A Day Off

Perfection. Today was the perfect day off. It started bright and early with a bowl of fruit in the kitchen with mi mama and her daughter. I then went on a run around the city in gorgeous crisp weather, sun high in the sky. Multiple people were out exercising this morning and people exercising are always happy to be up and outside. I then met Elizabeth Thurber (Liz), one of our team leaders, and Maria Luz, director of the Ecuador program, to walk a 5k together. This 5k was truly Ecuador style. It was scheduled to begin at 9am, meaning that at 9am they were still setting up tents, people were still collecting, and much socializing was happening. The race did not actually begin until after 9:30 and what a race it was. We were pushing the pace with a speed walk at the front followed by hundreds of Ecuadorians some in intense workout gear and others in casual day clothes. It was a colorful crowd for sure. Liz and I enjoyed wonderful conversation about families, futures, pasts, people etc. She is in her 2^nd year out of Oberlin and this is a summer job for her as she hunts for her ideal occupation. I am so encouraged by her and learn a lot by spending time in her presence. She is easy to be around, knowledgable, well traveled and just a joyful, gentle spirit. After the walk there was free fruit and you would think they were giving away $50 bills the way the Ecuadorians swamped the table. I jumped in the pack for an apple and a pear myself. This 5k was oh so different than any I have ever done before.

After the 5k, I changed and met our intern team to take taxis to the Banos, or hot springs. The taxi cab driver quickly carried us to the baths traveling at up to 100 km/h, I feared for my life. Disappointed with the baths, 3 of my friends and I decided to only stay for lunch and then venture back down into the city. Ice Cream, hippie jewelry makers, and a new pair of incredible Ecuadorian pants defined our afternoon. We all kindly bought flowers for our host families ($1 for a 4 rose arrangement) and headed home. I packed up, sadly, and then headed to Emilia and Wick’s houses were I spent the rest of the evening visiting with them and their adorable host mother’s. I am legitimately sad to be leaving Cuenca. It really has become like home and I am just beginning to get the feel for the city, my family, and my favorite past times here. Packing up again, this new place will certainly stop time once again and throw me into further discomfort—what I said I wanted, right?

I am headed to sleep as I am getting up early in the morning to see the other group of interns off to their separate site in Riobamba. It is truly difficult that the group is being torn down the seams as we have all gotten so close and work as a unit so effectively. Although most of these people I have only known for 2 weeks, spending 2 weeks apart now seems like a small tragedy. It really will just throw of the dynamic because we function so well as a large group and have begun to figure one another out. Relationships are truly amazing. It will be interesting to see how the next two weeks redefines relationships/ the group as the pool of people narrows.

Nighty tighty.

Hasta luego,

Cate