Weekend of nothing (not really)

Saturday morning I heard this car beeping, and I thought, “Oh, boy, those people are going to get in trouble. Making all that noise is going to scare off the animalitos.” Needless to say, my subconscious thought I was still in the jungle. I was proud of having slept in and a little weirded out the Z wasn’t home, but I just assumed she had gone to the gym and made myself a PB&J and hot chocolate. I also found as scale and (if it’s correct) I’ve lost 5 pounds since coming here, even though I’ve been eating tons of food and not running. Hopefully it’s not muscle mass I’m losing, right? Anyway, I spent pretty much ALL DAY blogging for you guys (and facebooking, and checking email, and occasionally doing homework…) As for Z, an old worker from her parents’ hacienda came over to visit. I said hi and ate lunch with them (to-die-for broccoli soup, really good fish, lentils, rice, fried plantains) but I didn’t talk to him much. At 3, a girl who had been here 4 or 5 years ago as a student from Georgetown came over to visit because she’s in a medicine-related program for the summer. She had the craziest story! I guess she came back to Ecuador after the summer program and fell in love with a host-brother (not Z’s) and they were super-serious, dating for like 14 months or something. They were going to get married, but the boyfriend finished his lawyer studies here and would basically have to start them all over again if he moved to the US, plus he wants to become a professor here to teach Ecuadorians because most good professors leave the country. She can’t exactly transfer her medical studies here, so they broke up. She’s still pretty upset and it’s really too bad they can’t work something out. She was really sweet. So I went back to blogging, ate the same dinner, and called Maddy to go out, Jacob wanted to come too. Z called a cab for me and I picked them up, then we went out. We managed to meet up with practically every other person in the program. We split up into groups, and I ended up staying with the group with the most guys. It was actually really a good idea because I felt infinitely safer (Maddy usually dresses too American and we get way too much attention) plus I was in high demand as a dance partner. We ended the night with nachos and strawberry juice (some people might think it’s a waste to be drinking juice when the drinking age is 18 and beer is so cheap, but the juice here is AMAZING. None of that Minute Maid disgustingness) and I took a cab back with Jacob. Ecuador has really spoiled me; I was upset that it cost $6, which is a lot because we are gringos. I got home fine and the guard gave me my key (I leave it with him before going out so no one has a chance to steal it). I woke up waay to early this morning, was treated to a big breakfast of omelet and PB&J and tea, and did homework/blogging until Enrique came to pick us up. His son, Quiquo, drove (crazily…) We went down to Cumbayá, the same district as USFQ, to this place that was half park, half country club. There were little pavilions to sit and eat, sidewalks to go for walks, a pool, and a little fish garden thingie. It was really nice. A few relatives were already there, with the two cutest little boys ever that reminded me of Danny and Nate. At first I tried to remember names, but then we went on a walk and more people came, and I gave up. I used to think that the whole Ecuadorian kiss thing was a little lame and rather inconvenient, but after today I am a strong supporter of a cultural adaptation in the US. Everyone came up to give me the besito, so everyone knew who I was and I had vague ideas of who everyone else was. They gave me Sprite and Coke (all pop is called soda) and I was offered beer. I didn’t really know what to do because I’m not sure if turning stuff down is seen as in insult or whatever, but none of the other women were drinking, so I just followed the gender roles. We ate soup (I’m pretty sure there would be a national crisis if Ecuador ever somehow ran out of soup) and chicken, rice, potatoes, French fries, and salad. I was a little freaked out because I couldn’t wash my hands and there were a couple breaches of hygiene that wouldn’t kill me, but whatever. I sat and ate, feeling a little awkward because I couldn’t really talk to anyone because everyone was old and I had a hard time picking up in the middle of conversations. The whole ordeal made me a little sad and a little homesick, because it reminded me of Ferenec family picnics and Ridgeville parties and stuff. The family in the pavilion next to us was getting really wild, dancing and stuff. There was a bulldog, characteristically ugly, but the entire family completely adored it. I asked its name, and I heard “helado” which means “ice cream,” and I was about to prepare myself to die laughing until they corrected me, his name was “Lalo.” Ecuadorians are so chill. Lalo wandered over to another pavilion and instead of getting angry or acting embarrassed, the family got all cuddly with him and took care of him for a while. Anyway, there was cake, too, this dry lemony thing, but there was also to-die-for ice cream (I had really wanted a milkshake last night, so this was perfect) oreo and chocolate brownie, plus another kind of cake with chocolate filling. It might have been just because it was father’s day, but the women did all of the work cooking, serving, etc. It was funny, because there was one mom who was obviously in charge and taking care of everything, kind of like what happens whenever there’s a get-together at home. After I finished eating I didn’t know what to do. Z was kind of a wallflower, too, because Enrique’s just her boyfriend and she’s not really related to anyone. There were a couple of younger guys there, and so I decided to be brave and sat next to this one guy on the grass under the pretense of watching a soccer game between another older cousin and the little boys. Even though he was kind of awkward, Alejandro was really nice and easy to talk to; college-age kids are always easy to talk to because you have a whole series of related questions: major, postgrad plans, extracurriculars, siblings (although Alejandro didn’t have any. Bummer)… and being a foreigner had its perks because I could talk about Ohio. It started raining so we moved inside the pavilion, and the grownups talked to me a little bit, too, always complimenting my Spanish; I think I completely shocked them. Like I’m sure I’ve mentioned, the last girl Z had hardly knew any Spanish at all and cried all the time; she must have left a lasting impression on Enrique’s family. There was this really cute cousin, too, who was a RUNNER, but he wasn’t chatty at all. As I was moving on to more distant conversation topics Quiquo said it was time to go, so I followed Z down the line of besitos. By this time it was cold. When we arrived, I had been burning up. Some four hours later, I was cold. Something random: there’s a lot of graffiti in Quito as in any other city, but a favorite blueprint tends to be [name], TE AMO. (I love you.) I know graffiti is a public nuisance and all, but the storybook side of me thinks it’s sweet and even a little romantic. So I was a little pumped when I saw an “Andrea, te amo” graffiti. It was pretty. Not that it had anything to do with me, unless I’ve unknowingly stolen the heart of some random individual with some red spray paint, but it was cool to see. I also heard a country song on the radio, which was cool. I miss really random things. Back at the apartment I finished up some blogs (AND I AM ALMOST DONE) and Skyped with my parents for some sort of ridiculously long record time, and I lost internet only once. Afterward Z fed me chicken, pasta, and Jamaica juice. I am really glad to be finishing up this incessant blogging because I’d like to finish homework and do something… like knitting. Two more weeks of class (cloud forest next weekend) and one week in the Galápagos. Here’s where I need some advice. The program ends on the 11th, my pane ticket is for the 18th so I’d have time to chill, visit some places, explore the city a little more, etc. However, nearly all of the other kids who are staying are going to Columbia. I would totally go, but it would cost $200 JUST to change my plane ticket, then I’d have to worry about money for hostel/hotels, food, and transportation. In any other case it would be worth it because my chances of returning to South America are slim (although not inexistent), but I’ve already taken out $9,000 in loans just for Ecuador. So no. I have no problem staying in Ecuador, but the thing is I don’t want to travel (or even go out in the city) by myself; I don’t have any host siblings or many Ecuadorian friends. Questions: Should I keep my ticket and risk being bored for a week, or change it back to go home earlier if it’s not too expensive?