BUT, this weekend was a blast. On Friday I was required to go to this dance. On Thursday we had a meeting at school for all the teachers to go over what our jobs were going to be at the dance, and to decide if we should sell alcohol to the students who were 18, or just to teachers and parents! They eventually decided that anyone who was 18 could drink.. which meant that a LOT of people who weren't 18 were drinking at the dance, but no one seemed to care! The dance was for the crowning of the Reina del Colegio (Queen of the High School), so each contestant put on a dance for the school on Friday afternoon. Some danced to Salsa and Reggaeton music, while others danced to "Thriller" and "You're the One That I Want" from Grease! Then they had a fashion show- casual and formal wear, and then an interview portion where they discussed their views on the role of women in present society and the solutions for the problem of child labor in Ecuador.
Then, when they crowned Mary Frances the reina, and the dance was on! Teachers, parents and students danced the night away until 2 in the morning. Teachers took shots of whiskey in the back, while parents and students smoked cigarettes on the dance floor. It was a BLAST! My friend Nick and I tried to keep up with them, but at one point we were doing our lame-ass gringo salsa, and I turned around to see one of my students, Kenny, who is 13 and 5 feet tall at most, PULLING OUT the most incredible dance moves with a girl approximately twice his height. I got embarassed, so we sat down.. but it was really fun otherwise!
Then, Saturday, we had our HUGE Thanksgiving feast! We started cooking at 10 in the morning (as in the picture)-- Angie splurged and bought a turkey, and I made mashed potatoes. She also made vegetables and cranberry sauce. We had two sweet potato dishes, cake, brownies, broccoli, stuffing, garlic bread, more turkey, macaroni and cheese, Kinua salad, Taco dip, mangoes, homemade apple pies from the boys downstairs, soda, beer, rum, and wine. We had invited everone over at 3:00-- but dinner didn't actually go on until 5. It was Thanksgiving Ecuador style-- two hours late but totally worth it!!
We had everyone in our building- Nick, Seth, Summer, Andrew Moose and his Ecuadorian girlfriend Ani, Noah, me, Rozana, Angie, John, Jeff, Sam, their friend Chase, Libby, her Ecuadorian boyfriend William, Jon, Vaughn, Liz, her roommate Jessie, Nicole, Justin, his British girlfriend Helen, Gillian, Rachel, and two American exchange students from Colegio de Liga- Lacey and Weston! That's 27 if you're counting!! We crammed them into our apartment, and amazingly we had enough food to feed everyone!
The food was really good too. It was great. We had everyone go around the table and say what they were thankful for.. and we even had one in Spanish! It felt like Thanksgiving, and it felt good.
As for me- this week I've been frustrated in my job and with my students. I've been homesick and sad... but not once have I been unhappy. Last night was amazing. This morning Nick and I went to this market in Parque Eljido where there are artisans and paintings and children and relaxation. This afternoon, and every Sunday, Angie, Rozana and I went to Plaza Foch and drank coffee while this really cool band played in the plaza as clouds rolled in over the volcano Pichincha. I love it here. My Spanish has definitely turned a corner, too-- and that makes it easier. I miss home, but I am so glad to be here-- and Saturday just reminded me that if I can get 25 people sat and fed at our dining room table, then I can do anything!!
I miss you all very much!
1 comment:
Margo..I just want to tell you how much I've enjoyed your Ecuador blog. I read it the other day..and was late to church because I was so funny. Like your dead nurse Halloween costume, teaching your class the Star Spangled Banner or telling your host mother that you had a pimp on your face. I also really enjoyed your observations about adjusting to the culture and your feelings about ethnocentrism. Anyways..I hope you keep posting because I really enjoyed reading them!
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