on their experiences years later. This presentation was followed with a panel discussion on the “soft power” of the Peace Corps.
We met Mark and changed to our new guayaberas to head to a Friends of Ecuador party hosted by the Embassy of Ecuador. Originally scheduled for the embassy itself, it was changed to the ambassador’s residence because the embassy had suffered extensive damage during the recent earthquake. Unfortunately it was much too crowded and hot to enjoy fully the time there, but the food was very good. I recognized the music from the Andes played the band and thought I might even be able to imitate a common folk dance done with a handkerchief but decided not to. We left somewhat early to regain our strength for Saturday.
This is from Saturday's party.
Day Seven: A Chance to Kick Back and a Second Party:
Saturday we used to catch our breath, rest our feet, and visit with the family. We continue to be amazed at Mark’s latent talent for making furniture. I really like the poker table built to double as a display cabinet for his grandfather’s partial collection of fossils. Grandpa himself who liked to craft things would love to see this work of Mark’s. We decided to skip some of the events scheduled for Saturday. We’d already found that there were more things to do these four days than possible. Some even conflicted with one another.
That evening we attended a second party just for our country’s group. I never did fully understand the differences between the two parties. This one was in Chevy Chase, MD, and was a very nice setting, air-conditioned, roomy, and well decorated with photographs and displays of various kinds. Each of us received a CD of contact information about many former PCV’s in Ecuador as well as short biographies of our time there and since. We took pictures of various training groups together. I was identified as the oldest volunteer present in point of service and training. It will be forty-seven years in October since I first arrived in Ecuador. Once again, we chose not to be among the last to leave and were picked up by Mark and Jocelyn, who had dined out nearby.