La Ciudad de Quito

8.15.08.........Day 3: Exploration!

I spent the day today exploring the streets of Quito with Caroline and Grace. It's crazy how different it is here than anything else I have experienced before. First of all, there are SO many children on the streets trying to sell things to you. I bought some chicle from a little girl, just because I hadn't before and she and her little brother looked so pathetic ( I know that's part of the act). About 10 blocks later they came up to us again, but we told them no. It's just so sad and shocking to see children as young as 3 and 4 selling things on the street so they can survive. And it's SO hard to say no. 

It's also hard to say no to vendors in the markets. They are very friendly and persistent and keep lowering their prices the longer you hesitate at their booth. I ended up buying a really pretty blue scarf, a cool picture of flowers and a hummingbird made out of leaves and a pair of earrings. Everything is pretty cheap. I loved how colorful the market was. I just wanted to stop and look at everything, but I couldn't because the vendors would try to sell me things and I don't like saying no. 

I also love how colorful the Quechua (indigenous) people are here--their style is so unique and beautiful. The women wear skirts down to mid-calf with stockings usually, and always a black or brown fedora hat with a feather sticking out usually. They wear colorful shawls either wrapped around them or tied around their necks and usually thier hair is in one or two braids wrapped  in a colorful ribbon.  They sit on the sidewalks and try to sell their handmade bags, scarves, jewelry, and other things. They always smile and of course I feel like buying something from every single one of them. 

There is a lot of garbage in the streets and sidewalks and the air is pretty thick with exhaust. I don't think I'm going to run at all while I'm here. I'll find other ways to exercise. No one runs along the streets like in Portland, because the sidewalks are narrow and broken and full of people. And the parks that people do run in are all far away (I would have to take the bus to them), and they're not very safe at most hours of the day. Plus, I think I would get way to much attention going on a run around here. 

There's a blonde girl named Caroline in my program who gets a lot of comments from the men around here--some slightly derogatory. I blend in a little better because of my dark hair and complexion, although I don't dress like an Ecuadorian at all--none of us do. I think I already mentioned the way Ecuadorian women our age dress. 

So I was just talking with my host sister and she said that she and her friends want to take me and the other girls to a club to go dancing tomorrow night! Sounds like fun, and we'll be safe because we'll be in a big group with a couple of Ecuadorianas. 

So, that's all for now! I'm going to go watch SpongeBob Squarepants in Spanish. Yep.