I think I thought that when I first got to Quito I would be overwhelmed with culture shock- that the Ecuadorian-ness, or South American-ness, or Latin-ness would be overwhelming, confusing, and exotic- and that eventually it would become normal to me. Maybe that's culture shock for most people- but for me, although there were definitely marked differences, I was most overwhelmed by the sameness. Many of you got emails in which I told you that Quito was just like any other city except the street signs were in Spanish and there were a lot of KFCs! Lately, the more used to Quito I get, the more Latin it becomes. Maybe as I learn and assimilate more, the small things are beginning to jump out at me. Today, for example, I was in a taxi coming home with all my school stuff, and the cab driver was playing salsa music. I told him where to go in Spanish and made some inane small talk-- and was struck by how NORMAL it felt!
Point being-- I love it here and I love my apartment and I love my job. On Friday, at school, I was overwhelmed by how much I love it here. I love being in Quito, but the city is dirty and really really polluted. I take a school bus every morning at 6:15 and we arrive at La Mitad del Mundo (i.e.-the Equator) at 7:30 or so. The ride is long, but it's so worth it to be out of the city. At Liga there are trees everywhere. Also- I don't know if I've mentioned before, but the school is affiliated with Liga University and the professional Ecuadorian football team- Liga. In fact, the pro team practices on a field right outside my classroom.. so between classes sometimes I head out and watch them play. It's AMAZING to watch!
Plus, the students are SO sweet. It's a sports high school, so the students wear Track Suits as their uniforms and the They call me "Teacher Margaret", "Teacher", or "Profe"- short for "Profesora". Everywhere I go, the students greet me. Even at lunch they greet us: "Buen provecho, profe." (Buen provecho = bon appetite! It's super polite here to say that whenever anyone's eating ever) I LOVE IT!
Also- on Friday I taught a lesson on contractions and we listened to the song "Breakin' Free" from High School Musical. Since about 70% of my students are boys between 12 and 14 there were a LOT of moans and groans, but one of my classes sang along enthusiastically. I also downloaded the new Juanes CD, so I put it on afterwards and the kids went nuts.
Man oh man- this entry took me the whole weekend to write, but I wanted to communicate my contentment. We spent this weekend in Banos. It was incredible. When I write my entry, you will not believe the things I did. I'll include pictures to prove it.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Haircut
So this week I had an exciting and terrifying experience. I decided last week that I was going to get my hair cut.. so I was looking around for places to get it done. There's this place on the walk to school called BEYONCE and they advertise $2 haircuts. I don't know that I've ever seen anyone in there, so I kept joking that I would go there to get my hair cut.
Long story short- I got impatient, and since I only wanted my hair trimmed- and you can't REALLY ruin a trim (once I let a 17 year old at SSP trim my hair because she was bored), I decided to head over to BEYONCE during lunch hour. Now, my Spanish is far FAR from perfect, but I get around okay. I can generally argue with taxi drivers and I can talk to my host mom, so I figured it would be no big deal to get my hair done. Right? Wrong. I swear, I had no idea what these women were saying to me, but at one point, one of them pointed to the other one and nodded. I nodded too. Apparently, I had then agreed to getting her haircut. Then she started to trim my hair, paused, and asked me a question. I nodded, and she said "Tres dolares." Then she washed my hair and started to cut it. It was pretty terrifying, but I had no choice but to just let them go with it. At one point the woman asked me how I wanted my hair brushed (? I don't know.. that's the best I can come up with) and I told her "No tengo mucho tiempo en las mananas." She promptly proceeded to cut me bangs (side bangs).... (but they're better than the time I let Kacey cut me bangs after she came home drunk from a party and told me she totally could do it.)
Anyway- I totally dig my $3 haircut-- that's it in the picture.... but that was one of those experiences where my hair's soaking wet and she's going to TOWN with the scissors, and all I can think is: "I wish I'd put a little more thought into this decision!"
(This was deep and inspiring, I know. If you're looking for something more intellectual to read, check out Jessica's blog- hers has Bolivian deities and elaborate metaphors.)
Long story short- I got impatient, and since I only wanted my hair trimmed- and you can't REALLY ruin a trim (once I let a 17 year old at SSP trim my hair because she was bored), I decided to head over to BEYONCE during lunch hour. Now, my Spanish is far FAR from perfect, but I get around okay. I can generally argue with taxi drivers and I can talk to my host mom, so I figured it would be no big deal to get my hair done. Right? Wrong. I swear, I had no idea what these women were saying to me, but at one point, one of them pointed to the other one and nodded. I nodded too. Apparently, I had then agreed to getting her haircut. Then she started to trim my hair, paused, and asked me a question. I nodded, and she said "Tres dolares." Then she washed my hair and started to cut it. It was pretty terrifying, but I had no choice but to just let them go with it. At one point the woman asked me how I wanted my hair brushed (? I don't know.. that's the best I can come up with) and I told her "No tengo mucho tiempo en las mananas." She promptly proceeded to cut me bangs (side bangs).... (but they're better than the time I let Kacey cut me bangs after she came home drunk from a party and told me she totally could do it.)
Anyway- I totally dig my $3 haircut-- that's it in the picture.... but that was one of those experiences where my hair's soaking wet and she's going to TOWN with the scissors, and all I can think is: "I wish I'd put a little more thought into this decision!"(This was deep and inspiring, I know. If you're looking for something more intellectual to read, check out Jessica's blog- hers has Bolivian deities and elaborate metaphors.)
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Profesora
Hola! Well, I got the job at Colegio de la Liga. Tonight I met with the guy who's been teaching there for the last four weeks and will continue to teach until I finish my TESOL course and take over. He is this British guy who seems really nice, but totally overwhelmed. He kept blaming things on Latin America. He said, "This whole continent is mad!" about 8 times!
It looks like I'll be teaching 7 different classes. "What?" you say. "Seven periods?" No. SEVEN CLASSES. A 5th grade Language Course, 8th grade A and B, 9th grade A and B, and 10th grade A and B. Also, they are one year behind the states, so 5th graders are 9 years old, 8th graders are 12, 9th graders 13 and 10th graders 14. SOOOOOO-- it will definitely be a different experience. But whatever. I am really excited.. but definitely overwhelmed! It looks like a lot of work.
Also, it looks like we found an apartment. I'm living with a girl, Rozana, from my program, and this girl Angie from North Carolina who is working at the same daycare as Rozana. We'll be living in the Mariscal-- kind of the cool downtown where all the clubs and bars are. So that should be cool. They call it "Gringo-landia" because all the extranjeros (foreigners) live in the Mariscal- which is not something I'm necessarily stoked about, but we'll be living in the same building as some of the guys from my program, so that will be nice. Plus, I'm going to be working in authentically Ecuadorian school with an almost entirely Ecuadorian staff, so I think/hope that I'll be adequately immersed in Ecuadorian culture!
The cool thing about the apartment- it's 3 bedrooms, four bathrooms. There's a guard outside the building (which is standard- even in safe neighborhoods). Gas, Electricity, Water and Wireless internet included, and furnished-- $490/ month!!! Of course- I'm going to be making $600 dollars a month... so everything is relative, but it's pretty sweet.
This weekend we're off to Papayacta. I have no idea what it is, but it should be cool!
It looks like I'll be teaching 7 different classes. "What?" you say. "Seven periods?" No. SEVEN CLASSES. A 5th grade Language Course, 8th grade A and B, 9th grade A and B, and 10th grade A and B. Also, they are one year behind the states, so 5th graders are 9 years old, 8th graders are 12, 9th graders 13 and 10th graders 14. SOOOOOO-- it will definitely be a different experience. But whatever. I am really excited.. but definitely overwhelmed! It looks like a lot of work.
Also, it looks like we found an apartment. I'm living with a girl, Rozana, from my program, and this girl Angie from North Carolina who is working at the same daycare as Rozana. We'll be living in the Mariscal-- kind of the cool downtown where all the clubs and bars are. So that should be cool. They call it "Gringo-landia" because all the extranjeros (foreigners) live in the Mariscal- which is not something I'm necessarily stoked about, but we'll be living in the same building as some of the guys from my program, so that will be nice. Plus, I'm going to be working in authentically Ecuadorian school with an almost entirely Ecuadorian staff, so I think/hope that I'll be adequately immersed in Ecuadorian culture!
The cool thing about the apartment- it's 3 bedrooms, four bathrooms. There's a guard outside the building (which is standard- even in safe neighborhoods). Gas, Electricity, Water and Wireless internet included, and furnished-- $490/ month!!! Of course- I'm going to be making $600 dollars a month... so everything is relative, but it's pretty sweet.
This weekend we're off to Papayacta. I have no idea what it is, but it should be cool!
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Asi Es La Vida (not the telenovela)
This has been week two of the TESOL (Teaching English as a Second or Other Language) class, and the work is definitely starting to pick up. Every day we have class from 8:30-6:30. The last two hours, though, are comprised of an English class that we teach. Students are offered a free (or very very cheap) English course, and in return, we hone our teaching skills on these poor middle aged women and teenagers who aren't lucky enough to go to an expensive private school where they learn English. It's actually pretty fun, and- somehow- they're learning a heck of a lot. After every class we teach one woman, Ines, says "Congratulations! Good job!" It's so funny!
On the Spanish end of things- I am getting really frustrated with my level of Spanish. When I was sick I had zero energy to even try to speak Spanish, and I wish I'd taken advantage of that week and a half now. So, to improve my skills, I've begun reading the newspaper. The goal is to read the paper every day, but I'm slow, so I'm reading one every two days. I'm also taking every opportunity to speak Spanish or be around people speaking Spanish that I can. This has led to interesting discoveries, ridiculous mistakes, and an observation which I will discuss.
First- this might be my favorite thing I learned this week:
Si asi es de verde, como sera de madura?
Basically it's a compliment to someone wearing green. Our 60-something teacher said it to a girl in class today, and it's apparently pretty platonic-- but when translated it sounds like a bad pickup line-- so next time you're at a bar tell someone:
If you look this good green, how are you going to look when you're ripe?
Second- I had a gigantic pimple on my face this week, and when my host mom saw it she asked "Margaret! What happened to your face?" I realized at that moment that I didn't have the slightest idea how to say "pimple" so I said "Wait a minute, I'll look it up!" So I grab my dictionary and flip to the english side and through the Ps. Meanwhile she's asking me some question, so I'm trying to look fast. Finally, I was at the right page- I saw the word- I scanned to the translation and I confidently told her: "Es un chulo." She looked at me very confused for half a second before I remembered that "chulo" means "pimp". Then I started laughing and tried to explain to her that in english, those words were very close together- and I meant that it was "una espinilla." I'm not sure if she got it, but it was pretty funny. (I also asked a waiter for the cheque yesterday instead of the "cuenta"- or bill. That not only got me a raised eyebrow from the waiter, but the 10 people at our table made fun of me mercilessly.)
Finally- I'd heard that Ecuador is very class-based and that the color of your skin really determines the way you're treated, the job you get, the life you live. Naturally, this is a concept we're familiar with in the United States, but here it's out in the open and treated like a natural fact. For example, in one of my Spanish classes the teacher explained to us, very matter-of-factly, that although it was a nice idea for Bolivia to elect an indigenous government, the indigenas are incapable of running a country because they just don't think the same way we do. Today, as part of my, be-around-as-much-spanish-as-possible plan, I went to get lunch with my host mom at her friend's house. There were a lot of people there and a man starts reading off a peice of paper and everyone started laughing. I didn't understand half the words he was saying, so though I smiled politely, it was clear that I had no idea what was going on.
He asked my host mom if I spoke Spanish, and when she affirmed that I did, but I didn't know the words, they explained to me that these were jokes about two people- a Pelucon - or good upper-class guy- and a Cholo -or lower class guy (my dictioary traslates "cholo" as "half-breed" btw- which I find incredibly offensive). The jokes then go like this-
If a Pelucon goes to a brothel, it's because he's looking for pleasure. If a Cholo goes to a brothel it's because he's looking for his sister.
If a Pelucon is running it's because he's an athelete. If a Cholo is running it's because he's a thief.
If a Pelucon is wearing white it's because he's a doctor. If a Cholo is wearing white it's because he's a milkman.
Etc. The jokes went on and on-- particularly the ones about occupations- if a Pelucon is driving a car, it's because he owns it. If a Cholo is driving a car he's a chauffeur. Each was met by peals of laughter and delight. There was no shame- no explanation- no qualifiers: "I have a friend who's a Cholo, so this is okay." Nothing. I'm trying really hard to see the other side of this- to see how this could be (and apparently is) culturally acceptable, but the more I see and hear, the more it seems like social inequality here is not a problem to them. How do you refrain from ethnocentrism, but maintain a sense of right and wrong? and is it bad to think that, in this particular case they're about 150 years behind the US? I think I've always been under the impression that racism used to be socially acceptable, but in our modern world is a sign of extreme ignorance/stupidity/worthlessness. I'm not sure quite how that jives with what I'm seeing here. I don't have an answer, a metaphor, or nice words with which to wrap this up-- it's just something on my mind. Not to end on a negative note- on the whole, I am so happy here. I don't mean that to sound too harsh.. but it's definitely given me some food for thought.
Two more weeks to go, and then I've got to get a job and an apartment and be a grown up. It looks like Colegio de la Liga will probably work out- so more on that when I know more. (PS- I was offered the position at that elementary school in Cumbaya, but I made up my mind way before that I couldn't do it. It was a good decision to say no.)
On the Spanish end of things- I am getting really frustrated with my level of Spanish. When I was sick I had zero energy to even try to speak Spanish, and I wish I'd taken advantage of that week and a half now. So, to improve my skills, I've begun reading the newspaper. The goal is to read the paper every day, but I'm slow, so I'm reading one every two days. I'm also taking every opportunity to speak Spanish or be around people speaking Spanish that I can. This has led to interesting discoveries, ridiculous mistakes, and an observation which I will discuss.
First- this might be my favorite thing I learned this week:
Si asi es de verde, como sera de madura?
Basically it's a compliment to someone wearing green. Our 60-something teacher said it to a girl in class today, and it's apparently pretty platonic-- but when translated it sounds like a bad pickup line-- so next time you're at a bar tell someone:
If you look this good green, how are you going to look when you're ripe?
Second- I had a gigantic pimple on my face this week, and when my host mom saw it she asked "Margaret! What happened to your face?" I realized at that moment that I didn't have the slightest idea how to say "pimple" so I said "Wait a minute, I'll look it up!" So I grab my dictionary and flip to the english side and through the Ps. Meanwhile she's asking me some question, so I'm trying to look fast. Finally, I was at the right page- I saw the word- I scanned to the translation and I confidently told her: "Es un chulo." She looked at me very confused for half a second before I remembered that "chulo" means "pimp". Then I started laughing and tried to explain to her that in english, those words were very close together- and I meant that it was "una espinilla." I'm not sure if she got it, but it was pretty funny. (I also asked a waiter for the cheque yesterday instead of the "cuenta"- or bill. That not only got me a raised eyebrow from the waiter, but the 10 people at our table made fun of me mercilessly.)
Finally- I'd heard that Ecuador is very class-based and that the color of your skin really determines the way you're treated, the job you get, the life you live. Naturally, this is a concept we're familiar with in the United States, but here it's out in the open and treated like a natural fact. For example, in one of my Spanish classes the teacher explained to us, very matter-of-factly, that although it was a nice idea for Bolivia to elect an indigenous government, the indigenas are incapable of running a country because they just don't think the same way we do. Today, as part of my, be-around-as-much-spanish-as-possible plan, I went to get lunch with my host mom at her friend's house. There were a lot of people there and a man starts reading off a peice of paper and everyone started laughing. I didn't understand half the words he was saying, so though I smiled politely, it was clear that I had no idea what was going on.
He asked my host mom if I spoke Spanish, and when she affirmed that I did, but I didn't know the words, they explained to me that these were jokes about two people- a Pelucon - or good upper-class guy- and a Cholo -or lower class guy (my dictioary traslates "cholo" as "half-breed" btw- which I find incredibly offensive). The jokes then go like this-
If a Pelucon goes to a brothel, it's because he's looking for pleasure. If a Cholo goes to a brothel it's because he's looking for his sister.
If a Pelucon is running it's because he's an athelete. If a Cholo is running it's because he's a thief.
If a Pelucon is wearing white it's because he's a doctor. If a Cholo is wearing white it's because he's a milkman.
Etc. The jokes went on and on-- particularly the ones about occupations- if a Pelucon is driving a car, it's because he owns it. If a Cholo is driving a car he's a chauffeur. Each was met by peals of laughter and delight. There was no shame- no explanation- no qualifiers: "I have a friend who's a Cholo, so this is okay." Nothing. I'm trying really hard to see the other side of this- to see how this could be (and apparently is) culturally acceptable, but the more I see and hear, the more it seems like social inequality here is not a problem to them. How do you refrain from ethnocentrism, but maintain a sense of right and wrong? and is it bad to think that, in this particular case they're about 150 years behind the US? I think I've always been under the impression that racism used to be socially acceptable, but in our modern world is a sign of extreme ignorance/stupidity/worthlessness. I'm not sure quite how that jives with what I'm seeing here. I don't have an answer, a metaphor, or nice words with which to wrap this up-- it's just something on my mind. Not to end on a negative note- on the whole, I am so happy here. I don't mean that to sound too harsh.. but it's definitely given me some food for thought.
Two more weeks to go, and then I've got to get a job and an apartment and be a grown up. It looks like Colegio de la Liga will probably work out- so more on that when I know more. (PS- I was offered the position at that elementary school in Cumbaya, but I made up my mind way before that I couldn't do it. It was a good decision to say no.)
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