A little something to think about. Read Jillian's reflections on her experiences here so after her first month in Ecuador.
...If
you find yourself more interested in the character development of a poorly made
Jackie Chan film rather than the climax of the plot, you should continue
reading this blog post. My time in Ecuador thus far has been comprised of
countless meaningful details that have contributed to my personal experience
rather than large awe striking events. For example, in this blog post I will
not focus on the breathtaking zip line trip across a valley with hundred foot
waterfalls, but rather on the fact that Kristina’s loving grip on my left hand
reminded me why it is so much more enjoyable to experience these things with
other people. Even if it results in a sore knuckle and a pierced left eardrum.
Additionally,
I will not focus on the movie night thrown in the teen center at the library
last week, which featured the Amazing Spider Man, fresh popped popcorn, and a
seemingly endless amount of Fanta orange soda. However, I would rather mention
the fact that I played Bananagrams in Spanish for the first time. Already
intimidated by my two new Spanish-speaking friends urging Jenni and I to play,
I was exceptionally proud that I could take ownership of at least eight words
by the third round of the game. (It doesn’t matter if Los Chillos is a name for something, it automatically implies
that el chillo is a thing as
well, right?)
I
couldn’t possibly force you to read story after story about our wonderful
weekend in Baños riding bikes, relaxing in day spas, and consuming an absurd
amount of delicious food. I would much rather help you imagine what it was like
for us on our initial bus ride of the weekend from Sangolqui to Tambillo, a
forty-minute trip. Picture a large plushy bus donned in decorative fringe and
curtains, with a bumper sticker declaring, “We brake for no one”. Now, remove the
bumper sticker and imagine the passenger capacity at double the suggested
number. Throw in a group full of gringos with overstuffed backpacks and duffle
bags, and you’ve got yourself a legitimate test of human strength and balance.
But really, if your triceps and forearms aren’t sore by the time you get off,
you’re doing it wrong. Throughout the course of the forty minutes we were
guaranteed no seat, at least a half dozen face-to-armpit encounters,
approximately four smashed toes, three awkward hand placements, and multiple
wafts of unexpected scents including, but not limited to, cologne, body odor,
street food, hair gel, or animal (questionably domesticated).
There
is nothing quite like finally getting a seat and being able to rest your
shoulders. After we were all able to sit down, we realized the unsolicited
workout we had received on our abdominals, as we had not been able to stop
laughing at the chain of events experienced during the first twenty minutes of
the ride. It was this enjoyable bus ride full of laughter and muscle
conditioning that started our weekend in Baños off on the right foot for some
much needed fun and relaxation.