The last couple of weeks have been very busy. I have been applying for a grant for an irrigation project and that has been a long a tedious process...things move just a tad slower here. But nonetheless, I finished today, and am waiting to see if it qualifies. But because the focus of the grant is biodiversification, I may not have a good shot. Agriculture and irrigation tend to not be good for natural ecosystems. Time will tell.
Christmas time here in Ecuador at times is very similar to the US. Most people have Christmas trees, the christmas carols are the same in the States, and people wear Santa hats. One large difference is that EVERYONE has a nativity set. And they are no typical Jesus, Mary and Joseph set. They sometimes fill tables and half of a room and they will put in any small figurine in the house. The host family of a friend of mine has sections...one being "the US" with snowmen, santa and reindeer, a pond with little men fishing, another an war scene with little army figurines, an Ecuador section with a woman cooking guinea pig and potatoes, and minitures dancing around a may pole. Oh and of course up top is Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the whole clan...hundreds of animals, shepards, kings and such. It is interesting, and sometimes funny...."Wait, is that a bullfighting stadium in the corner?...and a bull with spears sticking out of its back?" Yes, yes it is. What nativity scene is complete without?
Another funny thing. I was in Quito last week for a dentist appointment and I was riding on the bus. The major buslines here have electric buses and they run very quietly. Also streets and sidewalks are very narrow in what we call the "old town", or the centro. The buses will play music at times so you know they are coming and don't step into the street. The bus I was on was playing "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and I thought that was nice, a week before Christmas. Then I remembered being in old town back in August or September and hearing a bus play music and I said to my friends "Isn't that Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer?" Sure enough it was, Rudolph should be celebrated all year.
I also want to thank everyone who sent Christmas cards! It was so great opening up my mailbox and having it full! Special thanks to Mom, Mike, Grandma & Grandpa Reynolds, Grandpa Don & Alice, Glenda and family, Steve, Aunt Joyce, Cynthia and Fam, the Arnishes, some Civiltech peeps, and Rod, Cony and Juanjo. Also thanks Mom for the hot cocoa, mocha and christmas decorations!
I can't wait to see everybody! I hope the weather cooperates! If not at least I will be stuck in an airport with American food (!!), and after Peace Corps Ecuador I can sleep anywhere, floors, couchs, buses, with rodents, bugs...airports, no sweat.
Feliz Navidad!!!
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