Who knew so much could happen in two weeks? I am having an amazing time. Ecuador really is an awesome place. Actually, I am not yet allowed to say that; Quito is an awesome place. I already feel like I’ve seen and done some of Latin America’s most impressive attractions and I have not yet even gone more than 25 kilometers from Quito. Before I begin, however, I want to say that right before coming to Ecuador I went to
Seattle for a few days to see some (terrible) Mariner games and celebrate my Cousin Mackenzie’s awesome 21st birthday. Almost the whole family was there and it was great to see everybody before taking off for Ecuador.
The first week was spent attending language school in the morning and working with UBECI at their South Quito office in the afternoons. Once most of the team had arrived by the end of the first week the fun really started. It began with a night tour of Old Town Quito (Centro Histórico) followed by one of the most amazing dinners you could imagine: on the rooftop of a building overlooking Plaza Grande, which is surrounded by the Presidential Palace, the main cathedral, the Mayor’s office, and the
Ecuadorian Archbishop’s Palace. This being in addition to the fact that there was also an amazing view of the entire city from north to south as well as the Panecillo (a statue of a winged Virgin Mary on a hill above Old Town). Oh yeah, and there was a live classical guitar and harp performance not five meters from our table.
Obviously all of that could not be enough from one night in Quito, so after dinner we went to a restaurant on top of a mountain looking down upon Guápalo where we saw two more amazing musical performances. The first of which was a Cuban Son band that was incredible. If you have not heard of Son, I highly recommend checking out the Buena Vista Social Club movie and/or CD as it is an incredible bringing together of some of the most famous Cuban musicians of the
20th century. From classical harp to Cuban Son to Spanish guitar, the night was rounded out by an amazing performance of a Gipsy Kings (also an amazing Spanish group) style band accompanied by an absolutely amazing Flamenco dancer (who just so happens to be one of our best Ecuadorian friends). Actually, I lied, that wasn’t the end of the night. Afterwards the band played a private performance for just our group and the Flamenco dancer Emilia danced an individual song with each of us. Pretty exciting...
The next day was Zak’s birthday, so naturally we had to top the previous night, and I think we
may just have… In the morning we took off for the Middle of the World (aka the Equator). It was kind of silly and touristy, but there were a couple of interesting exhibits dedicated to the 20 some odd individual indigenous group that currently reside in Ecuador, as well as a traditional Andean folklore dance complete with appropriate music and dress. Crossing back into the Southern Hemisphere we watched the Ecuadorian national soccer team destroy El Salvador 5-1 from the best seats in the house: the cheapest ones. Sitting where you can see both sides of the field is never a bad choice, but being behind the goal surrounded by true Ecuadorian soccer fans who can barely scrape up enough money to make it to the game is a total blast. Soccer games in the cheap seats are a treat for all who can make it and the party never calms until long after the game is over.
Seattle for a few days to see some (terrible) Mariner games and celebrate my Cousin Mackenzie’s awesome 21st birthday. Almost the whole family was there and it was great to see everybody before taking off for Ecuador.The first week was spent attending language school in the morning and working with UBECI at their South Quito office in the afternoons. Once most of the team had arrived by the end of the first week the fun really started. It began with a night tour of Old Town Quito (Centro Histórico) followed by one of the most amazing dinners you could imagine: on the rooftop of a building overlooking Plaza Grande, which is surrounded by the Presidential Palace, the main cathedral, the Mayor’s office, and the
Ecuadorian Archbishop’s Palace. This being in addition to the fact that there was also an amazing view of the entire city from north to south as well as the Panecillo (a statue of a winged Virgin Mary on a hill above Old Town). Oh yeah, and there was a live classical guitar and harp performance not five meters from our table.
Obviously all of that could not be enough from one night in Quito, so after dinner we went to a restaurant on top of a mountain looking down upon Guápalo where we saw two more amazing musical performances. The first of which was a Cuban Son band that was incredible. If you have not heard of Son, I highly recommend checking out the Buena Vista Social Club movie and/or CD as it is an incredible bringing together of some of the most famous Cuban musicians of the
20th century. From classical harp to Cuban Son to Spanish guitar, the night was rounded out by an amazing performance of a Gipsy Kings (also an amazing Spanish group) style band accompanied by an absolutely amazing Flamenco dancer (who just so happens to be one of our best Ecuadorian friends). Actually, I lied, that wasn’t the end of the night. Afterwards the band played a private performance for just our group and the Flamenco dancer Emilia danced an individual song with each of us. Pretty exciting...The next day was Zak’s birthday, so naturally we had to top the previous night, and I think we
may just have… In the morning we took off for the Middle of the World (aka the Equator). It was kind of silly and touristy, but there were a couple of interesting exhibits dedicated to the 20 some odd individual indigenous group that currently reside in Ecuador, as well as a traditional Andean folklore dance complete with appropriate music and dress. Crossing back into the Southern Hemisphere we watched the Ecuadorian national soccer team destroy El Salvador 5-1 from the best seats in the house: the cheapest ones. Sitting where you can see both sides of the field is never a bad choice, but being behind the goal surrounded by true Ecuadorian soccer fans who can barely scrape up enough money to make it to the game is a total blast. Soccer games in the cheap seats are a treat for all who can make it and the party never calms until long after the game is over. 
During the game Zak’s host family was hard at work preparing his birthday party complete with
cake and Cuba Libres, which was followed by a long night of dancing in one of Quito’s most popular clubs. People throughout Latin America absolutely love to dance and we have all been taking Merengue and Salsa lessons so as not to appear like complete Gringo fools during the two to three nights a week we go out dancing. Happy birthday Zak!
Dancing and going out is a total blast, but sometimes you need to relax, and the perfect place is Parque La Carolina. (Represent the Carolinas!) A couple times a week we make our way to this enormous park right in the middle of the city for a rousing game of wiffle ball, definitely one of my all-time favorite games. You might be thinking that this does not sound typically Ecuadorian; however, in addition to creating three-on-three Ecua-volleyball, here Ecuadorians have also created a game of baseball that has FIVE bases and innings that last until everyone on the team has been burned (put out).
cake and Cuba Libres, which was followed by a long night of dancing in one of Quito’s most popular clubs. People throughout Latin America absolutely love to dance and we have all been taking Merengue and Salsa lessons so as not to appear like complete Gringo fools during the two to three nights a week we go out dancing. Happy birthday Zak!
Dancing and going out is a total blast, but sometimes you need to relax, and the perfect place is Parque La Carolina. (Represent the Carolinas!) A couple times a week we make our way to this enormous park right in the middle of the city for a rousing game of wiffle ball, definitely one of my all-time favorite games. You might be thinking that this does not sound typically Ecuadorian; however, in addition to creating three-on-three Ecua-volleyball, here Ecuadorians have also created a game of baseball that has FIVE bases and innings that last until everyone on the team has been burned (put out). Okay, I am concerned that you may be thinking that all I am doing is having fun and not actually
getting any work done. On the contrary, I have actually been working very hard. The team has had several conversations with the directors of UBECI to make sure that we are on the same page in terms of our work with their programs in Santa Isabel and San Francisco. Just this past Thursday we attended UBECI kick-off celebration in Santa Isabel where we established rules, guidelines, and procedures for the year. More than anything, however, we played games and danced. I absolutely cannot wait for October 
when we will really get to spend quality time on a regular basis with these awesome kids.
Additionally, I have been assigned the task of finding the official MPI Ecuador house. I am sure you all know how much fun house-hunting is, but imagine doing it without a realtor and without Craig’s List: not the easiest job in the world. I have found a couple of good options, nonetheless, and we plan to make our decision by early this week.
getting any work done. On the contrary, I have actually been working very hard. The team has had several conversations with the directors of UBECI to make sure that we are on the same page in terms of our work with their programs in Santa Isabel and San Francisco. Just this past Thursday we attended UBECI kick-off celebration in Santa Isabel where we established rules, guidelines, and procedures for the year. More than anything, however, we played games and danced. I absolutely cannot wait for October 
when we will really get to spend quality time on a regular basis with these awesome kids.
Additionally, I have been assigned the task of finding the official MPI Ecuador house. I am sure you all know how much fun house-hunting is, but imagine doing it without a realtor and without Craig’s List: not the easiest job in the world. I have found a couple of good options, nonetheless, and we plan to make our decision by early this week.
Only a couple more stories to tell and then I will be finished with 
my September update. The first of which is that there are some amazing art museums here in Quito. I first visited the Museo del Banco Central which houses four full floors of exclusively Ecuadorian art dating from 12,000 BCE to the present day. Some of the highlights include the Gold Room filled with artifacts from many of the pre-Colombian and pre-Inca cultures and the colonial art 
floor with countless examples of the Quito School of Art (a more colorful and life-like style of classical European Catholic art). A second, and equally impressive, museum is the Chapel of Man (Capilla del Hombre at the Fundación Guayasamín). This is a chapel not dedicated to the Virgin or the Lord or any saint, but rather to the common man as constructed by Oswaldo Guayasamín, Ecuador’s most famous artist of the 20th century. Guayasamín claimed 
his greatest influences to be Picasso, Goya, and El Greco. These influences can definitely be seen in his incredible murals, but, in my opinion, Guayasamín’s artwork is often times more intense and more emotional than even that of these masters of Spanish art.
my September update. The first of which is that there are some amazing art museums here in Quito. I first visited the Museo del Banco Central which houses four full floors of exclusively Ecuadorian art dating from 12,000 BCE to the present day. Some of the highlights include the Gold Room filled with artifacts from many of the pre-Colombian and pre-Inca cultures and the colonial art 
floor with countless examples of the Quito School of Art (a more colorful and life-like style of classical European Catholic art). A second, and equally impressive, museum is the Chapel of Man (Capilla del Hombre at the Fundación Guayasamín). This is a chapel not dedicated to the Virgin or the Lord or any saint, but rather to the common man as constructed by Oswaldo Guayasamín, Ecuador’s most famous artist of the 20th century. Guayasamín claimed 
his greatest influences to be Picasso, Goya, and El Greco. These influences can definitely be seen in his incredible murals, but, in my opinion, Guayasamín’s artwork is often times more intense and more emotional than even that of these masters of Spanish art. Finally, one cannot forget that we are in the Andes Mountains and amazing hikes are a mere glance toward the sky away, the first of
which we completed yesterday. One of Quito’s newest attractions is the TeleferiQo, a gondola which takes you from the city up to 4100 meters (13,500 feet). From there we embarked upon the hike up to the top of Volcano Rucu Pichincha at 4680 meters (15,400 feet). Unfortunately we picked a cloudy 
day and the views were not as amazing on other days but throughout most of the hike there were some very special views of Quito and the Andes. The last kilometer or so was a bit of a climb in a cloud of snow and ice which was in no way conducive to enjoying the beauty of the surrounding mountains, but being in a snow storm on the equator was totally worth it (and totally cold)! 15,000 feet may seem high, but in Ecuador it is nothing but a mere warm-up; we’ve now got our sights set on Volcano Cotopaxi (19,500 feet).
which we completed yesterday. One of Quito’s newest attractions is the TeleferiQo, a gondola which takes you from the city up to 4100 meters (13,500 feet). From there we embarked upon the hike up to the top of Volcano Rucu Pichincha at 4680 meters (15,400 feet). Unfortunately we picked a cloudy 
day and the views were not as amazing on other days but throughout most of the hike there were some very special views of Quito and the Andes. The last kilometer or so was a bit of a climb in a cloud of snow and ice which was in no way conducive to enjoying the beauty of the surrounding mountains, but being in a snow storm on the equator was totally worth it (and totally cold)! 15,000 feet may seem high, but in Ecuador it is nothing but a mere warm-up; we’ve now got our sights set on Volcano Cotopaxi (19,500 feet). 
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