my last week in Quito

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So, my last week of classes in Quito has drawn to a close, and like a true Augsburg student, I have spent it reflecting on my vocation. Um, maybe not. But I have been doing a lot of thinking about myself and how being abroad, both here and in Spain, has helped me grow so much more beyond what I would have had I stayed in the states. I have spent almost five months of this year not in the States, and though this is nothing compared to some, it has given me so much more perspective on my life than I ever could have hoped for. It's the little things that have affected me, talking with Moroccan villagers who have nothing but hope and strong will; making friends with the guy who sold me my felafel every day in Spain even though we spoke only snippets of a common language; dancing around a fire and sharing Inti Raymi with the most unpretentious people in Ecuador who have been exploited and shunned for centuries. Why have I been so lucky to have these opportunities and what can I do to make them count in my life? Thinking back on myself just a year ago, I can hardly believe it was me. I didn't appreciate anything and as much as I claimed to, I didn't understand the world. I'm not claiming to understand it now, but my perspective is so much more than just the perspective of Laurenland. And what good is Laurenland without a wider perspective? My whole point of this rambling is just to say that these experiences have helped me become better, and that is all I really want is to be good to people and to do something good with what I've learned.

This week has been busy and strange. Today was our final day at Quito Para Todos, then we gave a final presentation on our internship to the class. Finally, we headed to our program director's house for a farewell dinner. Many people left midway through to travel; I've made the decision to not travel this weekend, as Bolivia is going to be one thing after another and I want to have a final weekend in Quito. I am already feeling really emotional about leaving; there is no way around the fact that I'm going to be a mess on Monday. How can time go so quickly?

As a final aspect to this rather pointless entry, I have written a song about Quito which I would like to share with all of you. It is meant to be sung to the tune of "La Cucaracha", three choruses and two verses, with some liberties which I, as the songwriter, feel I have every right to take. "Helado" means ice cream, "calle" means street, "libre" is free, and a schwarma is a big hunk of meat (or in my case, lots of sketchy vegetables) wrapped up in a pita and smothered with a cucumber yogurt sauce and about a gallon of aji. I think the rest of it is pretty self-explanatory. Enjoy and farewell for now!
Ecuador Song
If I have to eat fried bananas
one more time in Ecuador
I'll jump the next plane
ship, car, or train
farewell plantains evermore.
If I witness one more carro
driving like there's no tomorrow
honking for no purpose I see
then Quito's seen the last of me.
Cars en la calle, smog en el aire,
schwarma lunches, helado
gringos gawking, people flocking,
Quito how I love you so!
At six-thirty (A.M.) there is daylight
that just really doesn't seem right
breakfasts here are way too grande
and all they drink is instant cafe.
Quiteno protests, shouting, marching,
social action's on a roll,
Quito libre, Quito vive,
Quito knows it owns my soul.

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Comments

[Alia]

lol...
That song's really funny. It's good! Do you really feel sick of fried plantains, or was that just part of the song, to add humor? I made fried plantains for my mom's surprise birthday party, and everyone liked them. I thought of Ecuador when I made them, and was kind of laughing at myself for even trying to make fried plantains up here in Minnesota when they are, I'm sure, much better in Ecuador. Bon Voyage... have a good time in Bolivia and Peru.

[Margaret]

Pure inspiration and joy!
Lauren: I don't know when you'll have a chance to see comments again, but whenever you do, I want you to know that it has been fantastic to read your blogs from Ecuador! I might envy you, but believe it or not, I am able to derive large quantities of vicarious deilghts just by reading what you have to say about what you are experiencing. It is obvious that you have lived life to the fullest where you are, for the time you're there. You'll pine after Ecuador for years. As I told Alia when friends of ours in Japan left and she was sad (while we were still there), "Missing them means that we had a great experience with them!" Or something like that. You used to ask me and Alia why we "always talked about Japan!" Well, I'm willing to bet that you'll "always talk about Ecuador!" :) There is nothing like the kind of experience that you've had. And the great thing is that the growth and inspiration you get from it will never end! Like Alia, I loved your descriptions of swimming and riding the bicycle! later!