General Rumiñuawhat?!

I have started working on a new project...which has its pluses and minuses. When I was giving hygiene charlas to the girls last week, a guy from the Municipio was there giving charlas on the new trash program that is being initiated here in Yantzaza. I was so excited because this is something that I´ve been wanting to work on but didn´t know how to go about it or who to ask. Luckily Orlando was there and we were able to chat. The downside is I don´t have as much time for other things, but I feel like I will be more productive if I have less time and that means less time goofing around.

Anyway, Saturday morning he took me to the new location of the landfill they are building here in Yantzaza (they normally just dump the trash in the river, which absolutely kills me to hear...) And we decided that I could help him out with the education portion of this new trash project. Starting today they are breaking ground for the new landfill and in February a new trash collection system will take place. Green garbage cans are for organic trash and black ones are for inorganic trash.

Today I helped Orlando give charlas in the all-boys school near my house, General Rumiñahui...I always have trouble saying that name. We gave 5 half-hour charlas to the boys. I am so glad I am not a teacher in this country, let alone for an all-boys school...I have no idea how they do it (well they kind of don´t but that´s a horse of a different color). I bumped into a lot of boys I knew...brothers/nephews of my various novios...kids that have been throwing water balloons at me (I´ll explain)...even boys that fell in love with Gracie while she was here! We went to this dance back when the fam came to visit and one boy ran up to me...Hola Corrie....y Gregorio? Asking in reference to my brother...hahaha I was thinking, Greg created quite the following for the mere three hours we were at this dance. But it was cute, and now they know me and hopefully won´t peg me with water balloons.

I was able to come up with a great idea of how to teach the kids the differences between the trash sorting, while also cleaning up the school. I told them they had 3 minutes to find organic and inorganic trash and put them in the proper recepticles. They went nuts! It was great, because they got to run around, pick up trash and the playground looked great afterwards!

So Carnival is starting next month and here in Yantzaza (and throughout much of Ecuador I think) they have this tradition of ¨soaking¨people. Already, I have gotten pegged twice while I was out running, once with Chris and they nailed me that time, and another time when I was riding around in the park. It´s a cute tradition...dangerous...but I need to arm myself. I think all the boys at General Rumiñauhi´s have bought out Yantzaza´s supply of water balloons...but trust me...I will get them back. Can´t wait for Carnival to start! And Yantzaza will be in fiestas starting the 12th so it´s gonna be crazy down here.