lwalks05's Xanga

For those of you not on Facebook...

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 23:35:31 GMT

This was kinda funny.

"Here's a chance to see how well you really know your husband. Cut, paste and fill in the answers, then forward . . . shoot, you know what to do. The real challenge is to send it to your husband to see how right you really are."

1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?
The news. Or, any variety of news talk show, such as CBS Sunday Morning or Meet the Press.

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?
Ranch.

3. What's one food he doesn't like?
A lot. No no, he is branching out these days. But, he doesn't like olives, nor does he like chunks of tomato in his spaghetti sauce.

4. You go out to eat and have a drink. What does he order?
If he has the choice, a newcastle, or a guinness.

5. Where did he go to high school?
St. Ed's

6. What size shoe does he wear?
I think an 11.

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich?
He likes the Subway Spicy Italian. Also, roast beef.

9. What would this person eat every day if he could?
Subway, or white rice.

10. What is his favorite cereal?
He likes frosted mini wheats. Frosted flakes. Fruit loops. This is hard because we've out of the country and the cereal selection here sucks!

11. What would he never wear?
Anything pink.

12. What is his favorite sports team?
Cavs.

13. Who did he vote for?
Obama

14. Who is his best friend?
Me. And Dan. And Greg. And Josh. And Mess. And Matt. And the list goes on and on. Vic's pretty popular.

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do?
I am finicky about my cover "coverage" at night. I hate sharing a blanket.

16. What is his heritage?
Half whitey, half Ecua.

17. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake?
He's not much of a cake fan. He would much rather appreciate a big juicy steak on the grill, mashed potatoes, and corn.

18. Did he play sports in High School?
Yep, soccer. And did a brief but glorious stint in boxing.

19.What could he spend hours doing?
Playing Call of Duty 4.

20.What is one unique talent that he has?
He can study for hours on hours on hours on hours.

Extranjera

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 22:03:10 GMT

Loneliness. What is that feeling and how do we know that that is what we are feeling? I'm beginning to equate Ecuador - the country, with Loneliness - the emotion. It's not that I don't have supportive people around, but experiencing loneliness is a way of life here. We (extranjeros) each have our specific reasons for being here, whether it is to study our asses off, or party, or to teach abroad, or to learn Spanish, or just to support a loved one, but they are ours, individually. Yes, we may share some common feelings while living abroad, but that doesn't always get you past that "alone" feeling. Even the word for foreigner in Spanish, "extranjero," implies a sense of being an outsider, an extra, an unwanted.

I think the difference lies in that "individualized Ecuador experience." In the states, I just have "to be," like everyone else. Here, in another country, I have "to get by" while simultaneously conquering my specific reason for being here in the first place. Trying to fight that sense of being "the extra" in a play. It's a feeling of just barely staying above water, all the time.

It's hard to live abroad.

I do not get those people who move abroad and end up staying for the rest of their lives. Maybe they are simply lost souls born into the wrong culture and the wrong country. Like a trans-gender individual, sort of. I wish that I was cool and strong enough to love living abroad. But, I'm not. I'm pretty simple, a midwesterner at heart.

I like it easy, and I think I'm okay with that. At least I'm trying to be okay with that.

Monday, December 08, 2008

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:38:04 GMT

...and the slacking begins...

Nearest Book Game...

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:16:00 GMT

Grab the book nearest you. right now. turn to page 56. find the fifth sentence. post that sentence. don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. just use the CLOSEST.

"It is this compliant animal, to the public no different from the others in size and apparent ferocity, that will be the star of the show, while the trainer leaves the beta and gamma lions, more cantankerous subordinates, sitting on their colourful barrels on the edge of the ring." From Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Pretty interesting so far. Not really what I expected.

Thanksgiving...

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 23:49:01 GMT

I thought about writing something pertaining to school, as positive as it was, but I don't really feel like talking about work at the moment.

So, thanksgiving.

Bummer. This is one time of the year that I feel pretty homesick, not that I don't feel homesick fairly often. But....

It is what it is.

Potluck at Colegio Menor San Francisco de Quito. Where, people bring tons and tons and tons of rice. Who has rice at Thanksgiving, is what I want to know?! No one, damn it! Stop with the rice, people!

Two years ago, trying to get into the spirit of Thanksgiving at school, I ate a ton and sampled lots of the potluck dishes. I got the worst case of food poisoning ever, and was the sickest I've ever been. After that ordeal, there'll be no mayonaise-based dishes for me.

Anyway, I think we'll have a mini Thanksgiving on Saturday. We have to work and whatnot this week, so it'd be too much work to try to come home at 4:30 and prepare everything. Saturday it is. Stuffing, Turkey/Chicken (whatever we can afford), jello/cranberry stuff, mashed potatoes, gravy, noodles...mmm. I wish I was at home!

a new character emerging?

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:36:59 GMT

Well, it's been awhile.

Things have changed.

Obama's president elect. Oh thank you lord, whatever you may be.

Okay, I know I'm supposed to be describing all the cute little ecuadorian events on here so that one day I can write about my experience, but...

Can I write about another gringa who's been living here for 3 years instead?

Okay, said gringa, a red-head with a southern accent, has some really strange beliefs. I guess the way I can relate this to my "quintessential ecuador" blog is by calling attention to the mostly extremely strange gringo teachers that end up down here. Her being one of them. There, this story is qualified. Locked and loaded.

So, this person is a born again. Not your typical praise god, hallelulah, or even the passing out type, she's more extreme than that. This woman believes that President-Elect Obama is evil (and so do her church leaders), and that God has put him on his throne (as the scripture, in hebrew, states, according to her), and that the big G has put him on his throne to bring about the end of the world. Or, in her words, the apocalypse. Umm hmmm.

Wh..wh...what?!

This is one of many "characters" I interact with on a daily basis down here. Maybe she could be a character for my book one day...

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:17:09 GMT

For a person like me, always looking for change, a totally unexpected haircut, despite the initial tears, really has a boosting effect. It did take two haircuts to get said boosting effect.

My first haircut was done by a transvestite who I'm pretty sure didn't have much hair cutting training. I may as well have had Vic give me a short shaggy cut. The reason I mention the transvestite thing, is, that she mentioned it to me! Never been to this salon before, kinda a hole in the wall, in walks "Carmen's" gay friend and she asks if I like "the gays." That's how it's said here in spanish. So, I was like, "sure, I like gay people. I have a couple gay friends up north...etc." And she goes, "and what do you think of me? Do you think I'm a woman?" And I'm like, "um, eh, sure, yeah..." obviously knowing that she wasn't a "woman" at that point. Ha! A nice girl, that Carmen, but not very good at cutting hair. My boy Jaime, over at the expensive salon, is much much better.

Oh, the joys of having short hair in a country full of long-haired women.

Ley Seca

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:00:48 GMT

Ok, well, the high of the beginning of the school year has worn off, officially, and reality has set in. Now I must say, reality this year, is much much much better than the 3 previous, but still obnoxious at times.

Like today. I really wanted to get my roots done. Ya know when your highlights have grown out about an inch and that's pretty much all you can think about until you get them fixed. That's my current situation. And, since today was the day that the entire country voted for or against a new/rewritten constitution, the entire country apparently can't run any businesses either. Grrr. So, looks like I'm gonna go get my hair did tomorrow.

This weekend was also "ley seca," or "dry law," meaning it is prohited to buy, sell, or consume alcohol all weekend, due to the vote. Now, we all know that that doesn't exactly effect my weekend one way or the other, but....it still seems kinda stupid. The government thinks that it will get sound judgement from all its voters since they won't be sloppy drunk when they come to the polls. Yah, I'm sure this little law keeps the drunkards clean for the weekend...

Paxi farted on me today. That was real entertaining.

I rode the new bike in our "workout room" in our building. I think this will be my new workout regimen (for about 3 weeks until I fall off the wagon).

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:08:34 GMT

I think I need some alone time...

You know how when you have a raging headache, it seems to be the same day that everyone on your bus is screaming rather than talking.

You wanna know one pet peeve of mine concerning Ecuador? All the drama of this place. Now, it may not be all of Ecuador, I recognize, and simply just the company I keep, but geez. I never asked to be involved in such shenanigans, and yet, here I am. Right smack in the center of it all.

I really hate when a person brings another unwillingly into a situation. Don't you?

Match Lighting and all around nastiness

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 21:15:06 GMT

One thing I learned while living in Ecuador, and Mary's myspace blog just made me think of it, is that when you crap in small quarters such as Quito, you must light a match!

Speaking of crap. The municipal decides to get off their lazy asses every now and again, and they are at the bottom of our street suctioning shit out of the storm drains as we speak. And it reeks.

Oh, another fabulous aspect of city living. There is a gigantic, rotting rat chillin' on the sidewalk on my way to the bus stop everyday. A nice morning pick-me-up.

So, this morning, on the bus headed down to the valley, I glanced up looking for a light at the end of my morning tunnel. Instead, I saw two guys, stopped on the side of the highway, with separate vehicles, about 500 feet apart, but pissing, yellow stream and all.

When my friend Jordan lived here two years ago, he came up wiht a plan to fix all of this public peeing. He suggested a public pisser squad, whose job it was to throw rocks at public urinators. I concurred and was considered hired.