So I am officially going to Muisne, tiny mysterious island described below, for my internship. I will be teaching health at a high school called Colegio Alfredo Pérez Guerrero for 5 weeks. And I’m not going alone, which is a big relief as far as safety goes. There are 3 other students working in Muisne, though we all have different internship locations and will stay with different families. One week from today, we are all making the 9 hour journey to scope the place out. I also have an interview with the school’s director.
We have today completely free to work on our take-home exams. I am vaguely ashamed to be sitting in a café in Plaza de las Americas, the most American place in Quito. There are an astonishing amount of gringos here, and everything is super-expensive by Ecuadorian standards. $2.50 lattes-- holy crap-- that is unheard of. I can get a 3 hour bus trip for that amount. Creepy guys hang around the periphery, pretty much trying to seduce foreign women. The same happens in bars and clubs that tend to attract foreigners. “Que linda eres…” (you are so beautiful). Thanks. You’re only the 25th dude to invade my personal space to mention that tonight, so I hope you’re not expecting a marriage proposal or anything.
Speaking of creepy guys, I would just like to pause and reflect on being a woman in Ecuador. It sucks. I say this shedding my academic/anthropological hat, although even from a more informed perspective, I'm pretty sure it still sucks. It is annoying to be constantly whistled at, honked at, winked at, approached on the street, etc. “Constantly” is not an exaggeration, it really is constant. Being white doesn’t help, as I stick out even more. Yesterday on my walk home, I was fairly certain I was being followed by a man I accidentally made eye contact with. I did what I was supposed to, which is walk into a busy pharmacy with armed security at the door and waited several minutes. Oh Denison-issued rape whistle, I have never treasured you so much. I love the feminist movement, too.
BUT, I am still having a blast and love Ecuador. Miss you all.
2 comments:
DUDE. Looks like you're having the adventure of a lifetime down there. Okay, advice that you asked for about the food thing... See if you can get the family to eat outside and then scrap the stuff under the table to the dogs. It's kosher, kind of. More so than refusing it, you CAN'T just turn down food! The ultimate insult. Another thing you can try, besides giving it to the dogs, or whatever else ( I used to throw it to the pigs when no one was looking), is giving it away to other people at the table. This is acceptable. Just srape it off on their plate and say you insist. DON'T just leave it on your plate.
Anyways, I know nothing, I am only a few months deep in my Latin Amer. experiences.
Okay, also, on the machisimo thing. GOOD LORD. Bolivia I guess it wasn't that bad, maybe because I was always surrounded by an army of Christian gringo boys. But here, its downright dangerous to be alone. In public, in the middle of the day, you're all but verbally assaulted... possibly more? I don't want to find out.
Yesterday, my girlfriend was alone in town, grocery shopping in the afternoon, and you know those loudspeakers on top of ice cream trucks and stuff? They were hollering at her, in front of the whole street, over a loudspeaker like that, wouldn't quit. My roomate and I don't leave home without a machete, en serio. She picked us up one last week.
Dude, the yoga picture, AHAH! Love. it.
Gringa to gringa, love you girl. I know God holds you in the palm of Her hand ;)
This is Megan btw.
Post a Comment