WEEK 7 IN REVIEW!

Tuesday 11/5

Ah, over-priced Chips Ahoy cookies for breakfast at the bus terminal!  I'm headed back to Salasaka, Oscar left this morning at 2am for the airport.

Yesterday we went to the Middle of the World (La Mitad del Mundo) to see the equator... even though I read that it's not even the correct spot, ha.  It was fun though.

(later on...) Guess who fell asleep in the hammock at mid-day?  It was me.  I don't know how long I was out there, but I'm COOKED!  I was wearing sunglasses so now I look ridiculous, haha.  Also I was sitting in a weird position so half my arms and half my legs are fried, the other halves are white.  And my neck!  I at least wish my shirt had been straight! It's the reddest red I've had in a long time.  Man, not the best move I've made, ha.

I keep falling asleep in weird places or at weird times--during the day, in the evening; on buses ALL the time, in the hammock, okay I guess it's mostly on buses because that's where I spend a lot of my time.  Story boring.

I got back to Salasaka around 12:00 today, I think.  Fell asleep in the hammock.  Organized my suitcase.  And I went 20 minutes down the road to Pelileo to try to find some new clothes... my one pair of jeans is NOT sufficient, especially when I have to wash them and they take a day to dry.  No luck with jeans though.  I DID find 2 zip-up hoodies that I like, although the hoods are too small for my big head--I am clearly not Ecuadorian-sized.  I paid $20 each for 2, and it was SO HARD to give up that much money!!!  But my originally-neon pink sweatshirt is now faded to light pink, since I wear it every single day of my freezing life.  And when I wash THAT, it takes not 1, not 2, but 3 entire days to dry.  So my new green and grey sweaters will be handy. (Handy?!)  After shopping, I ate yet another veggie pizza, but I now believe that none will ever be as good as the one in Quito on Saturday! 


Thursday 11/7

I think of things to write ALL day, and then at night I can't think of anything... hmm.  Yesterday and today I've been in the library, but no one's come so in 2 days I read an entire book... well, I skipped some parts but I read a book of short stories by Robert Louis Stevenson...

I ate 2 ice-creams today and I think I might die.  And a crepe.

PS have I mentioned that I'm allergic to the volcano here?  At least, that's the hypothesis that Carlos came up with... I was okay in Quito, but as soon as I got back to Salasaka my eyes started itching, I started sneezing and coughing, and I can't breathe.  The volcano has been erupting in the last 2 weeks so there's ash in the air.  And smoke.

Tomorrow's my last day volunteering, and I'll be leaving Sunday, I think... but I don't know to where!!!  I need to make a plan tomorrow afternoon.


Friday 11/8

I stayed at the library all day with Charday from Canada.  Guess what I had for lunch... french fries with ketchup and another sauce that I don't know what it is, with a chocolate-covered banana and 2 breads.  And some candy.  Ha!  I went to buy an avocado but there weren't any, so that's what I ended up with.  Yesterday I got SO sick with 2 ice-creams and a crepe... it's just, there are no vegetarian options and I'm sick of rice.  I haven't been eating soup at the school for lunch, cuz I've been at the library 30 minutes away, so the last few days I've eaten pure junk food cuz there's no grocery store in town and the small shops only carry fruit and occasionally avocados, or else bread and ice-cream and junk food.

I want beans! Tortillas! Taco seasoning! 3-bean chili! Salad! Wraps! Fajitas! Hummus! Carrots! Avocado with cucumber and lemon and salt! Kneader's veggie sandwich! Refried bean burrito! Guacamole and chips! Never another pizza again in my life! (The only source of veg food here is pizza.) (And I've had at least 1-2 per week.)

Tomorrow morning I've planning to leave with Gemma and Charday, and we might go to either Cuenca or the coast.  I've got like 10 days left! And I really want to find a church this week, the Catholic one last week didn't do it for me. 


Saturday 11/9

I read ''The Devil and Miss Prym'' by Paulo Coelho this morning, and we left for Guayaquil at 12:30... got here at 7:00, ate some food at the mall/terminal, found our hostal, finally showered (first time since Tuesday!), found the address of the church for tomorrow, and I'm seriously tired.


Sunday 11/10

Ah, what a terrible day.  First, I asked a cab driver if he had change for a $20 before I got in, and he said yes.  When we got there, he said he didn't have change... so I gave him the $0.70 I had, and he gave me back my $20 bill, which he had actually switched for a false one.  So that's how I lost $20.  I despise dishonesty.  My $2 cab ride cost $20.70.  Enfuriating.