JUNGLE FEVER

Last January 2012 my husband got dengue fever. Dengue is a mosquito contracted illness accompanied by symptoms such as high fever, delirium, night sweats, extreme joint pain, cold chills, and a red spotty rash. I have never thought about being a widow until he suffered through that illness and subsequently lost 30 pounds in a matter of weeks. He said it was a plague he wouldn't wish on  his worst enemy.

Living here in the jungle town of Tena, we take the risk of contracting mosquito borne diseases  every day. If that is not a trade-off you are willing to make, then don't move to the jungle. If you are not afraid of life (and death) then this could be the place for you. Personally, I'm not afraid of death at all. It's the suffering I don't care much for.

That's why I got a wee scared when yesterday I woke up with a massive headache. I thought it could have been from all the yucky sulfites I had in my wine the previous night, but the headache got worse. Much worse. By the evening, my temp had risen to almost 101 and I was wrapped like a mummy because I felt nothing but cold chills. My bones ached and I developed a strange cough deep from within my lungs. My friend came over and started wiping me down with cold clothes to lower the fever I don't remember much more after that.

This morning my headache is almost gone, but my neck and shoulders still ache. My throat is extremely sore, the cough is still there, and my skin is cold and clammy. So what do we do when we feel like this in Tena? We make potato salad for 30 people, go present shopping, and then attend an anniversary party. (Yes, our friends are celebrating 34 years and there's no way I can miss it) Here in Tena, you are not really sick unless blood is involved. And even then, it depends on what part it's pouring out from. Add to that, dengue is an illness that can't be prevented with shots or treated with anything except Ibuprofen. If you have the type of dengue that causes hemorrhaging, well, good luck with that. The emergency room here in Tena is a joke.

I once went to the Tena emergency room with an elbow joint that had mysteriously swollen to the size of a grapefruit. Not only did I have to wait for over an hour to be seen, once they saw me they were more concerned in taking my temperature and weighing me on a scale.  Afterwards, they led me to a dark room where they took an X-ray without giving me any kind of radiation protection. They never did figure out what was wrong with me.

I'm not sure what I have now is dengue or not, but I do know I had some symptoms of it and there are four different variations of it- from mild to severe. If what I had was indeed mild dengue, I do not want to tempt fate and get the more severe one. But I'm also not going to get scared away and move from here just because dengue, malaria, or hepatitis might be lurking around the corner. No way. I got parties to go to.

 

CARNIVAL 2013

The calm after the storm?
 

Ecuador, among all other Latin countries, observes holidays and celebrates carnivals that your average gringo just can't wrap their brain around. I mean, come on, Mardigras actually makes sense. Ok no, it doesn't, but it seems more reasonable than the Carnival that rolls around down here each February, the week prior to and ending on Ash Wednesday. Carnival has a religious/pagan background like most holidays. However, instead of people praying in church, or setting up mini mangers of Jesus everywhere, the people of Ecuador have taken up the ritual of spraying and/or dumping water on unsuspecting passersby. If you cringe and try to outrun the mob, they'll usually increase the chase speed and make sure you get your full due. If you're a gringo, you might as well either wear your bathing suit or stay indoors the entire time. This year, I opted to stay indoors. The one time I ventured out, I got sprayed. That broke my 5 year record of being dry for the duration of this utterly stupid holiday.

In 2008 I was soaked to the core by bucket-wielding teens ( I think dressed in all black leather with matching masks) from a rooftop. I just happened to be riding in the back of a pickup truck that day and their aim was spot-on. My sister, who happened to be visiting at the time and was in the truck with me, somehow remained bone dry. She had a good laugh over that for weeks. No, years. The idea of dodging water guns, spray bottles, water hoses and buckets filled with unidentified liquids appealed to her in some sinister way. She vowed that if she ever visits Ecuador again, it will be during Carnival.

Monday was no different than 2008. Well, maybe a bit worse since it was close range. For that reason, I took it more personal.I was accosted this time, not by teens, but by a six year old with a foam spray can. With pure devil in her eye, she walked right up to me in the store and sprayed my tank-top. I shred her to pieces with my angry eyes. Her mom scolded her for spraying me. I felt an innate urge to stick out my tongue at her. But never mind. I had shopping to do:
milk
Dorritos
3 bottles of beer
ketchup
I went to the counter to pay. Little Dora the Explorer was still there hiding behind the cigarette display, can in hand. She raised her little scrawny, malnourished arm up to spray me again. I couldn't help myself. I snatched the can out of her hand and with all my raging fury, I sprayed her with her own weapon of mass destruction from head to toe. As she screamed and cried, I took no prisoners and I asked her "Oh, you don't like this, do you?" I walked out with a smile of triumph on my face. Then I felt really bad. The saying "If you can't beat them, join them" doesn't really apply to six-year-olds whose culture you don't fully understand. Well, at least she'll never spray me again. Ever. In her life.

I've been hiding in my bunker now for five days. I couldn't even tell you how the weather has been here in Tena except for the Armageddon-like thunderstorm we had the other night. But now the locals are trading in their spray guns for rosary beads and heading to church since it's Ash Wednesday. They are praying for forgiveness for all the water massacres that they committed over the past week. I can finally see the light of day and walk down the street without fear of little girls. I can buy my Dorritos in peace. So there's the low-down on Carnival. If this holiday appeals to you, please come visit Ecuador during this time that my family and friends have come to absolutely dread.

A TYPICAL NEW YEAR COMES AND GOES

 

 

It was another grey day here in Tena with rains that just wouldn't let up. It was the last day of 2012 and I would have been perfectly ok staying at home alone that night. I had a nasty cold that had hit me over and over for the previous 3 weeks, torturing me with chills and non-stop sneezing, and it seemed to be winning the battle over my immune system. It was hot and humid and I was in the same  jeans and hoodie I had been in for the past 2 days. So you can imagine how hard I dug my socked heels in when my family and best friend here were annoyingly trying to convince me to go to a camping party on the other side of the river. In theory, a camping party with friends on the river seemed like a blast. After all, staying home would have nothing to offer me except the loud all-night revelries of my next door neighbors and the constant booms of home-made fireworks. Our friends had even lent us a tent complete with camping gear. But the fact remained that I was sick, I was sick, and I was sick. Oh yeah, and it was raining and camping involves sleeping outside and that's not ideal for sick people. So no, I wasn't going. No way, no how. All I wanted was my pjs, hot tea, and Netflix in bed.

 

Within the hour I found myself standing on the corner in the rain with my family and friends waiting for a taxi. My friend had made a deal with me: she and her son would go with us for snacks and games, then we could catch a ride home with a friend who had a car and also would not be staying overnight. It sounded fair enough. I could sit in the corner and have a free meal while my husband and daughter bonded over setting up the tent. My friend promised to sit with me the entire time to help ward off would-be conversationers. When you are really sick, the last thing you want to do is try to have a pleasant conversation in another language while your head pulses with pain as you struggle in translation. Uuugh!! Yes, I would go, but I wouldn't LIKE it, I told myself and everyone else on that corner in the rain.

 

After paying the $3 taxi to Puerto Napo and entering the posh gated property of our freind's home, I immediatly found two chairs in the corner and claimed it for myself and commiserating pal. Within seconds of sitting down I was bombarded by other campers, some of whom were visiting from other towns and I had never met, kissing my cheek and asking me if I was staying the night. I smiled weakly and told them my friend and I were here to say hello, but would be catching a ride home later. That answer seemed to appease them. I was glad I had the company of my friend beside me, who also would rather shave her eyebrows than to sleep on the ground outside.

 

The rain let up ever so slightly over the covered porch we were under. The tents were up all around us and popcorn was being popped. Games were being commenced. Deep in my heart I wanted to enjoy this night with my family and new friends. I love camping and I was horrified at myself that I was passing up this opportunity to sleep in the jungle. But I felt my nose stopping-up more and my joints aching. It was at that moment that my friend and I realized that no one that was there at that party who owned a car would be going back into town!  It was getting late, busses had stopped running, and the logistics of getting a taxi from Puerto Napo on a rainy New Year's Eve would be mission impossible. It was about that time that our new Colombian friend sat down with us and wanted to teach me a card game called cuarenta. No.

 

To make a long story short, a couple guys there with motorbikes took pity on us. My husband agreed to camp with our daughter and my friend's son, and we hopped on the back of the motorbikes and sped off into the New Year's night. I should have listened to my gut and stayed home. But there I was clinging for life over potholes in the drizzling rain and my nose was now running. How can I ever forget ringing in 2013? I won't. At least I got to sleep in my own bed!!

 

Anyway, here it is February, 2013. Nothing much has changed here in Tena except the addition of a new Venezuelan restaurant on the riverfront. It's called Bululu and it's amazing. Soup, main, drink and dessert for $3.50 and it's way more tasty than anything I could conjour up at home myself for that price. I think I've eaten there every day this week. I even took my friend there-- the one who was my partner in crime on that very stressful New Year's Eve.

 

Enjoy the pics above: One of my hubby & friends and the other of the pork chop special at Bululu.

 

 

FIREWORKS

Nothing says "It's the end of the world!! (Just kidding)" like a display of fireworks. Well, I assume that's why there were fireworks tonight. But this is Tena, Ecuador. We have random firework shows about once a month. The last time it happened, we were on the way home from the main grocey store at about 8p.m. We stood frozen on the corner with our heavy shopping bags with the kids squealing each time one went really high and dazzly. The only reason we could come up with for a fireworks show was that it was a Thursday and the weather was nice. Today is Friday and the sky is nice and clear also. But today must be more special than that, because I ran into a couple of parades today and a brass band that set up a stage in the middle of a side-street diverting all traffic to the other street where the parades where happening.

 

Anyway, I really want this blog to be geared more towards foreigners who are wanting to move here, so I'll try to be as insightful as possible. First of all, those who have been keeping up with my restaurant list, you'll be pleased to know that Iguana is up and running again for business. They are located in Bella Vista bajo across from the park and now offer indoor seating as well. This is the best burger joint in town and also has a few other items apparently never heard of before in Tena, such as nachos.

 

Secondly, for those of you who celebrate Navidad, I should put in a few words here about how to have a proper non-white Christmas here in the jungle. Let's go over it step by step: If you are not wearing a santa hat 45 days in advance as you run your everyday errands, please back up and redo these steps. If you are determined to have a Christmas tree, better go cut one yourself from the jungle. A banana tree might do nicely. I have never seen a Christmas tree sold here in Tena. If you want your banana tree to be decorated, have your old ones shipped from your home-country. Decorations here are far and few between and expensive. Now the good part: gifts. Super Tia, our main grocery store, is the place to buy gifts for your loved ones. Forget oversized sweaters and Itunes gift cards. Head to Tia to buy (and I'm not joking here) a large 20 gallon tuperware filled to the brim with foodstuffs. Noodles, cans of tuna, cookies, cooking oil, instant coffee, jelly. You know, items you might need if it were, let's say, the end of the world. This will set you back about $19.99 and covers all ages, genders, and relationships. Christmas Eve in Tena should be spent in a karaoke bar that has the music up loud enough to drown out the firework blasts outside.

FRIED WORMS

Finally I have time to sit and blog again after a ten day vacation in which we had a visitor from my hometown. I love having visitors because I get to see Ecuador through their eyes, like I'm also seeing it for the first time. Through them, I see how cool this country is. I also learn that visitors aren't shy about magnifying all the quirks and idiosyncrasies about where we live. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I realize how jaded I've become and complacent with the trials of everyday life. For instance I realize the level of sanitation in kitchens aren't up to par with US standards. So do I avoid all restuarants and decline any dinner invitation that  comes my way for the fear of getting dysentery? No, I enjoy the flavors of Ecuador (though there are not many) with my mouth wide open. (And I never forget to pack my Ecuadorian version of Alka-Seltzer in my purse just in case.) My visitors, meanwhile, ask "Are you really going to eat that?"

We ate these worms, called Chontacurros, for lunch last week.

One example of the food topic we encountered while Seth was here was that of eating worms. No, silly, not Gummi Worms. Real, live, wiggly, jiggly (more like undulating) worms, as pictured above. Once a week, we have a helper who comes and cleans and cooks for us. Her name is Lola, she's a beautiful native Kichwa who lives in the midst of the jungle, and she has become one of my best friends here. Well, knowing that Seth would be there during her weekly visit, she thought it would be funny to play a joke on him. That in itself is why she is one of my best friends. As lunchtime rolled around she started preparing really good-smelling treats. Seth's mouth was starting to water and he couldn't wait to try her bolos de verdes soup. She placed a spoon in front of him. Then a napkin. Then a delicious glass of fresh juice. Then his soup was served. The soup she had given us was normal, but in Seth's bowl she had put a chicken head just beneath the surface of the broth. He actually didn't freak out, but in a serious tone he asked if it was an iguana head. We fished it out of his bowl as we laughed and fed it to some starving dogs outside.

Next was the "main course". She brought over a closed plastic container to the table. With slow mysterious moves, she unveiled what looked like live maggots the size of fat baby carrots. They were crawling all over each other like wrestlers in a fight-cage. The dare was on. Joe promised Lola he would eat one. I promised Joe I would eat one if he ate one. And we ordered Carlie to eat one if we would eat one. Seth vowed to do nothing except get it on video.

Lola made her way to the gas stove after cleaning the worms in fresh water. After heating up the oil sufficiently over the high blue flame, she threw the wriggling worms in the pan-- surely the worst form of animal cruelty ever. Within seconds, the worm skins started to pop open and sizzle. Guts oozed and turned brown and crispy in the grease. The air began to smell like a greasy road-side diner. And just like that, plates were served. Joe, Carlie and I, after cutting the crunchy black heads off, all lived up to our promises. Seth almost fainted.

The worms, something I would probably never eat again, tasted vaguely like sausage or beef jerky. Not too horrid. But how many people can actually say they have eaten fried worms? We all raised our juice glasses and shouted "Sacharuna!", which in Kichwa loosely translates to 'wild jungle man'. Actually, Carlie and I would be Sachawaurmi, the female jungle Jane. Eating fried worms was definitley my highlight of Seth's visit. Seth says his highlight was going on a class III rafting trip with Joe and the guys in the middle of the night.

Yes, having visitors come see how we live life here in the jungle south of the equator is really quite interesting.



 

NEW AND OLD FRIENDS

New friends

In two days, we'll officially have lived here an entire year! That's really exciting for me considering all we've been through.  There have been times here when we thought we'd give up, but the friends we've made along the way have really encouraged us to stick it out. These friends have become life-lines to us and we have deep affection for all of them.

Next week, my childhood friend Seth comes to visit. I'm really excited to have someone from my hometown come see our new life here. I wonder what he'll think when we tell him we don't have hot water showers, or that we walk in 100 degree heat everywhere, or that his chances of getting some kind of "issue" that will make him puke is near 90%. Seth will be here a week from today. We can hardly wait!!

BACK FROM VACATIONS

Our cabin, #8 right by the pool. It was nice, but had a bat in it!

Flor de Canela Resort. Puyo, Ecuador

As you know, Joe went on a rafting mancation deep in the jungle more than seven hours away from Tena. When he got back (bruised, bleeding, mosquito-bit and sunburnt), he Google earthed to show me where he had been: about half hour from the border of Peru and a 3 day hike from any close civilization. He had been gone four nights and five days without any creature comforts such as electricity, a toilet, a shower, real food, or Fantasy Football updates. Below, Joe outlines the highlights of his trip:

Me: "So, Joe, give us the ten biggest highlights of your trip".

Joe: "Uh...just ten?! Hmmmmm...".

1. Being launched out of the raft five feet into the air before splashing down and being sucked under the current close to a rock wall and then being trapped under the raft when I tried to resurface.
2. Seeing bats fly a foot from  my face during the day, wild parrots fly overhead, huge kingfishers, and an osprey.
3. Sharing sips of rum and coke out of an old gallon-size water bottle with  eleven other guys.
4. Drinking fermented chicha in a native Shuar indian's lean-to shack with his family.
5. Jumping out of the raft and free-riding a wave chain of 6ft waves without getting eaten by a boa constrictor.
6. Camping in a 400 ft tall canyon during a violent rainstorm that threatened to overflow the river and sweep us all away.
7. Camping under skies so clear, unpolluted, and dark I could see an astroid belt and cosmic dust as if I could reach out and touch it.
8. Laughing at Tim's mancation motto: "What happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas" although we were worlds away from any kind of city at all.
9. Learning how to do an Eskimo roll in Pancho's kayak.
10. Being part of the documentary that the tour group was filming.

So there you have it: Joe's top ten.  I'm just glad he survived it to tell the story.

Anyway, after seeing his great pictures and bandaging up his battle wounds, I packed up and left for my much-needed vacation. Joe was too tired to come with us and also had to work. So my friend and I took our kids to a resort in Puyo, a 2 hour bus ride away. It was nice, but I don't have ten highlights about it. I'm not sure I have three. Add to that, it was overpriced and the jacuzzis didn't even have water in them. The best part was when we turned off the lights in our cabin. A bat flew over our heads and in a matter of seconds, all four of us were in the same bed screaming each time we thought we heard flapping.

After a night in the 2 star resort, my friend and I parted ways. I wanted to continue our adventure in some cabins on the river Piatua in Santa Clara that I had heard about and she wanted to sleep in her own bed after the crazy night with Dracula we had just survived. In the end, I realize I should have just gone home with her. My "adventure" consisted of eating a liver and rice lunch at a roadside hut, wading in a river that I had to cross a swamp in my flip-flops to get to, hardly sleeping in a cabin full of jungle roaches that crawled on the walls above my head all night, and waiting an hour the next morning for the bus to hurry up and get us the heck out of there. Carlie wanted to go home too. She was freaked out by the large green parrots in the trees overhead that had listened to our conversations and memorized them. Soon we heard "Hola, Carlie. Hola!! Hola, Carlita, come on. Come here." That, and the fact that the owner had no breakfast to offer us, and we were ready to go home even if it meant by foot. Just FYI, so you can avoid our same miserable experience, it was called Finca Don Napo.

So now that we are back from vacations, we are back to normal jungle life. Life here is now just as routine as it ever was for me back in NC.  However, our friend from the States is visiting us in 2.5 weeks and we'll kind of be on vacation again. We'd like to take him to Papallacta and Banos. We'll see...

By the way, Tena has gotten a new restaurant. It's a Mexican place serving decent chimichangas and  awesome frozen lemon margaritas. Trust me, it's way more fun to eat there than to be on vacation.


 

SOMEWHERE OUT THERE

Pancho, Joe and Tim about to leave for the river trip
 

It's 12:30 am here in Tena. I doubt I'll be able to sleep tonight. One reason is that I have a pile mountain of clean laundry on the bed that should have been folded and put away yesterday. I've already scooted it to one side, then to the other, and tried to sleep next to it and on it, but it didn't work. However, the main reason I can't sleep is because my husband is not here and even if you threatened to take my chocolate bar that I have hidden in the back of my freezer, I could not tell you exactly where he is right now. How did this happen and why did I allow it?

 I can really only answer one of those questions since he is grown, and I can't "allow" or "not allow" him to do things he wants.
It happened because Joe is friends with Tim who works for/owns River People, Tena's oldest and most reliable river rafting outfitter whose office is located on 15 de Noviembre. Tim invited Joe and Pancho to come along with him on a tour he was taking a group of people from Quito on. At 1pm today the boys loaded up Tim's car while I watched, pretty much helplessly. Although I'm very excited for Joe, I can't help but feel a little bit worried for him. Ok, and maybe a bit of jealousy added in that mix. After all, this is not the regular rafting trips he does with Tim that's over in a few hours. No, this one will last three nights, three days and will involve camping in a cave among other cool shenanigans. To even get to where they are starting this trip involves a seven hour drive deeper into the jungle. As much as I love to camp, this would totally be the highlight of my life...if I was invited to tag along... which I wasn't. 

I let Joe borrow my pink Cannon camera. I know the boys are going to bully him mercilessly about the pink camera, but it's the only one we have and I begged him to take lots of pictures on all that I'm missing out on. I also think they will tease him about wearing his glasses and bringing his contact case and solution to the jungle trip. Real men travel blind. I also think they will question why he brought several types and sizes of swiss army knives that are too dull to cut ice-cream and are really only good for maybe picking at a hangnail. The saddest addition to his little travel knap-sack was his Teva sandals that literally have no soles. They tore clean off about four river trips ago. The way he just stood there as Tim and Pancho loaded up the boats, paddles, coolers, and supplies, I could tell Joe was even questioning himself why a boy who grew up in treeless, waterless Indiana was going on a three day class five jungle/rafting trip with broken shoes and a pink camera. I can't wait until he gets back so he can tell me all about it!
 

WHAT'S FOR DINNER?

No one ever said Tena, Ecuador was the culinary capital of the world. It's not even the culinary capital of Ecuador. Basically, if you live in Tena like I do, eating is strictly for survival.

 Long gone are the days where I linger over Sunday french-toast brunch at my favorite downtown restaurant in the States. Popping over to Whole Foods for a midday salad and protein shake is a thing of the past. Even something as simple as the hot apple pie from McDonald's is just a pie-pe dream. The closest McDonald's to me is five hours away by death-bus and their menu differs from the American version anyway.

So here in Tena, just like around the world, us families ask the age-old question "What's for dinner?" Here's how it usually goes for us: If I have food in the fridge I don't mind cooking. But keep in mind this is Tena. I don't have pre-cut, pre-washed, pre-pared, pre- anything. So my fridge, if I have food , usually looks like some kind of rabbit patch with all kinds of fruits and veggies. If I have the energy to wash, chop, and create, I may make soup or chicken and rice with a salad. If I don't have food in the fridge, I still have to do all the above PLUS  walk in 100 degree heat or pouring rain to the Super Tia (our local grocery store) and carry back all the bags. And as far as variety or international options at the grocery store? Picture your local Circle K.

So above, I've outlined what we usually do for meals here when we cook. But what do we do when the thought of cooking sounds about as fun as stepping in dog poop? We go out to eat, of course! Here's just a couple of our couple of options that I actually feel safe eating:
 Papa's a la Bruto. calle 15 de Noviembre, ($)- Serves up hot burgers, fries, milkshakes, and chicken sandwiches. Lately, the restaurant (more like a burger stall than a restaurant) hasn't been getting as much business, so they've cut down on menu options. Want a chicken sandwich? Yeah right. Want a cold beer? Forget about it.  If you want to people-watch while you eat a cheap burger that won't leave you in the emergency room after drowning in grease, this is the place to be.

Iguana. barrio Bella Vista Bajo. ($+)- Want food? Keep dreaming. Closed for remodeling until no further notice. When it was open, it was by far the coolest place in Tena for burgers, hot wings, chicken sandwiches and ice-cold Pilsener. The best part is that tourists have no idea about this gem. One word of advice: want nachos, the fourth item down on the menu? That was just a joke.

Lucy's. calle 12 de Febrero ($)- Want reheated left-overs from lunch? Come have Lucy serve you up some chicken and rice. Or pork-chop and rice. Or beef and rice. Sometimes her food is really good and hearty. Sometimes it's not. Either way, the restaurant is spotless.

The Pizzaria on the malecon ($$)- Below-average pizza by Papa John's standards served in a restaurant full of tourists, this is the best we got. When it's either burgers or typical chicken and rice, pizza is always a treasured option. My faves are the hawaiian and the tres colores. Popcorn and salsa are served as a free appetizer.

Cositas Ricas. calle 15 de Noviembre ($$)- A new higher-priced option here in Tena with cloth napkins and covered tables that I've only tried once. I recommend the chicken sandwich and fries. Portions are enough for two. Varied menu, meaning more than chicken or burgers on offer. Although the atmosphere is stuffy and has no view, the food gets high marks from our family and other friends who've tried it.

Although there are a few other dining options here in Tena, they are either not in my budget (Such as El Marquis or Chuquitos on the river) or I dare not eat there and risk getting trichinosis. I will highly recommend a local cevicheria (seafood joint) if you ask me, but we don't really eat there due to Joe being allergic to shrimp.

So there you have it, folks. Its what's for dinner. Burgers, pizza or chicken, your pick. If this was a blog entry about karoke bar options, it would be two more pages long.

THE LIFE LESSON LIST

    I know, shoot me! I haven’t kept up with this blog since the summer. It’s now October.  My friends back in the States are enjoying pumpkin spice lattes, bonfires, harvest moon porch parties, and wearing all their new fall line fashions. I’m still here in the jungle. It’s still 100 degrees each day and my wardrobe still  consists of tanktops, flip flops, and pony-tail holders. Life in the States goes on. Life here in the jungle seems to have stopped about a century ago. And because nothing ever happens, I have seemed to run out of inspiration. I’m going to have to dig deep, folks.

 One thing that has changed has been my schedule. I homeschool with another friend and her son on Mondays and Wednesdays. Lola, my home-help (I don’t dare say maid!), spends the night with us on Wednesdays so she doesn’t have to return to her house far in the jungle at night after her meetings. On Thursdays, we practice English and she cooks and cleans.  Friday nights and Saturday mornings are used for our Bible studies.  The other days, I either try to get some much-needed rest and do absolutely nothing, or I’m out in the preaching work for 6, 7, or 8+ hours on foot.  It’s a hot, dusty, muddy existence here and it’s become my new normal.  I think if we returned to the States now at this point, we’d feel incredibly out of place. 

In talking to my friend today, I realized I’m just a few weeks short of having lived here a whole year now. Here are some things I’d like to share that I’ve learned during this 2011/2012 year:

1.       Within the past year, we’ve moved 5 times. I’ve learned the art of packing. No, I’ve mastered it!

2.       Wear some bug-spray to help prevent dengue, but allow yourself to get enough bug bites that you build up bug immunity.

3.       Treat everyone with compassion. You have no idea what it took for them to face the day.

4.       Poor is being in debt. I have never met a poor person in Ecuador. Living in a one-bedroom shack on the river with your own chickens and garden  is freedom, not poverty.

5.       The variety of foods that Jehovah created was a gift I never truly appreciated until now.

6.       Humans were designed to overcome almost any physical or mental trial and depending on your inner strenghth, you can do so with joy.

7.       Someone always has it worse than you.

8.       Walking is the best way to stay in shape. Walking in the rain is the best way to feel alive. Walking with wet clothes is the best way to get a rash and pneumonia.

9.       Sleeping well with dirty feet is nearly impossible.

10.   Don’t go anywhere without your umbrella, or else it will rain.

11.   If you bring the large umbrella, it won’t rain. If you bring the mini-umbrella it will rain sideways.

12.   If it looks like it’s about to rain and you need to get home, you better hail a taxi now. Once it starts to rain, all the taxis will be taken.

13.   Never leave home without your own reusable grocery bags. If you do, you will be picking up your purchases off the dirt after the regular plastic grocery bag  has broken in half.

14.   Never buy your veggies at the grocery store. They cost more and they taste worse. Exceptions to this rule are lettuce and potatoes.  Don’t buy cheese anywhere. It’s just gross here in Ecuador.

15.   If someone, say a Bible student, offers you food  you eat it no matter how gross it looks. To refuse their food is the ultimate insult.

16.   Just because you never went to school doesn’t mean you are worthlessly stupid.

17.   A skill is MUCH more valueable than a degree.

18.    Reliance on Jehovah is MUCH more important than a skill or degree.

19.   My parents were right! You truly can do anything you set your mind to.

20.   My friends were wrong! I’m not as high-maintainence as they thought.

21.   Electricity is not a necessity…unless you work online like we do!

22.   You can always find water somewhere to at least wash your hands. You do not need 24/7 access to running water to survive. No, you don’t. I promise.

23.   Gas is way more important to me than electricity. Knowing  how to start a fire is more important than either.

24.   Taking daily cold showers  I’ve learned that not only do they suck, they also lower your immune system.

25.   I realized I haven’t had my hair even trimmed in a year and a half. Somehow I’ve survived this also.

26.   My desire to be beautiful will never cease just because I’m sweaty and dirty every day of my life now.

27.   Argue a point just to prove you are correct, and you may lose the respect of more than one person. Agree on a point even though you know they are wrong, and you may gain a loyal friend for life.

28.   Keep your bathroom floors and toilets spotlessly clean. You may end up with your face in or on it if you eat something disagreeable.

29.   Don’t complain about anything to anyone who’s lived here longer than you; they don’t really want to hear it.

30.   If you ask for advice, you better follow it or they will be offended.

31.   Trust your body, not a doctor. Sleep, eat, exercise and take medicine only if you feel like you should. After all, our health is our greatest treasure.

32.   A house is only a home if you have a couple of wild lizards in it that you call by name.

33.   True love involves helping that one to overcome his/her greatest fears.

34.   It’s hard as crap to learn a new language!

35.   Never expect a Latino to actually show up on time, be where they said they will be, or to do what they said they will do. Basically, yes, they are all liars. Deal with it or move back to the States.

36.   A true friend visits you when you are sick. A true friend lets you visit them when they are sick.

37.   Cleanliness is relative.

38.   Alcohol and high altitudes make me sick. Cheap alcohol in any altitude makes me sick.

39.   Owning a motorcycle is the fastest route to suicide. So is eating food from street vendors.

40.   If you want to have some real fun, dance with a Latino. If you want to get laughed at, dance for a Latino.

41.   It’s actually a good idea to have a few spider webs in your house, but not such a good idea to have a bee nest in your shower. (Personal experience)

42.   Greet everyone  you make eye contact with.

43.   If you greet your neighbors by name, you are less likely to be robbed.

44.   Spaniards were a horrible, oppressive  people and ruined the Ecuador of yesterday. Americans are a greedy and narrow-minded people that are ruining the Ecuador of today.

45.   Time truly does heal all wounds, at  least 90% of the way.

46.   Regret really wears you down after a while. Let it go.

47.   I’ve learned that the jungle provides everything you need for survival. I’d almost be afraid to leave it here, because I’ve discovered so many natural cures, foods, and teas.

48.   I realize we haven’t traumatized my daughter by moving here. We’ve given her a gift that will profoundly shape her life for the better no matter where she lives in the future.

49.   I’ve seen a whole new side of my husband, and I fell in love with that one too.

50.   Physically, I haven’t done as well as I thought I would here, but in every other way I’ve achieved way more than I thought possible. I’m so glad I tested my limits. I should have done this  17 years ago.

This is actually just a hint of all that I’ve learned over the past year about life, myself, and relationships.  And if I’ve learned this much in one year, imagine all that we’ll learn during forever. That’s going to be a much longer list.

QUITO

Mall San Luis, Quito

A "smaller"
home in Shannon's neighborhood

Hi everyone!
Sorry it's been so long since I've put an entry in. Over the past few weeks I haven't been in optimum health and was basically bed-ridden for quite a while. I even had to spend eight hours in a doctor's office getting an IV drip and liquid med drips for the parasitic infection I was suffering from. It was pretty awful, but recent tests show that I'm 100% better now, so don't feel too sorry for me.


Last week, a few days after being attached to IV's, we had to go to Quito. Joe and I had to go to the American Embassy and renew our passports, although just a few months ago I spent almost $100 having to add pages to my passport. This time, we were set back $110 EACH. Not cheap, but something we only have to do every ten years. The passports will be made for us in New Jersey, I believe, and will be sent back to Quito in 10-15 days where we will have to go back and retrieve them. 


We have friends that live in a suburb valley of Quito that invited us to stay with them while in Quito. They have a 10 year old daughter named Shannon who idolizes Carlie and calls us on my phone or Skype every 5 minutes to chat with her. Shannon is Irish/Ecuadorian and goes to an all English school in Quito. She seems more Americanized than Carlie and recently got back from Disney World with her mother, who only speaks Spanish. When we arrived to Shannon's home, which is connected to her grandmother's 'hacienda' in a beautiful gated community, Shannon presented Carlie with a cool hot-pink watch. I don't think I've seen someone so in love with my daughter since the days when we lived with her BFF Lily. Carlie squealed with delight over the watch and upon seeing Shannon's room filled in every corner with toys and Barbies. Joe and I also squealed in delight as Shannon's parents poured us a glass of wine while grilling out chicken and chops on the outdoor grill on the patio. "We ought to have business in Quito more often", we said to each other.


The next day we went to the mall to kill time while Shannon's dad was having his car fixed. As soon as it was done, he said,  he could give us a ride back to Tena since he had to work there the next day. (He's a river rafting guide) Shannon was thrilled. She would be staying in Tena for almost a week with Carlie at our house. The mall was one I had never been to before in a very affluent area and for a moment I thought I was in California, not Ecuador. (See above pic of San Luis Mall) Joe and I walked around window shopping at  stores such as Swatch, Converse, and a KFC in the food court. The only thing we bought was chips and a drink at the MegaMaxxi (like a Walmart or BJs) After an hour or so, we realized if we lived here we'd be very materialistic. Anything our hearts desired could be bought at this mall. Back at home with Shannon's Ecuadorian grandmother, the girls were playing Wii and walking their four dogs (plus our two) to the neighborhood park. Joe and I started to miss the simplicity of Tena. Well, not really.


The car was finally out of the mechanics at 6pm. We hit the road to Tena by 6:15 and were home in about four hours. At dusk we drove up the side of a mountain where we could see the lights of Quito sparkling down below and a sliver of a moon rising above the Andes peaks. As our car climbed deeper towards the dark jungle, the view of the stars was impeded by not so much as a cigarette lighter. I saw more stars and planets than I saw camping at the Grand Canyon. I stared at them so hard and they seemed so close, I actually smacked my face against the window a couple times. 


Back in Tena we are resigned again to no malls, no gated communities, no fancy restaurants, no Wii, no outdoor BBQs in the grassy courtyard with a fountain in the middle, no nothing. But we remain happy here as a family and will try to hang on for as long as our passports and visa red-tape will let us.