Orientation

I don't remember exactly where I left off but...

Orientation consisted of a few speakers..all very funny and a guided tour of the place. The first speaker, the founder of the University is known to just ramble on and on about whatever he feels like talking about. When he started talking about the economic state of Ecuador he made clear a difference between poor and underdeveloped. Ecuador, he says is very poor, but also very rich. They have a lot of resources, but don’t know what to do with him. He gave an example by pulling out his cell phone and calling his friend..yea, so I was a little lost at this point, but he was funny. He also told us not to ‘Be Americans who make a big deal out of everything.’ I’ve already figured out what he meant by that. I tend to get very tense when I am late or when something goes wrong with a class schedule, etc. In Ecuador: ‘todo bien’ everything is always fine. I arrive late, ‘No te preocupes chica..’ Don’t worry about it. No one is uptight and things just flow. From the Crazy traffic (loquisimo) to bargaining prices of food, people make their own rules and just live how they feel like living.

There was also a presentation on the Political history of Ecuador… an astonishing 11 presidents since 1996 and a people who overthrow them constantly. Health, culture, tour and we were off.

Luckily I made friends with a few people and was invited to join them for lunch. The two boys who are from Ecuador took us to a local restaurant that is suppose to be the ‘best’ in Cuybayá. I had potato soup with ‘aguacates’ avocados and fried corn..and of course plantains. (My mamí makes the BEST ‘batido de platanos’ banana milkshake I’ve ever had every morning for breakfast). Diego and Leonardo, our Ecuadorian friends and guides for the afternoon helped us order and then we took the bus back to the school. We returned to Quito ‘juntos’ together and parted ways at our various stops. Leonardo, who I think was a bit worried about me making it all the way home, made sure that I would send him a text and let him know I got their safely. As hard as we may try, gringos always look a little confused or lost. My mother calls me her ‘hijita gringita’ ..basically her little white daughter. It makes me laugh.

This morning I got up early to meet a friend, Cristina, who was going to take me to a small indigenous community where I might do my service work. I was suspose to meet her in front of the University..aparently easier said than done. I got on the bus that says, ‘SOLCA’ like I am suspose to but 30 mins later…still nothing looked familiar. Turns out there are two different buses that are marked with SOLCA that go completely different ways. None of the buses have numbers so you just have to read all of the words on the front while it is wizzing by you trying to figure out if you should get on. Anways, I was late but I eventually found my way. Cristina, her little 12 year old brother Alex and I hopped on yet another bus so that she could show me the way to Lumbisí a little further past cuybayá.


Lumbisí is a pueblito of mostly indeginous people that live in a community functioning like its very own small country. It is very hard to describe it in English so please forgive me as I try to give you a snapshot of the morning. When you step off the bus and look at the area you see mountains, dirt paths, rotting building and people. The land in Lumbisí is not owned officially by anyone so everyone takes pride in cleaning up and doing things that benefit the community as a whole. For the past three days there have been fiestas in the streets and so when we arrived this morning there were people sweeping up trash and many others passed out on the sidewalk. As we passed ‘una anciana’, and elderly woman, on the sidewalk sitting in the sun next to a man lying seemingly dead (although probably just extremely ‘borracho’ drunk) Cristina asked if we could help her to her house. The ancianos in Lumbisí are not taken care of at all and basically this women could have just sat on the street for days. Just as we were about to help her up her daughter came around the corner and started yelling at us. She said to basically ‘mind our own business.’ The problem, Cristina says, is that these people, who don’t like to be referred to as ‘indigenous,’ think that any notion of help is a symbol that they are worth less than other people. Even though Cristina only wants to help and do what she can to love these people that are mal treated, many feel degraded and have to much honor to accept much of anything. Without anywhere to put their identity, and no one to take care of them these ancianos drink all of the time and end up on the streets. Cristina says that she can never talk to one of the old ladies without tearing up.

We buy her a bottle of water and continue on…

Cristina is amazing. She is the director of a Foundation ‘FEVI’ that serves this very poor community as well as a night student at the University. She has a great sense of humor, a huge heart for the people she works with and time for everyone. FEVI has several projects in Lumbisí, one of which is a house for ‘los ancianos’ the elderly. FEVI also recently built a small school with two classrooms in which they plan to start English classes for the Children. This is where I come into play. Basically the teachers need assistants to help with the childcare in the morning and the English lessons. There is also a greenhouse and garden that Cristina has started to provide food for the kids. She is full of ideas like getting local ‘Panadarias’ Bread shops to donate old bread which can be pounded into grain and used in cooking. Everywhere we walked she was fixing a wobbly step, picking up trash, helping people and yet still talking to me about everything there is to do. ‘Plata y gente’ She says, ‘Money and People’ is what they need. They are desperate for volunteers and money. In fact, they require the volunteers now to pay 20 dollars a month to help with expenses. Her vision is beautiful and talking to her I felt more at home than I have in this country so far. I understood her pain, her desperate desire to help and the unavoidable lack of resources.

Most of the students at USFQ are very well off and come from families in Quito that have plenty of money. Many of these kids have no idea that in their very own country, 15 minutes down the road from their very own school, there are children that search through the garbage cans for food and ancianas that are dying in the street. As we talked and thought about ways to get more students involved, ideas ( probably too big for me to be having) were running through my head. I begin work on Monday. It’s about an hour bus ride to arrive at 7:30…too bad coffee is no where to be found.

Me encanta el Ecuador

So all of you who are holding your breath can stop..i made it! I arrived at the Airport in Quito Saturday night to find crouds and crouds of people holding signs with names on it. I think it is a very common time for foriegners to be arriving to start school. Tania saw me go outside and chased me down with a huge sign that said ´Courtny Paulson´I went home with Leonor, mi Mami ecuatoriana and my new sister, Christina. The house is very close to the center of Quito which is quite helpful. I live one block from an internet cafe..where i am now, a huge mall and a big park. Cristina and Maria de los angels are both very nice and I really enjoy spending time with them. Leonor, the mom has 9 brothers and sisters so there is family EVERYWHERE! Lets see, that night I ate dinner, unpacked and went to bed..nothing too exciting.

The first day, Sunday Christina and I woke up early so that we could take a bus into Cumbaba, where my university is. i have to take 2 buses to get there..but they only cost 25 cents so its not that bad. I have several landmarkes to help me remember where to get on and off at different times..total it takes about 40 mins. Ecuadorian traffic has No rules and the buses hardly stop long enough for you to get on and off..closing the doors is out of the question. on every street corner are women selling oranges or kids juggling. Sometimes sailsmen come onto the busses and present some product..Christina says to always say, ´no gracias´. The school is BEAUTIFUL. Very safe, overlooking mountains and easy to get around. We looking around for a bit then returned home..peices of advice every once and awhile. Christina speaks English very well but we have decided to speak only spanish while I am here.

I´m getting really tired..so i´m going to put a few highlights and go back and tell stories about them later..remind me if i forget!

Mass with the family on Sunday
Family reunion that night
Orientation today...new ecuadorian friends...that are wonderful- i already have a phone and we´ve been texting all day. It was nice not to ride the bus home alone! One boy in particular, Leonardo, had studied abroud the year before in the US and was so helpful and understanding of my confusion. A few of us went to lunch at the ´best´local resturant and he took the bus home with me. It was so funny all the mistakes i was making and the misundersatnding...heres a few

I asked where the gym was (like for playing basketball)..´Donde esta el gymnacio´and he was shocked thinking that a girl my size lifted weights..

I got vasillos mixed up for pasillas...one is a modern pop group the other tradicional indigenous ecuadorian music..i started singing my favorite song and he just laughed and understood my mistake.

..and many more

I hit a sudden wave of tiredness..but i promise to write more later!! xoxoxo

A bit more information

I just got an email telling me a bit about my family and where I will be living. My new address is 'la calle Hungria 370' in a district called 'La republica' very close to the middle of the city. From what I can tell on google maps I live very close to a big park..and the huge mall. There is one main street called, in english, 'United nations' and all of the other side streets have country names..so, I'm Hungry! My mama is Leonor Maldonado and I have 2 sisters. Maria who is 20 years old, and Maria Cristina who is 27. I'm really hoping for some instant friendships there!

Its looks like I'm going to be working at a school called 'El Buen Pastor'.."Founded in 1992, strives to give children of all backgrounds and religions a well-rounded education. The students, more than 90 percent indigenous, come from families with limited economic resources, many of whom work in the surrounding streets of Quito’s historic center. Students are encouraged to develop their individual abilities, self-esteem, love for their country and for their race, and also study Spanish, Quichua, and English. The school offers classes through the seventh basic grade level, preparing students to attend a variety of high schools in Quito. Classes are small with an average of 10 students per grade level. Volunteers are utilized to teach English, computer literacy, art, and music. Others serve as teacher aides."

Leonor is meeting me at the airport with Tania, the program advisor, saturday night at 6:35. I start orientation things on Monday and school begins Wednesday! I'm about to burst I'm so excited...

One Week to Go...

Dear family and friends,

Having just gotten back from a summer in Alabama and a trip to Chicago, I am now home just in time to get ready to leave again. I have one week to get everything ready for the next adventures awaiting me in Ecuador. I leave on Saturday 8/23 and start classes the following wednesday. I am already missing everyone I left in at camp, school and home and i hope to keep you all updated as I explore South America this fall. Sharing life across boarders this blog will hopefully fill you all in on my life and stories while I'm gone. I'm just figuring this blogging stuff out, but I'm sure there will be more to come!

Hasta Ecuador :)