Blog 2.0

If you are my mother, you'd know I don't update my blog very often. Well, I am out to change that. Starting today, I'm going to post more often. Originally, I had planned to offer some insightful tidbits, something that was well written or witty; as that as not worked well (a single blog post in a month), I've decided to forgo my pride and just write.

With that said, I should let you (mother) know what's been going on the past few weeks. Ten days ago we rapped up our kids' summer camp. We had a pretty good turnout- 17 kids came of the two-week camp. We played games, made art, learned about the environment, and took trips to watch a movie and to the pool. My favorite part were snacks on the roof: it offered time for both kids and profes to catch a breath, enjoy the sun, and eat a couple of oranges. Overall it was a good way to get to know some of the kids we'll be working with in the coming year.

Last week we re-opened the library, which had been closed while the kids' camp was underway. Jackie and I are responsible for the administrative duties, while everybody uses the space as a base of operations within the community. We've been cleaning, organizing, and reworking policies and procedures in order to be reading for next week, when we begin our semester-long programs.

On a more personal note, I hiked Pichincha, the active volcano that forms the western border of Quito, on Saturday. After taking a few wrong turns (did you know you can actually climb a mountain the wrong way?), Sarah, Sonia, and I made it to the top, paused briefly in the cold wind for a few pictures, and then made our way down the rock and sand face. After making it down, we visited Erik's favorite Chinese restraunt and ate everything we could (it was 6, we hadn't had anything to eat since 9am). All in all, not a bad way to spend 5 hours on a Saturday.

Thanks to those who have donated, followed along on the blog, and who are sending encouragement over email. It means a lot to me to have such as great support group back in the states.

-m-

The past three weeks

Three weeks after arriving in Quito, I finally got the opportunity to set down and establish roots in Ecuador: this past weekend, all 9 of the new PDs moved a minivan's worth of clothes, computers, books, and a cape into the Manna House in Conocoto. While we all appreciated our time in Quito (especially its convinience to many historical and cultural venues), the opportunity to communicate in our native language, choose what we eat, be with our new friends, and put down roots is something all of us appreciates. That certain tasks accompany the move (cooking, cleaning, bussing, taking over for the old PDs) make this time more exciting.

So what have we been doing all this time that it's only now, 3 weeks into our stay, that we're putting on the big kid pants? "Cultural immersion." Every morning we spent 4 hours in language school, working one-on-one with our Ecuadorian profesores on a range of topics, from the basic present tense (Chet y yo) to the development of the Mariscal (Erik), the neighborhood in Quito home to travelers, as well as our language school. [The Mariscal is affectionately known as "Gringolandia" by locals for its abundance of hostels, foreigners, bad Spanish, and overpriced everything.] Our afternoons were filled with almuerzo with our host families, a siesta (after 4 hours of learning a language while adjusting to altitude, it's much needed), and activities around the city or talks from the outgoing PDs about their work with Manna. Since the city is large and Manna has already done a lot, there is a lot to learn. As we begin our work, we've learn we don't know half of what we should. Fortunately, the outgoing PDs and Mark, the outgoing Country Director, are here this week to guide us.

Highlights of the past three weeks include:

• Yaka Water Museum- water & bubbles are great for kids aged 21-24
  
• Salsa lessons- taught by an hombre, with all the girls followed along closely
• Watching the MLB all-star game while helping a group of UK people win at trivia night
  
• Obtaining Ecuadorian IDs or censos
  
• Celebrating Chet's birthday with cake and Harry Potter- The Half-blood Prince
• Cooking lessons- how to make traditional Ecuadorian almuerzo and guacamole
• Networking at an talent show sponsored by an Ecuadorian non-profit, FEVI
  
• TeleferiQo- a gondola up Pinchincha, the volcano that forms the western boarder of Quito
• An afternoon in Parque la Carolina
• Celebrating Sarah's birthday at a Mexican restaurant owned by a former telenovela star
• Getting a classroom management talk from an Ecuadorian now teaching in Denver
• A trip with Luis, the director of the language school, for an almuerzo of cuy, better known in the states as guinea pig
  

Through these experiences and others, we've grown closer as a group as well as grown more confident in our ability to navigate what this city and country will throw at us.

Hasta luego,
Mike