peace corps makes you weird

so christmas was spend like most of my weekends in Cahuasqui, the most beautiful place in the whole wide world.

consisting of an ever flowing supply of Pilsner, rum, bull fights, dance parties in papipollo places, karaoke, baile, and some run ins with the locals, cuts and bruises and some new friends.

it was a very nontraditional christmas but it might make my top ten list. mostly because i got my kindle(<3) and my new baby kitty opened her eyes for the first time. i might not of had snow or american christmas music or family.. but i did get a merry christmas from Obama (first time i got a Presidential Merry Christmas..idk its fun)

A few things I want to mention about Ecuador:

Firstly the Post Office

 I explained to not send things over 4lbs and this is a brief explanation why…

When you go to the post office you have to wait in line like any normal post office experience anywhere in the world. Then you reach the counter where you are culturally obliged to have at least a 3 minute conversation as to how you and the clerk are doing, how the weather is, and that such and such was happening this weekend. They then inform you that you have something heavy back here waiting for you. So you need to leave the post office to find the nearest tienda, with a copier, to make two copies of your passport then walk back to the post office and wait in line again. Then you get back to the front of the line, sign some things you don’t entirely understand and then walk into a back room with an armed police man (who doesn’t say one word to you or really acknowledge you are there at all) while you wait for the other post office people to finish doing whatever they are doing. They then go through everything make up random prices for things then charge you anywhere between 10 to 40 dollars depending how they are feeling that day. (and if you were at the post office in Quito you would have to leave again at this point to play Frogger across a four lane highway to go to the bank to pay, sign 3 copies of the same thing, play Frogger again, walk back to the post office, sign your package out, then when you ask “is that it?” they look at you like “ugh yeah what ever do you mean, is this it?”)
So when I say please nothing over 4lbs this is the real reason why// It is easier for me at least to get multiple packages under 4lbs then one 5lb box.

Other Fun Things:

·         “Ya Mismo” can mean a few things. ‘Ya mismo’ is a phrase you both love and hate. When you have a ton of things planned for the day and when you are on a schedule and you call someone to ask where they are and they say ‘ya mismo’ it means  ‘ill be there when I get there’, ‘I haven’t left my bed yet,’ or ‘I have like 20 things to do before I get there.’ Or it could mean ‘I’m right outside the door I’ll literally be there in one second.’ But on the other hand you can turn it around and do the same thing back to them when they have things planned and you are feeling extra lazy that day and don’t feel like getting there on time. So any time someone says ‘ya mismo’ to me I always let out a little laugh or a sigh depending on my current mood

·         And only in South American cultures can you be 30 40 minutes late for work and you show up and someone asks ‘where you were and why are you late,’ it is perfectly okay to say “I don’t know I’m just late”

·         Eggs are never to be refrigerated

·         If you go out while it is raining you might as well dig your own grave for you will surely die, and it is another acceptable reason not to go into work. You will hear quite often “Why didn’t you go to work today? Um.. It was raining!”.. or if you go outside while it is raining and sunny at the same time you will immediately stop growing and stay the same size forever (I think they needed a reason as to why they are such tiny people).. or if you shower to much you will catch a cold. Most of the time I just kind of go.. yeah ok I don’t think you are right but sureee.. but god save me the day I wake up after showering  the night before and have a cold because I do not hear the end of it.

·         Oh! And if you and your friends/family/school want to have a parade in the middle of the day.. go for it! Disrupt traffic for awhile it really doesn’t seem to bother anyone at all

That’s enough for now but just wait till you hear my feelings on hand washing clothes and electric showers.

i have been having a reoccurring dream about target.
and i am just wondering about the store.
i think i am capitalism deprived.

que mas..

+my kitty was born yesterday so only a few more weeks till i no longer live alone.
+party in Cahuasqui tomorrow night or better known as ‘the island in the sky’
+Chachimbiro for hot springs in the morning to ward off hangovers
-the rainy season just wont give it up.

inceenetinai:

If someone can explain the red ribbon, that’d be great.

 FYI-If you took this around December 1st it was HIV AIDS awareness day.

some pictures of your future vacation spot

mauvekayak:

Purple Hat Tent fun with echos! Pre Bear Creek fun time 8)

When churchs use neon lights it reminds me of this..

so this is my new home away from home. Home being a place between new york and florida, a place i have not been to in about 6 months. My new home is Yahuarcocha outside of Ibarra in Ecuador… I just found out Yahuarcocha was the site of a huge battle between the Caranquis and the Incas and Yaguarcocha means Blood Lake and they threw all the bodies into the lake after the battle. I am still not sure who won because if you ask someone on the lake they said they did but if you ask other people they say the Incas won.. so

Peace Corps has been interesting so far it has been extreme boredom mixed in with adorable children i just want to keep forever. My Spanish is still mas o menos and my projects still have not left the ground. But this is all to be expected when working in development work. (I now know the full meaning of one step forward two steps back)

I work for a organization called Aldeas SOS.. which in as little words as possible; is a long term care facility for children whose parents can not take care of them for a variety of reasons. Mostly abuse or extreme poverty. I have considered leaving the organization multiple times and finding something else because I am not sure i am the right fit but i just keep going back. But as we all learn in peace corps you develop bipolar disorder and its not a daily thing it is an hourly change in your mood. (I hope when i do go home to the states i will be more stable.)

que mas.. The first weeks here someone told us this about Americans “You cant wash your clothes, you cant cook, you cant clean, you cant speak the language, you cant take care of a baby, you cant dress yourself, you cant do your hair and makeup, banga aqui i will take care of you…” i remember this perfectly because it is so true (at least about me).

This blog/tumblr will be more pictures then anything but i hope i dont give it up after 3 posts.

(Katrina i am sorry i am probably violating so many grammar rules but you should read my spanish it is even worse.)