¡Que viva Lumbisiiiiiii!

Sunday was the day of the parade. I got up early so I could get to Lumbisi by 10. Danielle met at the corner at 9 so we’d have plenty of time to get there. We made our way to the normal bus stop and waited. And waited. Eventually Bianca and Alex showed up but it had been at least 25min and no bus had come. We finally figured/found out that there are no buses that run to Lumbisi on Sundays. Since we had six- once Lauren and Betty showed up- we had to take separate cabs but we all got there fine. Just about everyone else was late too.

We practiced our dance a few more times- we really needed it plus Emily T hadn’t learned it at all yet- then got dressed. We seriously wore traditional Andean costumes. Us girls had a long embroidered blouse, a brightly colored pleated skirt, a belt, a blanket-sash thing and a necklace. The ‘boys’ (Christina was an honorary boy for our dance) wore a button-down shirt, furry chaps with bells, and thick ponchos. I was a little disappointed none of us got hats but I guess we had enough pieces already.

As we were getting dressed we also had a little lunch of sandwiches and fruit. Then we practiced again in costume and we were off! We walked back up to the main square and hung around looking ridiculous until our group was called to join the parade. We were second to last in line. The parade wasn’t long it just went from the park up to the stadium which is only five blocks or so. Also we didn’t dance in the parade- we just mobbed up the hill (it reminded me of ‘marching’ in band). Other, more experienced groups did dance in the parade but we think it was just to intimidate us. It was a competition after all.

Once we got up to the stadium we trooped in and parked it just inside the gate. All the contingents were in line around the edge of the soccer field. On one side the bleachers were full of people and that was the ‘stage’. Each contingent had some sort of exhibition or something but I don’t know what most of them were. We were too far away to see plus there were people watching on both sides of the ‘stage’. We were moving pretty often so none of us believed Andrés when he said we’d be waiting for 2 hours to dance. Of course he was right. We moved around one side pretty fast but the exhibitions seemed to get longer and longer. Remember we were waiting in a football stadium so there was no shade anywhere and we’re on the equator in the Andes, and we’re basically wearing blankets on our shoulders. It was a little warm.

Finally it was our turn. After watching the previous dances I realized that our ‘dance’ was more like an idiot’s version of a dance. But we did only have a few hours to practice and we’re gringos so the crowd gave us the benefit of the doubt. Everyone said we did really well. I think it was probably the best we’d done, so that was good. As soon as we finished we grabbed our stuff and got out of there. We changed in the street by Maria Teresa’s car and went and got some free 2nd lunch. It was lamb with potato and rice and vegetables. I’m not a big lamb fan so I didn’t eat a lot, plus we’d already eaten lunch. I fed my leftovers to the stray dogs that were hanging around.

Then we just hung around until it got chilly and Maria Teresa offered us a ride. Andrés still had her car so we had to go wait for him. After waiting for a while Maria Teresa got a text saying he was going out with some friends so he wasn’t coming! What an ass. Just abandoning his mother like that. So we took a taxi. Apparently he ‘didn’t hear’ Bianca say she lived in la Primavera- which is very close to Lumbisi- so he started going to Cumbaya and when we corrected him he wanted us to pay him more than 3 times the amount he quoted when we got in. It was annoying but whatever.

That night Guadalupe and Pato made hamburgers but I wasn’t hungry so I had a quimbolito. Guadalupe offered me both and when I looked confused (because I had no idea what a quimbolito was) she asked me if I wanted a ‘burger?’ And Pato says (in Spanish), ‘mom, she knows what a hamburger is! she just doesn’t know what quimbolito is.’ So I found out what it is. It’s similar to cornbread but with less flour and baked in a banana leaf or something like that. It also had dates in it I believe. That was a little weird since they were warm. Otherwise it was good. A couple of Pato’s friends came over but I went upstairs to call my parents and Zach.

The next day was USFQ orientation. It was really early but not that interesting. We got there, checked in, received a packet and went into a lecture hall for some talks. We heard from the international students’ counselor, the president of USFQ and a really funny professor. That last guy gave us a lecture on the political situation in Ecuador peppered with lots of somewhat dated but still funny pop culture jokes. It was very entertaining. My favorite line: “Getting hit by a rock in the head will not make you more Ecuadorian” when talking about protests as a ‘cultural experience.’

Then we got ‘tours’ around campus. My tour guide didn’t really say anything we just followed her without really knowing where we were or where we were going. We did get to go into the kitchen though, that was kinda cool. After a coffee break, we came back to hear from the weird US Embassy guy. He went on and on. Most of it I already knew, but I tried to listen anyway. After that we learned about cultural differences and we were free to go. Guadalupe said she would wait for me for lunch so I went home. I don't know what anyone else did.

On the walk home I ran into Maria Teresa who was waiting for her car, no it was not Andrés this time, so she offered me a ride. When the guy pulled up in her car I assumed it was a valet or something but he drove us home. Every other time I’ve gone with Maria Teresa she has driven. It was odd. Then I came back and had a huge lunch. I got Argentine steak- yes steak for lunch- and beans, rice, soup (of course), broccoli and a slice of cake. It was ridiculously huge so I didn’t eat much. I holed up in my room for a while then ventured out to watch tv but no one was here. I watched Sense and Sensibility and Better Off Ted before going to bed. I wasn’t feeling great so I didn’t eat dinner.

The day after that was a free day but a bunch of us met up with Margoth to get our censo (Ecuadorian ID for gringos) cards. I showed up at 8:30, when we were supposed to, but we didn’t leave until 9. In Cumbaya we got some passport photos taken because we needed one with our paperwork. Of course you had to buy 8 at a time so now I have a bunch of pictures of myself in my purse. We took the bus to Quito (the Río Coca station) and cabs to wherever the hell we went. We gave them our paper work and got pictures taken for this flimsy little card. It’s certainly no US Driver’s License.

We took the buses to Cumbaya and Danielle, Chris, Emily and I went shopping and got something to eat. We ate at the Shawarma which was delicious. It’s really funny because Danielle can never remember the name of that restaurant so she always makes up really funny names for it. We all ordered ‘shawarmas’ which were just chicken wraps with sauces- but it was really tasty. Then we went to the pirated movie store- that’s all they have here anymore. I bought season 3 of Dexter- since that’s the one I’m on- for $10.

Then we went to the university to find our classes. We walked around for a really long time and for the most part I know where all my classes are. I’m not sure about my dance class but it’ll be fine. Then on the walk back home we stopped in the little pastry/ chocolate shop to get a snack. I got a Nutella croissant and a little box of chocolates for Guadalupe since I didn’t get anything for her birthday and felt bad. I ate my croissant on the way and it was delicious! This may turn out to be a very bad thing seeing as this place is on the walk home.

I got back and gave Guadalupe her chocolates and then took a long nap since I was still not feeling great. I woke up and watched the end of a movie with Guadalupe then we watched tv in her room-she can’t work the other tv, lol- until Pato came home and we had pizza. It was pizza hut pizza but it wasn’t awful. Guadalupe kept serving me, it was weird. It’s one thing serving me a plate of food and another ripping off my pieces of pizza. Then we watched the sequel to the movie we watched earlier. When I came back to my room I was planning on going to bed but I just had to watch an episode of Dexter. It was great. Time for classes tomorrow!

Hasta luego,
Caitlin

You make me feel like dancin'...

Today we went to Lumbisi for the first time. We took the bus from Cumbaya as a group and met up with Emily, Chris and Kevin in the park. From there we took a short downhill walk to the Centro Infantil or Children’s Center. It is part of Maria Teresa’s organization FEVI which has several social service-type projects in the area. The school was really cute. All of the walls were painted with cartoon characters or scenes of Ecuador. On one wall were painted 30 easels, each with two clothespins attached, so they could hang a piece of paper and paint outside. The building has two classrooms and a little kitchen/dining room. There’s also a little house that they built not too long ago used for everything from puppet shows to dance class.

Jaime, the director, showed us around and gave us an idea of what projects he saw in the future that we could help out with. He wants to build a well next to a little tree so it gets plenty of water and then kids can climb the tree. He also wants to make a little garden of medicinal plants and a little ‘farm’ with rabbits and chickens. Also mentioned was a waterfall/fishpond. All in all there is plenty to be done as far as volunteer work at the Children’s center.

From there we walked a short way to the organic garden that is used to feed the kids at the school and whatever is left over is given to the senior center- which is where we went next. There we listened to several speakers talk about FEVI and the upcoming festivals but since we were just sitting there and doing nothing my tiredness overcame me and I started nodding off. I felt really bad and I tried really hard not to but it kept happening. After Maria Teresa talked we left and went to the dining room where Grant and I got to help make lunch for the old people. We helped shape ‘bolas,’ which are just potato and cheese balls with other seasonings in them.

Then the dancing began. The old people- mostly ladies- who were still mobile dressed up in traditional costume and performed a dance for us. It was probably the cutest thing I’ve seen in my life! Then, after their dance, they grabbed their children or other relatives to come dance with them. The ones who didn’t have someone to dance with pulled people out of the audience. Eventually our whole group was dancing with them.

After our dance we went back to the Centro Infantil for a little lunch they set up for us in the dining room. We had sandwiches and juice and fruit and salad and bread. It was very tasty. I ate a lot of bread because I haven’t had much since I’ve been here and it was so good! At lunch we met Jaime’s son Daniel who was 4 and really cute but shy. We tried to talk to him but he wasn’t having it and ran away. After lunch we had more dancing- but this time it was a class. Lumbisi’s annual festival of San Bartolome, the city’s patron saint, has been going on since Thursday and will continue until Tuesday. On Sunday there will be a parade and we will be in it- dancing! So of course we had to learn the dance we’ll be doing.

One of the school teachers very patiently taught us the dance even though we got confused a lot. We were all dying of laughter when we messed something up- and we usually really messed up. Eventually we had it basically down. We’ll practice again before the parade so hopefully it’ll be ok. When we do march we’ll be in full costume as well! I’m pumped! After dance class we were free to do whatever so Danielle, Keunae, Lauren and I stayed to see Chris and Emily’s houses. Lucas, a German student that Maria knows, stayed with us too. He’s a sweet kid. We took pictures on Emily’s roof and then took the bus back to Cumbaya.

Danielle, Keunae and I decided to meet up later that night to go to the dance happening later. When I got back Pato, Guadalupe and some friends were watching a movie but I had no idea what it was and they were in the middle so I went to my room to do some stuff on the computer. Then I had to go meet Danielle to go to the bus. We thought we were a little late, since Keunae said we were, so we kind of ran to the bus stop. Of course this was unnecessary but whatever.

We got on the bus and made it to Lumbisi fine. We found Emily surrounded by children and Chris helping her mom. We all got some really delicious kebobs from some lady cooking them on the street and Danielle and I got water while the others got beers. We talked in the park some then Danielle, Chris, Chris’s host brother and sister and I all went on the ‘gusanito’ ride. It was a big caterpillar that drove around town. Danielle and I had way too much fun on this ride- we were hysterical. It serpentined down the road and did donuts at one intersection. It was sweet. After the gusanito we went to the place where the old people danced to see if the dancing had started- it hadn’t. So we walked back to the park and found Maria Teresa who said that she’d pay for us to go to the dance so we did.

At first no one was dancing but we all went out for the first song and others joined us. Eventually Lucas and his two friends showed up and so did Zack- he lives in Lumbisi and knows Maria Teresa, but who doesn’t? We were all dancing and at the start of the next song some old creeper came up to me and started dancing with me. He was just creepily staring at me the whole time and wouldn’t let me go. He moved his hips a lot and that made it extra creepy. I’m glad my purse was in front of me so we didn’t have to be too close together.

Finally the band stopped, after like 4 songs in a row, and he let me go. So I ran away into our group. We all danced some more and he grabbed someone else and they danced a while. He danced with me a couple more times because I couldn’t get away and then his friend danced with me too. This guy was even creepier. He asked me my name and if I spoke Spanish and when I said yes he said he loved me. I just laughed at him. Then he kept saying it and it wasn’t funny anymore. He said something about getting married and asked if I wanted to marry an Ecuadorian man and kept singing the lyrics of the love song the band was playing to me. It was really creepy. He kept calling me ‘reina’ which means queen and when Chris and Danielle saved me once from him by grabbing both my hands and dancing with me he kept saying ‘reina? reina?’ Then the first guy danced with me again saying ‘but this is how we dance in Ecuador’ when I said I wanted to dance with my friends. It was not fun.

Then we made a big circle and did the train around and around. Pretty soon though the first creeper weaseled his way into the circle and kept swinging people around, two at a time. It was weird. At one point Maria Teresa started dancing- that
was hilarious. She was such a spaz. Shortly thereafter, Maria Teresa drove Keunae, Grant, Danielle and me home. I still didn’t have a key so I had to ring the bell so Guadalupe could let me in. I felt bad- this is why I wanted a key. After I was asleep Pato rang the bell so I guess it didn’t really matter.


The next day I slept in- till 10:30. That’s not very late for me but since I’ve been getting up at 7 every morning it was good. After the night of endless dancing- plus all the walking we’ve been doing for days now- I was really sore. I’m worried about this dance class I’m starting soon. Danielle and I wanted to go back to Lumbisi today for more festivities but decided to go back in the late afternoon. So I went with Guadalupe to drop her niece off at the hospital, then we got a copy of the key made for me and we got lunch at a ceviche place down the street. The ceviche was really good but after a while the sourness of the lime became too much for me. We each had shrimp ceviche and shared a fried seafood platter with more shrimp, little fish sticks and calamari. It was all tasty but I couldn’t finish, I was so full.

Then Guadalupe dropped me off at la Esquina mall to meet Danielle. We got to Lumbisi and found Chris and Kevin. Chris had to help her mom so we went with Kevin to watch the parade. There were two bands that took turns playing while people dressed as clowns, moreno (blackface) cowboys and other costumes danced in the parade. The tiny little kids in the clown or cowboy outfits were super cute. We went to see if Emily was feeling well enough to hang out with us but she wasn’t. Then we went to find the guillotine and took pictures in it.

Afterwards we climbed the church on the square- seems to be a theme, climbing churches- to watch more dancing. When we got down from the church we walked around the park and Kevin and Danielle bought candied grapes which were not great. Then we went into a $1 movie store. Outside the store we saw Zack who had with him a bottle of aguardiente (lit. burning water)- an alcohol they drink for the special occasion. He gave us each a shot-mine was the biggest- and it did indeed burn. Not too long after that three ‘morenos’ came up to pour more liquor into our mouths. We said no but they ‘threatened’ us with their machetes so we took it. My guy was nice and only gave me a little tiny bit, but it tasted so bad it was enough. Chris successfully avoided drinking any but Danielle, Kevin and I got ice cream to mask the flavor. We sat in the park to eat our ice cream and we saw a little kid peeing in the middle of the park!

We went back to Chris’s house and hung out there for a while, about until it got dark. We got some chocolate covered strawberries and met up with Grant. Then we made our way up to the stadium for the fireworks. On the way we saw Lucas and his sister who joined us and we also saw Lauren, Alex and Betty too. We all sat down to see the fireworks and it started with a bonfire that the clowns etc. danced around. Then they started lighting some firework things that guys carried over their heads as sparks flew off of them.

The displays got progressively bigger and wilder as members of our group left. But they really missed out because the first really big one was the church that exploded several times at the bottom then pinwheels started shooting out sparks and spinning then the whole thing lit up- with more pinwheels- and a disc shot off the top and flew sparkling into the sky. The last and most spectacular display was a ship that they dragged back and forth across the field so it looked like it was sailing. It just kept exploding! We were afraid some of the sparks would hit us since one spray went right into the crowd.

After the ship had sailed there were some awesome regular fireworks too. Then we started leaving and more went off scaring the crap out of us. Then we made our way back to town to relive the magic of the gusanito. It wasn’t quite as fun as the first time but it was still pretty great. Then we got a taxi driver from the Lumbisi taxi service to drive us home. His wife and little girl came with us and he was really nice. I used my key for the first time but of course Guadalupe was still up.


Hasta luego,
Caitlin