I LOVE JULIE WITH ALL MY HEARTT!! Sorry for not writing about you sooner!! LOVE U AND MISS U!! <3
Thursday, September 22, 2011
JULIE ANNA de MICHELIS
I LOVE JULIE WITH ALL MY HEARTT!! Sorry for not writing about you sooner!! LOVE U AND MISS U!! <3
Sunday, May 22, 2011
New School
I know I haven't written in a while, but I got lazy again. So in the beginning of April, I started school again after having a 3 month break for summer. My new school is called Cruz del Norte High School. Yes, it is actually called High School...their failed attempt at making the school American. The school is really new. This is the first year that they have a senior year. Its only a few years old.
I decided to switch schools because in my old school, I spoke so much English with the other exchange students and I wanted to go to a school with only 3 exchange students. Also, I wanted to meet new people and possible make new friends, and I just wanted a new experience and to be out of my comfort zone, because that is what this year is all about.
On my first day, I got to school and nobody really helped me. The director didn't talk to me, and just told me I can choose what class to go to. It was dissapointing because I was hoping she would take me to the class and at least tell the kids and the teacher that I was the exchange student and that I would be there for the next 2 months, but nothing like that happened. They just ignored me and acted like I didn't even exist, but luckily I found 2 people that I had met earlier in the year and they helped me and told me where to go. When I finally got to my class, NOBODY talked to me. The people close to me didn't even ask me my NAME! It was horrible. I felt so bad and so uncomfortable and I was miserable.
I wanted to go back to my old school where people talked to me and I actually had some friends. Luckily there are 2 other exchange students in the school, one from Germany and one from Switzerland, so I was able to hang out with them during the breaks, but in the class I felt so awkward because nobody talked to me for the first week. Then after that, people slowly started talking to me and asking me questions about New York and my exchange year. I am not sure what it was, but maybe they got used to my presence and thats why they talked to me...who knows.
It was really different because when I went to Arco Iris (my first school) in August, when I got there people swarmed around me, were asking me tons of questions, helping me get used to the school, telling me the schedule, rules, lending me pens and paper, and just really making me feel welcome. But in Cruz del Norte, it was the opposite, so that was really hard for me because I slightly expected it to be like the first time I went to school. I just think that the kids in my first school are a lot different from the kids in my new school. They are more welcoming and more friendly and more helpful.
The good thing now is that I finally have friends. I have 3 really good friends in school that I go with outside of school, and I talk to a lot more people during school now. I know 3 friends sounds pathetic, but here, making 3 friends that you go out with outside of school is actually really good. A lot of Ecuadorians think that it's pointless to get to be really good friends with an exchange student because they know we will be leaving in a few months, but I am very lucky that I have made really good friends in both of my schools. A lot of the kids from my class that had never talked to me before, are finally talking to me, and I just feel a lot more comfortable in the class and even if there is a big group of people I don't feel left out. It is a nice feeling. I just needed a month or two to feel like that and to make friends.
They have some weird classes, like cooking class, where the kids are required to bring hige knives into school...something that really shocked me being from the US haha Also, there is a technical drawing class, French, Portuguese, and other classes that are mandatory to take that in the US are optional and you only have to take them if you are interested.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Carnaval
In the beginning of March, there was a 3 day time period called Carnival, Carnaval in Spanish. Most people think of carnaval in Brasil, with the huge shows and crazy outfits and out of control parties, and forget that it happens in other parts of the world too. In Ecuador, it obviously isn't as big and exciting as in Brasil, but still, it is really fun. EVERYONE goes to the beach for 3 days. The majority of the people don't work, a lot of stores are closed, and basically, life shuts down.
I went to a beach in the Guayaquil area with one of my best exchange student friends, Gus, and his family. Salinas is a gorgeous town and its bigger and more modern than a lot of the other beach towns I have been to in Ecuador. The water is really clear and the town has a lot of bars, restaurans, and shops. It is also really safe. I walked around with Gus by ourselves a lot and never felt in danger...that was a nice feeling. During the day we just relaxed on the beach, walked along the beach and the malecon, and did whatever. It was relaxing and fun just people watching all day.
One thing that I didn't expect was the fact that on the malecon, everyone bought cans of foam and would spray it at random people walking by, and it was acceptable. People sprayed me in the face, all over my clothes, threw water, paint, and sand on me, and it was normal. If you are walking on the malecon, you have to expect to get dirty, wet, and to stain your clothes. It is called "jugar carnaval", like to play carnival. People even spray the foam and stuff and police offiers, and into cars that have open windows. At night it is even crazier....people are drinking and there are way more people, and it is just like a huge, crazy party all over the place. I didn't expect anything like the experience that I had during carnival before. I had heard storeies of the foam and the paint that they throw on you, but I neer expected it to be so intense.
I went to a beach in the Guayaquil area with one of my best exchange student friends, Gus, and his family. Salinas is a gorgeous town and its bigger and more modern than a lot of the other beach towns I have been to in Ecuador. The water is really clear and the town has a lot of bars, restaurans, and shops. It is also really safe. I walked around with Gus by ourselves a lot and never felt in danger...that was a nice feeling. During the day we just relaxed on the beach, walked along the beach and the malecon, and did whatever. It was relaxing and fun just people watching all day.
One thing that I didn't expect was the fact that on the malecon, everyone bought cans of foam and would spray it at random people walking by, and it was acceptable. People sprayed me in the face, all over my clothes, threw water, paint, and sand on me, and it was normal. If you are walking on the malecon, you have to expect to get dirty, wet, and to stain your clothes. It is called "jugar carnaval", like to play carnival. People even spray the foam and stuff and police offiers, and into cars that have open windows. At night it is even crazier....people are drinking and there are way more people, and it is just like a huge, crazy party all over the place. I didn't expect anything like the experience that I had during carnival before. I had heard storeies of the foam and the paint that they throw on you, but I neer expected it to be so intense.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
The Amazon
I also recently went to the Amazon on a trip with Rotary. Almost all of the exchange students in Ecuador went on this trip together. I personally think it was too much, just like the Manabi trip, but I can't control it.
We stayed a hotel called Hotel Suizo (Swiss Hotel), and it was gorgeous. It was located directly on a river that flows into the Amazon River, so we weren't technically IN the Amazon, which was a little dissapointing, but it was still fun. A rotarian told me that the hotel is one of the nicest in the "Amazon" and that we are lucky that we went there. Last year, the kids went to a more rustic hotel, deeper into the rainforest, which I would have liked but it was too far away and too difficult to get to. To get to the hotel, we had to take these skinny little boats and then climb up a lot of steps, with all of our suitcases...that was not fun.
The first day, we went on a hike through the jungle in HUGE rubber boots, that just made it 10 times harder to walk in, and we saw animals in cages. It was kinda disspointing because it was lik a walk in a zoo, it didn't feel special or very "Amazony". We saw monkeys, birds, some cats, snakes, more monkeys, a pig, and some other wild animals. There was one adorable monkey who everyone said was my boyfriend, because it stuck its hand through the cage and I was holding its hand for a while. It would even squeeze my finger tighter and would pull my hand closer to it. I want a monkey as a pet, like a little puppy, but a monkey. (get on that mom) It was one of the best memories I have of the trip.
After that, we went tubing down the river. The river was BROWN. I never thought I would go in water that dirty and murky, but I did and I loved it. I was with Julie and Johanna and we were tanning as we were floating down the river. At one point we were allowed to get out and swim and the water was so refreshing after getting so sweaty on the hike. There was also a spot to get out and go on a rope swing, but I was too lazy to climb out of my tube and up the hill to the rope. haha
We also went to the house of an indigenous family where we saw a little bit of how they live their daily lives. There was a woman who gave a demonstration on how to make this special drink that is very common in the Amazon region...I forget what it was called. She made some and then we passed a bowl around and drank a little each. It honestly looked like vomit, but I tried it anyways. One of my friends even filled up a waterbottle with some of it. After that, the tour guide showed us how to shoot a blow dart, and all of the people in my group tried it. We were aiming for a wooden monkey hanging from a tree. Only a few people hit the target, and I was one of them. I was the first girl to hit the target. :) We also saw how they make local products like ceramics. I didn't really watch that, instead I was with Julie and we were playing with little kids which for me, was a lot more fun than watching a presentation.
The next day, we went on ANOTHER hike with huge rubber boots, but this time I really felt like I was in the rainforest. The only difference was that there was cellphone service and my phone started to vibrate as I was hiking through the jungle =/ That killed the whole mood. On the hike, the tour guide showed us lots of trees and we ate some natural plants and stuff, it was cool. It's amazing to think about all of the plants and things in nature that are benificial to our health, and how the people who live in the region even discovered everything. We also went on this huge swing that was hanging from a tree. We each got a turn to do it and it felt amazing. Just gliding through the jungle, through the trees with the air hitting your face. I loved it. After the hike, we built a raft made out of huge logs and thick rope. It was exactly like Huckleberry Finn, and we floated for 45 minutes down the river back to the hotel. This time, the water felt FREEZING so I didn't want to go swimming.
We stayed a hotel called Hotel Suizo (Swiss Hotel), and it was gorgeous. It was located directly on a river that flows into the Amazon River, so we weren't technically IN the Amazon, which was a little dissapointing, but it was still fun. A rotarian told me that the hotel is one of the nicest in the "Amazon" and that we are lucky that we went there. Last year, the kids went to a more rustic hotel, deeper into the rainforest, which I would have liked but it was too far away and too difficult to get to. To get to the hotel, we had to take these skinny little boats and then climb up a lot of steps, with all of our suitcases...that was not fun.
The first day, we went on a hike through the jungle in HUGE rubber boots, that just made it 10 times harder to walk in, and we saw animals in cages. It was kinda disspointing because it was lik a walk in a zoo, it didn't feel special or very "Amazony". We saw monkeys, birds, some cats, snakes, more monkeys, a pig, and some other wild animals. There was one adorable monkey who everyone said was my boyfriend, because it stuck its hand through the cage and I was holding its hand for a while. It would even squeeze my finger tighter and would pull my hand closer to it. I want a monkey as a pet, like a little puppy, but a monkey. (get on that mom) It was one of the best memories I have of the trip.
After that, we went tubing down the river. The river was BROWN. I never thought I would go in water that dirty and murky, but I did and I loved it. I was with Julie and Johanna and we were tanning as we were floating down the river. At one point we were allowed to get out and swim and the water was so refreshing after getting so sweaty on the hike. There was also a spot to get out and go on a rope swing, but I was too lazy to climb out of my tube and up the hill to the rope. haha
We also went to the house of an indigenous family where we saw a little bit of how they live their daily lives. There was a woman who gave a demonstration on how to make this special drink that is very common in the Amazon region...I forget what it was called. She made some and then we passed a bowl around and drank a little each. It honestly looked like vomit, but I tried it anyways. One of my friends even filled up a waterbottle with some of it. After that, the tour guide showed us how to shoot a blow dart, and all of the people in my group tried it. We were aiming for a wooden monkey hanging from a tree. Only a few people hit the target, and I was one of them. I was the first girl to hit the target. :) We also saw how they make local products like ceramics. I didn't really watch that, instead I was with Julie and we were playing with little kids which for me, was a lot more fun than watching a presentation.
The next day, we went on ANOTHER hike with huge rubber boots, but this time I really felt like I was in the rainforest. The only difference was that there was cellphone service and my phone started to vibrate as I was hiking through the jungle =/ That killed the whole mood. On the hike, the tour guide showed us lots of trees and we ate some natural plants and stuff, it was cool. It's amazing to think about all of the plants and things in nature that are benificial to our health, and how the people who live in the region even discovered everything. We also went on this huge swing that was hanging from a tree. We each got a turn to do it and it felt amazing. Just gliding through the jungle, through the trees with the air hitting your face. I loved it. After the hike, we built a raft made out of huge logs and thick rope. It was exactly like Huckleberry Finn, and we floated for 45 minutes down the river back to the hotel. This time, the water felt FREEZING so I didn't want to go swimming. 
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
...New Beginning...
Two Mondays ago marked a new beginning for me. I changed into my second host family. So far, I LOVE them! I live with my mom, my dad, and my host brother, who's 14. I also have a sister who's 19 and goes to college in Quito, and a sister whos my age that is on a Rotary Exchange in Hawaii for the year. We also have a dog, a lab, so she reminds me so much of my dog, who I really miss. :( I really feel like this family wants me here and that they are interested in me and interested in talking to me. Also, I feel like they all really love each other and that they are a FAMILY--they laugh, joke, and always have fun together.
They are sooo different from my first family. Thiis family goes out a lot, goes out to eat, goes to the beach, and just does STUFF, which is exactly what I love to do. I never did anything with my old host family, so I am really looking foward to doing things and going out with my new family. Also, they are less strict, which i LOVE. They seem more American than most families here, which is a relief. I feel more comfortable and at home with them. They think more liberally and don't think how most people think here.
Also, my new house is BEAUTIFUL!!! It is soooo big, and my room is bright pink, so it's perfect for me ;) It is in a very good location-I can walk to my BEST friends house and to Supermaxi, the big supermarket place with a KFC.
Overall, I am EXTREMELY happy with them. It is still awkward being in a new family, in a new house, and not being used to everything, but each day it gets easier and I am really looking foward to the next couple of months with them. :)
More pictures of my room and my house: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=363169&id=775143901&l=f15869e98c
(there's also a link to the right of this page)
They are sooo different from my first family. Thiis family goes out a lot, goes out to eat, goes to the beach, and just does STUFF, which is exactly what I love to do. I never did anything with my old host family, so I am really looking foward to doing things and going out with my new family. Also, they are less strict, which i LOVE. They seem more American than most families here, which is a relief. I feel more comfortable and at home with them. They think more liberally and don't think how most people think here.
Also, my new house is BEAUTIFUL!!! It is soooo big, and my room is bright pink, so it's perfect for me ;) It is in a very good location-I can walk to my BEST friends house and to Supermaxi, the big supermarket place with a KFC.
Overall, I am EXTREMELY happy with them. It is still awkward being in a new family, in a new house, and not being used to everything, but each day it gets easier and I am really looking foward to the next couple of months with them. :)
More pictures of my room and my house: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=363169&id=775143901&l=f15869e98c
(there's also a link to the right of this page)
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Forgot to post...
I know I haven't written in FOREVER, but I have been so lazy and my internet only works at night for some reason that I don't understand. Life has been going GREAT! I still never want to leave here.
My mom and sister from New York visited me for Christmas. It was soooo nice to see them after 4 months without them, but at the same time, it also makes me realize how good this year is for me and how I am ready to move on with my life and that I am becoming an adult.
I did more and saw more of the country in 2 weeks with my mom than I have in 5 months with my family. My family never really travels with me and we never go out together as a family. Most families here will go out to eat and will go to the beach a lot and will go to some of the bigger cities, especially if they have exchange students living with them, but mine doesnt. :( But with my mom, we went to Quayaquil, many beach towns, we went to Quito (the Capital), we also went out more, and we had a rental car so it was like I had freedom for a little while.
Quito was amazing. When I was there, I was jealous that I couldn't live there because I felt so much safer (surprisingly) and it is just a more modern city and reminded me of home and NYC, more than Portoviejo. Its also cleaner and there are McDonalds and Pizza Hut and bigger food chains, that I miss a lot. We took a tour the first day we were there and we did all of the things that we probably wouldn'tve been able to go to if we just went around by ourselves. We went to the Mitad Del Mundo (Middle of the World), which is the monument with the equator line painted on the ground. We went to the Teleferiqo, which is gondola that goes to the top of a huge mountain with good views of the entire city, which is reallllly long and narrow, making it so hard to travel in. We also went to the historical center, which was gorgeous. With the narrow streets, the colorful buildings, the churches, etc. We saw the PRESIDENT OF ECAUDOR also! He was in the main plaza because there was a ceremony to switch the guards or something like that. We got really lucky to see him. It isn't like meeting Obama though. SOO many people that I talk to have seen him/met him/taken pictures with him. Quito also has a place called Plaza Foch, which is a popular square with restaurants, bars, cafes, etc. It is really popular for tourists, and it was one of my favorite things in the city. It was so nice ot just sit outside eating or drinking something, watching the people and everything going on. I wish there was something like that in Portoviejo. :( We also went to a market with all of the indigenous goods. I LOVED IT! I could've spent all day shopping in it and buying things. I bought a big jacket and bright pink pants.
They also spent Christmas and New Years here. Christmas was extremely dissapointing. Normally, for the whole month of December I think about Christmas and it feels like Christmas is coming. This year, I woke up on Christmas Eve and FORGOT it was Christmas Eve. It was sad. I think it is because at home, I go to my Dad's family on Christmas eve, the house is all decorated, I get gifts, we are all talking and laughing and having a good time. And on Christmas day, i go to my moms family where we open MORE presents, eat more, and do a grab bag secret santa thing. Here in Ecuador, on Christmas Eve, at like 10 or 11, the families will eat a dinner (in my house it was VERY formal) and at 12, the kids open presents, and then at like 1 or 2 everyone just goes to sleep. Also, only the little kids get presents...my host sister who is 17 didn't get ANY presents!
New Years was also very different, but in a GOOD way. Again, at 10 we went to eat at a restaurant and then we went home, relazed, and at 12, we went outside and burned a paper doll, that was actually kind of big, to like burn away all of the bad things that happened in 2010. Also, the people will take a suitcase and run around the block (I don't exactly understand why). Everyone buys the dolls and burns them. In the streets there are tons of fires, fireworks, loud noises, and it is just crazy and I loved it! Here, New Years is much more significant than in the US. AT home, I never really do anything on New Years, last year I spend it on a plane. Also, the kids will go out at 1 or 2 in the morning and go to parties until 6, 7, 8, or 9, in the morning! I paid 10$ to go to a party but it was HORRIBLE, so we left after only 2 hours. It was SO dissapointing because I have heard so many good stories about the New Years parties here and how fun they are, but the party I went to was so bad and I was so miserable and tired.
My mom and sister from New York visited me for Christmas. It was soooo nice to see them after 4 months without them, but at the same time, it also makes me realize how good this year is for me and how I am ready to move on with my life and that I am becoming an adult.
I did more and saw more of the country in 2 weeks with my mom than I have in 5 months with my family. My family never really travels with me and we never go out together as a family. Most families here will go out to eat and will go to the beach a lot and will go to some of the bigger cities, especially if they have exchange students living with them, but mine doesnt. :( But with my mom, we went to Quayaquil, many beach towns, we went to Quito (the Capital), we also went out more, and we had a rental car so it was like I had freedom for a little while.
Quito was amazing. When I was there, I was jealous that I couldn't live there because I felt so much safer (surprisingly) and it is just a more modern city and reminded me of home and NYC, more than Portoviejo. Its also cleaner and there are McDonalds and Pizza Hut and bigger food chains, that I miss a lot. We took a tour the first day we were there and we did all of the things that we probably wouldn'tve been able to go to if we just went around by ourselves. We went to the Mitad Del Mundo (Middle of the World), which is the monument with the equator line painted on the ground. We went to the Teleferiqo, which is gondola that goes to the top of a huge mountain with good views of the entire city, which is reallllly long and narrow, making it so hard to travel in. We also went to the historical center, which was gorgeous. With the narrow streets, the colorful buildings, the churches, etc. We saw the PRESIDENT OF ECAUDOR also! He was in the main plaza because there was a ceremony to switch the guards or something like that. We got really lucky to see him. It isn't like meeting Obama though. SOO many people that I talk to have seen him/met him/taken pictures with him. Quito also has a place called Plaza Foch, which is a popular square with restaurants, bars, cafes, etc. It is really popular for tourists, and it was one of my favorite things in the city. It was so nice ot just sit outside eating or drinking something, watching the people and everything going on. I wish there was something like that in Portoviejo. :( We also went to a market with all of the indigenous goods. I LOVED IT! I could've spent all day shopping in it and buying things. I bought a big jacket and bright pink pants.
They also spent Christmas and New Years here. Christmas was extremely dissapointing. Normally, for the whole month of December I think about Christmas and it feels like Christmas is coming. This year, I woke up on Christmas Eve and FORGOT it was Christmas Eve. It was sad. I think it is because at home, I go to my Dad's family on Christmas eve, the house is all decorated, I get gifts, we are all talking and laughing and having a good time. And on Christmas day, i go to my moms family where we open MORE presents, eat more, and do a grab bag secret santa thing. Here in Ecuador, on Christmas Eve, at like 10 or 11, the families will eat a dinner (in my house it was VERY formal) and at 12, the kids open presents, and then at like 1 or 2 everyone just goes to sleep. Also, only the little kids get presents...my host sister who is 17 didn't get ANY presents!
New Years was also very different, but in a GOOD way. Again, at 10 we went to eat at a restaurant and then we went home, relazed, and at 12, we went outside and burned a paper doll, that was actually kind of big, to like burn away all of the bad things that happened in 2010. Also, the people will take a suitcase and run around the block (I don't exactly understand why). Everyone buys the dolls and burns them. In the streets there are tons of fires, fireworks, loud noises, and it is just crazy and I loved it! Here, New Years is much more significant than in the US. AT home, I never really do anything on New Years, last year I spend it on a plane. Also, the kids will go out at 1 or 2 in the morning and go to parties until 6, 7, 8, or 9, in the morning! I paid 10$ to go to a party but it was HORRIBLE, so we left after only 2 hours. It was SO dissapointing because I have heard so many good stories about the New Years parties here and how fun they are, but the party I went to was so bad and I was so miserable and tired.
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