2013 has finally come to an end, but the adventure continues. This past month of December I experienced many things that I will not easily forget. Beginning the month, a group of friends and I went on a biking trip to the valley of Vilcabamba. This three hour ride was difficult with the terrain being of dirt and rock. Although a challenge, I enjoyed the thrills of the downhill slopes as the wind blew through my hair. After several breaks, and a lengthy ride uphill we made it the small town of Vilcabamba. Here we spent the afternoon with other classmates, enjoying the sun while bathing in the cool waters of our friends pool.
Throughout the month of December, nine times to be exact, I attended a sort of Christmas bible study in where the stories of Christmas were read. After analyzing the stories and their themes, we sang Christmas songs together. One evening, I was asked to sing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer in English. I ended up singing quite lovely, or so they told me. We would finish off the nights with food and drink. These "bible studies" were very enjoyable, as they showed me more of the Ecuadorian culture in a religious sense, as well as brought me closer to many of the people in attendance.
Closing in on Christmas, my excitement was growing for the time of getting gifts and eating lots of food. However, a trip to a local village showed me that for some, Christmas does not mean receiving gifts, nor food. With my school, we went to visit kids from the local school. Here we were paired up with a "Christmas sibling", a student around the ages 5-13. Now these children came from very poor families, walking up steep hills several kilometers in order to attend the small, poorly constructed school. Receiving many gifts and eating more than necessary were not in the minds of these little guys. For this reason, our school came with gifts and baskets full of food and other goodies. My "sibling" was named Brayan David. A 12 year old, skinny, dark-toned boy, the smile on his and his mothers face when I handed over the gift and the food is something I cannot forget. That whole day we spent together, playing little games, conversing, eating, and dancing to festive holiday music. Then, of course, it was time to come home, and leave the wonderful children we had only just met. And so, this day, taught me that although many of us face challenges daily, we must be thankful for what we have, be it very little, for there are many people in today's world that still have almost nothing.
About a week before Christmas vacation, our class went on a trip to a nearby school to attend an anti-drug/alcohol conference. Here we watched a movie about the damages of drugs and alcohol, met and spoke with two ex-addicts about their experiences, and conversed about the common issues modern teenagers are experiencing. This was a very interesting and eye-opening event. Listening to the ex-addicts' stories, showed me the dangers of alcohol and drugs.
A week later, school was out and Christmas vacation began. That first Friday out of school, I went to the movies with some friends. The film was called No se Aceptan Devoluciones. Completely in Spanish, I was surprised to see that I understood almost the entirety of the movie. Slowly and surely, I can now see, my Spanish is advancing. After four months, I have greatly improved my use of the language. That same day, later at night our class had a formal Christmas dinner. Accompanied by my host parents, this event was not only fun but emotional. Together with parents and classmates, pictures were taken, food was eaten, and secret Santa gifts were passed out. After the dinner, we danced until dawn. I am extremely grateful to all my classmates for this night, and the friendships they have given me.
As Christmas approached, I kept thinking in the back of my head how strange it was to be away from family at this festive time of year. However, my family here has been so kind to me, that I felt, and still feel, just as much at home. Despite this, I felt it necessary to at least add a little bit of my own Christmas tradition. For this reason, the Saturday 21st of December, I decided to show my host family something my family does in Texas during the holidays. Thus, around 6 in the afternoon, we got together at the dining table for, in German "Kaffeetrinken" or "drinking of coffee". The table was set with German Christmas treats like Stollen and Kekse which we had found at a local German store. Also on the table was a wreath with four candles. For each Sunday in the month of December, for each Advent it is to say, one lights a candle until the Sunday before Christmas. It happened to be a Saturday but the idea is the same. So with four candles lit and German Christmas music in the background, we ate and conversed together, just like I used to back home. It is funny to note, that I was celebrating a German tradition in Ecuador while coming from Texas. It seems the world is not so big after all.
Christmas was, to summarize, a time of true joy. The night of the 24th I went to eat and open presents at the houses of both sets of my host-grandparents. To my surprise, I even received gifts from my host family. I am extremely grateful for the kindness I have been given.
Shortly after Christmas, my host family and I went on a two day trip to the Southern part of the Amazon rainforest, near the town of Zamora. Here we went on a tour passing in boat through canyons and a labyrinth made of rock. To cool off, we bathed in a small body of water with a waterfall at the edge. This trip was a fun way for me to continue bonding with my host family.
New Years in Ecuador is another one of many adventures that I have experienced. During the day of the 31st, along with my host brother and our neighbors(three very friendly girls that are like sisters to me), we packed together balls of newspaper and stuffed them into a set of clothes sewed together like a little man. Later that evening we got together with the rest of the family and burned the man of newspaper, representing the old year falling into the past, being replaced with the new. In the afternoon prior to the reunion of the family, I dressed up with some friends as a girl. Then, with our skirts and wigs, we walked out into the street, at a stoplight to ask for money. This is an Ecuadorian tradition in where one dresses as a women, dances in the street, and thus receives a couple cents from each car. By the end of the afternoon we had made around eighty dollars. At night we popped fireworks, and burnt the little man(the old year). It was very interesting seeing the difference in traditions between my real family and the family of Ecuador. Continuing all night long, enjoying the companionship and celebrating the new year, I finally got home at 6 that next morning.
Over four months have officially been completed in Ecuador. Every day I look back and realize how much I am changing. I hope to continue this journey with the happiness I have been feeling.
Chris Petsch
