My Summer in World of Warcraft

Over the summer, I received a grant from Denison to conduct anthropology research on World of Warcraft-- the popular multi-player online game. Yes, every teenage boy's dream job! Because WoW is a pop culture phenomenon, people seem intrigued.

I have made the full manuscript available HERE.
Note that isn't meant to sound harsh, but inevitably will: As I work towards possibly publishing the manuscript, I request it only be used or referenced with my consent.

The paper is about gender in World of Warcraft, and draws on my own experience and interviews with fellow players. It is quite lengthy and heavy on theory-- If you're short on time but still intrigued, I suggest skipping to either Chapter III (game design), Chapter IV (virtual gender), or Chapter V (actual gender and marginalization).

I am proud of my work and much indebted to my research advisor, Susan Diduk, for overseeing the project. Neither of us had any experience studying technology, gaming, or anything even vaguely related before the summer-- it was definately a shot in the dark!!

Birthday

Tomorrow is my 21st birthday! I am thrilled to have made it to the seemingly arbitrary age where I am allowed to purchase and consume alcohol. No more X's on my hands at concerts that require brutal exfoliation to remove. And perhaps more importantly, I am now eligible for all the radio contests that require you to be 21 to win. Turning 21 almost feels ironic. I've always been old; now I'm just catching up.

Like every year, this birthday I will spend an inordinate amount of time preparing my wish before blowing out the candles on my cake. I suspect many people wish for similar things: a hand to hold, satisfaction, strength in the upcoming year. In other words... important things. No one wishes for their neighbor to stop having loud parties, or for Oprah to unexpectedly decide to do 10 more seasons (although both of those would be amazing).

I can't tell you what my exact wish will be or it won't come true. But... it'll be important. And big. I can't waste any opportunities this year!

Blog Take 2 (american style)

I'm resurrecting the blog.

I know what you're thinking. Why? Your life is nowhere near interesting enough to blog anymore. You held my attention in Ecuador, with the bull fighting, sex-ed teaching, dangerous public transportation, mountain climbing adventures. I concede that my life is markedly more boring now. I live in Ohio, I spend many evenings indoors writing papers. I get excited to go to my favorite coffee shop or when my schedule allows reading for pleasure.

I am blogging again for several reasons. The first is jealous inspiration. Many of my friends have interesting, funny, or thought-provoking blogs, and I appreciate being kept up to date on their lives. The second is my senior year of college. I'm making some big plans (and small plans) and would like to keep a record of how everything materializes. The third is contact. My friends and family are increasingly dispersed across this great world, and nothing substitutes personal communication (even if it is en masse).

So however you know me (or don't), I hope you partake in the excitement and terror of my senior year of college. These are, perhaps, my final carefree days of university life, in this utopia of Denison, planning and seeking and eventually finding what comes next.

Video Clips

This is the Rio Blanco in Banos, Ecuador-- so beautiful! The bridge that goes over Rio Blanco is the bridge we bungie jumped off of.



I took this video at a rural school we visited. The kids have a couple hours a week of "culture class", where they learn about their traditions as indigenous tribes. In this video, they are learning a traditional dance that is performed June 21-- the sun festival (the longest day of the year). The little boy distributing scarves represents the sun god.



This was during the Fiestas de Quito Independence parade. These women are performing a traditional dance from one of the Indigenous groups. It was a HUGE parade!



This is a goodbye message from 2 of my students. They are basically saying, we were in your sex ed class, we'll miss you, we love you, you always have our friendship!

Home!

I've been back in the USA for several days now. All my flights were calm, on-time, and carrying my luggage-- Milagro! (Miracle!) I am working on putting all my pictures online. I have only brushed the surface with the pictures I posted here, there are many more crazy adventures to see if you are interested or bored at work. I will let you know as soon as those are available.

So, the USA. 1.) Is not like Ecuador. 2.) Has changed a LOT since I left! I have not been updated on basic news items since August. I am watching old episodes of Daily Show with Jon Stewart to get a quick review on all I have missed.

They warned us about "reverse culture shock", or the readjustment phase upon returning to the US. I would say my biggest hurdle is returning to the monotony of daily life and re-involving myself in the things that I left. It is weird to go back to all the same people when you feel you've changed significantly. I also have more of an issue with the over-consumption that characterizes middle class America. Christmastime doesn't help. Today I went shopping and almost had a heart attack upon comparing Ecuadorian and American prices. Also I am pretty sure the lady in front of me spent like 95 dollars on a fake flower arrangement. Seems unnecessary.

Thanks for reading the blog over the past several months. It has been really fun to keep it updated and stay in contact with you all. I wonder how one becomes "a blogger"... one of those people that gets invited to events just so they can blog about it. I would like to just carry my laptop around and continually post about useless things.

My Research Paper

I am just finishing up a 25 page research thesis on the social and educational implications of adolescent sexuality in Muisne. I have had some people ask for a copy, which is grand. Except... it's all in Spanish. So if you speak Spanish or would like a copy regardless, let me know. I presented it orally today, and turn in the written work tomorrow.

And then I am done! I go back to the states in less than 48 hours. Scary. I'll post as soon as I get back.

A Bull Fight and Another Embarrassing Situation

I am only adding this picture to lighten the mood before showing bull fight pictures. PETA members and the faint of heart should not scroll down.



Post-fight.

This bull is about to be dealt his final blow.

So, the bull fight. Ryan and I went on Saturday (the last day of Quito’s independence celebration), which was a beautiful sunny day. When the sun comes out in the mountains on the Equator, it is also quite hot and you are likely to get dehydrated and sunburned, which still somehow surprises me. The fight is quite the classy occasion given what takes place. Everyone comes in cowboy hats and boots. I knew what was coming… Quito's bullfight is a pretty renowned occasion, and yes, they kill the bulls. There are 6 rounds-- 6 matadors for 6 different bulls. Whichever matador kills the bull in the most glorious fashion (basically gets the closest to being speared by bull horns) wins.

Round 1. Man, it was really hot. The opening procession was beautiful, all the matadors in their costumes. There are other matadors on armored horses that come out and spear the bull as well. It is really quite gruesome, but also beautiful in a medieval way.

Round 2. Started to not feel so great. Really, not great at all. Told Ryan. Started hearing only buzzing, started seeing only grey blobs. There was no escape, there were 1000 screaming bull fans and I was in the seat (of course) farthest from a door. I passed out, apparently unresponsive for at least 4 minutes. When I woke up I had 6 Ecuadorian firefighters and Red Cross workers around me. I started talking to them in Spanish! That is fluency! Everyone was staring… and this was an ARENA mind you. When I finally got up with the medics helping me to the shade, people cheered. I had strangers coming up to me the rest of the day, laughing because the foreigners always pass out.

I think it was a combination of dehydration, altitude sickness (I had just gotten back from the coast) and bull blood. I would just like to publicly thank Ryan for putting up with me. You can't take me anywhere. After intermission I went back and watched the last 2 bulls, actually kind of enjoying it. I felt sick the rest of the day but am much better now.

Sorry for the graphic pictures, it's hard to envision the situation without them!

More Muisne Pictures

Cows grazing on the beach.
My coworker Vicenta, me, and my wonderful Muisne host mom Anita. We are fishing!
Some of my favorite students. All teachers have them!
Drinking coconut water (una pipa), which is delicious, parasite free, and apparently quite good for you. In a hammock! I will miss island life.
Message to my friends and family!
Puppies! Janelle's host family's dog, Lulu, gave birth to 13 puppies. I almost stole them.
At a beach bonfire with some friends from church! Probably exactly the same thing I would be doing if I was at home! Some things don't change across cultures.
Some of my students invited me to hang out at the beach with them the day before I left Muisne. They are so amazing! This was definitely the most satisfying part of being a teacher.

Carl

I just read my e-mail and found out that Carl Warner, a longtime swim coach of mine, died on Friday.

So here I am, on an island in Ecuador. I cant even express how much of an influence Carl had on me in high school. He was there for so many early mornings, so many impossible hours of swimming and swimming. He always made me laugh when I thought I would just drown. He was there when Catie died-- before, during and after. I am in his facebook fanclub. He was there during my proudest moments. Even when he wasn't my coach anymore I would sneak over the other teams deck space to talk to him. He was always sick, we joked that one day he would just die during morning practice. I saw my swim coaches as often as my parents in high school. We always laughed together. I will really miss him.

My life as a teacher

Girls playing in their classroom during recess.
Two of my students in decimo, about the equivalent of 9th grade.

Muisne has held two community-wide peach marches in the month I have lived there. The purpose is to protest the sharp increase in drug use and violent crime over the last couple years, especially that which targets youth.

So, ironically, I did not get to upload any more photos in Quito. Its now Monday, I am back on la isla. I had a really fun weekend, too busy enjoying Quitos Independence celebration to get on the computer. Quito apparently has one of the best independence days of Latin America. It is one giant party... for 8 days!! We went to a HUGE kickoff parade this Saturday. We also bought tickets to see the bull fight next Saturday (this is my last week in Muisne!). Apparently the bull fight involves much blood, and by the end there are six dead animals. But honestly, when am I next going to see a bull fight?

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am back in Quito for Thanksgiving. This is just a quick note to wish you all well. There is a huge feast today at 2 for all the students in my program and their host families. I am bringing the mashed potatoes, it was nice to spend all morning peeling potatoes just like I would have been in the States. I also got to talk to my family (cheaply!). I am sad I have to miss a slew of Lewis Family traditions like watching the dog show, eating chex mix and cheese ball, and putting up the Christmas tree. Alert to my family: DON´T PUT MY BABY ORNAMENT ON! Save it for me and I´ll put it on when I get back.

Thoughts needed for my host family here in Quito. My host mom´s ex-husband and the father of her 3 children is in the hospital and in really bad shape. He was drugged and assaulted 2 days ago while stopped at a stoplight. The robbers took his car, phone, wallet, everything, and beat him until they thought he was dead and left him in a ditch. He still hasn´t regained consciousness, though they are pretty sure he will live. My host mom is manning the phone at home (which is ringing off the hook) and my host siblings are at the hospital.
I will be in Quito all weekend enjoying the company of my friends in the short time we have left. I will definitely post pictures soon, because I actually have internet.

Pictures!!

This is my bed. For those who have never slept under a mosquito net... it is kind of like a lace cage.
We went to Mompiche, another nearby island, in this boat over the weekend. We were almost capsized at one point because the water was really rough. Like many many situations I confront in Ecuador, it was funny afterwards, but I assure you it was quite terrifying in the moment. Also, I just got an email from the consulate, the subject line reads: "WARNING: Piracy Concerns off the Coast of Ecuador." Oops. A little late.
Ryan, Janelle and I on our last night in Quito. We splurged on a nice meal before heading out into rural areas to work.
These 5 girls are like my fan club. They are 12-13, the youngest students I teach. The whiteboard has our thought of the day... "la violencia genera violencia" or "violence generates violence".
Here he is. Señor tarantula. In my sink. I haven´t seen him in a few days, but I am sure he is planning the next hand towel ambush.

I am off the island

I left the island for the first time in 3 weeks today! Right now I am in Atacambes, an hour and a half away. I needed to get money, and there are no banks closer than here. Yes, ladies and gents. I honestly just traveled an hour and a half to get money from an ATM. Feels good to encounter civilization again.

Latest health saga (abridged version)... I began my day with a hydrocortizone shot. I have a puffy, gross, rapidly spreading red rash on my left side. And my face is swollen. It is a contact allergy, so I guess I will be changing my sheets tonight. I swear I know the doctors as well as Janelle or Claire, who are doing their internships there. The nurses see me come into the ER and are like... really? again?

This weekend was amazingly fun. My friend Ryan came to visit from Cotacachi, about 10 hours away. 20 hours (total) by bus over the mountains..that is loyalty. We went to Mapichu, another closeby island, on Saturday by boat! There was a surfing competition, and the weather was sublime. Pure sunshine, blue water. It is winter, so sun is a rarity (sunburns not so rare). At night we relaxed on the beach and chatted about how weird it is going to be going back to the USA. Sunday morning me and Janelle trucked accross the island with mugs full of coffee for us and Ryan. Half was spilled by the time we got to his hotel, but it was worth it. Sunday morning coffee with your friends is such a luxury. We are planning a road trip this summer with the money we thought we would use in Ecuador, but did not because everything is dirt cheap.

Research. My student interviews are going well but I need more teachers and parents to talk to me. I hope my students are learning in my class. I know I cant change the machista culture where boyfriends have "the right" to touch their girlfriends however they want (<-- quote from 12 year old girl), the reported age of sexual initiation is 13 (average of over 30 responses), and I have students that think you get HIV from mosquitos... but I do hope someone gets something positive from it. The bell rings after class last week and I just feel like yelling, "OK, Lets not get pregnant this week!" to my students as they walked out.

Shout out to Keith (my friend Janelles husband). She told me you were reading!! We shall meet one day. Want to come on the road trip?

Wildlife

There is a giant tarantula living in my bathroom. It is the size of my hand. It started last weekend when I went to wash my face, and almost touched it as I reached for the faucet. I did not scream, I just walked away, slowly, slowly, turned off the light, and tried to forget about it. Well, actually I came back and took a video of it with my camera. Pictures to come, I promise. I tucked the mosquito net extra tight.

This morning, I washed my hands and went to dry them on the hand towel next to the sink. I saw one hairy leg. I looked around at the other side of the towel and there it was, hiding. Waiting to attack. This is war. I am contemplating the best way to kill it, as this is not a squishable-sized spider. I think machete is my best option.

I also had a run-in with a bull today. There are cows grazing, randomly and seemingly without owners, all over the island. I walked out of the school today, there was no one around. All of the sudden, a young bull (not fully mature) came running around the corner. It was seriously booking it right towards me! It probably got within 10 feet of me and veered to the right. Just kept running. It was one of those experiences where you just look around, realize that absolutely no one saw, and just laugh because it was so ridiculous and only you know about it.

My Island Weekend

Sick round 2 update (round 3?): I have some parasite issues. Oh, the things I have contracted down here. I am going to the lab to pick up my test results after lunch. At a certain point here in Ecuador, you lose all sense of privacy or shame. So walking to the hospital with my poo test in my back pocket really didnt bother me. This is one nasty bug. It only hurts at night, when I am in a resting position. And when I say hurts, I mean HURTS... like I honestly feel like something is gnawing at my intestines. Yum.

Things have been getting much better here in Muisne. I live right next to the evangelical church (the only non-catholic church) and met some really nice people there. Saturday night we went salsa dancing at Quilombo, an all salsa danceclub. EVERYONE goes dancing here. If you are between the ages of 18-100, you are at Quilombo on Saturday night. Unfortunately, I am still not good at salsa. But it is still fun to try, and people forgive me because I am a gringa, therefore permitted to make an ass of myself. Saturday and Sunday we spent all day laying on the beach. There was actually sun (rare in wintertime).

I am learning to navigate my teacher-role pretty well. My students are everywhere, this is a small island, with a big rumor mill. So I try to be careful with who I surround myself with and my actions all the time. I am a friend for my students, but I am also an example. For instance, drinking alcohol here seems to rarely be done in moderation. I should be careful of having a beer in my hand, since perception is everything. My personal life is very much on display for the community and the entire school. The most common questions I am asked are: Are you married? Do you have children? Why do women get married so late in the USA? Is love not important until later? Etc. My personal life is completely thrilling to my students.

My new host mom, Anita, is really awesome. We have really awesome conversations about politics, religion, etc. Very similar personalities.

New Family, Sick Round 2, and Teaching

I have a new family! It is a small and quiet household-- one woman (about 45 years old), and her father (roughly a million years old). She moved in with her elderly father when her mother died earlier this year. She is very soft-spoken and kind, reads a lot, takes care of her dad, and goes to bed early. The father doesn´t say much, but is hilarious when he does talk. Much, much more my style. The house is wonderful. I have a view of the bay, which boats cross all day and night taking people from the mainland to the island. Anita owns a small clothing shop which is directly below our house.

My new Mom is an amazing cook. Because of her dad´s health, she serves a lot of organic fruits and vegetables and goes easy on the oil. This is a rarity in Ecuador. Last night we drank organic hot chocolate, which her sister sends to her directly from a cocoa plantation in the country.

Unfortunately, I got sick.  My first night in my new house, I was embarrassed. I am trying to convince my host mom that it was not her cooking, I probably just swallowed some water brushing my teeth or something. It was seriously painful for 4-5 hours, but I got everything out and feel better.

Yesterday was also my first day teaching. The sex ed teacher that I am supposed to be working WITH (not for) did not show up. This is common, I feel like school is basically a giant babysitting service. Luckily I can think on my feet. My first class (9th graders, about 15 yrs old) went really well. The second (7th graders, 12 yrs old)... a little tougher. First we talked about why we were here, and established why it was important to learn about sex ed in the first place. It was very conversational, a lot of me asking for ideas on a topic and waiting for responses. At the end of class, I had everyone write their secret sex ed questions on little slips of paper and put them in a box. I don't think they have ever done anything like that, it is mostly just lecture on whatever the teacher knows. The questions are really interesting, kind of hilarious, and will give me direction for next class.

Things are looking up, I feel much better with my new living situation. Hopefully I will learn the vocab and information I need to teach better too.

One Week In

Happy election day! All the Americans on the island are getting together to watch CNN en espanol later. It isnt Anderson Cooper, sigh, but we will make do. We have gone to great lengths to locate the one TV on the island that actually has CNN-- its in a chicken restaurant. Mmm. I already voted. Hope you did too.

Wow, life here is hard. I cant tell if I am culture shocking, or just dont have the right attitude. I think I am trying pretty hard. The other four students here seem to be adjusting a lot easier. Then again, they dont have an insane host family (oh, the stories i cant even fit into this entry) and arent teaching sex ed to rambuncious teenagers. So maybe they have it a little easier. But I press on.

Home update... I am in the process of locating a new family. That is all I want to say. Maybe I can slip out in the dead of night or something.

Work life... I am working on my authoritativeness. And getting suggestions on how to handle the cat calls, the questions about my personal life, the "what is your number?"s. I really cant describe the classrooom atmosphere here... it is completely insane, out of control, no one has respect, everyone cheats on the exams and there is not much the teacher can do. I reviewed some students sex ed exams, and was vaguely appalled. One of the questions was "What is your opinion about abortion?" There is a correct answer to that question, it is not really opinion. In fact, I am convinced the sex ed classes spend at least 30% of the time talking about what abortion is, why it is wrong, etc. The students know more about abortion than they do about AIDS. After class, the teacher told me that it was her first year teaching, and she just discovered that she hated it. When I asked her if she was going to keep teaching, she said, "yes, of course".

POSITIVE TIME! I spent the whole weekend at the beach! And despite the fact I have never been so sunburnt in my life (SPF 45 fails on the equator), it was worth it. It is so beautiful. We made a bonfire last night. Sunday I found the evangelical church and belted at least two of the songs in English (the pastor said it was ok... I asked). Also, it is mango season, and they are delicious. And a student yesterday said she was really happy I was helping with her class. It is the little things.

Fourth post of the week?!

Man, I am on a small island on the equator and have still managed to post more this week than any other. That probably means I'm not adjusting or something, but whatever.

Yesterday I had a talk with my host mom. I made it very clear that:
1. I am mad.
2. I know you (or one of the 10 other people living here) are rummaging through my things and taking things without permission.
3. I am not a cash machine.
4. I will move out if this does not change right now.

I never got in touch with our housing director, which is fine because I can see how things go over the weekend and switch on Monday if I need to. I feel like I (now) have control over the situation, basically because of the money. Unfortunately, that is what most things come down to here. They are in a pretty dire financial situation. I am this family's income, it's so strange and wrong. Things have been better since that conversation. Ill keep you updated!

Besides that... we went dancing last night and it was really fun. I am eating tons of shrimp and platanos verdes (green plantains). I made friends with the Peace Corps volunteer here and she is showing me the ropes. My students always say hi to me on the street which makes me feel good, like maybe I belong a little. I am getting there?

Situation

Heres the deal, briefly... I am not sure I feel comfortable in my housing situation. I just get a weird vibe. They are going through my things, asking to borrow stuff. I might be missing money. I am going to work this out with our housing director and find some place else to stay i think. Its a pain. And a small island, so really awkward. But I was told by another gringo who has lived here many months (a yale student doing work on water purification here) to get out immediately. Ill let you know how that goes.

Update

Hello everyone-- I am in Muisne's only internet cafe. Quick update... Muisne is currently in a state of emergency for a series of violent crimes committed (mainly) against foreigners. So we are a red zone, which MSID did not know in time to redirect us to another internship site. They seem to think its safe enough for us to stay for the next few weeks. If it gets too dangerous I can only assume we will be brought back to Quito.

I wont go into details about the crimes, but they were very serious. On an island of 9000... scary. So, I am alive. Well. And have lots of locals taking care of me. Us 5 from MSID are sticking to the curfew and being really cautious. I live in a really safe part of town. Today the whole island had a peace march and wore white as a sign of reconciliation. It was a genuine Latin American rally experience, my first, how fun.

Yesterday was my first day working at the high school. So, anyone who has ever taught-- you know how scary your first day of teaching is. Try it when you are 2 years older than some kids, and are speaking your second language! So frightening. I am panicking, in my usual unassuming way. The plan is to teach sex ed for 12 hours a week and english for 8. My emphasis is sex ed, and Ive already had a student approach me privately to ask questions, so I feel good about garnering trust and making myself available in whatever way is needed.

When I am not teaching, I am starting a support group for pregnant women at the high school. This was suggested by the school's director. There are 6 pregnant students right now (total # students is 550), and many more that already have children. It was suggested that I take the pregnant women once a week to the hospital, since some of them aren't getting medical treatment, and meet to talk about parenting stuff every once in a while. Yes. Me. Talking about parenting stuff. Mostly I just hope to provide extra support in a system that doesn't really support these girls/women.

In summary... I feel like I am doing really important work here. I don't feel unsafe, though the state of emergency thing is worrisome. Your prayers and good wishes are much appreciated.

Leaving Quito

It's my last day in Quito! The Muisne crew (5 of us) leave tomorrow at 6 am. I'm excited for my island adventure but also really sad to leave my friends. FYI, Muisne has 1 internet cafe with 2 computers from 1993 that run on dial-up. Also, I'm not sure I have cell phone service. So... it could be 5 weeks until I post again!

I spent the majority of my weekend at home, being lazy. Saturday I helped my Ecuamom make colada morada and guaguas de pan-- 2 traditional dishes for Day of the Dead. Guaguas de pan are basically peices of bread in the shape of babies. Colada morada is the most delicious drink ever, basically 40 different spices and fruits all combined into purple heaven. I went for a long walk around my neighborhood and spent time with my neice and nephew. David is 9, Daniella is 12. We jammed to the Jonas Brothers while decorating our guaguas. Disney Channel has officially taken over the world.

Sunday my nieghbor Fernando cut my hair. Later the WHOLE family came over for lunch. My Ecuamom spent 8 HOURS making lunch, she literally did not leave the kitchen. And then she didn't even eat it with us because she was too busy serving everyone. Yay for the feminist movement.

DISCLAIMER: this is the scariest thing that has happened to me in Ecuador. If you don't want to worry, don't read it:

Saturday night me, Ryan and Emily took a taxi home from the discoteca. We had agreed on a price before getting in the car (like always). Anyway, he told us about 5 minutes into the ride that we were going to need to pay more than we agreed to. Um, NO. We argued with him for awhile. He dropped Emily and Ryan off, then started driving the wrong direction from my house. I told him to turn the car around... he didn't. I assured him he was going the wrong direction, he continued driving. I started screaming and told him, Senor, I am calling the police in 2 seconds. Then I told him what he actually wanted to hear: "I will pay whatever you want". He finally turned around and took me home. Basically I was held hostage for 2 minutes. It was really scary. I gave him a few choice expletives and threw a rock at his car as he drove off.

So that's my scary story. Anyway, I love you all! Hope I can keep in touch in Muisne.

My Visit to Muisne and Tour de Quito

A painting of Quito I saw in the park

The beach at Muisne
My favorite painted bull in Quito


Muisne

I visited Musine (my future home) on Friday! The island is great-- I have a family and a bed, a job, an ocean, and 4 friends going with me. So I have hope, despite the fact our visit/trip was kind of disastrous. Logistics in Ecuador are a nightmare. Musine is poor. Much poorer than I expected. It's definitely a 3rd world island and not a tropical paradise. So please destroy any notions that I'll be sipping pina coladas on the beach while attractive Ecuadorian men fan me. I met the director of the high school I'll be teaching at and he showed me around. The school has about 600 students. Like most schools in Ecuador, it has no resources-- it is basically just a series of concrete classrooms with desks.

I have a new family! The mom is about 35 years old, single with 2 little girls. They are an Afro-Ecuadorian family, like the majority of island residents. There was a lot of awkward silence during my visit. The house is nicer than most, but not luxurious and definately not as comfortable as my house in Quito. The windows don't have glass (it's hot) and there aren't really doors inside. So... basically there is a lace curtain between my room and the kitchen. That should be interesting privacy-wise. There are mosquito nets over all the beds. There is water during the day (for showers, toilets, etc) but not at night, and no hot water. No washer-dryer so I'll be hand washing my clothes. I shouldn't even be saying anything though, because I have friends moving to the Amazon who won't have electricity or running water for 5 weeks.

I move in 7 days. HUGE lifestyle changes-- work instead of school, no hot showers, smelling like sweat 24/7, dousing myself in sunscreen before leaving, malaria prevention meds. But hopefully it will be worth leaving the comforts of the city. The beach is gorgeous and huge (did you know cows graze on the beach here?). No tourist stuff. No cars, only bikes. Clean air. The ocean is always warm. Life is slow and people are friendly.

Sunday I walked around Quito with my host sister looking at an urban art exhibit-- a series of painted bulls dispersed throughout the city. It was very cultural. Monday was Monday. I had a terrible headache, so I took an ibuprofen. WRONG! I'm on a malaria medicine now, which reacts terribly with ibuprofen. Wish I remembered that earlier.