Well, folks I’m actually following up on a commitment. Its tomorrow and I’m about to catch you up on the last couple days. But please, do not expect this punctuality in the future, as it is less than likely.
Yesterday morning after breakfast, mi mama and I took ‘el trole’ away from the more commercial part of Quito where we live (I literally live next to a Pizza Hut) deeper into the historic part of Quito – el Centro. We got off the bus a la plaza de Santo Domingo and ventured into the church located in the corner of the plaza – Iglesia Santo Domingo. The architecture was absolutely breathtaking, but couldn’t even be compared to the second church we visited, la Iglesia de La Compañía de Jesús. The beauty in the fantastic detail was unlike anything I have ever seen. We sat in on mass for awhile and even though I am not Catholic and probably only took in about 20% of what the father said, there is something very powerful about tradition that has withstood centuries and a common belief in something greater than the physical world. As the hymns resonated throughout the grand structure, the faith of the congregation was almost tangible. And although I am not about to convert to Catholisism, it was a profound experience I won’t quickly forget.
The third and final church we visited was la Iglesia y Convento San Francisco, the oldest church in Quito. In celebration of ‘el nacimiento’ there was an exhibit set up which displayed the work of artists from around Europe & Latin America featuring different cultural representations of the great birth. Entrance into the exhibit cost twice as much for me, una extranjera, as it did for Betty, a practice I’ve found to be quite common here. After making our way through the exhibit, we feasted with the rest of the congregation in celebration – a traditional Ecuadorian meal of boiled potatoes, mote (a type of corn kernel boiled in water), a mix of fresh vegetables much like pico de gallo, and pork pulled right from the roasted pig chillin on the table. Delicioso! San Francisco also houses a spectacular museum and even though I know next to nothing about art, I was able to appreciate the fact that many of the pieces dated back to the 18th century or earlier.
 |
| The small plaza within San Francisco where we ate lunch |
The last part of el centro that we visited before the rain came, was La Ronda. La Ronda is la primera calle, or the first road in Quito. It began as a pre-Incan path that led down the mountainside to el Rio Pichincha, and by the 20th century, La Ronda was home to many incredible artists and musicians. Unfortunately, it became very run down and dangerous around the 1970s but a recent renovation (started in 2006) has returned La Ronda to its former status. Currently, it functions similar to State Street, for all you Wisconsinites. It is open only to pedestrians, lined by cafes, shops, and restaurants and at night the streets are filled with lights, music, and people in high spirits. A home away from home?
 |
| The inside of a cafe on La Ronda |
 |
| La Ronda |
That night, after I finished skyping with a friend from home, mi mama told me that she had a webcam similar to mine that her friend who lives in Spain had given her as a gift, but she had no idea how to use it. She was wondering if I could figure it out. So, I helped her download skype and explained how it works – not an easy task in Spanish given my limited knowledge of computers to start, but we eventually got it set up. Then she wanted to practice. So, I sat in the living room on my laptop and she in the computer room and we video chatted for a solid twenty minutes J She was so happy & said she couldn’t way to talk to her amiga in Spain. #1 Roomie for sure.
This morning was my first day of class, well, orientation actually. It was the first time I’ve ridden the bus by myself and it was actually pretty painless. I even arrived early (quite possibly for the first time in my life) only to learn that the concept of time is essentially non-existent here. The man conducting our orientation – a man full of life and good humor – explained that 5:00 means anytime between 5:00 and 5:59 but if you show up at 6:30, you are still not late. I think I’m going to get along here just fine…
We were welcomed by the president of the university, Carlos (yes, first name basis), who encouraged us to not get wrapped up in our studies, but rather explore and experience Quito, live completely immersed in their culture. He even actually told us to party (I think he worked at UW in a past life). His advice I anticipate I will have no problem following. The orientation also covered health and safety and the ways in which we can best protect ourselves because Quito although vibrant and rich in both culture and history, like any poverty ridden city is home to many who have been forced to resort to crime as a means to survive. And as “gringos” we are seen as easy targets. I learned today that the term “gringo”, meaning outsider essentially, is actually a term of endearment here in Ecuador much unlike the derogatory connotation the word holds in Mexico and many other Latin American countries. So, you can imagine my relief when I tell you that every time we pass a white person, my host mom always points out the “gringos” or “gringitos” to me and shakes her head. Good to know she doesn’t actually hate us J
A short discussion about Ecuador’s biodiversity and a quick overview of our schedule & travel plans for the months ahead aroused my scientific self and had me spinning with excitement and anticipation. But I was surprised by the equal stimulation of my social science mind. Another USFQ staff member gave a brief but intriguing lecture on the roles of race, ethnicity, and class in Ecuador and the tensions between the people of the coast and those of the highlands, the indigenous people, the Afro Ecuadorians, the whites, and the mestizos. He also touched on sexual orientation and gender roles. Although there has been forward movement on both issues, homosexuality is still very hush hush and women remain second class citizens in a patriarchal society where the feminist movement stalled after winning the right to vote. He explained the concept of race and ethnicity as one that was socially constructed, but did not speak about gender in a way that suggested that he believed it to also be a social construct. If this man taught a class, I would definitely take it, more than likely love it, and probably have an opinion or two…
After the orientation we had lunch and I was able to meet a few more of the students in my program. A few of us headed back to Quito together and after parting ways, I decided to explore a little more by myself. Walking the streets of Quito is great for my self esteem. I’ve never been told how beautiful I am more often, except for when I’m hanging out with my fav roomie Sean Statz, of course. After awhile, I stumbled upon a small, intimate restaurant near my apartment where I’m sitting now, writing, enjoying a glass of wine, and people watching – a sport that has proved as entertaining here as back home (Mattie Appleman, Brian Huebner). Not really sure why that makes me think of Huebs…The music here just changed from the Spainish tunes of the past hour to Pink Floyd (not sure, but I’ll take it) which is really making me wish Taylor Lauzon was here right now…
I just saw a man with a braided mullet. Yikes. Bikes. (Deano) Alright, I’m feeling like I would rather draw out 10 Ochem mechanisms than write another sentence. So, to those of you who actually made it to the end of this post, until next time…
Besos!
H
No comments:
Post a Comment