Happy Holidays From Ecuador!

Happy Holidays, Feliz Año Nuevo and Feliz Navidad to all my family and friends back at home!

This was my first Christmas away from family. You would hardly know it was Christmas around here in Ecuador since its 85 degrees, HOT and humid! Christmas in Ecuador is an entirely different experience than how we celebrate it in the United States. In comparison, there is almost zero commercialization, and there is little expectation about the quantity of presents in Ecuador. I’m so used to being bombarded by the Christmas and holiday hype in the States that it was a little refreshing to experience an Ecuadorian Christmas. At the same time, there isn’t the same sense of joy that I have always felt celebrating Christmas with my family. This year I really missed having a big Christmas dinner with family and catching up with cousins, aunts, uncles and friends. This Christmas away from home has really made me realize that the best part of Christmas is not presents, the great food or the beautiful decorations….Christmas is about family and being thankful for the little things in life.

My roommates and I spent Christmas Eve with Caitlin’s host family in Guayaquil. We had a nice turkey dinner (my first time eating turkey since I became a pescatarian 3 years ago)!  Christmas Day we woke up bright and early and took a two hour bus ride to Las Playas, a beach town on the coast. The whole day we laid out in the sun and enjoyed the hot Ecuadorian weather. This time of year people travel from all over the country to the coast to spend time on the beach in the sun. The whole day I had to keep reminding myself that it was Christmas because I’m so used to spending the day with family in chilly San Francisco.

When I got home to Guayaquil that night I was able to Skype my family and say a quick “Merry Christmas!” before I headed to bed. By that time it was 12am my time and Mom, Dad and Mariah were just arriving home from Christmas dinner in Moss Beach. I was happy to see that Mom was wearing my present, a scarf that I bought her in Otavalo, Ecuador. For Christmas I got Dad an EMELEC soccer jersey (Guayaquil’s team that played this month in the championships versus Quito LIGA). And I got Mariah a pair of silver Andean earrings from Otavalo market. I will be giving Tessa her present when she arrives in Ecuador ….in 11 days!! Can’t wait for her to get here! I’m really thankful that Tess is coming to visit and that I get to spend time with her during the holidays.

So now I am back to work at the Municipio for a few days. For New Years I will be traveling with Caitlin to Puerto Lopez to meet up with a group of Peace Corps volunteers from our training class. Puerto Lopez is located about 100 miles and 3 to 4 hours by bus away from Guayaquil. Here are some pictures of the hostel where we will be staying.

Happy New Year!!! Sending love to everyone back home!

Hosteria Itapoa

bungalow style rooms

bedrooms

Dining Room