Bienvenidos a Ecuador!: March 2013

Try to be cuter Aucapiña Family, I dare you.

Painting Day!
Joy and her uncle

So, upon arriving in Ecuador, Joy, Adrian, and their father have been nothing short of amazing to me in every sense of the word. The have welcomed me into their family, opened their home to me, and have included me in all aspects of their life. Originally, Joy and I shared her bedroom, because the house only had 3 finished bedrooms. I lived out of her room with her for about a month, and that fact alone exemplifies Joy's wonderful character. Then, a few weekends ago, their father ("Papi") surprised me by bringing home paint to fix up a room downstairs. As you can see from the "before" picture, the room was really just a concrete storage room. That weekend, the whole family and I, including their uncle, painted the walls. The following week, a man came and installed a wooden floor, and the next week another man came to put in the trim around the room. Then, one day after work, I came home to the whole family waiting to surprise me with the finished room, complete with a bed, comforter, bureau, and bedside table. How did I ever get so lucky to meet such a wonderful family??

Before: After:

Politics in Ecuador

If most of you were like me prior to moving to Cuenca, you know little to nothing about Ecuadorian politics and government. For those interested in learning, here is your brief politics lesson!

Currently, like the US, Ecuador is a democratic republic, and they elect a president every 4 years. Unlike the US, however, voting here is mandatory for people 18-65 years old, and optional for those 16-17 or above 65. Also unlike the US, they have a multi-party system here. In the recent election (February 17) there were something like 8 major candidates and 50 or more total candidates running for office. The system of voting is also a bit different. Because there was a presidential election here so recently, so I got a first-hand look at what the political campaigns are like and how the process of voting works.

Firstly, there is a law here (one that I think should be implemented in the US or at least something similar) that the campaign period extends only for one month prior to elections. During this month, there are parades, rallies, and political posters all around the city, as well as people driving their car with huge political advertisements, honking obnoxiously and at all hours of the day/night (a bit annoying when it was at 6am...). However, on the whole, I think it is a much better and incredibly less wasteful system of campaigning than what we have in the States.

Political parade through the city center

Also here, because there is a multi-party system, there is no limit to how many candidates can run on the ballot. Thus, instead of having primary elections and then the final election, like in the States, they have one or two main elections. In the first main election, if a candidate wins 50% of the vote or 40% of the vote and 10% more than the next closest candidate, then that person is elected after the first round. With the exception of the current president, this scenario almost never happens, and there is almost always a second run-off election between the top 2 candidates. In the second main election, simply the candidate with the most votes wins (no minimum percentage needed).

Rafael Correa, the current president of Ecuador

Rafael Correa, the current president of Ecuador, however, breaks this mold. He was the incumbent president on the recent ballot and was/is extremely popular. He won in the recent election here by 55-60% of the votes, which is truly incredible, considering there were 8 major candidates. The first time Correa ran for office, in 2009, he won with 52% of the vote, and it was the first time a president won after the first election since 1979. In the recent election, he was highly favored to win, and his large-margin victory came as a surprise to almost no one.

Correa is popular most notably for his investment in the country's poor. He expanded health care, improved schools, created better roads, and established monthly grants to poor families. In a country where 23% of the people are living in poverty and voting in mandatory, it comes as no surprise that he has a huge following of loyal supporters. Additionally, Correa also created a number of programs to aid disabled persons and ensure they are treated more equally.

However, he has also significantly expanded presidential power and many people believe that he abuses his position as president and that there has been significant corruption during his time as president. Additionally, Correa is not so popular with the US and Great Britain, either. Correa was a long time friend of Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro, and he and the US have had disagreements over the South American drug trade and oil exports. Also recently, Correa made international headlines when he defied Britain granted asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

It's Time for Carnival (read in the tone of Shakira's, "It's Time for Africa")

Carnival is the South American version of Mardi Gras, and it celebrates the last days of indulgence before lent. There are various "levels" of carnival, from crazy all-night parties in some countries to parades and festivals in others. In Cuenca, there was nothing too crazy, but there were several events in the city (dancing in the streets, concerts with traditional music, etc.) and a general air of celebration. Also, it's a tradition here to throw water balloons at people or hit them with water guns (game they call "playing Carnival") for the week or so leading up to Carnival. This is definitely a tradition I could do without. I suppose it's because I'm a gringa, but I had the good luck of getting hit with water FIVE times. Twice when I was walking on the street by people in cars, twice by little kids who are frightening relentless, and once from a old lady who dumped a BUCKET of water on me. Yes, a bucket. To top it off, I was riding in the bed of a pick-up truck at the time, so I sat for the rest of the ride soaking wet and cold with the wind blowing in my face. It's mildly cute (but mainly annoying) if it's from a little kid and its a water balloon, but a BUCKET??? And from an old lady no less? After that little encounter, I was less-than-pleased with the water-throwing tradition of Carnival here.

Looking like a crack head

However, my actual weekend of Carnival was great. First, Joy, Adrian, and I went over to their mom's house where we spent the entire day with their mom, aunt, and cousins for almuerzo (the word for "lunch," but here almuerzo is the most important meal of the day and is usually huge and comes with several courses) and dinner. Before almuerzo, Joy, Adrian, and I and all the cousins "played Carnival" in the street. And this was a no holds barred game: hoses, buckets, chasing, fighting, foam, confetti--the whole 9 yards. It was incredibly fun but also somewhat freezing by the end. We all came into the house absolutely drench and covered with foam and confetti, ready to change into dry clothes and enjoy some soup (always the first course of an almuerzo).

Post-Battle Royal

Off to Jambeli!

Next, since everyone had off work/school for that Monday and Tuesday, we took a trip to Jambeli, an island off the coast of Ecuador near a city called Machala. The whole family was in tow: the dad, uncle, aunt, grandfather, Adrian, Joy, and myself. We set off at 5am, I sleep the entire way in the trunk of the car with Joy, and we arrive at Machala around 11am. While the high altitude of Cuenca is not always ideal for playing sports, man am I happy for the altitude when it comes to heat. The coast of Ecuador is HOT AS HELL. It was maybe 95* and humid when we got there, and I was immediately sweating and looking for small patches of shade to escape the heat. (Sorry for those reading this and are currently living in wintery, snow-covered places--I realize you will probably have no sympathy for me and this weather).

Alas, we then set off for Jambeli in a little porter boat. It takes us to the island of Jambeli, which was almost identical to a Caribbean Island: fresh juice stands, tiki huts, open-aired restaurants, hammocks, palm trees. It was delightful. As an added bonus, the water was like a bath, just the absolute perfect temperature. We spent the whole day swimming, drinking the most delicious coconut juice I have ever tasted, and lying in the sun.

on the boat on the way to Jambeli

lunch in a tiki hut restaurant

the whole fam-jam

the greatest place to nap

on our way home!

The only bad part of the experience was the terrible sunburn that we all received from our irresponsible decision to not use any sun screen. I payed the price for that one later.

La Boda: An Account of a Gringa's Experience at an Ecuadorian Wedding

So, to repeat yet again, Cuencanan people are amazing--so welcoming, so inclusive. Exhibit A: the mother of one of my ninos student's. The same mother who invited me with her family to the national park Cajas, then invited me to the wedding of her niece. Mind you that I have a significant language barrier every time I talk with her, because she knows no English and is not nearly as adept as Joy at deciphering by Spanish. Alas, despite all the obvious reasons not to invite me--I know no one at the wedding, I barely speak their language, and I have never met the bride or groom--the mother invites me one month in advance, to make sure I'd have the night free. She tells me I need to wear a fancy dress and bring nothing but my appetite.

Here in lies problem #1: I have no dress fancy enough for a wedding and no high heals. Great. Luckily, Joy has a great, simple, black dress that she tells me I can wear. Boom. Now I just need shoes. Unfortunately, Joy wears size 5.5 and I ware size 7.5, so borrowing her shoes is not an option. Should be no problem though, she has plenty of friends and cousins and I'm sure I can find someone to lend shoes to me for a night (I absolutely didn't want to buy them, because all clothes and shoes here--unlike the food--are ridiculously expensive). However, after asking all 7 of Joy's friends, not ONE had about size 6. Her one friend wore size 4.5. I didn't know that was possible for a 23 year old girl. So, on to the next idea, ask the other American teacher who are here. Luckily, they all had normal human sized feet, but none had high heals that I could wear to a wedding.

Problem #2: The aftermath of my irresponsible decision at the beach was that I lived in pain for a day or 2 from the sunburn, but worse was that MY ENTIRE BODY started to peel. A few days prior to the wedding, I looked like I had some terrible skin disease. All down my arms, my back, my chest, my shoulders--everywhere. This meant Joy's dress was no longer at option. Luckily, another teacher and friend of mine had a long sleeved dress. How wonderful. It unfortunately wasn't as wedding-appropriate (a bit more "going out on a Saturday night") but what can you do?? It's all I had.

Alas, the day of the wedding comes and I am wearing the wrong shoes, the wrong dress, and my hair looks awful cause Joy and I did it in 5 minutes (I was running late per usual). Ready to go. The family arrives and off we go. I soon discover that weddings in Ecuador are a lot like proms. Every person is dressed to the 9s: full length dresses, hair styled to perfection, nails perfectly painted, expensive jewelry gallor. I decide that I'm allowed to be under/inappropriately dressed because I can always pull the "gringa" card: Why does she look like she just woke up from a nap and then decided to go to a club before stopping in at this wedding? Well, she's a white girl. Ohhhh, yes I see. It all makes sense now.

The family of my student and I (in the completely wrong attire)

The wedding itself, too, was just stunning. It must have cost upwards of $20,000 I'd guess. Everything was so beautiful, elegant, fancy, perfect--it was insane. And the experience as a whole was crazy/ awkward/ fun. Overall, quite similar to a wedding you'd go to in the states, aside from the music. Firstly, the food. Oh. my. god. It was honestly some of the most delicious food I have every tasted. It was 4 ridiculously delicious gourmet courses followed by a giant table of desserts--any sweet treat you fancy. Because I was a guest at the wedding, I restrained myself to only visiting the desert table once and getting a "modest" sampling of desserts. However, if it were a friend's wedding, I would have eaten every dessert on the table.

The location of the ceremony

Inside

Post-dinner, the maid of honor and best man gave their speeches, then it was time to dance. They served straight whiskey all night, with the catering people walking around with trays and replacing your glass every time you ran out. The music also was all Latin (no surprise there) and just about everyone at the wedding was up dancing. At one point, Gagnam Style came on, and I just about died of happiness. The bride and everyone on the dance floor broke out into the Gagnam Style dance. It was awesome. Then, we made a giant conga line and later there was a "happy hour," where they throw confetti, put lays on everyone, hand out masquerade masks and crazy head bands and everyone dances like crazy for a half hour or so. The dancing continued until 2:30 in the morning, where the family decided it was time to head home. Exhausted from dancing all night, I happily followed them to the car. It was a truly unique experience and one I won't soon forget.