I should have done the honourable thing, taken my lamp and left... But I was too proud
I realized that I have been posting once a week, on Tuesdays... I don't mean it... it just happens!
On Tuesday, after I posted my last thingy, I sign onto gmail and realize that Niall is online. I type him a gmail message asking him where he is and he goes "ppnet"... which is the place that we usually go to. I turn around and sure enough, there's this tall white dude facing a computer. I yell "Niall" and we both kinda laugh. Oh fun times. After that, we head to our "hang-out" place and have a beer/coke light. I arrive home just before my mom. It was sweet. I spend the rest of the day in bed cause I'm still sorta sicky.
On Wednesday, I go to work and it's the usual except in the afternoon, my kids (grades 5, 6 and 7) don't have class and are all outside practicing soccor. The teacher is leading them in a lot of excercises. Apparently, the next day, there's a soccor tornament hosted by Dustin's school and 8 elementary schools in the area are going. The practice that day was pretty neat to see. I wish I had my camera. The kids ran laps and did zig-zaggy running using rocks (where Canadian kids would have probably used pylons). Then they formed a circle and kicked the ball around and anyone who missed and let the ball out of the circle had to run around and all the other kids kicked him/her in the bum. It was funny to watch. That afternoon, I got on the bus and went into town to meet Fernanda, our coordinator. Dustin got on the bus halfway and showed me where he lived. His house is on my bus route. It's smallish.
We get off and walk to the park. Stef's already there and Niall is just walking up. We're all meeting Fernanda at the same time. She's late. It's the first time that Niall and Stef have seen Dustin... they catch up. Fernanda comes up and we all head to a Chinese restaurant. We order chicken fried rice and some sort of beef dish and talk about our placements and families. The portions are crazy. For $3 US, the fried rice can feed about 3 hungry people. So Niall goes first and everything's fine. Dustin goes next and everything's mostly fine. We (Dustin and I) get in trouble for going to Columbia and now we both have a demerit point. I don't know if we have 3 strikes or 2, so I have to be good from now on. When Fernanda gets to me, she tells me that my family thinks I'm out all the time and that I call up all the other kids and make them meet me and I'm a bad seed. She says I should check the internet only once a week and then spend more time with my family. I usually check my email twice a week anyways. And I definitely don't call up all the kids. I had talked to Stef three times in 2 weeks. Anyways, a lot of not fair. Fernanda agrees that it's a lot of misunderstanding. Also, she's pissed that I am teaching cause she apparently spent a lot of time and effort in locating my original placement. I don't buy that, because if she did, she would know that there is nothing for me to do. Anyways, she's harsh but whatever. Stef also goes and says stuff that I can't remember right now. In the end, Niall prods me and I tell her about the brother situation which does explain a lot of my anti-social behaviour at home. Actually, Niall tells my brother situation to Fernanda... but either way, it's out in the open.
After the meeting, I call Gloria to say that I'm still with Fernanda and have to stay until about 5:30. That wasn't true, but whatever. Gloria's super nice and says sure. Stef and I head to visit Niall's place and Dustin disappears into the abyss/went home (without saying bye). We see Niall's place which is pretty damn nice. They have stucco walls which is different and hard-wood floors. His mom owns a small factory which employs about 4 women and that's also at his house. We visit the house and the factory. We stay for a bit and his family is really friendly. I especially like his sister who is really funny and nice. After that, we head to the "hang-out" place again for drinks. I leave downtown pretty late and take a cab home and make it just in time. Gloria isn't home... but when she does, we end up taking a "camionetta" (a pick-up truck that you can hire as a taxi) to Miguel's (my 17 year old brother) school to deliver some cuy (roasted whole guinea pig, which definitely still looks like a guinea pig). His school is really big and has a court yard. Then, we take the same camionetta to pick up Gloria's husband who is home early. I don't really know what's going on. In the end, we go home. Don't remember what I did that night, I think I go to bed early-ish.
On Thursday, I wake up and try to catch a bus to Dustin's school. The bus was late and wasn't going the regular route. It was confusing but I got on because the bus stopped across the street from where it usually does and a bunch of teachers who recognized me from Columbia waved me over. Dustin gets on the bus half way through and we get to his school. There are a lot of children and we're surrounded. A lot of people are around. My kids show up little by little and they have yellow uniforms on. I start taking pictures and they all crowd around. In the end, they kept asking for me to take individual pictures of all of them and I just couldn't. I don't have that much memory in my digital camera and frankly, I don't want a lot of individual pictures of all of them. Later, Tara and Kristin arrive (the Waterloo people) and I get a student to take a pic of all 4 of us. The first shot, she definitely didn't get our heads in the picture which was kinda funny. I think it was a mixture of not having taken too many pictures and nervousness that caused that funny-ness. I get her to take another one and it's lovely.
At the game, my boys go first and they win 6-1 against Gloria's school. That's pretty cool and I take a lot of action shots. I run to them after then win and a lot of them hug me. It's super cute. The only thing that I didn't enjoy about the day... other than a lot of kids crowding me and getting each other to slap me (they would take each other's hand and slap me and when I looked over, they would blame each other and giggle) and puttin dirt on my pants... was the gender thing. They play boys and girl games which is usually how these things go... but the boys got the main field, and the girls got a field about a quarter of the size that was in the mud. Also, the boys got goals while the girls had rocks marking the goal posts. Then, when there was about an hour left of game play, they decide to use that white chalky thing to mark out the girls' field. Well tell us what you really think about women's sports!!!! Everything in my cringe...
After that, we head into a classroom as all the teachers eat. They each get a plate with about 3 boiled potatoes and 2 giant pieces of chicken and a lot of rice. Dustin and I don't eat. But it's sad because the teachers can't finish it and then give the rest to the kids waiting outside the classrooms like puppies. Sadness when kids fight over a plate of rice. I wonder how many Canadian kids would even touch a plate of half finished rice... Soon after, Dustin and I head home. I get home and eat a bit and head to my afternoon placement which I haven't been at all week. I'm there for a bit with nothing to do... although two women come in and I understand both of them... that's kinda awesome. The second woman's husband threw her out because she protected her daughter when he tried to hit her and she just wanted to leave him but wanted to get back into the house to get her stuff. Marianna, the secretary, who is helping the woman, tries to convince her to go back to the husband and do counselling with him. I'm like... dude, obviously, it's a bad situation and she wants to leave. She doesn't need your judgement and you telling her to go back. She doesn't want to go back. The woman then explains that he drinks and hits her sometimes and she has given him a lot of chances and has had enough. Marianna says that he has a disease and he should seek help but then he can get better. I'm just sitting there shaking my head. Sure, he may be better later, but I don't think she needs to stay with him and help him and wait (all sitting-duck like). In the end, Marianna agrees to contact the lawyer and help her... but really, I (and probably the client, as well) could have done without the crazy judgement and moralistic posturing.
A bit later, Marianna gets a call from the prez of the company who tells her to go somewhere and to bring me along. We end up at the municipio (government building) and go to a meeting. There was a talk on abortions that was there the morning which I missed and am pissed about. We arrive at the meeting but first the prez, Marianna and a rando woman whisper a lot and then during the meeting, there are issues about something that I couldn't really understand... some sorta turf wars between two centres that both help women and the money from the government being shared fairly (or not fairly it seems like)... it's weird. There is also a presentation by a visiting group that was like women for life.. .and at first I thought it was a pro-life group but in the end, it was a group that wanted to elevate the conditions of life for women in ecuador. I sit through a lot of the meeting (2 and a half hours worth) and then need to get home. I arrive home at 7:00 and called Andreanne on the way. I find out from her that Tina from our program is going home. Her grandma isn't doing well and she is heading back. I hear later that she wasn't having a good time here and was sorta using that as an excuse. I don't know what's going on but it sucks either way. Gloria wasn't home all day, and when she did get home, I asked her about going to Quito on Saturday, which Stef and I were planning. She says OK and we have a long talk about her and my meetings with Fernanda. Apprarently, Fernanda has been saying different things to us. Gloria was told that I am supposed to see my friends only once a week and I guess she has been thinking that I have been breaking the rules all this time. There are other rules that Fernanda has definitely only mentioned to the host families and I am mad. That is not fair. The families think we are doing bad stuff and we had no idea. MAD!!! Also, all these rules that Fernanda imposed are stupid because I didn't sign up for this. In Canada, they definitely didn't tell us about all this. I want to see my friends (cause the people here are awesome). I also want to travel... Rules suck! That night, I stay up and watch a bit of Rocky 2 in Spanish and Resident Evil in English. It's weird.
On Friday, there is a civic holiday. May 24 is the Batalla de Pachincha (I'm not sure about the spelling)... but it's the day that Ecuador and Columbia fought back the Spanish. It's funny cause they celebrate May 24 as well! I tried to explain to their the Canadian tradition of going camping and getting drunk... they didn't get it. In the morning, I help the family clean and in the afternoon, I head out to meet Niall at 3pm. We chill at the internet for a bit and I was given an hour and a half to be online. I call Gloria to ask for more time and she says that I should be back home by 6pm at the latest. That's awesome! She has lightened up a lot since before. It's pretty cool. Niall and I go back to our special place and that day, the woman at the cash calls me over and tells me that I owe her $5 because she over-changed me last time. I really don't remember and we talk for a bit and I like the place so I throw her 5 bucks. It's odd. Niall walks me home before my curfew and I get home at 5:50. I am super tired and fall asleep for a bit. I get a phone call from Stef asking about Quito the next day around 7 which wakes me up. Gloria also comes home at this point. She is a lot more lax about stuff but we still have understanding problems. She said before that we were going to go to Otavalo in the morning and then Stef would come over and we'd go to Quito. I asked if it was OK if I went to Otavalo twice because this coming weekend, all the Queen's people are planning to go to Otavalo. She says she doesn't care. Also, she says that she would talk to Marta (stef's host mom) so Stef doesn't have to do it and get confused with the Spanish. When she came home, I asked if she wanted to talk to Stef's mom about the next day and she said no... and then I asked what time would be good for Stef to come over... when we would be back from Otavalo and she said that I was going with my friends and not her. CONFUSION!!!! That night, I watch X-Men in English on FOX!
The next morning, I wake up late and shower really quickly... Gloria tells me that Stef is at the bus stop and that I should go. I tell her I'm not ready and she tells me she'll get Stef. Soon, Stef's at my place and I finish getting ready. I was told that Miguel would go with us because he has a soccer game at 1pm. We were supposed to leave at 8:30am (though I was ready by 8:00). 8:30 comes and goes and it isn't until 9:15 that Miguel is ready. Then he tells us that he isn't going with us and he's just showing us the laundrette and the bus stop. I am slightly miffed for having to wait for him for so long. Why did he need to gel his hair and change clothing twice to just walk down the street???
Quito is an interesting story which I will write about later. We get home really late on Saturday and neither are very happy! Luis wants to watch really stupid movies... I really don't. He takes me out to go DVD shopping and the place he takes me to has every B- and C-list movie ever made... nothing good is found. I ended up buying "The Skeleton Key" because I have acutally heard of it. That night, we don't watch a movie though... because X-Men 2 was on TV... but it's in Spanish. I am disappointed because I was looking forward to it all day and end up going to bed while the other kids watch to their hearts delight.
On Sunday, I wake up early and go for a "run" with the family. Basically, I die and walk the short-cut while Gloria proves once again that she is super-human. I get home and wanna sleep but I don't because my friends are arriving shortly. I go into the livingroom where everyone is dancing a weird Latin dance that I can't keep up with and feel stupid trying and then eat breakfast. After food, I rush to the bus stop and Stef's there. We wait for half an hour and I want to go pick up my clothes. Halfway there, Stef and I get lost and also get a phone call from Shawn who made it into Quito. We head back to the bus station. Then there's hugging and more wondering where the others are. Shawn arrived from Pifo and got here all by himself. We really hoped the other dozen people didn't get lost from Cotacachi (which we think is an easier trip). We split up shortly because I really need to get my clothing before the thing closes at noon (cause it's Sunday). Almost exactly when I get home, I get a call from Aneta. They're lost. I make them take a cab to my place and wait outside. The camionetta arrives and it's easy to spot them because of the blonde girls. We all hug. It's beautiful. There are only 5 of them. The others are coming later apparently. Many of them need to pee. I don't know what to do because last time, Gloria was not happy abotu friends coming over uninvited. I run upstairs to nervously ask her and she makes me shout my question through the door and tells me that it's my house too and I'm allowed people over. WEIRD! So they come up and see my room and go pee. We hurry away because Stef is still waiting at the bus stop. I plead and get Miguel to pick up my clothes for me... he agrees and officially become my hero.
We walk to the bus stop and I call Dustin who is alreadyt here. The other Cotacachi kids also arrived. So big reunion is imminent. We finally all are at the same place and more hugging. The only ones missing are Heidi who couldn't come and Niall who is sprobably dead after the night-long wedding. We decide to walk to his place. We ring the bell and he comes out and more hugging. We go in for a bit cause his family is super nice and all talk about our upcoming trips. Soon, we leave Niall who needs a bit of time to pull himself together. We all walk down to get food and everyone starts smoking. I have never met so many Canadians who smoke... We end up going to my fav bread place and then going for Chinese... where Niall meets us after an hour and a half. The day is marvellous and we have the best time. We can't stop laughing!!! The biggest news... one of the participants is dating his/her host sibling. I am not allowed to name names but it's cool!
Later, we walk around looking for cheese because my town is the cheese capital of Ecuador (what are the chances) and then end up at the city part to chill for a bit. All the Cotacachi kids leave around 3:30 because they were all at a wedding the night before and are tired and blah blah blah. We'll all see each other next weekend at Otavalo though! Excited!!! (And I am mostly sure Gloria understand what's going on and is OK with it). Then Shawn, Dustin, Stef, Niall and I head to our usual place to drink beers/coke lights. I really love this group of people. Super fun!!!! Dustin and Shawn leave at 4:30 to catch respective buses and the three last Cayambe kids head to the internet. We stay there for a bit before all of us need to head home. It was mostly a lovely day... mostly... Stef and I bound over lost loves... or something....
Monday was the usual. Work... kids who don't speak English and refuse to study at home! Frustrating but I like 'em. A lot of my boys are really endearing in that cocky young boys way... In the afternoon, I go to work and later, a bunch of ladies from the meeting last Thursday show up to talk about strategic planning. They aren't getting funds says Irene (a randomly attractive butch-ish woman) because they don't have any concrete plans for the centre. She tells me some of the ideas she has and I really want to help. She wants to organize a fiesta where local artists sell art and donate a portion of the earnings to a fund that helps buy medication for the kids of the women the centre helps. She also wants to organize a day where we have info sessions cause most of the women here don't know their rights. I know my Spanish might be a problem but she got me really excitied!!!
Today, I didn't go to school because I woke up this morning wanting to die. I had the worst stomach problems and yeah, pain. Word to the wise, don't eat late at night at high altitudes, it messes up your digestion and you can't sleeping or live for a while. I ended up staying home all morning and wishing I was unconscious. It cleared up by mid-day and I ended up going to the office today. And now I'm here... another week in the life of me... time is passing really quickly!
On Tuesday, after I posted my last thingy, I sign onto gmail and realize that Niall is online. I type him a gmail message asking him where he is and he goes "ppnet"... which is the place that we usually go to. I turn around and sure enough, there's this tall white dude facing a computer. I yell "Niall" and we both kinda laugh. Oh fun times. After that, we head to our "hang-out" place and have a beer/coke light. I arrive home just before my mom. It was sweet. I spend the rest of the day in bed cause I'm still sorta sicky.
On Wednesday, I go to work and it's the usual except in the afternoon, my kids (grades 5, 6 and 7) don't have class and are all outside practicing soccor. The teacher is leading them in a lot of excercises. Apparently, the next day, there's a soccor tornament hosted by Dustin's school and 8 elementary schools in the area are going. The practice that day was pretty neat to see. I wish I had my camera. The kids ran laps and did zig-zaggy running using rocks (where Canadian kids would have probably used pylons). Then they formed a circle and kicked the ball around and anyone who missed and let the ball out of the circle had to run around and all the other kids kicked him/her in the bum. It was funny to watch. That afternoon, I got on the bus and went into town to meet Fernanda, our coordinator. Dustin got on the bus halfway and showed me where he lived. His house is on my bus route. It's smallish.
We get off and walk to the park. Stef's already there and Niall is just walking up. We're all meeting Fernanda at the same time. She's late. It's the first time that Niall and Stef have seen Dustin... they catch up. Fernanda comes up and we all head to a Chinese restaurant. We order chicken fried rice and some sort of beef dish and talk about our placements and families. The portions are crazy. For $3 US, the fried rice can feed about 3 hungry people. So Niall goes first and everything's fine. Dustin goes next and everything's mostly fine. We (Dustin and I) get in trouble for going to Columbia and now we both have a demerit point. I don't know if we have 3 strikes or 2, so I have to be good from now on. When Fernanda gets to me, she tells me that my family thinks I'm out all the time and that I call up all the other kids and make them meet me and I'm a bad seed. She says I should check the internet only once a week and then spend more time with my family. I usually check my email twice a week anyways. And I definitely don't call up all the kids. I had talked to Stef three times in 2 weeks. Anyways, a lot of not fair. Fernanda agrees that it's a lot of misunderstanding. Also, she's pissed that I am teaching cause she apparently spent a lot of time and effort in locating my original placement. I don't buy that, because if she did, she would know that there is nothing for me to do. Anyways, she's harsh but whatever. Stef also goes and says stuff that I can't remember right now. In the end, Niall prods me and I tell her about the brother situation which does explain a lot of my anti-social behaviour at home. Actually, Niall tells my brother situation to Fernanda... but either way, it's out in the open.
After the meeting, I call Gloria to say that I'm still with Fernanda and have to stay until about 5:30. That wasn't true, but whatever. Gloria's super nice and says sure. Stef and I head to visit Niall's place and Dustin disappears into the abyss/went home (without saying bye). We see Niall's place which is pretty damn nice. They have stucco walls which is different and hard-wood floors. His mom owns a small factory which employs about 4 women and that's also at his house. We visit the house and the factory. We stay for a bit and his family is really friendly. I especially like his sister who is really funny and nice. After that, we head to the "hang-out" place again for drinks. I leave downtown pretty late and take a cab home and make it just in time. Gloria isn't home... but when she does, we end up taking a "camionetta" (a pick-up truck that you can hire as a taxi) to Miguel's (my 17 year old brother) school to deliver some cuy (roasted whole guinea pig, which definitely still looks like a guinea pig). His school is really big and has a court yard. Then, we take the same camionetta to pick up Gloria's husband who is home early. I don't really know what's going on. In the end, we go home. Don't remember what I did that night, I think I go to bed early-ish.
On Thursday, I wake up and try to catch a bus to Dustin's school. The bus was late and wasn't going the regular route. It was confusing but I got on because the bus stopped across the street from where it usually does and a bunch of teachers who recognized me from Columbia waved me over. Dustin gets on the bus half way through and we get to his school. There are a lot of children and we're surrounded. A lot of people are around. My kids show up little by little and they have yellow uniforms on. I start taking pictures and they all crowd around. In the end, they kept asking for me to take individual pictures of all of them and I just couldn't. I don't have that much memory in my digital camera and frankly, I don't want a lot of individual pictures of all of them. Later, Tara and Kristin arrive (the Waterloo people) and I get a student to take a pic of all 4 of us. The first shot, she definitely didn't get our heads in the picture which was kinda funny. I think it was a mixture of not having taken too many pictures and nervousness that caused that funny-ness. I get her to take another one and it's lovely.
At the game, my boys go first and they win 6-1 against Gloria's school. That's pretty cool and I take a lot of action shots. I run to them after then win and a lot of them hug me. It's super cute. The only thing that I didn't enjoy about the day... other than a lot of kids crowding me and getting each other to slap me (they would take each other's hand and slap me and when I looked over, they would blame each other and giggle) and puttin dirt on my pants... was the gender thing. They play boys and girl games which is usually how these things go... but the boys got the main field, and the girls got a field about a quarter of the size that was in the mud. Also, the boys got goals while the girls had rocks marking the goal posts. Then, when there was about an hour left of game play, they decide to use that white chalky thing to mark out the girls' field. Well tell us what you really think about women's sports!!!! Everything in my cringe...
After that, we head into a classroom as all the teachers eat. They each get a plate with about 3 boiled potatoes and 2 giant pieces of chicken and a lot of rice. Dustin and I don't eat. But it's sad because the teachers can't finish it and then give the rest to the kids waiting outside the classrooms like puppies. Sadness when kids fight over a plate of rice. I wonder how many Canadian kids would even touch a plate of half finished rice... Soon after, Dustin and I head home. I get home and eat a bit and head to my afternoon placement which I haven't been at all week. I'm there for a bit with nothing to do... although two women come in and I understand both of them... that's kinda awesome. The second woman's husband threw her out because she protected her daughter when he tried to hit her and she just wanted to leave him but wanted to get back into the house to get her stuff. Marianna, the secretary, who is helping the woman, tries to convince her to go back to the husband and do counselling with him. I'm like... dude, obviously, it's a bad situation and she wants to leave. She doesn't need your judgement and you telling her to go back. She doesn't want to go back. The woman then explains that he drinks and hits her sometimes and she has given him a lot of chances and has had enough. Marianna says that he has a disease and he should seek help but then he can get better. I'm just sitting there shaking my head. Sure, he may be better later, but I don't think she needs to stay with him and help him and wait (all sitting-duck like). In the end, Marianna agrees to contact the lawyer and help her... but really, I (and probably the client, as well) could have done without the crazy judgement and moralistic posturing.
A bit later, Marianna gets a call from the prez of the company who tells her to go somewhere and to bring me along. We end up at the municipio (government building) and go to a meeting. There was a talk on abortions that was there the morning which I missed and am pissed about. We arrive at the meeting but first the prez, Marianna and a rando woman whisper a lot and then during the meeting, there are issues about something that I couldn't really understand... some sorta turf wars between two centres that both help women and the money from the government being shared fairly (or not fairly it seems like)... it's weird. There is also a presentation by a visiting group that was like women for life.. .and at first I thought it was a pro-life group but in the end, it was a group that wanted to elevate the conditions of life for women in ecuador. I sit through a lot of the meeting (2 and a half hours worth) and then need to get home. I arrive home at 7:00 and called Andreanne on the way. I find out from her that Tina from our program is going home. Her grandma isn't doing well and she is heading back. I hear later that she wasn't having a good time here and was sorta using that as an excuse. I don't know what's going on but it sucks either way. Gloria wasn't home all day, and when she did get home, I asked her about going to Quito on Saturday, which Stef and I were planning. She says OK and we have a long talk about her and my meetings with Fernanda. Apprarently, Fernanda has been saying different things to us. Gloria was told that I am supposed to see my friends only once a week and I guess she has been thinking that I have been breaking the rules all this time. There are other rules that Fernanda has definitely only mentioned to the host families and I am mad. That is not fair. The families think we are doing bad stuff and we had no idea. MAD!!! Also, all these rules that Fernanda imposed are stupid because I didn't sign up for this. In Canada, they definitely didn't tell us about all this. I want to see my friends (cause the people here are awesome). I also want to travel... Rules suck! That night, I stay up and watch a bit of Rocky 2 in Spanish and Resident Evil in English. It's weird.
On Friday, there is a civic holiday. May 24 is the Batalla de Pachincha (I'm not sure about the spelling)... but it's the day that Ecuador and Columbia fought back the Spanish. It's funny cause they celebrate May 24 as well! I tried to explain to their the Canadian tradition of going camping and getting drunk... they didn't get it. In the morning, I help the family clean and in the afternoon, I head out to meet Niall at 3pm. We chill at the internet for a bit and I was given an hour and a half to be online. I call Gloria to ask for more time and she says that I should be back home by 6pm at the latest. That's awesome! She has lightened up a lot since before. It's pretty cool. Niall and I go back to our special place and that day, the woman at the cash calls me over and tells me that I owe her $5 because she over-changed me last time. I really don't remember and we talk for a bit and I like the place so I throw her 5 bucks. It's odd. Niall walks me home before my curfew and I get home at 5:50. I am super tired and fall asleep for a bit. I get a phone call from Stef asking about Quito the next day around 7 which wakes me up. Gloria also comes home at this point. She is a lot more lax about stuff but we still have understanding problems. She said before that we were going to go to Otavalo in the morning and then Stef would come over and we'd go to Quito. I asked if it was OK if I went to Otavalo twice because this coming weekend, all the Queen's people are planning to go to Otavalo. She says she doesn't care. Also, she says that she would talk to Marta (stef's host mom) so Stef doesn't have to do it and get confused with the Spanish. When she came home, I asked if she wanted to talk to Stef's mom about the next day and she said no... and then I asked what time would be good for Stef to come over... when we would be back from Otavalo and she said that I was going with my friends and not her. CONFUSION!!!! That night, I watch X-Men in English on FOX!
The next morning, I wake up late and shower really quickly... Gloria tells me that Stef is at the bus stop and that I should go. I tell her I'm not ready and she tells me she'll get Stef. Soon, Stef's at my place and I finish getting ready. I was told that Miguel would go with us because he has a soccer game at 1pm. We were supposed to leave at 8:30am (though I was ready by 8:00). 8:30 comes and goes and it isn't until 9:15 that Miguel is ready. Then he tells us that he isn't going with us and he's just showing us the laundrette and the bus stop. I am slightly miffed for having to wait for him for so long. Why did he need to gel his hair and change clothing twice to just walk down the street???
Quito is an interesting story which I will write about later. We get home really late on Saturday and neither are very happy! Luis wants to watch really stupid movies... I really don't. He takes me out to go DVD shopping and the place he takes me to has every B- and C-list movie ever made... nothing good is found. I ended up buying "The Skeleton Key" because I have acutally heard of it. That night, we don't watch a movie though... because X-Men 2 was on TV... but it's in Spanish. I am disappointed because I was looking forward to it all day and end up going to bed while the other kids watch to their hearts delight.
On Sunday, I wake up early and go for a "run" with the family. Basically, I die and walk the short-cut while Gloria proves once again that she is super-human. I get home and wanna sleep but I don't because my friends are arriving shortly. I go into the livingroom where everyone is dancing a weird Latin dance that I can't keep up with and feel stupid trying and then eat breakfast. After food, I rush to the bus stop and Stef's there. We wait for half an hour and I want to go pick up my clothes. Halfway there, Stef and I get lost and also get a phone call from Shawn who made it into Quito. We head back to the bus station. Then there's hugging and more wondering where the others are. Shawn arrived from Pifo and got here all by himself. We really hoped the other dozen people didn't get lost from Cotacachi (which we think is an easier trip). We split up shortly because I really need to get my clothing before the thing closes at noon (cause it's Sunday). Almost exactly when I get home, I get a call from Aneta. They're lost. I make them take a cab to my place and wait outside. The camionetta arrives and it's easy to spot them because of the blonde girls. We all hug. It's beautiful. There are only 5 of them. The others are coming later apparently. Many of them need to pee. I don't know what to do because last time, Gloria was not happy abotu friends coming over uninvited. I run upstairs to nervously ask her and she makes me shout my question through the door and tells me that it's my house too and I'm allowed people over. WEIRD! So they come up and see my room and go pee. We hurry away because Stef is still waiting at the bus stop. I plead and get Miguel to pick up my clothes for me... he agrees and officially become my hero.
We walk to the bus stop and I call Dustin who is alreadyt here. The other Cotacachi kids also arrived. So big reunion is imminent. We finally all are at the same place and more hugging. The only ones missing are Heidi who couldn't come and Niall who is sprobably dead after the night-long wedding. We decide to walk to his place. We ring the bell and he comes out and more hugging. We go in for a bit cause his family is super nice and all talk about our upcoming trips. Soon, we leave Niall who needs a bit of time to pull himself together. We all walk down to get food and everyone starts smoking. I have never met so many Canadians who smoke... We end up going to my fav bread place and then going for Chinese... where Niall meets us after an hour and a half. The day is marvellous and we have the best time. We can't stop laughing!!! The biggest news... one of the participants is dating his/her host sibling. I am not allowed to name names but it's cool!
Later, we walk around looking for cheese because my town is the cheese capital of Ecuador (what are the chances) and then end up at the city part to chill for a bit. All the Cotacachi kids leave around 3:30 because they were all at a wedding the night before and are tired and blah blah blah. We'll all see each other next weekend at Otavalo though! Excited!!! (And I am mostly sure Gloria understand what's going on and is OK with it). Then Shawn, Dustin, Stef, Niall and I head to our usual place to drink beers/coke lights. I really love this group of people. Super fun!!!! Dustin and Shawn leave at 4:30 to catch respective buses and the three last Cayambe kids head to the internet. We stay there for a bit before all of us need to head home. It was mostly a lovely day... mostly... Stef and I bound over lost loves... or something....
Monday was the usual. Work... kids who don't speak English and refuse to study at home! Frustrating but I like 'em. A lot of my boys are really endearing in that cocky young boys way... In the afternoon, I go to work and later, a bunch of ladies from the meeting last Thursday show up to talk about strategic planning. They aren't getting funds says Irene (a randomly attractive butch-ish woman) because they don't have any concrete plans for the centre. She tells me some of the ideas she has and I really want to help. She wants to organize a fiesta where local artists sell art and donate a portion of the earnings to a fund that helps buy medication for the kids of the women the centre helps. She also wants to organize a day where we have info sessions cause most of the women here don't know their rights. I know my Spanish might be a problem but she got me really excitied!!!
Today, I didn't go to school because I woke up this morning wanting to die. I had the worst stomach problems and yeah, pain. Word to the wise, don't eat late at night at high altitudes, it messes up your digestion and you can't sleeping or live for a while. I ended up staying home all morning and wishing I was unconscious. It cleared up by mid-day and I ended up going to the office today. And now I'm here... another week in the life of me... time is passing really quickly!