Everything Ecuador

(L to R) My grandpa, grandma, older sister,
two cousins- 8 and 5

   It is official. I have made it past the first week of being an exchange student! Heck, I'm practically a pro by now (... Hardly...)! The first week has felt like an eternity, but I like to think it is because of my level of comfort here, I feel like I left one home and hopped right into another home. This is, essentially, my home now, but there was such a limited amount of awkwardness through that transition that I feel like I was practically born here!

   One of the first significant thing I learned about my dad was his love of Amy Winehouse. I almost jumped for joy. Though I love some Amy, I loved more the sheer fact that my dad and (I later found out) my sister and I have common music interests. For those of you who know me, you would know that music is my life line to life; the way I express opinions and feelings; my telephone to the world! To me, the shared interest in music is like sharing blood! Anyway, long story short, I instantly felt connected to my family.

   I realize I have done a poor job on giving updates on my first impressions, but as I am still encountering new things- it is not too late! Machala is the capitol of the Ecuadorian providence El Oro (meaning gold), so Machala is a good sized city, holding about 300,000 people. My friend Johnna asked me what it was going to be like being in a country filled with people who looked like me, well.... It is SO weird. I really didn't think being in a country full of my fellow Latinos was going to be all that weird to me, but I supposed the weirdness coincides with my comfort level. Culture is a binding thing and in the States, especially living near (I'll have you know I originally put IN instead of NEAR) Portland (which is 80% Caucasian), the bind is hardly ever made. I have found that friends who come from the Latin culture are friends that I have an unspoken language with. Now, I have a whole country of that unspoken understanding, minus the language part- I have yet to get that down. The one thing I will say is how funny it is when people assume I am from around here and speak to me. When I give that look- the one saying, "What?"- to establish that I am not from here, I get a look back that makes me think I am disgracing my race. But once I get the language down, I will be a Gringa no more!

   Driving here should be a sport. I have been here a week and seeing the kind of driving I have, I should have also witnessed about 100 car accidents- but no! The people are such dangerous drivers that they're SAFE! The wearing of seat belts isn't enforced, and speed limit is only half way monitored. Blinkers are replaced by horns honking and the flashing of your brights takes on a whole different meaning. Ecuadorians make it work though, they do.

   Ah, the food. That is yet another they make work here. Food here tastes SO good. Everything I eat! Even something as simple as a hot dog! Maybe I'm just Star Struck, but everything here is just so much better. My favorite foods so far include: Manestra- a lentil, bean, mystery deliciousness mix; This yellow rice that is baked for added crunchy texture- absolutely fantastic!; and Las Sopas- they eat a lot of soup here and so far I have had a Cauliflower creamy soup that amazing and another one. Either way, they were both delicious. As I said in my previous posts, Machala is famous for its bananas and banana trees are everywhere. Including, as pictured, right outside my back porch! Plantains are used often in Ecuadorian cooking, given it is such an available commodity. In the picture here, is a dish I had the other nice including shrimp and a paste of sorts (the orange) made out of plantains and, of course, rice!

  

A little bird made a nest
in a banana bunch

   And there you have it folks, my account Ecuador in it's first week! Today, I met all my fellow exchange students in the city. There are two of us from the US, and then one from: Austria, Germany, France, and Denmark. We took our Spanish test today and I have to admit, it was insanely hard. I wasn't expecting too be all that hard, but my oh my was it a struggle. In 5 months, we will all take the test again and if their isn't a significant improvement, they'll send us back home!

   Well that's it for now! I'll be going to Spanish camp next weekend and then I start the week after next. The ball is starting to pick up speed!

                   I love you guys,

                            Marlee

Ecuador, Sweet Ecuador

  After a over 24 hours of traveling, three different planes, and countless cups of juice, the 10 or so exchange students and I landed in Guayaquil, Ecuador! I'd like to say my flights were comfortable and homey, but they shoved us to the back of every plane and in most cases I was in the middle. Oh well, on the last stretch, a small group of the kids got to sit together (Pictured is Stephanie from Washington and Marcus from Alaska and then, well, me!).

   After arriving in Guayaquil, a whole half hour late, we had to wait in an hour long line for customs. It took the whole plane a little over an hour to get through, but all of us got our passports signed and we´re good to go! My sister and my dad came to the airport to pick me up and it was so good to finally meet them! My mom and younger sister could not come because my mom had to work and my sister had to go to school. Speaking of occupations, my dad is a shrimp farm owner (shrimp is a very big export here in Machala) and my mom is a teacher! My family is just the best and they are all so very nice!

   Since being here, I have been to one party and it was a going away party for a friend of my sister. The friend will be leaving to Pennsylvania on Friday, so naturally a fiesta was in order! I was thinking that it was just going to be a nice quiet going away party but little did I know that the all day preperation was serious business and that it was not at all a quiet party. I dressed in a regular summery dress and was the most under dressed person there! It was embarrassing at first, but I went with it. The party was so much fun! Dancing, music and fun! There was another girl from the states there, so we hung out. The party lasted a lot longer than I expected too! We were at the house till at LEAST 5am. Craziness! But like I said, it was a blast!

   I have done a lot of sleeping since being here, which I am hoping is just jet lag. I try and be as involved as I can, but the language barrier frusturates me. Anyone who knows me, knows that I like to talk- a lot. So my inability to gab has been tough, but that just creates all the more drive to learn Spanish even faster. My problem is that I can understand really well, however it is answering that I cannot quite do. I mainly say "Yes", "Sure", and "I understand" oh and "OKAY". I also do a lot of smiling. If they cant understand me, at least they can tell that I am a happy camper!

   Well that is all for now! I hope to get more pictures up soon. I get kind of embarrased when I take pictures- but this is not new. I will step out of my comfort zone soon and snap away at everything I see. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods, where ever you are. I will try my best to make weekly updates!!

Hasta luego,

Marlee

    

P.S.-

Just as an extra, I took this picture after we took off from Miami. I am pretty sure it is Nassau, but do not quote me on that.

Getting Ready! Three days and counting...

   Preceding, during, and following my exchange in Ecuador, I hope to keep this blog as means of my digital documentation of my trip. This is not be the only means of documentation, but it will certainly be the easiest way to share little tid-bits of what is going on.

   Three days out and I am more ready than ever. Over the last six months I have been anticipating my depature to Ecuador and now it is finally here (well, almost). I have been mentally and emotionally preparing myself for this trip for a good six months now, but nothing can really prepare me for what is to come. My belongings are packed, my bank account is drained and I am ready.
   For those of you who do not know, I will be heading to Machala, Ecuador, which is the leading city in Banana production. If you look at the map to the left, Machala is on the Southern Coast of Ecuador, down near Peru. I am already in contact with my family there and they seem very nice! I have two sisters (18 and 13), however the older sister will be on exchange while I'm in her house!
While I have been having some anxiety about meeting my family and fitting in with my peers, I am reassured by the emails I have received from my host dad and my sister. I will attend a small,Catholic high school in the city and it is my hope to become involved in the local clubs and possibly even sports while attending school. Since I am on the coast, the school schedule is different than in the States. School is in session from April until January, with a few months in between for Summer Break. I have not heard about classes, but I am curiously excited to get involved in another culture's curriculum.
   I look forward to keeping you all updated! Until next time,

Marlee