Today we had a lunch at a friend’s house where many Volunteers got together from the different groups. (We are Omnibus 103, and a new “Omnibus” comes every 6 months or so…and no, the name doesn’t make sense to anybody). So it was a great opportunity to meet the people I would be living close to but had not met yet.
Sadly I had a meeting at 2…and lunch was at 12. So I had to eat quick and leave. I didn’t get a chance to talk to everyone, but I’m sure with time I will. I did meet everyone I live closest too. We had chili, wild rice with muchrooms and chicken, pasta salad, brownies, cornbread…very American…awesome.
A bit after 1, I had to run. I started walking down the street in the direction I was going…waiting for a bus to pass in the same direction…preferably one that passes my town. Sure enough…along comes one. I flag it down in the Ecuadorian fashion of hand out, plam down, and curling your fingers in and out. I jump on, make sure they are passing Chimbo, and sit.
One thing about new languages and cultural experiences is that everything becomes something of conscious thought. Even introducing yourself, or asking where a bus goes, takes thinking through the words. This is exhausting. While in English I could do these things without thinking much at all. This explains why I sleep 9 hours a night here…I am pooped…Not because of physical exhaustion, because I am mentally drained.
What excited me about the bus exchange was I had not taken this route before, but I knew the bus was right without asking, but did just in case the sign was wrong (also lets the driver I know where I am going in the middle of rural Ecuador). I knew the price, I knew where it would stop, and what I had to do. This is exciting for me. Small successes…
I get home 5 minutes after two. My counterpart is still there, and we walk over immediately. The meeting starts on time…(wow)…and ends when they said it would…(wow). I think this is a good sign for an organization I will be spending my time working with. As I walked around and introduced myself, I get a very warm welcome from everybody. The women are especially kind, ask me a few questions, and offer me a seat. As I look around the room, I think “Here I am at a meeting of Ecuadorian farmers, 9 months ago they asked for a volunteer, 16 months ago, I filled out an online application and here we are sitting together now, smack dab in the middle of the Andes in Ecuador…sweet.
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