What's new in Quito? Too much homework this week...and too many social engagements...tough life here.
Last Saturday there was a huge free concert in a park overlooking the city so a few of us went. It was a weird mix of metal and reggae, made for good people-watching. Enjoyed some fun nights out in the Mariscal, one with my IES friends and another with my pretend cousin Whitney and her friends (there are Careys EVERYWHERE.)
Sunday was BIZARRE. I went on a field trip to a little town about 2 hours south of Quito for a festival with my Andean Culture & Religion class at Católica. I was excited to see another place in Ecuador and to hang out with the kids in my class. It ended up being way more interesting than I could have imagined.
We left the university a bus around 8:30 and stopped at a gas station. Some kids collected money and went inside, I assumed to buy snacks. They came back with at least 5 bottles of liquor and a bag full of beers. Our professor had said something in class about drinking with the locals during the fiesta, and I thought she was cracking jokes or maybe we would try some indigenous drink or something. Needless to say I was a little surprised about the purchases, as well as impressed. However I was actually speechless 2 minutes later when they started mixing drinks and passing bottles around the bus. AT 9 IN THE MORNING. Professor and bus driver were both up front not caring a bit.
I couldn't stop laughing at the situation. I was riding a bus with 15 Ecuadorians, all drinking hard alcohol at 9 a.m., looking at cows on the side of the highway and passing trucks with entire families sitting in the back. On the way to a religious fiesta.
The actual festival was really interesting. There was a regular Catholic mass outside the church (terrible sound system) followed by a dance competition and lots of socializing. It was called Fiesta del Señor del Árbol, Festival of the..Tree Man? Kind of. There are a million versions of the story but the idea is that a long time ago there was a forest, and they started cutting down trees for wood, and when they got to this particular tree and tried to cut it it started bleeding and the image of Jesus/God appeared, and now it performs miracles..? Anyway, there was a tree branch and a Jesus statue on the altar of the church that people lined up to touch for a blessing.
After the mass I hung out with some of my new Ecua friends, ate some delicious corn and cheese tortillas and talked to some of the locals for our assignment. I was the only non Ecuadorian for miles, surprise surprise. There was also a makeshift bullfight that consisted of a bunch of drunk people jumping in a wooden paddock and angering bulls, then running away before they got trampled.
I was looking forward to a nap on the bus ride home because I had a big paper to do, until we started driving and the bottles started popping once more. Everyone was having a good time until one guy started acting up and got into a fight with some of my friends (as in fist fight in the back of the bus.) The next day in class our professor revoked field trip drinking privileges.
I started my internship on Monday working at a Pre K-12 school in Quito. I'm going to be helping kids who are behind level in English classes. It's very small and centered on culture and bilingual education. I was surprised how bratty the kids are in their classes - they don't listen to the teachers, pretend not to understand English, and never shut up. Kinda like Windham. I start working with them on my own next week and they will not be getting away with that.
In less exciting news I think my cell phone got stolen on the bus...or I just lost it..both of which are equally possible. Ibis was more upset than I am, I tried to explain that I lose things all the time, it doesn't phase me anymore. If it did get stolen I'm impressed because I usually keep track of my bag on the bus. Thief: 1, Brig: 0.
This weekend we're celebrating two 21st birthdays in my group. We started on Wednesday for my friend Samantha. Her parents threw a party for her and we taught her entire extended family some American drinking games. Nothing like cultural diffusion.
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