Curiosity

“Curiosity”

6/6/12

            After writing my last post, I went inside for a little bit and sat down with one of the little boys to see his homework. This may sound crazy, but for some reason, I was so impressed and somewhat surprised. It’s not like I think America is the only country with good education, but I guess I never realize how awesome God is to have put in place so many countries and so many languages, yet have the same universal truths, like mathematics and science. As I looked through his writings, I read math word problems, and it reminded me of when I was in middle school. The little boy was learning about pi (which is pronounced like the letter ‘p’ here) and circumference. It was quite interesting.

            Santiago finally came for me (told you he’s always late!), and we took the bus to the center of CalaCali. It was so busy, and there’s always so much honking. Maybe if I lived in a place like New York, I’d be used to honking, but I’m so not. It makes me so uncomfortable to run across streets like a crazy person! It’s definitely a difference from my typical suburban town.

            We went to a technology store, and I FINALLY got a phone! The company is one that I am sure my Ecuador team from January will enjoy: Claro! Claro means something like “of course” in English, and every time my team would see it, they would say, “CLARO!” So now I have an Ecuadorian phone, and I officially have 5 friends! (aka I have 5 people in my phone). It works like a prepaid phone, so I have to put minutes and texts on it, but it’s super cheap to do that.

            After that we came back to “my” house and had dinner, which was probably typical chicken and rice, I think, but I can’t remember. Santiago and Angelica started talking, and I got frustrated very fast. I felt totally inadequate. I was trying so hard to keep up with their conversation, but they were talking really fast, so I couldn’t understand very much. Santiago tried to explain later, but I had a “me moment” and was upset for a little bit, feeling like I’d never understand Spanish.

            I have a lot of those moments… which I’m sure is normal, but in those moments, I try my best to remember the “wins” instead of the “losses”. I’ve been trying to remember how awesome yesterday especially was.

            Yesterday I woke up at the typical 9am and told myself that I wanted more sleep, so I laid down until finally falling asleep again and waking back up at 12pm. My mornings are pretty much the same routine as of right now. I’m sure my neighbors, and possibly even the family that I’m living with, wonders why everyday the gringa sits in the grass outside with her computer. After I get ready in the morning, I bring my Bible, notebook, and Daily Bread outside and do my devotionals. After that, I carry out my computer and write my journals (like this one!). Why outside, you ask? Simple: ES ECUADOR! It’s gorgeous outside, and I might as well take every opportunity to soak up the beauty of Ecuador.

            After my devotionals yesterday, I went inside and sat down next to the little boy, who was doing his homework. At first we didn’t talk much, but once I saw him going back and forth from outside back inside, I asked what he was doing. He told me he was collecting eggs from the chickens, and I, of course wanting to experience as much as possible, asked if I could come see. He brought me outside and showed me everything in the garden, including the (at LEAST 20) chickens, puppies/dogs, plants, and vegetables. He explained all about the plants, including one that apparently you put in water when you’re feeling sick, and it helps you to feel better.

            After this, we went inside and bonded over M&Ms. I found out more about his family that I didn’t realize before. Oh, and que verguenza (how embarrassing) that I didn’t realize that the boys were twins! The two twin boys are 10 years old; Bladimir and Kenner. The little girl is 4 years old, and her name is Rebecca. In case I didn’t mention earlier, my host parents are Angelica and Hogar. They also have another daughter who is thirteen, but as I said, she doesn’t live in this house.

            I talked to Bladimir (who is the more outgoing one of the two) for a long time. We discussed school (and the differences between America and Ecuador), holidays, hobbies, and other subjects. He was so sweet, and it wasn’t too hard to understand him. I asked him what he thought of me when I first arrived, and he responded so sweetly, “curiosidad de ti”, which basically meant that he was curious to know more about me. Curiosity is a good way to put it. I’ve felt so much curiosity and interest about life here. Curiosity, I think, helped bring me back here.

            Angelica came back around 3:30 yesterday, and we went to go to an art class that she takes. However, the teacher was sick, and so we have to wait until next week. After that Angelica, Anita, and I just walked around the city. They saw a friend of theirs, and so we went into her house to see her baby. They talked for a very long time, and I understood almost nothing, but the baby was adorable. The house was also extremely elegant. It was the size of mine, and yet I could tell she probably had more money than a lot of other people here. There weren’t a lot of cracks in the ceiling or chipped pieces of paint, and the house was beautifully decorated.

            It rained while we were in the house, so when we walked outside, a huge rainbow filled the sky. It was my first Ecuadorian rainbow, and it was beautiful. When we came back to the house, water was rushing down from the mountains into the streets outside of the house, a strange but cool sight to see.

            It was then at dinner when I really felt like a part of the family. When Bladimir came in from his soccer game, he greeted me excitedly by saying, “HOLA, ALLIE!” with a big smile. That was the first time he addressed me by name, and I felt like my heart was going to melt. He told all of us about his game, and I really felt almost like a big sister. My whole life I have only been the little sister, so it’s nice to feel like I have little siblings.

            Santiago, of course, ate dinner with us, and Angelica showed me how to make her soup. She cooked water, pieces of bread, potatoes, and some other vegetable, along with milk, to make the soup, and then cooked rice with bits of sausages. After that we talked about various things, and Angelica explained that she was worried that me staying in the house by myself in the mornings was boring. I told her that I absolutely love the opportunity to not just relax for a bit, but to be able to spend time with God, which is something I often feel too “tired” to do. I hope to find more things I can do in the mornings, but for now I am content with having time to sleep, organize, write, pray, and hang out with my new family.

            For lunch today Angelica saved me the soup from last night, and when I told her I was afraid of fire, she told me I could ask someone to help me with it. Hogar’s uncle frequently visits, and so when he came, he heated it up for me. He sat down and ate with me for a bit, but he slurred his words a lot, so I didn’t understand him that clearly. Yet I did the very American thing by smiling and nodding.

            Today I will be going to Santiago’s to write back to one of the missionaries here about being a camp counselor next month. There is a meeting this Saturday that Santiago and I would like to go to. Hopefully I will be able to post these two entries. I won’t get to be on the Internet as often as I had hoped, but any time I can is good enough for me! SO I apologize that these are extremely long. I bet most people aren’t reading the whole thing (except maybe my Mom and Caleb, hahaha), but I figured I’d write out my thoughts anyway.

            I have felt like time has been going by very slowly, and I love it. I want these next two months to go by as slow as possible. I am enjoying every minute of being in Ecuador.