Monday 28th September
Had a really good weekend, on Friday it was Isabellas birthday so had a party at the house which was really nice and got to practise my dancing loads! On saturday went to the grandmas house for lunch and whilst everyone was talking about a big concert and i said i didnt have a ticket she bought me one! The concert was of Jean Lois Guerra who is very famous in South America. It latino music and the stadium in Cuenca was packed with 26000 people. The atmosphere was amazing and everyone was dancing with each other the whole time.
On sunday i went to the farm my family has. It is a huge building in the country side and is really georgeous! They have 90 dairy cows and also 2 horses so after lunch i went horse riding. It was really fun altough also very scary as havnt riden in ages and was on very steep ground, anyway was really good fun so hopefully ill get to go again soon!
Monday, 28 September 2009
Monday, 21 September 2009
Monday 21st September
Have been at the school for a week now! Each day we do a little palava with the calender with everyone reading out what day it is and the weather etc and today I did it (well pointed at the words and spoke really slowly while the children repeated after me!) After lining the kids up in height order and spending about an hour doing the calendar, we line the kids up again to go to the loo and again to wash their hands. They then all have a snack which is normally soup (i eat this when it looks nice which is about half the time) and go out to play in the park downstairs. They then come back upstairs for some "work" which is normally cutting and sticking and then are lined up in height order to go home! There are two classes both reception year and then i think they move to a proper school round the corner. Downstairs is the nursery. When we arrive (and the teacher and nun are lining up children) me and Izzy (the other English volunteer at the school) have to stand by the door and make sure no one escapes as there is always one who crys when their mums leave (for most its their first week of school). After work i always buy these little lolly things which are only 25 cents and are really nice. This means i have change for the bus.
In the afternoons im at the orphanage which im finding a bit harder although was much better today. most of the other volunteers are from America and with a mormon organisation!
Monday tuesday and wednesday nights ive started salsa lessons, with possibly the veinest man alive! He mainly prances about looking in the mirror doing dance moves which are actualy quite embarrasing.. but hes happy so never mind!
This weekend we all went to a small town called Gualaceo, where the host family of one girls have two houses. One is fairly basic but ok and one is just a small room with no running water.. we decided to camp outside the small one in tents! I dont normally like tents but with 7 of us it was really fun. We had dinner and lunch in a market place, which during the day was a bit dull but had a really nice atmosphere in the evening with lots of ladys sitting behind pots and pans selling food, and randomly a guy juggling! The others ate guinea pig but it made me feel a bit sick so i just ate 3 differnt potatoe dishes which were all very nice! Also had a drink which is hot milk with cinnamon and i think pepper corns in which was very cosy!
On Sunday we headed off into the mountains to go fishing. It had rained the night before and we had to climb a hill to get to the lake. I went ahead thinking it would be nice to get to the top and laugh at the others still struggling up, but after getting half way up and incredibly muddy they decided we should come back another time, so my shoes were completely full of mud for nothing while some of the others hadnt even started to climb- joke was on me really!
We went instead to another lake nearby. I wasnt a natural fisher unlike some of the others and when i caught one squealed and refused to touch it! The whole thing only cost one dollar and included the people there cooking the fish for us and serving it with rice and salad, we all felt very in touch with nature and was the nicest fish I´ve had! Getting there was also very fun as we had a taxi with a trailor bit on the back which we all sat in, it was so good its worth the bruises on my back from being bashed about so much! The road was very bumpy!
In the afternoons im at the orphanage which im finding a bit harder although was much better today. most of the other volunteers are from America and with a mormon organisation!
Monday tuesday and wednesday nights ive started salsa lessons, with possibly the veinest man alive! He mainly prances about looking in the mirror doing dance moves which are actualy quite embarrasing.. but hes happy so never mind!
This weekend we all went to a small town called Gualaceo, where the host family of one girls have two houses. One is fairly basic but ok and one is just a small room with no running water.. we decided to camp outside the small one in tents! I dont normally like tents but with 7 of us it was really fun. We had dinner and lunch in a market place, which during the day was a bit dull but had a really nice atmosphere in the evening with lots of ladys sitting behind pots and pans selling food, and randomly a guy juggling! The others ate guinea pig but it made me feel a bit sick so i just ate 3 differnt potatoe dishes which were all very nice! Also had a drink which is hot milk with cinnamon and i think pepper corns in which was very cosy!
On Sunday we headed off into the mountains to go fishing. It had rained the night before and we had to climb a hill to get to the lake. I went ahead thinking it would be nice to get to the top and laugh at the others still struggling up, but after getting half way up and incredibly muddy they decided we should come back another time, so my shoes were completely full of mud for nothing while some of the others hadnt even started to climb- joke was on me really!
We went instead to another lake nearby. I wasnt a natural fisher unlike some of the others and when i caught one squealed and refused to touch it! The whole thing only cost one dollar and included the people there cooking the fish for us and serving it with rice and salad, we all felt very in touch with nature and was the nicest fish I´ve had! Getting there was also very fun as we had a taxi with a trailor bit on the back which we all sat in, it was so good its worth the bruises on my back from being bashed about so much! The road was very bumpy!
Saturday, 12 September 2009
Saturday 12th September
Have tested the hour long bus journey to the school, and it really does take an hour! I start at 8 on monday so Im not looking forward to leaving the house at 7 am! Last night went to la turi which is a the highest point where you can look out over all of Cuenca, its alot bigger than i thought it would be! Last night there was a crash on the road outside our house and it knocked the gate down! but i dont think anyone was hurt.
Today i went to lunch with the familys grandma as well as all the aunties, uncles and cousins. It was hard to understand people when all talking in a group so still felt a bit awkward, but after was able to talk seperatly with people and could understand.
Have tested the hour long bus journey to the school, and it really does take an hour! I start at 8 on monday so Im not looking forward to leaving the house at 7 am! Last night went to la turi which is a the highest point where you can look out over all of Cuenca, its alot bigger than i thought it would be! Last night there was a crash on the road outside our house and it knocked the gate down! but i dont think anyone was hurt.
Today i went to lunch with the familys grandma as well as all the aunties, uncles and cousins. It was hard to understand people when all talking in a group so still felt a bit awkward, but after was able to talk seperatly with people and could understand.
Thursday, 10 September 2009
Thursday 10th September
Wandered around Cuenca and went for lunch at tutto frutto the restaurant and ice cream parlour. Went into the cathedral which was very elaborate, but we didnt stay long as wasnt really a tourist attraction as were many people preying. ive put some of my photos up on the wall now which is nice. Tried to buy a phone but found it quite tiring trying to work out the details of the networks in spanish so gave up and will try with Isabela. Since i have been here i dont think i have seen a single buggy- everyone carries their babys around even toddlers.
Wandered around Cuenca and went for lunch at tutto frutto the restaurant and ice cream parlour. Went into the cathedral which was very elaborate, but we didnt stay long as wasnt really a tourist attraction as were many people preying. ive put some of my photos up on the wall now which is nice. Tried to buy a phone but found it quite tiring trying to work out the details of the networks in spanish so gave up and will try with Isabela. Since i have been here i dont think i have seen a single buggy- everyone carries their babys around even toddlers.
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
wednesday 9th september
Today i went to the school and orphange where i will start next week. The school was really nice and colourful and the nun running it seemed really fun too! Only problem is that it isan hours bus journey away from my house.. but as a taxi only costs $2 i may end up doing that.
This afternoon i saw a hummingbird outside the window.. which i was very excited about but aparently they are all over the place.
This evening went to the mall and had ice cream with Marcia (my Ecuadorian "mum" ) and Isabella my "sister" . It feels a bit like America in some ways and they have copied some of the culture there. Dad you will be glad to know Isobella also watches The OC. the ice cream here comes on lolly pop sticks.
This afternoon i saw a hummingbird outside the window.. which i was very excited about but aparently they are all over the place.
This evening went to the mall and had ice cream with Marcia (my Ecuadorian "mum" ) and Isabella my "sister" . It feels a bit like America in some ways and they have copied some of the culture there. Dad you will be glad to know Isobella also watches The OC. the ice cream here comes on lolly pop sticks.
Tuesday, 8 September 2009
After yunguilla we went to this place where you can look out over teh crater of a volcano. it is only one of two volcanoes in the world where people have settled in the crater. when it last erupted thousands of years ago it collapsed in on itself and now has fields in.
We then went back to quito and climbed a cathedral which was very scary as had to use ladders.
Tuesday 8th September
Had to get up really early today to get the bus to Cuenca at 5am! the coach was much nicer than English ones and managed to sleep alot of the way, which is good as the journey is 10 hours. The drive was through small slow mountain roads and was interesting looking out the window at people in traditional clothes in the fields. Stopped for a snack of chrisps made of bananas. Arrived in Cuenca at 4ish and met my Ecuadorian mum and sister. The house is lovely. They have 3 dogs one who is very young and cute.
We then went back to quito and climbed a cathedral which was very scary as had to use ladders.
Tuesday 8th September
Had to get up really early today to get the bus to Cuenca at 5am! the coach was much nicer than English ones and managed to sleep alot of the way, which is good as the journey is 10 hours. The drive was through small slow mountain roads and was interesting looking out the window at people in traditional clothes in the fields. Stopped for a snack of chrisps made of bananas. Arrived in Cuenca at 4ish and met my Ecuadorian mum and sister. The house is lovely. They have 3 dogs one who is very young and cute.
Monday, 7 September 2009
Monday 7th september
Today went to the british embassy for a safety talk, although they didnt know who we were until a few conversations in spanish, as the latitude consulate didnt turn up.
Everyone seems to be working on Ecuadorian time which is at least an hour late, so shannon would seem early here! Well on time anyway.
After the embassy we were picked up and taken to "Mitad del Mundo" which is on the equator, and there was a tour round traditional equadorian homes made of mud and stuff. There was a dead snake that was 7 metres long that live in the jungle, that in venezuela they grow up to 15 metres. theres also a fish that lives in the amazon and when men wee in the water it swims up and is not very nice! so dont go to the loo in the river!!
They also demonstrated water goin down a drain on each side of the equator and then on the equator when it just goes strait down.
We then went to yunguilla which is a cloud forest that 2 of the volunteers are staying at. after being not very environmentally friendly and chopping down trees and stuff they were persuaded to be an eco place. they planted new trees but as they take 40 years or so to make money they decided to become a tourist place. this was 20 years ago and now they have enoguhh money to make cheese and jam as a sideline business. the jam is nice but cheese is not.
Today went to the british embassy for a safety talk, although they didnt know who we were until a few conversations in spanish, as the latitude consulate didnt turn up.
Everyone seems to be working on Ecuadorian time which is at least an hour late, so shannon would seem early here! Well on time anyway.
After the embassy we were picked up and taken to "Mitad del Mundo" which is on the equator, and there was a tour round traditional equadorian homes made of mud and stuff. There was a dead snake that was 7 metres long that live in the jungle, that in venezuela they grow up to 15 metres. theres also a fish that lives in the amazon and when men wee in the water it swims up and is not very nice! so dont go to the loo in the river!!
They also demonstrated water goin down a drain on each side of the equator and then on the equator when it just goes strait down.
We then went to yunguilla which is a cloud forest that 2 of the volunteers are staying at. after being not very environmentally friendly and chopping down trees and stuff they were persuaded to be an eco place. they planted new trees but as they take 40 years or so to make money they decided to become a tourist place. this was 20 years ago and now they have enoguhh money to make cheese and jam as a sideline business. the jam is nice but cheese is not.
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