PEOPLE!!! The moment I've been waiting for has arrived! And no, I'm not talking about moment when the people at Mr. Bagel address me by first name or as veci, but rather my academic moment of victory!!!!!
I HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED MY FIRST YEAR OF MY MASTER'S DEGREE!!!!!!!*
I've turned in all of my final exams and essays, which, by the way, totalled to more than 70 pages SINGLE SPACED, aka 140 pages double spaced, which is a lot to do in the course of a week and a half.
This warrants celebration! I suppose that my upcoming trip HOME tomorrow counts as serious celebrating.
I have a looooooong list of errands, issues to take care of around the apartment, and activities to do/people to see, but I'm taking a few minutes to privately to celebrate by eating a quesadilla and a bowl of corn flakes, pretty much the only foods I have left and also the only two foods I've eaten in the past week (approximately).
I'm so excited to see family and friends and to just bask in the glory that is the Pacific Northwest during summertime. I can't wait to see everyone and show off just how much my English language skills have deteriorated over the course of a year. Big virtual hugs to everyone that are soon to become real, in-person hugs!!!
*Not to be confused with me actually finishing my Master's degree because I still have a whole year left to start, write, and finish my thesis.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Hola veci!
My life-long dream of being a "regular" in a little shop and having people fix me my "regular" order has come true!
Ok, so I originally dreamt of having a hipster barista in a coffee shop knowing that I wanted the fair trade/shade grown/organic/Rainforest Alliance certified/ethically traded drip coffee with a splash of organic soy milk, and having him/her hand me the coffee in a reusable mug five seconds after walking into the hole-in-the-wall shop while possibly heating up my organic/48 grain-seed/locally sourced bagel.
The reality is less hipster and definitely not as good for the environment. Instead, my "regular" shop is called Papelería Lucas, and it's right in front of my apartment. I suppose that a papelería is best translated as a stationary store, although Lucas has everything from printing to phone booths to mini-Snickers bars to glitter glue. I go in there regularly with my flash drive to print things out for class, but I also stop by to put money on my cell phone, buy highlighters, use their internet, and to ask advice about where to buy electronic adapters, printing cords, etc.
Now, whenever I go in Lucas, the very friendly owner greets me with an "hola, veci!" Vecina is the word for neighbor and he knows I live close, so I've been bestowed the greatest honor- a personal nickname! He reaches out for my flash drive and knows right away to look under the folder "Michelle" and then "third trimester" before asking what I need to print. He can input my cell phone number by heart if I need to put more money on it, and it's OK if I don't have exact change because he knows I'll pay him back the difference the next time. Sometimes I see him on the street and we saludar and then leave with a "chau, veci!"
Here's Papelería Lucas from the outside. Chau, veci- I'll miss you while I'm gone- see you in two months! Don't forget my regular order- lots of pages of academic material printed, please!
Ok, so I originally dreamt of having a hipster barista in a coffee shop knowing that I wanted the fair trade/shade grown/organic/Rainforest Alliance certified/ethically traded drip coffee with a splash of organic soy milk, and having him/her hand me the coffee in a reusable mug five seconds after walking into the hole-in-the-wall shop while possibly heating up my organic/48 grain-seed/locally sourced bagel.
The reality is less hipster and definitely not as good for the environment. Instead, my "regular" shop is called Papelería Lucas, and it's right in front of my apartment. I suppose that a papelería is best translated as a stationary store, although Lucas has everything from printing to phone booths to mini-Snickers bars to glitter glue. I go in there regularly with my flash drive to print things out for class, but I also stop by to put money on my cell phone, buy highlighters, use their internet, and to ask advice about where to buy electronic adapters, printing cords, etc.
Now, whenever I go in Lucas, the very friendly owner greets me with an "hola, veci!" Vecina is the word for neighbor and he knows I live close, so I've been bestowed the greatest honor- a personal nickname! He reaches out for my flash drive and knows right away to look under the folder "Michelle" and then "third trimester" before asking what I need to print. He can input my cell phone number by heart if I need to put more money on it, and it's OK if I don't have exact change because he knows I'll pay him back the difference the next time. Sometimes I see him on the street and we saludar and then leave with a "chau, veci!"
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
busy busy ocupadita
It's been a kind of bittersweet, extended end to my first phase of the Master's program. There was a costume party at the U on Friday, and it was fun to see everyone dressed up. Due to my limited wardrobe options and my odd (but always useful) posession of leg warmers here in Ecuador, I dressed up as an 80s exercise figure, although the truth is that Alvaro stole the show with his Tom Cruise in Risky Business costume. It was nice to have a fun way to have a despedida- goodbye party- for all of us, although it's sad to think that lots of my classmates are returning to their home countries to work on their theses, and I probably won't see them for a long time.
But there's no time to be sad! Or even time to be happy, hanging out with friends who are still around before I leave! I have a strict studying schedule in order to finish my two final exams and two final essays before I go home (total pages: approx 65 pages of exams and 30 pages in essays- who would have thought essays would be "easier" than exams???)- I have to finish half of each assignment every day in order to have one final day to clean my apartment and pack, and to get everything finished before I leave.
So I was planning on posting pictures from the costume party and writing up about my visit to Puerto Rico and Puerto Quito- two oddly non-coastal cities- with a friend who works with cacao producers there, but there's no time- my allotted study break is over! Hopefully during a future study break I can get some pictures up and explain how I took a terrestral trip to Puerto Rico and post some pictures too.
love love to everyone back home (just nine more days! this is both terrifying and exhilirating!!!) and a special (belated) Happy Father's Day and Happy Birthday shout-out to Dad- don't worry, I called- I didn't just saludar him with this late blog posting!
But there's no time to be sad! Or even time to be happy, hanging out with friends who are still around before I leave! I have a strict studying schedule in order to finish my two final exams and two final essays before I go home (total pages: approx 65 pages of exams and 30 pages in essays- who would have thought essays would be "easier" than exams???)- I have to finish half of each assignment every day in order to have one final day to clean my apartment and pack, and to get everything finished before I leave.
So I was planning on posting pictures from the costume party and writing up about my visit to Puerto Rico and Puerto Quito- two oddly non-coastal cities- with a friend who works with cacao producers there, but there's no time- my allotted study break is over! Hopefully during a future study break I can get some pictures up and explain how I took a terrestral trip to Puerto Rico and post some pictures too.
love love to everyone back home (just nine more days! this is both terrifying and exhilirating!!!) and a special (belated) Happy Father's Day and Happy Birthday shout-out to Dad- don't worry, I called- I didn't just saludar him with this late blog posting!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Waiting in lines
Waiting in lines is something that shocked me when I first arrived in Chile, something I rarely noticed in Ecuador, and something that reminded me of my Chilean experience when I was recently back there. Still, things are pretty different here and while I might be used to it, it's still an interesting difference.
First of all, there is no such thing as waiting in lines in Chile. It's an aggressive shoving game, and the concept of lines arbitrarily forming in a crowded space where you might not normally have to wait doesn't exist. Sure, people wait in lines in supermarkets, banks, and popular dance clubs where lines are established and expected, but if your neighborhood pharmacy happens to be busy, people just kind of push their way up to the counter and force themselves in front of the pharmacists to be attended to. Some pharmacies have installed number dispensers, and attend via number to deal with this issue. These number dispensers are actually pretty common, not just in government agencies, but even in small stores like queserías where they sell cheese. Now that I think about it, it's probably just because of the lack of a line culture that you see the number dispensers in many more places than you would in the US.
Supermarkets are another story. Lines are mostly orderly, but the weird/different thing is that you can't take your cart all the way through- kind of like Costco, except that most people just pick up a bunch of bags at the end rather than have their cart replaced with another cart. In both Chile and Ecuador you just kind of turn your cart around and a (likely underpaid) supermarket assistant (almost exclusively teenage boys) will eventually round up all of the homeless carts in the lines to keep things from getting too crazy. Also, unrelated to lines but related to supermarkets- the same teenage boys that clean up the carts also bag your groceries, and you're expected to tip them. In Chile, they actually have to pay the supermarket for the right to work there- I don't know if that's true here, but the tip is pretty important- depending on the amount of bags I have, I usually tip between 25 cents and a dollar.
Something that has become super obvious and still strikes me as weird here in Ecuador is the line protocol in banks. My rent paying routine involves going to my bank and taking out the sum of my rent (plus a little extra to pay my electricity, telephone, and internet bills while I'm at my bank and for some cash in general, since the only place where I don't use cash is in the supermarket where I use my debit/ATM card), and then walking about a block down to deposit the rent in another bank where my landlord has an account. Banks get pretty busy here, especially at the beginning of the month when I'm paying my rent, so I try to go in the morning. My bank opens at 8:30, and his bank opens at 9am, so I'm usually waiting in a line outside of his bank for a few minutes before it opens- his is the biggest bank in the Pichincha province, and there's usually a long line any time of the day/month.
Here's the weird part- it's totally not uncommon for people to come and stand behind you for a minuscule amount of time- say, 20 seconds- and then ask you to save their spot for them while they run a few errands. I've had this happen while waiting inside the bank in the regular line while the other bank patron waits in another bank line for another issue, and I've had it happen while waiting outside the bank for it to open while they just flat out leave the bank to do other things! And this is totally acceptable! I don't really care because it doesn't affect my position in line, but it's no fun when someone appears out of no where in front of you and thanks the person that you thought you were waiting behind, making the whole wait one person longer.
Still, this bizarre line culture benefits me occasionally. If I'm waiting behind a lady with a blue shirt while waiting for the bank to open, when the bank opens I'm allowed to go to a separate section, fill out my deposit slip, and then essentially "cut" in line to reclaim my spot in the line behind the lady in the blue shirt instead of dejectedly having to take the final position in the line behind everyone else who went to form the line for deposits immediately without filling out their deposit slip (they probably already had it filled out).
Just three days left until my "last day of classes" and fifteen days left until I officially finish everything and come home to the US!!
First of all, there is no such thing as waiting in lines in Chile. It's an aggressive shoving game, and the concept of lines arbitrarily forming in a crowded space where you might not normally have to wait doesn't exist. Sure, people wait in lines in supermarkets, banks, and popular dance clubs where lines are established and expected, but if your neighborhood pharmacy happens to be busy, people just kind of push their way up to the counter and force themselves in front of the pharmacists to be attended to. Some pharmacies have installed number dispensers, and attend via number to deal with this issue. These number dispensers are actually pretty common, not just in government agencies, but even in small stores like queserías where they sell cheese. Now that I think about it, it's probably just because of the lack of a line culture that you see the number dispensers in many more places than you would in the US.
Supermarkets are another story. Lines are mostly orderly, but the weird/different thing is that you can't take your cart all the way through- kind of like Costco, except that most people just pick up a bunch of bags at the end rather than have their cart replaced with another cart. In both Chile and Ecuador you just kind of turn your cart around and a (likely underpaid) supermarket assistant (almost exclusively teenage boys) will eventually round up all of the homeless carts in the lines to keep things from getting too crazy. Also, unrelated to lines but related to supermarkets- the same teenage boys that clean up the carts also bag your groceries, and you're expected to tip them. In Chile, they actually have to pay the supermarket for the right to work there- I don't know if that's true here, but the tip is pretty important- depending on the amount of bags I have, I usually tip between 25 cents and a dollar.
Something that has become super obvious and still strikes me as weird here in Ecuador is the line protocol in banks. My rent paying routine involves going to my bank and taking out the sum of my rent (plus a little extra to pay my electricity, telephone, and internet bills while I'm at my bank and for some cash in general, since the only place where I don't use cash is in the supermarket where I use my debit/ATM card), and then walking about a block down to deposit the rent in another bank where my landlord has an account. Banks get pretty busy here, especially at the beginning of the month when I'm paying my rent, so I try to go in the morning. My bank opens at 8:30, and his bank opens at 9am, so I'm usually waiting in a line outside of his bank for a few minutes before it opens- his is the biggest bank in the Pichincha province, and there's usually a long line any time of the day/month.
Here's the weird part- it's totally not uncommon for people to come and stand behind you for a minuscule amount of time- say, 20 seconds- and then ask you to save their spot for them while they run a few errands. I've had this happen while waiting inside the bank in the regular line while the other bank patron waits in another bank line for another issue, and I've had it happen while waiting outside the bank for it to open while they just flat out leave the bank to do other things! And this is totally acceptable! I don't really care because it doesn't affect my position in line, but it's no fun when someone appears out of no where in front of you and thanks the person that you thought you were waiting behind, making the whole wait one person longer.
Still, this bizarre line culture benefits me occasionally. If I'm waiting behind a lady with a blue shirt while waiting for the bank to open, when the bank opens I'm allowed to go to a separate section, fill out my deposit slip, and then essentially "cut" in line to reclaim my spot in the line behind the lady in the blue shirt instead of dejectedly having to take the final position in the line behind everyone else who went to form the line for deposits immediately without filling out their deposit slip (they probably already had it filled out).
Just three days left until my "last day of classes" and fifteen days left until I officially finish everything and come home to the US!!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
o happy day!
The weather here in Quito has gotten to be almost summer-ish- I mean, as summer-ish as it can get in a city where all four seasons are commonly reflected in the day's weather. In fact, less than a week ago it hailed so much that the streets were white, covered in ice chunks.
But it hasn't rained in a few days, and the morning/early-afternoon weather is sunny and warm.
Because of the nice weather and the fact that I don't have class today, Alvi and I decided to celebrate by paying a visit to the new Mister Bagel shop that opened three blocks from my apartment (!). Although the coffee wasn't what I was hoping for, Alvi's orange-carrot juice and both of our bagels were delicious. I ordered mine with veggie cream cheese, which was large chunks of actual vegetables, like broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, celery, etc. Yum!
I even decided to make iced tea- it was that nice out! And we made an ensalada rusa- a dish I first tried when Alvi's mom made it. It translates to Russian salad, and because both of Alvaro's parents lived in Russia for several years, I assumed that it was a treasured Russian recipe from their time living there, although it seemed weird bceause it's essentially a potato salad with some veggies and beets. I later learned that it's a common recipe throughout Latin America, and that people add all sorts of other yummy things. I found this great/yummy blog that has recipes for all sorts of Ecuadorian dishes, and she has some interesting information and great pictures- plus, she adds apples, which sounds like a delicious addition.
In non-culinary news, I'm just a bit over a week away from "finishing" my classes! "Finishing" because I'll still have final essays and exams to work on, but I won't have to head into the U. It's exciting to be so close to finishing the first part of this maestría but it's also bittersweet- lots of my classmates are returning to their home countries to work on their theses, and they'll probably just be back to defend the theses later. It'll be sad to say goodbye to them!
Finally, last weekend I went to my Rotarians' quinta- weekend home- in Puembo, a valley just outside of Quito. It was a really lovely home, and they have a great surrounding yard/outside expansion. In fact, Mónica, Gonzalo's wife, arranges events at their home (weddings, party bashes, etc.). They have an enormous patio with room for grilling, an outdoor wood oven for breads and pizzas- all sorts of nice touches. Plus a sauna! (for private use, not party use.)
 |
| hail as seen from my window, looking out at my dear vecino's shop |
 |
| look at all that hail on my ledge! |
But it hasn't rained in a few days, and the morning/early-afternoon weather is sunny and warm.
Because of the nice weather and the fact that I don't have class today, Alvi and I decided to celebrate by paying a visit to the new Mister Bagel shop that opened three blocks from my apartment (!). Although the coffee wasn't what I was hoping for, Alvi's orange-carrot juice and both of our bagels were delicious. I ordered mine with veggie cream cheese, which was large chunks of actual vegetables, like broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, celery, etc. Yum!
I even decided to make iced tea- it was that nice out! And we made an ensalada rusa- a dish I first tried when Alvi's mom made it. It translates to Russian salad, and because both of Alvaro's parents lived in Russia for several years, I assumed that it was a treasured Russian recipe from their time living there, although it seemed weird bceause it's essentially a potato salad with some veggies and beets. I later learned that it's a common recipe throughout Latin America, and that people add all sorts of other yummy things. I found this great/yummy blog that has recipes for all sorts of Ecuadorian dishes, and she has some interesting information and great pictures- plus, she adds apples, which sounds like a delicious addition.
In non-culinary news, I'm just a bit over a week away from "finishing" my classes! "Finishing" because I'll still have final essays and exams to work on, but I won't have to head into the U. It's exciting to be so close to finishing the first part of this maestría but it's also bittersweet- lots of my classmates are returning to their home countries to work on their theses, and they'll probably just be back to defend the theses later. It'll be sad to say goodbye to them!
Finally, last weekend I went to my Rotarians' quinta- weekend home- in Puembo, a valley just outside of Quito. It was a really lovely home, and they have a great surrounding yard/outside expansion. In fact, Mónica, Gonzalo's wife, arranges events at their home (weddings, party bashes, etc.). They have an enormous patio with room for grilling, an outdoor wood oven for breads and pizzas- all sorts of nice touches. Plus a sauna! (for private use, not party use.)
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| Mónica, me, and Gonzalo at the country club in Puembo |
Thursday, June 2, 2011
check!
Good news! Alvaro arrived safely in Quito today! I celebrated by baking brownies, buying a bag of Chex Mix (excuse me, it's called Snax Mix here) and by defrosting the last of my querido olive bread. I know- really going crazy, culinarily.
Other good news: it's now the same month as the month I go home! Which is crazy, considering the amount of classwork I have left to do...
I hope everyone else is doing well. I can't wait to start dando vueltas- touring around- and seeing everyone! big abrazos all around
Other good news: it's now the same month as the month I go home! Which is crazy, considering the amount of classwork I have left to do...
I hope everyone else is doing well. I can't wait to start dando vueltas- touring around- and seeing everyone! big abrazos all around
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