First week impressions

I made it, guys! After three pretty uneventful flights, myself and the rest of the WorldTeach volunteers arrived safe and sound (and exhausted out of our minds) this past Sunday. Since then we've spent an intense week of daily nine hour orientation sessions covering everything from health and safety to how to prepare for teaching to what cultural differences to expect here in Ecuador.

I would definitely be lying if I said that I haven't felt overwhelmed at some point nearly every day this week. Not because Quito is a terrifying place or because everything seems so different, but because we've been introduced to so much new information at one time. I know it's simply to ensure that we are well prepared but at the same time (ohmigoodness!) it is a lot to digest at in a very short time period.

Take this week for example. The first few sessions covered safety in Quito, so we learned everything we need to know to prevent being pickpocketed, mugged, drugged, express kidnapped (that deserves a whole 'nother blog entry), etc. during our month here. While most of the information is just typical common sense to use while in a big city, it was a bit frightening to hear it all at once more or less as soon as we had stepped off the plane. And then there was our health session which covered all of the different ways we could get sick while we're here (and how we shouldn't be surprised if at some time this year we poop out a worm...yes.)

As the days have passed, though, I've grown much more comfortable in my new city. Yes, we take certain precautions (like keeping our valuables in our bras--that's definitely a new experience) and staying aware of our surroundings, but it would be a shame to miss out on all that Quito has to offer because we're too afraid to go out and enjoy it.

And there is so much here to enjoy! For me, the natural beauty of this area is by far my favorite thing about Quito. I've never lived in or near mountains and to be surrounded by so many (and a few active volcanoes) is absolutely breathtaking. I especially love to look out over the city at night when all of the surrounding mountains are lit up by thousands of tiny lights. It's like Christmas at every sunset.

The house I'm staying at is located more on the outskirts of Quito near the top of one the hills/mountains so every morning as I walk to the bus stop I have an amazing view of the landscape. My host family consists of my host mom, Celia; her grown son, Daniel; and her daughter, Evelyn, and her husband and 2-year-old daughter who live down the street on the same block. Celia is actually more of our host grandma since she is in her 70s but she is quite spunky and is a wonderful cook. Daniel teaches in the tourism department at a local university and works a few days out of the week at resort on the coast where he takes groups of students out rock climbing, zip-lining, and on other outdoor excursions. He is an avid biker (which is amazing seeing as how all of the roads here are insanely steep) and is also an amazing tour guide. Yesterday, he took us out to el centro historico, which contains many of the government buildings, including the president's house, and quite a few churches, and took us to see the giant statue of the Virgin of Quito located at the top of one of the mountains here. He's also very protective of his host sisters (myself and the other volunteer living here, Elizabeth) and was kind enough to escort us to and from orientation this week until we got the hang of the bus system.

I have been pleasantly surprised with how much I am able to communicate in Spanish. I thought for sure I would be completely and utterly lost the first few weeks of orientation. What has certainly helped is that Quitenos tend to speak much slower than, say, Mexicans, or even Ecuadorians who live on the coast. So it's generally easier to pick out familiar words and phrases and make educated guesses about the meaning from there. Also, our first day we all took a Spanish placement test and were placed into Spanish classes for the duration of our orientation. I was placed in the intermediate group (which is the largest...and the most fun) and each day we spend an hour with our Spanish teacher, Amparo. Our host brother is also very keen on getting us to learn and speak the language so each night after dinner we typically spend an hour or so chatting with him.

Let's see...que mas? Like I mentioned earlier, this week has very much been "information overload" and I could probably write several entries on all that I have seen, heard, learned and experienced since arriving here. There have been the little adjustments I've had to make, like throwing my toilet paper in a wastebasket and not a toilet, learning to use an electric shower, making do without hot water, and doubling my bra as my purse.

And then of course there are the larger adjustments to living in a developing country. Overall, I'm finding myself quite taken with Ecuador. We've been lucky enough to have a whole week without rain (during the rainy season!) and the temperatures generally stay in the 70s during the day and the 50s at night. Yet, as with any city, Quito has its high points and its lows. Poverty permeates nearly every aspect of the city and wherever you go, you are constantly reminded that you are no longer in a first world country. But, simultaneously, there is so much to learn about Ecuadorian culture, so much Ecuadorian hospitality to experience, so much natural beauty to go out and enjoy that I'm finding each day that I notice those things less and less. It will be interesting to see how my perspective will have changed between now and by the end of my year here.

If there is anything specific you'd like to know about my first week or my first impressions of Quito, just leave a comment below and I'll be sure to respond. There's a lot I didn't mention so feel free to ask away! Also, I know several people have asked about pictures and I promise those will be forthcoming.

Chao!