THIS POST IS COMING FROM AMERICA! for those of you who dont know, i just thought i'd let you know i am, in fact, in the united states once again. i have been home for two and a half weeks so far, and this time friday, i will be en route to india if you can believe it. more on india in a bit...
so a lot of people have asked "is it weird to be in the states again?" its not weird, just different. i've compiled a list (well, i found it on the internet and tweaked it a bit) of typical things / encounters in ecuador for you to see what i mean:
1. Eggs not refrigerated.
-- seems completely unhealthy and strange, right? but if you thing about it, why do we refrigerate eggs? its plain and simple: americans are crazy.
2. Food left out.
--yes, my family would make rice, potatoes, chicken and steak, and soup for dinner, leave it in the bowl or on their unfinished plates over night or for multiple days, and then continue eating it much later. no refrigeration or foil covering, nothing. clearly, americans have wimpy stomachs.
3. Babies playing on dirty streets / Babies and toddlers hanging out of buses or trucks.
--vivid memory: a mother watching her 2 year old pick up an old cigarette butt off the ground and eat it. no reaction from mother.
--vivid memory: a 2 year old leaning over the railing in the bed of a pickup truck going 60 mph. no adults around. CAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE THIS HAPPENING IN THE STATES?
4. No toilet paper. ever.
--it's safe to say i have perfected the drip dry technique.
5. Drinks sold in plastic bags.
--no little cardboard box juices or capri sun-like pouches, ecuas prefer to use a sandwich bag and straw to enjoy their drinks.
6. Change is rare and precious.
--i bought a $7 meal at panera the other day and was so nervous when i only had a $20 bill. i said "i'm so sorry this is all i have. do you have change?" the cashier actually laughed at me. try using a $5 bill to pay for a $1.50 cab ride in ecuador and the driver will be exasperated. case in point.
7. Paying to use bathrooms.
--15 cents for toilets, 10 cents for urinals. but at least toilet paper is included! but dont bet on a toilet seat or bathroom door for that price...
8. Security guards with shotguns.
--i've never seen so many ak47 guns in my life. and not just military officials, police, store guards, apartment guards, club guards - yep, they all have them and probs dont know how to use them correctly. even the 24 hour mr. hotdog stand by my house had 2 guards, each with an ak47, posted in front of the shop at all times. necessary?
9. Dish soap is a hard paste.
--man i have missed liquid dish soap that doesnt smell like rotten apples.
10. Sellers on bicycles.
-- i forgot that it is not normal for ice cream vendors and snacks sellers to ride around on bikes with their food in an attached compartment. its pretty darn normal in ecuador.
sounds a little different from the states, huh? well, i thought it was going to be super strange to be home again, but it has actually felt quite normal. i fell right back into the swing of things when i returned - sleeping in, working out, hanging out with friends from tc, gymnastics, chapel hill, spending time with family, etc, etc. but some things do feel a bit strange still - tipping at restaurants, driving & paying for gas, drinking tap water with ice, toilet paper always, speaking english - and to be honest, my 5 months in ecuador kinda feels like just a dream. a fabulous dream though. i had one of the most amazing and most memorable experiences of my life, living in a country "off the beaten path," learning about and experiencing a completely new culture and way of life, meeting new people that challenged my views of the world, and making some of the best friendships that i know will last a lifetime. it is great to be home in va with fam and friends, but i will always treasure my semester abroad in ecuador and never forget the awesome memories i made there.
i know what you are thinking: "oh no im so sad since shannon is no longer in ecuador that means this blog is over and i will have nothing to live for anymore!" FEAR NOT FRIENDS because i leave in 4 days for india and it is mandatory that i keep a blog of my experiences there, so stayed tuned as i teach orphans and work for an NGO in hyderabad, india for the next 6 weeks!
here are some pics of galapagos, argentina, and ecuador that never got posted...
hike to sierra negra volcano... crater = 6 miles wide, 4 miles long!
beautiful sunset on isabella island
so excited to be in galapagos :)
that's rock and lava and coral! home to hundreds of iguanas
volcano hike
penguins before snorkeling!
giant tortugas... up to 160 years old.
sea lions are precious!
best sunsets on the planet...
iguana, sea lion, pelican, and blue footed booby RIGHT NEXT TO ME!
blue footed booby! soo cool.
santa cruz island beach
cathedral in la plata, argentina with caroline! ignore the weirdos in the background
la recoleta. eva peron's burial place
i <3 argentina!
in the park in Paloma, BsAs
aliceann's awesome family in their awesome apartment! san telmo, BsAs
la boca
mi casa en quito
chels and i in baños!
pailon del diablo waterfall = best cascada on earth.
volcano in baños erupting!
me - correct form.
chels - not so much.
chels and cole making friends and bonfires on the beach in montañita!
------------------------------
thank you thank you thank you to all of those who have stalked my ecuador blog over the past 5 months. sometimes it was annoying writing on this thing, but i loved sharing my stories and adventures with you and this was a great way to remember my south american travels. love you all.
Until India,
Shannon
“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.”
so a lot of people have asked "is it weird to be in the states again?" its not weird, just different. i've compiled a list (well, i found it on the internet and tweaked it a bit) of typical things / encounters in ecuador for you to see what i mean:
1. Eggs not refrigerated.
-- seems completely unhealthy and strange, right? but if you thing about it, why do we refrigerate eggs? its plain and simple: americans are crazy.
2. Food left out.
--yes, my family would make rice, potatoes, chicken and steak, and soup for dinner, leave it in the bowl or on their unfinished plates over night or for multiple days, and then continue eating it much later. no refrigeration or foil covering, nothing. clearly, americans have wimpy stomachs.
3. Babies playing on dirty streets / Babies and toddlers hanging out of buses or trucks.
--vivid memory: a mother watching her 2 year old pick up an old cigarette butt off the ground and eat it. no reaction from mother.
--vivid memory: a 2 year old leaning over the railing in the bed of a pickup truck going 60 mph. no adults around. CAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE THIS HAPPENING IN THE STATES?
4. No toilet paper. ever.
--it's safe to say i have perfected the drip dry technique.
5. Drinks sold in plastic bags.
--no little cardboard box juices or capri sun-like pouches, ecuas prefer to use a sandwich bag and straw to enjoy their drinks.
6. Change is rare and precious.
--i bought a $7 meal at panera the other day and was so nervous when i only had a $20 bill. i said "i'm so sorry this is all i have. do you have change?" the cashier actually laughed at me. try using a $5 bill to pay for a $1.50 cab ride in ecuador and the driver will be exasperated. case in point.
7. Paying to use bathrooms.
--15 cents for toilets, 10 cents for urinals. but at least toilet paper is included! but dont bet on a toilet seat or bathroom door for that price...
8. Security guards with shotguns.
--i've never seen so many ak47 guns in my life. and not just military officials, police, store guards, apartment guards, club guards - yep, they all have them and probs dont know how to use them correctly. even the 24 hour mr. hotdog stand by my house had 2 guards, each with an ak47, posted in front of the shop at all times. necessary?
9. Dish soap is a hard paste.
--man i have missed liquid dish soap that doesnt smell like rotten apples.
10. Sellers on bicycles.
-- i forgot that it is not normal for ice cream vendors and snacks sellers to ride around on bikes with their food in an attached compartment. its pretty darn normal in ecuador.
sounds a little different from the states, huh? well, i thought it was going to be super strange to be home again, but it has actually felt quite normal. i fell right back into the swing of things when i returned - sleeping in, working out, hanging out with friends from tc, gymnastics, chapel hill, spending time with family, etc, etc. but some things do feel a bit strange still - tipping at restaurants, driving & paying for gas, drinking tap water with ice, toilet paper always, speaking english - and to be honest, my 5 months in ecuador kinda feels like just a dream. a fabulous dream though. i had one of the most amazing and most memorable experiences of my life, living in a country "off the beaten path," learning about and experiencing a completely new culture and way of life, meeting new people that challenged my views of the world, and making some of the best friendships that i know will last a lifetime. it is great to be home in va with fam and friends, but i will always treasure my semester abroad in ecuador and never forget the awesome memories i made there.
i know what you are thinking: "oh no im so sad since shannon is no longer in ecuador that means this blog is over and i will have nothing to live for anymore!" FEAR NOT FRIENDS because i leave in 4 days for india and it is mandatory that i keep a blog of my experiences there, so stayed tuned as i teach orphans and work for an NGO in hyderabad, india for the next 6 weeks!
here are some pics of galapagos, argentina, and ecuador that never got posted...
chels and cole making friends and bonfires on the beach in montañita!
------------------------------
thank you thank you thank you to all of those who have stalked my ecuador blog over the past 5 months. sometimes it was annoying writing on this thing, but i loved sharing my stories and adventures with you and this was a great way to remember my south american travels. love you all.
Until India,
Shannon
“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.”
No comments:
Post a Comment