Jacob in Ecuador - Week 4

Last Weekend our group went to Quilotoa, Ecuador. Quilotoa is known for its lake which happens to be located inside of an inactive volcano. From the small town of Quilotoa, you actually have to walk down into the volcano to reach the lake. It was a treacherous hike, and Andres and I rented horses to ride back up. Walking down to the lake took about thirty minutes, and the altitude made the air paper thin. However, the views were incredible and I will never forget being inside a volcano! When we reached the bottom, we were able to kayak in the pond for about an hour. The lake is very large, and there is no life in it due to the sulfur levels from the volcano. It was very peculiar kayaking inside of a volcano, and not many people can say that they have done it!

On our way back from Quilotoa, we stopped in a small village to witness the festivities of Corpus Christi. It was wild to say the least! The citizens danced in the streets to a live band and consumed a surprising amount of alcohol. It was amusing to observe the party, and after a while they paraded into the bull fighting arena and teased the bulls while they were in their pen. I’ve never seen so many drunken cowboys, and I was a little scared for the stumbling bullfighters. When they finally let the bulls out, only one guy got gored in the leg so I guess it was a successful bull fight. It was a unique experience, and it opened my eyes to the exciting world of bull fighting!

After the fiesta, our group stopped at a shopping mall to watch the USA vs. Portugal match. Every shopping mall that I have been to so far screens every world cup game on a giant screen in the food court. The game was a true nail biter, and I thought we had the game won until Portugal scored in the last few minutes and tied it up. I hate to say it, but it almost seems like everyone cheers against the United States here. In any case, a tie is better than a loss and we returned to Quito late that night.

On Tuesday our group went to the Equator museum and we visited some Incan ruins along the way! Visiting the Equator has always been something that I wanted to do, and it feels great to cross it off the bucket list! I learned a lot about the different hemispheres and the Earth’s magnetic forces. While standing on the Equator you lose a pound of weight, and you can feel the magnetic forces on your body. Our tour guide also demonstrated how water spins in opposite directions when let out of a drain in each hemisphere. We were able to balance an egg on a nail due to the unique gravitational pull of the Equator, and I was also able to observe a real shrunken head that was 160 years old.

On Thursday, the US played Germany at 11:00, so our group was dismissed from class early and we went to a sushi restaurant downtown to watch the game. The sushi was just as good as back home, and the game was an exciting one. We ended up losing 1-0, but we will still advance into the next round of the cup. Somewhere throughout the day I lost my cell phone, and I believe I was pick pocketed by a talented thief. I strongly recommend carrying your valuables in your front pockets if you plan on travelling here, as I have not been the first one in our group to get burglarized.  I was pretty upset for a while, but my day got better when I was randomly asked to be in a Coca Cola commercial by two models in the street!

I am excited to leave on Sunday, but I know that I will miss Quito very much. This whole trip almost seems like a dream, and it has been everything I could’ve imagined from a study abroad experience. Saturday is a free day, and Andres and I plan on hiking to the top of the Pichincha volcano early in the morning. We do not plan on going to sleep on Saturday night since our bus to the airport leaves at 4:00am. Hopefully my next entry will be written inside the United States!

Jacob in Ecuador - Week 3

Looking back on this week, it has by far been the best one since I arrived here in Quito! On Monday, the majority of our group met at a small restaurant to watch the USA vs. Ghana world cup game. We drew a lot of attention as we were all dressed in our American flag garb, and it was awesome to watch the USA win.  Nobody believed that the USA would win, which made the victory so much sweeter!

On Tuesday, we went to Quito’s cultural museum after class. To my disappointment, we were not allowed to take pictures inside the museum. I thoroughly enjoyed our tour, and I especially enjoyed learning about the Aztec history here in Ecuador. There were many precious historic sculptures made of gold and silver inside the museum along with countless religious paintings and statues. It is very evident that the citizens of Ecuador take pride in their history and culture, and I was impressed with how nice and modern the museum was.

After the museum, I was able to do something I’ve always wanted to do; go to a McDonalds in a foreign country! It was surprisingly expensive, and in my opinion it was nowhere near as good as back home.  It made me crave some good ole’ American fast food even more, and I plan on spoiling myself when I get back!

On Wednesday morning, I had a random burst of motivation to go on an early morning run before class. I ran in the beautiful parque de Carolina and I was blessed with the opportunity to watch the sun rise over the Andes mountains.  I am constantly being re-amazed by the beauty of the land here, and I will miss watching the sun set over the mountains every night.

Thursday was a free day after class, so Andres and I decided to ride the teleférico up the Pichincha Volcano to soak in some beautiful views and ride horses on the mountains. The teleférico is one of the highest gondola lifts in the world, and it took us to an elevation of 12,943 ft! The view of Quito was simply unbelievable, and it made me realize how massive the city really is. We also got an amazing view of the snow covered Cotopaxi volcano, which is the second highest summit in Ecuador. After taking an excess of pictures, we went on a horse ride through the mountains and the base of the volcano. It was one of the best experiences of my life, and I hope I can come back and do it again someday!

Today, Ecuador is playing their second game of the world cup against Honduras. The city will literally shut down for the game, and there will probably be a riot or two if they win. I am jealous of the passion that they have for the sport, and I hope that someday the USA can have the same attitude! This weekend we are going on an excursion to Guagua and Pichincha, and I have heard that we will be hiking and kayaking. I am excited for the trip, but it will be bittersweet because it will be my last weekend in Ecuador!

Jacob in Ecuador - Otavalo

Today we went on an excursion to Otavalo, which is the location of one of the biggest markets in South America.  Otavalo is about 3 hours north of Quito, and we arrived there around noon. First we visited the animal market where the local farmers trade and sell animals. It was very interesting to see how differently livestock is treated here, and I would hate to see how a PETA representative would have reacted. I was tempted to buy an alpaca, and one member of our group bought a bunny for only $4. Afterwards we moved on to the plaza de los ponchos, which was a maze of vendors selling handmade crafts. There was some amazing handmade artwork, and you couldn't even dream of the low prices they were selling for in the US. I had a lot of fun bargaining with the vendors and I left with gifts for everyone back home. One of my favorite gifts is a hand-knitted llama sweater made from alpaca fur, and I was able to bargain the original price in half!

After we were all done shopping we ate lunch at a restaurant in the plaza and then made our way to the nearby waterfall. Even though it was the fifth waterfall we've seen in two weeks, it was still an amazing sight and we climbed so close to it that the mist coming off the rocks soaked us. Afterwards we drove to a lake which was close by to go on a boat ride. The lake happened to be at the foot of a volcano, and the view on the lake looked like one from a Lord of the Rings movie.  By the time we got back on the bus, we were all exhausted and slept all the way home. It was an awesome excursion, and I will never forget Otavalo!

I have two weeks left in Quito, and I am going to make the most out of it as humanly possible! I have dramatically improved my Spanish speaking skills, and I am even starting to dream in Spanish.  I plan on making every second I have left count so that I can benefit as much as possible from this trip. Tomorrow Ecuador plays its first game in the World Cup, and this city is going to go completely nuts. Andres and I plan on going to the mall to watch the game on a giant screen so that we can witness the insanity of world cup soccer in South America. Many deserters in our group are pulling for other teams such as the Netherlands and Germany, but I’m staying loyal to lady liberty and I’m choosing to go down with the ship. Go USA!!!

Jacob in Ecuador - Week 2

Last weekend we went on an excursion to Baños, Ecuador. It is safe to say that it was one of the best weekends of my life, and I will dream about it for years to come! We left at around 8:00 am on Saturday morning and did not return until 10:30 on Sunday night. It was a 3 hour bus ride filled with awesome views, and I was blown away by the small city when we got there. Baños is surrounded by mountains on three sides and there is a Volcano nearby. It is a very religious city, but it is also a major tourist attraction because of the mountains and the hot springs. Throughout the weekend, we hiked the mountains, took a dip in the hot springs, rode a gondola over a giant canyon, and we even rode a zipline over a waterfall. I also tried to eat guinea pig for the first time and I actually enjoyed it! If we can find a couple of free days this month, I am going to try my hardest to go back and hike more and maybe even go bungee jumping!

            On Monday everyone was a little depressed when we got back to class because we had so much fun in Baños. However, we got through it and after class I continued my ritual of running in the parque de Carolina and going to the gym. On Tuesday we went to the Botanical gardens after class. It reminded me of the botanical gardens back in Myrtle Beach, SC., except there were many plants native to Ecuador. Afterwards we played basketball with some locals, which I have been itching to do since I got here. Ecuadoreans are generally shorter than North Americans, and I had the opportunity to be the tallest guy on the court for the first time in my life! Basketball is actually popular here, but not nearly as popular as soccer. I have heard that the entire city will shut down when the world cup starts, and I am excited to watch the games with the locals and witness the passion that the people here have for the sport!

            Tomorrow night we are going bowling at the mall, and Friday we are going to the movies again. Every day has been so much fun thus far, and I am honestly having the time of my life. There is never a dull moment here, and our group always has activities that we can go to. I am impressed with how well the program is being ran, and I have no regrets about coming here!

Jacob in Ecuador - Week 1

I cannot believe that it is already Friday, I have been having so much fun that this week has flown by! I’m not going to lie and say that class has been fun, but I have already learned so much about the language. I am now a fluent listener, but I still need a little work with the speaking part. Surprisingly, I have learned the most outside the classroom through exploring the city and talking with the Quito natives. Andres and I decided to join a gym near our house, and we have already made a group of friends through working out. It is so interesting to learn how these people view life, which is completely different than the average North American. I have come to appreciate living in the United States so much more than I did before. Throughout the week I learned about Ecuador’s Socialist government and I have interacted with people who tell me what it is like living here. Though Quito is a nice city, there is much poverty. We are truly blessed to live in the land of the free.

            On Wednesday our group went on a tour of the historic center here in Quito. I was amazed by the precise architecture of the many churches and government buildings that we saw. My favorite part of the night was seeing the statue of the virgin that overlooks the city of Quito. It is said that the statue protects the city from evil, and the statue is of an angel standing over a serpent. The statue is on a mountain and it was very foggy when we went so I was unable to get a good picture. However I plan on going back when I have free time so I can get some awesome pictures and a view of the city.

            There has not been a dull moment since the moment I closed my laptop after finishing my last entry. Quito has quite the nightlife, and a very modern movie theatre and mall. I have been going to the gym everyday with Andres and Dominique Calderone. We all have to go to LDAC shortly after we get back, and we are going to be in awesome shape. We are just now getting fully acclimated to the high altitude, and we can walk to school and back without losing our breath.

            Tomorrow we are heading to the baños, which is a very popular tourist attraction in Ecuador. There will be waterfalls, hot springs, and great views! We are spending two days there and I am very excited to go. Our instructors are very fun and they make sure that we have a good time! I am starting to wish that I had more than one month in Quito because there is so much to see and do. 

Jacob in Ecuador - First Day

Yesterday I landed in Quito right on time at 6:30! The flight was awesome, but the food on the plane gave me painful memories of the mess hall back at school. I decided to go with the chicken, which I do not advise if you plan on international travel in the near future. The flight was around 4 hours long, and I knew we were close when I could see the mountaintops peeking at us from under the clouds. From the moment we landed, I felt the excitement of a little kid walking down the stairs on Christmas morning. Andres and I got off the plane as quickly as we could and met up with Dr. Segle and Dr. Urroz who were waiting for us in the terminal. We were reunited with a group of familiar Citadel buddies, and we all told war stories of the airplane food until our bus arrived to take us to our new houses. Andres and I were assigned to the Brito family, and I was overcome with joy when I saw that our house was on the same street as a gym and a Subway restaurant. I had been concerned that I would not have the opportunity to work out in Quito and that I would hate the food, but it turns out that I was worried over nothing. We met Senorita Brito, or Sandra, upon arrival at the house and she greeted us with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Apparently this is the custom in Quito. Sandra is very nice, and she warmly took us on a tour of her house and made us a delicious dinner of steak, green beans, and potatoes. We each have our own rooms with a T.V., and there is internet and a warm shower. Andres and I both agreed that our new home was far better than the barracks, and we feel very at home here. The only downside to our location is that we will face a 25 minute walk to the school each morning, and the first half is up a tyrannical mountainside. However, we will both be in great shape for LDAC when we get home!

This morning, I was awakened at 10:00 by a delicious smell emanating from the kitchen. Sandra had cooked us a delicious breakfast consisting of empanadas and coffee which I ate in a matter of minutes. Afterwards, we were given a quick tour of Quito by Sandra’s sister and nephew, Ricardo. They showed us how to get to the school where we will be taking classes, and all the bakeries and stores along the way. I was surprised at how modern Quito is, as I previously imagined that it would be far different from the cities back home. There is a giant mall, a really nice park, and many internet cafes and clothing stores. We had lunch in the parque de Carolina, which is a very popular place here. The food here is very cheap and tastes amazing! I had a dish which included beans, rice, pork, and a fried banana. After lunch we went to the mall, which was surprisingly huge and very nice. It was very similar to an American mall, and had many of the same stores and restaurants. We later met up with some friends at the mall for dinner and to catch up with one another. We will probably go to the mall very often because it is the “rainy season” right now and there are sporadic rain episodes almost every day. I was able to order food and make some clothing purchases in Spanish, which boosted my confidence! I am so happy that I decided to come to Quito, and I look forward to the upcoming month. 

View from the plane

First day of school

Andres and I

At Panaderia

Jacob in Ecuador - Intro

My name is Jacob Zane Alexander Wells of Heath Springs, SC, and I am a rising senior at the Citadel. This spring I was lucky enough to receive the Citadel's School of Humanities and Social Sciences study abroad scholarship, which is giving me the opportunity to travel to Quito, Ecuador. I am a Psychology major and I recently picked up a Spanish minor, as I hope to become a bilingual mental health professional in the future. I have always been very interested in the Spanish language, and I have always wanted to travel to a Spanish speaking country to learn the language and experience an entirely different culture. I am very blessed to have received the opportunity to travel to Quito, and I plan on making every second count. Hopefully I will improve my Spanish speaking skill, learn about the culture, and make some new friends along the way!  I will be flying with one of my best friends from school, Andres Gonzalez. We are both from Bravo Company, and I have been staying with him at his home in Miami for the past week. Staying in Miami definitely gave me time to brush up on my Spanish, and it is an awesome city to be in during the NBA finals! I am looking forward to the flight and leaving the United States for the first time. Hopefully we get on the right plane and my next entry will be from Quito, Ecuador!