Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Returning to my roots...

Well the conference is finally over! It was great seeing everyone, but I was definitely ready to head back to site.

After the conference ended on Friday, me and my friend Miriam headed up to Cayambe to visit our host families from training. I couldn´t believe how long we had been away, time really seems to have flown. We were the only volunteers to return from the group, but it was well worth the trip. As soon as we arrived, we headed over to my family´s flower shop and they were so happy to see us! ¨COORRIII!¨They shouted...I missed how they said my name!

They of course commented on my mild acne, how ¨fea¨ my face was and that it used to be so nice and beautiful...gee thanks, guys. But that´s just how Ecuadorians are...they spit out the truth. But I stayed and chatted it up with them, helped them with some floral arrangements. They were full with work, there had been two major funerals that week, so I helped stick toothpicks in carnations to make arrangements. It was fun though; I really missed them and the ¨family time¨ we had. The girls were SO happy to see me...calling me sister and everything. Saturday we went swimming in the pool of one of the hotels; it was the girls, me, their cousin Domini and the little wawa whose name I can never pronounce. But it was so wonderful spending time with them, telling them stories. Times have fallen pretty hard for them, so I think my visit was well worth it.

Their dog, Bobby, was tragically killed by another dog the night a robber broke into their house. Luckily, they were able to sequester the robber in the bathroom he slid in to and called the police. Said he was ¨drugged¨and ¨from the Coast¨ and he wasn´t able to steal anything. Was released after only 3 days...but the next day they put bars all over their windows and installed a new alarm system. Pretty intense, that was the talk for the whole weekend. The girls were pretty shaken up by it too... They got a new dog though, Dinky....not as cool as Bobby but cést le vie.

But I promised them I would return for fiestas in May, so hopefully I´ll have more time to hang out with them and Fernanda and Gato, the couple that run the pizza place in front of their house.

Saturday night Chris and I met up in Quito and traveled down to Loja where we did Super Bowl with the other volunteers (Boo Steelers).

Had the warmest welcome from my co-workers in Zamora and my neighbors here in Yantzaza. Elvis, my neighbor, came running out and was so happy to see me. He wanted to hear everything that happened....their mom, Rosario, told me the boys missed me a lot and couldn´t wait for me to get home. That was great to hear, as well.

I was so tired, but the trip was well worth it. We celebrated my homecoming by watching Ace Ventura 2, which the boys absolutely loved. It´s one of those movies that can be enjoyed in many langauges. And I guess a man talking out of his butt is something all people find funny...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

"They spit out the truth." Right. Talking out of your bum is always funny.

My mom said you look like someone on the Grammy's tonight. I disagreed so much that I actually forgot who it was.

You not responding to my facebook messages isn't cool, Corrriiiii.

Anonymous said...

Cor-Cor,
Going back to see your 'family' seems like one big fiesta! And don't worry, whatever you look like, you are still beautiful!

And what's a wawa? It sounds like the Wawas we have in MD....same thing?
Loving in you from another country prima,
Anna