Anyhow, we passed through two metal/bomb screeners and were issued special passes that designated us as visitors that must be escorted at all times. I can’t imagine what the Embassy is like in Iraq! The “meeting” started with us watching a power point about how the Embassy works and how Ecuador is a struggling and very dangerous country. They have currently designated the country as “critical” (the highest) in terms of crime. I drew serious contention with one aspect of the presentation though. In the power point the US is described as significantly helping Ecuador through anti-narcotics funding, particularly near the northern border with Colombia. “Once the dangerous drug problem has been curbed Ecuador will be able to proceed forward.” Now, wars against drug cartels have been waged for a quite some time and has the drug problem really lessened? Might that same funding be better used to help raise the economic, social, and health indices of the majority of Ecuadorians so that they wouldn’t have to engage in drug running in the first place? I don’t know, just a thought.
The last part of the meeting was great, we were introduced to Kevin Skillin, the Embassy’s Cultural Affairs Officer (and a former Ecuador Fulbright Fellow!) who informed us of upcoming events as well as offered their support if we wanted to create any outreach or informational programs with their help.
After the meeting the fellows in attendance at the meeting all decided to go out for lunch (if I haven’t mentioned it yet, lunch is the largest meal of the day, usually conducted around 2pm). We ended up at a Lebanese place and the food was a bunch of different dips or spreads to be eaten with pita bread. The bill with tax and tip for each person was $10 (including dessert). Now this may seem cheap but many little mom and pop lunch stops where you can get soup, a plate of rice/meat/other, some fruit, and juice cost between $1 and $1.50!
Leaving the meeting I decided to bike over to my “Grandmother’s” house and see what her exchange student (Laura, a junior from Willamette studying at USFQ) was doing. I met Laura back at one of the huge family gatherings and we’ve stayed in touch. She was the first American I met here and it was nice to speak a little English and rest my brain. Laura wasn’t up to too much and we decided to go for an adventure. Leaving the bike we picked a direction, west, and started walking in a straight line. After 30-40 minutes we were way above the main portion of the city. A beautiful vista greeted us, bolts of sun piercing the clouds to reflect off the tall skyscrapers. Unfortunately I did not bring my camera, but I will provide photos of the view in the future. Turning my gaze from the city and looking around me I was struck with the sharp dichotomy that is Ecuador. Shacks constructed from trash, tin, and brick lay all about me, innocent children playing in the dirt. The haves and the have-nots, will it ever change? I must continue to believe it can.
A view I can provide a picture of is below. There is another park nearby that is right on the brim of a large ravine cutting away from the city. One has to be careful in such parks as there are no rules about dog owners picking up their pooch’s doo-doo and as such landmines litter the grass.
(View from the park)
I’m off to read up on the work done so far by Dr. Guevara on Chagas disease; interesting and great Spanish practice! Buenas noches, -Michael
2 comments:
Dear Michael,
I am at your mom and dad's having dinner!! One of my favorite activities, salmon and roasted butternut squash and apple crisp...yes I am suffering!1 This is an experiment to see if I can do this Love your lovely language!!!
It worked!!!
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