For those to whom food is important, I am posting another recipe. For those for whom it is not, I am procrastinating the task of uploading photos. Take your pick.
Ecuadorian food has proven a little odd, in the starchy, fried sort of way. Today for breakfast, for example, we ate banana chips (fried) that had be squashed. The were served with queso de la mesa (table cheese) which is realy just cream cheese in a butter dish.
Today, Hanne and I did discover a Panaria for lunch, which is a delicious bread store where none of the food is labled, and you walk in, point to somthing you don´t know what is (if you happen to be a clueless gringo) and say ¨uno de esos, porfavor.¨ Then they hand you the item (which turns out to be some sort of delicious bread product, for example a cadomen role (imagen a cinnimon role with cardomon and candied fruit)) and charge you some ludicrisly small amount for it. As there are almost as many panarias as people here, I think we will try anotherone tomorrow...
Anyway: I got to help with dinner again today, and so here is a recipe for yuka pancakes with cheese (if you happen to be a member of my dads side of the family, you will remeber these as being the yummy ¨potato¨ pancakes we ate last time we were here. Boy were we wronge...
1) Cook a bunch of yuka, then mash it. Go for a mixing bowl full, if you are planning to feed several people. If you happen to be in the US, make a bunch of mashed potatos. If you happen to be in Ecuador, do not even think of comparing the yuka to a potato. Even though I think they tast the same, I have been informed that this is sacralige.
2) Melt some butter, and pour it in your mashed yuka/potatos. (thats what they did, though since we will later fry this stuff, I don´t quite see the point of this step.
3) Grate some special type of Ecudorian cheese. I think it tasts like feta and that feta would work just fine (in fact I sugest you use it, since the majority of people reading this are not in Ecuador). Grate some onion(s), too, and put it in with the cheese.
4) Make the potato (opps, I mean yuka) mixture into balls (1-2 inch diametro, creo) and then flaten the balls so that they form things that look like small pancakes. Take a bit of the cheese onion mixture, and put in in the middle. Now role it into a ball again, so that the cheese in the middle, completly, then flaten the thing into a patty.
5) Pan fry the pattys, like pancakes. They should be lightly browned on both sides.
6) Eat, and say ¨que rico¨(rember that this is very important).
I think I managed to explane to my family that I like to cook, so maybe they will let me help more, and thus learn more. Hope you enjoy,
Yoni
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Volunteering
Since many of you have been asking about the volunteering (the real reason we are here) I thought I might as well post a bit about it, although it seems like we do so many exciting things that that is one of the lesser.
So the program is set up so that we travel to three differnt market on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (respectively) and basically we play with the children there and help them color coloring pages with English words on them. I have tired to make the children traslate the words to help learn the connection. On Mondays we work in the volunteer office and on Wednesday we have a meeting about how volunteering has been going. I don´t think the children are orphan´s, but I do think they are forced to work with their parents at the market at a very young age instead of attending school. They are all very cute and they sit in our laps and we read them stories or they run around and destory us in soccor. Yoni and I are incredibly odd looking here because of our height (we tower over most) but more importantly because of our hair color. We are always exciting when we find another blonde, we usually point and stare.
There are also a couple other volunteers as well. On Friday there was five of us and one man from the volunteer agency. It was the last day for two of the volunteers but I think there will be another one coming on Tuesday maybe... anyways we might only be three for a little. But it is all good and fun.
So the program is set up so that we travel to three differnt market on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (respectively) and basically we play with the children there and help them color coloring pages with English words on them. I have tired to make the children traslate the words to help learn the connection. On Mondays we work in the volunteer office and on Wednesday we have a meeting about how volunteering has been going. I don´t think the children are orphan´s, but I do think they are forced to work with their parents at the market at a very young age instead of attending school. They are all very cute and they sit in our laps and we read them stories or they run around and destory us in soccor. Yoni and I are incredibly odd looking here because of our height (we tower over most) but more importantly because of our hair color. We are always exciting when we find another blonde, we usually point and stare.
There are also a couple other volunteers as well. On Friday there was five of us and one man from the volunteer agency. It was the last day for two of the volunteers but I think there will be another one coming on Tuesday maybe... anyways we might only be three for a little. But it is all good and fun.
Food
Contrary to what you might think, we are eating here. In fact, it feals like we never stop eating (after a big breakfast, a huge lunch, and then a almost equaly large big dinner) . The food here (meaning in a middle class family in the south part of quito, ecuador, in case you haven´t read the rest of this blog, is good, though very bland (I happen to like spicy things, and they do not apear to have so much as a pepper shaker). It is also all cooked on the stove, since our host family doesn´t use their oven for anything but storage), and is often deap fryed (in fact, the closest you could probably get to ecuadorian food in the united states would be to walk into a mcdonalds, order french fries, and imagen somthing about 100 times better).
So far, neither Hanne or I have encountered anything we couldn´t stand to eat, though they insist on serving us larger portions then we can finish (we are still working on what to do with it without being rude).
The staples here are as follows: eggs (for breakfast at least, and probably apearing at some other time, too), potatos (fried, baked, in soups, ect.), rice (specificly a short grain rice, which is, again, eaten constantly). Manderin oranges, plus whatever other fruit happens to be arouond, are the main snacks. Lunch, most places, is the bigest meal of the day (though with are family, it apears to be equal in size to dinner, which is comprised of leftover´s from lunch).
Befor leaving the US, several thousand people warned us not to eat the raw vegetables. However, our family has some extreamly nasty miracle chemical that they use to make it eatable, and, so far, neither of us has gotten sick.
While Hanne and I have tried very hard to help in the kitchen and, thus, learn the papa-y art of ecuadorian cooking, we have been very unsusessful. However, yesterday, we got to help with dinner, which happened to one of my favorate things we have eaten (probably because it was the first spicy thing, too [note the raw onions]). It was called Cerviche de some found-only-in-ecuador-grain-I-can´t-remeber-how-to-spell-or-pronounce (aka Cerviche de something-that-is,-for-all-practical-purposes,-a-soybean). Here is how to make it:
(note that Cerviche is usualy made with raw fish, but our family was nice enough to make the grane version for the vegitarian gringos)
1. Cook a bunch of soy beans, or other type of bean. You want them lightly done. Sorry, I am not sure how much, but we will say: enough, so that, when cooked, it fills up a little more then half of the bowl you are using.
2. Cut up a red onion or two, depending on how much you are making and how much you like red onion. make the longest, thinist slices you can.
3. Squeeze enough lime juice to marinade the limons, add some salt (this is to taste, but you can add some later if you think it needs more) and marinade the onions for a while (5ish minutes)
4. cut up enough tomatos so that you fills most of the rest of your bowl (we used four, I think). If you happen to be in a place where you can´t eat stuff you can´t peal, then peal the tomatos.
5. Dump out the lime juice, then mix the beans, tomatos, and onions together.
6. eat.
7. say ¨Que Rico¨(literaly ¨how rich¨, but it realy means ¨how delicious¨and is more often aplied to food then the more obvious ¨que delicioso¨.
8. Don´t forget step 7. It is very important to ecuadorian meals, and is usualy said atleat 7 times per meal.
Did you like it? I hope so. I will post more about food and other stuff (like the death-trap of a fair ride I somehow ended up on, our trip to the almost-ecuador, yummy oatmeal drinks, and climbing a mountain almost as tall as mt. Raineir) latter. We even have pictures, but our host families internet is down and we are in an internet café and are going to wait until we have can put up the pictures to write about these things.
Hope every one reading this is having a lovely time on vacation or at school or work or whatever they are doing.
So far, neither Hanne or I have encountered anything we couldn´t stand to eat, though they insist on serving us larger portions then we can finish (we are still working on what to do with it without being rude).
The staples here are as follows: eggs (for breakfast at least, and probably apearing at some other time, too), potatos (fried, baked, in soups, ect.), rice (specificly a short grain rice, which is, again, eaten constantly). Manderin oranges, plus whatever other fruit happens to be arouond, are the main snacks. Lunch, most places, is the bigest meal of the day (though with are family, it apears to be equal in size to dinner, which is comprised of leftover´s from lunch).
Befor leaving the US, several thousand people warned us not to eat the raw vegetables. However, our family has some extreamly nasty miracle chemical that they use to make it eatable, and, so far, neither of us has gotten sick.
While Hanne and I have tried very hard to help in the kitchen and, thus, learn the papa-y art of ecuadorian cooking, we have been very unsusessful. However, yesterday, we got to help with dinner, which happened to one of my favorate things we have eaten (probably because it was the first spicy thing, too [note the raw onions]). It was called Cerviche de some found-only-in-ecuador-grain-I-can´t-remeber-how-to-spell-or-pronounce (aka Cerviche de something-that-is,-for-all-practical-purposes,-a-soybean). Here is how to make it:
(note that Cerviche is usualy made with raw fish, but our family was nice enough to make the grane version for the vegitarian gringos)
1. Cook a bunch of soy beans, or other type of bean. You want them lightly done. Sorry, I am not sure how much, but we will say: enough, so that, when cooked, it fills up a little more then half of the bowl you are using.
2. Cut up a red onion or two, depending on how much you are making and how much you like red onion. make the longest, thinist slices you can.
3. Squeeze enough lime juice to marinade the limons, add some salt (this is to taste, but you can add some later if you think it needs more) and marinade the onions for a while (5ish minutes)
4. cut up enough tomatos so that you fills most of the rest of your bowl (we used four, I think). If you happen to be in a place where you can´t eat stuff you can´t peal, then peal the tomatos.
5. Dump out the lime juice, then mix the beans, tomatos, and onions together.
6. eat.
7. say ¨Que Rico¨(literaly ¨how rich¨, but it realy means ¨how delicious¨and is more often aplied to food then the more obvious ¨que delicioso¨.
8. Don´t forget step 7. It is very important to ecuadorian meals, and is usualy said atleat 7 times per meal.
Did you like it? I hope so. I will post more about food and other stuff (like the death-trap of a fair ride I somehow ended up on, our trip to the almost-ecuador, yummy oatmeal drinks, and climbing a mountain almost as tall as mt. Raineir) latter. We even have pictures, but our host families internet is down and we are in an internet café and are going to wait until we have can put up the pictures to write about these things.
Hope every one reading this is having a lovely time on vacation or at school or work or whatever they are doing.
Arrr, This be pleasin´ to me eye.
HAHAHA, I just changed my facebook from Spanish to English(pirate). This is the most hilarious thing in the entire world!! You should do it too, it is very entertaining.
We´ve been to the center of the world... well almost...
Lately we have been going on lots of exciting, and possibly fatal adventures, which has of course been great fun.
On my second day here we went to see the famous virgin, atop a large hill. She was very tall. To indicate height here you do not hold your hand parallel to the ground as you would do in our culture, but perpendicular. We saw her late at night and there was a large neon sign near her celebrating Quito´s 200th anniversity.
Aside from exporing the city, we have also been to visit "Mitad del Mundo", which one would assume is the exact center of the world, where the equator hits. Jaja, well they got us there. I was joking with Yoni that one day they would figure out that the equador was actually like 5 feet to the left of the "equator" line that was drawn in the plaza and they would have to reconfigure the entire monument, however such is near truth! The actual equator is outside of the park, on the other side of a brick wall, but since there was already a road there, the tourist trapper wanted to build a plaza in honor of the equator anyways so they simply built it wrong. Aye los mios.
I have photos of both these invigorating events, but since the host family´s internet is down right now we are at an internet cafe and I didn´t want to bring my camera so that I could upload the pictures, however as soon as things are working properly I will be right on it.
Ciao!
On my second day here we went to see the famous virgin, atop a large hill. She was very tall. To indicate height here you do not hold your hand parallel to the ground as you would do in our culture, but perpendicular. We saw her late at night and there was a large neon sign near her celebrating Quito´s 200th anniversity.
Aside from exporing the city, we have also been to visit "Mitad del Mundo", which one would assume is the exact center of the world, where the equator hits. Jaja, well they got us there. I was joking with Yoni that one day they would figure out that the equador was actually like 5 feet to the left of the "equator" line that was drawn in the plaza and they would have to reconfigure the entire monument, however such is near truth! The actual equator is outside of the park, on the other side of a brick wall, but since there was already a road there, the tourist trapper wanted to build a plaza in honor of the equator anyways so they simply built it wrong. Aye los mios.
I have photos of both these invigorating events, but since the host family´s internet is down right now we are at an internet cafe and I didn´t want to bring my camera so that I could upload the pictures, however as soon as things are working properly I will be right on it.
Ciao!
Follow the Rules
I took a taxi, and I swear we did not stop at a single red light. Ecuadorian laws are much more like guidelines, especially at night when you can drive the wrong way on a one way street. Seatbelts are also very optional, instalation included.
Oh, by the way, there are SOO many taxis´ here. And they are CHEAP, you can get from South Quito to North Quito on like 4$.
Oh, by the way, there are SOO many taxis´ here. And they are CHEAP, you can get from South Quito to North Quito on like 4$.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
La Familia
So I think that I have finally learned the names and the structure of this family, and will thereby describe it here as evidence.
The Mother: Violet (she is very very nice, but speaks the least English)
The Oldest Daughter: Gisella (she really wants to learn english but has a hard time hearing the differnces between similar words)
The Oldest Daughters Boyfriend: Gabrielle (knows the most English, I am always excited when he comes over)
The Middle Son: Paublo (is very friendly and has ascorted me to the volunteer agency today and is out showing Yoni different churches right now, Yoni says he thinks he is 27)
The Youngest Daughter: Brezna (she is 18 and likes to sleep late, which makes me look not as bad when I sleep to 11AM beacuase of my jet leg)
The Youngest Daughters Boyfriend: Miguel (also very friendly and knows some English, he is also unusually brave about trying to speak it)
There have also been a couple other neighbors and friends that have come by with their children periodically but I don´t remember their names.
I am starting to become like Yoni, not in that I don´t talk, but when I speak English it becomes a simplar English since that´s how I´ve been thinking when I try to speak Spanish. I end up saying "very difficult" a lot.
I am also very very tired, which is a bit weird considering how late I slept. Yoni said he was tired the first day and he thinks it has to do with the altitude. I think very very mild altitude sickness shows up and tiredness and lack of breath, which I have experianced every time I try to tackle stairs (and there are lots of stairs).
I took some pictures of the house to show everyone what it is like here:
This is the living room:
This is the dining room:
This is the kitchen:
This is my bedroom:
(I don´t have a picture of Yoni´s room because his door is locked since he is out with Paublo)
This is the view from the stiarway window:
The Mother: Violet (she is very very nice, but speaks the least English)
The Oldest Daughter: Gisella (she really wants to learn english but has a hard time hearing the differnces between similar words)
The Oldest Daughters Boyfriend: Gabrielle (knows the most English, I am always excited when he comes over)
The Middle Son: Paublo (is very friendly and has ascorted me to the volunteer agency today and is out showing Yoni different churches right now, Yoni says he thinks he is 27)
The Youngest Daughter: Brezna (she is 18 and likes to sleep late, which makes me look not as bad when I sleep to 11AM beacuase of my jet leg)
The Youngest Daughters Boyfriend: Miguel (also very friendly and knows some English, he is also unusually brave about trying to speak it)
There have also been a couple other neighbors and friends that have come by with their children periodically but I don´t remember their names.
I am starting to become like Yoni, not in that I don´t talk, but when I speak English it becomes a simplar English since that´s how I´ve been thinking when I try to speak Spanish. I end up saying "very difficult" a lot.
I am also very very tired, which is a bit weird considering how late I slept. Yoni said he was tired the first day and he thinks it has to do with the altitude. I think very very mild altitude sickness shows up and tiredness and lack of breath, which I have experianced every time I try to tackle stairs (and there are lots of stairs).
I took some pictures of the house to show everyone what it is like here:
This is the living room:
This is the dining room:
This is the kitchen:
This is my bedroom:
(I don´t have a picture of Yoni´s room because his door is locked since he is out with Paublo)
This is the view from the stiarway window:
Hanne is here TOO!
Yay, I finally made it.
After an initial two hour delay at SEA-TAC (my flight was suppose to leave at 11:45PM and ended up leaving just after 1:00AM), I was on my way to Dalles without any problems, I landed and had a shorter wait time between my next flight, which was preferable, and I headed towards Miami in a very lightly populated plane meaning I got a whole row to myself and was able to stretch out my legs. When we landed in Miami the plane to Quito was scheduled to be on time, but due to some mechanical problems the flight people said that the plane was mpt suitable for the journey and that we would have to find a better one. The original flight was to leave at 3:25PM and it was already 4. So we waited around for a while and finally the flight people decided that there were no more good flights in Miami and we would have to wait for one to land that we could recycle. Around 6PM we finally boarded.
Now I am here. I was picked up and it was all handled very smoothly.
I start my orientation tomorrow I think. The family is really nice and we showed them pictres of our families which they seemed to enjoy.
Status update: Yoni can no longer think in English or speak in Spanish, rendering him mute.
All is well.
After an initial two hour delay at SEA-TAC (my flight was suppose to leave at 11:45PM and ended up leaving just after 1:00AM), I was on my way to Dalles without any problems, I landed and had a shorter wait time between my next flight, which was preferable, and I headed towards Miami in a very lightly populated plane meaning I got a whole row to myself and was able to stretch out my legs. When we landed in Miami the plane to Quito was scheduled to be on time, but due to some mechanical problems the flight people said that the plane was mpt suitable for the journey and that we would have to find a better one. The original flight was to leave at 3:25PM and it was already 4. So we waited around for a while and finally the flight people decided that there were no more good flights in Miami and we would have to wait for one to land that we could recycle. Around 6PM we finally boarded.
Now I am here. I was picked up and it was all handled very smoothly.
I start my orientation tomorrow I think. The family is really nice and we showed them pictres of our families which they seemed to enjoy.
Status update: Yoni can no longer think in English or speak in Spanish, rendering him mute.
All is well.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Yoni is here!
Hello world- I made it. After a long flight and a delay that almost made me miss my plane (if I hadn´t been running I wouldn´t have made it), I was picked up at the airport with no problems, and am now staying with my host family in the south part of quito (I think), who have internet, but no means of making an international phone call. I am, however typing very slowly, because they have an english keyboard set to spanish mode and I can´t figure out what some of the buttons do. Hopefully my spanish gets better soon, or I will be spending this trip speaking in fragmented sentences.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Au revoir... errrmmm.... ¡Adios!
We count down to our final hours. We are saying our good byes; to iPhones and laptops, to fancy watches and daily showers. Bags are being repacked, shampoo bottles pressed into the small spaces remaining in the only checked luggage. All seems to be going as planned.
Yoni will be leaving tomorrow morning at approximatly 6:00am and I will be heading out on Tuesday night around midnight, joining Yoni in Ecuador approximatly 40 hours later. We still plan to volunteer for about the same amount of time, and continue to keep our itintary involving our mini beach excursion.
Our next post will most likely come from ECUADOR!!! We hope you stay tuned to our series and enjoy reading about our adventures.
Yoni will be leaving tomorrow morning at approximatly 6:00am and I will be heading out on Tuesday night around midnight, joining Yoni in Ecuador approximatly 40 hours later. We still plan to volunteer for about the same amount of time, and continue to keep our itintary involving our mini beach excursion.
Our next post will most likely come from ECUADOR!!! We hope you stay tuned to our series and enjoy reading about our adventures.
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