Casa del Suizo

This past weekend, me and 3 other ladies decided to go relax for our birthdays. We set out for Casa del Suizo, a resort in the jungle. This place is very well known among the missionaries as it is a great place to relax and there are fun activities if you choose to do them. There is a pool, every room has a patio with a hammock that overlooks the river, and there is plenty of food.
We borrowed a friend's car, and set out on Friday night. I was the driver as I am the only one with a driver license. The car was a stick shift. I have driven a stick, that is all they have here, so when I took driver's ed, that is what I drove, but have not driven one since then. So we were in for an adventure. All my passengers said I did a great job!
Of those who had been before, no one could really remember the road, except to say that it was a bad road. Well, we drove for about 40 minutes on a beautiful road, so we were thinking maybe they fixed the road. Well, they had fixed the road, but they were not finished yet. We got to the part that was all rocks and pot holes. This lasted just over 20 minutes, but it seemed like forever. But we got there without any problems.
After we got there, we relaxed for a while, then it was time to eat lunch. They had very normal food, very good food. But one thing that they had, that I had never tried before was cow tongue. So I decided to try it. It was smothered in mushrooms and sauce, so it actually tasted good. I was expecting it to be very tough, but it was tender, except for the very edge. It kind of had the consistency of canadian bacon. I tried a piece without mushrooms to see what it actually tasted like. It wasn't gross, but it didn't have a great flavor either, I can't really describe it for you though. You will just have to try it for yourself when you visit a place that serves tongue.
After lunch 4 of us set out on an adventure to a Quichua village. We were going to be in a canoe for a while, then have to walk through deep mud, then another canoe, then walk through the forest. So, we decided to wear our mud boots, of course we had on shorts (because it was very hot there) so we looked very stylish.
We arrived to the part where we had to take the small canoe. This was a canoe carved out of a log, it was barely wider than me. Everyone that crossed in the small canoe while we were watching was wobbling back and forth. I thought for sure we would tip over when it was our turn. I was not worried about getting wet, I was worried about my camera. The way you got to the other side in this canoe was, a little girl, not more than 4 feet tall, pushed the canoe all the way across the river and the water only came up to her waist. So I said I was going to walk across. Our guide wanted me to go in the boat for the experience, so he took our cameras. Our turn came, when I was getting in, I lost my balance and almost fell into the river. I should have taken that as a sign to walk. I got in and we headed across the river. We got almost to the other side and we hit a big rock on the botton, really hard. We rocked back and forth, I thought for sure we were going down. But we didn't. But, funny how the guide, with our cameras, shot a picture just as we almost fell out. He denies that was planned, I don't believe him.
When we got to the village, there was this Quichua house. We went behind the house and they showed us how to shoot a blow gun. I was not able to hit the target, but I was able to make the dart fly. It was a lot harder than it looks, the blow gun is heavy and you have to hold it up high.
Then we went in the house and they showed us how to make Chicha. Chicha is an alcoholic drink that traditionally was fermented with spit. The women would chew yuca and spit it out, it would then be left to ferment and the men would drink it about 3 days later. Now, at least in the Quichua culture, it is fermented with sweet potato. So they showed us how it is made, then we all tried some that was made 5 days ago. Traditionally, when you enter a Quichua house, they will pass the bowl of Chicha around for everyone to have a sip. So she gave us the bowl and we all took a sip. It was very fermented, and as yuca does not have much flavor, neither did this. It was not very good.
Then, right before we left this village, our guide, who was Quichua, pulled a seed from a nearby tree to show us what they would use to paint their faces. My friend Beth and I got or faces painted. She was painted like a bride and I was painted like a warrior.
The last thing we did on our tour was go to a place where they make pottery. The pottery is all hand made and hand painted. It is painted beautifully and intricately with many lines and 2 colors, all natural, black, white, and red.
Over all, we had a very relaxing and adventurous time on our trip. The ride home in the car was just as bumpy and rocky, but again, we made it with the car in one piece. And let me tell you, I am much better and more confident driving a stick shift now.

Retreat on the beach

The end of last month, I went to Same, a coastal town, for a retreat with Samaritan's Purse. We spent 2 1/2 days at the beach. It was a blast. The first day everyone got fried, we were much more careful after the first day. It was a spiritual retreat, so we had devotional times every day, but we played a lot. The water was so fun as the waves were big but manageable. And just walking or jogging along the beach was relaxing, a much needed break from work.
Several of us went on a banana boat ride. They asked us if we wanted the ride with falls or without falls. Of course we wanted falls. So they tipped us over purposefully 3 times. Many of you know I am a huge Jaws fan. Well, remember in "Jaws the Revenge" he attacks a banana boat. That was all I could think about as I was out there on that banana boat. But it was fun!
All of us went whale watching. The boat was too small for the number of people we put on it. We started out and the swells were about 4-5 feet. While we were moving, I felt ok about it. When we got out to where we slowed down to look for whales, I started to get a little worried. I realized we were this tiny boat in the middle of the very large ocean looking for an animal larger than our boat. I was not very comfortable with that thought, I didn't feel very safe at this point. Right before we went out, I heard that a few weeks earlier, this same group of people had gotten to close to a whale and it came up under the boat and tipped it over, several of them died. So right now, I was scared. Then we finally saw a whale, but our guide decided we were not close enough and headed right for the spot where the whale was. I was very scared now, then he turned off the motor. So now I was scared and nauseated, not a good combination. Then a few people started vomiting, so we headed back, I was not one of them, I made it back without vomiting. All in all, it was not a good whale watching experience!
I also got my hair braided while we were there. That was fun, but after about 2 days, it itched so bad I had to take them out.

A Day with Monkeys

We found this place not too far from Shell (about 20 minutes). This guy has 21 monkeys and they are all very used to people. We think he has a little scam going really. When you enter, the monkeys come up to you and check your pockets, if there is something, they will take it. And if you are not holding on to your camera well, or if you have glasses or sun glasses, they will take them. One of them did steal the glasses from a lady that was there at the same time as us, he went up to the roof with them. He did bring them back down when he was bribed with food. But he probably has a collection up there. You notice I don't have my glasses on (I took them off, not the monkey)
We had a good time. I sat with the monkeys for a little while. One did steal my hair tie and then was trying to find bugs in my hair. I doubt he found any, but everyone said he did put something in his mouth that he pulled out of my hair. They were kind of prejudiced, they would choose one or two people in the group to play with and then they were actually kind of mean to anyone else who came too close to them. I guess me and my friend, Alex in the other picture, were the lucky ones. My other friend, Melisa, in the photo with me, was not one of the lucky ones, this monkey would not sit in her lap for nothing. In this picture, he was trying to steal my earrings, I managed to keep all those too.
Over all, we had a great time. I am excited to go back and play with them again some day.

How many tarantulas can you encounter in one day??

One of my friends has been here in Shell since January, she has not yet seen a tarantula and she is leaving Shell in 1 week. Since I have seen my share of tarantulas, she asked me to help her find one. Well, I remembered hearing that there was living on the house behind mine. So I went over there last night and there she was, about twice the size of the one that was on my house, but the same breed. So We took pictures and watched it for a while.

Today some of my friends from Cuenca came to visit me in Shell. I was talking to them about the tarantula as well and they too wanted to see it. So we went over to the house behind mine and there she was. Then we went back to my house and I was showing them the turtle. The turtle was in his house, so I had to walk through the plants and pick him up. I told them I have this fear that one time I am going to walk through these plants and there is going to be a tarantula there. Well, I got the turtle, walked out of the enclosure, and looked down. And right next to my foot, about to walk across my bare foot that was in flipflops, was a tarantula. I flipped out. I called my friend (the same one that came and got the one that was on my house) and she came and got it. This one was a different breed and she was excited because it is a male, that is why he is much smaller, and she has the female already in her house. She says she plans to breed them??? Weird!!

What a process...

2 days collecting paperwork
15 hours driving lessons
10 hours didactic lecture with the police officer
5 hours mechanics
2 hours psychology
1 practical exam
1 written exam over the content of the didactic lectures
2 more days collecting paperwork
2 hours standing in line to have the paperwork reviewed
1 written exam over questions unrelated to how to drive
1 more hour standing in line
$220 total
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1 Ecuadorian driver's license

Uh...Where's your bug thing?

So, I am afraid of spiders, so a couple of my friends bought me a bug wand for Christmas one year. This has been the greatest gift. It is about 2 feet long with a vacuum type suction on one end. You are supposed to suck the bug into the tube and then take it outside and let it go. Well, needless to say, this wonderful gift traveled with me to Ecuador.
This morning I got up at 5:30 to go to aerobics. My roommate who normally sleeps till at least 8 was sleeping on the couch so she woke up as well. I was in the bathroom and she approached me and asked me where my bug thing was. I asked her why, she said "we" needed it. Again I asked her why. She said, "there's a tarantula" and doubled over laughing. I said, "where?" she said it was in her bathroom. I told her that a tarantula was not going to fit in the bug wand. So I went to look, and sure enough, there was a tarantula in her bathroom. It was wedged in the corner between the bathtub and the wall.
I said, "well, good luck with that, I am off to aerobics." Of course, she would not let me leave. We did not know what we were going to do. It was not even 6 am, who could we call? I looked all around at the other missionary houses to see if any lights were on, nope.
I got the bright idea to call the hospital and ask the housekeeping person to come. So we did, and he came with a large tweezer type thing, he picked it up and carried it outside.
Since it was so small, I asked DeNise if she thought it could be a baby, and did that mean the mother was in our house somewhere too?? We shall see!!!

New House

I have moved into a new house with my friend DeNise. It is quite amusing. We are both single and from the US, so there are some things that we like, use a lot, or just want to have that are not available here in Shell. So when we have the opportunity, either in Ambato, Quito, or in the States, to buy these things we stock up. Well, after combining our pantries, we have 15 jars of peanut butter, 20 bottles of salad dressing, 12 jars of salsa, 25 packets of ranch seasoning, 15 packets of taco seasoning, 8 cans of Rotel, and 10 cans of corn. Our pantry looks like a little store.
The house if very nice and we are enjoying it. We have 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, so we have plenty of room for visitors!