First of all, I got really sick (surprise!) after coming back from the beach. I think my body reacted to the malaria pills because my throat started hurting unbearably (specifically my lymph nodes were very swelled and inflamed) and the my digestion system went crazy again and as soon as that got better, I came down with something that was probably a sinus infection. Luckily, I took a Cipro after a few days of suffering and it all got knocked right out!
So for the first time in weeks, I'm healthy right now. Who knows if it will last the meager 5 days until I'm home (probably not.) Probably helping in this is that the arrival of May (literally, day of) brought a halt to the rainy season. Now the sun shines all day long and though clouds roll in, the weather has been half-decent. I went through my last classes, took exams in all but one course, and said goodbye to my professors.
On Thursday night, we decided to go to one final Liga game, in the stadium in the North of Quito. We got there an hour or so early and bought tickets from a scalper, then got in line. Things got crazy really quickly. The area surrounding the stadium was packed, both with waiting fans and policemen, including many on horses. We got in line, which became crowded with people pushing and shoving nearly immediately. At least that much was to be expected. We were all in a pretty good mood, but all of sudden Lauren starts swearing because she realized she had been robbed. For reasons unknown to the rest of us, Lauren had pretty brought every last valuable thing with her - her new camera from the black market, her Blackberry from the US because her other phone had been lost, $40, her American license, and her Censo (the card we get from the government here and need to leave the country). Thank goodness she gave her iPod to Julie to hold because she didn't have enough room in her purse. Anyway, though there was a latch on her little leather purse, someone just opened it and grabbed everything. To everyone but Lauren this was not surprising or unexpected but of course, that didn't make her feel better at all.
Anyway, everyone felt a little bummed after that and suddenly, the line got crazy and people were pushing so hard to get in. I was so crushed I could barely breathe and started panicking and hyperventilating. Every psych class I've ever taken popped into my head - this is how people die - they get trampled, they asphyxiate - uncontrolled crowd situations are just so dangerous! Anyway, we all were hanging on to each other and after about 15 minutes of panic, we managed to get in. A guy I was squished against was laughing because apparently what I consider to be life-threatening and terrifying is normal there. Anyway, we finally got in and found our section. We noticed right away how it was full of die-hard fans - all singing, and yelling, full of spirit, so it was relatively exciting.
At some point in the game, we noticed that separating us between the next section in the bleachers (which were just concrete steps - another gross architectural fault - I saw that documentary about killer stadiums and how that's the worst way to control people...anyway more on that later) was a line of police men, each on a step, with the masks, and poised for duty. Kind of freaky until I realized the other side had people supporting the other team.
Didn't think too much of it until later - the other team had already scored the only point, and everyone was kind of yelling things over to the other side. Finally, the other team scored point 2 and all hell broke loose. Half the people were pushing through to leave, the other half was yelling and throwing things to the other side, flares, bottles, etc. Everything happened in a blur - my friends were yelling at us to LEAVE GO NOW and all of a sudden I was coughing and I thought that was weird until I realized the police had started spraying tear gas and forcing us all out. At this point, it became even crazier, with people pushing and swarming down the steps - I had my jacket over my mouth and nose and was being pushed everywhere and was the last of my friends to get out. Luckily I grabbed my friend Kevin who is like 6'2 and blond and he was literally able to pull me out. By then I was tearing up and panicking, but as soon as we left the bleachers, everything was fine. We left the stadium, unable to believe what had just happened. Found out one of my friends got hit the forehead with something, so she was kind of freaking out too.
Found out the next day what we did wrong - I was expecting the whole thing to be in the news, in the paper, or at the very least to tell my host mom and have her be shocked and worried. Instead, she just laughed. Apparently, that section is known for that kind of riot-like ending. People who go there go to fight and freak out, which would have been nice to know beforehand. I don't regret the experience - because it was exactly that - an experience like everything else here. But I maintain that nothing like that could have ever happened in the United States, what with better-designed stadiums and a little less rowdy fans. But true - that's what fútbol in Sudamérica and Europa is all about, right?
Anyway, the next night, we had a surprise party on Lauren's roof for our friend Brein, which was fun for me but the others were admittedly being a little whiny. On May 7th (Saturday) the country had what they call the Consulta Popular, which is a giant referendum which is mandatory for all Ecuadorians to vote in. The government enforces what they call the ley seca starting noon on Thursday until midnight on Sunday, meaning it's illegal to buy or consume any alcohol. We heard that even as foreigners, if caught drinking, we could be sent to jail. Deciding we reaaaally didn't want to risk going to Ecuadorian jail, we told all of our friends they couldn't drink at the party. We heard later from some Ecuadorians that this rule is really not enforced so a few of our friends were being jerks and complaining the whole time how they could be drinking. Lo siento - I spent like 18 years of my life having fun without drinking - I was able to spend one night sober just fine. I guess the others aren't so lucky. I actually ended up bringing my guitar and serenading everyone so that was pretty fun. No one here has heard me play yet, so that was cool.
Anyway, it's little stuff like that that's been wearing on me. I've been spending a lot of time with the same people and they're all driving me a little bit crazy in their own ways, regardless of how much I love them.
I spent the weekend with my host family. Saturday we went to my host mom's brother's house overlooking the valley of Cumbayá (absolutely stunning) and stayed there until almost midnight. I really didn't talk much with anyone (as usual) but we did kareoke for like, 4 hours at night and then they finally noticed me. I got more perfect scores than anyone! On Sunday, we went to my host dad's sister's place and had lunch there. I actually did have a conversation there, which was nice. Mostly though I was just bored. I get resentful of my host siblings because they both are addicted to their Blackberries (like every other well-to-do Ecuadorian teenager) and are literally on it the whole time. But it would be rude for me to pull out a book.
Anyway, yesterday I went with Julie to the Botanical Gardens in Quito - very pretty and just nice excuse to get out.
Botanical gardens
Today, Julie, Alli and I went to the Teleferiqo, which is the cable car thing that brings you to the top of Pichincha, the mountain/volcano thing overlooking my window. It was absolutely beautiful up there - the view was like none other and the oxygen was certainly lacking. We had to stop literally every 10 steps for Julie to get her breath.
Quito!
Anyway, we spent a nice couple of hours up there, then came back, came home, and now I have a test to study for and a party to attend tonight. What a life, right?
That being said..... five days. Five days. Five days. I'm going to miss this place undoubtedly but time, fly, please.
That's all for now. Chau mis amigos.
Cyn xxx
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