In anticipation of an upcoming weekend venture to a community of Quichuan artisans who create spectacular goods and wares, Darlene was interested in having shopping "warm up" or Spring Training of sorts. So, along with a couple of like-minded (aka bargain hunters) university students from Olivet, Darlene and I hopped a cab for downtown Quito after class. Their mission: to scout a similar (but much smaller) market setting in anticipation of bagging "big game" and learning the bartering process for this weekend's big trip to Otovalo.
They enjoyed the bargain hunting and shopping. Their brief foray into the narrow aisles around the artisisans' display booths yielded positive results. Each bagged some small treasure while getting a preview of what they might find in Otovalo this weekend.
On the other hand, I particularly enjoyed the cab ride and conversing with the cabbie as he weaved his way thru the busy and often narrow streets. I really liked him because he was complimentary of my spanish abilities. After spending hours in class where I usually feel like I'm trying to keep up, that was nice. Maybe he was saying nice things to just get a good tip, but I prefer to think that his motives were pure. I also enjoyed paying $5 for a 45 minute, 15 mile cab ride. $5 divided among 4 of us was a good bargain for this hunter.
On a culinary note, Dar and I were invited this evening for dinner at the home of the Director of the Language Institute. They served taco salad. I wish we could tell you the extreme level of culinary delight that we experienced. We do not take such treats for granted!
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
Sunday, 24 January 2010
Bus, Taxis and Birthdays
Well, Darlene and I have taken turns at missing activities this week due to, uh well, internal issues.
She missed a day of class and i missed the "get to know the Quito transport system-Amazing Race" game yesterday. But, we think we are both on solid ground again. Darlene's team came in 3rd in the "tour de transportation modes" for NILI students yesterday....she was teamed up with a US college student of ample height and girth, and a Ecuadoran seminary student who is quite slight of stature. When they came to the paddleboat-across -the -lake phase of the tour, they lost a good bit time because of steering problems due to load distribution. :) Dar said that dropped them out of second place.
Today, following church, we were on our own for lunch....for some reason I was served (and charged for) two hot dogs to go with my fried chicken dinner. I don't even know the word for hot dog in spanish so I could not have ordered that, even if I had wanted to.....when I tried to return the hot dogs and get refunded, they told me it was included for "take out "so i gave up. So, it was fried chicken and hot dogs for Miguel.
We were invited to a birthday party for the 10 yr old daughter of a seminary student this afternoon. One nice difference is that such an event is a family/community event...not just for the kids. People of various ages attended. I pointed out to Darlene that it seemed that we were the oldest folks there, except for the grandma of the honoree.....and that was questionable, too. Darlene pretended to ignore my observation.
She missed a day of class and i missed the "get to know the Quito transport system-Amazing Race" game yesterday. But, we think we are both on solid ground again. Darlene's team came in 3rd in the "tour de transportation modes" for NILI students yesterday....she was teamed up with a US college student of ample height and girth, and a Ecuadoran seminary student who is quite slight of stature. When they came to the paddleboat-across -the -lake phase of the tour, they lost a good bit time because of steering problems due to load distribution. :) Dar said that dropped them out of second place.
Today, following church, we were on our own for lunch....for some reason I was served (and charged for) two hot dogs to go with my fried chicken dinner. I don't even know the word for hot dog in spanish so I could not have ordered that, even if I had wanted to.....when I tried to return the hot dogs and get refunded, they told me it was included for "take out "so i gave up. So, it was fried chicken and hot dogs for Miguel.
We were invited to a birthday party for the 10 yr old daughter of a seminary student this afternoon. One nice difference is that such an event is a family/community event...not just for the kids. People of various ages attended. I pointed out to Darlene that it seemed that we were the oldest folks there, except for the grandma of the honoree.....and that was questionable, too. Darlene pretended to ignore my observation.
Thursday, 21 January 2010
Down (but looking up) in the Dump
One of the components of our experience here at NILI is to be able to volunteer at one of three ministry sites on a weekly basis. The three that we currently know about are: a daycare at the city dump for children of people who work in the dump itself; a home for senior citizens that is organized and run by Ecuadoran women at no cost to residents who are often the poor and forgotten; an orphanage.
Today we toured/visited the first two of these three. Both were moving experiences. Both are Christian ministries led by committed people who operate the ministries on a shoestring budget.
Helping children of refuse/dump workers (the workers actually get in the dump and go thru the refuse by hand to look for recyclable material and/or food for their families) is done by providing clean, healthy on site day care, medical treatment for the families, good food for the infants and youngsters, education, a playground, and spiritual and emotional support for families, parent training.....to try to put all this in a nutshell, the goal of this ministry is to help break the cycle of generations working in the dump....some of these children are now able to enroll in public school.
So, today we visited and played with the children at the "dump daycare", then toured the senior citizens' ministry and visited with dear residents, and will next go to the orphanage in a few days....then we'll divide ourselves among these ministries and offer service and presence on a weekly basis.
Today we toured/visited the first two of these three. Both were moving experiences. Both are Christian ministries led by committed people who operate the ministries on a shoestring budget.
Helping children of refuse/dump workers (the workers actually get in the dump and go thru the refuse by hand to look for recyclable material and/or food for their families) is done by providing clean, healthy on site day care, medical treatment for the families, good food for the infants and youngsters, education, a playground, and spiritual and emotional support for families, parent training.....to try to put all this in a nutshell, the goal of this ministry is to help break the cycle of generations working in the dump....some of these children are now able to enroll in public school.
So, today we visited and played with the children at the "dump daycare", then toured the senior citizens' ministry and visited with dear residents, and will next go to the orphanage in a few days....then we'll divide ourselves among these ministries and offer service and presence on a weekly basis.
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
It's for the birds!
I've learned that there are about 130 varieties of hummingbirds here in Ecuador....from what I've read, Ecuador and Colombia are hummingbird hotspots. They have some interesting varieties/characteristics. Yesterday afternoon, as I was leaving class I spotted an interesting sight right here in Quito...a hummingbird with what looked to be about 6" of tail feathers....I think there were 2 long feathers that were of darker color than the feathers on the bird's body. That was a delightful surprise for me, even though I'm sure it's pretty common.
I've read where there are more than 1600 species of birds here in Ecuador...that helps explain the number of folks on our plane who were coming down here specifically to go on "birding tours" in various parts of the country. I recall one fellow who was with a group that was going birding on the eastern slopes of the Andes here in E.
We brought our binocs, so we'll keep a lookout for some new feathered friends.
I've read where there are more than 1600 species of birds here in Ecuador...that helps explain the number of folks on our plane who were coming down here specifically to go on "birding tours" in various parts of the country. I recall one fellow who was with a group that was going birding on the eastern slopes of the Andes here in E.
We brought our binocs, so we'll keep a lookout for some new feathered friends.
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
Time for Din Din
We have a pretty regular schedule for meals. Breakfast is at 7 a.m., lunch @ 1 p.m. and supper at 7 p.m. We have not been starving, to say the least.
Lunch is the biggest meal of the day, and it is typical to have a hot soup served as part of that meal. The soups have been tasty, and MB even ate all of his cream of spinach soup! My mom would be soooo proud of her boy. Rice has been a staple on the menu for lunches and dinners, along with meat and veggies.
At mealtime, all the gringos divide up and sit with the Latino seminary students and staff. They are very helpful and engaging in conversation with us. I'm impressed with their level of desire and commitment to serve God. They enjoy life and laugh with us (and maybe a little "at" us....).
Lunch is the biggest meal of the day, and it is typical to have a hot soup served as part of that meal. The soups have been tasty, and MB even ate all of his cream of spinach soup! My mom would be soooo proud of her boy. Rice has been a staple on the menu for lunches and dinners, along with meat and veggies.
At mealtime, all the gringos divide up and sit with the Latino seminary students and staff. They are very helpful and engaging in conversation with us. I'm impressed with their level of desire and commitment to serve God. They enjoy life and laugh with us (and maybe a little "at" us....).
Monday, 18 January 2010
First day of class!
Well, we are still enrolled after the first day. We enjoyed it. Pretty much every word spoken was in espanol.....there are three classes, with about a third of the total group in each one. Dar is in beginning spanish, and I'm in intermediate, although I think such classifications are sort of relative! I can get lost in a hurry. Darlene received her first dose of spanish, and came out smiling!
Other highlights of the day included: I now am sporting a "shiner", a black eye from keeping my eye on the ball a bit too long. My head came between the passer and the passee in a pickup game between faculty, students and missionaries. Also, we had an enjoyable time tonight gathering with the students and families who attend the seminary here. They hail from Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela. We eat meals together, and the language students who are single are paired up with a Latin roommate. Darlene decided that she would keep me as her roommate. Glad she didn't opt out of that arrangement.
So far, so good!
Other highlights of the day included: I now am sporting a "shiner", a black eye from keeping my eye on the ball a bit too long. My head came between the passer and the passee in a pickup game between faculty, students and missionaries. Also, we had an enjoyable time tonight gathering with the students and families who attend the seminary here. They hail from Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela. We eat meals together, and the language students who are single are paired up with a Latin roommate. Darlene decided that she would keep me as her roommate. Glad she didn't opt out of that arrangement.
So far, so good!
Sunday, 17 January 2010
A Whole New World!
Well, we had a nice flight with no complications! It's only a 5 hour flight (give or take) from Houston. Since we were flying at night we couldn't see much, but it seemed like we were over land most of the time. For some reason that was surprising to me until I looked at a map....
Yesterday was a day of orientation and getting acquainted. There are about 6 students from Olivet, one from MNU and one from SNU. Then four of us who are considered "professionals". Another word for "older". Ha!
Today we worshipped at Iglesia Nazareno de Carcelen. That's the community just "down the hill" from the Seminary, where we are staying. I really don't know very much Spanish, especially when it's fast! I'm praying for a very teachable spirit AND brain!
Mike and I are staying in a nice little two bedroom apartment that overlooks the lower part of the campus and Carcelen. The mountains are across the valley. The city of Quito is only 4 - 5 miles wide and about 27 ( I think that's right) miles long since it sits in a valley. The weather has been very mild, perfect days 70's and cooler mornings and nights. We got up early this morning to take a few laps around the soccer field. I made about one lap (not a very big lap). At 9,300 feet altitude, I guess I need to acclimate myself some more.
We are looking forward to starting class tomorrow. It's just going to be great!
Love to everyone.
Yesterday was a day of orientation and getting acquainted. There are about 6 students from Olivet, one from MNU and one from SNU. Then four of us who are considered "professionals". Another word for "older". Ha!
Today we worshipped at Iglesia Nazareno de Carcelen. That's the community just "down the hill" from the Seminary, where we are staying. I really don't know very much Spanish, especially when it's fast! I'm praying for a very teachable spirit AND brain!
Mike and I are staying in a nice little two bedroom apartment that overlooks the lower part of the campus and Carcelen. The mountains are across the valley. The city of Quito is only 4 - 5 miles wide and about 27 ( I think that's right) miles long since it sits in a valley. The weather has been very mild, perfect days 70's and cooler mornings and nights. We got up early this morning to take a few laps around the soccer field. I made about one lap (not a very big lap). At 9,300 feet altitude, I guess I need to acclimate myself some more.
We are looking forward to starting class tomorrow. It's just going to be great!
Love to everyone.
Sunday, 10 January 2010
Heading South!
For interested friends and family....
Mike and I are leaving on January 15th for Quito, Ecuador!! We are spending a semester (till May 1st) at the Nazarene International Language Institute on the same campus as our Nazarene Seminary in Quito.
For many years Mike has dreamed of doing a Spanish immersion experience, and we are getting to see the fulfillment of that. We will be living in married student housing, eating in the cafeteria, going to classes every day. We will be placed in Spanish classes according to our current ability...in my case, LACK thereof! We are very excited!
Included in the semester are some travel experiences; the Amazon Basin, a coastal city in Southern Ecuador, and amazingly, the Galapagos Islands!! I'm not sure what we will be doing while we are at these places, so stay tuned!
We will love keeping connected to you all; don't be surprised if we are blogging in Spanish before long!
Mike and I are leaving on January 15th for Quito, Ecuador!! We are spending a semester (till May 1st) at the Nazarene International Language Institute on the same campus as our Nazarene Seminary in Quito.
For many years Mike has dreamed of doing a Spanish immersion experience, and we are getting to see the fulfillment of that. We will be living in married student housing, eating in the cafeteria, going to classes every day. We will be placed in Spanish classes according to our current ability...in my case, LACK thereof! We are very excited!
Included in the semester are some travel experiences; the Amazon Basin, a coastal city in Southern Ecuador, and amazingly, the Galapagos Islands!! I'm not sure what we will be doing while we are at these places, so stay tuned!
We will love keeping connected to you all; don't be surprised if we are blogging in Spanish before long!
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