Friday, October 30, 2009

So Halloween is not a holiday in Ecuador, surprise surprise, but we volunteers are still thinking about it. Although plans fell through to have a Halloween party in the retreat house for the neighborhood kids, we are still able to commemorate this odd holiday in our own way. In the mail this week my mom sent me a Halloween card and stickers. The stickers were intended for the kids at the guarderia, which maybe one day I'll use them there, but my first instinct was to place them all over the house. And so on Tuesday night after work I walked around and placed stickers of ghosts and halloween cats in the most random places: clock, utensil jar, underneath our fruit basket, my water bottle. Julia warned me "it's cute now but it won't be so cute in July," and although she is probably right it didn't stop me from my sticking spree.

Then today Jesus, our neighbor across the street, took me to the Duran market to buy a pumpkin for the house! Before we got there I was thinking "well maybe I can buy a few small ones so we can all carve one" but then I remembered that they don't sell pumpkins for decorations, they are meant to be eaten. Ah, yes, they are after all a vegetable. So needless to say the selection was small but good. Nice size pumpkins in different shades of green and yellow-orange. I picked out a nice plump one although Jesus suggested that I buy one that was the size of a small child. Good thing I didn't since I had to carry that damn thing around the market and then home on the bus! I will admit I felt a little silly getting on the red bus with a pumpkin tucked under my arm, but people have carried on crazier things (live chickens, dogs, construction material).

We hope to carve it tonight before we all depart for our adventures in Ecuador!!! We have our first 4 day weekend and are splitting up into several groups to travel to different parts of the country. Jaime and I will be traveling with Megan to a village in the Andes mountains called Loja. Christina and Jake will be joining us.

(side note: Christina is a former volunteer who came back for a few months to work at Nuevo Mundo's morning school. Jake is her awesome boyfriend who is volunteering at a hospital in the burn unit. They live in the apartment below our house in AJs and they may just be the coolest people ever. We love them.)

So we leave tonight to take a 9 hour bus ride to the beautiful village. We don't have an itinerary but who cares, from what we read it sounds like anything we do will be relaxing and well worth it. I'm just excited to see a different part of Ecuador, oh and get this since it's in the mountains it's....COLD!!! I'm packing my jeans, long sleeve shirts and a sweater! I've been in living in heat for so long that the thought of not sweating is just short of a miracle.

This website is in Spanish but you can just look at pictures: www.vivaloja.com

I don't know if you can tell, but I'm just really happy right now and in such a good place, I just needed to share with you all. I talked to mom on Wednesday night and she said "it's good to hear you laugh," and yes it's good to laugh. There hasn't been too much to find joy and laughter in the last few weeks, but now there is so much.

I have been spending more time with neighbors, and talking to new ones. I'm also singing with the church group on Sunday nights and so I met with the lead singer and guitarist on Thursday night to learn some songs and it was great to just sit and talk with people my age. We spend most of our time with kids and adults (30s and up) so it was fun to joke around and feel like I was with friends. I also am really happy to be singing with them because it will help me with spanish and also with learning the mass parts...which is incredibly difficult.

I could just keep writing, but I don't want to bore anyone. Thanks for reading! Happy Halloween!!!

As always, I love you.

1 comment:

  1. Mary,

    What a great blog, thank you for sharing. It sounds like you are beginning to feel comfortable with your community. They must enjoy your company very much. Your Mom must be very proud.

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