June 14, 2011

Alright, I have a lot to update. Lets start with Saturday:
Sat: June 11
We were in the community of Puembo today practicing our PACA tools. My group had to interview children under ages 13 about their 24 hour calendar. We also had to find out what resources the community had. Not many people were out and about when we arrived but poco a poco we found kids to talk to. Many of the kids get up around 5 or 6 AM and are in school till 1:30-2. They then come home to eat and have the rest of the afternoon to do homework and play. One of the boys we interviewed was on the 10 siblings and on the weekend worked at a country club nearby. The country club is for the very weathy that have their 2nd homes out here. Many of them, he said, are “extranjeros” which means they are from other countries. This boy works on the weekends and makes about $80/month, which is quite a bit for a 12 year old.

After Puembo we returned to Tumbaco to get phones! I also got my flash-drive for Internet. For now it’s all pre-pay: $3 for unlimited 24 hr use of $16 for unlimited one-week use. The nice thing is that once we get our bank accounts established we can purchase a plan for $20/month for unlimited use. I don’t want to be spending $60/month so ill probably get Internet every other week or just some days.

After the phones, Ryan, Portia and I went to eat at my family’s restaurant. We then stopped by Portia’s to grab her computer and came back to my house to use the internet. It’s crazy how technology works and I'm definitely grateful to have it! Portia left around 5:30 and I watched Dexter-such a good show! My parents finally got home at like 7, we ate and I was so tired! I don't know what it is-the altitude or the heat but I am always exhausted by 9 or 10 pm

Sun June 12, 2011
Went to the market with the fam. We were supposed to leave by 7:30 am but didn’t leave till almost 8:30..you’d think after living in Latin American countries I would get used to the time always being later than they way..apparently not, lol These mercados are amazing. It’s pretty much like a farmer’s market except a little dirtier. The meat was what amazed me the most. There was everything from sheep’s head to pig feet, whole cow legs and other animal intestines that hung out in the open air.

We were over in the meat section for awhile because both my sister and my host parents had to get meat for the restaurants. Just the contact from the raw meat to money and bags almost grossed me out. My family was telling me how the animal is killed around 2 AM, then brought to the market at 4 am, when the market opens. Everything for the most part is very fresh and I haven’t gotten sick yet so more power to them.

As my host mom went to buy naranjas, limones y queso my sister showed me the live animal area. This was where you could buy anything from chicken, pig, duck and guinea pig live and then kill and eat at your desire. Let me back up…yes guinea pig. They call it cuoy (sp?) here. And no, they are no different than the sweet innocent furry pets many of us had as children. I tried to explain that this is a loved pet at home. She kept on referencing hamsters as pets and found it hard to believe that guinea pig was a pet.

That afternoon we went to the pool. Soooo much cooler than it sounds. The pool was in a valley, mountains all around us, next to a river. There was also a Jacuzzi with sauna. The sauna had real eucalyptus leaves creating the best steam experience ever! Some family members showed up. From 12 until 5 we as a family-about 8 people- finished off 12 beers. These weren’t your normal sized beers, probably twice (or more) bigger than regular beer. And the way they drink is so interesting. There’s one small glass and people take turns pouring a ¼ a glass full of beer and handing it to the group. Yes, I know what you are thinking Nurse Hannah, the spread of sickness, lol

I liked being the pourer because then I got away with not having to drink. We discussed the system of donating organs upon death and the drinking limit, which was recently changed from .08 to .001 or something to that effect. Huge change, many upset about it.

By the time we got home it was windy and cold. I immediately got ready to shower, hoping that the water would be warm, and it was! The water was almost hot. I probably got a little too excited because I slipped getting into the shower, fell completely down to the ground, scraping my back along the way and popped the shower door out of place!..oops..

There was no way to fix the door from inside the shower and I was losing precious hot water in the mean time. I showered without the door and afterwards was able to put the door back in place. That was all the excitement for that evening.