Sunday, August 10, 2008

Olympic Teams and Beauty Queens

With the Olympics having started, competition is in the air. Unfortunately, the TVs in my house don´t get the Olympics so I haven´t been able to watch them, but us Peace Corps kids decided to commence it our own way. On Friday, we all gathered in Tabacundo (neighboring town) and had a Olympics Fiesta. Everyone dressed up as a country; I was Holland, I found a cheap soccer jersey and just rocked that out.

It was great, we all met at a Karoake Bar and that was an experience in and of itself. Karoake is big here, like people take it seriously. We were the first ones in the bar and we were singing really horrible renditions of Celine Dion´s my Heart Will Go On and Roxanne by The Police. After the locals had enough of our screeching, the woman running the bar took over and was like belting out songs! And every other Ecuadorian to follow sang well and did a serious job. Completely opposite of us-- as the night went on and the Pilsener was flowing even more, we were screaming to Bohemian Rhapsody, all doing the Wayne´s World head bop, and everyone was probably thinking what retarded gringoes. Karoake seems to be big everywhere else in the world, but the US....however I think that is a good thing.

But the real icing on the cake for this weekend was my ¨attempt¨ at being a beauty queen. Thursday night, Freddy, one of my cousins, asked me if I wanted to be a madrina, which is beauty pageant contestant. I thought differently because madrina also means godmother, so I was a little confused. So I said yes, totally shocked and honored that they wanted a gringa to represent. So this morning there was a parade of all the futbol (soccer) teams and they each had a madrina. Still not quite sure why they had to have a contest, but looks are everything here.

So I dressed up, and they were surprised I didn´t bring high heels with me. (Sorry, I didn´t realize I was going to be entering pageants when I got down here, and that wasn´t part of the PC job description.) So Jazmin ¨polished¨my sandals instead. Sonia did my hair and I carried a bouquet, waving and smiling. It was great. There were about 30 madrinas standing in this soccer field, being judged. Unfortunately I didn´t win...or even get to the finals. But whatev...it was fun. That´s the closest I´ll ever get to being in a beauty pageant! So I soaked up every minute of it.

The most important part was that my whole family said I was bonita and that I looked good. Oh and the good news is, I get to keep the sash!
Me and my equipo Los Novios de Tus Ñañas (The boyfriends of your sisters). It was rainy and my hair got messed up...the guy to my left, Carlitos, is a cousin of the family. And yes, I was the tallest person there.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the Facebook message. Look at how well you stand out in the crowd! haha

gregoryderek said...

So are all the guys on the futball team you represented named scott, dan, ron, and possibly danny??? sorry, i had too.

talk to you soon.

love,

greg

ps-nothing says roughing it in the wilderness like a good sash.

Anonymous said...

Cor-Cor, You will always be our sweet Polish beauty queen! Stay Safe. xoxo

kthaulass said...

Corrie!!!!
I sang bohemian rhapsody for karaoke last night... It is wierd how its so huge everywhere but in the US.

I need to be more on point with you blog!

Thinking of you!!!! Add more pics and check my adventure : kthaulass.blogspot.com


I FUCKING LOVE YOU!

Anonymous said...

I knew you'd make a great beauty contestant! I also know for a fact that you're a pretty good singer! (Or maybe it's just when you're singing Aqua on our deck!!! jk!)
With all my love,
Anna