I am back in Ohio, United States of America, planet earth.
Adjusting has been easier than I thought in some ways and completely complicated in other ways.
My Christmas has been nice, and I am preparing myself for the new year and going back to my other home at Messiah College.
God is Good, and his faithfulness was clearly evident in my time in Ecuador, especially during the last few days.
Thanks for reading these blogs, I'm sorry that there weren't more.
HAPPY DAY TO YOU!!!
signing off,
kimbo
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Beautiful Quito
I love Quito.
I never imagined I would say that when I arrived and realized what a big ¨filthy¨ city I would have to be living in for the next 5 months, but now it is almost 5 months later, and I think it is beautiful.
Yesterday, I just couldn´t stop seeing BEAUTY!!! (sorry for the redundancy but its the word of the day today)
I woke up and while running around that park that I have run around so many times this semester, I looked up and the SUN was just beaming through the city buildings and illuminating everything in this very angelic way. Then I looked at the mountain, at Pichincha.
I know that there are many beautiful sights in the world, but that mountain on that morning (and numerous other mornings) will always remain in my brain as one of the grandest sights. The sunlight was shining so brightly that the mountain was defined like never before. Every hill every shadow, BRILLIANT!
Then I went to school and the whole valley on the bus ride was shining and I could see mountains and hills that i didn{t even know existed because usually they are covered in clouds (I AM up 10000 feet). and it was just like WOW.... I didn´t even know that was there.
The rest of the day was beautiful and even when the clouds rolled in it was still incredible. On my way back from the orphanage I could see for MILES!!! the hills were just accented with perfection and oh my goodness.
Then last night, I saw stars. Now I know most of you live where you can see stars whenever you please, but in the city it{s rare. But they were there last night and they were beautiful.
And so dirty, polluted, city of Quito.
In you I have found my home.
My beautiful home.
And I am going to enjoy you in the next 10 days I have with you.
the end
I never imagined I would say that when I arrived and realized what a big ¨filthy¨ city I would have to be living in for the next 5 months, but now it is almost 5 months later, and I think it is beautiful.
Yesterday, I just couldn´t stop seeing BEAUTY!!! (sorry for the redundancy but its the word of the day today)
I woke up and while running around that park that I have run around so many times this semester, I looked up and the SUN was just beaming through the city buildings and illuminating everything in this very angelic way. Then I looked at the mountain, at Pichincha.
I know that there are many beautiful sights in the world, but that mountain on that morning (and numerous other mornings) will always remain in my brain as one of the grandest sights. The sunlight was shining so brightly that the mountain was defined like never before. Every hill every shadow, BRILLIANT!
Then I went to school and the whole valley on the bus ride was shining and I could see mountains and hills that i didn{t even know existed because usually they are covered in clouds (I AM up 10000 feet). and it was just like WOW.... I didn´t even know that was there.
The rest of the day was beautiful and even when the clouds rolled in it was still incredible. On my way back from the orphanage I could see for MILES!!! the hills were just accented with perfection and oh my goodness.
Then last night, I saw stars. Now I know most of you live where you can see stars whenever you please, but in the city it{s rare. But they were there last night and they were beautiful.
And so dirty, polluted, city of Quito.
In you I have found my home.
My beautiful home.
And I am going to enjoy you in the next 10 days I have with you.
the end
Thursday, November 20, 2008
In Awe
This is my first November post.
It´s likely that it will be my only.
Time just goes by sometimes, I´m sorry.
Today I want to talk about something I´ve been thinking about lately.
I went to this wonderful small city of Baños last weekend and during the 4 hour bus ride, I was looking out the window. We passed all sorts of beautiful mountains, scenery, etc., but it was the people that I was watching.
I looked out of my big charter bus and saw an indigenous women sitting on the curb, eating something from a small plastic bag.
I saw a mother with her baby strapped to her back. The baby just bouncing along as the mother walked holding the hand of her other toddler.
And then there were people just standing by the side of the street waiting or watching for I´m not sure what.
And I realized...
God knows EVERY thing about EVERY person. As I questioned myself about why I had been given the chance to have a very great education and ¨know¨the world and experience different cultures and therefor learn more about my own, I realized that even though I may feel so blessed to ¨know¨more than these people that have lived their entire lives in one small community selling the same bottled drinks to bus passengers, God knows them, knows me, more than I can fathom.
I guess I just realized how big the world is, yet how small. 6+ billion people, and he will listen and fully know all of their past, present, and future!! And I thought of how it´s hard to keep ties with you all in the states and trying to maintain lasting relationships there, while meeting and getting to know people here and I just thought...wow.
I feel undeserved to have a God that loves me and wants to know me and wants me to know in his timing all the great things he´s got in mind. And then he desires that for every person on this planet we call earth. That´s incredible, isn´t it?
So maybe just take a minute to think about that today.
When I struggle with knowing how to solve a problem that´s risen, or feel that this decision I have to make is SO hard, I have a God that is so much more powerful than any notion KIMBERLY could ever feel. I should just give it to him.
so I guess I´ll keep trying.
Amazed and humbled,
kimbo
It´s likely that it will be my only.
Time just goes by sometimes, I´m sorry.
Today I want to talk about something I´ve been thinking about lately.
I went to this wonderful small city of Baños last weekend and during the 4 hour bus ride, I was looking out the window. We passed all sorts of beautiful mountains, scenery, etc., but it was the people that I was watching.
I looked out of my big charter bus and saw an indigenous women sitting on the curb, eating something from a small plastic bag.
I saw a mother with her baby strapped to her back. The baby just bouncing along as the mother walked holding the hand of her other toddler.
And then there were people just standing by the side of the street waiting or watching for I´m not sure what.
And I realized...
God knows EVERY thing about EVERY person. As I questioned myself about why I had been given the chance to have a very great education and ¨know¨the world and experience different cultures and therefor learn more about my own, I realized that even though I may feel so blessed to ¨know¨more than these people that have lived their entire lives in one small community selling the same bottled drinks to bus passengers, God knows them, knows me, more than I can fathom.
I guess I just realized how big the world is, yet how small. 6+ billion people, and he will listen and fully know all of their past, present, and future!! And I thought of how it´s hard to keep ties with you all in the states and trying to maintain lasting relationships there, while meeting and getting to know people here and I just thought...wow.
I feel undeserved to have a God that loves me and wants to know me and wants me to know in his timing all the great things he´s got in mind. And then he desires that for every person on this planet we call earth. That´s incredible, isn´t it?
So maybe just take a minute to think about that today.
When I struggle with knowing how to solve a problem that´s risen, or feel that this decision I have to make is SO hard, I have a God that is so much more powerful than any notion KIMBERLY could ever feel. I should just give it to him.
so I guess I´ll keep trying.
Amazed and humbled,
kimbo
Monday, October 27, 2008
From a Thunderstorm in S. America:
Hello.
Right now looking out the window from this 4th ¨home¨ of mine in the computer lab, the mountains I usually see are covered by clouds and the main sound I hear is that of the pouring rain. After a beautiful sunny morning this thunderstorm just rolled in.
About 3 car alarms just went off, due to the powerful lightening. It´s pretty funny actually. All the car alarms are basically the same here. You know that really annoying and obnoxious car alarm that changes rhythms and pitches every 5 seconds but in total is like 2 minutes long... yep, that´s the one. every day. I can´t escape it!
Do you know that I´m living in another country?
Do I know that I´m living in another country?
Yesterday I watched a movie and you know the umm, I think it´s Universal Studios intro. that comes up with the big golden globe? Well as I watched that I realized that N. America was kind of covered up, but I could plainly see south america and I realized that I could plainly see the part of the world were I was sitting. Wow.
On Friday as I was walking back from the internet cafe, 10 horses/ponies crossed the main street in the midst of many cars. Guiding them along on horseback were like 3 14 year olds. Random Quiteñen cowboys?? I don´t think I´d see that in NYC or Chicago. (but maybe Grantham!)
I love thunderstorms.
There´s just this awesome peace about them. And then at the same time excitement. It´s like I want to get so close but know that I could get zapped at any minute but it´s exhilarating.
People have Halloween decorations up. It´s weird. It doesn´t seem like fall, and since they don´t really celebrate Halloween the way the USA does, it´s just like they´re trying to I don´t know commercialize and americanize. bummer.
It also doesn´t seem right to have Halloween decorations up, because in the store right next to them there´s a christmas tree display!!!! I´m not kidding. Outside of the one mall they already have lighted reindeer and christmas trees!! WHAT THE HECK!! I let out somewhat of a yelp on the bus when I saw them for the first time last week (yes, as in the middle of October!) and think I made some folks turn and look. It´s not even NOVEMBER yet!
And so, that´s a bit of Kimbo rambling for today. I realized I hadn´t written much this month and now that this weekend is the next month (hard to believe) I figured I should fix that.
Entonces, nos vemos pronto (less than two months till I come ¨home¨)
From a not wet (yet) Kimbo.
Right now looking out the window from this 4th ¨home¨ of mine in the computer lab, the mountains I usually see are covered by clouds and the main sound I hear is that of the pouring rain. After a beautiful sunny morning this thunderstorm just rolled in.
About 3 car alarms just went off, due to the powerful lightening. It´s pretty funny actually. All the car alarms are basically the same here. You know that really annoying and obnoxious car alarm that changes rhythms and pitches every 5 seconds but in total is like 2 minutes long... yep, that´s the one. every day. I can´t escape it!
Do you know that I´m living in another country?
Do I know that I´m living in another country?
Yesterday I watched a movie and you know the umm, I think it´s Universal Studios intro. that comes up with the big golden globe? Well as I watched that I realized that N. America was kind of covered up, but I could plainly see south america and I realized that I could plainly see the part of the world were I was sitting. Wow.
On Friday as I was walking back from the internet cafe, 10 horses/ponies crossed the main street in the midst of many cars. Guiding them along on horseback were like 3 14 year olds. Random Quiteñen cowboys?? I don´t think I´d see that in NYC or Chicago. (but maybe Grantham!)
I love thunderstorms.
There´s just this awesome peace about them. And then at the same time excitement. It´s like I want to get so close but know that I could get zapped at any minute but it´s exhilarating.
People have Halloween decorations up. It´s weird. It doesn´t seem like fall, and since they don´t really celebrate Halloween the way the USA does, it´s just like they´re trying to I don´t know commercialize and americanize. bummer.
It also doesn´t seem right to have Halloween decorations up, because in the store right next to them there´s a christmas tree display!!!! I´m not kidding. Outside of the one mall they already have lighted reindeer and christmas trees!! WHAT THE HECK!! I let out somewhat of a yelp on the bus when I saw them for the first time last week (yes, as in the middle of October!) and think I made some folks turn and look. It´s not even NOVEMBER yet!
And so, that´s a bit of Kimbo rambling for today. I realized I hadn´t written much this month and now that this weekend is the next month (hard to believe) I figured I should fix that.
Entonces, nos vemos pronto (less than two months till I come ¨home¨)
From a not wet (yet) Kimbo.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
There´s a llama running ´round the yard!!!
Hello everyone.
Sometimes I think I can be a teacher for exceptional children.
Sometimes I don´t.
yesterday´s volunteering experience was quite up and down and all around.
It went a little something like this:
I got to la Casa de Fe and when I walked in the ¨tias¨ (the amazing women that work with these kids every day and are superheroes) that usually work in that house weren´t there and so there were three other ladies that I didn´t know. So Rosita (a little girl, well... she´s probably 11) came over to me grabbed my hand and wanted to go play. So she lugged me outside to the swingset and I strapped her in to her swing and we started playing. Then Tatiana showed up too and she wanted to go so I strapped her into the other swing and we did that for awhile. As I was looking around the yard I realized there was something there that hadn´t been there the weeks before... at least I hadn´t noticed it. About 30ft away tied to some pole in the ground stood a shaggy brown LLAMA.
After smiling to myself for a moment with the complete randomness that was before me, Rosita quickly brought me back to reality and insisted that we keep playing. She called me Mami once or twice and sometimes this hurts the heart, but anyway on to another scene:
Jessica and Marina were doing there homework but neither wanted to do it, and I couldn´t even understand what the assignment was so I felt helpless, so i went into the other room. Marina followed, sat on the bed where ??Whilma?? (it sounds like Firma when the say it) was lying on the bed as she does most of her life I think because she has a physical disability and does not speak or walk, but SMILES when I walk in the room. She´s like my little sunshine. Anyway, marina was lying on the same bed as Firma and accidently Firma´s leg kicked Marinas mouth... crying started... it was bad and didn´t stop. And I couldn´t figure out how to try and tell her that Firma didn´t mean to. And then the tia came in and thought she was crying because she didn´t want to do her homework. jeesh... language barriers with exceptional kids can be difficult anyways... but when you throw in those barriers in a different language... you just feel stuck.
next scene:
kairo, my little 4or5 year old buddy was playing with me on the floor. He was on my lap, turns up his face to look at me and says ¨Hace me los cosquillas¨. I didn´t know what a cosquilla was. So I tried figuring it out... and then he kind of showed me and then I got it. He was asking me to tickle him.
Do you get it?
This little boy, without mommy or daddy or aunt or uncle just wanted to be tickled. I can not think of a time where I would have asked my daddy to tickle me, but I sure remember the times that he did. This simple request just really hit my whole being. All that Kairo wanted was to be tickled.
and so it was.
He was so cute. He´d just sit there on my lap and get ready to be tickled and then call out for Tia Nancy to come save him... but then he´d come right back and plunk his little body down and ask again ¨Hace me los cosquillas¨.
wow. the little things.
Next scene:
TANTRUMS EVERYWHERE!! Everyone was crying, people were hitting, people were saying that such and such was theirs and that it wasn´t fair and Kimberly Leininger felt VERY overwhelmed. Maybe I don´t want so many kids... tantrums are no fun.
Next Scene:
The tias are trying to work with certain kids, I´m looking for who to be with next and as I walk into the living room ish place, I look out the window and see Tatiana, who I had just been swinging in the swingset 20 min. before holding on to the rope of the llama that was tied down 20 min. ago and leading it pretty quickly across the yard! I didn´t even know what was going on. The zoo feeling of that day became a crystal reality and all i could do was turn to one of the tias and say ¨Tatiana tiene la llama...está bien? (Tatiana´s got the llama. Is that ok?)
The tia looked up at me as if saying ¨do you know what you just said gringa?...¨and then looked out the window and was like...No! and went out to free the llama from Tatiana´s leadership.
And this was all before supper started. I actually didn´t get to stay for supper last night because they didn´t start it at the time the other aunties start it.
So yes...
I was exhausted, perplexed, helpless, and was wondering if I could really be a Special Educator after these scenes, but as always I was also blessed by those two Tuesday hours with that very unique community of people.
Oh Ecuador...
Sometimes I think I can be a teacher for exceptional children.
Sometimes I don´t.
yesterday´s volunteering experience was quite up and down and all around.
It went a little something like this:
I got to la Casa de Fe and when I walked in the ¨tias¨ (the amazing women that work with these kids every day and are superheroes) that usually work in that house weren´t there and so there were three other ladies that I didn´t know. So Rosita (a little girl, well... she´s probably 11) came over to me grabbed my hand and wanted to go play. So she lugged me outside to the swingset and I strapped her in to her swing and we started playing. Then Tatiana showed up too and she wanted to go so I strapped her into the other swing and we did that for awhile. As I was looking around the yard I realized there was something there that hadn´t been there the weeks before... at least I hadn´t noticed it. About 30ft away tied to some pole in the ground stood a shaggy brown LLAMA.
After smiling to myself for a moment with the complete randomness that was before me, Rosita quickly brought me back to reality and insisted that we keep playing. She called me Mami once or twice and sometimes this hurts the heart, but anyway on to another scene:
Jessica and Marina were doing there homework but neither wanted to do it, and I couldn´t even understand what the assignment was so I felt helpless, so i went into the other room. Marina followed, sat on the bed where ??Whilma?? (it sounds like Firma when the say it) was lying on the bed as she does most of her life I think because she has a physical disability and does not speak or walk, but SMILES when I walk in the room. She´s like my little sunshine. Anyway, marina was lying on the same bed as Firma and accidently Firma´s leg kicked Marinas mouth... crying started... it was bad and didn´t stop. And I couldn´t figure out how to try and tell her that Firma didn´t mean to. And then the tia came in and thought she was crying because she didn´t want to do her homework. jeesh... language barriers with exceptional kids can be difficult anyways... but when you throw in those barriers in a different language... you just feel stuck.
next scene:
kairo, my little 4or5 year old buddy was playing with me on the floor. He was on my lap, turns up his face to look at me and says ¨Hace me los cosquillas¨. I didn´t know what a cosquilla was. So I tried figuring it out... and then he kind of showed me and then I got it. He was asking me to tickle him.
Do you get it?
This little boy, without mommy or daddy or aunt or uncle just wanted to be tickled. I can not think of a time where I would have asked my daddy to tickle me, but I sure remember the times that he did. This simple request just really hit my whole being. All that Kairo wanted was to be tickled.
and so it was.
He was so cute. He´d just sit there on my lap and get ready to be tickled and then call out for Tia Nancy to come save him... but then he´d come right back and plunk his little body down and ask again ¨Hace me los cosquillas¨.
wow. the little things.
Next scene:
TANTRUMS EVERYWHERE!! Everyone was crying, people were hitting, people were saying that such and such was theirs and that it wasn´t fair and Kimberly Leininger felt VERY overwhelmed. Maybe I don´t want so many kids... tantrums are no fun.
Next Scene:
The tias are trying to work with certain kids, I´m looking for who to be with next and as I walk into the living room ish place, I look out the window and see Tatiana, who I had just been swinging in the swingset 20 min. before holding on to the rope of the llama that was tied down 20 min. ago and leading it pretty quickly across the yard! I didn´t even know what was going on. The zoo feeling of that day became a crystal reality and all i could do was turn to one of the tias and say ¨Tatiana tiene la llama...está bien? (Tatiana´s got the llama. Is that ok?)
The tia looked up at me as if saying ¨do you know what you just said gringa?...¨and then looked out the window and was like...No! and went out to free the llama from Tatiana´s leadership.
And this was all before supper started. I actually didn´t get to stay for supper last night because they didn´t start it at the time the other aunties start it.
So yes...
I was exhausted, perplexed, helpless, and was wondering if I could really be a Special Educator after these scenes, but as always I was also blessed by those two Tuesday hours with that very unique community of people.
Oh Ecuador...
Monday, September 22, 2008
John 15:18 and so on
I hurt.
But I know it´s for good.
Today I was in my Spanish class and we were supposed to raise up controversial points and I was one vs. the rest. One girls point was homosexuals being allowed to adopt.
So I said I didn´t agree. I think that they should be able to love children, but it´s just not the parents God wanted.
And then... after I almost got our of sharing my opinion/topic... my prof says...¨y Kimberly..cual es tu punto?¨
So I just said it
Creo que el sexo debe ser solo por el matrimonio
Translation: Sex should be in the context of marriage.
Now, in the other peoples points there were folks that agreed and disagreed with each one, but almost my entire class verbally spoke against me and I could just feel this like tension and it was really tough. I just pray that someone in the 13 others well, 14 if you include the prof. of my class at least thought about something I said (which wasn´t much... I got flustered and I was trying this all in spanish and it was just... agahgsd!!!)
So, I felt some persecution today.
and that was one of my goals for coming here= sharing my beliefs with those that don´t think the same. So now I know how sheltered we are at Messiah.
Thanks for reading.
But I know it´s for good.
Today I was in my Spanish class and we were supposed to raise up controversial points and I was one vs. the rest. One girls point was homosexuals being allowed to adopt.
So I said I didn´t agree. I think that they should be able to love children, but it´s just not the parents God wanted.
And then... after I almost got our of sharing my opinion/topic... my prof says...¨y Kimberly..cual es tu punto?¨
So I just said it
Creo que el sexo debe ser solo por el matrimonio
Translation: Sex should be in the context of marriage.
Now, in the other peoples points there were folks that agreed and disagreed with each one, but almost my entire class verbally spoke against me and I could just feel this like tension and it was really tough. I just pray that someone in the 13 others well, 14 if you include the prof. of my class at least thought about something I said (which wasn´t much... I got flustered and I was trying this all in spanish and it was just... agahgsd!!!)
So, I felt some persecution today.
and that was one of my goals for coming here= sharing my beliefs with those that don´t think the same. So now I know how sheltered we are at Messiah.
Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Niños
Recently I´ve decided two things.
Providing that God wants me to be a mom someday...
1. I think I´m supposed to ¨adopt¨ (in some form or another) children. Maybe lots of children. (my mom here says I´m going to have 14... I´m not sure why though. I told her I could do twelve) :-) I went to my first volunteer session yesterday and was in a house with 13 children around the ages of 5-12 who will most likely never be adopted due to their disabilities. So I´ll love them for now, and miss them when I leave this place.
2. I´m speaking Spanish to my kids. Maybe they won´t be fluent (because heaven knows I´m not!!), but they´ll at least know some of the basics. Every day I´m more humbled and impressed by the bilingualism of practically every other country but my own. Today I went and sat in a 5th grade science class for two hours, and both the teacher and students knew more about the science vocabulary in ENGLISH than I did. I would have no idea how to put kingdom, phylum, class, genus, species into a second language, and yet that is the every day routine for these kids. The entire school is in English. woah, did I feel uneducated.
Providing that God wants me to be a mom someday...
1. I think I´m supposed to ¨adopt¨ (in some form or another) children. Maybe lots of children. (my mom here says I´m going to have 14... I´m not sure why though. I told her I could do twelve) :-) I went to my first volunteer session yesterday and was in a house with 13 children around the ages of 5-12 who will most likely never be adopted due to their disabilities. So I´ll love them for now, and miss them when I leave this place.
2. I´m speaking Spanish to my kids. Maybe they won´t be fluent (because heaven knows I´m not!!), but they´ll at least know some of the basics. Every day I´m more humbled and impressed by the bilingualism of practically every other country but my own. Today I went and sat in a 5th grade science class for two hours, and both the teacher and students knew more about the science vocabulary in ENGLISH than I did. I would have no idea how to put kingdom, phylum, class, genus, species into a second language, and yet that is the every day routine for these kids. The entire school is in English. woah, did I feel uneducated.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Looking around
Looking around, I realized there are no minivans in Ecuador. none.
plenty of SUVS, cars, trucks, and motorcycles, but no minivans. What do big families do?
Looking around, I see so much political propaganda. They are voting in less than two weeks for their new constitution. Everyone´s talking about it... the graffiti is covered in it. Vamos a ver.
Looking around, I go to a really pretty campus. There´s just little things that stick out once in a while.
Looking around, I remember that I am 10,000ft about sea level. When you look out the window on the bus on your way home and see clouds BELOW you, this sometimes serves as that reminder.
Looking around, I see that children of any social class appear very similar when they´re tired and want to be loved.
Looking around
I´m glad God blessed me with sight and I´m trying not to take it for granted. So I´ll keep
looking around
plenty of SUVS, cars, trucks, and motorcycles, but no minivans. What do big families do?
Looking around, I see so much political propaganda. They are voting in less than two weeks for their new constitution. Everyone´s talking about it... the graffiti is covered in it. Vamos a ver.
Looking around, I go to a really pretty campus. There´s just little things that stick out once in a while.
Looking around, I remember that I am 10,000ft about sea level. When you look out the window on the bus on your way home and see clouds BELOW you, this sometimes serves as that reminder.
Looking around, I see that children of any social class appear very similar when they´re tired and want to be loved.
Looking around
I´m glad God blessed me with sight and I´m trying not to take it for granted. So I´ll keep
looking around
Thursday, September 11, 2008
this must be written.
I’ve just had one of the most enjoyable talks with my folks here at our supper table tonight. Revolving around “deportes”
So, I found out that my dad was a gym teacher for 5 years in a high school. I can completely see this. He seems like the perfect “gym teacher” figure. It made me really happy. From what I think I understood, that’s what he went to school for: to become a “professor” in Physical Education. I also learned that he’s the youngest of 4 brothers, so I got to hear about how they each had their own groups, but would sometimes combine and make a big group to play sports or go to the movies and cause trouble and whatnot. I knew I liked him for a reason! He’s just super.
That being said, it makes sense that today when Ecuador was playing Uruguay to increase their chances of making it to the world cup, he was interested, because he’s interested in sports. What I didn’t realize was the fierce and intense passion for sports that lives inside my seemingly sweet and fragile 66 year old mother! No kidding around here folks. I’ve always known that she is the one in charge and running the ship much like the “man of the house” but today I got a better idea as to why. Due to the unfortunate early death of her older brother, she became her dad’s “son” and he took her to all the sporting events so she’s grown up watching and enjoying sports her whole life and thus was quite the tomboy. What I didn’t expect to hear her tell me was that when there’s a sporting event on, my Dad isn’t the one glued to the set- it’s her!
Supposedly, Dad gets antsy, nervous, and/or bored and can’t sit down and watch the entire game in full, but Mom, NO- she’s right there with her whole self wrapped up in that game. For this reason, when Ecuador tied today, there was obvious anxiety the entire time, and when it was time for us to sit down for supper, she ended up with a headache from the stress. It was great!! (I mean, not that she had a headache, but this woman’s “umph!” I tell ya what!)
And thus, I live with two very avid sports fans. I’m hoping to convince them to help me cheer on a certain beloved football team this weekend. The Buckeye Nation can always use more members, right?
So Ecuador because of this tie is still in the running to have a chance at the World Cup, but will have to prove themselves against Columbia (at least from what I understand).
Thus, I wait in eager and hopeful anticipation to see what will happen with both my fútbol and football team.
¡¡VAMOS ECUATORIANOS!! Y LET’S GO BUCKS!
Ps. On a sidenote- our food in the US is definitely dyed. Trident – yah, that red food coloring they put in the states does nothing. The white piece I just stuck in my mouth has the same pleasant cinnamony taste I’m used to minus the illusion that red=cinnamon. Cinnamon is brown anyways, so why do we think it’s red? Oh, U.S.A…. what am I going to do with you?
I’ve just had one of the most enjoyable talks with my folks here at our supper table tonight. Revolving around “deportes”
So, I found out that my dad was a gym teacher for 5 years in a high school. I can completely see this. He seems like the perfect “gym teacher” figure. It made me really happy. From what I think I understood, that’s what he went to school for: to become a “professor” in Physical Education. I also learned that he’s the youngest of 4 brothers, so I got to hear about how they each had their own groups, but would sometimes combine and make a big group to play sports or go to the movies and cause trouble and whatnot. I knew I liked him for a reason! He’s just super.
That being said, it makes sense that today when Ecuador was playing Uruguay to increase their chances of making it to the world cup, he was interested, because he’s interested in sports. What I didn’t realize was the fierce and intense passion for sports that lives inside my seemingly sweet and fragile 66 year old mother! No kidding around here folks. I’ve always known that she is the one in charge and running the ship much like the “man of the house” but today I got a better idea as to why. Due to the unfortunate early death of her older brother, she became her dad’s “son” and he took her to all the sporting events so she’s grown up watching and enjoying sports her whole life and thus was quite the tomboy. What I didn’t expect to hear her tell me was that when there’s a sporting event on, my Dad isn’t the one glued to the set- it’s her!
Supposedly, Dad gets antsy, nervous, and/or bored and can’t sit down and watch the entire game in full, but Mom, NO- she’s right there with her whole self wrapped up in that game. For this reason, when Ecuador tied today, there was obvious anxiety the entire time, and when it was time for us to sit down for supper, she ended up with a headache from the stress. It was great!! (I mean, not that she had a headache, but this woman’s “umph!” I tell ya what!)
And thus, I live with two very avid sports fans. I’m hoping to convince them to help me cheer on a certain beloved football team this weekend. The Buckeye Nation can always use more members, right?
So Ecuador because of this tie is still in the running to have a chance at the World Cup, but will have to prove themselves against Columbia (at least from what I understand).
Thus, I wait in eager and hopeful anticipation to see what will happen with both my fútbol and football team.
¡¡VAMOS ECUATORIANOS!! Y LET’S GO BUCKS!
Ps. On a sidenote- our food in the US is definitely dyed. Trident – yah, that red food coloring they put in the states does nothing. The white piece I just stuck in my mouth has the same pleasant cinnamony taste I’m used to minus the illusion that red=cinnamon. Cinnamon is brown anyways, so why do we think it’s red? Oh, U.S.A…. what am I going to do with you?
Friday, September 5, 2008
likes, and the opposite
i really like to spend time in the ceramics lab.
I don't like to read 8 pages in 2 hours.
I really like the free internet here
i don't like getting whistled at.
I really like my group of friends through my Bible study.
I don't like having to suspect that every person on the bus could rob me.
I really like Ecuador.
I don't like that I only have 4 months left to enjoy it.
I don't like to read 8 pages in 2 hours.
I really like the free internet here
i don't like getting whistled at.
I really like my group of friends through my Bible study.
I don't like having to suspect that every person on the bus could rob me.
I really like Ecuador.
I don't like that I only have 4 months left to enjoy it.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
The case of the missing soap
Sometimes living with a family that´s not really yours is a mystery.
I haven´t figured out when or where my parents shower. Not that they smell (on the contrary, one day my dad was spritzing his Brazilian cologne all over and then squirted me so I smelled like Man for a day... oh fun) but I just wonder why I don´t ever see them use the bathroom I use. I don´t think it´s just my bathroom, since there´s only one other one and that´s the maids´.
The real mystery is this matter of soap. Sometimes it´s there... and sometimes it´s not. It´s like the traveling soap bar. Once or twice i´ve gone into the kitchen only to find my dad washing his face in the kitchen sink. At these times, I believe he takes the soap from the bathroom and then just kind of leaves it in the kitchen. I´m not sure what he has against the bathroom, maybe he prefers the larger kitchen sink. I don´t know. Other times, I have no idea where the bar of soap has gone. Is it in Rosi´s room? Did mom take it somewhere? Are we out? Beats me! So I´ll just stay prepared for anything, or nothing in terms of soap.
I haven´t died of a crazy bacteria yet.
In other news:
-my birthday here in Ecuador was one of the best I´ve ever had.
-I ran with 5000 other people on Sunday in the Nike 10k. It was a great cultural experience, and I felt really good with how Katie and I did.
-Skype is one of the best things ever created.
until next time,
I haven´t figured out when or where my parents shower. Not that they smell (on the contrary, one day my dad was spritzing his Brazilian cologne all over and then squirted me so I smelled like Man for a day... oh fun) but I just wonder why I don´t ever see them use the bathroom I use. I don´t think it´s just my bathroom, since there´s only one other one and that´s the maids´.
The real mystery is this matter of soap. Sometimes it´s there... and sometimes it´s not. It´s like the traveling soap bar. Once or twice i´ve gone into the kitchen only to find my dad washing his face in the kitchen sink. At these times, I believe he takes the soap from the bathroom and then just kind of leaves it in the kitchen. I´m not sure what he has against the bathroom, maybe he prefers the larger kitchen sink. I don´t know. Other times, I have no idea where the bar of soap has gone. Is it in Rosi´s room? Did mom take it somewhere? Are we out? Beats me! So I´ll just stay prepared for anything, or nothing in terms of soap.
I haven´t died of a crazy bacteria yet.
In other news:
-my birthday here in Ecuador was one of the best I´ve ever had.
-I ran with 5000 other people on Sunday in the Nike 10k. It was a great cultural experience, and I felt really good with how Katie and I did.
-Skype is one of the best things ever created.
until next time,
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Family
I´ve been in South America for 4 weeks. Some are naming this day our ¨first month¨I think I´ll say I´ve been here a month on the 24th.
So today we gave our presentations and mine went well. My teacher said some encouraging words which gave me some sunshine in my heart and a little more confidence in myself.
My topic was over bilingual edu. so there wasn´t much discussion, but another girl Anna, gave her presentation on the differences between family in the USA and Ecuador. It was really interesting because Anna is from Brasil, but has been studying in the US for the past 5 years and is now in Ecuador, a country and culture a little more similar to her own.
We discussed what is ¨family¨in each country and how that word means different things. She brought up how in the US sometimes families don´t really even KNOW the other members in their own family, which to me is horribly sad. The USA´s obsession with individualism and ¨personal space¨sometimes gets in the way of bringing families together. I know I´ve definitely been guilty of just wanting ¨kimbo time¨and so instead of hanging out with the family, I´ve gone off by myself. I´m not trying to say that this is always wrong, just that it´s very different for Latin American families.
She also brought up what the definition of ¨family¨actually is in each country. In the US, when someone asks you who your family is, you tell them about your mom, dad, and siblings. On the other hand in Ecuador your ¨familia¨here is the entire family. Everyone aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents= todos!
I´ve experienced this way of life while I´m here. A couple times I´ve come home from school to find my mom´s granddaughter and daughter at our house. Her other daughter and son-in-law live directly above us for crying out loud. And every day for lunch 2 of their granddaughters take their lunch breaks at their house.
So we talked about the pros and cons and I guess I´ve decided that I just want to thank my family for being who they are. I know that sometimes we´re everywhere and I do fall into the US category of liking my own ¨personal space¨, but I feel like Mom and Dad did a really good job of concentrating on closeness as well.
So mom and dad, I love you. family... I love you too!
We also talked about homosexuality in Ecuador, but this topic is too big to jump into right now.
Hasta luego
kimbo
So today we gave our presentations and mine went well. My teacher said some encouraging words which gave me some sunshine in my heart and a little more confidence in myself.
My topic was over bilingual edu. so there wasn´t much discussion, but another girl Anna, gave her presentation on the differences between family in the USA and Ecuador. It was really interesting because Anna is from Brasil, but has been studying in the US for the past 5 years and is now in Ecuador, a country and culture a little more similar to her own.
We discussed what is ¨family¨in each country and how that word means different things. She brought up how in the US sometimes families don´t really even KNOW the other members in their own family, which to me is horribly sad. The USA´s obsession with individualism and ¨personal space¨sometimes gets in the way of bringing families together. I know I´ve definitely been guilty of just wanting ¨kimbo time¨and so instead of hanging out with the family, I´ve gone off by myself. I´m not trying to say that this is always wrong, just that it´s very different for Latin American families.
She also brought up what the definition of ¨family¨actually is in each country. In the US, when someone asks you who your family is, you tell them about your mom, dad, and siblings. On the other hand in Ecuador your ¨familia¨here is the entire family. Everyone aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents= todos!
I´ve experienced this way of life while I´m here. A couple times I´ve come home from school to find my mom´s granddaughter and daughter at our house. Her other daughter and son-in-law live directly above us for crying out loud. And every day for lunch 2 of their granddaughters take their lunch breaks at their house.
So we talked about the pros and cons and I guess I´ve decided that I just want to thank my family for being who they are. I know that sometimes we´re everywhere and I do fall into the US category of liking my own ¨personal space¨, but I feel like Mom and Dad did a really good job of concentrating on closeness as well.
So mom and dad, I love you. family... I love you too!
We also talked about homosexuality in Ecuador, but this topic is too big to jump into right now.
Hasta luego
kimbo
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Come on... keep going...
I had my final vocab and grammar test today for my month long class. I think it was ok.
Tomorrow we were supposed to have our final essay due and then our presentation over our essay was due on Friday, but today she decided to tell us that BOTH are due tomorrow. Not so happy news, but something I have to live with.
So after 4 hours in the computer lab, I think I´m done with my first draft of the essay. It´s 5pm. I need to go home before it gets dark and then I´m not supposed to be on the buses. Tomorrow at this time all will be well. Actually, today at this time all is still well... I´m just spoiled and am not used to working hard.
The end.
ps. the jungle was indescribable. more news on this later.
Tomorrow we were supposed to have our final essay due and then our presentation over our essay was due on Friday, but today she decided to tell us that BOTH are due tomorrow. Not so happy news, but something I have to live with.
So after 4 hours in the computer lab, I think I´m done with my first draft of the essay. It´s 5pm. I need to go home before it gets dark and then I´m not supposed to be on the buses. Tomorrow at this time all will be well. Actually, today at this time all is still well... I´m just spoiled and am not used to working hard.
The end.
ps. the jungle was indescribable. more news on this later.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
For all you fellow Princesses...
Today I walked into the university´s bathroom and almost ran into Cinderella.
Several 8-12 year old girls were fixing their hair and gowns to get ready for a play in their class. I guess they´re going to act out the story of Cinderella (probably in English, since they are taking English classes now as a summer class). It was precious. They were all jittery and excited and worried about their ribbons and bows and I just wanted to hug every one of them.
Every girl needs to feel like a princess sometimes.
I´m off to the Amazon to be a...umm.. Tarzanian Princess??? That´s possible right?? :-)
Several 8-12 year old girls were fixing their hair and gowns to get ready for a play in their class. I guess they´re going to act out the story of Cinderella (probably in English, since they are taking English classes now as a summer class). It was precious. They were all jittery and excited and worried about their ribbons and bows and I just wanted to hug every one of them.
Every girl needs to feel like a princess sometimes.
I´m off to the Amazon to be a...umm.. Tarzanian Princess??? That´s possible right?? :-)
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
A Little Like Home
Although there are so many differences between Ecuador and my life in the states, sometimes the little similarities pop through.
Last week, I was jogging in the park and I saw a (what seemed to be Ecuadorian) guy running the opposite directions with an OSU hoody. Surprisingly, not football (I think it was basketball). Regardless, this was a small part of home that I cherished for those brief seconds in passing.
Sunday, I went to a new church that ended up being the same denomination (Christian Missionary Alliance) as the church I go to in Grantham. Actually, I´m pretty sure I found the home church of the spanish pastor at my church in Grantham. (He´s originally from Quito...small world)
Yesterday, while enjoying (ok, maybe I´m lying there) my hour bus ride home from school, thunder clouds rolled in. Now, I LOVE thunderstorms. love love. love! but I figured that nothing would happen since I´m in the mountains and whatnot. Well, as I got on my second bus, the rain started. And then it was pouring... and then it was hailing!! Actually visible hail, like the size of you pinky fingernail. It was GREAT!!
So I stayed on my bus, face plastered to the window the rest of the way home. and then I got off at my stop, but still had a 5-10 min. walk home. Every other Ecuadorian was hurrying in to find shelter under the store front covers or ducking inside a restaurant, but not me! I pulled up my OSU hoody, and stepped out into the sidewalk. There was water everywhere... since it doesn´t really storm that much the drainage systems aren´t used to a lot of water at once, so the puddles were huge, the rain drops mixed with hail were coming down hard, and very quickly I was very wet. I can´t explain what JOY this cold, wet, gray, walk gave me. I was like the only one on the street. People from the inside of the stores were watching me with dumbfounded looks on their faces. ¨Why is that gringa out in the rain, and why is she smiling¨. The truth was that as the rain and hail came smacking down all around me, so did my nerves, my discomfort, my frustrations in language comprehension, everything washed away, and I was left living a memory of the times when I had so much fun being completely soaked at Messiah.
When I got home, my mom and maids and daddy were of course surprised at my well.. wettness. And made sure that I changed into warm clothes PRONTO. But all was well in Kimbo´s world. For a brief 10 min. I was back with my friends at messiah and not caring about silly things like clothes, homework, schedules, or future... just being joyful jumping in the puddles.
And so, when I feel like I´m in another world here, God sends me a thunderstorm, and I am thankful.
Thanks for reading,
Kimbo
Another Thing: I´m going to jog (maybe run a bit) in a 10k here on the 31st of Aug. check it out if you wish:
www.nikeplus.com
Last week, I was jogging in the park and I saw a (what seemed to be Ecuadorian) guy running the opposite directions with an OSU hoody. Surprisingly, not football (I think it was basketball). Regardless, this was a small part of home that I cherished for those brief seconds in passing.
Sunday, I went to a new church that ended up being the same denomination (Christian Missionary Alliance) as the church I go to in Grantham. Actually, I´m pretty sure I found the home church of the spanish pastor at my church in Grantham. (He´s originally from Quito...small world)
Yesterday, while enjoying (ok, maybe I´m lying there) my hour bus ride home from school, thunder clouds rolled in. Now, I LOVE thunderstorms. love love. love! but I figured that nothing would happen since I´m in the mountains and whatnot. Well, as I got on my second bus, the rain started. And then it was pouring... and then it was hailing!! Actually visible hail, like the size of you pinky fingernail. It was GREAT!!
So I stayed on my bus, face plastered to the window the rest of the way home. and then I got off at my stop, but still had a 5-10 min. walk home. Every other Ecuadorian was hurrying in to find shelter under the store front covers or ducking inside a restaurant, but not me! I pulled up my OSU hoody, and stepped out into the sidewalk. There was water everywhere... since it doesn´t really storm that much the drainage systems aren´t used to a lot of water at once, so the puddles were huge, the rain drops mixed with hail were coming down hard, and very quickly I was very wet. I can´t explain what JOY this cold, wet, gray, walk gave me. I was like the only one on the street. People from the inside of the stores were watching me with dumbfounded looks on their faces. ¨Why is that gringa out in the rain, and why is she smiling¨. The truth was that as the rain and hail came smacking down all around me, so did my nerves, my discomfort, my frustrations in language comprehension, everything washed away, and I was left living a memory of the times when I had so much fun being completely soaked at Messiah.
When I got home, my mom and maids and daddy were of course surprised at my well.. wettness. And made sure that I changed into warm clothes PRONTO. But all was well in Kimbo´s world. For a brief 10 min. I was back with my friends at messiah and not caring about silly things like clothes, homework, schedules, or future... just being joyful jumping in the puddles.
And so, when I feel like I´m in another world here, God sends me a thunderstorm, and I am thankful.
Thanks for reading,
Kimbo
Another Thing: I´m going to jog (maybe run a bit) in a 10k here on the 31st of Aug. check it out if you wish:
www.nikeplus.com
Monday, August 11, 2008
Taco Salad
Through a misinterpretation of my poor spanish speaking skills, my mom thought that I wanted to cook supper for the family.
What I had tried to ask was to help Rosa cook the food and learn the Ecuadorian Way of spices, food, and whatnot, but what ended up happening was me agreeing to making a //American dish// called taco salad for my family katie´s family since we eat Sunday supper together. I had really been missing fresh vegetables, and taco salad seemed like a simple first attempt at cooking abroad, so I was excited.
My mom had almost everything I needed for this feast of feasts. All that was left to buy was the taco seasoning, doritos (my family crushes them up for our taco salad), and then perhaps some salsa and chips.
I entered SuperMaxi (Ecuador´s equivalent of a superWalmart) with high hopes, but after looking down the aisles, could not find a single taco seasoning packet. Discouraged, I tried to think what my Dad(USA), the spice king, would put into the meat. I actually even attempted to call home through skype to get his spice recipe, but alas... no one picked up. (I was later informed that they were at the lake enjoying themselves, yay!)
So I went back to SuperMaxi and found something called Salsa Jaliso that had a picture of tacos on the front. I asked an employee if it was good to make tacos and he said yes. So I grabbed it. I also found some salsa and figured that could work with the salad and the tortilla chips (which were limited but I did find some). Paying for expensive imported salsa was tough knowing my family back home will have jars and jars of homemade salsa very soon... BUT I did it and went back home ready to try my best.
Now one thing you must know, my Mom here--- she´s very in charge all the time. She helps Rosita and Aurora with all the meal preparations and she just likes to run the show. So when I entered the kitchen she of course wanted to know what to do and then Rosa helped and soon, all I was really doing was just saying what needed to be done. I cooked up the hamburger and tasted the //salsa jalisco//, but it was spicy... and I knew that my Mom did NOT like spicy food. So I had her try it and sure enough... she started yelping and made the cutest disgusted face ever. !!
I decided the best thing to do would just be to have the regular salsa and this other hot sauce thing out on the table and people could just put in what they wanted. Sounds good right??
Well, my mom couldn´t really comprehend that we were just going to have hamburger with a little onion cooked in set out on the table without some sort of sauce on it. So she starts whipping out all the //salsas// she has. First she brings me some Chinese soy sauce type stuff... then it was another Salsa americana= Teriyaki Sauce = no thanks... Then she whips out //salsa de tomate//= ketchup... and finally a different salsa de tomate = barbeque. So after trying my hardest to politely turn down each of her salsas and explain that it wouldn´t be mexicano o the flavors I was looking for she eventually was ok with this strange idea.
Next, we took all of the salad toppings (carrots, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, cheese, beans,crushed up doritos, and salsa) and put them in serving bowls/plates and set them on the table. Now you have to understand, in Ecuador, you don´t eat family style. Your plate comes to you with the food already on it.. there´s no serving or deciding at the table, so all this was new, and the table was absolutely FULL of colorful dishes. My mom was so impressed with //que atractivo// the table was.
I also decided last minute to make nachos, so I put those on two plates and got them ready for the microwave. It was so cute, my mom was so excited for everything that was going to happen. Rosa, God bless her, was just amused at my inability to cook and the fact that mom was letting me cause chaos in HER kitchen. And Aurorita, didn´t even show up to help until right before we sat down to eat.
So eventually my mom, dad, Katie, and her mom all sat down to this big table full of options. Dad was overwhelmed and didn´t know what to do, so of course mom served up his plate. Katie and I, comfortable with everything that was going on, were really happy to have lettuce and fresh veggies for the first time! At first, Dad didn´t know where his fork was so he was eating his entire salad with a spoon and knife. so funny.
In the end I found out that Mom and Dad both don´t really like fresh vegetables... what a bummer. They ate a lot of everything, minus their lettuce. It was hillarious. But everyone was pretty happy (at least they told me they were) I was happy and I got my taco salad, so all was well. I guess my first attempt at cooking for my family was a success, although there was such a fiasco for so simple a meal. This cross-cultural clash made me smile inside.
For my next cooking adventure... I want to challenge myself to make homemade pizza. I´m worried about the yeast and the change in altitude, but hopefully my family will be just as happy as they were this time. I also saw Karo syrup in Supermaxi, so this means I can make scotcheroos here too! YAY!
After supper, I was talking with Mom and Rosa and finally got my original request across about learning/helping cook with Rosa. I think we´re going to cook together this week. Oh, the adventures in Ecuador!
And with that, I end my (terribly long) story of the TACO SALAD!!
hasta luego,
What I had tried to ask was to help Rosa cook the food and learn the Ecuadorian Way of spices, food, and whatnot, but what ended up happening was me agreeing to making a //American dish// called taco salad for my family katie´s family since we eat Sunday supper together. I had really been missing fresh vegetables, and taco salad seemed like a simple first attempt at cooking abroad, so I was excited.
My mom had almost everything I needed for this feast of feasts. All that was left to buy was the taco seasoning, doritos (my family crushes them up for our taco salad), and then perhaps some salsa and chips.
I entered SuperMaxi (Ecuador´s equivalent of a superWalmart) with high hopes, but after looking down the aisles, could not find a single taco seasoning packet. Discouraged, I tried to think what my Dad(USA), the spice king, would put into the meat. I actually even attempted to call home through skype to get his spice recipe, but alas... no one picked up. (I was later informed that they were at the lake enjoying themselves, yay!)
So I went back to SuperMaxi and found something called Salsa Jaliso that had a picture of tacos on the front. I asked an employee if it was good to make tacos and he said yes. So I grabbed it. I also found some salsa and figured that could work with the salad and the tortilla chips (which were limited but I did find some). Paying for expensive imported salsa was tough knowing my family back home will have jars and jars of homemade salsa very soon... BUT I did it and went back home ready to try my best.
Now one thing you must know, my Mom here--- she´s very in charge all the time. She helps Rosita and Aurora with all the meal preparations and she just likes to run the show. So when I entered the kitchen she of course wanted to know what to do and then Rosa helped and soon, all I was really doing was just saying what needed to be done. I cooked up the hamburger and tasted the //salsa jalisco//, but it was spicy... and I knew that my Mom did NOT like spicy food. So I had her try it and sure enough... she started yelping and made the cutest disgusted face ever. !!
I decided the best thing to do would just be to have the regular salsa and this other hot sauce thing out on the table and people could just put in what they wanted. Sounds good right??
Well, my mom couldn´t really comprehend that we were just going to have hamburger with a little onion cooked in set out on the table without some sort of sauce on it. So she starts whipping out all the //salsas// she has. First she brings me some Chinese soy sauce type stuff... then it was another Salsa americana= Teriyaki Sauce = no thanks... Then she whips out //salsa de tomate//= ketchup... and finally a different salsa de tomate = barbeque. So after trying my hardest to politely turn down each of her salsas and explain that it wouldn´t be mexicano o the flavors I was looking for she eventually was ok with this strange idea.
Next, we took all of the salad toppings (carrots, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, cheese, beans,crushed up doritos, and salsa) and put them in serving bowls/plates and set them on the table. Now you have to understand, in Ecuador, you don´t eat family style. Your plate comes to you with the food already on it.. there´s no serving or deciding at the table, so all this was new, and the table was absolutely FULL of colorful dishes. My mom was so impressed with //que atractivo// the table was.
I also decided last minute to make nachos, so I put those on two plates and got them ready for the microwave. It was so cute, my mom was so excited for everything that was going to happen. Rosa, God bless her, was just amused at my inability to cook and the fact that mom was letting me cause chaos in HER kitchen. And Aurorita, didn´t even show up to help until right before we sat down to eat.
So eventually my mom, dad, Katie, and her mom all sat down to this big table full of options. Dad was overwhelmed and didn´t know what to do, so of course mom served up his plate. Katie and I, comfortable with everything that was going on, were really happy to have lettuce and fresh veggies for the first time! At first, Dad didn´t know where his fork was so he was eating his entire salad with a spoon and knife. so funny.
In the end I found out that Mom and Dad both don´t really like fresh vegetables... what a bummer. They ate a lot of everything, minus their lettuce. It was hillarious. But everyone was pretty happy (at least they told me they were) I was happy and I got my taco salad, so all was well. I guess my first attempt at cooking for my family was a success, although there was such a fiasco for so simple a meal. This cross-cultural clash made me smile inside.
For my next cooking adventure... I want to challenge myself to make homemade pizza. I´m worried about the yeast and the change in altitude, but hopefully my family will be just as happy as they were this time. I also saw Karo syrup in Supermaxi, so this means I can make scotcheroos here too! YAY!
After supper, I was talking with Mom and Rosa and finally got my original request across about learning/helping cook with Rosa. I think we´re going to cook together this week. Oh, the adventures in Ecuador!
And with that, I end my (terribly long) story of the TACO SALAD!!
hasta luego,
Friday, August 8, 2008
10 Things that Make me happy
1. I can get my email at school now. Sad that this is the first happy thing on my list, but still. So thankful.
2. I got my hair cut yesterday and have a very unique story to go with it. New experiences around every corner. Ask, if you care to know.
3. It´s the weekend and it´s Ecuador´s equivalence of Fourth of July.
4. I´m going to be in the Amazon Jungle a week from today
5. It´s beautiful outside
6. I get to go to a big park tomorrow and see large trees.
7. Ecuador´s most prized Olympic Athlete is there speedwalker : Jefferson Perez.. watch out for this guy, he´s gotten gold before (the only gold metal Ecuador has ever gotten)
8. My Ecua-daddy: He makes me laugh.
9. letters from Mom and Dad, and emails from brothers
10. My great grandma is singing songs with Jesus right now.
2. I got my hair cut yesterday and have a very unique story to go with it. New experiences around every corner. Ask, if you care to know.
3. It´s the weekend and it´s Ecuador´s equivalence of Fourth of July.
4. I´m going to be in the Amazon Jungle a week from today
5. It´s beautiful outside
6. I get to go to a big park tomorrow and see large trees.
7. Ecuador´s most prized Olympic Athlete is there speedwalker : Jefferson Perez.. watch out for this guy, he´s gotten gold before (the only gold metal Ecuador has ever gotten)
8. My Ecua-daddy: He makes me laugh.
9. letters from Mom and Dad, and emails from brothers
10. My great grandma is singing songs with Jesus right now.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Sex, y las diferencias entre mujeres y hombres
***Warning... may include a Kimbo rant ***
I know I just wrote yesterday, but I've gotta say something about today's class speaker and then my following Spanish class' discussion: all revolving around sex.
Please don't be offended, I'm not trying to. It was just really interesting.
In Ecuador and S. America, there's just differences you can't ignore. This culture is so masculine with a MACHO dominance: the man is everything- the woman is nothing. Prostitution is legal and actually helped by the government. My heart hearts for these young girls/women who give themselves away completely. Where is love going to?
We discussed how Ecuadorian men see three types of women: 1. Good 2. Easy and 3. Prostitutes. Since I am from the States, their first preconceived judgment of me is that I belong in the 2nd group and the speaker gave us reasons as to why this is so:
She has done surveys between folks from Ecuador and the States asking them when it would be considered OK to have sex after starting to date some one: in other words... when is that person having sex with you not "easy" but "good" (referencing the three types of women)
The average time from those in Ecuador was 6 months! (I was surprised at this.. but then I heard the following)
Those from the states' average was ONE MONTH!!!! ???? are you kidding me?
Where have our values gone? How can we even attempt to complain and question why we "gringas" are viewed as easy when obviously our culture states that this can be so.
I don't consider myself a feminist, but I do think that there's got to be pride in yourself to want to keep something so high in value until it's the right time (which I propose is after your married).
And the women in the Ecuadorian culture just let themselves be content with growing up to be mothers. Our professor shared how her mom would always make sure she was helping with everything in order to learn how to be a housewife, while her brothers were allowed to chill around the house and the only request her mom had for them was to make sure they had plenty of "novias" (girlfriends).
It just comes down to shared respect. No, I don't think that God wanted women to rule the world, nor do I think he wanted men. I think he wants all of us to use our own abilities and gifts in the way he's given us. Within a relationship/marriage there's a shared respect. Yes, wives submit to their husbands, but there's probably times when the husbands do the same.
It was just a really great class and discussion and because of it, we did hardly anything in my Spanish class but discuss.
A good day.
I'm off to Salsa dance away my emotions.
chao,
I know I just wrote yesterday, but I've gotta say something about today's class speaker and then my following Spanish class' discussion: all revolving around sex.
Please don't be offended, I'm not trying to. It was just really interesting.
In Ecuador and S. America, there's just differences you can't ignore. This culture is so masculine with a MACHO dominance: the man is everything- the woman is nothing. Prostitution is legal and actually helped by the government. My heart hearts for these young girls/women who give themselves away completely. Where is love going to?
We discussed how Ecuadorian men see three types of women: 1. Good 2. Easy and 3. Prostitutes. Since I am from the States, their first preconceived judgment of me is that I belong in the 2nd group and the speaker gave us reasons as to why this is so:
She has done surveys between folks from Ecuador and the States asking them when it would be considered OK to have sex after starting to date some one: in other words... when is that person having sex with you not "easy" but "good" (referencing the three types of women)
The average time from those in Ecuador was 6 months! (I was surprised at this.. but then I heard the following)
Those from the states' average was ONE MONTH!!!! ???? are you kidding me?
Where have our values gone? How can we even attempt to complain and question why we "gringas" are viewed as easy when obviously our culture states that this can be so.
I don't consider myself a feminist, but I do think that there's got to be pride in yourself to want to keep something so high in value until it's the right time (which I propose is after your married).
And the women in the Ecuadorian culture just let themselves be content with growing up to be mothers. Our professor shared how her mom would always make sure she was helping with everything in order to learn how to be a housewife, while her brothers were allowed to chill around the house and the only request her mom had for them was to make sure they had plenty of "novias" (girlfriends).
It just comes down to shared respect. No, I don't think that God wanted women to rule the world, nor do I think he wanted men. I think he wants all of us to use our own abilities and gifts in the way he's given us. Within a relationship/marriage there's a shared respect. Yes, wives submit to their husbands, but there's probably times when the husbands do the same.
It was just a really great class and discussion and because of it, we did hardly anything in my Spanish class but discuss.
A good day.
I'm off to Salsa dance away my emotions.
chao,
Monday, August 4, 2008
At Peace
I went on a trip to Otavalo this weekend. It´s one of the biggest markets in the world. It was a bit overwhelming. So much of the same, yet different. Bargaining is fun, and I´m not scared to just walk away. I also bought a gift for myself. In Ecuador, there are these mini guitars, kind of like a euchalalie (sp?) but a little different. Anyway, i´m going to have fun learning how to play it while I´m here. yay!
My favorite part of the weekend was the chance to get out of the city and see more of the country. I missed my trees, but definitely got recharged when we walked through a mainly eucalyptus forest and then hiked/climbed up a waterfall. SO much fun! Then we took off our sock ans shoes, rolled up the pants and walked around in the rocks next to the waterfall. Of course, some of us decided that it was necessary to actually completely drench ourselves and go under the waterfall. It was a great experience. Today in class our indigenous guest speaker spoke of how at different parts of the year, the people go and bath in the cascades to cleanse their entire body, soul, mind. I think that my ¨waterfall dunk¨cleansed me more than I knew. I felt more at peace and ready for what lay ahead.
We got back last night around 7:30 and after eating supper with my family and Katie´s family, I decided to go to the internet cafe. I got to talk to my parents and it was last night that I found out my Great Grandma Bessie had died early Sat. morning in her sleep. This is the same great grandma I had just visited in July, the same wonderful, humble, beautiful woman of God that was blessed with 102 years of life, as she had just celebrated her 102nd on July 27th. I will not be able, for obvious reasons, to attend the funeral, but I am completely at peace. I thank God that I was able to visit her so soon to her death and will always remember her as my hero.
And so for now, at peace with where I´m at, I´ll sign off.
My favorite part of the weekend was the chance to get out of the city and see more of the country. I missed my trees, but definitely got recharged when we walked through a mainly eucalyptus forest and then hiked/climbed up a waterfall. SO much fun! Then we took off our sock ans shoes, rolled up the pants and walked around in the rocks next to the waterfall. Of course, some of us decided that it was necessary to actually completely drench ourselves and go under the waterfall. It was a great experience. Today in class our indigenous guest speaker spoke of how at different parts of the year, the people go and bath in the cascades to cleanse their entire body, soul, mind. I think that my ¨waterfall dunk¨cleansed me more than I knew. I felt more at peace and ready for what lay ahead.
We got back last night around 7:30 and after eating supper with my family and Katie´s family, I decided to go to the internet cafe. I got to talk to my parents and it was last night that I found out my Great Grandma Bessie had died early Sat. morning in her sleep. This is the same great grandma I had just visited in July, the same wonderful, humble, beautiful woman of God that was blessed with 102 years of life, as she had just celebrated her 102nd on July 27th. I will not be able, for obvious reasons, to attend the funeral, but I am completely at peace. I thank God that I was able to visit her so soon to her death and will always remember her as my hero.
And so for now, at peace with where I´m at, I´ll sign off.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Learning to type all over again
In Ecuador, they have Spanish keyboards. Very similar to those in the US, just a little different. I´ll be on a role with the typing and then all of a sudden
Mi Familia-
I live with an older couple: Beatriz y Rodrigo de Sosa. They have a main maid named Rosa and another helper named ? Aurora?? I´m not sure how to say or spell it yet. Beatriz is definitely the person who runs the house. Rodgrigo is laid back and sarcastic and a funny old man. I look forward to talking with him more. Their daughter, Jeanette, and her husband Juan Carlos live in the apartment above us and they also have a host student from BCA, and Messiah, and it´s none other than Katie Miller. She´s my jogging friend from school who has been in a lot of my other classes at Messiah, and is also a Spec Ed/Elem Ed. major. She´s a lot more of a worry-wort than I am so I guess it´s good. She keeps me safe and away from harm. We also live very close to the big park in Quito, which I think is definitely going to be a blessing for me. I miss the trees and dirt and grass of OH and Messiah, but that park will hopefully serve as a place for me to feel at home again.
Quito´s still huge, and I´m not sure if I´ll ever get used to it but as they say here ¨poco a poco¨ = little by little, I´ll get the hang of it. Katie and I get to travel to class together every day. Paying for transportation is something I´ll have to get used to. It´s a dollar total to get to school and back every day, which I guess is very cheap- it´s just something to get used to. Food is really cheap- like REALLY. I´m planning on eating lunch for 1.50-2.00 every day. I haven´t gotten sick yet, and have tried a couple new things. I struggle with (like I knew I would) keeping myself safe and allowing myself to take risks in order to experience and really live in this culture. I ate apples yesterday and today with the peel, which we´re not suggested to do. I don´t know... there comes a point where I´m just like - you know what, if I get sick... I´ll learn.
I´m still not exactly sure what my classes are going to be. I´m thinking about taking a private music lesson of some sorts. Maybe percussion, maybe voice... maybe both! I don´t know.
During this first month we have optional afternoon sessions and today´s is SALSA CLASS!! I am REALLY REALLY excited for this. baile baile baile!
This weekend we´re going to Otavalo, one of the largest markets in the world (I think). It´s not too far from Quito. Then we´re home for a weekend and then the following weekend we go into the Amazon!! Lots of traveling to start off with. I´m hoping to get my volunteering figured out soon, since I want that to be one of my main focuses while I´m down here.
And now for some cultural differences, always a good time.
- of course, having a domestic employee is always different. Yesterday I left for school with some dirty laundry in the laundry basket (a literal basket in the corner) and returned with it cleaned and ironed (everything was ironed mind you) and laying on my bed.
- pedestrians do NOT have the right of way- if a car´s coming, you get out of its way.
- you don´t put your toilet paper in the toilet, the pipes can´t take it, you throw it in the trash can beside the toilet. Takes some getting used to. Also, the toilet flushes in the opposite direction. I´m not to say that I´m accelerated in the sciences, but I think it´s because I´m on the other side of the planet. minor thing... you know. :-)
-my host papi spits out random bits of food from the table onto the floor. I´ve been told this is NOT typical in Ecuador. At least I don´t have to worry so much about poor table manners.
-They were not kidding when they said that the girls at the university would dress nice. They dress like they´re ready for a business interview every day. Well, I guess I can´t really say for sure because school hasn´t started yet, but there are some students and faculty around and they are definitely not wearing jeans, tennis shoes and OSU shirts like some crazy gringas. :-)
-I´m a gringa (which isn´t derogatory word here), therefore I receive many a look and the occasional, or frequent ¨piropo¨= cat call. In Ecuador, men and women are allowed to look as much as they want, staring at someone isn´t culturally wrong, but if you stare back and then start talking it´s like your flirting with them. Moral of the story- i have to try refraining from iniciating conversation with they guys around the university.
Well... if you are still reading this I applaud you. I know it´s long.
Unfortunately, I can´t access my Messiah email here. Everyone else seems to be able to, but not me. sadness. I guess I´m going to break down and spend the buck at the internet cafe tonight. Remember'- if you don´t have skype you should consider it. It´s free international calling, which is a very wonderful thing.
chao! <-- that´s what they say a lot here.
Mi Familia-
I live with an older couple: Beatriz y Rodrigo de Sosa. They have a main maid named Rosa and another helper named ? Aurora?? I´m not sure how to say or spell it yet. Beatriz is definitely the person who runs the house. Rodgrigo is laid back and sarcastic and a funny old man. I look forward to talking with him more. Their daughter, Jeanette, and her husband Juan Carlos live in the apartment above us and they also have a host student from BCA, and Messiah, and it´s none other than Katie Miller. She´s my jogging friend from school who has been in a lot of my other classes at Messiah, and is also a Spec Ed/Elem Ed. major. She´s a lot more of a worry-wort than I am so I guess it´s good. She keeps me safe and away from harm. We also live very close to the big park in Quito, which I think is definitely going to be a blessing for me. I miss the trees and dirt and grass of OH and Messiah, but that park will hopefully serve as a place for me to feel at home again.
Quito´s still huge, and I´m not sure if I´ll ever get used to it but as they say here ¨poco a poco¨ = little by little, I´ll get the hang of it. Katie and I get to travel to class together every day. Paying for transportation is something I´ll have to get used to. It´s a dollar total to get to school and back every day, which I guess is very cheap- it´s just something to get used to. Food is really cheap- like REALLY. I´m planning on eating lunch for 1.50-2.00 every day. I haven´t gotten sick yet, and have tried a couple new things. I struggle with (like I knew I would) keeping myself safe and allowing myself to take risks in order to experience and really live in this culture. I ate apples yesterday and today with the peel, which we´re not suggested to do. I don´t know... there comes a point where I´m just like - you know what, if I get sick... I´ll learn.
I´m still not exactly sure what my classes are going to be. I´m thinking about taking a private music lesson of some sorts. Maybe percussion, maybe voice... maybe both! I don´t know.
During this first month we have optional afternoon sessions and today´s is SALSA CLASS!! I am REALLY REALLY excited for this. baile baile baile!
This weekend we´re going to Otavalo, one of the largest markets in the world (I think). It´s not too far from Quito. Then we´re home for a weekend and then the following weekend we go into the Amazon!! Lots of traveling to start off with. I´m hoping to get my volunteering figured out soon, since I want that to be one of my main focuses while I´m down here.
And now for some cultural differences, always a good time.
- of course, having a domestic employee is always different. Yesterday I left for school with some dirty laundry in the laundry basket (a literal basket in the corner) and returned with it cleaned and ironed (everything was ironed mind you) and laying on my bed.
- pedestrians do NOT have the right of way- if a car´s coming, you get out of its way.
- you don´t put your toilet paper in the toilet, the pipes can´t take it, you throw it in the trash can beside the toilet. Takes some getting used to. Also, the toilet flushes in the opposite direction. I´m not to say that I´m accelerated in the sciences, but I think it´s because I´m on the other side of the planet. minor thing... you know. :-)
-my host papi spits out random bits of food from the table onto the floor. I´ve been told this is NOT typical in Ecuador. At least I don´t have to worry so much about poor table manners.
-They were not kidding when they said that the girls at the university would dress nice. They dress like they´re ready for a business interview every day. Well, I guess I can´t really say for sure because school hasn´t started yet, but there are some students and faculty around and they are definitely not wearing jeans, tennis shoes and OSU shirts like some crazy gringas. :-)
-I´m a gringa (which isn´t derogatory word here), therefore I receive many a look and the occasional, or frequent ¨piropo¨= cat call. In Ecuador, men and women are allowed to look as much as they want, staring at someone isn´t culturally wrong, but if you stare back and then start talking it´s like your flirting with them. Moral of the story- i have to try refraining from iniciating conversation with they guys around the university.
Well... if you are still reading this I applaud you. I know it´s long.
Unfortunately, I can´t access my Messiah email here. Everyone else seems to be able to, but not me. sadness. I guess I´m going to break down and spend the buck at the internet cafe tonight. Remember'- if you don´t have skype you should consider it. It´s free international calling, which is a very wonderful thing.
chao! <-- that´s what they say a lot here.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
The First Post from Quito
^ That's a very unoriginal title... i know.
I'm HERE!!
I don't even have the creativity to type up a nice blog about what life's like right now. I'm happy.
oh.. and even happier now that "My Girl" just started playing in the hostel's lobby... good times.
I'm loving how much music i recognize from the US.
woah.
I meet my host family tomorrow. They pick us up tomorrow. I kind of sort of found out a little bit about mine because there was some finalizing that needed to be done and they had to make sure it would work- i guess I'm near a park and near my friend katie miller, so it should all be good.
Quito-- ok.. it's really large. Like the biggest city I've ever seen. You can't even see it all. It's too big. Even when we were up on this mountain today- too big.
spanish- it's coming tomorrow. We've mainly been in english so far.
altitude- not too bad. I'm going to try jogging tomorrow- i don't know how it will go.
food- i'll be fine. no sickness yet. thankfully- and I've tried some new stuff.
I got to see my school yesterday. USFQ is quite the place. I'm still worried about all the rich kids.
Ok- that's short and sweet, but all i've got.
buenas noches,
kimbo
I'm HERE!!
I don't even have the creativity to type up a nice blog about what life's like right now. I'm happy.
oh.. and even happier now that "My Girl" just started playing in the hostel's lobby... good times.
I'm loving how much music i recognize from the US.
woah.
I meet my host family tomorrow. They pick us up tomorrow. I kind of sort of found out a little bit about mine because there was some finalizing that needed to be done and they had to make sure it would work- i guess I'm near a park and near my friend katie miller, so it should all be good.
Quito-- ok.. it's really large. Like the biggest city I've ever seen. You can't even see it all. It's too big. Even when we were up on this mountain today- too big.
spanish- it's coming tomorrow. We've mainly been in english so far.
altitude- not too bad. I'm going to try jogging tomorrow- i don't know how it will go.
food- i'll be fine. no sickness yet. thankfully- and I've tried some new stuff.
I got to see my school yesterday. USFQ is quite the place. I'm still worried about all the rich kids.
Ok- that's short and sweet, but all i've got.
buenas noches,
kimbo
Thursday, July 24, 2008
On the way... Miami Airport
Well, I'm people watching in the airport- and it's funny. So many people are going so many different places.
So far I have one regret of the trip: I left my mom's homemade cinnamon roll in the van. bummer. Obviously, this means that the trip has been going really well if that is my only downer. :-)
I got here (Miami) a little before 11:00 and now I've just been sitting and waiting and checking emails and doing some online "housekeeping" and whatnot. I'll probably venture to my gate soon. That's where everyone from BCA is meeting.
So how am I?
-no lies- I'm tired. As much as I LOVE flying and usually my face is plastered out the window, I may break down and try and sleep a bit on the flight there.
-motivated, it's a form of excitement, but it's a little different. I'm motivated to enjoy the journey- to prepare feeling stupid, "american", a student, but also to open my wings to South America!
-content. nothing bad has happened. a lot of good has- and I have really great people that care about me.
I'm not sure what exactly the semester is going to contain. I know it'll change me- and I've already wasted time worrying about which classes to take that will give me the best semester, but I'm sure whatever ends up will be GREAT!!
So greetings from southern usa- now on to South America! I'm about to flip sides...
So far I have one regret of the trip: I left my mom's homemade cinnamon roll in the van. bummer. Obviously, this means that the trip has been going really well if that is my only downer. :-)
I got here (Miami) a little before 11:00 and now I've just been sitting and waiting and checking emails and doing some online "housekeeping" and whatnot. I'll probably venture to my gate soon. That's where everyone from BCA is meeting.
So how am I?
-no lies- I'm tired. As much as I LOVE flying and usually my face is plastered out the window, I may break down and try and sleep a bit on the flight there.
-motivated, it's a form of excitement, but it's a little different. I'm motivated to enjoy the journey- to prepare feeling stupid, "american", a student, but also to open my wings to South America!
-content. nothing bad has happened. a lot of good has- and I have really great people that care about me.
I'm not sure what exactly the semester is going to contain. I know it'll change me- and I've already wasted time worrying about which classes to take that will give me the best semester, but I'm sure whatever ends up will be GREAT!!
So greetings from southern usa- now on to South America! I'm about to flip sides...
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