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Our Heads are Spinning with Spanglish
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Language skills seem to be one of the things that are hidden deep inside your brain so far down that you need to consciously force yourself to bring them to the forefront. In Cuenca, in Southern Ecuador, we decided to do just that. For one week, and 20 intensive hours, we took up Spanish grammar, verb tenses and conjugations at the Simon Bolivar Escuela. In the evenings we would partake in the school's activities, among which were "bailamos-ing" to Salsa tunes, a city tour including old churches and museums, and a couple of talks (in Spanish) on Andean musical instruments and Ecuador's history.
  
We also hooked up with the 4th year university students, and joined a Conversation Club which encourages them to practice their English. This was quite a memorable experience, and we ended up forming some wonderful friendships this way. After chatting with them about politics, travel, and the complexities behind dating, we went out to a bar called Zoociology and shared a couple of jars of traditional "canelazo", sugar cane spirit served hot into tiny shot glasses.
  
One of the students, Jorge, invited us to his home on a farm near the outskirts of the city, Asoguez the next day. Steve, our American buddy, and the 2 of us headed out with Jorge one sunny afternoon for a day to chill with his family amidst the fresh countryside air, and blue skies. After a walk around his village, and into his father's plot of corn and legumes, we ended up spending the rest of the afternoon in the backyard for an authentic, Ecuadorian style BBQ. Apparently, in Ecuadorian households, when you are invited to a home for dinner, families don't begin cooking until the guests have all arrived, after which begins the long process of cooking. We didn't realize that this also meant that the main dish had not yet even been "killed!" So, then and there, for the first time in our lives, we witnessed the slaughter of a rooster, that was to be our dinner. Jorge's father, grabbed one of the roosters that was tied by a chain to a rock in the backyard, and sliced his neck respectfully, allowing the to ooze down a wooden post. The kids got a kick out of the fact that the rooster's body was still twitching without its head. He then proceeded to pluck the poor rooster's feathers, and cut it up into sections. 4 hours later, as we are just about to faint from hunger, the BBQ rooster is ready to be ingested, along with a chicken soup from the leftover bones, served with corn on the cob. A delicious meal among friends, and new found family!
  
Jorge invites us into his room afterwards and showers us with gifts of poetry books and hand made bracelets. His room is like any other room of a university student in North America. A single lumpy bed, a desk and posters of popular people...in his case, he had a Shakira portrait, along with one of Britney, and about 5 images of the revolutionary Che Guevara which to him was his biggest hero. As we bid farewell, we were amazed once again by the sheer kindness of the South American people. It is something that has surprised us, and this time we were especially touched.
Cuenca also has some excellent museums. One gem is the Banco Central Museum, which has an amazing ethnographic exhibit, highlighting history, traditions, and artwork of Ecuador's indigenous cultures. We found it to be one of the best in the country (and perhaps the continent) so far.
Another excellent musuem demonstrates the fabrication of the Panama Hat, which is really the "Ecuador Hat". Its name is of Panamanian origin because the hat was primarily exported to Panama during the construction of the Panama canal, where it was used to protect the labourors from the heat of the sun...but little do people know that these hats were fabricated in the region of Montecristi, Ecuador. The hat became synonymous with Panama for this reason, but it's real roots are right here in Ecudaor. At the museum, we learned that an "ultra-fine" hat of premium quality, which can be rolled up into the size of a cigar, and still retain its shape, goes for $150 USD, and is exported all over Europe and North America. The museum also has a wall of photos depicting all the Miss Universe Winners from a pageant recently held in Ecuador. Each of them sporting their very own hats which the museum donated.
 
 
Cuenca was just the place to get some Spanish training under our belts. With many cozy cafes to study in, a large University population, and a pretty central plaza through which to walk to school every morning, we enjoyed our week in this remote Andean city, outside of the daily hustle and bustle of a backpacker's conitnuously moving life.
  
DID YOU KNOW?
The Panama Hat was once called jipijapa, from the name of a small town of the Manabí province. Learn more about the true origins of the Panama Hat.
NOTES FOR THE TRAVELLER:
- Bus: From Guayaquil to Cuenca is 4.5 hours, $5 USD.
- Hotel: Alli-Tianna, $20 USD incl. an excellent breakfast in an upstairs panoramic view balcony overlooking the Plaza de San Franscisco. It is located near to the Plaza de los Flores, where you can wake up to fresh dewy flowers and a plethora of colors.
- Restaurants: Cafe Austria has good cappucinos, Cafesito is a cozy place for drinks, El Jordan has middle eastern dancing on weekend nights. Akalare Restaurant has movie showings once a week, and many cafes have free wi-fi connections.
- School for Spanish: Simon Bolivar Escuela, $120 USD for 20 hours, plus $20 USD registration fee that includes a textbook, workbook and notebook. The school has free internet for its students, and complimentary activities every evening from 6-7pm, which is a great way to meet people and continue practicing what you have learned. We were very happy with the professionalism of the school, the curriculum, and teachers.
(View This Entry's Slideshow/Photo Album Above)
Where I stayed:
Alli-Tianna Hotel
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| 46. | Our Heads are Spinning with Spanglish - Cuenca, Ecuador May 02, 2007 (  50 ) (  1 ) |
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