Galapagos Feb 3

Thursday! It was still raining! We went to el Muro de Lagrimas (wall of tears) which was appropriate because god was crying. You know, rain. Originally, parts of the Galapagos were used as penal colonies and they made the prisoners build this giant wall of volcanic stones. It was a very impressive wall and even more impressionable because Jeff talked about how much suffering went into the wall. So many prisoners died there, they started with like 3000 and after a few years only 300 were left. Humans do really horrible things to each other. Organized government, especially when it's into punishment rarely ends well for individuals.

We walked a trail along the wall, looked at more of this bizarre thin vegetation. Walked some more along boardwalks saw stately pale flamingos. Their knees are backwards and their throats are flexible tubes. Its amazing they can stand and fly both- their bodies seem designed for neither. Our walk was then along the beach which was beautiful but we were all very sick of the rain and cranky.

In the afternoon we went snorkeling and sightseeing. We went to a place called Tintorearas which is several very small (the size of a house) islands very close to the water level. The whole place looks like it is made of lava dribble castles. We saw boobies and penguins and friggits and sea lions! They were all sitting next to each other and many pictures were taken.

After that we tried to go snorkeling and it was really scary. It might be time to explain the Dana Snorkel Stay Calm method now. Basically, snorkeling involves a lot of things that are scary: being in the water, not having totally free breathing, not being to see clearly, feeling alone, seeing creepy plants, waves, possibility of hitting something, possibility of getting lost, drowning, etc. Basically, I am a fraidy-cat about a lot of thing and snorkeling combines many of them. But I also like water and fish and animals and exploring and I certainly wasn't going to pass up this opportunity. So I tried to look at snorkeling like a meditative, spiritual activity. I worked to slow my breath, audible through the tube. I tried to relax my jaw and shoulders. I kicked evenly and reminded myself bodies float naturally. I let the wave add rhythm. Of course, I still hyperventilated every time I got too close to seaweed and when rocks got too near I almost gave up and sank. But I'm proud of what I did manage.

However, despite my excellent mental control, the snorkeling was pretty bad. The water was deep and cloudy and you couldn't see anything. We tried another spot and that was better but extremely cold and had Dana's enemies, rocks covered in algae, near the surface. I saw a giant ray, though, just chilling out under some sand.

We got out of the water and took a walk to mangroves, another natural environment that I am unreasonably scared of. There was a beautiful bay at the end, though, that reminded me of the dock in Requiem for a Dream. But not horrific and drug addicted. We walked back. There was only van, so half the group stayed behind and drank beer while we waited. Beer is horrible here.

Highlights: lava formations, cute animals! Not dying while snorkeling.

Galapagos Feb 4

This was probably my favorite day of the whole trip. We had a relaxed morning which entailed me taking a two-hour nap. Being on antibiotics really takes it out of you. At 10, we went to the subcentro de salud on the island. It was fascinating, both to see it with my own eyes and see other people's reactions.

It was very similar to Puembo, same paperwork, posters, and organization. It was larger, with a special OBGYN and pediatrician and a trauma room. I was very impressed and pleased to be there, but I think many other people were not. Many pre-med students I was in a group with were surprised by how small and bare the spaces were. Additionally, they were shocked by the trauma room. Alcohol, agua oxegenada (peroxide?) and other cleaning fluids were stored in Gatorade bottles and most of the equipment was very old.

I'm really of mixed opinions about this. On one hand, yes, healthcare all over the world should be equal. The ecography machine should be less than twenty years old, records should be computerized, alcohol should come in its own bottle. On the other hand, its impressive that an island 600 miles from shore is integrated into a national health care system, that this system gives free care and medications, that there is alcohol and a trauma room to use it in. Additionally, when you think about it, most emergency room visits can be treated with a few stitches, a bandage, antibiotics, an IV for rehydration and other simple procedures. Probably 75 or 80 percent of medical care can be considered "basic." And cases that aren't basic might be just as likely to die in an excellent hospital or a basic one. It’s a matter of perspective and where to put your money. And in most cases, Ecuador has put its money where its mouth is.

Ate lunch, got on the boat to Santa Cruz. On the way there, I overheard a really interesting conversation between an unnamed student and an unnamed teacher/coordinator/guy in charge. Student was pointing at something and accidentally poked Adult's exposed belly (we were all sitting around in bathing suits)

Adult: Hey man, don't touch me

Student: sorry, it was an accident.

A: No man, I notice you, I see you touching a lot of guys.

S: We are a close group of friends. We are comfortable with each other

A: Its pretty gay.

(Silence for a long while)

S: so, you've worked with kids from K before? So you know what Crystal Ball is?

A: No, what is that?

S: Its a dance, where the guys dress up like girls, and the girls like guys and everyone just sort of goofs off about gender. So you have to understand that homophobia doesn't really exist in our culture

A: I'm not part of your culture; so don't touch me any more.

Wow. How do you respond to that, to a person in power showing such...bigotry might be too strong, but its also appropriate? And what if the Student had been gay? What if he was unsure about his sexuality? I'm proud of my friend for defending his relationship with his friends, the culture of K, his own rights. And I feel uncomfortable that the Adult went automatically to judgment and anger in a situation that started off as relaxed. Of course, its part of Ecuadorian culture drilled in early that being gay is the worst possible thing that you could be. But this Adult is hired to make international students feel comfortable. We had been speaking in English and using USA standards of behavior all day, the whole trip. Of course, in lots of parts of the USA, in places all over the world that kind of behavior is OK, but on that boat between two islands, we all felt uncomfortable.

Ok, moving on. We got to Santa Cruz and it was beautiful, island paradise style. Oh! We saw this giant solar-powered boat in the harbor that is traveling around the world-teaching people about solar power. So that was cool. We went to our hotel and it was lovely and had a pool. Of course, the guys were acting as though they were all in a giant romantic relationship so as to put off our favorite Adult. Also, because they are friends and like to make human pyramids in pools.

Highlights: Public heath and fighting homophobia where you see it: both things I think about on a daily basis.

Galapagos Feb 5

Friday! In the morning, we went to the Charles Darwin Research station where we saw many giant tortoises. We learned about how the tortoises and the cactus-trees evolved. As the tortugas' necks grew, the cactus grew taller. That's a simplification of a millions of year’s process, but its simplicity and slowness is what makes it beautiful. We watched a tortuga eating leaves with its pokey jaw, strong tongue. They are pretty stupid, actually, they can't see very well and drop much of their food.

We also saw Lonesome George who is the last of his species on earth. Despite many attempts, including an attractive Swedish evolutionary biologist helping him out (the imperfect of the word is 'masturbaba,' which is endlessly funny), he just isn't into reproducing. Good thing tortugas live like 200 years and George is only 130 or so.

In the afternoon, we went to Tortuga Bay which is a bay that often has many turtles and fish. Unfortunately, it was raining and cold so there was barely any life in the bay. I saw a sea cucumber which looked, honestly, like poop. Also, many marine iguanas which have very defined claws, move hilariously, and leave a little trail in the sand where their tails drag.

In the evening, a bunch of us went out to a bar and did that bar thing. It was overwhelming for me, as usual. I wish I could just relax and enjoy dancing. Jamie and I left and walked around the pier and looked at pre-teen galapagüeño (isn't that a cool word?) kids harass a sea lion. I went to hang out in the boy's room, which was filled with bugs, attracted to the lights. I was so scared that my room would be empty of people and filled with bugs so I slept on their extra bed on top of the covers. No bugs ate me in my sleep.

Highlights: evolution is awesome, I was not eaten by bugs, dinner was really good.

Galapagos Feb 6

Our last day! We left early with our huge awkward bags on the top of the bus. We went to visit Los Gemelos (the twins) which are these ditch-crater things that are very deep and large and filled with trees and plants. We were almost late to our plane so we were running and flashing our passports and saying goodbye to Jeff and Courtney and then the plane didn't have those nifty TV screens so I read Midnight's Children. We were back in Quito nice and early so I had time to take my absolutely filthy clothes to my favorite Laundromat and eat pasta and take a nap. What a trip!

Independent Lady on the Streets of Quito

Written Monday but its not like much has happened since then.

Today wasn't that an exciting day, nothing really to write home about. But write home about it I will.

I woke up early because I went to sleep early, before ten. Jimmy was grouchily eating breakfast and his wound still hasn't healed. I didn't really have to be awake just yet, so I flapped around my room frantically trying to pack with two weeks still to go and no clear plans. I managed to put five books in a box and make a pile of some things under my bed.

Got to school with my laptop safely in my bag all the way. I worked for a long while on my monografia. My topic is...well maybe I'll just give you my thesis. "Voy a explorar la situacion y organizacion de salud publico en Ecuador con focus (palabra?) de la region de la sierra rural, programas de anticonceptivos y la poblacion de mujeres indigenas. " I'm going to examine the situation and organization of public health in Ecuador with focus on the sierra region, birth control programs and the indigenous female population. There's lots of information about this topic from different angles, as well as articles that are really interesting but not really related ( Imagining the Unborn in the Ecuadoran Andes

Author(s): Lynn M. Morgan Feminist Studies, Vol. 23, No. 2, Feminists and Fetuses (Summer, 1997), pp. 322-350

Poor Adolescent Girls and Social Transformations in Cuenca, Ecuador

Author(s): Ann Miles

Source: Ethos, Vol. 28, No. 1 (Mar., 2000), pp. 54-74

Using Home Gardens to Decipher Health and Healing in the Andes

Author(s): Ruthbeth Finerman and Ross Sackett

Source: Medical Anthropology Quarterly, New Series, Vol. 17, No. 4 (Dec., 2003), pp. 459-482 to name a few)

Bri and I met up at noon and ate lunch. Salad and frozen yoghurt, I'm a yuppie even here. I worked for like four million hours on trying to pick out my classes for next quarter, that perfect balance of easy and interesting. Not that there are any really easy classes, CIP staff members who are reading this, but I'm leaning towards Basic Nutrition over The American Jury Trial.

At 230, I had a meeting with my sociology professor who is helping me get my SIP in line. We are gettin that SIP in line, gosh darn! hopefully I'll visit Tingo Pucará some time next week so that I can discuss project details with them. And Lester could come along! (I'll tell you more about this soon, Lester).

I went home after that, or to the laundramat for my lovely clean clothes and then home. It was raining and kind of nasty but I had ganas so I took my usual walk. I take this same route almost without fail, I'm surprised no one has noticed and mugged me. I'm slowly realizing that things will not be as miraculously cheap in the EEUU and am trying to take advantage of this while I can. Of course, no one is going to be spray painting a hot dog stand while customers eat at the counter and no one will be eating french fries out of plastic bags, and umbrellas may be actually water-proof but still! I've just got to get these shoes! They are only 4 35!

I made my usual stops and something at each place. The technical bookstore by the bridge where I usually read my sociology: A 2011 Planner with the theme of "Ecuador is a megadiverse country." 7$. The stand in the artisan market with the really nice ladies: A new nose ring because the other ones always break. 5$. So, cheap isn't always awesome. The woman selling them had a two year old baby drinking morocho who was so cute, I felt horrible asking her to help me put it in. A candy-and-junk stand, looking for my very specific snack goals: Cloretes Masticables (gum), Amor Limon (wafer cookies) and granadinas (delicious fruit you crack against your head). I found them in different stands, at 50, 75 and 25 cents, respectively. The DVD store where the Pirotecha knows me. Gave him a piece of the gum, bought an only-English, special-features-included, excellent-quality-te-juro copy of Burlesque which I totally loved in theatres. 1.50$.

Home, damp, to an empty house. In my planner, I wrote "calientica," which I just learned means "cozy."

Sunday Slow Sleepy Saliteration

I will definitely miss the little routines of the house. Sundays in particular, even though when there's school tomorrow you sort of feel like making it to the nearest bridge with a hard landing. Alone, they are horrible, dark, frozen slow moving stones. Even with family members or friends its not like they move quick or anything. Naps cut things down, the hours in the afternoon when it invariably rains hard. I always think meals will take a long time to prepare and eat but I'm always done in under fifteen minutes and even washing the dishes takes five. TV shows, though, those take forever. Each commercial break stretches it's five segments over and over, the disputes and drama between characters could be resolved in seconds. The lies every episode of Seinfeld is based around (it's true, isn't it? The characters always lie) are so frustrating; Kramer should just go to therapy and get it over with. Of course, there's nothing as wonderful as Seinfeld on on a Sunday. It's mostly Drop Dead Diva re-runs and ancient movies about horse racing.

Abuela and abuelo and Romario were over today as well. I still don't really understand how Romario is related to the family. I think he is a godson which seems to fall between biological child, recipient of scholarship and servant. He lives with Carlos, the suspiciously unmarried Cordova brother and has his own room and stuff. He's over at abuela's every day after school on facebook. And then he came over to help abuelo move around and is always cleaning things with Javier the guard who definitely falls somewhere on the child-empleada spectrum. But it's good that he came because Abuelo really needs help. He is just so old and frail. He has to live in the lowlands of the coast because he has lung problems and there's not enough oxygen up here. He came to Quito for Christmas and either cannot (physically? logistically?) or does not (consciously? actually?) want to return. There have been many attempts and plans and strategies but in Quito he stays.

When I entered the house he was asleep on the floor. His head and shoulders were on the bump of the futon but the rest of him was on the floor, slip on sneakers with skulls and music notes, ripped cardigan, pants far too large. Pilar and Abuela were asleep too, watching said horse-racing movie. Romario was watching it too, seated on the floor. Is that because he's a 16 year old boy and doesn't want to be too close to anybody or because he is a servant and must sit on the floor? the mysteries of another culture! But anyway, abuelo woke up after a while and Pilar and I hoisted him up by the armpits and helped him walk to the bed.

"Mi amor," he croaks to the half-asleep abuela.
"Hola mi marido, ven aca, hay una pelicula de caballos" says abuela. She is very into the word "marido."

I found him a while later with his cane still in his hand but his body slumped over the kitchen table. He hadn't fallen, just resting bent at an 80 degree angle with his face smushed into the wood. It was a napping kind of day, he fell asleep on the bed again, I took a bone-crushing nap, and even Romario drifted off.

I´m baaaaack

Written last night.

Hey there, long time no see! Sorry I was absent for a while, I just happened to be in the Galapagos Islands for six days. You know, no big deal. We left Sunday morning and just got back a few hours ago. My absolutely filthy clothes are currently at a laundromat, I've got a blister the size of a football on my baby toe and I've gotten so tan I would.....still feel guilty about calling myself "not white." I stick to my guns no matter how much sun exposure I've gotten.

I absolutely promise that I'll give you more details about what happened. this is partially because I am academically required to write an 8 page reflection about the experience and also because I love my blog readaaaas (holla at my gurls) and also because I feel a little dip in the panic level when my fingers are touching the keyboard.

But I will give you a little teaser, saying that highlights of the trip included: A volcanic crater, endless fried rice, antibiotics, a possible allergy to corn, a pufferfish sighting, obscene statues of turtles, too much rain, many many ice cream bars, a complicated pants exchange, fighting homophobia, riffs from rap songs, rotten breastmilk and boxed wine.

Additionally, I would like to point out that it is the 6th. And what is 20 minus 6? It is 14. So leaving on the 20th, I have 14 days left here. And what is 14 days? Two weeks. Two weeks on vacation in Ecuador is a lot, but two weeks to write ten pages, arrange meetings, pack, cry, eat arepas, make lists and plans and promises I can't keep is tiny. My blister is bigger than two weeks. My backpack can hold two weeks in the little pocket. I walk at least a month and a half on the way to the store at the corner. So there's the job of fitting my life into these impossibly tiny folds that I make in the paper of my days, and in the stupidly simple bits and bites of this blog, and in the seconds of eyecontact and understanding speech and doing-it-right that push me through the hours. So two weeks is tiny, flimsy, wears down its resolve with each hour. I haven't learned how to manage myself in the face of two weeks.

Hay que gozar la vida, I guess I'll take a nap.