San Clemente (parte uno)

I realize I haven’t blogged in almost two weeks (sorry Jessica), which is a new record for this blog. There are two main reasons for that: the first is that nothing much had happened (except a run with my brother-in-law which hopefully I’ll write about soon) since I last blogged about Baños until last weekend. I’m feeling settled here in Ecuador and am enjoying the fact that some days now just feel normal. The other reason is that what did happen last week that was different is not the ideal topic for a blog. I will say these things: 1. Check expiration date of foods PRIOR to eating them 2. Don’t eat expired foods, especially if said food is already slightly toxic to humans 3. A lot of dignity can go out the window in a matter of seconds (har har Brianne, see the pun?) 4. I have a new talent that if you want to know what it is, you’ll have to ask me.

Suffice it to say that last week was not my highlight of Ecuador thus far. However, bad weeks make the next weeks even better and my weekend certainly proved that as the Pitzer crew headed to San Clemente to enjoy the long weekend with our rural homestay families. It was so incredible that I’m doing this blog in two parts to capture what I can. Saturday was our travel day and after some confusion about the company sending us the wrong kind of car, we headed out. On the way we stopped at Otavalo, a huge market north of Quito. We shopped around and got some amazing deals (hammocks for $8 anyone?) then ate and continued on our way. A great bargaining strategy is to not actually know what you want so continuously walk away without being phased. Prices will drop fast. We made it to San Clemente and were greeted by the – actually I’m not sure what her title is – but she organizes things for the community and seems to be the leader and go-to person. Her name is Martina and I think that it’s fabulous that the community is run by a woman, especially with the machismo culture of Ecuador. They were very welcoming and we spent the late afternoon relaxing in their living room. Ami played guitar and I built the fire. Soon Sebastián came in with a yummy smelling pot of drink called, “caneleza” – which basically means sugar, cinnamon, and maybe some other sweet stuff. There’s a bigger story with that, but this (double) blog is long enough as it is. We ate dinner at Martina’s house and I ate nearly everything even though I was already full and then our host families came to pick us up. 

This went more how I expected the family pick up to go. We all waited in the house holding our stuff (including our 6 liters of clean water) and Martina stood in the doorway calling out our names as our families arrived. When my name was called I was told that my host mom wasn’t there, but that my brother, Edison, was there to pick me up. That did nothing to ease my nerves, especially after I went up to my brother as if to hug him and then stopped because it felt awkward so he went to shake my hand or something and I decided to finish giving him the hug (AND THE KISS ON [let's be real: in the air next to] HIS RIGHT CHEEK GO ME!) It was still awkward. Alas. Sebastián had told us that some houses were super close to Martina’s and others were at most a 15 minute walk or so. This was a lie. I’ve noticed that in Ecuador, people often make things seem a lot closer than they are. We began our trek in the dark with no flashlight or anything of that nature. It began quite treacherously. Edison was stoic with me up until the last evening of my stay so that first night he said nothing. Apparently the other families walking with us were warning their student about holes, pigs, and other dangerous things, but by some miracle I made it safely with no direction. I walked the same walk the next morning and it definitely was amazing that I didn’t break a leg or run into a pig. Regardless, we made it safely to the pebbly, cobbled road and began our ascent of what I can only call the mountain. A little girl began walking with me and eventually grabbed my hand at which point I figured out she was my host sister. I talked to her for a bit of the walk (hike) and my heart and nerves definitely melted right then. I had started the walk with Brianne, Sarah, and Marley and jealousy crept in as I watched them all go down into their houses. My lungs and I were extremely grateful when Edison finally pointed down, off the road, to a house and told me it was theirs. My host mom, María, greeted me, and introduced me to her husband, Juan, and her other daughter, Nataly, and showed me where the main bathroom (an outhouse typed deal) and my bedroom were. The room I was in was in a different house than what seemed like the main house. It was only 8:30 or so, but I was overly full and exhausted so they told me to rest and went back about their night. 

As I was journaling in bed, I heard American voices. I was incredibly confused and couldn’t figure out where they were coming from. I tried looking out the window, but it was pitch black so I couldn’t see anything. Finally I figured out that they must be in the room next to me or under me. I heard them talking about how they needed toothpaste so after brushing my teeth I went down and knocked on one of the doors to see if they needed to borrow mine. A boy answered, but it was clear he had been sleeping or about to sleep and I wasn’t feeling well so I hurriedly asked if he wanted to borrow my toothpaste and he said no, but that they might need it tomorrow and I said no problem, I explained that I was sleeping upstairs, I told him my name and then I left. When I went back upstairs I was still very confused as to why there would be Americans in rural Ecuador (aside from myself and the Pitzer students of course). However, I didn’t have time to wonder too much about it because I promptly felt very sick. I’ll skip the details, but I ended up throwing up and did not know what to do. I didn’t know where my family was or if it would be as bad as the last time I had been sick and I tend to worry, so I called Sebastián who said he would call the family and then come and get me so I could sleep in the house he was in in case it was like my Wednesday. 

Unfortunately one of my tendencies is to hold all emotions in until I can’t anymore, so I was pretty much sitting on my floor sobbing about many many random things [I haven’t run in three days, I want a hug from my mom, I forgot to pack my sun hat etc.] when María walked in. She talked to me soothingly and told me she was making tea and that it would all be alright. She tried to distract me by showing me her shirt that she had embroidered. My little sister, Jesenya, who had held my hand on the walk up came up too and María told me that when Jesenya had heard that I was sick she had been really worried and wanted to come see me. All of this was amazing and nice but I just couldn’t do anything but sit there (still on the floor) and cry. It was quite pathetic and I’m sure they were very confused because being sick is simply not that big of a deal. Eventually Edison came up with two cups of tea. María told me one “oregano” would make my stomach feel better and the other “coco” would make me feel better (in a more emotional/mental capacity) as well as help with my energy. I knew oregano was oregano and coco was coconut and had no idea how coconut would make me feel better, but as I was sitting on the floor crying I didn’t have many other options. I drank both and my stomach did feel better and I was feeling happier when Sebastián and Viviana collected me. By then it was 10 or so and we made the long walk down to Martina’s that I had so recently walked up. 

            By 11 or so I was in bed and feeling better after more tea from Martina. Apparently tea solves everything. The next day I woke feeling completely better and head on the now-lit, yet still dangerous, path to the soccer field. I ended up playing in part of the soccer tournament that the village was having. It was a blast. Marley, Ami, Lilly, and I all joined the San Clemente team. I hadn’t planned on playing so I was out in the field in my jeans with all of these very tough and prepared women (dura is the word in Spanish that most properly fits) from our community and the community we were playing against. It wasn’t pro soccer or anything, but I hadn’t played in years so I found myself cracking up at my mistakes and being grateful when any of the good players would have the ball. The men from the communities were all watching and laughing the whole time too, which I found a little rude, but let it go. To be fair, they definitely had reason to laugh, at least at me. Any time the ball came anywhere near my face I just dodged it. Being hit by something wasn’t on my priority list for the day. I can just imagine the men asking themselves, “who is the scaredy cat white gringa losing our game for us??” I played half and then was so exhausted that I ended up sitting out the second half. We did win that game and then again in the final game on Tuesday, which as it turns out, means that we helped win San Clemente a sheep. We’re invited back to the killing and eating of the sheep party that they’re having in a couple weeks. Awesome. 

Photo courtesy of Ami's camera

After the game Edison collected me and we trekked back up to the house. I was served lunch and ate it with Jesenya. Afterwards I asked Nataly if there was anything I could do or help with as I’d been told that there were always chores or at least embroidering to do in the rural stay, but she just told me to go rest. I was tired so I set my alarm for 3:30 (the Pitzer crew was meeting at 4 to hang out) and promptly fell asleep. I woke up before my alarm to the sound of loud American voices saying “are you sure you weren’t dreaming?” and then “NO! I think she said her name was… Jordan?” I decided I should make myself known at that point so I walked out the door to see a few middle school aged Americans sitting in the yard talking while María embroidered on the stoop watching them, looking confused. They looked at me and I said “I’m Jordan. I’m real - he wasn’t dreaming” They seemed surprised, but laughed and greeted me kindly. I talked a little with them and they told me why they were there etc. None of them spoke much Spanish so when I went over to María I asked about it and she explained that it was hard because she didn’t know what they needed or what they were talking about. She then asked if I wanted to learn to embroider to which I told her of course I did! It was fairly simple and, although I know I don’t seem like the housewife/embroider type, I enjoyed it immensely.

 

María and I were chatting as we embroidered and somehow tea came up and she asked if I wanted to see a “coca” leaf. I looked at my watch and realized I needed to head down to Martina’s so said that I needed to head out, but later I’d love to, and then something clicked. “¿Oja de coca?” I asked (coca leaf?) “¿Estaba en el té que me dio anoche?” (it was the tea you gave me last night?) Grinning, my host mom responded yes exactly! She seemed happy that I’d put two and two together. I’m sure I must’ve turned bright red at that point, but I thanked her again and scurried on my way to Martina’s house. You see, the night before, I thought she had said “coco” when she had said “coca” and “coca” is the plant that cocaine is made of. I had unknowingly drunk coca leaves. Of course I got very dramatic about having done drugs – especially after Sarah said that if I took a drug test anytime within 24 hours it would show traces of cocaine. I don’t actually know if that’s true, but I definitely didn’t expect to be doing my first drugs in rural Ecuador*. 

*Note: (particularly to future employers and Grammy) this is a joke. Coca leaf tea is not anywhere near cocaine. I have not and will not be doing drugs. 

[to be continued]