Not much to report for this week. I experienced a 3 day sick spell but am feeling better now. My key experiences involved reunions with friends, parties, and movies/tv.
Monday night I went out to Chili's restaurant with 3 exchange friends and one of my school friends. We had a great time.
Tuesday night I Skyped home so that I could watch the very important premiere of my favorite shows, NCIS and NCIS:LA. Yes, I Skyped home because I just couldn't wait to watch it online the next day. And yes it was crazy of me and the quality was only okay, but it was only for the premiere. And yes they are only TV shows. But it was only a one-time thing, don't worry. haha
Wednesday I didn't have to go to school but I didn't do anything because I was feeling sick. I ended up watching TV almost all day.
Thursday night I went to the mall with 2 of my exchange friends and 2 friends from Machala that we met at the Banana Queen event. We played in the arcade- I found out I am pretty good at air hockey- and then we went to the cinema to see the movie "The Internship". It was a fun evening together.
Friday my sickness finally subsided a little bit. That night I spent time with my host family. First, we stopped at the Christopher Columbus Park and my host Dad took some pictures (that I will share when I have a larger amount of pictures to post). Then we went to get ice cream and stop at the grocery store. I went and bought 2 DVD's for only 3 bucks. I seriously have a list of DVD's and I am planning on filling a suitcase to bring back with me because they are so cheap here!
Saturday I had two parties. The first was at my classmate's house on her rooftop patio. My exchange friend Simone (from Switzerland) and I had a blast interacting with my classmates. We listened to music and ate a bunch of meat that the guys cooked (more like burned) on the grill. Then we went to the birthday party of an exchange friend in the next town over. Almost all of our Machala club exchangers were there, and we danced and talked and had chips and cake. I had a great time! I got home at 1am and the get-together that my host parents were having (which I discovered had burnt meat as well when I tried to stomach the leftovers for lunch on Sunday) was still going on. In fact, it went on past 3am, after we had lost power and got it back two times. I was asleep before they left.
Sunday was chill. I slept half the day and wrote some emails and Skyped home.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Highlights of Week 4
Week 4: It's been one month! I really can't believe it. It is exciting to say that my initial adjustment period is done. But it is scary how fast I know these next months are going to fly by. I have improved with my language abilities but still have a long way to go. I have made some great school and exchange friends, friends that I am excited to spend more time with as we continue to hang out and travel together. I am excited to make more exchange friends on my upcoming trip to the province of Manabi. I am looking forward to my school vacation and spending more time with my family also.
I must say, though, that exchange isn't always as fun as it appears. It isn't a vacation or one big party; exchange is living life in a new country. Sure, there are perks to being an exchange student but it isn't that easy. I have had some days that I just ignored all Spanish because I was too exhausted to translate so I slept and didn't go out with my friends. There have been some frustrating situations when my lack of communication leaves me upset because I just can't say what I need to. To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure I have ever sat at a table for a meal and not said a word, until this experience- but sometimes it is easier to forget it than to fumble with words only to give up in the end. I don't give up often, but it does happen occasionally. I don't necessarily have to do well in school, but I don't have any artistic classes or anything remotely fun, so I sometimes it is really boring. And I have yet to find a weekly extra curricular to get involved in, (besides hitting the gym with my parents every few days) so some nights are boring.
Homesickness is another aspect that exchange students must deal with. I will admit that during my orientation camp, I went down to the beach and just cried because it was the first time my thoughts and comparisons of home became overwhelming and I felt homesick. But I am confident that the positives so far outweigh the negatives and will continue to do so throughout the year. I am so fortunate to be with a great host family and host club, and to be attending one of the better schools, and to be living in a comfortable home. I have heard other exchange students complain a lot about their situations, and I wouldn't change a thing about mine because the little frustrations are part of life. Everything isn't going to be perfect when you are entering a new country and a new family, there needs to be some compromise and forming of new habits. I know there are things that I need to do better, like trying harder to think and live in Spanish by practicing verb conjugations and looking up some words that I don't recognize. I should try and converse with my host parents more. And these things are challenging for me because I'm used to going home and listening to my English music and chatting with my friends from home. But all adjustments take time, and I am thankful for all the support I am receiving because it makes the transition just that much easier. Positivity is key!
Highlights of my week:
First- My trip to Cuenca over the weekend.
We went and stayed with Jorge's sister Viviana in her 15th floor apartment in the city. What a view! The ride to and from Cuenca was both frightening and amazing. I say frightening because when you are traveling at 120 km (75 mph), going up and down steep, winding roads, and our dog can't even keep his balance in the car- you have a right to be frightened. I say amazing also, because the ride through the mountains to Cuenca has incredible views. The way the roads wind through the most scenic mountain and country landscapes is worthy of a photo spread in National Geographic. I'd say it could compete with the ride through the Kancamagus (in NH). Around every corner, I found another view to take a picture of and if it wasn't for the dirty car windows and our speed, I would have managed some incredible shots. The ones I got will have to do.
I loved the city of Cuenca- it had some historical coble stone streets and some nice neighborhoods as well as the typical city blocks as well. The altitude is so much higher than Machala and at first I was taking huge breaths every minute while my body adjusted. I also had to adjust to the cooler temperature of Cuenca. I needed a sweatshirt!
We pretty much spent the weekend shopping, eating, and talking. We shopped outside of Cuenca in a town nearby that specializes in shoes; there were at least 60 different shoe stores in the center of the town. It was crazy! While we were there, I bought a cute new purse that I really like.
Second- more than half of the students in my class walked in on Monday morning wearing the NH pins I gave them a week before! It felt great to see that the students really do like the pins.
Third- I was in the opening ceremony of the Rotary fashion show event of the Reinas de Banana (Banana Queens) with the other Machala exchange students. We showed off our country flags in a quick little walk down the runway and back. It was cool that they got us involved as a quick act. Then we got to watch the rest of the fashion show and some of the exchange guys got to model (because there were less guy volunteers than girls for modeling). During the event, I took pictures with 4 different strangers (because of my blazer) and I got a complement on my Spanish understanding and speaking. I'd say it was a good night.
Fourth- Skipping school two days this week. Instead of sleeping and sitting outside while my classmates take their exams, I did something else on Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday I spent the day with my exchange friend Simone who also didn't want to be bored again at school. We watched Grown Ups and Grown Ups 2 on my laptop, listened to music, and talked all day. Thursday I went to the government office to do the final registration of my visa and passport. I am all set now!
Fifth- My weekend in Guayaquil.
My host parents and I went and stayed Friday and Saturday night in my host sister, Gaby's, apartment. On Saturday we walked around the center of Guayaquil and by the Guayas River which gives its name to the Guayas Province. It is the most important river in South America that does not flow into the Atlantic Ocean or any of its seas. It's the national river of Ecuador and is present on the Coat of Arms. Before my host dad told me this, I had forgotten that I was actually swimming and seeing the Pacific Ocean for the first time instead of the Atlantic.
We stopped at Parque Iguanas (Iguana Park)- where there are literally iguanas everywhere just chillin' and walking around. There are food bowls for them and they don't leave the park. There are some big iguanas too! It reminded me of when I held an iguana in Mexico. From my reaction at the park, I'm not sure I would be so brave to hold one now. Unfortunately, all the pictures of the iguanas, me pointing to the iguanas, me in front of the monument, and of the church across the street from the park, got deleted from some memory card glitch. I was so upset...stupid camera! However, I took the liberty of googling some pictures and uploading them so you can still see what I experienced. In my research, I discovered just how famous this park actually is- Steve Irwin (the "Crocodile Hunter") even did a segment at the park.
After getting super hot from walking around, we went to the huge Mall de Sol where we ate lunch in the HUGE food court and visited yet another Christmas store. Let me explain the "yet another Christmas store" statement: one of our stops for shopping when we were in Cuenca was at a store called "Salon de Navidad" - seriously, the place was the equivalent of The Christmas Tree Shop in the United States only even crazier and ALL CHRISTMAS. Well, Jorge and Vivi spent at least an hour searching and ended up buying tons of pieces to add to their already huge village set. It was initially kind of cool because my family has our own set at home that I always loved to put out and enjoy around Christmas. But then when we stopped in another Christmas themed shop during our visit in Guayaquil and then the Navidad store in the mall for another hour or Jorge and Gaby buying even more village pieces and decorations, I got a little bored. At least it was cheery right?
That's it for now. Check out my pictures:
https://ayearinalife.shutterfly.com/pictures/319 (Cuenca)
https://ayearinalife.shutterfly.com/pictures/389 (flag march and Guayaquil)
I must say, though, that exchange isn't always as fun as it appears. It isn't a vacation or one big party; exchange is living life in a new country. Sure, there are perks to being an exchange student but it isn't that easy. I have had some days that I just ignored all Spanish because I was too exhausted to translate so I slept and didn't go out with my friends. There have been some frustrating situations when my lack of communication leaves me upset because I just can't say what I need to. To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure I have ever sat at a table for a meal and not said a word, until this experience- but sometimes it is easier to forget it than to fumble with words only to give up in the end. I don't give up often, but it does happen occasionally. I don't necessarily have to do well in school, but I don't have any artistic classes or anything remotely fun, so I sometimes it is really boring. And I have yet to find a weekly extra curricular to get involved in, (besides hitting the gym with my parents every few days) so some nights are boring.
Homesickness is another aspect that exchange students must deal with. I will admit that during my orientation camp, I went down to the beach and just cried because it was the first time my thoughts and comparisons of home became overwhelming and I felt homesick. But I am confident that the positives so far outweigh the negatives and will continue to do so throughout the year. I am so fortunate to be with a great host family and host club, and to be attending one of the better schools, and to be living in a comfortable home. I have heard other exchange students complain a lot about their situations, and I wouldn't change a thing about mine because the little frustrations are part of life. Everything isn't going to be perfect when you are entering a new country and a new family, there needs to be some compromise and forming of new habits. I know there are things that I need to do better, like trying harder to think and live in Spanish by practicing verb conjugations and looking up some words that I don't recognize. I should try and converse with my host parents more. And these things are challenging for me because I'm used to going home and listening to my English music and chatting with my friends from home. But all adjustments take time, and I am thankful for all the support I am receiving because it makes the transition just that much easier. Positivity is key!
Highlights of my week:
First- My trip to Cuenca over the weekend.
We went and stayed with Jorge's sister Viviana in her 15th floor apartment in the city. What a view! The ride to and from Cuenca was both frightening and amazing. I say frightening because when you are traveling at 120 km (75 mph), going up and down steep, winding roads, and our dog can't even keep his balance in the car- you have a right to be frightened. I say amazing also, because the ride through the mountains to Cuenca has incredible views. The way the roads wind through the most scenic mountain and country landscapes is worthy of a photo spread in National Geographic. I'd say it could compete with the ride through the Kancamagus (in NH). Around every corner, I found another view to take a picture of and if it wasn't for the dirty car windows and our speed, I would have managed some incredible shots. The ones I got will have to do.
I loved the city of Cuenca- it had some historical coble stone streets and some nice neighborhoods as well as the typical city blocks as well. The altitude is so much higher than Machala and at first I was taking huge breaths every minute while my body adjusted. I also had to adjust to the cooler temperature of Cuenca. I needed a sweatshirt!
We pretty much spent the weekend shopping, eating, and talking. We shopped outside of Cuenca in a town nearby that specializes in shoes; there were at least 60 different shoe stores in the center of the town. It was crazy! While we were there, I bought a cute new purse that I really like.
Second- more than half of the students in my class walked in on Monday morning wearing the NH pins I gave them a week before! It felt great to see that the students really do like the pins.
Third- I was in the opening ceremony of the Rotary fashion show event of the Reinas de Banana (Banana Queens) with the other Machala exchange students. We showed off our country flags in a quick little walk down the runway and back. It was cool that they got us involved as a quick act. Then we got to watch the rest of the fashion show and some of the exchange guys got to model (because there were less guy volunteers than girls for modeling). During the event, I took pictures with 4 different strangers (because of my blazer) and I got a complement on my Spanish understanding and speaking. I'd say it was a good night.
Fourth- Skipping school two days this week. Instead of sleeping and sitting outside while my classmates take their exams, I did something else on Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday I spent the day with my exchange friend Simone who also didn't want to be bored again at school. We watched Grown Ups and Grown Ups 2 on my laptop, listened to music, and talked all day. Thursday I went to the government office to do the final registration of my visa and passport. I am all set now!
Fifth- My weekend in Guayaquil.
My host parents and I went and stayed Friday and Saturday night in my host sister, Gaby's, apartment. On Saturday we walked around the center of Guayaquil and by the Guayas River which gives its name to the Guayas Province. It is the most important river in South America that does not flow into the Atlantic Ocean or any of its seas. It's the national river of Ecuador and is present on the Coat of Arms. Before my host dad told me this, I had forgotten that I was actually swimming and seeing the Pacific Ocean for the first time instead of the Atlantic.
We stopped at Parque Iguanas (Iguana Park)- where there are literally iguanas everywhere just chillin' and walking around. There are food bowls for them and they don't leave the park. There are some big iguanas too! It reminded me of when I held an iguana in Mexico. From my reaction at the park, I'm not sure I would be so brave to hold one now. Unfortunately, all the pictures of the iguanas, me pointing to the iguanas, me in front of the monument, and of the church across the street from the park, got deleted from some memory card glitch. I was so upset...stupid camera! However, I took the liberty of googling some pictures and uploading them so you can still see what I experienced. In my research, I discovered just how famous this park actually is- Steve Irwin (the "Crocodile Hunter") even did a segment at the park.
After getting super hot from walking around, we went to the huge Mall de Sol where we ate lunch in the HUGE food court and visited yet another Christmas store. Let me explain the "yet another Christmas store" statement: one of our stops for shopping when we were in Cuenca was at a store called "Salon de Navidad" - seriously, the place was the equivalent of The Christmas Tree Shop in the United States only even crazier and ALL CHRISTMAS. Well, Jorge and Vivi spent at least an hour searching and ended up buying tons of pieces to add to their already huge village set. It was initially kind of cool because my family has our own set at home that I always loved to put out and enjoy around Christmas. But then when we stopped in another Christmas themed shop during our visit in Guayaquil and then the Navidad store in the mall for another hour or Jorge and Gaby buying even more village pieces and decorations, I got a little bored. At least it was cheery right?
That's it for now. Check out my pictures:
https://ayearinalife.shutterfly.com/pictures/319 (Cuenca)
https://ayearinalife.shutterfly.com/pictures/389 (flag march and Guayaquil)
Monday, September 16, 2013
What to drink...
Give me water!: In Ecuador, you can't drink water out of the tap. It needs to be bottled water or water from the clean-water juggs that they have in homes. I drink water most because it helps beat the heat best.
Juice- the real stuff: SO MUCH JUICE! I don't think I have ever seen so much. They make juice from practically every fruit- if it can be blended/processed in some drinkable way, it's made into juice. My host mom often will use the blendor for some fresh juice. There's fresh orange juice, pineapple juice, mango and passion fruit juice, banana juice, watermellon juice, mellon juice, and other juices that I have tried and still have no idea what they are from. My family always drinks juice with lunch.
Soda: Coca cola is the winner. But you can find other coke products at chain restraunts here. Apple soda is popular as well as your typical orange, grape, lemon, and strawberry fanta flavors. My family likes coca cola and apple soda with dinner.
Milk: My host parents get the Nestle-Svelty brand (svelte means sleder and elegant). The skim and fat-free milk is very popular here, in fact, there is a whole aisle of just milk in the Supermaxi store. The milk tastes different, it comes in a box and most people don't even refrigerate it (because it doesn't need to be- it's boiled or something before it's packaged). But they still sell regular milk too.
Alcohol: I haven't had any myself, (Rotary rules- even though I'm 18), but the norm in Ecuador seems to be beer. I've seen Pilsener, Clausen, Club, Biela, as well as Corona, Heinikin, and some other brands. Rum is a popular liquor, but they also have their national liquor called "aguardiente". Friends also tell me there are some decent mixed drink options at parties.
Juice- the real stuff: SO MUCH JUICE! I don't think I have ever seen so much. They make juice from practically every fruit- if it can be blended/processed in some drinkable way, it's made into juice. My host mom often will use the blendor for some fresh juice. There's fresh orange juice, pineapple juice, mango and passion fruit juice, banana juice, watermellon juice, mellon juice, and other juices that I have tried and still have no idea what they are from. My family always drinks juice with lunch.
Soda: Coca cola is the winner. But you can find other coke products at chain restraunts here. Apple soda is popular as well as your typical orange, grape, lemon, and strawberry fanta flavors. My family likes coca cola and apple soda with dinner.
Milk: My host parents get the Nestle-Svelty brand (svelte means sleder and elegant). The skim and fat-free milk is very popular here, in fact, there is a whole aisle of just milk in the Supermaxi store. The milk tastes different, it comes in a box and most people don't even refrigerate it (because it doesn't need to be- it's boiled or something before it's packaged). But they still sell regular milk too.
Alcohol: I haven't had any myself, (Rotary rules- even though I'm 18), but the norm in Ecuador seems to be beer. I've seen Pilsener, Clausen, Club, Biela, as well as Corona, Heinikin, and some other brands. Rum is a popular liquor, but they also have their national liquor called "aguardiente". Friends also tell me there are some decent mixed drink options at parties.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Orientation-Language Camp
What a week!
Sunday
morning at 8:00am, me and the other exchange students in the city of Machala
left on a 5 hour journey to the all-inclusive Decameron resort in Punta
Centinela where we would be staying for the next 5 days. Upon arriving, I was already
certain that the week would be amazing because the hotel was totally
breathtaking. The beach was beautiful, the rooms were beautiful, the facility
was well maintained- everything was just fantastic. We went to check-in and sat
down together as the students from the southern provinces of Guayas, Manabí,
Santa Elena, and Loja came and sat down also. There were 68 students there out
of the 145 total inbounds in Ecuador. The northern students (Pichincha,
Tungurahua, Imbabura, Riobamba, Esmeraldas, etc..) have their Spanish camp next
week. I will meet all the northern students on the trip next month to Manabí.
The days went like this:
Breakfast- Waffles and fruit covered in
chocolate, eggs, and a meat empanada or sausage.
Spanish class- We took an exam the first
night to place us in a certain group- level 1 & 2 beginners, 1 & 2
intermediate, and 1 & 2 advanced. Each class had the same workbook, but the
different levels were going through the book at different paces. I was in one
of the intermediate courses, and I didn't learn anything new. I already knew
all of the grammar, so my group teacher went to the director to try and move me
to a better group, but he wouldn't make the switch. So that was a bit
frustrating and I was bored a lot.
Lunch- Pasta bar, salad, bread, ice cream
Swimming and snacks- Bathing suit on, a
bunch of sunscreen, swimming in the ocean or aqua fit in the pool. We even went
on a mini catamaran for 4 people and got to swim in the middle of the ocean
with a great view of the Salinas shoreline. We had popcorn and chifles and every drink we
could order without alcohol like piña coolatas.
Afternoon meeting- We would have a meeting
about Rotary rules or our improvement exam.
Dinner-Let's just say I ate a lot of bread
and desert and I tried sushi and there was so much food!!!!
Dancing- After dinner there was always a
professional dancing show or themed party going on. It was my favorite part of
the day because...
The first night- there was an
international dance competition and they were looking for volunteers from the
audience. It had to be a guy and a girl- usually a couple would volunteer
together. They still needed two more couples and I saw a guy get up to do it
but sit back down as there wasn't a girl to do it with him. That is when I just
said, "why not, I like to dance" and I stood up. There I was, sitting
on stage with a stranger (just to clarify- he wasn't an exchange student) not
knowing what to expect. The announcer came around and asked for our names and
where we were from. My partner was Pablo from Argentina. How it worked was the
4 couples watched the professionals perform 30 seconds or so of a dance and we
were supposed to try and do the same. There were four different dances- a
tango, a salsa, something country, and something similar to a jive. A different
couple went first for each dance. I watched the dancers closely, trying to
memorize the steps in my head. But the dancers were really good, and the dances
they performed were really fast. I was lucky that my partner spoke some English
because he would ask me how to do some of the steps. At one point he just said
"it's alright, I'll follow you". But I was happy that he was having
fun and taking it competitively at the same time like I was. So we got up and
made complete fools out of ourselves- trying different lifts and crazy moves
that I would have never imagined trying, falling, and laughing at myself, and
just having a great time. And to top it all off, the audience choose the
winners in the end, and it came down to two couples (the other couple was a guy
and an exchange student too) but they choose my partner and I. We won! It was
amazing. I got a t-shirt and a hat. I almost got a bottle of champagne too when
they asked me my age (18) but I reminded them of my Rotary bracelet and they
gave it to my partner (who was still in shock that I'm only 18). All of my
friends congratulated me and were impressed by my dancing. "You were great
up there". It was such a nice feeling and all the other students
immediately knew who I was. It was also a huge confidence boost for the rest of
the week.
The second night, all the exchangers
started dancing in one of the bar/lounge areas by the beach. Before I even
realized it, we had formed a circle and other students were pushing me to dance
in the center. I went for it. I am so glad that I took a chance because this is
my one year on exchange and I am loving every second of it. Dancing with my
exchange friends was fantastic.
Tuesday and Wednesday night I talked with
my new friends about anything and everything. Wednesday night was especially
nice when my closest friends and I walked and talked by the ocean. Somehow we
were talking about scary movies, and then night terrors, and somehow got on the
topic of September 11th. We ended up talking for 40 minutes or more about where
we were on 9/11, stories of people we knew, powerful memorials and our
different holidays for recognizing those who serve our country. Suddenly, one
of my friends looked at her cellphone and gasped. She said, "guys, today
is the anniversary of September 11th. Today is 9/11". We were all in
shock- we had been talking about it without even realizing what the date was. I
couldn't believe that I had no idea all day, but I was glad that we had talked
about it, because I know if I had been in the states I would have talked about
it. There would have been a moment of silence, a documentary or video, or
something that would have had me thinking about it all day. It was a bizarre
moment, but I am glad it happened.
Thursday was check-out day. Saying goodbye
to everyone was hard because I made so many new friends; students my age that
are going through the same experience that I am. I learned about their own
countries and lives and they learned about mine. We talked about our lives
here, and the things we are still adjusting to. I laughed and smiled a lot. I
learned how to say "I love you" in German and wished English wasn't
my first language (there were more students from Germany than any other
country.) I gave and received pins and business cards- the front of my blazer
is now completely covered in pins. I got sunburnt even after reapplying
sunscreen and I got to swim in ocean water that wasn't freezing like I'm used
to in Maine. I got to relax, eat, sleep and enjoy. It was a wonderful week, and
I can't wait for the next trip when I can see my new friends again and make
even more friends.
Pictures from my week in paradise:
*Note: I got a bunch of pictures from friends so they aren't in a certain order.
*Note: I got a bunch of pictures from friends so they aren't in a certain order.
First Two Weeks (Part 2)
Day 8: I stayed in bed as long as I possibly could- 10AM. I think my sleep habits have changed and I have moved past my "sleep till 12 or 1pm stage". I find myself waking up around 7 or 8 on the weekends even if I stayed up late the night before and I can only continue to doze for another hour or two. Even getting up for school is the same way- if I miss the alarm, I still end up waking up in time. Hmm. Anyways- I got up just to sit down with my family and watch the movie they had just started. It wasn't until the movie was over that I realized I had just experienced Star Trek and honestly (I never thought I'd say this) I loved the movie. Not just because Chris Pine (the actor who plays James Kirk in the movie) is a total babe. But the action and plot were suprisingly interesting and enjoyable- probably because it was in English. After the movie and lunch, Lorgia and I left for the Jesus Adrian Gomez concert. We waited in 3 different "lines" from 3:30 pm until we were let in around 7- when the show was supposed to start. It started eventually, but I was sick of being patient. Luckily, the show was worth it. The songs were great and I even bought the concert CD.
Day 9: I didn't want to get out of bed. School was boring but I met a student in my class named Pamela for the first time because she had been sick all last week. She has become one of my closest friends from school. The other good thing at school was watching the girls in my course beat their rival team in soccer- apparently last year’s game was rough and they wanted revenge. I started riding in a taxi today because Jorge took back the little temporary car and their other one still isn't fixed. In the evening I went to my first Rotary club meeting in Machala. Each inbound presented their banners and the rebounds presented 10 minute picture presentations about their own trips. It was nice to talk with my new exchange friend Simone from Switzerland. She knows English and it is nice to revert to that every once in a while. The meeting was long and Lorgia and I left early. When I got home, I sat down and watched yet another action movie (that I never watched before) Superman Returns. When I went to bed after the movie it was 1:30AM.
Day 10: As a result of little sleep and the pizza at the Rotary meeting, I was sick and exhausted all day. I went with the one girl in my class who speaks decent English to the health room where the doctor gave me some anti-acid stuff and advil, but it didn't help much. We went on a field trip to a nearby sports field facility where the boys in my course had a soccer game against a team from a different school. They lost in a shoot-out. After school I went to Pamela's house and we talked for an hour before going out to walk around. She brought me to her cousin’s cell shop to see if they could get my phone to work. I let them keep it to try a software update but I was pretty sure the state of my phone wasn't going to change. Then I went with Lorgia and Jorge to Chili's for a birthday of a friend’s daughter. These friends I hadn't met before, and the whole thing was awkward on top of how exhausted I was feeling. I seriously had never felt so tired before in my life; I couldn't keep my eyes open, but they didn't seem to notice or care because they sat there talking late into the evening.
Day 11: I got up in front of my class and translated 6 or 7 facts to Spanish about the US involvement in World War 2. I gave two boys in my class lyrics to Bruno Mars' "Locked Out of Heaven" and Journey's "Faithfully" because they wanted me to help them with the lyric pronunciation. They were so excited- it was cute. I told my literature course teacher that I love to sing, and he had me get up and sing in front of the class. I sang "Amazing Grace", "Locked Out of Heaven" and "Somebody Like You". The whole class was impressed with my voice. I took out my NH state pin to show a couple students who had asked about it, and then everyone ended up wanting one. I ran out of pins and promised to bring more the next day. I took a much needed nap today- four hours. Then I watched Soul Surfer in Spanish and had a grilled ham & cheese for dinner- this has become my favorite dinner.
Day 12: I rushed to get ready as my alarm didn't go off for school. I was still late for school and had to sit in the library for the first course of the day. Woops. It was yet another boring day at school. I handed out more pins to my class and handed some to my course teachers too. They have been wearing them ever since. After school I hung out with Pamela again and went back to see if my phone was fixed. It didn't work- so I bought a new phone and she helped me set it up. It was worth the purchase.
Day 13: Friday was a good day at school. I brought my camera and took pictures of my school and my class. I also ended up trying this huge hot dog thing at lunch because a course had made them as an experiment. That night I was invited to shop and go to Chili's with some girls from my course. They said to meet in front of the theatre at 7. But when I got there, one of the girls named Rosita messaged me to say "donde estas" and when I told her I was there, she said "okay we are leaving now". In the meantime, my exchange friend Sarah invited me to the movies with her and another friend from school at 7:45. I decided to see the movie and meet up with my other friends after since they didn't arrive till 7:50 anyways. We watched The Conjuring- it was one of the scariest movies I've ever seen.
Day 14: I slept late and packed for my language camp. Then I met my Swiss exchange friend Simone by the church in the center of Machala. We bought some ice cream and walked around. I had to make a copy of my passport, so I did that. We got manicures for only $3.50 and then went to buy chips before coming back to my house to watch some movies on my laptop (because Jorge was watching tennis on tv). I was proud of myself for getting to the center and back in a taxi all by myself- especially when going to my house because there aren't actual house numbers so you have to say the street and direct the driver from there.
After two weeks I am developing a routine and becoming more comfortable and familiar with my surroundings. I have tried more food and my body is getting used to the heat. There are still things that I must adjust to though, like the sound of car horns and car alarms (the most obnoxious alarms ever!). I also have to get used to new habits at home, especially when it comes to security. I have to close the window, lock the door, make sure I close the gate tight, etc. I have to get used to later nights, and how quickly it goes from light out to dark. Lastly, I have to be patient. Translating Spanish in my head all day long is very tiring. After a long day- I am tired and usually frustrated about not knowing how to say things or not understanding more. But it will come. My exchange has only just begun.
Pictures from my second week: https://ayearinalife.shutterfly.com/pictures/8
Day 9: I didn't want to get out of bed. School was boring but I met a student in my class named Pamela for the first time because she had been sick all last week. She has become one of my closest friends from school. The other good thing at school was watching the girls in my course beat their rival team in soccer- apparently last year’s game was rough and they wanted revenge. I started riding in a taxi today because Jorge took back the little temporary car and their other one still isn't fixed. In the evening I went to my first Rotary club meeting in Machala. Each inbound presented their banners and the rebounds presented 10 minute picture presentations about their own trips. It was nice to talk with my new exchange friend Simone from Switzerland. She knows English and it is nice to revert to that every once in a while. The meeting was long and Lorgia and I left early. When I got home, I sat down and watched yet another action movie (that I never watched before) Superman Returns. When I went to bed after the movie it was 1:30AM.
Day 10: As a result of little sleep and the pizza at the Rotary meeting, I was sick and exhausted all day. I went with the one girl in my class who speaks decent English to the health room where the doctor gave me some anti-acid stuff and advil, but it didn't help much. We went on a field trip to a nearby sports field facility where the boys in my course had a soccer game against a team from a different school. They lost in a shoot-out. After school I went to Pamela's house and we talked for an hour before going out to walk around. She brought me to her cousin’s cell shop to see if they could get my phone to work. I let them keep it to try a software update but I was pretty sure the state of my phone wasn't going to change. Then I went with Lorgia and Jorge to Chili's for a birthday of a friend’s daughter. These friends I hadn't met before, and the whole thing was awkward on top of how exhausted I was feeling. I seriously had never felt so tired before in my life; I couldn't keep my eyes open, but they didn't seem to notice or care because they sat there talking late into the evening.
Day 11: I got up in front of my class and translated 6 or 7 facts to Spanish about the US involvement in World War 2. I gave two boys in my class lyrics to Bruno Mars' "Locked Out of Heaven" and Journey's "Faithfully" because they wanted me to help them with the lyric pronunciation. They were so excited- it was cute. I told my literature course teacher that I love to sing, and he had me get up and sing in front of the class. I sang "Amazing Grace", "Locked Out of Heaven" and "Somebody Like You". The whole class was impressed with my voice. I took out my NH state pin to show a couple students who had asked about it, and then everyone ended up wanting one. I ran out of pins and promised to bring more the next day. I took a much needed nap today- four hours. Then I watched Soul Surfer in Spanish and had a grilled ham & cheese for dinner- this has become my favorite dinner.
Day 12: I rushed to get ready as my alarm didn't go off for school. I was still late for school and had to sit in the library for the first course of the day. Woops. It was yet another boring day at school. I handed out more pins to my class and handed some to my course teachers too. They have been wearing them ever since. After school I hung out with Pamela again and went back to see if my phone was fixed. It didn't work- so I bought a new phone and she helped me set it up. It was worth the purchase.
Day 13: Friday was a good day at school. I brought my camera and took pictures of my school and my class. I also ended up trying this huge hot dog thing at lunch because a course had made them as an experiment. That night I was invited to shop and go to Chili's with some girls from my course. They said to meet in front of the theatre at 7. But when I got there, one of the girls named Rosita messaged me to say "donde estas" and when I told her I was there, she said "okay we are leaving now". In the meantime, my exchange friend Sarah invited me to the movies with her and another friend from school at 7:45. I decided to see the movie and meet up with my other friends after since they didn't arrive till 7:50 anyways. We watched The Conjuring- it was one of the scariest movies I've ever seen.
Day 14: I slept late and packed for my language camp. Then I met my Swiss exchange friend Simone by the church in the center of Machala. We bought some ice cream and walked around. I had to make a copy of my passport, so I did that. We got manicures for only $3.50 and then went to buy chips before coming back to my house to watch some movies on my laptop (because Jorge was watching tennis on tv). I was proud of myself for getting to the center and back in a taxi all by myself- especially when going to my house because there aren't actual house numbers so you have to say the street and direct the driver from there.
After two weeks I am developing a routine and becoming more comfortable and familiar with my surroundings. I have tried more food and my body is getting used to the heat. There are still things that I must adjust to though, like the sound of car horns and car alarms (the most obnoxious alarms ever!). I also have to get used to new habits at home, especially when it comes to security. I have to close the window, lock the door, make sure I close the gate tight, etc. I have to get used to later nights, and how quickly it goes from light out to dark. Lastly, I have to be patient. Translating Spanish in my head all day long is very tiring. After a long day- I am tired and usually frustrated about not knowing how to say things or not understanding more. But it will come. My exchange has only just begun.
Pictures from my second week: https://ayearinalife.shutterfly.com/pictures/8
Saturday, September 7, 2013
First Two Weeks (Part 1)
Hello everyone!
First of all, I would like to thank all of my family and friends for all of their emails, skype calls, and for keeping me in their thoughts and prayers. I can feel the love, and I appreciate it more than you can understand!
Second, I want to thank you for reading my blog. It means so much to me that people are interested in how I am feeling and what I am doing. That being said, I have been keeping very busy and it has been hard to find time to write. Also, I need to focus more on Spanish than writing in English all the time. My goal is still one post each week, unless I have a crazy-busy week and can't post or I have this burning need to post more than once. I suggest adding your email to the update list so that when I post, you'll know.
Where do I start?! I am at the two week mark and yet I feel like I have been here for much longer. I hope that means I am already getting accustomed to life here. I do not plan on recaping each day of my exchange in future posts, but there have been so many new things that I have experienced in the past two weeks that I felt it was necessary to give more detail.
Day 1: My first full day in Ecuador: I spent the first half of the day with my host family in Guayaquil doing errands and eating, although I wasn't very hungry and for some reason my stomach was still upset. I think I was really nervous to begin with and didn't want to overdo it with the food in case my stomach reacted poorly. Back at Gaby's appartment, we brought my bags down to the little car. Jorge worked for 20-25 minutes trying to get my bags to fit in that car. I ended up with my smallest carry-on in my lap, my other carry-on and smaller suitcase next to me, and the biggest one in the tiny space they consider the trunk. Lorgia took a picture of me surrounded by my luggage and has proceeded to show almost all of her friends that I have met. Anyways, I was tired and tempted to sleep on the ride from Guayaquil to Machala, but I quickly remembered from my previous trip to Ecuador that the road quality here isn't amazing and their driving isn't any better. I fell forward and shifted after every bump we went over and thus couldn't sleep. But there were some great sights along the way, and I was growing excited to arrive at my new home. My home in Machala is beautiful (if you haven't seen the pictures, check out my link below ). I was happy to bring my luggage into my new room and unpack. We went out for dinner and stopped at the Supermaxi (the Ecuadorian version of Walmart) to buy some food for the house. It was so different than our supermarkets though- there was a whole aisle of milk products (in a box and not refrigerated!) and the check out lanes were only wide enough for a person to fit through, leaving their empty cart right in the middle of the store. I also stood there patiently while my host family talked to friends in the middle of the store for 10 minutes before they started shopping. I have discovered that no matter where you go, Ecuadorian people are all about being social. Whether it's the mall, the gym, school, or out to eat, they talk the whole time. And that was my first day.
Day 2: I discovered that I would be starting school the next day. Lorgia and I went to buy the the things I needed for school; sweatpants, shorts, jacket, white sneakers, and a t-shirt for the physical education class, a notebook and pens. We also bought the fabric for the uniform skirt and brought it to a sewing shop where they would make it. We went to the mall to buy a Claro chip for my phone so that I could make calls here.
Day 3: My first day of school. I had never been so nervous for anything in my life. I arrived and one of the general inspectors named Sonya brought me to my course and told the students to give me a seat. Everyone just started at first, then went back to talking and doing their own thing. I am the only exchange student in my course, so I didn't have a familiar face to look for. My first class of the day turned out to be English class, but it was actually nice because the teacher wanted a couple of the students that could speak English to practice by asking me questions. He also said that he would like me to help him and the students with English and that they would help me with Spanish. That day, one student in particular, Ana Paula, was really helpful to me. She immediately befriended me, linking our arms and showing me around the school at our "recreation" time (lunch). She was able to come up with synonyms for words that I didn't understand so that I could eventually figure out what she was saying and attempt to respond. The other students were easy to warm up and ask me questions (see my FAQ 3 post). The only downside was the slight sunburn I got from watching the soccer games the classes play against each other two times each week (which is during class- YES!).
Day 4: Day two of school was tough because I was exhausted. I had gone to the gym with my parents the night before. I was still getting used to the schedule and I was frustrated with my limited comminication abilities. I got to meet Lorgia's mother that day, and as soon as I entered her home, I was immediately reminded of my both my Great Grammy DuBois and my Great Grammy Clairmont. The home smelt like smoke, and she brought out cookies for Lorgia and I to eat. I also meet the family maid, Consuelo, who cooks our main meal of the day (lunch), does the laundry, and cleans/organizes the house almost everyday. It is weird coming home from school at 2 and immediately sitting down for a prepared lunch and an organized bedroom.
Day 5: I asked another student to copy her schedule for me, and suddenly my school days made much more sense. Unlike my high school in the United States, the students stay in one place and the profesors travel to the students classroom to teach. My mistake today was forgetting that the toilet paper for most bathrooms is located outside of the stall and sometimes out of the bathroom itself. That was quite unfortunate. Oh yeah, and here in Ecuador, we don't flush our toilet paper. We throw it in a waste basket next to the toilet. I find it gross, but they are kind of supersticious about it- so I try my best to remind myself. But honestly, this is one habit that has been hard to break. I had my first meeting with my host counselor, and with the other exchange students in my host club today and it was so nice to meet some new people who would help me and become my friends. With the exchange students, I ended up translating to English for a girl from Germany and a boy from Thaiwan who knew very little Spanish. It helped my confidence a little bit to know that my understanding was there.
Day 6: I didn't sleep well the night before and was extremely tired all day. During English class, I was the person that everyone wanted on their team when we played a reading comprehension question game. It felt good to have so many students interacting with me, even if it was for a competition (I am a competetive person myself). Also, I think I have found a place where I belong- where others come and ask to have a sip of water and then take an extreme "Megan Sip" and practically finish what's in the bottle. That might not make sense for some readers, so I'll just say that apparently, when I ask to take a sip of someones drink, I end up always taking a huge gulp and this has become the "Megan Sip". Guess what people? Here their sips are worse than mine! This has happened on more than one occasion and I realize that I need to start hiding my water when I bring it to school.
Day 7: I skyped my family, (who was living it up in York, Maine without me!) and some friends. It was nice to see people. I also submitted my first monthly report for Rotary that I had to do even though it had only been a week. That afternoon my host family took me to the coast of Machala. The pier was beautiful and there were huge fishing boats there and smaller boats to take people to a beach 30 minutes away. There was also a whole street of seafood restauraunts lined up one after the other. It was nice to walk around and try some food from the venders at the pier. I snacked on mango, a coconut ice pop, some crackers, and some other fried dough type thing. It was all delishious! Back at home, I met some of Jorge's family and we ate pizza and talked until almost midnight. I showed them the picture book that I brought depicting my home, family, friends, and more. It was really nice.
Look for the details of my second week in the next post...
Check out my pictures from the first week: https://ayearinalife.shutterfly.com/pictures/56
First of all, I would like to thank all of my family and friends for all of their emails, skype calls, and for keeping me in their thoughts and prayers. I can feel the love, and I appreciate it more than you can understand!
Second, I want to thank you for reading my blog. It means so much to me that people are interested in how I am feeling and what I am doing. That being said, I have been keeping very busy and it has been hard to find time to write. Also, I need to focus more on Spanish than writing in English all the time. My goal is still one post each week, unless I have a crazy-busy week and can't post or I have this burning need to post more than once. I suggest adding your email to the update list so that when I post, you'll know.
Where do I start?! I am at the two week mark and yet I feel like I have been here for much longer. I hope that means I am already getting accustomed to life here. I do not plan on recaping each day of my exchange in future posts, but there have been so many new things that I have experienced in the past two weeks that I felt it was necessary to give more detail.
Day 1: My first full day in Ecuador: I spent the first half of the day with my host family in Guayaquil doing errands and eating, although I wasn't very hungry and for some reason my stomach was still upset. I think I was really nervous to begin with and didn't want to overdo it with the food in case my stomach reacted poorly. Back at Gaby's appartment, we brought my bags down to the little car. Jorge worked for 20-25 minutes trying to get my bags to fit in that car. I ended up with my smallest carry-on in my lap, my other carry-on and smaller suitcase next to me, and the biggest one in the tiny space they consider the trunk. Lorgia took a picture of me surrounded by my luggage and has proceeded to show almost all of her friends that I have met. Anyways, I was tired and tempted to sleep on the ride from Guayaquil to Machala, but I quickly remembered from my previous trip to Ecuador that the road quality here isn't amazing and their driving isn't any better. I fell forward and shifted after every bump we went over and thus couldn't sleep. But there were some great sights along the way, and I was growing excited to arrive at my new home. My home in Machala is beautiful (if you haven't seen the pictures, check out my link below ). I was happy to bring my luggage into my new room and unpack. We went out for dinner and stopped at the Supermaxi (the Ecuadorian version of Walmart) to buy some food for the house. It was so different than our supermarkets though- there was a whole aisle of milk products (in a box and not refrigerated!) and the check out lanes were only wide enough for a person to fit through, leaving their empty cart right in the middle of the store. I also stood there patiently while my host family talked to friends in the middle of the store for 10 minutes before they started shopping. I have discovered that no matter where you go, Ecuadorian people are all about being social. Whether it's the mall, the gym, school, or out to eat, they talk the whole time. And that was my first day.
Day 2: I discovered that I would be starting school the next day. Lorgia and I went to buy the the things I needed for school; sweatpants, shorts, jacket, white sneakers, and a t-shirt for the physical education class, a notebook and pens. We also bought the fabric for the uniform skirt and brought it to a sewing shop where they would make it. We went to the mall to buy a Claro chip for my phone so that I could make calls here.
Day 3: My first day of school. I had never been so nervous for anything in my life. I arrived and one of the general inspectors named Sonya brought me to my course and told the students to give me a seat. Everyone just started at first, then went back to talking and doing their own thing. I am the only exchange student in my course, so I didn't have a familiar face to look for. My first class of the day turned out to be English class, but it was actually nice because the teacher wanted a couple of the students that could speak English to practice by asking me questions. He also said that he would like me to help him and the students with English and that they would help me with Spanish. That day, one student in particular, Ana Paula, was really helpful to me. She immediately befriended me, linking our arms and showing me around the school at our "recreation" time (lunch). She was able to come up with synonyms for words that I didn't understand so that I could eventually figure out what she was saying and attempt to respond. The other students were easy to warm up and ask me questions (see my FAQ 3 post). The only downside was the slight sunburn I got from watching the soccer games the classes play against each other two times each week (which is during class- YES!).
Day 4: Day two of school was tough because I was exhausted. I had gone to the gym with my parents the night before. I was still getting used to the schedule and I was frustrated with my limited comminication abilities. I got to meet Lorgia's mother that day, and as soon as I entered her home, I was immediately reminded of my both my Great Grammy DuBois and my Great Grammy Clairmont. The home smelt like smoke, and she brought out cookies for Lorgia and I to eat. I also meet the family maid, Consuelo, who cooks our main meal of the day (lunch), does the laundry, and cleans/organizes the house almost everyday. It is weird coming home from school at 2 and immediately sitting down for a prepared lunch and an organized bedroom.
Day 5: I asked another student to copy her schedule for me, and suddenly my school days made much more sense. Unlike my high school in the United States, the students stay in one place and the profesors travel to the students classroom to teach. My mistake today was forgetting that the toilet paper for most bathrooms is located outside of the stall and sometimes out of the bathroom itself. That was quite unfortunate. Oh yeah, and here in Ecuador, we don't flush our toilet paper. We throw it in a waste basket next to the toilet. I find it gross, but they are kind of supersticious about it- so I try my best to remind myself. But honestly, this is one habit that has been hard to break. I had my first meeting with my host counselor, and with the other exchange students in my host club today and it was so nice to meet some new people who would help me and become my friends. With the exchange students, I ended up translating to English for a girl from Germany and a boy from Thaiwan who knew very little Spanish. It helped my confidence a little bit to know that my understanding was there.
Day 6: I didn't sleep well the night before and was extremely tired all day. During English class, I was the person that everyone wanted on their team when we played a reading comprehension question game. It felt good to have so many students interacting with me, even if it was for a competition (I am a competetive person myself). Also, I think I have found a place where I belong- where others come and ask to have a sip of water and then take an extreme "Megan Sip" and practically finish what's in the bottle. That might not make sense for some readers, so I'll just say that apparently, when I ask to take a sip of someones drink, I end up always taking a huge gulp and this has become the "Megan Sip". Guess what people? Here their sips are worse than mine! This has happened on more than one occasion and I realize that I need to start hiding my water when I bring it to school.
Day 7: I skyped my family, (who was living it up in York, Maine without me!) and some friends. It was nice to see people. I also submitted my first monthly report for Rotary that I had to do even though it had only been a week. That afternoon my host family took me to the coast of Machala. The pier was beautiful and there were huge fishing boats there and smaller boats to take people to a beach 30 minutes away. There was also a whole street of seafood restauraunts lined up one after the other. It was nice to walk around and try some food from the venders at the pier. I snacked on mango, a coconut ice pop, some crackers, and some other fried dough type thing. It was all delishious! Back at home, I met some of Jorge's family and we ate pizza and talked until almost midnight. I showed them the picture book that I brought depicting my home, family, friends, and more. It was really nice.
Look for the details of my second week in the next post...
Check out my pictures from the first week: https://ayearinalife.shutterfly.com/pictures/56
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