As of late, practically all my free time has been spent studying for the GRE for Graduate School, which I take on November 15th (in just 12 days!!). I have been so stressed out with homework, preparing for presentations, and studying for the GRE all while trying to balance my social life. That's why I needed this break from studying today to go out and enjoy nature with my friend, Ecson. He invited me over for a BBQ at his house, and then we went to el Bosque Metropolitano, a park right outside his neighborhood that has beautiful artwork, as well as beautiful views of the city of Quito. We had fun taking pictures of each other on top of the Quito signs at the park! Overall it was a really nice day and the start of my friendship with Ecson. I'm so glad we met at a random party! Te extraño amigo!! :)
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Today, I took a spur-of-the-moment trip to Otavalo with a few friends. We just went for the day and took a bus early in the morning to make the most of our time. Above is a picture from "Kinti Wasi," which is a natural lookout point with a giant construction of a hummingbird that has an amazing view of the entire city.
It was nice to have our friend Alex, who is from Otavalo, with us there because he showed us around the city, got us the best food in town, and even helped me negotiate to get the best discounts for souvenirs for my family at the market. He helped me get my dad a really cool poncho down from $40 to $25! Here is a picture of me and Alex trying on some of the hand-sewn face masks. After shopping at the market and eating some lunch, Alex drove us to "La Cascada Peguche" (or Waterfall Peguche). It is a 50 ft waterfall that is considered an Indigenous Ceremonial Site, where the Inti Raymi celebration is held, also known as the Sun and Harvest celebration. Finally, we finished off the day by visiting Lago Cuicocha, which is a 2 mile wide crater lake located at the foot of the Cotacachi Volcano. It's name means "Lago del Cuy" or "Guinea Pig Lake". (Btw, cuy is a popular dish in Ecuador that most tourists try at least once!) This lake is absolutely gorgeous, and we got extremely lucky that we were even able to visit it, because we arrived after the doors to enter were already closed. Alex had to convince the security guard to let us in just real quick, telling him that we came all the way from the US and would not get a chance to return. It was super nice of the guard to still let us in, but we had to visit the lake quickly!
Today I visited El Panecillo with my host family to celebrate my host mom's 65th birthday. El Panecillo translates to "small piece of bread," because it resembles a small piece of bread sticking up from the ground. We took a taxi to the top of the hill, which has spectacular views and the Virgen del Panecillo, as seen in the picture above. Made of 7,000 pieces of aluminum in a mosaic pattern, she stands on top of a globe, has a crown of stars on top of her head, and a snake beneath her feet. This Virgin María of Quito is also the only winged Madonna in the world, and represents the "Woman of the Apocalypse" in the Book of Revelation. Here is a picture of all of us being silly and posing as the Virgen of the Panecillo. Overall it was a really cool trip and bonding experience with my host family! So far everything with my host family is going great and I'm happy with where I'm living. I finished my first week of classes at the University San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), and it also went really well. The only drawback so far has been living so far away from campus. It takes me two buses and over an hour to get to Cumbayá (where the campus is) everyday, which means I spend over 2 hours every day traveling by bus. Aside from that, I've met some really cool people and I'm excited to go on my very first trip to Quilotoa with a group of other exchange students!
"Mitad del Mundo" is a popular tourist attraction that means "the Middle of the World". This site, however, is not the real location of the equator, which is actually at the Museo Intiñan, another 250 meters away from the monument. Nevertheless, it is a cool place to visit and explore the different museums located within it! The 30-meter monument a trapezoidal monument with a brass globe on top that has a viewing platform. It was fun to take pictures between the "northern and southern hemispheres" with Sarah, a friend I made from Germany who is also studying abroad here. :)
Quito is the world's second highest capital city, at 3,000 meters (or 9,000 feet). You can travel 3,600 feet higher if you visit el teleférico that takes you up in a gondola along the Pichincha Volcano! I went today with a group of friends and it is definitely worth visiting this beautiful site. Just be sure to hold your ticket, because you will need it to get back down! There is even a "columpio en las nubes" (or a swing in the clouds) that you can swing on once you get to the top! It makes for a spectacular view of the entire city of Quito and some amazing photos!
La Basílica del Voto Nacional This is a beautiful church in the heart of Quito, and is in fact the largest neo-Gothic basilica in all of South America! My host sisters (Belén and Camila) brought me to see the historic center. We also walked around downtown and saw indigenous groups performing traditional dances, artisans selling beautiful jewelry, clothes, and other objects, and much more!
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Ashley KoboldMy amazing experience studying abroad in Ecuador. ¡Qué chévere! Archives
December 2019
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