EIL Intercultural Learning

So it's E-Day plus 20 today and I'm already past the half way mark with only 2 weeks left. I say only 2 weeks because last night my host family and I were talking about how time has just flown by here in Ecuador. I've already been with the family for two weeks with only one more to go which we all found a depressing thought. I have to say I'm really enjoying this homestay and to be honest I was expecting to quite as much as I have. I can't hold full conversations using brilliant spanish because I just don't have it, but we manage to communicate very well with what limited spanish I do have and in 2 weeks I have improved somewhat. I don't think the spanish has been a problem at any point and we've bonded and communicated well.

I haven't blogged in a week and alot has happened since. This week began on a down as I was feeling sick Monday and missed the first day of community work but I recovered quickly and Tuesday I was back painting schools with the second American group I've teamed up since coming to Riobamba. As it was with the first group, we had a laugh painting and it was nice to be back amongst this group as I haven't been with them since they went to the Galapogas, which I'm told is brilliant.

On Wednesday I had my last ever activity with the group I came to Riobamba with. We went to these high altitude lakes (at about 14,000ft) called the Lakes of Ozogoche and they were fantastic, the landscape is very different and barren with no trees. It was a great day but really exhuasting. The journey there took 2 and a half hours each way (the scenery was breath taking though) and we ended up hiking for 5 and a half hours once we got there!  So it was a long day but being with the group was such a great laugh as they're a wonderful group of people but that made it a bit sad for me as that group left for the Galapogas on Thursday and from there they'll head to the Amazon so I won't see them again til Quito, the day before we leave for home.

But there's no rest for the wicked and Thursday morning I was back helping to finish a school with the other group. It was a good feeling to finish my second stint of community work here in Riobamba, I'm delighted to be able give back a little. But it also got me thinking in a different way, about how in my short time in Ecuador I've done more painting, taken more taxi's and eaten more soups than I have previously done in my entire life in Ireland. I'm sure there's more to be added to that list but they're the odd ones that struck me most.

On Friday, after no real rest, I found myself facing the hike around the lakes again. Of course I didn't have to do it but it was definitely worth it as this time, with a days experience, I came better prepared. More appropriate clothes, food and most importantly, a fishing rod that I bought the previous evening after community work. This was because on Wednesday the guide was wondering why nobody had brought any rods given the lakes had trout introduced. Sadly I didn't catch anything yesterday but fishing at such an incredible location was worth the $8 the rod cost. So after another day of hiking (with fishing breaks) I was wrecked and today I've recharged the batteries a bit for soccer tomorrow evening. Sunday has evolved into soccer night between host families and us and I think it's been a great success, it'll be mainly new faces tomorrow with the other group gone but I've told everyone in the current group and I think it's going to be another great night.

I hope friends, family, well-wishers and people in EIL are all keeping well. A special shout out has to go to the tic-tac and the whippersnapper who survived the wash-out at Oxygen, for the first time in their lives they had to face getting mud on their clothes so all credit to them, I'm proud of them. Take care! Gary.