internships, my house, etc

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June 6
Oi. I just wrote a super long entry which got mysteriously deleted. I am writing these on my braillenote for now since I don't have Internet. So here is a much more condensed version of what I wrote. Maybe you are all rejoicing that now you are not obligated to read for the next five hours, or to pretend you did anyway.
Today was good. It was my first full day at my internship. My internship is at Quito Para Todos, which is an organization focused on renovating Quito to be accessible for everyone. Mostly this involves reconstruction of Quito's sidewalks and de-emphasizing the role of cars in the street. The cars, for the most part, rule Quito's downtown and pedestrians are forced to stop and wait for them, even if they are in the middle of crossing the street. I have never heard such honking in my life, not even in Spain. It can be really dangerous. The focus is to give small children, people with disabilities, older people, and people on bicycles to have more security in walking in Quito. I am of course very glad to be working for them, as I like their ideas about access for everyone and conservation of the environment from car polution. I am for now responsible for doing some writing comparing my observations of accessibility in Quito with that of Spain and the United States. My partner Eli and I are also going to make a video of us walking around Quito and pointing out both the good and bad aspects of being an independent person with a disability in Quito. Honestly I'm not sure how much I will actually be helping this organization, but my objective is to learn as much as I can from them and to provide whatever they need from me in this short time. We talked a lot about that in class today, about how many students come to Ecuador with the impression, unconscious or not, that they will be able to make a difference in the lives of the people they are working for. I know I must be practical about what I can and cannot do in a month and I must remember that my job is to be a student, to learn, and to experience, and not to try to change the world. (At least, not yet.) Still, I love the people I'm working with, and as an added bonus, there is a cat named Misha that the organization adopted. She lives in the office where I work, and she sat on my lap purring for at least an hour today. She is my new best friend.
I thought I would give you a little description of my house' because it is so lovely. I do wish I could take a picture, but my description will have to do for now. I live in the middle of the city near the largest university in Ecuador, in a neighborhood called Miraflores. I live in what I guess you would call a condominium. There is a gate that leads in from the street, and a winding path up to the house. Bordering the path on one side is a garden with many types of plants and flowers that I have never seen before. On the other side is a canal. I love walking down the path to the house because it is always so sunny and it smells so fresh from the plants and the water. The house and all the houses surrounding it are painted with "happy colors", as Alicia told me. My room used to be Sofia's, Alicia's daughter, so it is decorated with pictures and posters. She is also a painter, so there are many of her paintings hanging on the walls. There are paintings everywhere in the house, since Fernando is also an artist. On the refrigerator there is a poster with advice about how to be a better citizen. The first piece of advice on the top is, "Turn off your television and get out of the house." I love it. They always have music playing, and I have listened to many CD's of Alicia's of Andean music. Agustin also has tons of CD's of the Latino pop that I listened to in Spain, so that has been nostalgic for me. I have so much respect and appreciation for my family; they are truly the sweetest people. Every one of them is so kind and they are all absolutely hilarious. I wish I would have brought my flute, because Fernando knows a flute professor at the conservatory here that he said I will meet. He is supposed to show me his collection of Andean instruments.
I did some complaining in my previously deleted post about my lack of independence here, and I will condense this even further and just say that the only thing I find uncomfortable is that I am not permitted to take public transit here or walk on the streets alone. I totally understand this as a security measure; Quito can be very dangerous for foreingers, and I could be especially vulnerable. I know this, and yet one of the best things I did in Spain was walk around the city, getting lost and learning more than I could have imagined about Granadians, their language, their manners, etc. I want to be able to experience the same with Quitenos; that is one of the reasons I'm here. I can't do this from inside a taxi. I'm going to see about going with someone who lives close to me on the bus a few times a week, just to experience the city and the people a little more.
I still have almost a constant headache, but otherwise I feel good. The food is so healthy; I am eating tons of fruit and vegetables and beans. I need to eat more of this at home!
I love you all and am thinking of you. Bye for now!

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Comments

[Teresa]

wee
Miraflores! I love it!! I'm so glad you are having a good experience with your host family...because, as you know, I haven't heard many good experiences from my other friends. They sound absolutely amazing...I wish I could meet them *sad face* awwww.

[Glenna Tevis]

Voice from the Past
Hi Lauren--This is Glenna Tevis--you may rememberme from the Child Care Center at Morningside College. You were just three years old when you spent the night at our house and played with our daughter Laura who also attended the child care center. I met your mom last weekend in Ames at the Iowa Annual Conference and she sent me your blog. What an adventure you are on; I am enjoying reading about your experiences; congratulations on all of your accomplishments.