Random Happenings around Quito

These were just some things that have happened in the last week, that I found interesting. On about October 21st a huge Christmas tree was put up in downtown Quito. Now most stores have all Christmas decorations and lights hanging in the windows, and you thought we started celebrating early in the year?

I have started a university class. I am learning how to work with special needs children who don’t speak. It is very interesting and I am sort of auditing the class. The first day I arrived, it was me and 3 other girls in the class. We sat on the ground for about 2 hours during the lecture. At one point I noticed that right next to me was a scorpion! I tried my best not to freak out and one of my classmates calmly reached over and taking a play dough cup she scooped it up and threw it outside. Not much of a reaction from the rest of the class, the other 2!

On the way to that same university class, my wallet was stolen. Somebody cut open my purse and took out my wallet without me even realizing it. It wasn’t until I got to the university that I saw that my bag was cut open. When I got home, I ate some soup that my roommate made. Yes, I now have a roommate Monday-Friday. She is from Canada and she is a farmer. We have some great conversations about silage sp? apparently the food you give to cows. Anyway ate the soup, which tasted great. But I then threw up for the entire night. Not one of my best days here.

This weekend marks the start of some time off for Day of the Dead. Colada morada and guaguas de pan is the traditional drink and food during this time. Colada morada is a thick fruity purple colored drink, and guagas de pan is bread decorated to look like a baby. People here will go to the cemetery where their loved one are buried and paint the tombstone or clean up the area. Then they will sit around and eat and drink and reminisce about their dead relative. I for one am going to the cloud forest on Tuesday with a friend of mine. There’s your cultural lesson for the day.

Another new baby, Viviana, came to the orphanage on Wednesday. She is a day younger than Jennifer, but much bigger. I have been able to feed Jennifer just about every day. She is so cute!