Escuela y Mi Horario Final

Hola todos!

Yesterday was my first day of Ecua-School! Aye. It was overwhelming at the same time that it was exciting. Imagine walking into a place where you are one of the only people who looks like you (so everyone knows you obviously don't belong) and everyone already knows everybody else and you look ridiculous because you don't know where you're going or what you're doing. Yep, that was my first day. USFQ is way smaller than MSU and it doesn't have any residential living (dorms) so it feels similar to high school in a way. Everybody hangs out all over campus the whole day instead of going home because going home means taking a bus (or multiple buses) home to where they live with their parents. This is another aspect of USFQ that makes it feel like high school, although that is simply the custom in Ecuador, to live in the home of your parents until you get married. The MSU students have basically set up camp near the lagoon in the middle of campus. Whenever we don't have to be in class and are on campus we all hang out there. We make lunch plans or weekend plans and talk about our classes. The idea of making Ecuadorian friends is harrowing. First of all, I don't speak Spanish well enough to keep up with their chatter. Second, they all have their own friends and basically know everyone so it's not like everyone is wandering around thinking, oh hey, maybe they're cool and would be friends with me. Thirdly, I'm only going to be there for 5 months. If I were an Ecuadorian, I wouldn't want to be friends with the exchange students from America who are going to use up all their time and then leave again. I don't know, maybe that's just my messed up way of looking at it, but that's kind of how I see it. I would like to friends with them, get firsthand views of their culture and the differences between America and Ecuador, but right now it is just a little too intimidating. I love my host family though and have a great time asking them questions and talking to them about these things so that is a very good thing and a very good way for me to get a picture of Ecuadorian culture. Matt's host family is also great and his sisters hang out with us some times so that's another look into Ecuadorian culture. I have really enjoyed meeting the other international students at the university. Almost all of them are American, but they're from all over. They're interesting to meet because we all are similar in a way for choosing to study abroad at USFQ and live in Ecuador and take specific classes. Que chévere. (chévere=super cool).

After returning home from school at around 1:30 I went with Isabel to do censo stuff. I say "censo stuff" because I don't really understand it. The university gave us very specific instructions about how to register our visa and then get our censo (Ecuadorian ID card) and all this other nonsense. You needed specific papers and folders and receipts and on and on and on. Ugh. Anyways, we got there (janky building), got a number, and waited. And waited. And waited. There is just one guy who does the specific thing we were there for and of course there were lots of people waiting for this one thing.

This brings up an interesting part of the culture of Ecuador.

You wait.

A lot.

I had to deposit $10 to this specific governmental checking account at this specific bank. I was probably in line for an hour. Mind you I got up to the front and the lady told me I had to fill out a receipt thing and had to wait in line again, but still. An hour. At the bank. Banking is like a "thing" here, just like waiting. I would say most Ecuadorians probably spend about 2 hours a month at the bank. I have been with Isabel waiting at banks for probably half an hour already, and I've only been here a week. Why this is? I have no idea. ANYWAYS, back to waiting. You wait in line at the bank, you wait in line at the bookstore, you wait for the bus to pick you up, you wait to be able to safely cross the street to GET to the bus stop (for at least 5 minutes if you're a scaredy-cat like me), you wait at restaurants, you wait at the Registering your Visa office, etc. etc. etc. The Ecuadorians must have a superior amount of patience (paciencia) for all the waiting they have to do.

Another thing that's connected to this is the concept of time in Ecuador, which we were taught about both at orientation and in one of my classes today. While you actually have to be on time to things like classes and appointments and such, most Ecuadorians operate under a "there's always tomorrow" mentality. My professor said that this is because of the indigenous background of Ecuadorians (most are mestizas or of "mixed" descent). There is not really a reasoning behind it, but they see time as circular whereas Americans see time as linear. We always need to be doing something and if someone is late to meet you somewhere, it is considered rude and unfriendly. In Ecuador you might have plans to meet up with someone at 6 and they might not show up until 8:00. To Ecuadorians, 6 is around 6:00 or anytime thereafter and they expect you to operate under the same "ish" mentality.

Anyways, later that afternoon I took the bus to La Mariscal (Gringolandia, with tons of bars and other things that gringos love) for happy hour with some MSU amigos. Very fun times had by all. :)

Today was another day of school. My first class I don't have until next week because the professor is on vacation or something, so I didn't have class until 10:00! Perfect. I loved it. The class is specifically for international students and is about the culture of Ecuador. Super interesting. After this class I hung out with some people in the sun by the lagoon (pictures to come soon because seriously, you need to see this. there is a pirate ship in this pond in the middle of campus. it's legit.) then we went and got lunch at a place near campus. Delish. My politics class later in the afternoon I was not a fan of, so I decided to drop that one. I only can take 4 or 5 classes and I was enrolled in 6 so dropping one was my plan all along. I had difficulty understanding the professor and I think it would be difficult because I probably am not familiar with the vocabulary he is going to using anyways. After that class Rebecca and I went to the bookstore. I found 2 of the course guides I needed and a book I need, but you could only pay in cash or with the Diner's Club card. The book was only $10 and the coursepacks only $5.50ish each, but with the $20 I had I could only buy the book and one of the coursepacks. I guess I'll just have to go back tomorrow! The textbooks are supposed to be much cheaper here than we're used to in the U.S. but still, paying for textbooks with cash is a strange concept to me.

I returned home and now I'm blogging.

Obviously.

I should probably do this every day so that I don't bore you with the ridiculous amounts of things I have to say. :) Anyways, here is my final schedule.

My Final Schedule

This is the final schedule I decided on!

History 211 (Ecuadorian History) and History 234 (Contemporary History...so I'll finally know which war is which) are taught by the same teacher. He seems very nice and interesting and I can understand him almost all of the time so that's good. Also the courses are set up the exact same, quizzes on the same days, reports on readings with the exact same format, they're even in the same building one right after the other! About two thirds of my HIS 211 class is international students which is nice. It's nice to not always be different.

Psychology 203 (SIC 203) is Psychology of Development. The teacher talks extremely fast, but if I concentrate very hard I can understand her most of the time. We have to do a blog in this class which should be fun! Also, some of our readings are in English. Hopefully these are the ones she tests us on the most. :)

EPE 307 is Advanced Spanish for "Foreigners." I haven't been to this class yet because our professor is on vacation or something, but that class starts next Thursday. I really like my other EPE class so hopefully this one is really good too!

EPE 302 is a class about Ecuadorian Culture for International Students. I love it. The professor speaks slower and more precisely than my other professors because she knows she's speaking to only international students. Everyone in the class is in pretty much the same boat so that's fun and a positive, I don't feel like such an outsider in this class as I do in my others. I think it will be a class where we really get to know each other and I'm so excited about the material! I'm thinking this will probably be my favorite class.

I would rather not have classes on Friday afternoons because of the trips we are going to take to different parts of Ecuador, but oh well. We're hopefully taking an awesome trip to Mindo this weekend! I'll give you the deets if we figure it out in time for this weekend. :)

-EM

¡Hasta luego!