I just returned from a nice trip down south and figured now would be as good a time as any to up-date this thing. The end of my first cycle came and went amidst the mirthful chaos that was Quito's independence celebration. The city was one gigantic party for close to 10 days, with bullfights (not my thing), endless bar promotions, Chivas (think a flat-bed truck converted into a rolling party, complete with a band) concerts, a film festival, fireworks, etc. The Quiteños know how to party and while I have some experience in that particular field, I felt obliged to engage in some field observations, you know, cultural variables, that sort of thing. Fascinating stuff, really. 

As I mentioned, the cycle finished shortly after "Fiestas de Quito" and I am proud to say that all but one of my students passed (and the one that did not did not make much of an effort) which, combined with my positive teaching reviews (and a few very nice notes/emails from students) has given me a nice sense of accomplishment, bordering on pride (and has made it easier to enjoy my time off). Now, if I can have another successful cycle, I may be able to claim some degree of confidence in my teaching abilities (not to get ahead of myself...)

As I've related to some of you, I'm currently enjoying a month off for Christmas/New Year's, etc. (just like College!). I just spent a week touring southern Ecuador with a friend and, as per usual, I had a great time. We flew from Quito to Cuenca (10 hour bus ride as compared to a 35 minute flight...those mountains will slow you down), a UNESCO world heritage site and all-around beautiful (and clean!) city. It is known for it's churches (and architecture, in general) and we spent a couple of days walking around town, taking in the sights and visiting the occasional museum (the head-shrinking exhibit at Museo del Banco Central was a particular favorite!). We also visited Ingaprica, the largest Incan ruins in Ecuador (beautiful and thought-provoking). 

After Cuenca, we boarded a bus bound for another southern seat of Ecuadorian culture, Loja, and despite the fact that Ecuador, the bus and the bus driver seemed to be conspiring against us (Rob Schneider movies and reggaeton make John go crazy!), we reached the city on Tuesday evening. Not much to report from Loja. We were tired (it's funny how traveling, just sitting on a bus for hours, can really put you out) and on Wednesday morning we set out for greener

 pastures. 

About an hour south of Loja is a beautiful pueblocito called Vilcabamba. I'll try and provide a decent description (but words kind of lose their meaning when talking about such a picturesque place): Huge green mountains, rivers straight out of The Sun Also Rises, songbirds of as many colors as you can name and close proximity to three National Parks. And to top it off, we stayed at a "hostal" called Izhcayluma (Quichwa for "land between the two peaks") that was more resort than anything I've encountered so far (massages, guide services, a movie room, a creek-fed pool, bar (pool table, ping-pong, darts, a giant chess board, a la History of the World), a wonderful restaurant and supremely fair prices). My favorite thing to do: sit, read, write and enjoy the view. I also went on a great hike, in which we machetéd our way through some primary forest in search of hidden waterfalls (we were also able to drink directly from the river, famed for it's powers of longevity. Any time I am able to drink directly from a mountain stream, I am happy). 

Finally, the people that we encountered at the hostal were all buena gente. We met and talked to people from Germany, Québéc, Holland, Austria, Spain, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand (but he was kind of a jackass) Ecuador and the United States, all of whom were willing to listen and share parts of their own world view (weltanschauung, had to bust that out for the Germans), be it culture (music, movies, art, etc.), politics, language, etc. I get very frustrated (bordering on misanthropic) with the world at times, especially some of the people who occupy it, so it was refreshing/inspiring to meet so many positive, insightful and open-minded people from around the world.

I think that should just about do it. I hope you all have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year. I think about you all a lot and find myself missing everyone a little bit more at this time of year (translation: don't hesitate to write!). See you next year!

So I finally got around to creating a space to organize my thoughts and photos. Henceforth, it will be known as, "The Travels of Juanito, the happy Gringo". I chose this title for many reasons, not the least of which stems from the fact that in Quito, I am known by many different names (Juanito and Gringo being two of the more popular epithets). In reality, they are only part of a list that includes Jhon, Jhonny ('H' before 'O' down here), Jack, Jhonny Sec (a play on Johnny dry (a drink) and "Yo no sé", Spanish for "I don't know"), teacher (some of my students) and an assortment of pejoratives in Spanish and Quichua (the local indigenous language). In the end, I think it achieves the desired effect, namely a combination of reappropriation and levity.

As for my experiences thus far, all I have to say is, "Life is good." In particular, school and teaching are going well and I have been doing a lot of traveling. This is a small country (apparently, it is a little smaller than Nevada) but the geography is incredibly diverse (emerald mountains straight out of "Jurassic Park", snow-covered peaks,  active volcanoes, beautiful beaches, plains and prairies, (crater) lakes and rivers, cloud forests, a good chunk of the Amazon river basin and the Galapagos Islands). And, due to it's small size, Ecuador is highly conducive to travel (you can get almost anywhere in under 10 hours). The primary means of transportation are buses, which can be pretty horrible or a party on wheels, depending on the age and condition of the vehicle and the behavior of your fellow passengers. Either way, it is a very cheap way to get around. 

As I mentioned, school is going well. It is strange to be the teacher and not a student, but my learning simply continues from a new perspective. I've related this to a few people already, but my first day was pretty funny (and by funny I mean confusing, frustrating, awkward and embarrassing). For all my well-intentioned preparation, each statement I made elicited only blank stares (or the occasional reproachful shaking of a head). The only sound present was the chirping of crickets. But as time passed, a few realizations have made things a lot easier, especially the understanding that creativity is an asset to a teacher (and that you cannot take yourself too seriously). The few truly "rewarding" experiences I've had (like the first time I was able to make an intelligible joke or spending time outside of class to assist those of my students who really want to learn about English) have really made a positive impact on me. I can say with all honesty that I enjoy teaching ESL. 

In short, I think that I made the correct decision in coming to Ecuador. I'm being challenged in many different ways and my response to each test, no matter the size, is helping to give me a better idea of who I am.