the two sides of my mouth
December 9, 2009
haven’t updated in a while. been furiously…or rather, unwillngly…working hard on the 20 page paper I have to turn in Friday (in Spanish.) it is one of the most uncomfortable paper writing experiences I have ever had, mostly becuase I don’t really want to do it and it seems to be neverending. The Spanish is actually not all that bad as I seem to have a pretty good grip (while still basic in some repsects) on the language now. I actually had an administrative meeting completely in Spanish yesterday.
what? administrative meeting? well, here’s the down low for you all.
I’m switching programs. I had a meeting with the faculty of International Programs at the Universidad de San Francisco yesterday to discuss direct enrollment options. It went great and the next semester instead of being part of MSID I will be taking classes along with another year long student who was disasstisfied with the MSID Program.
Why was I disasstisfied? Why do I want to switch from continuing to teach English in a rural indigenous community for four more months to taking classes at the most elitist (and only) liberal arts college in Ecuador?
My god Anna! What a hypocrite. You run your mouth on and on about solidarity and putting theory into practice and etc. etc. etc.
While I do feel somewhat hypocritical, my time at La Calera has taught me several things.
1. I couldn’t possibly teach English at José Vasconcelos for four more months. It was probably one of the hardest things I have ever done and I was completely without support.
2. While I love the community of La Calera and truly bonded with Inés and Kairik, who I already miss, and formed many of my new ideas about what solidarity really means, there were no other internship options available there.
3. My other options besides teaching were far too isolating. I realized I was not ready to be in the jungle for four months completly isolated from people my age, my own language, etc.
I can have that sort of experience later, when I am ready. It’s not a sign of weakness as I initially thought. The class aspect of MSID was the most dissapointing part and I truly feel like if I leave Ecuador without a deeper understanding of history, politics, colonialism etc. I will regret it. I think taking classes will give me this.
Also, I miss taking classes. Inés told me that since I have the opportunity to go to college – which many don’t – I should make the most of my time while in it. I miss art and theater as you all have heard me kvetch enough about. I miss theory.
I MISS CHOOSING MY OWN FOOD. this is probably the greatest factor in Mateo and I looking for our own apartment in Quito. I have gained a little weight, not a significant amount which I don’t care that much about…it’s more that I just can’t bear to sustain myself on basically just rice corn potatoes bread soup and meat any longer. vegetables and fruit are dirt cheap here but are not a huge part of the local diet. I am going to reclaim my health. I feel like I am completely made out of starch. a walking human shaped starch mass. this needs to change!
I could ramble on a lot more about how La Calera was, how it has changed me, and I most certainly will but right now I am mentally exhausted from this paper and red tape processes and need to finish said paper.
Before I left inés gave me some parts of the indigenous traje – a blouse and a cinta for my hair – and I have never felt so honored. I never felt comfortable being indigenous dress at a market, or renting it as a costume – which you can here for fiestas! – because that is so much human zoo to me, cultural tourism. but this was different, inés wanted to share it with me as a reminder of what we shared together. I gave her a nice watch becuase hers broke and she was always needing to know the time to run off to one meeting or another. I connected with her so much more then my host family in Quito.
augh. need to wriiiiiiiiiiiiiite (ensayo)
leaving Monday to adventure to Macchu Picchu. soooooo excited!
new photos will go up later today of my time in La Calera –
The world is round, like an orange. 