Romanticism and Timelines

"We travel, not to escape life, but for life not to escape us."

-Anonymous 

Some days, I’m on top of the world. Other days, I feel lost. The majority of days, I’d say, are spent feeling somewhere in between- along the lines of content or satisfied with the normalcy, the routine of it all. I wouldn’t label myself as the type of person who particularly enjoys routines. Then again, maybe I do find a secret thrill in knowing that a certain thing will happen each day. Maybe I’m more a fan of dependability than routine. I like knowing I can count on things… and people.

That being said, I’ve never been one to plan ahead. I rely on my gut, my intuition, and feelings to guide me through life. I don’t like to contemplate long term possibilities. It’s overwhelming to imagine myself, some time down the road, married, with x amount of kids, living x number of miles from my family. I don’t know what my career will be, what my hobbies will be, or- honestly- even where I’ll be. I love change. I adapt so easily to new environments. I look at new experiences as adventures that could lead me to somewhere I’ve never been and teach me even more about the intricate and simple beauties of life. I find a life of endless routine mundane. Does this mean I have a restless heart? Maybe.  Somewhere inside, I feel like I’ve been taught this is wrong. That I should somehow be ashamed of my wanderlust and desire for something as beautiful and simple as an adventure. But I'm not. 

I have amazing people in my life.  My friends and family are constant recipients of my warmest affections. I love spending hours laughing with my sister because we act like giant goofballs together. I could spend every day watching Frozen and drinking wine with my best friend, falling asleep at 10 o’clock together because we’re such grannies and can’t keep our eyes open any longer. I enjoy walks in the park with that one friend who always makes me laugh and always keeps it real; who doesn’t make any judgments and has such a pure spirit. I have amazing people in my life. 

But then, when I stop to think about my life now, as in this moment, I realize that all of those things are memories. Those people are still a part of my life, but in a different way. I still love them. They still love me. But, due to certain circumstances (i.e. me being in a different hemisphere), the nature of those relationships has changed. That doesn’t mean I have been left without love in my life. The people in Ecuador have been extremely welcoming and friendly. I have an amazingly warm host family. I have an incredible friend who I know would do anything for me (and I the same for her). Someone I can call up (slaaaash send a message to) and know that she’ll be down for whatever crazy scheme I’ve hatched. 

When I count my blessings, it’s definitely not a short list. However, I still don’t know how to fit all of the pieces together. I’ve discovered a few passions in my life, but don’t know what to do with them. 

In my eight and a half months in Ecuador, I’ve completely fallen in love with many things here (and developed contempt for others). It’s difficult to imagine myself, as I am now, returning to the U.S. and trying to fit who I am into the shadow of who I used to be. I can’t say that all of the changes I’ve made have been for the better, but they are part of me. There is something so freeing about pushing yourself to survive in a harsh and foreign environment. I can’t imagine packing myself up and forcing myself back into the commercialism-centered life I lived before. Here, I enjoy the simple things in life so much more. It’s harder to take things for granted when you can immediately see how lucky you are. Here, time spent with people is much more of a focus than in the States. It’s not about an activity that you’re doing, or how many photos you can take to upload to instagram  (I usually still snag a few, of course!), it’s about hanging out and enjoying someone’s company. Getting back to the simple romantics of pure friendships and relationships. 

This is only touching on what I love about Ecuador. Without mentioning how miserable I was last year working in the States compared to a relatively stress-free and enjoyable job here. Without going into detail about the incredible biodiversity this country offers and the thrill of discovering something unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. I could go on and on about the constant state of wonder I’m stuck in. 

Even so, my time here is growing short. When I consider the fact that I’ve been here eight months and have only four more to go, it’s hard to believe. How could I already be more than halfway done? On one hand, I feel like I’ve been here forever. On the other, I feel like there is still so much I don’t know; so much I haven’t done or learned. Will four months be enough? 

With adult responsibilities and debts looming over my head, I’m mentally preparing for my return to the States. I’m excited to eat all the foods I’ve been missing, get Mexican and margaritas with the girls, to be able to cook again… I’ll be happy to see my friends and family again, to spend hours in my sweats eating junk food with my sister. But I can’t help but wonder… what more could I discover if I stayed just a little longer? My heart doesn’t want to let go of all the things I’ve romanticized here. There is a true pain, I think, in learning to love more than one place.

Keep Your Eyes Open

Does anyone else wonder what happens to the time? As I sit here, experiencing the chill of "winter" on the equator, I can't believe that in a few short days it will be April and I have been living in Ecuador for almost 8 months. When I take the time to count the days, it seems crazy. I don't feel like that much has changed, but then again maybe I've just become accustomed to life here. It's strange to think about how truly adaptable humans are and how capable we are of creating a new normal. My pensive mind could go on and on about this forever, but on to other topics!

Last week, I had the privilege of hosting my dad and sister here in Ecuador. I never dreamed that anyone would be able to make the trip down to visit me, let alone these two. When I first started pestering my dad, he was dead set against the idea. How quickly things can change! Their visit was short, but we got to visit my favorite city in Ecuador and explore some new places together. One of my dad's top requests was to visit some ruins while he was here, so we made the journey down south to the charming town of Cuenca. The town is located just south of Ingapirca, which is the site of the largest known Inca ruins in Ecuador.

As we explored the area, we came across a local chopping firewood on the edge of his property. This man seemed fascinated to meet Americans wandering around the fields surrounding the main ruins. He was genuinely curious and interested to learn what we were doing in Ecuador and our thoughts on the country. As always, I only had positive things to say- how much I love the generous and friendly people here, the allure of travelling, my fascination with the beautiful sights. This man was quick to remind me that life in Ecuador is difficult. The people face a daily struggle. Work can be scarce and, when found, can be grueling. Money is tight and poorly distributed. During my time in the city, I have become disconnected with this population. It is easy to forget about the people striving to survive when you get caught up in the "hustle and bustle" of city life. As a reflect on this, I realize what a shame it is. When you look at things from such a skewed perspective, what do you really see? How much do you really see? I'm deviating from my original point, but I wanted to share this story. God shows me so many lessons in the smallest moments.

While my family was here, I taught them a few essential lessons for making it through a day in Ecuador. They learned how to use the bus system (and how long it takes to get around this way). They tasted several types of popular juices here (how can you not enjoy a nice glass of jugo de tomate del arbol?!). They realized how difficult it can be to communicate with people who speak another language and they experienced the beauty of the towering mountains and roaming fields. In reality, they need to make another visit in order to truly experience the country, but we made the most of our time!

After they left, I had a day to relax before getting back to work. We started a new cycle this week, and I am teaching a new level. Previously, I have taught Basic 2, Advanced 1 & 2, and substituted in everything from beginner to advanced levels. Now, I am teaching two groups of "Academic" students. I think some of them know more about grammar than I do! (Okay, fine, most of them). The beauty of being a teacher is that students usually trust that you're an expert. I am enjoying learning the curriculum along with my students and revisiting concepts I haven't even thought about since elementary school.

Luckily, next week we have two days off of work for Semana Santa (Holy Week) in order to rest and catch up on work. By catch up on work I, of course, mean relax on the beach! For now, it's back to the grind!

Live and love
Katey <3

The Beauty is in the Details

"Some old-fashioned things, like fresh air and sunshine, are hard to beat." 

- Laura Ingalls Wilder

Living in a foreign country is an amazing opportunity. I have the chance to travel, to really learn a new language, to discover myself and unlock more of life’s hidden beauties. It is so easy to be inspired and awed in a place as captivating as this. I wake up every morning excited to see what love letter has been written for me. Whether it’s a city so full of fog that you can’t see the street lights below, or a snow-capped volcano showing itself in the fading light of day. I spend much of my time looking up, face turned towards the sun, marveling at how a simple patch of blue sky or cluster of dark clouds can make me feel so elated. 

Speaking of the beautiful things in life, I recently moved in with an amazing Ecuadorian family. I’ve been here just over a month, and I feel as though I’m part of the family. I was instantly accepted and welcomed with genuine warmness. This is one thing I love about many of the people I’ve had the opportunity to meet. It doesn’t really matter how well you know them, they are happy to help and eager to please. I’m not saying this is the case with everyone, but I have experienced it more than once. I will say, I think my family goes above and beyond the norm.

I have also been thoroughly enjoying my job and the students I teach. My teaching schedule has the perfect amount of structure and flexibility. I can follow the set schedule for content while adding in my own activities. The student culture in Ecuador is so different from that in the states. For the most part, students are very respectful of teachers here and most have a very real desire to learn English. Many students say they want to learn “Because English is the most important language in the World.” I’m not sure of the accuracy of that statement, but it warms my heart to see them working so hard to ensure a better future for themselves. 

On the same note, I have been taking two different Spanish classes and, of course, practicing with my host family, Ecuadorian friends, and people that I meet in stores and restaurants. I don’t take taxis nearly as often as I did before my move, so I don’t encounter nearly as many creepy old men asking me when we can go out dancing together. (Yay!) My Spanish has improved so much in my six months here. I’ve always loved learning the language, but it was much more difficult in schools in the U.S. One of my proudest moments was when someone from a different city told me I had a quiteña accent. Now, if I ever have the opportunity to travel to another Spanish speaking country, it will be hard drop my ecua-isms. Maybe that’s okay. 

In a few weeks, my dad and my sister will be coming to visit. I have been busy planning all of the fun things that we will do. It’s been extremely difficult since they’ll only be here for a week… I need at least a month! :D I’ll take this as an opportunity to remind everyone that you are all invited to come visit! It’s hard to believe that February is almost over and in just a few more months I’ll be making another life changing move (back to the States). I have finally gotten used to my daily life here. The ability to walk everywhere (I know that makes my dad happy… no more awkward bus/taxi situations), the rhythm of the day to day. The predictable unpredictability of the weather. The breathtaking views of the volcanoes that outline the city. My heart still longs for the tall trees, green hills, and country fences of home, but, for now, I am content. 

Vamos a la Playa

When the end of the teaching cycle came, I finished grading exams, turned in all my paperwork and teaching materials, packed up and headed home. 

After a wonderful two weeks back in the states with my lovely family, it was time to say my goodbyes- which stung a little more this go 'round. I won't return home until August and I'm not sure if anyone will be able to visit. (Everyone is invited! Come see this awesome country for yourself! :p) 

A very small portion of my family.

When I came back to Quito, my plane landed around 10, I made it back to my apartment around 11:30, finally got to sleep around 12:30, and found the energy to wake up at 4:30 to head to the bus station to begin my coastal journey. 

Fish ceviche. Just one type found on the coast of Ecuador.

After a 7.5 hour bus ride, I met up with some friends in Portoviejo, which is the capital city of the Manabí province and a short drive from the coast. Luckily, a friend let Jackie and I stay at her house and we got to experience the hospitality of her abuelita (host grandmother).



 She prepared fresh, homemade ceviche- which is a soup that tastes a lot like salsa and contains raw fish. If you know me, you know I've always hated seafood... But I've been trying to branch out while I'm here. 

After we enjoyed our ceviche and some good conversation, Jackie and I headed to the bus station to travel to Manta, the first stop on our coastal tour. When we arrived in Manta, we were both glad that our hostal was actually a little bit outside of town. 

From what we saw, Manta is a little run down. In actuality, evidence of poverty is clearly visible in most places on the coast. We walked a few blocks and found a camioneta, which is like a shared pick-up truck taxi where all passengers pile in the back and each person pays $1.00 for the ride. The camioneta took us about 15 minutes outside of town to a little village called Santa Marianita. Since we had no idea where our hostal was (and the locals didn't either... go figure) we had to wander around for a bit, but eventually found our way to The Donkey Den- just in time for sunset. 

The next day, we spent a few hours on the beach (I should have reapplied sunscreen a few more times than I did... Yikes. Estoy pelando) and soaked in the sunshine. Santa Marianita is in a very dry and windy area of the coast so most of the day was fairly breezy. In the evening we hung out in the hammock chairs at our hostal and enjoyed the warm weather. 

On Monday, we packed up, headed back into Manta, and caught a bus a little farther down the coast to Puerto Lopez, a fishing village with soft sand beaches and dirt roads throughout. From the bus terminal, we took a moto-taxi to our hostal. This is like a motorcycle with a covered wagon on the back... Very interesting. We walked along the beach and explored the town.

We discovered Puerto Lopez to be in even greater disrepair than Manta, but definitely saw potential. Anyone out there looking for community development and improvement projects, we could give you plenty of ideas. The town had a very charming river walk with beautiful bridges, trellises, and bright flowers, but the water was electric green. It was difficult to take in and understand the stark contrasts we saw in different parts of town.



In the evening, we headed to the beachfront cabanas to have dinner and watch the sunset. We enjoyed some delicious food and hung out on the beach long after the day faded away.

Tuesday, we got up early to eat breakfast, observe the local fisherman selling their fresh fish on the beach during low tide, and head to La Isla de la Plata- an island which is commonly referred to as the Poor Man's Galapgos. After a 1.5 hour boat ride, we arrived to beautiful deep teal waters and rocky cliffs. We hiked a few miles around the island, taking in the stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. We saw many blue-footed boobies and fragates (another type of bird) and also saw Palo Santo (Holy Wood) trees, which have a long history and strong cultural influence in the coastal region.

When we finished our hike, we all got back on the boat to travel a little further out into the water to catch a glimpse of the many sea turtles swimming around our boat. Afterwards. we traveled a little further down the shore and went snorkeling. The bright tropical fish and sea urchins were fun to watch. We finished up our underwater adventure and began the journey back to Puerto Lopez. 

Wednesday came and after breakfast, we moved on to our third beach town: Ayampe. I was instantly charmed by this little village with bright tropical flora. The bus dropped us off at the top of the main road and we walked about two minutes down to our hostal. We headed out to the beach after dropping off our bags and had no problem finding a spot to settle in as the beach was sparse on people. The clouds cleared and made way for a bright (scorching) sunshine while the relentless waves offered relief from the heat. To top off a great day on the beach, we witnessed an absolutely incredible sunset.

Ayampe, Ecuador

Thursday, we changed locales once again and headed further south to the famous town of Montañita. Most of the Ecuadorians I have met highly recommend this beach. We checked into our hostal (a completely charming beachfront bungalow) and went out to explore the town.  There were more people here than anywhere else, and the town had a very unique vibe. 

On Friday, we explored the tide pools along the cliffs in Montañita (I totally nerded out here and was probably too fascinated by this) and stayed on the beach for countless hours. We saw another beautiful sunset (although nothing could top Ayampe) and went back to the hostal to get ready for dinner. We ran into some friends in town and spent a little more time on the beach before turning in for the night. 

The "Cliffs" of Montañita

Saturday, we stayed in our hostal as long as we could enjoying the tranquil atmosphere and beachfront views before checking out and making our way to Guayaquil. Since the bus tickets were all sold out, we ended up taking a taxi; which I'm sure was more fun than the bus would have been anyway. We jammed out to all of our favorite songs and thoroughly entertained our taxi driver. 

In Guayaquil, we explored a little, experienced a very strange/interesting dinner, and saw hordes of giant iguanas before finally boarding a bus and making the journey back to Quito on Sunday.

I feel like I express the same sentiment often, but I never cease to be amazed by all of the marvelous things that God has created in the world and how incredibly blessed I am to have the opportunity to see them. We laughed, we danced, we sang, and we took each moment as it came. Every experience was not a peachy one, but life is all about how you look at it, right? A quote from our trip: "When life gives you lemons, you gotta laugh. You gotta laugh at those lemons."

Live and love
Katey <3

Psalm 95:4-5

I'll Be Home for Christmas

Every time I’ve tried to write something the past few weeks, I haven’t been able to piece together my incoherent thoughts. Plenty of things happen on a daily basis, but nothing that seems noteworthy. Now, here I am, getting ready to fly home for the holidays, with my mind racing. I haven’t travelled to any exotic locales or accomplished anything significant, but life has been happening. 

Thanksgiving came and went without much ado in Quito. We had a staff potluck during our lunch hour; there was talk of other Thanksgiving dinners going on, but nothing that made the holiday feel real to me. Since the weather is relatively the same all year, the holiday didn’t have the same fresh fall feel. No excitement about pumpkin EVERYthing. Not to mention I sorely missed our annual tradition of traveling to visit my family in New Jersey. 

All that being said, my Thanksgiving (which came a few days later) was equally beautiful. I joined a group of WorldTeach volunteers (so thankful they embraced me as one of their own!) at a BYOD feast. We ate all the typical things like turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, broccoli casserole, and also pleased our palates with some out of the ordinary dishes like tomato/carrot soup and a veggie stir-fry. We drank wine and a celebratory Ecuadorian drink called Canelazo. We blended cultures and traditions to create something new and, even though it was different, it was good. I think that sometimes a fresh perspective can make you appreciate things more.

In the past month, I’ve also discovered the beauty of a Gonzalo Suarez hotdog (don’t tell my healthier persona about this health disaster) which is covered in sauces, potato chips, and- of course- aji. 

I tried Chocolate Ambateño- a hot chocolate served with cheese (to put inside) and biscochos to snack on. 

I made homemade empanadas de viento with a sweet Ecuadorian instructor. These delicious pastries are filled with cheese, fried, then covered with sugar. Yum! 

I attended a beautiful Ecuadorian wedding and got to act as chief procurer of photos. 

I finished my first cycle teaching English at my university…nothing at all like I imagined my professional life. I cannot express how much better this teaching experience has been for me than others in the past. Maybe I'm not cut out to boss little kids around... they're more fun to play with! :)

There have been small, beautiful moments, awkward encounters, uncomfortable situations, sucky situations, challenges and rewards. Life in Ecuador is definitely different. Now, I am very excited to make it to Raleigh and (eventually) Stoneville to spend time with my family and friends.  I only have a short time back in the States before a road trip in Ecuador and the start of our next academic cycle.

Besos! 

Katey <3

Isaiah 14:27

Predictability

Predictability is the degree to which a correct prediction or forecast of a system's state can be made either qualitatively or quantitatively.

By this definition, would it be fair to say that something is predictably unpredictable? 

One of the best, worst, and most interesting things about life in Ecuador is the unpredictable nature of it. You might arrive home one day and discover that you have no power. You might meet a new friend who has not only heard of the small county you're from, but has actually been there. You may be struggling to figure out how to say something in Spanish, only to have the Ecua you're talking to break out an exceptionally coherent sentence in English. 

Sometimes the surprises are beautiful acts of kindness- like the locals trying to help foreign missionaries figure out where they need to get off the bus. Sometimes they are kind words spoken by a stranger, random offers from students (who aren't your own) to show you around the city or take you out for a piece of chocolate cake. 

Sometimes the surprises aren't so lovely- old men who seem friendly at first, but progressively get more creepy as they speak to you about  all the places they could take you, stolen cell phones (culturally predictable, but personally surprising), rude bus assistants (okay, not so unpredictable, but still... would it kill them to crack a smile?), finally experiencing that old "myth" of Ecua superficiality... you know, when someone appears to be friendly or helpful, but are only concerned about you as long as it's beneficial for them. 

As one of the most positive people I know (**chuckles**), it's hard for me to admit that some of these things get me down sometimes, but they do. After a long week of one problem after another, I began feeling a bit miffed at the universe. Sometimes when one thing goes wrong, it's hard for me to bounce back immediately. Sometimes things just seem to build up (or maybe I let them). At times like those, I like to listen to music that matches my mood and wallow in my sadness. 

Fortunately, at the same time, I'm able to recognize that this is not healthy. I have an undeniable amount of things to be thankful for, to appreciate. I (personally) feel that I am great at picking out life's beautiful moments, not letting them slip past without notice. However, when I let myself focus on all the negatives, I am much less inclined to care. This reduces part of who I am. It makes me less than my best and does no good. 

It's time like these when I really have to trust that I am taken care of, that everything happens for a reason. Sometimes it's hard to see the good in a situation, but I know that it's there. Every situation- good or bad- is a learning opportunity and, as a teacher, who am I to deny a chance to further my education? 

Live and Love <3
Katey

Colassians 3:2
Romans 12:12

Breathing In

Do you ever feel that your life has become a little stale? Like your soul is crying out for a breath of fresh air? For me, the confines of city life and public transportation make me feel this way. Until I got out of town this weekend, I didn’t realize how much I missed being surrounded by the beauty of the countryside- God’s love letter to me. 

I had the opportunity to travel to Baños this weekend with a group of volunteers from WorldTeach (funny how the world works, eh?). Nestled in a valley just a few hours south of Quito in the province of Tungurahua, I was instantly captivated by the stellar views and charm of this “small” town. Baños is well known for it’s adventure sports and tourist opportunities. It was also my breath of fresh air.

On Saturday, we biked 12 miles along a scenic route through the beautiful mountains. We made a few stops along the way to ride a cable car over a beautiful waterfall, eat some ice-cream, and jump off of a bridge (okay, so only one person actually jumped off the bridge, but still). At the end of our ride, we hiked down to El Pailo del Diablo- the most powerful waterfall I’ve ever seen. As we crawled through the narrow tunnel to get a closer look at the waterfall, we met some Ecuadorians who informed us the water from the fall is clean enough to drink (they were bottling it). I found this to be a little off-putting (haven’t they heard of acid rain?), but still interesting. We also discovered a place where we could stand behind the water… and also become completely soaked. 

After we hiked back from the fall, we caught a ride back into town and headed to dinner at an Italian restaurant. I have to say, I was skeptical because food here is so different from what we have in the US, but this place was delicious! We were all well satisfied. Once we figured out our sueltitos (maybe the number one rule in Ecuador: Always carry small bills and change!), we changed into our bathing suits and set off for “las piscinas” for a swim. The water comes from a natural spring and is heated by the volcano there.

Sunday we headed out for La Casa del Arbol after breakfast and got to “swing at the end of the world.” This was something I was really looking forward to and was not disappointed. The views were amazing and the experience was well worth it. When we finally felt ready to move on, we hiked (for about an hour) down the mountain to a cafe that overlooks the town of Baños. Talk about breathtaking. We caught a taxi back to town and prepared ourselves to journey back home.

Within these bigger adventures were smaller adventures. We made new friends, we danced, we got “lost,” and given misdirections. We experienced the kindness of strangers and the indifference of strangers as well. I think this is what traveling is about. Experiencing new cultures, meeting new people, taking everything in and discovering part of yourself in the process. I look forward to many more discoveries in the future! 

Live and love,

Katey <3

Nehemiah 9:6