Walk Peacefully

Baby Bok Choy

2008-09-09T11:11:00.003-05:00

When you chop off the end of the Baby Bok Choy, you get a lovely rose!

Comfort Curry Soup

2008-09-09T10:11:00.009-05:00

This soup/stew was invented on a rainy day with treats from the farmers' market and Dottie's Discount Goods.

4 medium white russet potatoes (cubed)
water
2 TBS olive oil
1 small white onion (chopped)
1.5 - 2 TBS curry powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1 squirt Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1/2 tsp or more cayenne powder
3 bay leaves
3 carrots (chopped)
3 large plain white mushrooms (chopped)
1 can of peas
1/3 or 1/2 can coconut milk

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a sauce pan. Cook potatoes until you can stick a fork in them. Drain and set aside.
2. Over medium heat in large sauce pan, sauté onion in olive oil until softened.
3. Add 3/4 cup of water to onion/olive oil & mix well.
4. Add curry, cumin, coriander, Bragg's Liquid Aminos, cayenne powder, bay leaves and mix well.
5. Add carrots onion/spice mix and cook until softened.
6. Add mushrooms and potatoes (from step 1) to sauce pan. Mix well.
7. Fold in can of peas.
8. Add coconut milk, mix well and simmer for a few more minutes.

Enjoy!

Notes:
*Periodically sample a bit to see if the seasoning is pleasant. Adjust spices to your taste if necessary.

*The soup is versatile; experiment different veggies as they become more available (such as autumn squash). Mix in a cup or two of beans or tofu if desired to provide more protein.

Bonus points if you use locally produced and or organic ingredents (carrots, onion, potatoes come to mind). Good luck finding locally produced coconut milk.

Re-assessing the blog

2008-09-09T09:36:00.003-05:00

So for the past 8 months my blogging activities have been sub-par. I think that I can fault facebook's convenient photo-sharing options for that, since I started this blog to avoid having to send photos via email and clogging inboxes.

Does anyone actually read this, anyway?

Should I:
a. continue posting boring daily updates,
b. start a vegan recipe blog,
c. jump off the blog-wagon, or
d. both a & c?

In Retrospect: A Shoe Box's Guide to Culture Shock

2008-01-18T15:58:00.000-05:00

Before leaving for Ecuador, I was throughly excited to develop my noveau-latina persona. Living in Vermont changed my wardrobe: I bought my first hiking boots, fleece and hemp pants that year, stopped shaving my legs and started wearing "all-natural" deodorant. I was so excited to move to a place where high heels and pantyhose were the norm; I even "google-image-searched" photos of Quito to see which of my clothes I should pack to fit in. You can imagine how thrilled I was to stumble upon a pair of Vera Wang brown leather high heels at the second-hand store in Brattleboro. I snatched them up for $20, and that night was so excited to wear them out to dinner at the Common Ground restaurant. During the 10 minute walk to dinner, I obtained 25 (yes, I counted!) blisters on my poor "rather-be-in-wool-socks-and-boots" feet.

Despite that painful event, I didn't get discouraged. I was still psyched for high heels in Ecuador. When I packed way back in July, I brought 7 pairs of shoes with me, some high-heeled, some a more modest flat. During my first few days here, I somehow survived by dodging rabid dogs and manholes in high heels. I went through a whole package of mole skin and band aids. I didn't care; I wanted to hear the tick-tock and feel like I was standing up straighter. I was certainly in the first phase of culture shock, characterized by blind acceptance, excitement and fascination with the new culture.

This soon changed when something clicked inside of me, or maybe I just tripped and fell on my face too many times. I wanted to reject that which I had previously accepted accepted so enthusiastically. I am not a high-heel wearer. The blisters, the sore ankles, the inability to walk fast... it was time for me to adapt more sensible shoes. I pulled my hiking boots from the depths of my closet, and donned them with big, clunky LL Bean pride. Oh, the looks I got: dressed up in ironed slacks and a blouse...and hiking boots. I was in the second stage of culture shock.

Finally, when I went home for Thanksgiving in November, I decided that I should dig my Canadian dressy-yet warm-yet comfortable-boots out of the attic, and exchanged them for a few pairs of uncomfortable high heels. Since returning to Ecuador in November, I have worn these black suede waterproof boots in the rain and in the sun. I've even gotten a complement on them from an Ecuadorian woman. Both functional and stylish, perhaps I have entered into the third stage of culture shock: adjustment. I am more comfortable in dealing with cross-cultural challenges. And my feet are not covered in blisters. :)

Pesadilla

2007-12-14T11:03:00.000-05:00

So I remember having a dream/nightmare last night, in which I was sharing a cab with some friends on a Sunday to get to the airport. I was trying to catch a flight to get home for Christmas, and it was snowing in Quito and the cab driver was actually driving slowly (this never happens) and I realized that I didn't apply for my "Permission to Leave" document so I would forever loose my flight and I'd be stuck in Quito... forever...

This was my own personal nightmare.

Luckily it was just a dream and Quito isn't that bad, anyway, right?

Migration woes

2007-12-02T17:58:00.000-05:00

Greetings from Quito! I write after a hiatus of a few weeks so that I could visit the states and relax before beginning part 2 of the practicum. The vacation itself was great, but traveling was a bit hairy. This was mostly due to my own stupidity.

I have a volunteer visa so that I would be able to stay legally in Ecuador for more than 6 months, with out having to worry about if a visitor/tourist visa extension would be approved. I assumed that because I was a gringa, that I would have to follow the norms and rules that most other gringos follow: enter the country and leave whenever you desire, withing a given amount of time. Unfortunately, since I had a proper visa, I had to follow a more complicated set of rules and norms that residents and citizens have to abide by: asking for permission to leave before leaving the country.

So when I applied for my visa in DC, I was given a paper (that of course I did not read) that said "Visit the migration office for foreigners within 30 days of entering Ecuador". Of course I didn't do that, because I thought that it wasn't obligatory/necessary/something that I could be fined 200 dollars if I didn't complete it. Anyway, a few weeks before my trip, I realized that I needed to get an identity document, called a "Censo". So in trying to cut through the red tape and get my Censo, I had to register my visa with another office, because I got it outside of Ecuador. This entailed 3 whole days of running around to different government offices, crying in said offices, paying fines various banks, and making sculptures out of red tape.

I finally got my Censo (214 dollars, 4 passport pictures, 10 taxi rides, 1 manila envelope, 2 letters from landlord & boss, and 3 copies of my passport later), the day before my flight. I packed my bag chock full of South American goodies for family and friends, and went to the airport early Saturday morning. I checked in with the airline, paid my departure tax, and approached Migration. The woman in the UPS-like uniform asked me for my boarding pass, passport and "Permission to Leave" document. I started crying when she told me that I was not allowed to leave Ecuador without having permission to leave. She advised that I go back downstairs to the check-in counter, switch my flight to later that day, and go BACK to the migration office so that I could get this "Permission to Leave" document.

I took yet another taxi to yet another migration office at 6:30 in the morning (since being at the airport at 4:00 AM). I waited with a couple from Colombia for the office to open, and finally got my "Permission to leave" document. Took it back to the airport, and hoped on my flight to Miami and finally Newark to see Steve's smiling face. I was never so happy to be in New Jersey.

Although I've learned academically that you can not apply my ethno-centric norms and expectations to every other cultural context, this was an eye-opening experience that re-confirmed this point. I assumed that all people had the ability to leave their own country without permission from the government, and that since I was a foreigner I would not need to heed the same set of rules. But, since I have the privilege of staying in Ecuador for more than 6 months as a volunteer, I have to adapt my expectations and behaviors to fit the context.

The other ironic point in all of this is that I got caught up in immigration problems, despite the fact that I spent two years working with immigrants and refugees in the US. One would think that I would have learned something about following the rules with respect to immigration when abroad. Some lessons are learned the hard way, I suppose.

Eek! Its November!

2007-11-06T19:56:00.000-05:00

Greetings..

I hope that you enjoy the following blogs that I posted today from the past few weeks. As you can see, its been pretty busy. The first two weeks of November are packed with work-related activities, and I'll be in the states for 10 days for Thanksgiving.
Looking forward to it!

Cochasqui Pyramids

2007-11-06T19:35:00.000-05:00

A few weekends ago (hey, who said this blog needed to be in chronological order?) A group of us took the Panamerican Highway north to check out the Cochasqui Pyramids...

Here are some highlights:

A long way to Quito.

These pyramids are mostly pre-excavation- which means they appear as lumps below layers of earth.

Pyramid #14 is said to have magical powers, as llamas climb atop to propagate their species.

This pre-Incan empire had both a solar and lunar calendar.

Llamas ponder the heavens.

Notice the Virgin of Quito in the Background? I can't see her either, but she's there.

Ruins of Incapirca

2007-11-06T19:18:00.001-05:00

While in Cuenca last week, my compañeras and I took a side trip to visit the Ruins of Incapirca, pre-Incan stone structures in the Provence of Azuay.
Here are some highlights:

Ruins of Incapirca - a complete village - including classroom, kitchen, community meeting room, llama guillotine.

Sarah, me, Katie, Meagan atop ruins. Apparently it's okay for people to be stomping atop the several hundred year old archaeological wonders.

Me, in guard station. People were shorter back then.

Niches were important things were kept.

I'd set up my village/kingdom in this atmosphere. It's quite nice.

Cuenca, southern Ecuador

2007-11-06T18:54:00.000-05:00

Since this past weekend was a double-holiday (Day of the dead and Cuenca's Independence Day), I went to Cuenca with Meagan, Sarah and Katie. Here are some highlights:

Who doesn't love a pristine, Colonial City? In front of Catedral Nueva.

A little too pristine - beauty contest winners of the "Virgin of Mirador"
...way to give teenage girls a complex, eh?

Jesus Christ, Superstar. Iglesia San Blas.
(Some churches seem to be victims of "When Trading Spaces Goes Bad")

Happy Independence, Cuenca! Let's set off fireworks dangerously close to old buildings.

"Día de los difuntos" / Day of the Dead Altar.

I really did enjoy Cuenca- it was a beautiful, peaceful city. I think I'm just a bit bitter because I got a bit of food poisoning this weekend. No worries, by Tuesday it was all gone.

¡Cotopaxi!

2007-11-06T18:43:00.000-05:00

Sarah and I took a trip to the town of Latacunga, south of Quito, so that we could visit the volcano Cotopaxi. Here are some highlights:

As you increase in altitude, the temperature drops, the air gets thinner, and breathing becomes difficult. Very few trees grow up here and the ground is covered with ash.

Me & Cotopaxi. Notice the snow-capped top and lava-influenced valley.

snow!

Guaguas de pan y colada morada

2007-11-06T18:21:00.000-05:00

November 2nd is "Día de los difuntos" or "Day of the Dead" here in Ecuador. Most families get together on this holiday to make guaguas de pan or child-shaped bread and colada morada - a sweet berry and herb warm beverage. To consume, dip child-shaped bread in berry drink. Enjoy.

Last weekend, I went to a family party with Jessica, Martha Cecilia, Galo, and Diego, out in the countryside north east of Quito to a cousin's farm to create the guaguas. Here are some highlights!

Galo, Martha Cecilia, Jessica and I watch as the guaguas come to life.

Into the oven you go, bread children.

The colada morada simmers over the fire.

I decided to make a pajarito de pan / bird of bread.

Its the little things.

2007-10-05T14:48:00.000-05:00

I found two yummy things today that only I would enjoy:

1. Fat-Free-Fig-Newtons!!

2. Kale-filled empanada.

Thank goodness for globalization.

Eek! It´s already October!

2007-10-03T21:30:00.000-05:00

Saludos.

How quickly time flies! Updates, in case you have not heard: Stephen is enjoying the foliage from a cabin in northern Vermont, and I am looking forward to visiting seeing him over Thanksgiving.

Last weekend, Ecuador voted for a new Assembly. Official results are not in yet, but rumor has it that Correa won.

In local news, David is visiting Ecuador this week...yay! (Check out his blog, perhaps he´ll have some kind of trip update: http://www.harazquack.blogspot.com/)He arrived today and brought lots of goodies (thanks, SteveO!), including all natural peanut butter, raw honey, annnnnd soap! (Perhaps I will mix them all together at once and gorge on a pb-honey-soap sandwich!)

Work is going well; I´m getting to visit a few work-related sites outside of Quito within the next few days.

Peace be with you!

Roommates!

2007-09-17T14:25:00.001-05:00

I have some great roommates!

Galo and Marta Cecilia on her birthday.

Marta's Birthday Dinner.

Jessica, indicating her continent of origin.

Its beginning to look a lot like...

2007-09-17T14:10:00.000-05:00

Its beginning to look a lot like... Voting Day!

"Museum of Corruption" Notice the Noboa dummy.

"Note: The members of the Assembly have to be of the people/village, not the same corrupt politicians as before. Long live patriotism!"

"Free Thought in Large Plaza"

The vote is obligatory here in Ecuador... can you imagine if that were the case in the States?!? Let's see what happens on September 30th.

Art in Guayaquil

2007-09-07T17:34:00.000-05:00

I got to see some great artists' work while on the coast, including Guayasamin.

To sum up Guayaquil:

2007-09-07T17:28:00.000-05:00

Much like any other city in the world, Guayaquil is a city of extremes.

Notice the children fishing in the brown Río Guayas, while a pirate-flag flying tourist boat sails by. You can see the reflection of the skyscrapers in the glass.

Guayaquil

2007-09-07T17:08:00.000-05:00

I had the opportunity to attend a conference on Conflict Resolution for Educators earlier this week in Guayaquil. Here are some highlights of my free-time:

Tribute to Ecuadorian poet Medardo Angel Silva.

Guayaquil's Pride and Joy: Malecón 2000. A stellar example of urban renewal.

Las Penas Neighborhood, next to River Guayas.

Despite the Malecón's success, Las Penas is more like "Disney Does Urban Revitalization". Notice the untouched cinderblock in the background.

It was nice to visit a warmer, coastal city. People seemed more laid-back and Caribbean, but I feel that I am a Serrana at heart.

Tele-FUN-ico!

2007-08-28T19:39:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday, SteveO, Jess (a nice Aussie lass) and I took a trip on the teleférico to the top of Mt. Pichincha.

Caution: Danger of Impact.

Other people riding the teleférico.

4,050 meters above sea level.

Steve and I atop Pichincha.

Jess ponders hiking up the volcano.

Sweet Bread

2007-08-28T19:34:00.000-05:00

Apparently 'sweet bread' in the states signifies cow brains. Here, pan dulce is fantastic. Here is an example of a turtle-shaped, sugar-coated cheese bread:

It was delicious. Right down to its little turtle-feet.

Baños

2007-08-12T21:14:00.000-05:00

Friday, 10 de Agosto, Ecuador celebrated 198 years of independence from España. Most people had Friday off, so everyone and their brother went to Baños, a 4 hour bus ride from Quito.

Think: Jersey shore but 4,000 feet above sea level nestled between an active volcano and a river. Instead of swimming in the ocean, people bathe in thermal pools heated by the volcano or hike down to the waterfalls. Rather than chugging down the Budweisers, tourists have a nice trago de jugo de caña.

We hiked up to the Virgin of Baños... a hike + 614 steps!

Carlos, me, Stephen, Renee, Kathy. Oh, and the Virgin.

Notice the Emergency Volcano Evacuation Route in the background.

View from behind the Virgin.

We rode the Chiva Bus because it was too muddy to bike or hike to check out the waterfalls.

At the bottom of the waterfall. We should be in a Tesalia (bottled water) ad.

Mitad del Mundo

2007-08-12T20:40:00.001-05:00

I took the bus to the Equator today and visited both tourist attractions.
One is accurate, the other is not.

The French primarily funded the Equator expedition several hundred years ago; however, they mis-calculated by about a quarter of a mile. (This was before GPS, of course.)

Me, lying across the (fake) Equator. (Technically my whole body is in the Southern Hemisphere.)

I'm in the Southern Hemisphere, and Steve is in the Northern Hemisphere. (This is actually pretty telling of our relationship.)

Proof that this is the real Equator: as the water is drained from the sink, there is no clockwise or counter-clockwise swirly. Pretty cool, eh? (PS- it's true: the toilets flush the other way here. I was going to post a picture, but decided you, the reader, would take my word for it.)

Little Bun

2007-08-12T20:28:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, I took the bus up to the hill in the middle of the city for the panoramic view. It is cutely called the “little bun” or panecillo.

Here the virgin of Quito is perched over looking the city, where kiosks sell everything from handbags to lunches to hot chocolate.

During the windy days of summer, families come up here to fly kites dressed in winter coats and hats.

The man of gas

2007-08-12T20:21:00.000-05:00

I realize how I take utilities for granted in the States. For example, the default setting is not to have a choice between cold or hot potable water any hour of the day. For most people here, the water is not safe to drink fresh from the tap. You either have to boil it or purchase water. (Not very sustainable, eh?)

In order to have hot water (to wash dishes, take a shower, etc) you must consult “el hombre del gas” (the gas man). El hombre del gas drives around every morning, starting at 6:00 AM, tooting his horn. Beep-BEEP-BEEP: The man of gas is here! You wave him down, and you trade in the old tank to get a new full gas tank.

Before taking a (warm) shower, you must light the pilot light on the Califon (hot water heater). Just remember to turn off the pilot light after your shower, or you’ll have to wave down the man of gas again tomorrow.

The plus side is that I now take shorter, less frequent showers.

Why did I bother to bring an alarm clock?

2007-08-05T21:16:00.000-05:00

This lady and her rooster buddy do a good job of waking me up.

Mindo!

2007-08-05T20:49:00.000-05:00

In order to take a break from the pollution, Steve and I visited a small town in the "half-rain-forest" called Mindo. Here are some highlights!

"Tarabita" or as some would say, "jaula" (cage). Yes, we rode this across a river valley!

Not thrilled about the Tarabita.

At least there was a pretty waterfall.

Mindo is at a lower altitude than Quito, so it was a bit warmer and there were lots of tropical plants... (a botanist I'm not- but they looked pretty!).

Medio-Bosque! (Half rain-forest!)

Horses frolicking in the Guayaba tree fields.

Feasting butterfly.

Hills, mountains, volcanoes- Oh my!

2007-08-05T20:43:00.000-05:00

Quito is surrounded by mountains and volcanoes, making for dramatic vistas in every direction!

Notice Cotopaxi, the snow-capped volcano in the distance.

Our street.

Colonial Quito

2007-08-05T20:38:00.000-05:00

Quito is one of UNESCO's World Heritage sites. Recently I had the opportunity to learn about the old city sector. Here are some highlights!

Spaniards are credited for importing architecture popular in Madrid.

This church is celebrated because an Indigenous artist completed the carvings.

Settled in Quito!

2007-08-05T20:09:00.000-05:00

Sorry this posting is a bit tardy, but I can blame it on the hora Ecuatoriana now, can't I?

Saludos de Quito! Stephen and I arrived on July 25th (after 26 hours of traveling on 3 trains and 2 planes). We spent the first week in a German-owned B&B in a northern Quito residential neighborhood, exploring Quiteño neighborhoods to find a place to live. After seeing many apartments, we finally were offered a room on top of our Spanish school. We share the kitchen with the school, and have the whole building to ourselves on the weekend. Good deal!

View from the balcony.

Our street, overlooking downtown Quito.

The school is a non-profit organization that helps to fund a home for handicapped children that the school director's family runs. There are usually no more than 5 Spanish students at a time, which allows the teachers and students to really get to know each other. The teachers and staff are really down-to-earth, kind & dedicated people. I feel really lucky to be here!

The adjustment to life in Quito is going... alright. The first few days I felt like a heifer, huffing and puffing while navigating Quito's hilly roads and thin air. Sometimes the pollution (think LA smog but at 10,000 feet!) makes my sinuses hurt. Experiencing culture shock really exacerbates my moods: I've had extreme highs and lows. Luckily I've experienced this before first-hand and learned about it at SIT so I feel better prepared to deal with it.

The pollution, congestion and city chaos has made the adjustment really difficult for Steve. Luckily we now have a place to live and he is going to start Spanish tomorrow so he won't have to leave our (relatively) tranquil neighborhood that often.

PEI, the reason for the trip to Canada

2007-08-03T21:37:00.001-05:00

Last but not least, a month late, I bring you: photos from Prince Edward Island!

Lupins lounging in the wind.

Perfect little house on the water.

New Brunswick, Canada

2007-07-01T21:29:00.000-05:00

On the way to Prince Edward Island, we drove through New Brunswick and often stopped to smell the roses.

Sthea admires the wildflowers.

Apparently Lesley enjoys the covered bridges, especially this one in Fundy National Park.

She really likes them.

Towards the Bay of Fundy.

Waterfalls in Fundy NP.

Enjoying a sunset over the Bay of Fundy.

A moose in Fundy NP! Can we take him home as a pet?

A covered bridge near St. John, NB.

Maine

2007-07-01T21:08:00.000-05:00

Sthea, Lesley and I took a road trip to Canada through New England. Here are some photos of Maine:

Ellsworth, Maine

Sthea & Lesley and the algae.

Sthea in Maine.

Lesley, Sthea and our new friend Ester in "Down East" Maine.

Pony Express...

2007-06-24T10:57:00.000-05:00

While at the Brattleboro Strolling of the Heifers I snapped a photo of pony exploitation if i ever did see it - In front of the Boys & Girls Club nonetheless!

Snakes, toads and car wrecks... Oh my!

2007-05-30T21:53:00.000-05:00

Since the weather was nice again today, Steve and I went walking on a path along the Connecticut River.

Along the way, we saw a few notable sights.

A snake! Luckily, he's probably not poisonous.

A toad rushed over my sandaled foot. He blends in very well!

Further down the path, Steve pointed out a car hanging on the edge of a cliff.

Notice the bumper - perhaps it has been there a while?

Fin.

Foliage Season in New England

2007-05-29T10:34:00.000-05:00

Here are a few images of Foliage Season in Vermont. Taken last fall by Stephen.

Connecticut River, looking north.

Overlooking Brattleboro, Vermont from New Hampshire.

Notice the wide array of colors!

Jenn's & Nick's Wedding

2007-05-29T09:48:00.000-05:00

I went to a cousin's wedding several months ago. Here are some highlights!

Family Picture

Kristen & Stephen

Kristen, Barb & Caitlin

Following the Forest Fire

2007-05-28T15:33:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, there was a forty-acre forest fire in the park across the river. Today Steve and I went hiking and explored the torched parts. Have you ever seen the after-effects of a forest fire?

Notice even the lichen died!

There were signs that the circle of life would continue...

And we were able to continue our walk in the beautiful lush forest!

test

2007-05-28T15:15:00.001-05:00

Hola