Feliz Navidad

Reading: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon

Posing for the Holidays

Discúlpame, dear readers, as it has been over a month since I last posted. With Christmas right around the corner, I have been rather busy with work, visiting amigas, despididas, street dances, getting ready for my mom, aunt, and uncle to visit, and planning a trip to the Galápagos with my dad and step-mom.

A few quick things:

• I finally hiked El Altar, which has been on my ecua-bucket list for a while. Despite all the horrible stories I have heard about bad weather and knee deep mud, we had absolutely gorgeous weather for our entire hike. Besides getting to enjoy a bit of snow in December, we were graced with morning sundogs—one of my favorite natural phenomena and something I only thought existed on the Great Plains, Scandinavia, and Siberia.
• At a very gringo-y Thanksgiving, I attempted to make lefse, in honor of the great state of South Dakota. It hardly turned out the way that I had intended it to, that is, like how my family makes it. But people swore it tasted good... probably because they have never had legitimate lefse. Their loss, my gain. 

Opt. Dup Zuck

Reading: Drift: the Unmooring of American Military Power by Rachel Maddow

My very sparse sala

It often feels like every month is a celebration of something. In the States, we love to dub whole months in honor of groups, ideas, or causes. Here in Ecuador, we love to commemorate children, mothers, fathers, founding of towns, founding of churches, founding of foundings. While chatting with my host dad the other evening, he explained to me with a childlike animation how we were now entering the time of fiestas here in Paccha. He then proceeded to list off some sort of celebration in every month, minus the month of April. That is to imply that eleven months of the year Ecuadorians are partying. April sucks.

So in true form, I am going to christen June my personal month of visitors. As I have managed to have someone come visit me in Paccha every weekend in June. That theme will continue into the following week as Mary Rae is coming to pasear three whole weeks on the equator with me. Our party itinerary will include, but is not limited to: Inti Raymi, the Incan fiesta del sol, and a good ol’ ‘Merican Forth of July.

In the honor of...

Reading: The Mountains of California by John Muir

The things that have gotten me through my first year in Ecuador: friends, family and books.

First, I want to say that I have really wonderful friends. One of the things that I learned very quickly when I came here is the cultural differences that surround friendships. In Ecuador, your family is often your source of friendships. In the States, your friends become your family.

Okay, that was sappy, I know. But seriously, I have really wonderful friends (and family). You all have sent me enough packages to the point that I haven't been without Trident Original gum since I got here last year. Plus, you've all put up with my sporadic communication and my occasional bitching, which has been more frequent of the late.

So, in one very tacky blog posting, I want to say muchisma gracias a todos.

America

Reading: The Memory of Old Jack by Wendell Berry

10 day vacation in the States for my cousin's wedding. Great company, good food, real beer, hipster bars, book stores, my pony, and a beautiful Sodak fall - not even my computer crashing and hours of wedding pictures could ruin this week. I'm loving me some America right now.

The Kat One, looking dapper as per usual