Fin de Semana

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So let's see... where was I? I think Friday (23rd). In the evening we were all going to go out, but the people who had been teaching all week were tired so we postponed it until Saturday. Friday, Elysia, Kate, and I watched a movie on Kate's laptop and then slept. Saturday we explored the market. Plaza de Ponchos is the block where the market is ever day of the week. On Saturdays, the size multiplies! The block was full, as usual, and then it extended out into the streets on either side and continued up and down for about 6 blocks. And ever street perpendicular to those streets was also full. Needless to say, cars weren't allowed. Some of the stuff was similar, but there were also some things that were only available at one or two stands. It was fun to just wander and look. For us it's better to buy stuff during the week because it's cheaper, but there are some things that they only have on Saturdays. I'm proud to say we didn't get lost because we know our way around that part of town pretty well. After lunch we relaxed. I also met Elysia's family. She has a 4 year old little brother who is absolutely adorable! In the evening some of us went to dinner at an Italian pizza place and then went to a peña down the street. We met 2 other students from the spanish school and hung out with them for a while, talking in spanish por supuesto. The place was mostly filled with gringos though. Next weekend we'll have to find somewhere a bit more local and speak some real spanish!

Today (Sunday), Elysia, Kate and I went for a hike to the Cascada de Peguche (waterfall). It wasn't very far, but it was good to go explore. The waterfall was pretty, not huge, but there was a significant amount of spray that misted us as we walked past. We climbed up above the waterfall and clambered up the side of the mountain for a little ways through the bushes on something that could almost be considered a path...
We also got sprayed with waterguns. Here for Carneval the big thing is water. Everyone throws water ballons and sprays eachother with water guns and swim in the river near the waterfall. Some niños were getting prematurely excited and were alread spraying people. Elysia and I had nice water marks down the backs of our legs for the rest of the hike.

Then back to our houses. I talked/watched tv with my Ecuadorian parents and also read some of the local newspaper. Then we had lunch. Every Sunday my family goes out for lunch, so at about 2:15 we all clambered in the cars (parents, brothers, sister/cousin, grandma, great-grandma, and me). We were going to go to a restaurant in Otavalo, but it was closed. So we tried another one. Too many people. We decided to drive over the hill to Lago San Pablo on the other side to Las Cabañas restaurant. It was right by the lake. Unfortunately, part of the road had washed out and there was only a footbridge. We had our 99 year old great-grandma with us so we couldn't really walk far. We ended up going to a resort right on the lake for lunch. The view was really nice! And the food was good too. And some good bonding time with the rest of the family!
I had to be back at the GVI house for lesson planning (we were supposed to be there between 2:30 and 3; it was now almost 4:30...) so Andrés and Alex and I drove back and they dropped me off. I'm definitely going to have to make cds of some of their music before I leave! Everyone was basically done planning by the time I got there, but turns out I don't have to plan for tomorrow anyway! Tomorrow I'm working with the teacher and then she'll tell me the subjects for the rest of the week and I'll plan from then on.

And now I'm on the internet. I'm going to photocopy a couple activites for tomorrow, just in case, and then back home. Soon you'll get to hear entertaining teaching stories! Excited?!?!?

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Comments

[Marie]

:)
hmm... YES!! Good luck!