My Ecua week,,,

So this week was FULL of ecua events...by this I mean cultural things that of course only happen in good ole' Ecuador.

Lets start with MONDAY:
So today was the big day to reveal the new cafeteria that the University had been scrambling, at last minute to finish.  The administer is a graduate and friend of Fernanda's from Riobamba.  I arrived at 9:30 thinking the inauguration was going to be at 10.  Found out it was at noon.  Good for them because they were no where near ready to open the place up for the public.  Things being up on windows, pictures being put up and people cleaning floors.  as I've probably mentioned before, Ecuador is all about looking good, but not always thinking about being practical.  Example: The floor had been re-tiled and looked wonderful!  The only problem, the two colors were white/creme and brown.  One, a light color, and another a dark color.  Both colors which show dirt and dust very easily.  So as much as we swept and mopped everything still looked dirty.  The cooks were ready with the food around 12:15 and we had the grand ribbon cutting by the president.  Many of the Dean's showed up and they even brought in a PRIEST to bless the event.  You know me and separation of church and state..we prayed and everything, ayyy.  The food was great though!

They also explained the new system.  Students and faculty would have to buy a card ($2.50) and then had the option of buying lunch plans or individual meals.  This amount would go onto the card and as you get meals it gets deducted from the card, simple right?  Well not so much.  In the afternoon the cafeteria was open for people to buy cards.  1-when you get your card, you have to go to the OTHER campus to pay (not ideal for students who have class all day) 2-the prices aren't that cheap.  We heard many comments of how the students weren't going to bother and would rather go off campus to eat.  The faculty seemed more interested and some bought cards that afternoon.  The other problem was that the system was down and no one had thought to check to see if it worked and no one knew how to fix it..lets hope in the next coming weeks more people decide to buy the cards.  The bar looks great and the food is great, but the logistics and practicality were not thought through at all and now someone is going to have to suffer those consequences, will it be the cafeteria, the university or the students themselves who won't enjoy the luxury of having this bar??

WEDNESDAY:
This was a big day because Fer and I had our health fair.  It was flawless because we had been planning about a month in advance and everything was ready to go the day of.  There was a fluke with tents but somehow things came through and the University gave us theirs for the morning.  We lost power for a bit on one side of the tents but besides that it was great!  Gorgeous weather, super sunny, I burnt my part (on my head), which is the worst...but I think everyone was impressed.  Too bad our compañeros can't learn that planning actually pays off.

That afternoon they had a session for the staff, and faculty that completed 25 years at the University, those that were going to be retiring and then the top students of the classes.  Chino was at the top of his class for the english department.  This "session solemne" which is a formal way for saying diploma hand-out was to start at 5 pm.  I was at the University all day so when I got done, I went down to the auditorium and found his mom and grandmother waiting by the door.  Even though the session was to start at 5 they weren't going to open the doors till 5.  At about 10 till 5 people started filling the entrance and as soon as the doors opened we were hurdled like cattle squishing and pushing to get through one doorway (later they realized that it would be a good idea to open both doors).  The auditorium isn't that big and between the 25 yr people, the retirees and the students that left about maybe 50 seats for family etc.  People rushed to get seats, luckily we got seats for all 6 family members that came to the session.  On top of this the faculty and students had to find their seats with their picture.  For what, I have no idea because they were not called up in order or seating.  As they went up they entered one side of the stage and had to find their diploma that had been handed to one of the deans.  Then they shook hands with the rest of the deans and the president and exited off the SAME side of the entrance.  This led to lots of congestion and took probably twice as long as it would've if they had their diplomas handed to them in the beginning and exited off the other side of the stage.  Afterwards there was a great presentation of a guitarist that had been playing for 75 years!!!

FRIDAY:
My week ended with a meeting with all of DIBESAU. Now Wed was one Sesion Solemne and Thursday was the other Sesion Solemne that is bigger with like 600 guests (mainly staff) and then a fiesta afterwards.  The next day (usually a friday) the University is closed because everyone is hungover (or as they call it dia del servidor).  We of course had not met yet to talk about the presentations that start on Monday (Monday we start the talks on sex health, mouth hygiene, and prevention of breast and cervical cancer).  So as Sonia loves to do, we were going to have this meeting LAST MINUTE.  Everyone from the office had to come into work.  We were supposed to start the meeting at 9.  Everyone was at the office by 9:10 and Sonia came rolling in at 9:40.  Personally I find this very disrespectful.  If you call a meeting at a certain time, everyone is expected to be there.  I don't care if you are the freakin pope, be there on time!  But it's Ecuador, and because she is the director she can pretty much do whatever she wants and no one says anything.  So we were in our meeting from 9:45 till about noon.  At the end we find out that the oficios that we had done to get sent out had not been sent out and now were short 5 projectors for the presentations on Monday.  No one was working today so there was no way to really do anything..ayyy.  We have three in our office, Fer is going to ask a friend for one, and then we will have to get our butts in gear to find three more for the afternoon.  Sometimes I find myself wondering if maybe they like the stress...why do something so last minute and have to scramble to get it done in time.. who knows.  But Im sure everything will work out on monday.

All in all it was a week full of Ecuaness.  Yup it's now a word, I'm hoping to patent it before leaving.  All of this happened at a University, which is supposedly class A, whatever that means.  Where people are supposed to work at a professional level, but at times this gets left behind, or really just doesn't exist. For me it's great after almost 2 years, to see the light realize that these are cultural things that aren't going to change any time soon.  For some reason they work here, and although I may not agree with them I have learned to accept them and not try to adapt too many things that will get me into trouble at home!!!

In other news Peace Corps called and wants the University and possibly the school to be site for a tech trip!  That means that the new health group will come and practice charlas that they have worked on in training with the students!  Exciting.  On thursday I go to the training center for a meeting and to help the spanish professors prepare for a test.

Alright have a good weekend all!

April, and the months begin to fly by

So much to write but I will try to write the most important stuff.

Annie came and it was amazing!  Such a great time to be with friends from the states.  The new airport is a pain in the ass but it all worked out and I hope she liked the little bit of ecuador that she saw!

Working with the girls on creating some other small projects before the school year ends.  It is going to be hard to leave them in June when school ends.  We so hope that Bianca, the ecuadorian that is working with us, can keep working with the girls.  Sadly there will be no volunteers in Ambato next year, from none of the programs.  The closest one will be in Chibuleo, and sounds like they will have a lot of work to do, so can't count on a volunteer to take the reins.  We believe in Bianca and she has shared with us that she will continue, but is worried about getting the respect that we receive as foreigners in the school.  We are going to have a meeting with the director to lay everything out on the table and I think they will be supportive.

Im finishing up at the University.  Planning ANOTHER health fair (I know, I know I agreed to never do another one, how do they convince me to do these things?!?!?!) for next week and then finishing up with doing sex-ed charlas at the University.  I think it will be a nice transition out of the University.  As of right now we don't have carpas or the coliseo to use, so hoping we can get Fer's Universty to help us.  It's amazing how stuff falls apart right at almost the last minute, BUT at the last second everything works out ;).  The most important thing that I've learned here is to be patient and that things seem to work out.  After several visitors I now realize how up-tight and stressed americans can be about little things that here people don't worry about.  I still have my moments, where I freak out, but in general I feel that I've adapted to being more relaxed, not sure how that's going to work out for me when I return :/

Having so many different wave's of emotions about finishing my 27 months here in Ecuador.  It has gone by so incredibly fast and at times I can't imagine leaving this place.  Sometimes I get excited and sometimes I am so sad.  Im sure August will be the worst emotional rollar-coaster.

Have had some future PCV's contact me about questions after reading my blog, yayyyy people read my blog.  Love answering questions and am so jealous of those who will be coming in May.  This has been the most amazing life changing experience!!

Getting ready for Nat in June!!!!

On another note I had an American friend here in Ambato in one of the public hospitals.  She ended up going to the hospital that I told her NOT to go to.  I went to visit and for the first time encountered free third-world health care.  All tests and stay were free but every medicine, etc. she had to pay for.  No toilet paper, no cups to take pills, horrible sanitation, def eye opening.  Ecuador has free health care, although it may not be up to par with private hospitals it's something right?  After two days of really not knowing anything she went to a private hospital in Quito where the care was much better.  Thank god for Peace Corps and "Peace Corps Insurance"!!