The Posh Corps

Buenas Tardes!

So much has happened in the last week and I am loving Ecuador more and more as time goes on! It is so fun getting to know the other trainees better, learn more about what our jobs and lives will be like for the next two years, and just enjoy the beauty of the country!

Last week we went on our tech trips in small groups, so I was in a group of 11 Community Health volunteers. We went to Santo Domingo, Pedro Vicente Maldonado y Puerto Quito, all of which are in the coastal region of Ecuador (aka hot, humid and buggy!). Santo Domingo was my group´s first stop, which is a large city about 3 hours from Quito. We left early in the morning to take a bus to Cumbaya, the next town over from Tumbaco. From there, we (11 PCTs, 2 Language and Culture Facilitators, 1 PCV Leader, and all of our bags for the week...) got on a microbusetta. We successfully packed the van/mini bus type thing like sardines, and I only thought I was going to die about 5 times during the 40 minute ride! We took fast, sharp turns, but miraculously never flipped over the cliffs into the valleys right below! We went to the Quitumbe terminal in southern Quito, then took a big bus to Santo Domingo. Despite being petrified to take buses from our Safety and Security talks, we (and our bags) all made it safely!

As soon as we got there we were warned that it was a dangerous city, then immediately told to go out and grab lunch somewhere on our own before our first charla. Hmm. Luckily that also went well. We gave a charla that afternoon to a group of women at a clinic about 15 minutes bus ride from the hostel we were staying in. Despite being just outside of a major city, this neighborhood had no potable water, sewage systems or basic amenities. I don´t think you can ever get used to knowing people all over the world live like this.

After a night in Santo Domingo, we took another 3 hour bus ride to Pedro Vicente, a small town that a current volunteer lives and works in. She showed us around, we got a talk from the mayor, did a charla, then joined in the festivities. It was the last night of Fiestas in the town, so we joined the thousands in the street for some delicious street food and fabulous fireworks. We all took them as our early 4th of July fireworks, and it was a fun night! The next day in Pedro Vicente we watched the finale parade (which consisted of hundreds of people walking down the street for hours...) and did some interviews in the neighborhood. We then caught a bus and headed to Puerto Quito.

We spent Wednesday night on a tourist finca (farm) with the other half of the community health group, which was really fun. Getting there in the afternoon, we had time for a swim in the pool before Spanish class. After Spanish we had a dance party and just hung out. The next day we woke up early to milk the cow before breakfast, then gave a charla at a small school in the campo. The kids ranged in age from about 7-15 and there was one teacher to teach all grades that they were in. We gave the dental charla, then just hung out and played with the kids for another hour! After that, we had more time to relax. While resting, drinking coffee and napping in the hammock next to the pool, I realized why Peace Corps Ecuador is often referred to as the Posh Corps...

On Friday we took a hike in the mountains of the farm, tasting all the fruit in the orchards and learning about local plants. The only downfall of the finca were the bugs. They came in the thousands and were HUGE. At one point I thought I was attacked by a bat - turns out it was only a 5lb (only very slight exaggeration...) moth! Eeek! Other than that, though, the finca was gorgeous and incredible. From there, we then went into the actual town of Puerto Quito for a quick lunch before getting on the bus back to Tumbaco. It took about 4.5 hours to get home, but again we had no problems!

Sunday was a fun day where I went into Quito with 6 other trainees. We bused into the closes terminal, then met another trainee and his host family. They took us to the teleferico in Quito, which is the gondola that goes to the top of gua-gua Pichincha (baby Pichincha volcano). We were up at 4,100 meters (not sure how high in feet?) and had an absolutely incredible view of all of Quito and surrounding towns! It was also nice and cool up there, a good break from the heat! After the teleferico, we went to eat some lunch (all of us very hungry seeing as it was 3:30 pm...still something I haven´t gotten too used to), then we walked around the historic district of Quito. It was beautiful, and nice to have a guide family there with us to tell a little of the history!

The entire PC training staff wanted us to feel at home for the 4th of July, so we had big fiestas all day at the training center yesterday! It was a day of sports, each program competing against each other. Community Health was the best, I must say. My volleyball team one, and our soccer team took second (the team of current volunteers who came in for the parties winning everything else...). We all had jerseys made, the the three programs combined made the colors of the Ecuadorian flag, so we celebrated in style! We also had a potluck where everyone devoured the hamburgers, pasta salad and all-American food that everyone brought. Although there weren´t any fireworks, I think it is the most celebrated 4th of July I´ve had!

Everyone is now just anxiously awaiting next Wednesday - the day we find out our fate for the next two years...SITE SELECTION! From the trips we´ve taken, I´ve learned that I much prefer the climate of the Sierra over the coast, and would absolutely prefer a small town over a big city. That being said, there hasn´t been a part of Ecuador I haven´t liked, so I don´t think I can go wrong! We find out Wednesday, then leave Thursday morning for our week long (solo) site visit, so I´ll try to keep you posted on Wednesday night.

Happy belated 4th to everyone, happy 60th wedding anniversary to Grandpa and Grandma, y saludos a todos!

¡Besos!

Kerry