Single Christian Foreigner: Thoughts on True Love

Normally I post about my experiences or observations on this blog. It's a way for me to reflect on things that I've gone through or observed about life in a different country. It's also a way to inform my friends, family and anyone else who is interested about life in Ecuador. Tonight I'm taking a break from that, and I'm writing about something much more important: true love.

I am a total romantic. It doesn't matter if it's complete cheesy- sweet words, holding someone's hand, a gift of flowers- any thoughtful gesture of affection melts my heart. I love the idea of love.

I am also very driven. It serves me well in most other areas of my life. If I want something, I figure out how to get it, and I work until I have what I want. I wanted to come to Ecuador a little over 3 years before I made it here, but believe me waiting was not easy.

In addition, I'm impatient. Being this way doesn't mean I don't have to wait. Instead, it means that I have a bad attitude while I'm waiting. I tend to complain or rush things so they can be the way I want them sooner. When I do that- things don't turn out the way I had hoped.

These three things make being single difficult for me. When a husband wraps an arm around his wife in church, I think "I want that." When the possibility of a friend becoming more enters my mind, I think "Ok, so what do I need to do to make it happen?" And almost every time another friend starts a relationship, gets engaged, or posts romantic pictures on social media I can't help but wonder, "When will it be my turn God?"

Because of my weaknesses, I have hurt others and I have hurt myself. I feel awful because of that. Even though we've already talked, if you are reading this and I ever hurt you, I'm truly sorry.

Tonight, I took a walk and began to think of Jesus. I started to ponder his love for me. As romantic as I think I am- He's so much more. He is the author of love. We get butterflies in our stomachs when that special someone is around because he made us that way. We can care for someone incredibly deeply despite their flaws because He created us to be like Him. We love because God first loved us. One day Jesus is going to put his arm around my shoulder and it will be a better sensation than one I could have here on this earth. When I question: "What do I need to do? What should I do?," the answer is nothing. I can't force someone to love me, and I can't do enough good things to make God love me. Jesus already did everything for me. And as far as when it'll be my turn, well my question shows that I have forgotten how I have already been chosen. God, the creator of the universe--visible things like the Loja mountains and invisible things like forgiveness and love-- wants me to be his. For now, He wants me all to himself and maybe one day He'll be willing to share, but one thing is for certain- I'm going to remain his for all of eternity.    

That's True Love.

5 Things about Loja Culture: Part 2

One of the most difficult parts of being in another country is being without family, but living here has helped shaped how I think about family. So here are a few things I've observed about family here in Loja!

Familia

Anyone who knows anything about Hispanics knows that family is of utmost importance to them. That's not new information, but it manifests itself in different ways and in my experience I have seen a new depth to this truth in Loja. 

La casa 

The easiest way to see the attention given to family here in Ecuador is living accommodations. Recently, I was talking with a student about her family. They live in one house with multiple floors. She lives with her parents and her younger sister, who is married and has two kids, on the first floor. Her grandmother, brothers, 2 sisters-in-law and their five kids live on the second floor. Then just two doors down the street, there's a house where some of her aunts, uncles and cousins live! And this isn't only her case. It's extremely common for families here to share houses, but have their separate space and personal kitchens for their family on the first or second or even third floor of the house. Compare this with the two or three times a year I used to see my cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents growing up and the difference is obvious! If the family doesn't live in the same place, they do their best to stick together. I have a friend who travels 10 hours by bus every weekend to be with his family! Proximity of living doesn't necessarily mean that they are always together, but for special holidays or weekends family is what it's all about!

Domingo

Another way family importance is obvious in this culture is Sunday. Sunday is a day for quality time with family. Tasks for work are put aside and parents spend time with their children. Stores are closed because everyone is at home or out with family. Cousins, siblings, and even grandparents meet in the park to play soccer, basketball, volleyball, or enjoy time outside. A big lunch is served and the whole gang gets together to enjoy a delicious meal. It's like Thanksgiving on a regular basis and in my eyes it's beautiful! 

Permiso

The most extreme way that I have seen family importance come into play is with asking permission. Many of my Lojano friends are around my age (20s and 30s.) And they continue to live with their parents until they get married and even then they may continue to live with the family which is also totally normal. What is still shocking to me is that they still ask their parents for permission to go out. They have curfews at 27 years old! Some have very understanding parents who do give them freedom to do as they please, but others aren't as fortunate. I've had times when adult friends weren't able to make it to an event. I later get a call that their parents didn't want them out of the house that night. This doesn't mean that they are incapable of being independent, successful, fully-capable adults. It just means that they hold their parents opinion in very high regard. As a very independent woman, whose parents let her travel alone to another country (thank you mom and dad!), many of my friends are still confused by how I have chosen to live. While this is still a difficult concept to wrap my brain around, if I have kids one day that value my opinion as much as my Lojano friends value their mothers, I would be an incredibly blessed mom.

I'm sure there's still much more to learn in regards to the culture of family here. So far I have learned how important family is. Of course there's no such thing as a perfect family because there's no such thing as a perfect person (excluding Jesus), but there is always something or someone to be grateful for. I've grown to appreciate my own family more by being here. I've also grown in gratitude for friends who look out for me. Some of my lovely friends with wonderful families have welcomed me into their family world to share special moments. So I want to say thanks to those friends and to my own family. You're the best!  

5 Things about Loja Culture: Part 1 Cariño

I am coming up on 1 year living here in Loja! I am back in my home culture for a short time to visit my family! Since I'm here at home, I have been reflecting more about culture again. When I first arrived in Ecuador, everything was about culture. I was constantly thinking, "Wow! That's different. I really enjoy that." Or "That was confusing. I bet it's a cultural thing." And sometimes, "Hey! How rude... Oh wait... CULTURE.. it's just a different culture." But after a while, I just got used to how things are. I simply adapted even up to a point where I'm no longer comparing; I'm just living. Now though, as I'm already experiencing reverse culture shock (when your home culture actually surprises you because you've been away from it for a time), I have had more conversations with fellow foreigners and even Lojano friends about culture. Through those conversations, I've realized that there are many more deeper aspects to culture here that I've been blessed to experience, so I want to share them! Just so you know: one year does not make me an expert. I know I have a lot more to learn.

Quick Side Note:  When I started this post I didn't realize how much I would have to say about each topic, but now that I've finished I've decided to post each week on one more topic until I run out. Enjoy!

Cariño 

Cariño is a Spanish word that I can't quite translate into only one word in English. For me, one word translation simply doesn't carry the weight that Cariño does in Spanish.  So here's what I would say it is: a combination of affection, caring, compassion, loving kindness, and fondness. I first met Ecuadorians a few years ago, and we made instant connections and fast friendships. They captured my heart and I didn't really know why. Now I can easily say it's their Cariño. Now obviously not every person from Loja is incredibly kind and warm-hearted. Some are pessimistic. Some are anti-social. Some complain and gossip. BUT, to the ones I've opened up my heart and my life to- they have welcomed me in without judgement. As a young teacher, I still ask many questions of my friends who have greater experience, and not once have I felt like my questions were a nuisance to them. Most of my friends from church don't know English, but I never feel less-than because it might take me longer to express my thoughts in my second language. Even my neighbors, Carmita my landlady, or Gustavo the family man who works at local market where I shop are happy to advise me when I need help (which was a lot when I first got into town!).

When it is decided that someone is important to them, they not only say it- they show it! Along with saying thank you regularly, many students give teachers small gifts on their birthdays. One time, one of my classes decided to bring me pizza and cake to celebrate a special occasion! I've also received flowers and chocolates on multiple occasions. Co-workers take moments to smile and ask how things are going. We have been reminded to keep the conversations short because we are there to work after all. Friends have fun experiences together and make time just to chat. One of the biggest cultural shock moments I had when I first arrived to Ecuador was the time when some friends decided to get together and I asked them what we would do, and they said "probably just hang." In the States that might mean, we'll watch a movie, look up youtube videos, play cards, or play video games. No matter what there will be some kind of entertainment at least according to my experience, but not in Ecuador. That night we got together at a friend's house, and we just chatted. "Just hanging" means probably listening to music, maybe drinking tea or coffee, and talking. I've spent countless valuable hours just talking with my friends. The purpose of being together is to focus on each other not on some form of entertainment, and I love it!

Cariño is also seen in boy-girl interactions and romantic relationships. I've seen it with my friends. Men are gentlemen here. They open doors, carry in groceries when we buy out for a party, carry anything heavy that needs transport. They offer their arm or jacket if it's cold outside, walk friends home at night and some even walk closer to the road. It's a protective thing. While some independent women from the States might find it offensive, I think it's incredibly sweet.
These are things many men do just for their friends. It's definitely heightened in romantic relationships. I see it all the time: people taking a moment to kiss shortly before they part on the street, and couples walking hand in hand. It's adorable and I love it! Two of my friends have been married for over 15 years and the way he treats her is the best way I can think of to describe Cariño in a romantic relationship. If they are together, he is touching her somehow- by putting his arm around her, resting his hand on her knee, or holding her hand. He'll also go out of his way to help her out with things she needs and sometimes even small things that she wants. It's clear that she is his sweetheart and he adores her. She usually responds with a sweet smile and a thank you. He wanted to make her happy and he was successful. It melts my heart!  Even the Spanish language has expressions to show different levels of affection that English doesn't which are often said in those romantic relationships.

To those who still don't understand why I would ever want to leave the United States and come to a foreign country with a foreign language and a foreign culture, I hope this clears up some confusion. I also hope that I have learned from my friends how to show Cariño back to them and to others.  

High School Teaching in Loja, Ecuador: My experience

During the last 5 months, I have worked harder than I ever thought I would work. Here in Ecuador, it's common for many English teachers to work at a high school and at an academy. I just followed suit, but I signed on to work a few more hours at the academy than my teacher friends. They warned me that the work load would be very demanding. I thought I could handle it, but it turns out I couldn't. They were right. I was wrong. After a month of 52 hour work weeks (and that was only classroom time), I changed my schedule to 44 hour work weeks in class. Even still, I was exhausted and burnt out, and about 3 weeks ago I finally quit my high school job. I decided to live on less, enjoy more free time, and only work at the academy.

Quick field trip to a nearby park

I made it working 2 teaching jobs here for a little over 4 months. Throughout those 4 months, I experienced a whole new meaning to being flexible, learned the meaning of a warm staff welcome, and observed many differences between how private schools are here in comparison to my experience in a Kansas school.  Here's my list of the many differences to expect when teaching in a private school here in Ecuador: These are my experiences in a small private school in one area of Ecuador- these differences may not apply to every school in Ecuador.

Uniforms: Not just a student requirement 

Seniors' class

Public and private schools here in Loja have uniforms for not only students, but also for teachers. The rules regarding the uniforms are incredibly strict. For example, if a student arrives wearing black socks instead of navy blue- he or she will have to make a call to his or her parents and wait in a designated area until his or her parents arrive with the right color socks. My first week at this private school, we had an hour long meeting discussing getting new navy blue pants for the teachers and which days we should wear them on. That was an incredibly shocking topic for me who was used to a simple modesty reminder at the beginning of the year in Kansas. The uniforms are a way of equalizing the students and a way of presenting a unified school body. I personally believe that the uniforms here teach the students from a young age that it's important to look presentable in public which really isn't a bad idea as long as it's not taken to an extreme degree of criticizing others.

Early mornings: 7 a.m. starts the day! 

All schools start at 7 a.m. here in Loja. If you knew me in Kansas, you know that I would arrive to school around 7 most mornings, but that time was prep time before the students arrived.  If you know me at all, you also know that I am a morning person, but starting class with students at 7 a.m. is not so easy. So if you teach in the U.S., this is an encouragement to be grateful that schools there start around 7:40 or later. That little time does make a difference! 

Teacher/Student Skit

Fun skits and Singing with the teachers! 

While this is not necessarily a big difference because many U.S. schools also have teachers do skits or dances for pep-rallies, I still wanted to share about my experiences here. In the private high school where I worked, at least once or twice a month there were special events that the students and staff celebrate. These events are usually a time to remember special historical events in Loja or Ecuador, or sometimes to focus on the importance of a specific subject area. For each event, one aspect has to include the arts. Therefore, the teachers or students would put on a skit, do a dance, or sing as a part of the event. These events help bond the students and staff together. I was able to be in a skit, and sing with my students. It was especially fun for me to learn through the events about Loja's history and celebrate education with the school body. 

Interruptions: Expect the Unexpected! 

One of the things I learned in my education classes in college was to expect the unexpected. Here in Ecuador- there is a whole other level to this rule. At any given time, on any given day, a few students could be asked to go with another teacher for a special project. Sometimes the teacher might be called out to do something and need to give his/her students an assignment to complete while he or she is completing another task. I remember in Kansas when small interruptions would extremely frustrate me."I'm trying to teach these kids something!," I used to think. Here, teachers cannot let the interruptions upset them, because then, they would basically be upset every few days. Eventually, I learned to always have an extra back-up plan each day and simply accept it even when I didn't have a back-up plan. Going with the flow is an important concept here that I feel I have definitely improved on. 

Pan y Colada Morada: Celebrating the Christmas Season with 9th Grade

Teachers move and Students stay put 

In the States, our high schools are such big buildings that each teacher has his or her own room, and the students move around. Here however, there isn't as much space in the city to have such big buildings for schools. Therefore, the students have their own classroom and the teachers move between classes at each school. (Academies are a different story.) For me, that meant that one of my first purchases as a teacher was a strong backpack. If I want the students to do something especially crafty, I bring extra supplies in my backpack. There are two main issues with this system. The first is that students can get very restless after sitting in the same spot for hours on end. The second is that class time is taken away by set up and tear down time by each teacher. It was just another adjustment to make. 

Food Unit! 9th Grade

Student Behavior: Environmental factors

I was blessed to work in this small private school where the class size is between 10 and 18. Most teachers do not have that privilege. That allowed me to get to know my students very quickly which was great. The students I worked with are all capable of great things. They are so smart and many of them have kind hearts. Doing activities and events with them outside of the class was awesome! Making them work inside the class was a different story because of many factors that had very little to do with my lesson plans or our class dynamics. These students have to sit in the same room, sometimes having two hour classes where the only plans are to complete are textbook assignments, or having special events interrupt each class all of which happens before I would even walk through the door. It was a daily guess as to if they would be motivated to work or not because of the inconsistency. That's just the way it is. That instability was difficult for me, but I kept teaching as long as I did because I care about the students.

Hanging with some students at the Student Sports Games Inauguration! 

Amazing Staff: Making new friends 

This isn't all that different from the States, but I just feel like sharing it!

One of the great things about working in this small private school was how much interaction I had with other teachers. Instead of each teacher staying in his or her room like in the States, teachers (who don't have their own room) share "offices" where they work at the same table whenever they have a free hour. Each subject area also has a weekly meeting and an agenda to discuss. Because of this, I got to know many of the other teachers quickly. We also shared other wonderful moments outside of the school day. We had a special elegant Christmas dinner together as a staff, and another dinner just with the English teachers. One woman invited the staff out to her house for a fun Saturday afternoon "barbecue." I feel as though I have made friends that will last even though I don't work there anymore. 

Having fun with Kathy!

Separation of Church and State: Not so much 

All Ready for Our Dance Number at the Christmas Dinner!

As far as I understand it, Ecuador also has rules against religious discrimination in schools like the States. And while the school I taught at was not affiliated with any particular religion (like some catholic schools here in Loja), there is a lot more freedom to show expressions of religion here. The very first hour of my very first day working in this private school, we listened to an inspirational podcast about taking care of your soul. We discussed how as teachers, leaders, and role models we need to be secure in our souls, have peace in our hearts, and show love to others. It was my first complete culture shock moment. In the States it is drilled into us teachers- not to talk about religion- not to show any display of our faith- some even go as far as to not say, "Merry Christmas." Here it's different. It was most obvious around Christmas- the students had a group project to use recycled products to complete a Bethlehem and manger scene! How cool is that?! Many teachers take time to talk about deeper personal topics here, and I'm still working on adjusting to that. I think it's wonderful, but it is definitely outside of my comfort zone. It's sad that keeping religion private is so ingrained in me.

Game time in 10th Grade!

Teacher! Teacher! 

Any Ecuadorian teacher will tell you that they hear, "Teacher! Teacher!" numerous times throughout the day. Most students do not use or know their teachers' names. They simply refer to them as "teacher." Personally, this drives me crazy. In the small school where I worked, because of it's size, the students will often use the teachers' first names. In an effort to blend my culture and theirs, I have my students call me, "Miss Melody." I still have to remind some academy students that since I learn their names, they should use mine.  This is one difference that I choose to change in my classroom. 

Can you say, "last minute?" 

A regular occurrence here is last minute favors, requests, demands, and notices. In fact, within a month of living here, I learned that there is no Spanish word for procrastinator. The reason why is because the vast majority of Ecuadorians wait until the last minute for almost everything. There is no distinguishing between those who plan ahead and those who don't because everyone basically doesn't. I have also adapted to waiting till the last minute as well. At the school, we got an email each morning about the events of that day. If I didn't read the email, I didn't know what was happening. Sometimes we would get an email in the morning about a task that we needed to finish before the end of the day. Technology makes this last-minute thing even easier to accomplish. Needless to say, I have become much more vigilant about checking my email.

Working at the Park: 10th Grade

There are numerous other small differences, and I am obviously not saying that one country does things better than any other. I am simply commenting on my experiences. Working where I did and continuing at the academy is a blessing. I'm never going to forget many special moments and even more special people who work at that small private school. I am happy that I have grown to adjust my ideas, become more flexible, and with each experience I get better at going with the flow.  

Whole School Meeting 

11 Things I love about living in Loja

I've now been in Ecuador for a little over 6 months. I feel like I have settled in to the rhythms and customs here. I have weekly routines, and the holiday season has arrived. I now know what homesick feels like. The last few days have been rough, but I know the cure for the blues: Gratitude! When I count my blessings instead of sheep, I have peace and my heart lightens. So here are 11 things that prove I am blessed to be here.

1. The View 

Each morning, even the ones where I wait until the very last minute to get out of bed, the first thing I do is look out my kitchen window. The combination of the mountains and the clouds as the sun rises is always lovely. Even when the sky is gray and it's raining, it's beautiful. I don't think I will ever get tired of looking out my window and seeing mountains.

2. My "Commute" 

I don't have a car here, and I don't need one. Every day, I have the pleasure of walking to and from both of my jobs. My apartment is roughly 15 minutes walking distance from both of my jobs, and they are roughly 10 minutes from each other. Since I regularly come home for my lunch break, I get about an hour of walking in every day. At first, I missed my radio time in the car, but now I walk with even more pep as I listen to music with my headphones. It is a joy to breathe in the fresh air, soak in the sunlight, and get a little exercise every day.  

3. Fresh bread 

It's a good thing that I am walking as much as I am, because there are at least 5 panaderias (bakeries) within a 5 minute radius of my apartment. Fresh bread is the best! The next building over from my place is a bakery and I've made friends with the owners. They're a young couple and their two little girls sometimes practice English with me when I stop by. They've been teaching me the names of each type of bread. You wouldn't believe how many kinds of bread there are! So far, I enjoy empanadas de manjar the most.

4. Creamy Ice-Cream 

Another temptation is to eat all kinds of ice-cream. There are many great ice-cream specialty stores nearby as well. I'm doing my best to monitor my intake. Oh and of course- it's very inexpensive.

5. Eating out is Affordable 

Speaking of inexpensive, I can eat out for lunch for anywhere between $2.50 and $4.00. I do enjoy cooking, but most days I'm too exhausted to have to create something during my lunch break. Thank God that most restaurants serve "Almuerzo." For "Almuerzo" customers get a choice between 2 kinds of soup as a starter and 2 kinds of main dishes that almost always include some kind of rice and meat. I love this convenience and I'm actually getting used to eating soup on a regular basis!

6. Seeing Friends throughout the Day 

I work in the same building, at the same academy, as many of my friends. At the end of the work day, there's a good chance that I'll get to see them. Obviously, there are crazy days when I don't see them. However, there are also days when we leave work at the same time and get to grab coffee together or have a bite to eat. This is one of the biggest blessings to me. I love having quality time with them. 

Aside from working with friends, I have made new friends from church who work at restaurants. If I ever want to get out of my apartment or catch up with people, all I have to do is walk a few blocks down the road and stop by their restaurant. Two nights ago, I decided to drop by my friend Tiffany's restaurant. We ended up talking for over 2 hours. God has made it abundantly clear that I'm not alone.

7. Quickly Getting Involved in Church 

Loja city has many evangelical protestant churches, but God led me to "La Semilla de Mostaza" fairly quickly. It was only the second church that I visited. It's not always the best idea to tell God what to do, but I had told God that I would invest in the church who had someone invite me to lunch afterwards. I didn't know it at the time, but it's actually fairly rare for Lojanos to go out to eat with anyone who is not in their family on Sunday afternoon. When I visited "La Semilla de Mostaza," I met some nice people after the service who made polite chit-chat.  All the same, I was about to leave a little disappointed, when my now-friends Pati and Xavier introduced themselves and asked if I would like to walk home with them. They were headed the same direction. We ended up grabbing lunch and spending a good part of the afternoon together. Since then, I have taken a weekend hiking trip with the youth group (which actually consists of mostly twenty-something-year-olds), and I regularly see my new friends at Bible study and on Sunday mornings.

8. Living Alone 

When I was planning for Ecuador, I knew that I would most likely live by myself instead of living with roommates. It was an intimidating and scary idea for me. The first week was an adjustment, but now I truly enjoy it. I control the cleanliness of the place. I decide the decorations. If I want to sit in silence, I can. If I want to jam out and sing at the top of my lungs, I can. There is a lot of freedom to living by myself and I'm grateful for it!

9. Washing Clothes by Hand 

Not everyone who lives in Loja washes their clothes by hand: some have washing machines; some go a "lavanderia" (laundry mat); and others have house workers to do house chores for them. For me- I thoroughly enjoy washing my clothes by hand. Every week on Saturday, I use a "washing station" on my apartment terrace to wash my clothes. It only takes about an hour to do- then the clothes are hung up on a clothes-line until dry. It's gentler on the clothes, it's very cheap, I get some sun, and it's therapeutic.

10.The Weather 

It is now November, and by my estimations, today the temperature fluctuated between the 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. That has been the norm since the beginning of October. I miss the changing of the fall leaves and pumpkin spice lattes of Kansas during this season, but I have no complaints about the lovely weather of Loja.

11. I'm not Leaving Anytime Soon 

 For a little while there, I had been experiencing many roadblocks in the process of getting my work visa. I had started to give up hope that I could stay because all the doors seemed to be shut in my face. After worrying about it longer than I should have- I remembered how good God is and I found my peace. A month went by, and I still had no answers. But praise God because recently, the doors have been opened again. I am paid legally, and I am moving forward in the process to getting my work visa. The process isn't over yet, but my hope has been restored. If it is the Lord's will, I won't be leaving anytime soon!  

Loja: Getting a job, apartment, and starting paperwork.

About 25 days ago, I arrived in Loja, Ecuador. While I was planning the trip and praying about Ecuador, Loja had already stuck out to me. When I got here, I knew it was the city for me. It's relatively small for a city in Ecuador, and an incredibly walk-able city. In general, it's tranquil without a lot of traffic (in comparison to other Ecuadorian cities). As far as safety, I have no problems walking by myself during the day to any place I need or want to go. And like any city in the world, there are areas to avoid going alone and/or at night. I also take extra measures not to carry many shopping bags with me when I walk from place to place: backpacks help with that. The small size of Loja makes it incredibly easy to meet up with friends within minutes of making a plan to get together.  That is probably my favorite thing about Loja.

My friends did almost everything!

After arriving here, I quickly began job hunting and apartment searching. I was looking for jobs at Language Academies and private high schools. Language Academies here in Ecuador are privately owned institutions where children, teens, and adults pay to receive additional language classes. They see the value in learning another language: especially English. Almost all of my English teacher friends here have 2 jobs, and one includes work at an Academy. I also needed to find a job at a private school because it would be tremendously difficult with paperwork to work at a public school. Ecuador has a complex public educational system, and it's not the easiest thing in the world to get into that system as a teacher. With the apartment search, all I wanted was something close to the center of town, furnished, and a reasonable price.

Let me tell you: things happen fast when you have connections! I don't know what I would have done without my friends. Everyone has been completely supportive of me. To be truthful, I did very little to get the job interviews. As soon as they heard I was looking for a job, my sweet friends Karen and Luzma, my buddy Hover, and other friends/family of friends started making calls. Within a few days, I had 3 interviews at private high schools and 2 interviews at Language Academies! Karen and her dad also basically set everything up for me with apartments too. He would find an apartment listing, and she would call to see about the price range. My only job was to show up after everything had been scheduled for me. It was amazing how much my friends did for me. I'm fully grateful for what they did! 

Job Interviews: The roles reversed 

I had no idea what to expect at each job interview. I didn't know if I'd be talking in English or Spanish. I didn't know if I'd be talking to the Principal, the head of the English department, a Human Resource person, or all three. I didn't even know where the schools were located. Needless to say, I was nervous. I brought my resume, and a few other documents to each one. I was also prepared to answer a lot of questions and ask a few of my own.

Aslan

Most of the interviews were done in Spanish, and I met with a variety of people at each place. (Believe me, I was nervous to speak all in Spanish. When your license says you teach a language, you better speak clearly when interviewing with native speakers for a teaching position.) Some interviews would take place the same day they called me. One morning, I received a call at 10a.m. and was asked if I could come in for an interview at 11. That's Loja for ya!

The craziest part of most of the high school interviews is that most of the time, I felt as though I was the one interviewing. I would get there, and after the first few minutes of looking over my qualifications, most would open the floor for me to ask questions or tell them what I wanted. Instead of an offer, they would ask me questions like: "What salary do you want? What grades do you like to teach? What about English levels: what levels do you prefer to work with?" They wanted to accommodate me: my needs and my wants because they believed I had already met theirs, I guess. Towards the end of each interview, I said that after some time I would get back to them. They would make vague comments about hoping to hear good news from me, but not directly say I had the job. I assumed their comments meant they wanted me to work with them. People from the States tend to be more direct.    

The same week with all the interviews, I was looking at apartments. After checking out a few, I found one that fits my needs and wants. It's in the center of town, within walking distance of all that I need, at a good price and furnished. I also love the view from each window. I moved in about 10 days ago.

The results

It was definitely a hectic week. After consulting with some friends and praying, I made my decision. I could have written about it sooner, but there were still things to work out. Now, I feel more confident so I can say that, as long as everything works out with my visa and some other paperwork, I will work at Ateneo and Fine Tune English Academy!

I'm very excited that things are coming together for me here in Loja! The work of getting fully set up is still underway. I still need to get legal documentation from the government of Ecuador, while setting up all the paperwork to open a bank account. I also have to get an extension on my tourist visa because the work visa will not be available before my tourist visa expires. Please pray for patience in all the areas that I cannot control and peace that everything will work out in due time. I feel like I don't say it enough: Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your support. Thank you for reading this.
Melody

Recap 5: Unexpected Blessings in Guayaquil and Cuenca

Ecuador has been very good to me these past 40 days! The travel part of my trip is about to end, and the real adventure of finding a job and settling in to a new place is about to begin. I am truly grateful for the experiences I have had with my friends, and I'm excited to start phase 2 of my journey. Here's what I've been up lately:

Guayaquil: A huge, humid, and busy Metropolis

I was only able to spend a few days in Guayaquil: the biggest city in Ecuador. My friend Andres
Rodriguez offered to have me stay with him and his family. Even though Guayaquil is considered unsafe, I was always at peace next to Andres. He's just a peaceful, calm person in general, and his parents were incredibly sweet hosts!  

Las Peñas y El Malecón

There is a famous neighborhood in Guayaquil called Las Peñas. I knew I wanted to visit this area of town because of all the pictures I had seen of it. It has bright colored houses all grouped together on a tall hill towards the northern center of Guayaquil. Andres took me to see Las Peñas and the boardwalk below one evening. We had a great time meandering around- walking up some 400 steps to the top of Las Penas hill, seeing a great view of the city at night, and checking out some amazing monuments on the boardwalk!

La Playa Salinas: An unexpected blessing! 

As soon as I got to Guayaquil, Andres and his parents quickly explained that they have a house in Salinas and that if I wanted, I could join them at their beach house! Of course I said yes. Besides only being a block away from the ocean, the best part of the house was the wide balcony where we set up hammocks. There's nothing more relaxing than being in a hammock swaying from the ocean breeze. True to the experience, while in Salinas, I ate 2 delicious seafood meals: one with crab and rice, and another with fish and rice. 

Even better than the food and the hammocks was the surprise waiting for us as we headed to the beach. After about 1 one minute of arriving, vendors came up to us explaining that they were having tours to see the whales. My excitement could not be contained! After about an hour of  swimming in the ocean, we grabbed life jackets, hopped up into a small speed boat, and headed out into the deep blue. Not 30 minutes off shore, humpback whales were putting on quite a show. Every 5 minutes or so, another one would slap it's long fin on the water, flip it's tail, or twirl out of the water! I felt so incredibly blessed to see them in their habitat making their long journey south. It was an incredible experience! One bucket list dream complete!  

El Mall del Sol

My timing to see the whales was spot on. It wasn't so great when it came to seeing friends in Guayaquil. Many had work or family plans. However, I was able to grab lunch with my friends Monica and Rocio my last day in town. It was lovely to catch up with them. I'm glad they could spare a couple hours to hang out with me. Love you girls!  

Cuenca

Many friends had said that I would love Cuenca for it's architecture and culture. They were right! It's a beautiful city with red roofs and deep blue flowing rivers. For the first part of my week in Cuenca, I stayed with Jose and Veronica. They were incredibly good to me, and at the same time, they gave me a lot of freedom to be my independent self. Sometimes I feel like they're way too cool to be friends with me, but still they accept me. I'm very grateful for their friendship! The second part of my week- I was blessed to stay with Pati and her 2 year-old daughter Fabiana. Pati is such a sweet friend and she insisted that I stay an extra day longer than I had planned. I just couldn't say no to her.

Turi: During the day and at night

Cuenca has a famous lookout called Turi. My first day in Cuenca, Jose took me to Turi so I could see the whole city during the day. It was a spectacular view. Later on in the week, another friend-Andres Peralti took me to Turi at night. Both times it was breathtaking. I especially loved reflecting on our stage of life with Andres. As we sat on the edge of the Turi lookout, we lost track of time chatting about the struggles and simple joys of being single in our twenties. Andres is always good for a deep conversation.  

El Centro Historico y El Rio

One of my favorite things about hanging out in Cuenca, was my free afternoons. Before Jose would head off to work, he would drop me off in the Historical Center of town. There I had about 4 hours to check out the churches, enjoy lunch, draw by the river, read, and just walk around. After so many busy days during this trip, simply sitting and thanking God for the wonderful fact that I'm in Ecuador was very special to me.  

Las Ruinas and Amaru Zoo

Some of the more "touristy"activities I did in Cuenca were visiting the Pumapungo ruins and the Amaru Zoo. Seeing what little is left of old temples and ancient native american civilizations is always humbling. The Pumapungo ruins were truly ruins meaning that there was very little left of their once thriving civilization. It only took about 20 minutes to explore the area. It wasn't exactly thrilling to check out, but maybe it's better that way- to take in the somber reality that the conquistadors destroyed what these people had.

The Amaru Zoo was definitely a highlight of Cuenca for me. Jose barely made it on time to work just so I could explore this Zoo. Thanks man! Not only did it have many kinds of rescued animals, it was also placed on a hill so that we were required to do quite a bit of hiking as we explored. Unlike any other zoo experience I've had, we arrived at just the right time to see a large family group of lions who were awake and playful. Just a few feet away from these magnificent creatures, I was ecstatic to see them up close! They are, after all, my favorite land animals.  

Hanging with Pati, Fabiana, and Lorena 

Pati has her hands full being a single mom and a full time teacher. She is truly a devoted mother to Fabiana. That little girl is so loved! Unlike some of my other friends who are moms- Pati also lives by herself. I felt blessed that she would make room for me in her hectic world. Since Pati had so much going on already, she passed the torch to another dear friend Lorena to come up with some fun plans for me in Cuenca. Lore did not disappoint! Lore used to be in the Scouts so she knows about all these neat places nearby Cuenca where people can go hiking and exploring. 

One morning Lore, Pati, Fabiana, and I headed out to Chapanahuasi. This is a tall but small mountain that just seems to shoot up into the sky while being surrounded with shorter hills. Many people head there for rappelling and rock climbing. We didn't have the gear this time, but I don't doubt that Lore would do some climbing with me if we get another chance. This time, we settled for hiking to the top. The nearby town quickly shrunk in size. It was wonderful! When we headed back down, we had a mini-picnic. 

Lore and I also had a few more adventures. We went to another less-known lookout of Cuenca. She showed me the best place to get morocho and empanadas. We enjoyed pan de yucca and yogur in the afternoon. While walking around town, we spontaneously stumbled upon a group of break-dancers. It was like we got a little show just for us! Lastly, we went dancing together. Lore has got some moves! When I came to Cuenca, I wasn't sure I would even see Lorena. Now I feel like I know her so much better, and I'm very happy to be considered her friend. 

There you have it- the last of my recap posts! Yesterday, I arrived in Loja: the last destination city of my trip. Aside from seeing friends, the job search, church search, and the apartment hunt have begun. With the help of my friends, I have two interviews set up for this week. Tomorrow I go to check out an apartment, and I'm expecting a call for a third interview. Prayers are especially needed right now for peace as I talk to possible future employers, and wisdom as I decide where to live and work.