VW Expat in Ecuador

Guayaquil Happy Holidays to all.  It has been almost two months since I posted and I regret that it has been so long. As to why - a quick summary of all the things that are relatively uninteresting – I have been very sick ( just my chronic stomach issues-nothing exotic like an Ecuadorian parasite ), and it took all the energy I had to do the teaching and preparation.  Also, I have moved to a new house and that took some time and energy.  There were a lot of other time hogs during this time – but some of them are actually interesting/funny and I will go into these misadventures in more detail in a later post. I finished my first cycle of teaching ( I will do a total of four 8-week cycles) on Dec. 22.  My general schedule for this cycle was Spanish lessons three times a week from 1-3 followed by teaching from 4-8. Not only did I finish this routine on Dec. 22 , but  this is also the day I moved to a new host family. On Dec. 24 I flew to Guayaquil. Guayaquil is a coastal city

It has been a while since I posted, but I have now gotten myself started in school, just had a 4-day weekend that I have spent in the house alone so I got a lot done. Generally, I hate being alone for four days -and so dread  holidays- but on this particular 4-day span I enjoyed the quiet and was able to get a lot done.  This was only complicated by a day of no water in my neighborhood due to a major city construction project – but we knew this was coming so I was prepared as far as drinking and bathrooms -so it really was just a day without a shower. Anyway, I think I have established my routine of teaching and Spanish lessons- have planned a bit ahead so should be posting more regularly.  I am using this as my own record of this time in my life - so I am motivated to do this -and also trying to to be "real", warts and all. Thursday Nov. 2 was Dia de los Difuntos (the Day of the Deceased) and Nov. 3 was Cuenca Independence Day. Saturday and Sunday were Satu

I have had several topic requests for the blog - and I would just like to say keep those comments and requests coming.  This is my main way for keeping in touch and it always makes me feel good when I hear from someone.  One of the topics several people have requested is information about faith practices. Quito, like the rest of Ecuador, is predominately Catholic.  I am not quite sure how this interprets to day to day life, other than all the beautiful Catholic churches, cathedrals, etc.  I know that legal abortion is practically non-existent and only available when the health of the mother is threatened or when the pregnancy is a result of a sexual crime against a woman who is mentally disabled. However, you can get birth control and the morning after pill easily over the counter and I believe you can get the morning after pill and condoms free at hospitals and clinics.  And while the official percentages would have Catholic dominating the woman I live with is Muslim, knows a lot ab

What the Heck-ador I am sitting at the dining room table while bossa nova is playing in the kitchen where cooking is happening.  It is raining cats and dogs (and probably horses) outside, thundering and lightening, and probably hailing. (When they say Quito has a rainy season they were NOT messing around.)  But I am warm and cozy, enjoying the music and I also have a hot cup of tea. Three days ago I got caught in a rain…It was raining so hard that even with my umbrella I was totally soaked.  The wind was so hard that it kept turning my umbrella inside out and there were times I thought I would just pull a Mary Poppins and get carried away.  I was rushing to the bus stop with a colleague but the rain and hail and thunder was so loud we could not even talk to each other.  The water was deep on the streets that you could not step or jump over the high parts. My pants were so wet when I got to the bus stop I could not pull the material from my pocket from the rest of the pants

Hello all.  I have received messages from people and they mean so much to me. An email or text from a friend has cheered me up during hard times and made the day far easier. So I am going to do a short post to keep up my end of the bargain.    I am still quite tired at night but it is improving. While my responsibilities have increased - I now have lesson planning and Spanish homework—I have more energy most of the time.  Part of this is because I have figured out how to get from one point to the next when it comes to my class, my bus stop, and my Spanish class. I have also figured out how to take a taxi, a great fallback position. But I am still quite impressed with the weariness that comes.  Last night I read  up on the adaptation to altitude in those who move to altitude  as well as  adaptations in the populations that have lived at altitude long enough to adapt genetically.  It was really interesting but very!  comforting as my conclusion was that it would be crazy if

In The Beginning……..(Sept 20) I am writing this sitting in my own little personal balcony with my room in the Hostel Pasado el Maple where I stayed last night and will stay tonight.  Tomorrow I will go to my host family -my home for the next year.   The hostel is quite nice.. and thankfully had coffee this morning.  The coffee wasn’t that great but the caffeine was awesome! (being amongst the 20 year olds I am hearing the word “awesome” a lot) Yesterday went surprisingly well… all flights on time.. all things good.  It was a long day but really not so bad.  I did arrive last night extremely tired due to the short night preceding as I finished up packing quite late.  I am not quite sure how this all began and I am shocked that I actually got on the plane and got here And more Beginnings ( Sept 24 -4 days later) It is now Sunday, four days later , and this is my first free day.  I have had some time in the evenings but due to lots of things (moving twice, altitu