The People I Meet

Wow, what a weekend I've had so far!
Where to start? Well, I finished my Spanish and Bio exams, which were horribly difficult, but done. Then, later that night, I decided to see If I could find the other Jews in Quito, and see what they were like. I got in contact with the Chabbad Rabbi, or Jabad Rabino here, and he told me to come at 6pm for Shabbat dinner. I arrived at 6:15, and there were 2 other people there sitting and praying. I forgot this was Ecuadorian time, and by those standards, dinner was actually at 8pm.
Their house was very beautiful and had a wonderful courtyard with a fountain and a good set up for a Chabbad. When I arrived, I was greeted by a little boy who did not speak English. I tried my hardest to ask where his mother was. It was a bit awkward at first because I didn't know what to do, and she doesn't speak any english, but then I lit the candles with her, and we both recited the same words in hebrew.
After a few minutes, an older woman came and asked me where I was from. She was very very nice, and we sat and talked for about a half hour while the men were praying in their own separate room. It turned out that she doesn't usually come to Jabad because she is not religious, but she likes to visit them every once in a while. After attempting my Spanish conversation for a half hour, she answered me in perfect English. I was shocked and asked why she didn't speak English sooner. She said she wanted me to practice my spanish, a common theme here as I've observed.
A bit later, some more Americans came in. They are may age and also Exchange students from California. The Rabbi came over and explained this week's portion in Spanish. (Its hard enough to understand in English) In the middle of it, the woman I had met turned to me and asked if I understood and everyone stopped to see my reaction. I just said un poco, and the Rabino looked scared and asked if he needed to re-tell it in Spanish. That was not happening so I said I understood enough.
After the discussion, I talked with the girls, and in walks more people. Among them was a guy that I know from USFQ who is on the other program similar to ours through Boston University. His name is Gary and he is from West Virginia. I didn't realize he was Jewish as well, so we talked for a while and he saved me a seat. He is the only Jew on his program as well, and it was such a coincidence that he came to the same place on the same night for the same purpose.
Another woman walked in holding a child. She walked up to us and asked if we spoke English then introduced herself and her child. He name was Candice and her son's name was Mateo. It turned out that she is from Manhatten, NY, and was in Ecuador to adopt Mateo. She was really nice and I sat next to her as well. Her story was so touching. Her family had been looking to adopt for years and flew down to Ecuador for this child. They have been preparing for years, and they needed to stand before a judge to determine if they get to take the baby out of Ecuador. They had a translator, but he was not allowed in for some reason, and they had to wait hours for a new one. When the new one came, they entered all dressed up and serious; the judge was wearing a hoodie and asked one question. She said it was a nightmare and they were furious. The judge has three weeks to tell them what his decision is, so her husband and other kids went home to NY and she is just stuck here waiting for the permission to leave with this child. Her story was so touching, and it was strange to think that I'm living in a country where Americans fly down to adopt children out of.
I also met a girl from Argentina who teaches in Quito and studies fashion. She told me that you can't buy clothes here because they are too expensive. People go to the US to buy clothes, which is so strange to think about.
Overall, I was very happy that I went to Jabad, and they invited me to come back whenever. It was so funny to be in a room where everyone spoke two of the following: English, Spanish, or Hebrew. You would have to figure out which language they spoke that you speak. It was very confusing.

Friends at Zocolo

After the dinner, I was in a very good mood and I decided to go out with my friends on my program. We went to this bar called "Naranja Mecanica" which is supposed to be like Clockwork Orange. It is the coolest bar I've ever seen. There was a room of fur and little rooms leading into bigger ones. It was Elena's birthday, and Lydia's was a few days before. I went to the bartender and talked with him for a bit. He was so nice, that he gave me 5 shots instead of the 3 I ordered on the house. After that bar, we went to a shot bar for a bit and then returned to our favorite salsa/dance bar called Zocolo. I sat down and felt really good. It must have spread because the bartender leaned over and said that the owner had told him to give me any drink I ordered on the house! I talked to them for a while and then the owner came over and asked me where I was from. When I said Chicago, he got excited and said his daughter lives in a western suburb of Chicago, but he didn't know which one. I told him that I work in a bar, and he said well come back here and work! I thought he was kidding, but he let me go behind the bar, and had the bartenders teach me some of the drinks they make. It was a lot different than the cheap collage bar I work at in Champaign. They let me make all these drinks and give them to my friends for free. We had a wonderful night, and they invited me to come back anytime. It felt like home again!

The bartenders that invited behind the bar

We decided by the time we left that it was too late to go home separate, so we all went to our friend Carl's. Carl was on the CEIBA program two years ago, and while working on his internship, discovered a few new species of frogs, so he was asked to come back to classify them. Carl lives in a beautiful apartment type thing overlooking the mountains. I met his neighbors in the morning, and they offered me a German breakfast of beer and more beer. I needed to get home though.
It was a beautiful day yesterday, and we decided to go to the Mariscol area for breakfast. There is a place called the Magic Bean that is based on a Shel Silverstein poem. It was sooo delicious! I got my food to go so we could go to the Market, and of course they tried to over charge me like they do to all Americans. I caught it this time, and made them change it. We went to the market and looked at all the Artisan goods.

The woman eating the food I gave her

As we were walking around, a woman with children asked for my food. She was there because she sells gum to people walking around. At first I ignored her, but then I felt bad since I didn't really need my food. I gave her my food and watched her walk to the curb to eat it and split it with her children.

Grace getting her hair wrapped

We wanted to go to Old Quito, but we never got around to it. Instead, we found these nomads that travel across South America doing hair wraps and making string jewelry. They were really cool, so we all sat and got hair wraps, dreads, jewelry, or games for hours. One of them told me he wanted to marry me, and kept coming over and hugging me. He was about 23, and from Tongo. He made me a beautiful anklet! We sat around for a long time, and had this milky drink that they serve in the area with them.

Isabel and I

After the day's festivities, I returned home to get ready to go out with my Ecuadorian friend Isabel. Isabel lives upstairs, and speaks really good English. She invited me to a party for her friend's birthday. I went as the only American. All the girls there were beautiful, but it was a bit difficult to communicate. By the end, I was doing fine.

One of Isabel's friends from Chile

She told me that most people date here, it is rare to be seeing someone or to have a fling. The culture is much more conservative. One of the guys there started talking to us and was shocked when he found out I wasn't Ecuadorian. He said I fit right in really well when I said hola. We talked to him for a while, and it turns out that he had studied in Israel for 3 months and knows hebrew. He is in the process of converting, and was wearing a Jewish star necklace. His English was amazing as well. We talked for a while, (his name is Alejandro, like the Lady Gaga song) then he asked me to dance. I have never danced with such a good dancer, and I was put to shame a bit because I don't know how to salsa. I am planning on learning when I get back from the Amazon. He said he would take me out to dance if I take him to Chabbad.

Alejandro

Overall, this weekend was wonderful, and now I have to pack for the Amazon. We fly out of Quito in the morning around 8am, and then take a boat for a few hours to a bus. The bus will drive through some Indegenous towns, and then take us to the Tiputini river to take another long canoe ride to the Tiputini bio research base. There, I will have no internet, and minimal electricity. The humidity is supposed to be intense. I secretly hope there is a famous scientist there studying that I can meet. The base is used by scientists from all over the world, so I am excited!
Thats the quick update on what I've been up to. I probably won't be able to write until after the Amazon.
Next post in three weeks!