It has now been just over two months since I have returned to the US. There were some very thoughtful going away dinners by my Ecuadorian friends and many goodbyes. It was sad to leave my friends but certainly time to come home. After a year, I was more than ready to see the family and friends that I had been homesick for for a year.
I have now been working in an adult physical rehabilitation hospital in Cincinnati for over a month. It is the same one I was working at before I left but a different unit.
Honestly, I am still trying to figure out how the experience this past year has/will affect me. I think it is something that I will carry with me each day. I am certainly glad to have had it, though this past year has been very challenging for me. I met some great people with whom I am still in touch, saw some beautiful areas of different countries, and learned about cultures different than my own.
Thanks to those who were able to follow my story on this blog. If you have questions about anything, please let me know. Questions help me remember and re-discover.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Changes all around.
After months and months of waiting, Pedihabilidad has moved over to the new building. Set to open in April of last year, I had come to peace with the fact that I would never see it open. Then, after returning from a meeting on Tuesday, Nicole notified us that the following day we would be moving. The space we were using was needed for isolation for new H1N1 patients. It happened very quickly as the maintenance team began taking things down on Wednesday afternoon and had everything over there by Thursday mid-morning. The new building is right next to the hospital so it was relatively easy for the patients to find us with the signs we put up. One side is for pediatrics and the other side, which is not yet up and running, will be for adults.
We already had planned to have a New Year’s party on Friday and with the building change, we were able to have it there and introduce it to everyone. It was quite the morning. The mayor, provincial director, and hospital director all gave a welcome to kick it off among other speakers. Then, the children each received a toy. Adriana’s former employer, Sports Unlimited, generously donated and shipped toys for all the children of Pedihabilidad. The celebration continued with games. We played musical chairs, hot potato, and had a balloon relay. I was laughing so hard during the games as the crowd shrieked at the intense moments. We then made a mural in the new area with a hand or footprint from each child present. It came out really nice. To finish, there were empanadas (or mashed potatoes for the kids unable to eat solids), cake, and guayusa (typical drink) for everyone. Nobody left empty-handed and I think everyone had a nice time.
After a month without a name, Gaby named her daughter Camila Fernanda. The baby is growing daily and Gaby also is doing well.
The other weekend, Adriana and I made our way to Mindo for ziplining and hiking. We had a good trip!
Today, we have a new speech therapist arriving. Jess will be at Pedihabilidad for 2 months, helping with a feeding and swallowing program. This is a project that is much needed amongst the kids we work with so we are excited to have her join us.
I am finding it hard to believe that I have less than 2 weeks left in Tena. Things are falling into place back home as I have a job lined up as well as an apartment (with HUGE thanks to Margaret Russo for her help!). Going home will be a whirlwind as I catch up with friends and family and welcome my new nephew! I am excited for all of that. However, it will certainly be difficult to leave here. I have made some good friends, the weather is warm, and I have gotten used to working with these kids.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
2011 has arrived!
I am now back in the swing of things in Tena. At work, we had the kids decorate paper ornaments and trees and cut them out to put on the big construction paper tree that Adriana made. The nurses stations on the different floors had a contest for the best manger scene...some were pretty elaborate. Christmas Eve night, Nicole and her family were very kind to invite me over for turkey dinner. They had the turkey cooked at a local restaurant to avoid the extra heat from cooking a large turkey all day. In true Ecuadorian fashion, when they went to pick it up they had to go back home to get the ticket (despite the fact that the waiter knew their name) and then had to go back a 3rd time because they needed to bring a pan for which to carry the turkey home. Classic. We had a very nice evening though and it was nice to be with them in a house with a tree and stockings.
New Years Eve is something different in Ecuador. The days leading up to New Years you start to see the "ano viejos" for sale and the shops selling red and yellow underwear. The ano viejo - and I can't get the tilde to work over the n - are "old year" paper mache dolls that represent someone of importance during the past year. It can be a public figure, politician, superhero or someone in the family. It can be somebody good or somebody bad. A testimony is written about them. At midnight, they are burned, bringing good luck to that person and burning the negativity of the previous year. People wear yellow underwear to represent luck and red for love in the new year. People eat 12 grapes at midnight, making a wish for the year with each grape you eat. If you run around the block at midnight with a backpack on, that is said to give you good travels for the following year.
I spent New Year's Eve with my friend Jenny and her family. We walked around in the day, shopping with her sisters and nieces. At night we went out again to see the ano viejos in town. There were also many "viudas" in the street. This is actually the word for widow but they were in fact men crossdressing. They would block the road, dancing infront of a car until a passenger paid to pass. It was amusing but I'm sure got pretty pricey for the drivers! There were music stages at a couple places on the main road but just before midnight, we were back at Jenny's house. Her brother-in-law had made a ano viejo of the neighbor so at midnight that was burned in the middle of the street and we ate our grapes while wishing everyone there a happy new year. Then the drinking and dancing began on the front porch. I don't know if I have ever explained the drinking method here. There is one cup (which would never fly back home), a bottle, and then you need a pourer. The pourer has to walk around filling the cup and giving it to the guests. You drink what is in the cup and hand it back to the pourer so they can continue to the next person. We had a good time and kept the party going late/early.
The next day, Jenny's family generously invited me over to have lunch with them. Her mom makes a delicious tilapia. We hung out for a long while after lunch and then went to the river for a little bit with the neighbors.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
After coming back to work for a little bit, it was time to travel again! This time with Donald! We had a really great time. We got to see new parts of Ecuador and I got to show him some of my favorite places.
Our trip started in the Galapagos Islands. All the good things they say are true. We had the opportunity to visit Santa Cruz and Isabela Islands. Our first full day there we visited Volcan Sierra Negra. We hiked part of the way and then took horses for part of the trip (which was nice because it allowed you to just look around). The scenery was incredible. To both sides was beauty. The way back was dusty and rainy so we arrived back with quite the look but enjoyed it all nonetheless. That afternoon, we went snorkeling, getting near to some fish and sea lions.
The next day was full of animals and the obsessions quickly began. Galapagos animals are the coolest. We found ourselves thoroughly amused by the marine iguanas, blue footed boobies, white tipped sharks, penguin, and sea lions that we passed hanging out on old boats. We went snorkeling again and this time swam with giant sea turtles. We then got our first view of the giant land tortoises at a breeding center. There are 12 different species worldwide, 5 of which live on Isabela island. Seriously, they are so big!
We visited the historical site of the "Wall of Tears" where many prisoners died carrying huge stones to build this wall. We were then able to visit an overlook of the island. 97% of the Galapagos Islands are National Park while the other 3% are privately owned so there is so much open space and it's great. Across from our hotel was a flamingo lagoon. During some free time, we went to visit and found one flamingo hanging out solo. After a bit though, I think about 8 more flamingos came flying in. It was really neat to see.
At the Galapagos National Park, we were able to see the famous Lonesome George, the last turtle of his kind. We were also able to get up real close to the turtles and really take in their size. Then we were taken to a private ranch where there were dozens of turtles roaming free on the grounds. They were not as used to visitors so they would tuck themselves into their shells or sometimes hiss when we came around. Then off to a giant lava tunnel which basically looked manmade. It was neat to walk through and learn about some of the rock and history.
After a wonderful trip to the Galapagos, we made it to the mainland. We walked all around Old Town in Quito, mostly seeing the outside of buildings and churches. We were able to enter a few but it was actually a holiday in Quito so the majority were closed. The architecture is still great to see though.
The following morning we met up with an old friend and 4 others for our Cotopaxi climb. After lots of running around and a long morning, we arrived at the parking lot at 4500 meters. From there, it is 300 meters up to the refuge. Oh, and it's pretty much straight up and you are carrying a bookbag with some of your climbing gear, sleeping bag, clothes, water, and a heavy bag of food. Despite our thoughts that we would be fine with the altitude, we were proven wrong. We did our best to stay hydrated and weren't having much physical difficulties. During the climb to the refuge though, I had my moment of weakness. Then the rest of the way up, Don wasn't feeling too hot either. We made it to the refuge though. From there, we had practice. We felt good through this part where we learned to use our ice ax and how to climb and fall correctly and safely. After dinner, it was time for bed at about 7:30pm. Time to get up at midnight. Breakfast, gear up, and start the trek at 1am (this was the plan, though the group was a little delayed). So in the dark with a sky of stars above us, we made our way up. At one point, the group of 7 split up and Don and I had our own guide. We made it to the glacier at 5100 meters before feeling that our bodies were telling us it was time to come down. 2/7 from the group made it to the summit at 5897 meters. (We'll save that for another day.) We walked, and slid down the mountain while attached to each other and our guide by a rope. At the refuge, we headed straight for our sleeping bags to warm up, sleep, and catch our breath. Overall, a good learning experience and beautiful trip.
On to Banos...the city. Yes, the volcano was erupting but we talked to visitors and residents prior and it was safe. The first day, I thought I heard thunder and as we were renting bikes I asked the guy who was selling them if it was going to rain. No worries, just the volcano rumbling. We had a great 10 mile bike ride. We stopped at waterfalls and a cable car to get a closer view. The last stop was a giant waterfall hidden within a 15 minute hike that you could climb right underneath. It was incredible to see the power of the water so close.
That night, we went to see a view of the volcano because there were rumors of being able to see lava. We were at the top of a viewpoint for about an hour where we got to see a flamelike lava jump around Tungarahua. As we were descending the hill in our taxi, Don noticed the eruption. It was amazing to see the lava seep through the top quarter of the volcano. The colors were so bright and it was almost unreal. Don't worry, we were safe!
The next day we went canyoning. We had a lot of fun making our way down big waterfalls and sliding down others. It was a beautiful area, we had a fun guide, and it's just a fun activity!
Then it was time for Donald to meet Tena, my home. This was really important to me. We were fortunately able to make it back for my friend Alexandra's son's baptism. Nicole and her husband were the godparents and there was a very nice reception afterwards. Don was able to meet my co-workers Adriana, Cindy, Lea, and Jhonny (current PT student). The next day, we went to one of my favorite places that I have come to know near Tena. It is a lake/river with huge white rocks and clean water. We went with Adriana, Jenny, Alexandra, and family. We enjoyed walking around and swimming.
The rest of the week was spent with Don staying at my house reading/studying while I went to work. At night, we hit up some of the local cuisine. I got to meet Gaby's baby girl (no name yet)! She is super cute and little and doesn't cry all that much (either that or it isn't loud enough to wake me from my exhaustion). On Thursday, Donald came to work to see what an OT in Tena actually does.
Friday, we were back in Quito. We had big plans to hit up the museums and churches that had been closed for the holiday. Unfortunately, Quito did not have the same plans for us. We did visit the Banco Central museum in the Culture House. It was very nice. The rest of the day was filled with more closed museums, however, and tons of rain. We were soaked, even after we caved in and got an umbrella. The taxis were not picking people up either (which I still can't figure out) and we ended up walking back to New Town. Keep in mind, despite the location on the equator, it can get pretty cold in Quito.
On Saturday, we made our way to Otavalo. In the morning, we enjoyed looking and purchasing some handicrafts and artwork. There is so much to see. Rain visited Otavalo though too so we eventually headed back to the hostal. After dinner, I came down with a bug and it was game over for me. The next day, we made it to Cotacachi to take a look at the leather there and the town. Don was very patient with me as I was still not feeling so hot. Later that afternoon, we made our way to a once again rainy Quito.
Unfortunately, the trip had to come to an end. Don headed back to the US and I returned to Tena. We had a great time together and were able to do a lot during his stay. I am glad he was able to see where I have been living and why I wanted to spend a year in Latin America. The people we met were friendly and helpful and the culture is a wonderful thing to take in. Thanks for visiting!!
Our trip started in the Galapagos Islands. All the good things they say are true. We had the opportunity to visit Santa Cruz and Isabela Islands. Our first full day there we visited Volcan Sierra Negra. We hiked part of the way and then took horses for part of the trip (which was nice because it allowed you to just look around). The scenery was incredible. To both sides was beauty. The way back was dusty and rainy so we arrived back with quite the look but enjoyed it all nonetheless. That afternoon, we went snorkeling, getting near to some fish and sea lions.
The next day was full of animals and the obsessions quickly began. Galapagos animals are the coolest. We found ourselves thoroughly amused by the marine iguanas, blue footed boobies, white tipped sharks, penguin, and sea lions that we passed hanging out on old boats. We went snorkeling again and this time swam with giant sea turtles. We then got our first view of the giant land tortoises at a breeding center. There are 12 different species worldwide, 5 of which live on Isabela island. Seriously, they are so big!
We visited the historical site of the "Wall of Tears" where many prisoners died carrying huge stones to build this wall. We were then able to visit an overlook of the island. 97% of the Galapagos Islands are National Park while the other 3% are privately owned so there is so much open space and it's great. Across from our hotel was a flamingo lagoon. During some free time, we went to visit and found one flamingo hanging out solo. After a bit though, I think about 8 more flamingos came flying in. It was really neat to see.
At the Galapagos National Park, we were able to see the famous Lonesome George, the last turtle of his kind. We were also able to get up real close to the turtles and really take in their size. Then we were taken to a private ranch where there were dozens of turtles roaming free on the grounds. They were not as used to visitors so they would tuck themselves into their shells or sometimes hiss when we came around. Then off to a giant lava tunnel which basically looked manmade. It was neat to walk through and learn about some of the rock and history.
After a wonderful trip to the Galapagos, we made it to the mainland. We walked all around Old Town in Quito, mostly seeing the outside of buildings and churches. We were able to enter a few but it was actually a holiday in Quito so the majority were closed. The architecture is still great to see though.
The following morning we met up with an old friend and 4 others for our Cotopaxi climb. After lots of running around and a long morning, we arrived at the parking lot at 4500 meters. From there, it is 300 meters up to the refuge. Oh, and it's pretty much straight up and you are carrying a bookbag with some of your climbing gear, sleeping bag, clothes, water, and a heavy bag of food. Despite our thoughts that we would be fine with the altitude, we were proven wrong. We did our best to stay hydrated and weren't having much physical difficulties. During the climb to the refuge though, I had my moment of weakness. Then the rest of the way up, Don wasn't feeling too hot either. We made it to the refuge though. From there, we had practice. We felt good through this part where we learned to use our ice ax and how to climb and fall correctly and safely. After dinner, it was time for bed at about 7:30pm. Time to get up at midnight. Breakfast, gear up, and start the trek at 1am (this was the plan, though the group was a little delayed). So in the dark with a sky of stars above us, we made our way up. At one point, the group of 7 split up and Don and I had our own guide. We made it to the glacier at 5100 meters before feeling that our bodies were telling us it was time to come down. 2/7 from the group made it to the summit at 5897 meters. (We'll save that for another day.) We walked, and slid down the mountain while attached to each other and our guide by a rope. At the refuge, we headed straight for our sleeping bags to warm up, sleep, and catch our breath. Overall, a good learning experience and beautiful trip.
On to Banos...the city. Yes, the volcano was erupting but we talked to visitors and residents prior and it was safe. The first day, I thought I heard thunder and as we were renting bikes I asked the guy who was selling them if it was going to rain. No worries, just the volcano rumbling. We had a great 10 mile bike ride. We stopped at waterfalls and a cable car to get a closer view. The last stop was a giant waterfall hidden within a 15 minute hike that you could climb right underneath. It was incredible to see the power of the water so close.
That night, we went to see a view of the volcano because there were rumors of being able to see lava. We were at the top of a viewpoint for about an hour where we got to see a flamelike lava jump around Tungarahua. As we were descending the hill in our taxi, Don noticed the eruption. It was amazing to see the lava seep through the top quarter of the volcano. The colors were so bright and it was almost unreal. Don't worry, we were safe!
The next day we went canyoning. We had a lot of fun making our way down big waterfalls and sliding down others. It was a beautiful area, we had a fun guide, and it's just a fun activity!
Then it was time for Donald to meet Tena, my home. This was really important to me. We were fortunately able to make it back for my friend Alexandra's son's baptism. Nicole and her husband were the godparents and there was a very nice reception afterwards. Don was able to meet my co-workers Adriana, Cindy, Lea, and Jhonny (current PT student). The next day, we went to one of my favorite places that I have come to know near Tena. It is a lake/river with huge white rocks and clean water. We went with Adriana, Jenny, Alexandra, and family. We enjoyed walking around and swimming.
The rest of the week was spent with Don staying at my house reading/studying while I went to work. At night, we hit up some of the local cuisine. I got to meet Gaby's baby girl (no name yet)! She is super cute and little and doesn't cry all that much (either that or it isn't loud enough to wake me from my exhaustion). On Thursday, Donald came to work to see what an OT in Tena actually does.
Friday, we were back in Quito. We had big plans to hit up the museums and churches that had been closed for the holiday. Unfortunately, Quito did not have the same plans for us. We did visit the Banco Central museum in the Culture House. It was very nice. The rest of the day was filled with more closed museums, however, and tons of rain. We were soaked, even after we caved in and got an umbrella. The taxis were not picking people up either (which I still can't figure out) and we ended up walking back to New Town. Keep in mind, despite the location on the equator, it can get pretty cold in Quito.
On Saturday, we made our way to Otavalo. In the morning, we enjoyed looking and purchasing some handicrafts and artwork. There is so much to see. Rain visited Otavalo though too so we eventually headed back to the hostal. After dinner, I came down with a bug and it was game over for me. The next day, we made it to Cotacachi to take a look at the leather there and the town. Don was very patient with me as I was still not feeling so hot. Later that afternoon, we made our way to a once again rainy Quito.
Unfortunately, the trip had to come to an end. Don headed back to the US and I returned to Tena. We had a great time together and were able to do a lot during his stay. I am glad he was able to see where I have been living and why I wanted to spend a year in Latin America. The people we met were friendly and helpful and the culture is a wonderful thing to take in. Thanks for visiting!!
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