Living The Good Life

After an almost two year experiement in living, Dave and I have come to the conclusion that we are not beach people.   Sand?  Not a fan.   Being in a sea of people who, let's be honest, are a lot more confident in what they are wearing then they should be?  I can live without it, my eyes will forever thank me. (Seriously?  Speedos?  Why are people letting their friends leave the house in those?)   Yes, the ocean is beautiful.  And big.  And just a little frightening with all those crashing waves that pull you under water and provide that "I've just been tossed into a washing machine during the speed cycle" feeling. Besides that, I tend to burn.  And then freckle.  Not good. I can't help it...I wasn't born to be enchanted by the swaying palm trees and shimmering sunsets.  I mean, I'm from Idaho .  Give me the mountains anyday. And this is why Dave and I headed to Vilcabamba, Ecuador for Semana Santa, instead of following the rest of Ecuador to the coast.  T...

True confessions: I'm afraid. All the time. My entire life, I have been afraid of countless things. Some of those things are reasonable and healthy. A dose of fear every now and then sharpens the senses and makes us more aware of our surroundings. However, some of those fears are pretty irrational. And I've noticed that irrational fears, though sometimes entertaining, makes you so aware of your surroundings that you can delve into a pit of paranoia. Germs freak me out. My husband has had to hide the medical dictionary from me because I convince myself that I am suffering from whatever malady I have glimpsed in its pages. Not so healthy. There is also my huge fear of dogs, even small ones. I've been bit a couple of times, so that could explain that. Not to mention my irrational fear of cats, I'm pretty sure those are evil animals that will suck the soul out of you while you are sleeping. Thanks for that Stephen King. I used to make myself fall asleep during ...

Tangy, bitter, earthy, sharp, sweetness of ripening fruit. Lilting, rumbling, rustling, whistling, blaring, thumping, staccato rhythms of rain. Honeyed, savory, fresh, juicy, tropical, succulent.   Dusty, heavy, damp, scorching, cracked, steaming.  Broken, abandoned, crowded, bustling, lush, vibrant, nature overflowing.  We are beginning an imagery unit in class and I wanted to try it out first.  I discovered it is a lot harder to describe your surroundings only using sensory words than I thought it would be.  I would love to read about how you would describe your surroundings.  That would, of course, involve some reader participation--are you up for it?

We have been back in beautiful Ecuador for exactly one week. Here are our current stats: * Mosquito Bites since return: 11 * Days of rain since return: 6 * New types of insects that mistakenly believe they live with us: 4 * Number of life-defying bus rides: 10 * Good news that landed in the Richert household: 1 (but Dave gets to share that one with the rest of the world) * Number of months until we are back in the states and get to eat real cheese again: 18 * Times I forgot you don't flush toilet paper down the actual toilet in Ecuador: 15 * Times I slipped while mountain biking in the mud trenches Dave calls a trail: 3 * Pirate boats we have ridden in: 1 * Number of rats I have seen squeeze under our outside gate: 1 (but isn't that enough?) Ahh....it's good to be back. (Pictures of our trip in the States to be posted soon. We had a wonderful time and I can't wait to tell you all about our adventures!)

Man oh man, it has been a crazy week on the Richert Ranch. School has entered the "Crazy Christmas Craze," Dave and I are trying to prepare for our big trip to the states (only 7 more days!!), and we have been running non-stop since Thanksgiving. Whew...I just need a minute. Here is what has filled up our past week: *School!! High school exams are next week and I am giving my first final exam ever. I have no idea what I am doing, but I'm slogging through. The good news is I know that I can't break the seniors and no matter what, we will all survive (please, oh please, let me survive this next week). *Our school hosted a Christmas party for the three local orphanages this last week. There were 75-80 kids from the ages two to sixteen who came for the festivities. The NHS, helmed by their advisor extraordinaire, provided games, cotton candy, popcorn, dinner, and gifts for each kid. It was an amazing thing to be a part of and help out with. JHS and I, as their trusty advi...

Banos. I go virtually speechless when I think about the weekend Dave and I recently spent at this small town that is located on the base of the mountains as well as a hop, skip, and jump away from the jungles of Ecuador. It was incredible, the kind of weekend that makes you stop and gaze around in absolute wonder, saying "I can't believe I am in Ecuador!" Teaching at an American Academy in a different country has all sorts of perks, one of them being that you are given days off for American holidays as well as for Ecuadorian holidays. This past weekend our small little school celebrated Thanksgiving while the rest of the country of Ecuador did not. It is a perfect time to travel because the rest of the country is working and you have your destination of choice almost entirely to yourself. So was the case with Banos. The trip did not start out as one would hope. Twelve teachers and loved ones loaded up into the school van for the eight hour drive to Banos. About hour thre...

I know, I know--it has been quite awhile since I have posted. This is partly due to life being crazy on the Richert Ranch, but also because life in Ecuador seems more and more normal each day and that is definitely limiting my blog material. I am not entirely sure how I feel about being totally comfortable with seeing a family of five zipping around Guayaquil on the back of a motorcycle, or of seeing the boy painted in gold doing back flips in front of cars stopped at one of the busiest intersections in the city. But there you have it--part of everyday life here in beautiful Ecuador. Christmas vacation is coming up soon (just three more weeks) and Dave and I will be headed back to the states to visit family and friends. Talking about our encroaching visit, we realized that we will probably experience a bit of a culture shock when we step off the plane in the states. Taxis will seem overpriced, as well as food (what? meals are going to cost more than $3.00?), the air will smell differe...

This past weekend, Dave and I travelled to Ecuador's premiere surf beach with a group of friends. It was the first three-day weekend we have had for awhile, and we were all looking forward to lounging on the beach and playing in the warm water. Alas, it was not to be...it never stopped raining the entire time we were there. But no worries, we still had a wonderful time in the muddy (and I mean muddy) streets of Montanita. We stayed in this wonderful hostel, Charro's, that was right on the beach. The rooms were clean and actually had hot water, something Dave and I are lacking in our apartment right now. Our room faced the beach and had a hammock on the patio that looked over the ocean. We were able to go to sleep to the sound of crashing waves outside our window. Well, the first night we got crashing waves; the second night there was a party going on next door until the wee hours of the morning so we went to sleep with the sound of the thumping bass from all the greatest 80...

My husband. Yeah, that's right. Dave is a working man now. The art teacher at IA has left on maternity leave and Dave has become the art teacher extraordinaire . He will be filling this position until mid-February (Ecuadorian law provides three months paid maternity leave). Our conversations now deal with lesson planning, rubrics, and when grades are due. What does Dave say about this change in his Ecuadorian lifestyle? "Finally! I can join in on the conversations with you, your mom, Aunt Juli, and Aunt Sherry this Christmas!" Oh, let the fun begin. :)

One could say that the past few weeks have been a bit of a struggle for me here in Ecuador. The realities of life have caught up with me and the fact that this is not merely an extended vacation has settled in. To put it simply, I've been homesick. I miss my family, my friends, and my city. Each day thoughts of everything that I have been missing ran through my head on a constant loop cycle (see previous post) and this list of things that I can't wait to see and do have become a sort of mantra, repeated over and over for anyone willing to listen (thank you Dave). I was walking to my classroom building last Thursday as I glanced up from the memos I had just received and caught a glance at the hills that surround the school. They are beautiful and beginning to flourish with new growth. Imagine my surprise as the thought, "I love it here," ran through my head. I stopped, stunned at what I had just been telling myself in light of the homesick tune I had been singing for w...

David and I bought our tickets to the states for Christmas vacation yesterday. Needless to say....I can't wait. Things I am counting down the days for: * Maxi's Pizza * Java's Bowl of Soul * A consistently hot shower * The ability to wear a sweater every now and again * Tillamook Cheddar cheese (preferably accompanied by frito's and chili) * A meal at the Falcon Tavern * Blake to show me "somefing" * Small group catching-up * Actually being able to flush toilet paper down the toilet * REI and Target shopping extravaganza * Laughing with the Miller/Silvers/Hall/Damon ladies * Pretzels * Ice cubes * Not seeing even one ant within in a 24 hour time span. * Road Rides on Ronnie ahhhhh (deep sigh of anticipation) Only 72 more days...

Dave and I are going into our third month of living in Ecuador. It is hard to believe that the months have gone by so quickly, but the evidence is everywhere. Parent-teacher conferences are next week, Christmas decorations have already hit the stores throughout Guayaquil, and Dave and I have established routines that have made us realize we actually live here and are not just visiting. The fact that life in Ecuador is beginning to feel "normal" is comforting and unsettling at the same time. Do ants crawling along the edge of my plate, or through the dessert I am about to order at the nearby bakery, bother me? No-that is just life in Ecuador, you flick and move on. But on the other hand, when and how in the world did I get used to that ?! Ants back home would ensure the food would be in the garbage. See what I mean? Comforting because I no longer lose my appetite when ants want to have their own little nibble. Unsettling because I can't believe how wasteful I tended to be ...

Finally, I was able to experience a typical "Dave Day" here in Ecuador. I wanted to know exactly what Dave spends his time doing while I am off slaving away during the week. So, what is a typical day in the life of Dave? I found out that it is a day that is filled with bus adventures, people watching, and a lot of walking. Dave and I left our gated community for the busy streets of Guayaquil on Saturday morning. He was armed with his handy-dandy spy camera , and I was armed with my purell hand sanitizer. We caught the ChongGong bus headed towards the city and our day officially began. Oh, the things we did see! Here are some of the highlights: 1. Party balloon truck. Awesome. 2. Iguana Rumble. I wish we caught a picture, but they are quick little buggers. You will just have to let your imagination take you to the Lizard WWF that we witnessed. 3. The Bahia: Ecuador's Black Market. You will be able to find absolutely anything you can imagine in this district, at any price. ...

Field trips, I'm pretty familiar with them. During my 12 year career as a public school student and my four previous years of teaching middle school, I have been on my share of visits to the local zoo, government buildings, cultural centers, and city parks. When I arrived at InterAmerican Academy and they told me that I would be chaperoning a "field trip" for my advisory class, which happens to be a class full of eleven year olds, I readily agreed. I mean, how hard can it be? Foolish, foolish Danielle. Apparently, in Ecuador a field trip is not your typical quick little trip to Guayaquil for the day. Oh no. It is a four-day adventure out in the middle of nowhere. Did I mention I was in charge of a group of 13 sixth graders? Yes, there was an initial bout of panic, but I quickly got over it and began to prepare for this new adventure. Another teacher and I were in charge of taking the kids to Bucay, Ecuador, a little village that sits right at the base of the Andes Mountai...

Going to the grocery store in Guayaquil has turned into quite the weekly adventure. Especially in the produce aisles. Each week, Dave and I try to find one new item that we have never seen before and work it into our diet. We played it pretty safe the first couple weeks, buying packaged items that can only be classified as the greatest junk food ever. Seriously, I'm not sure how I've gone 29 years without these items in my life. Our first discovered treasure are Chifles. These babies are the greatest twist on banana chips ever known. They are actually made from plantains, so instead of being sweet they are savory. I believe they are Ecuador's challenge to the potato chip and challenge they are. If you open a bag, the temptation is greater than Lays. There is no way you are eating just one. Besides, how can you resist the Chifle mascot? That handsome devil who grins at you from every bag, flexing his muscle and giving you the thumbs up sign. It's almost as if he is sayin...

I'll admit it...I've been a little bit homesick the last couple of days. I woke up on Saturday a little bit sad and wishing that I was waking up in well-known Boise instead of tropical Ecuador. Don't get me wrong, I really am loving the experience that is Ecuador and school has been keeping me so busy that the days are speeding by. It is only when things slowed down that I started thinking about home and all the people that we have left there. I think part of my homesickness stems from the fact that Dave and I are trying so hard to adjust to actually living in South America. Daily experiences of life, like ordering food or going to the grocery store, are hurdles that Dave and I are constantly trying to jump over. Tasks that we used to do without a second thought, I now approach with trepidation. We tried to find the milk and eggs the other day, not expecting them to be on the shelf. We need a Spanish/English dictionary every time we cook and I notice that I just say "s...

Daily Occurrence: Dave and I look at each other, eyes going wide with astonishment, and whisper, " Can you believe that we are in Ecuador? " We just can't seem to grasp the reality of our lives. The last two weeks have brought experiences and sights to our lives that we never expected to be a part of. It is overwhelming, exhilarating, and sometimes exhausting. Dave and I travelled with a group of teachers this weekend to a small coastal town called Puerto Lopez. We went through many villages along the way where we had to dodge wild pigs, stray dogs, and manage to not be deterred by the two kids holding a rope across the road, creating a make-shift tollbooth. We passed buildings that were falling apart, but still housing a family of ten or more. A lot of poverty, a lot of filth, and a lot of need. When we reached Puerto Lopez, all I saw at first were the stray dogs and the broken up roads. But once we were out of the van and walking through the main street of town, we cam...

Yesterday, a group of us took an Ecuadorian adventure to downtown Guayaquil to walk the Malecon and check out Las Penas, a historical district of Guayaquil. Dave and I, Karly, Sarah, and Mark The day started with a taxi ride, which is better compared to a twenty mile amusement park ride. I can't decide if Ecuadorian drivers are insane or very, very talented. We haven't see a wreck yet, but all the cabs we have been in have run stop lights and stop signs, created their own lanes, and used the horn as the only communication tool to signal turns, lane changes, and speed. I avoid looking out the window for most of the rides...you know, what I can't see can't hurt me. Once we made it into Guayaquil, the cab driver took us to the Malecon 2000. This is a riverfront walkway that the mayor of Guayaquil had renovated in 2000 in order to boost tourism. The Malecon has a beautiful floral park right in the middle of it, historical monuments, and handicraft markets. There is also a ...

So far, the time Dave and I have spent in Ecuador has been a complete whirlwind. We arrived in Guayaquil at 2:00 am on Thursday morning. The director, Robert, had his driver take us to our new apartment (see pictures in previous post) and let us sleep in until 10:00 in the morning. By 10:30, Paulino had picked Dave and I up and we were off to take a tour of Puerto Azul, the school, meet my new principal, and finally join Rob and his family for dinner at his beautiful home. His wife, who is from Brazil, made us the most incredible South American dishes of coconut fish, rice, and lasagna. She also served us home-made coconut and chocolate chip ice cream. All of the newbies, which total six, spent the evening talking, laughing, and hearing about the unique aspects of Ecuadorian living. Friday, we had an informational meeting at the school. Besides getting the necessary school information, we talked with various people from the school and community. It turns out that we will have a doctor ...