Shopping, Soccer, & Surprises

5 Marzo 2010

So I basically had the absolute best day ever today. Fridays are usually a rough day at service because it’s the only day of the week that I spend all my time at Fundacion Integrar, and although I love the people there sometimes it can be really draining. Well, today was different. I arrived bright and early, only to find almost nobody there. After a little while, Alina gave a presentation about how to praise the kids for good behavior, and replace their bad behavior. It was a helpful meeting to bring up things that you know and are common sense, but in ways that help trigger your memory. I also just plain like it when we actually have these morning meetings-they are always a goal, but as I told my parents-as long as I don’t expect them every day, it feels like we have a lot.

It was also a nice morning because the kids didn’t arrive ridiculously early today-school “starts” at 9, and although some were there early, the carload didn’t arrive until about 9am. I also had a good start because I set out my clothes the night before and packed my bag and cleaned my room, and even tho I set my alarm for later than normal, my host mom came in to wake me up at the usual time-but I feel more at home when she comes in to make sure I’m awake since my real mom always does that.

Ok back to service-since Irma and I were going to go shopping when she got back from her meeting, and because we had a special trip to make with the kids, we went to “La Cancha” aka the playground/basketball court as soon as all the kids arrived. After we had our greeting songs and introductions which also seemed to fly by, we headed out. Walking there was nice too-I walked with Mateo and Maria Isabelle and both of them were pretty tranquil on the way there. Usually Mateo screams the whole way because he hates walking, and Maria Isabelle tries to run away or sit down and make her body seem as if there are no bones in it which makes it impossible to pick her up, but I sang Disney songs to them the whole way and it went smoothly.

We got to the playground, and since one of the other teachers wasn’t there today, I stayed on the basketball court with the older kids since the other 2 teachers don’t like sports. This was awesome! Maria Isabelle, who loves to just sit or lay down and do nothing, played soccer with me! I even got her to laugh a lot by pretending to chase her or beat her to the ball. I also tried to teach Mari how to shoot, and although she didn’t feel like playing for very long I did get her to bend her knees and throw the ball higher than straight across from her head.

There was also a man with his grandson that came over, and I let the little boy play with an extra soccer ball for a bit. The man starting talking to me, and he knew English too so we did a little bilingual action. He said “who’s the crazy boy” to the little kid and the little one raised his hand as he ran around his grandfather, and then the man said “march one two one two” and the little one stopped running and starting marching in a circle.

We left la cancha, the younger ones returning to the fundacion and the older ones, Vero, and I headed to the store to buy hotdogs. Javier decided he didn’t want to walk anymore when we were in front of two guards, so of course there was a few minutes of awkwardness because I can’t really speak all that well, and Javier likes to not listen to me a lot, but finally we agreed on I would push him in his chair if he held the 2 soccer balls. Of course he decided he didn’t want to hold them sometimes and would throw them, but we finally caught up with everyone else. I’m so glad I went with them because now I know there’s a fun little store not too far away!

We bought the hotdogs and headed back, and I helped the little ones color pictures of a hot dog, and glue foam for the bun. We were about to wash everyone’s hands, my least favorite part because the little kids wash them in a big bowl on the table and they always try to eat the soap or grab it when it’s not their turn, when Irma came back and said let’s go shopping!

Seriously, this day was just awesome.

I thought we were going to buy a new walking for Javier, but we went to a Sony store instead. Turns out I was first going to pay for the repair of the fundacion’s 2 radios, and then we bought rechargeable batteries and a charger, because there’s so many toys with sound at the fundacion but none of them are useful without batteries, and batteries are expensive, but the kids obviously love playing with these toys.

We went back to the fundacion and Irma was so excited that she told everyone what we just did and asked them to applaud me. I felt silly but it was worth it to see how excited everyone was, and to realize that music is so important for these kids-it’s the reason we can get some of them to even acknowledge us some days when they don’t want to do anything.

After that, some of the kids were watching a movie. We got back pretty late, and so they were just waiting for their parents because some come early and some come really late. Maria Isabelle was playing in a classroom, and Vero looked exhausted from playing with her so I went back there since I hadn’t really done much with the kids today. We sort of played tea party/kitchen but it was a little difficult. She did keep saying rico jugo which means delicious juice, and sometimes would say orange juice, and although I wasn’t there during lunch I’m pretty sure they made their own OJ with a juicer, so it’s so great that she remembered that.

Irma, my boss, started showing me a magazine full of toys-it was like watching a kid tell their parents what they want for Christmas. She went upstairs to fix lunch for her own children, and I helped the other volunteers make signs for the info board with the events for March. I was contemplating running home for lunch, but I wasn’t sure what to do. Irma came back down soon after, and we went off in a taxi again, this time to the Ecuador equivalent of Toys R Us. This was where the magic really began.

I’m so glad that I have this scholarship in Ecuador, because I feel like it helps so much to have an Ecuadorian woman to work with. Although she kept asking what I thought about every purchase, when there was something the fundacion needed or something she really wanted for the kids, she wouldn’t hesitate to get it. We wanted to get a tricycle for the older kids but they didn’t have one, but we did get those little cars you sit on and push with your feet-2 fun ones for the littlest kiddies. We got soooo many toys, puzzles with easy to hold handles, playdoh, trucks, and so many other fun things! Irma was so happy and she kept taking pictures of me every step of the way! She kept saying she felt like Christmas, and she kept asking me what I thought about every purchase. It really made me feel like we were doing this together, and I’m so glad I get to not only see exactly where my scholarship money is going, but I was a part of the process too.

Well, we filled two of those enormous plastic bags that only toy stores have with goodies, and then we asked the store to hold onto them for us. Apparently we had more things to do. I’m so glad I had all afternoon because this was so fun and it wouldn’t have turned out nearly as amazing if I had to leave early for something.

Next stop: my most favorite mall yet, to eat some lunch. There are a bunch of different malls that I’ve found in Quito-some are ridiculously expensive, giant, and fancy. Others are tiny and have stores I would never really need, but this one feels like I’m home. Normal stores, a tranquil food court. I loved it. We had pizza, and Irma treated me. And she had a beer, which I just found funny. Apparently she only likes beer with pizza and one other thing, but I forget, maybe ceviche? We chatted a lot, and she invited me to karaoke with her friends that night. I obviously was going, but later it got cancelled because her two friends couldn’t go, and with all the shopping we did Irma wanted to rest/help her kids with their homework.

Next, we went to a homegoods store that I definitely want to return to, and we bought a new walker! I thought Irma was going to cry almost, she was so excited. Earlier this afternoon, Javier asked Alina “when am I going to get my new car?” Well Javier, just you wait!!!

Irma again hugged me as soon as I handed her the receipt, and we headed to our next destination: SuperMaxi. Our goal was to buy soap and toilet paper, and well, we left with a lot more than that. First of all, let’s remember that we arrived in a taxi, and we already have 2 giant bags of toys on hold, and then we left the caminadora with the guard at SuperMaxi.

We first got soap: 20 packages with 3 bars each. She asked me if I liked the dispenser soap or bars better, and even though I hate bar soap for hands, that’s what the kids have at their homes so I thought it would be better to buy the same kind. Then we bough some bandaids, baby wipes, rubber gloves, dish soap and sponges for the kitchen, garbage bags, flashlights, a lot of random stuff, 10 family size packages of toilet paper, a tall garbage can for each classroom, spritz bottles for each classroom to clean the tables, cleaning solution, tea, coffee, and sugar for the teachers/volunteers, a kettle, lightbulbs, and who knows what else. We stood in the line, and I started to load the groceries, when we realized whattttt were we doing? How would we possibly get back? Irma called her dad, and he came to the rescue!

But first, we had to leave the store…this was kind of funny. First of all, I had to use my other credit card because I had spent too much money with the first one in one day. I felt so scandalous for a second. Then, because we bought so much I got a lot of money towards buying clothes at the MegaMaxi, which is exciting because I haven’t been there yet and really want to go and buy these reinforced Keds type shoes that everyone has here. Then, they had this promotion where for however much money you spent you filled out a raffle ticket for a giant bear, so of course we got a bunch of those. Irma filled out a couple and then gave the rest to me, but I just filled out the rest of them with her name and address, so the fundacion has a better chance! Somehow we also got a bunch of free smaller bears, for all the older kids but I was too busy focusing on filling out the sheets that I don’t know why. Then Irma took a photo of me with all the stuff, including the 2 grocery store men. Here, people help you to your car when you have a shopping cart. There’s shopping carts for carrying stuff out, and there’s different carts for inside-which you can’t take outside because they make the isles too small in between the registers. Crazy, right?

Well, since we’re in Ecuador, we kept walking out of the parking lot of the grocery store, and down a really steep hill-the poor men with all the stuff! Then we waited almost 20 minutes for Irma’s dad, with the men, who then helped us load the car. Irma’s dad is so cute! He was chatting me up as soon as he saw me, and we returned to the toy store to pick up our stuff, and I went into Radio Shack to buy a few more sets of rechargeable batteries.

They asked me if I wanted to try some sort of fruit dish, so I obviously said yes. But, the adventure wasn’t over. We went to the fundacion to put everything inside, and obviously take a picture. Irma went upstairs to look for the lock to her porch to secure the goods, so her father and I chatted for about 10 minutes, including how his daughter (irma) married when she was almost 30 so I’m really young and I should travel and get to know lots of different places and people.

I live really close to there, so I thought it was silly if they were going to drive me home, but I didn’t want to say anything. I didn’t know exactly where or when this fruit platter thing was happening, and sometimes people say things but then forget about them or mean a different time, but I just didn’t say anything. We then parked in a random parking lot, and Irma let to deposit money in the bank which meant I was left to chat with her dad for at least 20 minutes, also awesome. He told me I spoke Spanish very well, and he also said that he hopes we can get together to have tea and cookies really soon or before I go back home because he really enjoyed my company!

Irma came back, and we started heading away from my house so I figured maybe we were getting this fruit thing. Well, we ended up going to her parents’ house!

We got to the front door, and her dad pressed a button to make a battery powered bird in a cage chirp-apparently every guest gets welcomed by this little guy. I loved their house already. Irma’s mom is the epitome of an Ecua mom, a lil larger from all the delish cooking, really sweet, and immediately insisting I have a seat. They have a wall covered in decorate plates from all the cool places they’ve been, including Niagara Falls! Irma’s sister lives in Canada, so they know about Buffalo and all that jazz which made me feel more at home. Irma asked me to explain our day to her mom. Since her dad had picked us up he already knew some of the story, and started to chime in but Irma told him to let me tell it! Haha.  Her dad later asked me what kind of music I like because he wanted to give me some…the next time I returned to their house I brought my computer so I could get music without taking it from them. We had a delish warmed fruit dessert, with capuli duranzo and pera, and I think it’s called jucho. Aka it’s with peaches and pears, and then this fruit that kind of resembles a blueberry if blueberries had small cherry like seeds inside. It was deeelish! Before we had it, mind you, Irma’s mom said a beautiful grace including lots of nice things about me, since I had just helped out the foundation a lot…thanks to my scholarship from Brian Lacey!

They drove me home, and I was so happy with myself for having a day full of Spanish-I spoke it for almost 8 hours! Plus, I talked about going to church with Irma, (which I did, with Hannah) anddd she invited me to hang out with her friends! I seriously just love this woman!

Some of my friends and I went to La Rhonda. Since I had already been there with some people from service and my friends hadn’t yet, I felt like a tour guide. I made sure to go to all the same spots to get treats with them-like delish empanadas that don’t make me sick (shocking, right?), peanuts coated in sugar (sounds weird, actually delicious), and I’m drawing a blank on the name right now but the delicious warm drink made with fruit and alcohol if you’d like that all ecuas love when it’s “cold”. I of course bought earrings while we were out, and had picked out a bracelet too and the woman gave it to me for free as a present! I was so pumped!

I went to an ecology workshop with my service. I couldn’t understand most of the day for all the new vocab, plus I was exhausted, but again it was really fun to hang out with Irma, and Susanna, and Irma got right up in the reporter’s face who was there, to talk about her wonderful foundation of course! It was actually a really cool place. It’s a school for kids but it’s kind of like an alternative school and they learn way different stuff than the average kid. We learned how to make an organic garden from organic garbage, and I came home with ginger, some sort of plant, and some fruits for my host mom to use!

Well, some of us finally made it to a soccer game! 

And what an adventure that was! First of all, some people had gone earlier to buy tickets for us. And they went realllyyyy early, so I imagined the plan was they would get us seats and we would come meet up with them. Well that wasn’t how it went down. They bought tickets and then hung out in the nearby mall for a solid chunk of time, which sucked and I felt terrible when I found out. Anyway, we made it to the stadium and it was wild-literally people were just flocking to the entrance gates from all sides. We had to stand in line for a while-which is always exciting in Ecuador because the majority of the people here don’t follow things such as lines. We got up to the gate finally and were told that part was full (since we just had general seating tickets) so we had to basically walk completely around the stadium the long way to get to the open doorway. Great. Some of us ran, and some people didn’t. We get to the doorway, then walk down stairs and then up stairs and then we’re outside again, in the stadium. Ohhh goodness was it packed. Imagine you went to the bathroom in a sports stadium and were trying to get back to your seats the moment the game ends. Thousands of people are in your way, and you feel like you’re the only one going in this direction. Well, that’s how it is moving in the soccer stadiums here. Wild! Sooo we had to find seats? Hahh that should be interesting. We literally were used as stairs by other people, so then I just did the same thing, pushing myself up the enormous first step that’s equivalent to 3 or 4 normal steps with someone’s shoulder, and put all kindness aside. We then did that awkward sneaky move to take up all the extra space around our neighbors, and luckily found seats for all of us!

Some funny things:

They were throwing toilet paper onto the field. In a country where TP is hard to come by, I literally contemplated running down there to retrieve some. I was shocked they would throw that by the packages, of all things.

They shot off fireworks, and had giant flags and stuff put up across the whole seating areas for the two teams-all by the fans it was crazyyyy!

Instead of chanting or cheering, they sing songs!

People wave their hands like you wouldn’t believe. Imagine lifting your arm to say “we’re number one” but instead of holding up one finger, you shake your hand in any which way you want-no fist, no finger, no form. Just wiggle it around a bit. When you’re happy, sad, angry, excited, singing. It’s all in the wrist.

Kara decided to get some reading done during halftime.

The vendors are outta control. First of all there’s no walkways, so they just walk in your foot space, which isn’t roomie let me tell you. Then there’s children under 10 selling chicle (gum) and other snacks which just breaks your heart. There’s also men and women selling food I wouldn’t touch even if my mom made it just by the way it was slopped together. Oh and then there was a man with a bucket full of beverages, including juice and some 5ths of vodka.

And it’s funny bc in the States, selling tickets just outside the stadium is illegal. Here I’m not sure what the deal is because you cannn buy it from a window, but it’s way more common to just get it from someone outside.

no, the streets weren't closed after the soccer game but it sure felt like it since everyone was walking in the road!

A bunch of us went to see alice in wonderland, but since we had to wait for the later movie we went to diane's house before and ate chinese food-with gross juice that came in a bag.

sun morning mass with irmas fam and hannah

fudge with host mom-we made it together because she wanted to learn how since Susi loves it!

laid in grass outside-i LOVE doing this but never do it here, but I did for a lil bit and it was very relaxing

decorated my room finally! my room at school is ALWAYS covered in pictures, and everytime i do something or see a show, i hang the ticket on my wall too. so i finally put up a bunch of pics of family and friends to make me feel a bit more at home.

susi's birthday-her friends came over, i helped with cooking dinner a tiny bit. it was kind of awkward but nice to have a bunch of people in the house for once-and delish mango wine!