Guy Weekend

Our Charriot

Every now and again, people need to get away. Not just from their lives and work, because if you’ve been reading this blog you know that we have been very fortunate with our vacations. I mean get away and be with a hoard of humans that are the same gender as you. Recently Shannon went on an annual girls trip organized by some teachers at our school. Last weekend, I went on mine…

It is tradition at our school to have one trip per year where groups of friends, co-horts (high school with high school, etc) are abandoned and we all get together as a “guy’s group” or a “ladies group.” The ladies went on a nice trip to the mountains and we went…back to the beach.

Shannon and I have already had two nice beach retreats since we’ve been in Ecuador and I was excited for a third. All arrangements were made by a guy named Greg so each guy’s only responsibility was to pack a bag, pay $170 for everything (food, hotel, transport) and hit the road.

We left straight from school last Friday on a private charter bus. There was a total of 20 guys ranging in age from 27 to 55. As we got on the bus we were all handed hoagies (for you non New Jersians that’s a sub) and every four feet in the main aisle, a cooler full of beer was placed. It is not illegal in Ecuador to drink in a motor vehicle, as long as the driver isn’t drinking.

Canoa beach bungalow bars

We quickly hit the road at 4:05 and had some food and refreshments as we wound down the mountain roads that have been detailed here before. We stopped a few times for pan de yucca, which I just realized is something that I haven’t addressed yet in this blog. Pan de yucca is a South American treat that is beautiful in its simplicity. Yucca is a potato like root vegetable that basically tastes like a denser potato. Pan de yucca is a bread roll made from the stuff. There is a slight potato-y flavor to it but it also is cooked with a ton of butter and cheese inside. The end result is a buttery flaky outside, cheesy buttery soft chewy inside. It’s fantastic and can be had at any street corner or restaurant in Ecuador. Anyway, as we were driving through the little shanty towns, the bus would slow down and ambitious entrepenears would run alongside the bus and exchange a fresh bag of 6 or 7 rolls for two dollars. We didn’t even have to stop. Good times.

Cabanas for everyone!

When we finally arrived in Canoa, the beach town we were to be staying, we realized that it was a

Canoa retreat...complete with hammocks on the roof

little bit more party-centered than Ayampe and Same. When I say party-centered I don’t mean it’s New Orleans. Nothing on the coast is that developed. What I mean is there is a dirt road running parallel to the beach for about 3 blocks and on that road there are about 6 bars and clubs.

Anyway we got in after a 8.5 hr drive and some of the guys went out. I decided to stay in and go to bed. We had rented out 8 rooms from this little beach hotel and I was both tired, and didn’t mind having first choice on bed options. I fell asleep relatively quickly ignoring the mosquito nets attached to the top of each bed and man did I live to regret that.

Should have used those mosquito nets the first night.

The next morning I woke up with about 39 bites all over me, including one the side of a dime smack dab in the center of the bottom of my foot. That was unfortunate. I did not make the same mistake the next night. We ate at the hotel and went straight to the beach after breakfast.

The beach in Canoa is a bit more populated than Ayampe and Same so naturally there were people there trying to make a few bucks. We ended up renting two cabanas for the day ($4 each) and having coolers full of beer brought over on ice (9 beers and deliver for $12) all day. Not a bad gig. We all spent the day either hanging out in the cabanas, swimming in the warm currents of the Equatorial Pacific Ocean, playing Frisbee, surfing, or just napping. It was a nice time and a large enough group that no matter what you wanted to do, you could find company or solitude.

We had some great meals full of fresh seafood and a good time all around. It was a nice bonding experience and something that I look forward to next year.

Ceviche Beach Binge

Our Route to the Beach

By order of the Ecuadorian Ministry of Education, schools were on holiday all last week. So we decided to make the most of this mandated vacation with a week at the beach. Justin found a wonderful house on Airbnb in a quiet little beach town called Ayampe, at 25 kilometers north of the more well-known beach town of Montanita.

We invited another couple to come with us and they brought their teenage daughter along. And of course, we brought Howard the dog. Never in my life have I lived more than an hour’s drive from the beach. I guess you can say that makes me spoiled. For this drive to the beach was a strenuous 8 ½ hours. I say “strenuous” even though Justin did all the driving, because it can be stressful being a copilot as well. I had to help with directions and lane changing, as well as supply the driver and the dog in the backseat with periodic snacks, Gatorades, and bowls of water, respectively.  

Kapoks

We departed Quito at 6 am on Monday morning. The weather was dismal – cold and drizzling rain, with a blanket of thick fog hanging in the sky and obscuring visibility at an alarming rate. What made the drive bearable, even interesting were the myriad of terrains we drove through. From the wet, foggy city of Quito, through the rain forest and around cliffs that seem to drop off into clouds where the one-lane road is bordered by waterfalls, rushing muddy streams, and hand painted signs advertising “trucha fresca” (fresh trout). Next we drove through the small city center of Santo Domingo where pig carcasses, sawn neatly in half hang on the porches of shops and restaurants, announcing “platos hornados” (roasted pork plates) for lunch. After Santo Domingo we drove west through rolling green cattle pastures, then through banana and cacao plantations. We then passed through Chone, as we neared the coastline, the landscape turned into a dry and rocky desert, complete with cacti and donkeys tied up in the shoulder of the highway to graze on the roadside grass. The next towns we passed, Puertoviejo and Jipijapa were still even closer to the coastline and it was along this part of the drive where I saw the most interesting trees. The trees were huge, with thick, curvy trunks covered almost completely with what appeared to be a thick coating of bright green fungus. The branches, which swirled out in all directions were completely leafless. Where the branches grow from the trunks are folds and wrinkles. They looked to me like feminine bodies, arched and stretching up towards the sky. I told Justin they were likely tree goddesses. It wasn’t until I got home to Google that I was able to learn the name of this tree – the Kapok tree, (or Ceibo tree) which turns out to have a pretty neat mythology if you’re so inclined to read up on it later.

La Casa Blanca

The House Didn't Suck

We finally arrived in Ayampe and checked into to La Casa Blanca, our rental home for the week. The house was absolutely beautiful. Two bedrooms and bathrooms with teak flooring, separated by a large kitchen in the middle of the house. Upstairs was a game room with big couches, ping pong and pool tables. The house had a front porch that ran the length of the house where the large dining table was located, and we ate all of our meals there. There was even a small pool and hot tub in the yard, surrounded by blooming hibiscus plants that were home to both bees and humming birds. The house was a 5 minute walk to the beach. The sand wasn’t white like in Florida, but more of a dark gray and it was scorching hot on bare feet! The shore was scattered with smooth rocks of varying shades of green, blue, and terra cotta.

The next four days were spent like this: sleep in, wake up and have scrambled eggs and coffee. Float

Ayampe's Landmark Twin Rock Islands

around in the pool. Walk to the beach. Lay in the sand. Pick up rocks. Dip in the water. Watch Justin surf. Read book. Drink beer. Jump into the swimming pool. Eat fresh ceviche made in our own kitchen by hired chef. Make and drink pina coladas. Swing in the hammock. Read book. Take nap. Walk to the tienda. Buy more beer. Buy ice cream. Read. Shower. Read. Sleep. Start over the next day. It was glorious. (If you’re wondering what I was reading in the hammock it was an Agatha Christie – I just adore Miss Marple! Followed by an Alan Bradley mystery. I’m on a bit of a murder mystery, who-dunnit kick these days.)

Having Fresh Ceviche Prepared

I love eating fresh fish, especially when at the beach. Ceviche for lunch, fried fish or grilled fish for dinner. Every day for five days. Did I get sick of eating so much fish?! Pshhaw! Poppycock! I’m only sad I couldn’t have found a way to incorporate fish into my breakfast dishes. It was delicious and fresh and so, so good and I’m already missing it.

Even Howie sampled a little ceviche and he approved. Howie had a fantastic time playing with our friends’ daughter. There were hours and hours of throwing the ball, trying to get Howie to jump in the pool, Howie eating splashes from the pool, Howie eating waves at the beach, even Howie eating a few bees and flies. I think Howie even got a bit of a sunburn on his legs.

We all had a lovely, relaxing, luxurious time. On the last day I ate four ice cream sandwiches in a row. Oh the indulgence!! We arrived back in Quito Friday night and have had a few more days’ downtime before having to return to work again tomorrow. I’m hoping we can have a beach week part 2 in April for Spring Break. 

UNI/USA

Happy Anniversary!

About a week ago we celebrated our one year anniversary for when we made the decision to sign our contracts and come to Ecuador. As result of the milestone we decided to host a UNI/USA party. UNI is one of three main universities in the United States that hosts their yearly international teaching job fairs. We decided to theme the party around the USA as a celebration of all things that we loved and missed about the States. It was a celebration of all that we’ve accomplished in the past year including all of the difficult moments such as a lack of hot water for three weeks, car buying, etc. It was also a celebration of our own personal heritage and a chance to do some things that are American.

It was a pretty small gathering with only about 5 of us, but that made it a pretty cool and unique experience. When Shannon and I were hired on a Saturday, the school hosted an orientation of sorts the following day. The orientation had a few people who were already hired as well as a few last minute hopefuls and they talked a bit about what it was like to live and work in Ecuador. At the conclusion of the meeting, the principals put a few chairs in a circle and said “Now be friends…” to us and another couple. When we asked about it later they said they had a philosophy of hiring couples and people of similar backgrounds whenever possible because it makes the teachers feel more comfortable living and working abroad and the hope is that they are comfortable enough to continue to stay and call it a home rather than a stop. It was kind of awkward in a blind date sort of way but we did become friends pretty quickly and continue to hang out a lot.

We also met another couple at the fair who seemed nice. When I first posted about the job fair I mentioned that while all of the people seemed professional and courteous, it was weird to think that often times they were after the same position. This was the case with one guy I met last year who was up against me for the same position. I remember him seeking Shannon and I out after we were offered the job and he asked if we were going to accept. I believe he had an offer contingent upon our answer and I felt pretty bad when I told him that we were going to accept. As it turned out, he was offered a different position and in my time working with him I truly have come to respect and admire him as one of the best educators I’ve ever seen. I feel that while it may be tip-toing the line of modesty, our school is lucky to have him and me both.

Well both couples attended this party we had and we celebrated all of the good times we’ve had and the fact that we all felt we had made the right decision.

We outlined a few basic rules such as, all items brought to the party must be American, even if it costs a little more money than the local items, and all participants must wear some sort of party appropriate attire. It was a small gathering but it was a blast. We had m&ms, skittles, coca cola, a full bbq full of burgers and hot dogs and wings, and some good ole’ fashioned Budweiser.

Looking back on our experiences over the past year was great. We ate until we were ready to burst. We toasted to our good fortunes, and we speculated what might have been had we taken some of the other offers we were presented with. And of course we had a nice little YouTube playlist of songs celebrating America headed by the one and only Bruce Springsteen of course.

We hope to make the UNI/USA party a yearly tradition, but even if that falls through it was nice to take a moment to sit back and relax and reflect on the year that has passed.

Zoom Zoom

We’ve officially had possession of our car for a little less than a month. After we got it, we had to leave it in the garage for a few days (i.e.-a week and a half) while insurance was taken care of. After that we had to take it to a mechanic for one or two tweaks that needed to be done. Once we finally had everything up and running we got it detailed at our school. Apparently a detailer comes to our school every Tuesday and will meet you in the garage. If you give him your keys and $5 he will wash and detail the inside and outside of your car. If you really want to feel fancy and have a full wax, the total will run you $9 and it’s ready by the time you leave for the day. It’s a pretty sweet deal.

Anyway, after all of the waiting and a few trips to the grocery store, we were ready to take the car for her maiden voyage. With how cheap the cabs are in Quito and how everything can be reached within a $6 ride we originally did not plan on getting a car. It wasn’t until uncomfortable walks home from the grocery store and the realization that this beautiful country has so much to offer if you can get there, that we realized that we needed a car.

So with keys in hand and an upcoming 13 day vacation in the middle of February we decided to take a drive and have an adventure. Oh it was definitely that.

And this is BEFORE it got
bad.

We arranged for a nice beach house with another couple and their family in the small little fishing town of Ayampe which is just past Puerto Lopez. The drive was scheduled to take us about 8 hours each way even though it was less than 300 miles. The nature of the city lends itself to many winding and slow roads in and out of town as you have to climb down mountains, through the clouds, and towards sea level.

We stocked up on gas and snacks and situated Howie in the back seat with a few of his favorite toys and a bowl of water and left Monday morning at 6am sharp. We made it out of the city just as the sun was beginning to rise and that of course means we were at cloud height. It’s really interesting to live at or on some days above cloud height because it isn’t until you descend from the mountain that you really get in the thick of it. On this particular day it was a nightmare. Imagine driving during the first breaths of dawn when the sun isn’t really up yet but the light on the horizon starts to reflect on the road. Now imagine that but on top of it the light also reflects on the clouds rendering everything in front of you invisible past 13 feet. Now imagine those conditions but in the middle of one of those old “Zoom Zoom Mazda” commercials. That’s what we were up against. Also I hadn’t driven a car even once in about 6 months. It was a little scary at times and also a lot of fun.

As we came down from the clouds and the sun finally appeared, we found ourselves in the middle of the rain forest. Again we’re talking about one lane slick wet roads, steep descents, but also on top of it lush green and waterfalls. Driving through the Ecuadorian rain forests towns was one of the most breathtaking things I’ve ever experienced. The fact that we live in the city and the only green we see is at the park when we choose to seek it out made us appreciate the scenery even more.

Don't go chasin' waterfalls

Now know this; if you ever drive through the Ecuadorian rain forests be prepared to drive aggressively. On these roads you will find an equal number of SUVs attempting to qualify for the Daytona 500, rickety old fruit carts, and oil tanker trucks. Half of the cars travel at about 70mph while the others drive at 5mph. Everyone treats these one lane roads (to be clear one lane each direction) as if they are highways meant for passing. Once every 30 seconds or so you see a car speed past you to pass as a hairpin turn approaches and a 50/50 shot that a car is coming in the other lane. It’s ridiculous. At other times, you have to be that person making the bold decisions to pass people on the mountain roads; otherwise you are choosing to have an 8 hr drive turn into a 39 hr drive.

At some parts of the road there were clear spots where the outer most lane had just collapsed into the nothingness below with no guard rail or sign. At other parts you could see the boulders, dirt, and rock that had rolled off the side of the mountain earlier in the morning. It was insane.

The rain forest was an exhilarating ride. For those of you who think. For all of the beauty of the surrounding area and the danger lying around every corner due to the drivers, there is also the challenge of the path itself. I am not exaggerating when I say that you turn 45 degrees left then 45 degrees right over and over and over for about 5 hours straight while on an incline. If you don’t believe me, check out this map.

It looks tough enough but now imagine the road on a 45 degree decline.

Once you leave the rain forest you take side roads through small shanty towns until you get to the beach highway which was perhaps my favorite part of the trip. As you approach the highway you are again in another mountain road winding left and right and all of the sudden as you emerge from the mountain all you see in front of you is the deepest blue ocean you can imagine with white soft sand running alongside it. The highway runs parallel to the beach and winds back and forth as if you’re racing the Pacific Ocean. It was something out of a James Bond movie. There were 180 foot rock faced cliffs leaving off into the ocean at one turn and a sprawling array of fishing boats trying to get the day’s tuna at the next.

After our trip, it was time to do it all again, only this time UP hill! That was fun too although there were a few moments when I thought the new car was going to give out. First test passed!

Overall the drive to the coast was dangerous. There was literally potential for death around every turn. But when approached with caution, it was one of the most remarkable things I’ve ever seen and without a doubt the most fun drive I’ve ever had. Ecuador is a small country but the chance to drive through the mountains, clouds, rain forest, and beach in one day is something I won’t ever forget.

Swim Team

Since November I’ve been coaching the school’s swim team and our season just wrapped up at the end of January. The other coach and I decided to host an invitational swim meet to cap off our revival of the team. We invited all the local schools in Quito that have swim teams and three of the schools accepted our invite. The invitational meet ran over a Friday afternoon and Saturday morning and including the 23 swimmers from our own team, the pool hosted over 90 athletes! It was definitely a complicated event to organize, but I’m proud to say we pulled it off quite well. 

We scored the meet based on points for each event. So, 1^st place would earn 6 points, 2^nd place would earn 5 points, etc. This way, even a swimmer coming in last in their event could earn a point for their team. Relays were worth double the points. I asked Justin to serve as scorekeeper, entering times into the meet manager as they were delivered to him on slips of wet paper from student volunteer runner. And I am pleased to report our team came in first place! (Editor's Note: I did not in any way shade the scoring to favor our school or Shannon's team) I underestimated how significant this win would be for our team – until I saw the faces of joy and heard the jubilant screams in the gym when the winner was announced. Our kids were ecstatic. And this was just an incredible ending to a really fun, positive, and personally rewarding coaching season. After the award ceremony I was embraced by happy parents, and posed for pictures with my athletes. One appreciative mom even gave me a watch as a thank-you gift. Wow! (Hello, private school!). Then, the other coach and I took ourselves out to a celebratory lunch of Mexican food and margaritas. It’s been a few years since I’ve coached a team and I really did enjoy getting back into it. This experience allowed me to bond with kids on another level that isn’t always attainable in a classroom setting and I am grateful to have been able to connect with a lot of the older kids that I don’t get to see in my current role at school.

Look at that trophy!

And in a few weeks, I’ll receive my stipend. A whopping $500! I’m not exactly sure on the calculation, but I think that averages out to roughly $4/hour?? It’s better not to do the math on these things…

But unfair labor practices aside, Justin and I have decided that this year, we will put both of our coaching stipends (my swimming and his basketball) toward our wedding fund! So not only did I have a fun season, meet some great kids, and another wonderful swim coach, but this coaching season will also be our first step towards planning for our wedding. And that’s adorable.

Futbol y Football

Last Sunday rolled around and with it we celebrated our one year anniversary of making the decision to come to Ecuador. I’ll let Shannon touch more on that later but in the meantime I’ll fill you in on the rest of the week.

Arriving in Style...VIP

It’s obviously a huge American tradition to celebrate the Super Bowl. It’s less of a game and more of a cultural event and a friendly gathering. Well we weren't going to let another hemisphere have all of the fun, but before we set off for the Super Bowl party we did have to pay homage to our host country by going to a futbol game.

I hadn't been to a soccer game since we came to Ecuador. I have seen how pervasive and omnipresent the influence of soccer is in this community. My students are obsessed with it. Every commercial on tv is about it. Every storefront and restaurant represents their favorite teams and players. Yet I still hadn't partaken in any soccer myself so naturally when I was invited to the first game of the season I said yes without hesitating.

Go Deportivo Quito!

Now to be up front, soccer was never my sport of choice growing up. I had friends who played it and even a family member who wrote a book about it. Basketball, football, baseball, hockey, and basketball again were always my personal favorites and while I always had respect for soccer players and their insane athleticism I never really got into it.

After finding out we were moving to South America I watched a lot of World Cup the summer before leaving and felt relatively prepared at least from a rudimentary stand point on the most simple strategies, and on the rules. I was ready.

A group of about six of us met up on Sunday and went to the game. One among us was a local 

Ecuadorian so we let him do the talking. He told us to wait in front of the stadium a midst the swelling crowds and disappeared. He came back a few minutes later and told us to follow him past the lines and past the police barricade.

I can’t confirm this but I would say I’m about 97% sure he bribed someone, but either way we got past everything and went into a VIP area. It was fenced off from the rest of the stadium and of the crowd and we had no lines for bathrooms or food. It was great. I would say the seats were the equivalent of 50 yard line 20 rows up in a football game. The cost for being separated from the common folk and getting the Presidential treatment…$20. I could get used to this.

From our seats, we could see the whole stadium including the clear segregation of Emelec and Quito fans. They were two competing seas of human beings; one clad in the red and blue of Deportivo Quito and the other in the Navy and White of Emelec. It felt like something much bigger than a sporting event. I don't say this lightly. I grew up going to games in Philadelphia. In Philly, we take everything way too seriously. Every game is like a playoff game and if Santa dares to wear the logo of both teams participating instead of just the home team, he will be pelted with snow and batteries. This game equaled that passion and it was a meaningless game by most accounts. I loved it. I loved the passion, the intensity, and how seriously people were taking this game. The game had stakes because the fans were willing it to that place. 

Home Base for the Enemy, Emelec

The local team that happens to be a very poor team performance wise, Deportivo Quito was playing the defending league champions from Guayaquil, Emelec. We cheered our heads off, had some cervezas, sandwiches, and empanadas and had the time of our lives. The game ended in a 1-1 tie but it felt like a Deportivo Quito win due to the skill discrepancy and the expectations.  It was a great way to kick off the day.

After we went to the game, we went over to watch the Super Bowl at a friends house where we were stuffed with an even more delicious array of food and drink. We were hosted by a few friends from Seattle so we obviously rooted for the Seahawks, but we know how it all turned out.

All in all, it was a fantastic football and futbal filled day and may be the catalyst to a new yearly tradition. 

All in All Not a Bad Day