"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAPFU4TMlwI&feature=feedrec_grec_index
Somedays I just feel like I've had it with the things I have to deal with in this country. Mostly, the looks, the stares, the catcalls from men, that are constant and so disrespectful to me and my humanity. Its not like I am walking around in a short skirt and low shirt and high heels; I typically am in jeans and tennis shoes, my fleece jacket and a scarf! For crying out loud people, just leave me alone! I feel like my apartment is sometimes my only sanctuary, my only escape from the daily hassle. Riding the bus is like a nightmare, it is packed full to the brim you can't even breathe. And the air you do breathe is full of fumes from the buses and broke down cars. There are days that are just simply more than I can bear. I don't think ever in my life I have had to bear so much harrassment and disrespect, it's outrageous.
The job, the people I work with, all that is fine. I have no complaints there. But it's the harrassment from strangers, all the live long day, that make me want to go insane. It just makes me wonder how can people be so sheltered from other races? If you think rural Indiana is low on cultural diversity, you should try being the only white person in South Quito for awhile and you might change your mind. The thing is, this is a capital city! Think about how diverse New York City, or Chicago, or LA, or any other big city is. For what it's worth, even Indianapolis is pretty diverse, although it might be sadly and disappointingly polarized in its diversity (as in rich vs poor, white vs black, not alot of mixing between suburbia and inner city). But in Quito, you will find the only diversity in La Mariscal or Centro Histórico, typically in the form of tourists. The city itself, the makeup of the city, has loads of Ecuadorian diversity - Spanish heritage, Mestizo, and pure Indigenous people - but unlike back home, you don't have a mix of Europeans, Afroamericans, Asians, and Indians who mix up the just standard North American culture.
I also miss the seasons...every day passes here, much like the day before it. There is very little difference between "summer" and "winter", and there are no real seasons. The climate just IS in Quito, it just is. Always cool, with some hot direct sunlight, and daily showers 3-4 times a week. No changes. I was describing to someone how you don't really have any picture in your mind for the month of October, that is any different in your mind from the month of April...it just is another day on the calendar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAPFU4TMlwI&feature=feedrec_grec_index
Somedays I just feel like I've had it with the things I have to deal with in this country. Mostly, the looks, the stares, the catcalls from men, that are constant and so disrespectful to me and my humanity. Its not like I am walking around in a short skirt and low shirt and high heels; I typically am in jeans and tennis shoes, my fleece jacket and a scarf! For crying out loud people, just leave me alone! I feel like my apartment is sometimes my only sanctuary, my only escape from the daily hassle. Riding the bus is like a nightmare, it is packed full to the brim you can't even breathe. And the air you do breathe is full of fumes from the buses and broke down cars. There are days that are just simply more than I can bear. I don't think ever in my life I have had to bear so much harrassment and disrespect, it's outrageous.
The job, the people I work with, all that is fine. I have no complaints there. But it's the harrassment from strangers, all the live long day, that make me want to go insane. It just makes me wonder how can people be so sheltered from other races? If you think rural Indiana is low on cultural diversity, you should try being the only white person in South Quito for awhile and you might change your mind. The thing is, this is a capital city! Think about how diverse New York City, or Chicago, or LA, or any other big city is. For what it's worth, even Indianapolis is pretty diverse, although it might be sadly and disappointingly polarized in its diversity (as in rich vs poor, white vs black, not alot of mixing between suburbia and inner city). But in Quito, you will find the only diversity in La Mariscal or Centro Histórico, typically in the form of tourists. The city itself, the makeup of the city, has loads of Ecuadorian diversity - Spanish heritage, Mestizo, and pure Indigenous people - but unlike back home, you don't have a mix of Europeans, Afroamericans, Asians, and Indians who mix up the just standard North American culture.
I also miss the seasons...every day passes here, much like the day before it. There is very little difference between "summer" and "winter", and there are no real seasons. The climate just IS in Quito, it just is. Always cool, with some hot direct sunlight, and daily showers 3-4 times a week. No changes. I was describing to someone how you don't really have any picture in your mind for the month of October, that is any different in your mind from the month of April...it just is another day on the calendar.
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