Saturday morning my counterpart and I returned to Machala to buy more things for the library. We were supposed to buy a file cabinet, metal shelves, two bulletin boards, and two posters that the previous volunteer had made. We did not have very good luck. First, the posters were made so long ago (January), that the company had thrown them out and did not even have a record of the designs. Then the store that the volunteer had the bulletin boards priced at didn’t have the right material to make them and didn’t know when (or if) it would arrive. Finally, the prices for the file cabinet and metal shelves skyrocketed since the other volunteer had gotten her estimate. Disappointed and frustrated, we decided to talk to a few people over the weekend to see if they knew of some other stores that might sell us the things wee needed for cheaper.
That day was my host sister’s birthday and I had promised her that we would make a cake together. We selected a recipe and were writing a list of the ingredients that we needed to buy when her mom franticly beckoned me over and said she had already secretly ordered a cake. Trapped, I decided to tell my host sister that I had forgotten to buy the pan we needed for her cake. Was it ok if we baked cookies instead? She agreed, and we settled on chocolate chip cookies. Not to brag or anything… but those cookies were AMAZING!!! They were probably the best chocolate chip cookies I had ever made (and I’ve made quite a few). Everyone was very impressed. That evening, the neighbors came over and everyone sat around, ate (my cookies), and talked. It was very pleasant, but near the end of the evening I was ready for everyone to leave so I could sleep.
On Sunday, my host family left early to visit my host mother’s parents. They invited me, but I ducked out because I wanted to go to the shopping center to talk to my parents. I spent several hours there and then returned to read some Newsweeks the Peace Corps had sent me, go for a long run, and watch a few bootleg movies. I have dubbed Sundays my ‘American days’ for doing my ‘American activities.’
Yesterday I had to go to Guayaquil to get a document notarized at the American Consulate. Guayaquil is the biggest (and most dangerous) city in Ecuador. It is about 3- 3/12 hours north of Machala. Since my appointment was at 8:30 in the morning, a fellow volunteer who wanted to accompany me and I left my site around 5:00 am in the morning. Traffic was kinda bad and we arrived and the Consulate an hour late. Since everyone else was Ecuadorians trying to get visas, I waved my passport around and got to the front of the line. One I was thoroughly searched twice I was allowed to go upstairs were the Office for American Services was located. The lady who helped me was very nice and we ended up chatting for awhile. She asked me if I had voted, and since I have not yet received my absentee ballot yet, she told me that she could give me an emergency ballot. They were sending all the ballots out the following day, so I had come just in time. I thanked her and took two ballots (one for my friend) and left. We then went to an Internet café where I could scan the document for my parents and do a quick Internet search on the congressional candidates. My friend and I then returned to the Consulate (where we had to go through security twice again) and gave the lady our votes. I have officially done my American duty.
Once we were finished with the Consulate, my friend and I hopped on a bus and went to the mall to wander around in ‘American land.’ I ended up buying a mini glue gun, a mattress pad, and I muffin tin. Some people were giving away free haircuts (and I desperately needed one), so I, feeling brave, decided to let them at me. I turned out pretty well! We then went to meet up with two other volunteers who are serving in Guayaquil and went to this amazing sushi restaurant where we stuffed our faces with cheap sushi. Afterwards, the four of us walked around for a few hours and talked about our sites until it was time to catch the bus back to my site.
When I finally got back to my site, I was about 40 minutes late for this meeting about the computers that I am buying. I had to race to the meeting and then was forced to sit in silence for two hours while everyone talked about everything, but the computers. It was a little frustrating and I was hot, dirty, smelly, starving, and exhausted. I was so relieved when it was over that I almost cried. I couldn’t get home fast enough!
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