Novice High!

2.9.11

Today was a great day! When we got to school, we chatted about our different host family experiences thus far. Everyone loves their host family and some have really humorous stories. After that we took the bus to the center of town with our language facilitators to buy our cell phones. I brought the money I needed to buy a cell phone, except I forgot my actual cell phone at the house. Doh! I am going to try and use my cell phone I brought from the States to save some money. I just have to get it unlocked and then buy a chip (aka sim card) for about $10 and then also buy some minutes for another $10. Not too shabby. But the sucky part is that the minutes will only stay on my phone for one month. If I don’t use them, I lose them!

After we got back to the training center I had my NRC interview. They read off some words and I had to say yes or no. For example: follower, leader, organizer, etc. Then they asked me if I had any environmental experience and I told them about my volunteer experience in the Dominican Republic. And well, that’s about it. Since I’m a business major, I definitely don’t know much about the outdoors. But that’s what training is for. And the last question they asked me was, “if you could choose where you want to go for site, where would? Keep in mind we can’t promise anything.” I told her I would love to go to the Coast or the Sierra (aka Highlands or Mountains). They laughed and then responded, “How come no one wants to go to the Amazon??...... We don’t have many placements there so that’s okay.” Overall, I think it went well. We will find out where our site for the next 2 years will be in a few weeks. I’m hoping for the coast of the highlands, but I’m sure I will be happy wherever I am placed!

After lunch we talked about what we expect out of the cultural classes. Then we were assigned to our language groups. Remember we had our language interview the other day? Out of the 9 possible groups, I rated myself at Novice High. (If you don’t know what that is, check my previous blog for the different language levels) And that is exactly where they placed me!!!! So I was excited about that. I’m with 4 other people and they are all at the same level I am. It’s great. We had a 2 hour language lesson to finish off the day. Each person had to draw a logo of what they want to do at their site, as well as, a slogan for ourselves. My logo was an outline of Ecuador with different pictures: me teaching young children, some trees to represent conservation, a recycle symbol to represent recycling trash on the ground, and water to symbolize correct water sanitation. And my slogan was “to generate income without depleting natural resources.” To end class we had a brief history lesson of Ecuador… when it was colonized, when it received it’s independence, etc.

After class I walked home with some of my friends. It’s about a 3 mile walk or so. It felt SOOOOOOO freaking good to get some exercise in. I haven’t burned any energy since being here! It was great! We walked the whole way home on a bicycle trail, it was very pretty! J Since I don’t have a cell phone yet and couldn’t call her to tell her I would be later, I was worried that my mom was going to be wondering where I was, but she was totally fine with me walking home with my friends! So I told her if it wasn’t raining, I was going to start walking home from school so I could get some exercise. She was totally okay with that! Made me very happy!

I didn’t end up eating dinner tonight 1. Because I wasn’t hungry, and 2.  Every time I eat I get stomach pains. So instead of food my mom made me a glass of juice (FYI-when I say juice, it is ALWAYS blended fresh fruit, it is amazing!) and some type of tea for my stomach. I still got stomach pains after I drank those. I’m going to wait until Friday and if I still have pains, I am going to talk to the PC Medical Officer. It comes and goes in waves, it’s not 24/7, but last night it definitely kept me up for a good chunk of the night. Booo! But I’m definitely okay, no worries!

My host mother had a meeting tonight at 7, so she left after she boiled by tea. Her son was there and we chatted at the table for about 30 minutes because his wife was getting an injection in her butt so she wouldn’t have babies and his sons were at the movie theatre with their aunt seeing Repunzel. I asked him where he worked and he told me he works for a tree company. They plant Teak Trees, let them grow for 20 years, and then cut them down. They use the wood for furniture, outdoor structures, and wooden floors. He said these trees are the most expensive ones in the World. And his work also has to do with some kind of shareholders. 80% of the shareholders are in the U.S.A, and 20% of them are in Ecuador. Pretty interesting stuff.

Now I’m in my room typing up this blog! The kids got home from the theatre and came right up, sat on my bed, and told me all about it! Now it’s about 8:30pm my time, and I think I’m going to hit the sack, I’m so tired.

Oh yeah, tomorrow the NRC program isn’t going to the training center, we are having class in the park about 3 blocks away from my house. The only thing I know is that we are going to interview the local people. After class it is one of my friends birthdays so we are going to a bar to have a couple drinks. Should be a good time!

Hasta Luego,

Heather