New Endeavors

This post will focus on all of the new things I have been introduced to or tried since settling into Otavalo.

The Water - I have loved all of the fresh juice that is consumed here. One day last week, I asked Segundo to show me how it´s done (how many parts sugar to fruit, etc.). He started by going straight to the tap and filling the jug half way with water. No boiling, no filter, and I have been drinking this juice since day 1. Well that settled it. I took a huge glass, filled it with tap water, and without hesitation or thought, chugged the whole thing, and repeated several times. I figured if I was going to get sick, I may as well do it right. Alas, it has now been a week and I am fine. I have revelled in not having to take my filtered water bottle everywhere for fear of death by parasites or ameobas. I compared myself to Anthony Hopkins in ´Instinct´ where he continues to enter the jungle with less and less equiptment until eventually the gorillas accept him because he is as they are - naked (no, I don´t mean that I´m going to walk into town naked, but that is at least what it feels like without my bottle, and it´s good). An important sidenote - I have since learned that the water is Otavalo is notorious for being the cleanest in Ecuador. We will see how I fare in other cities...

Guinea Pig - When I was about 3, we owned two guinea pigs, Bim and Bam. Ryan and I loved them and thought they were lots of fun. On Friday, I ate their cousins! One of the traditional foods in Ecaudor is cuy, or guinea pig as we know it. Before coming, I didn´t think much of it. A few years back when I was in Guyana, I ate what they called guinea pig. It was actually a distant relative, the capibura (the size of doberman). It tasted gamey, but was edible. I assumed coming here that they also meant capibura, not the cute pets we have in the States. I was so wrong. Before eating it, I went to the pen to say hi. There were about 50 of the little guys all starring at me. It felt like I was looking through the window of the petstore, but it was more like the display case at the grocery store. I regrettfully admit that it was really really good. He had been deep-fried and tasted almost exactly like deep-fried turkey. A small Thanksgiving, shall we say, for breakfast at the farm.

Milk - Unpastuerized milk is the ugly step-sister to the lovely milk we drink in the States. The first time, I didn´t know that it wasn´t ´regular´ milk, and I spit it out and told Maria it had gone bad. She and the rest of the family laughed and explained that it was straight from the cow. I started to recall all of the public health warnings about the dangers of unpasteurized milk... Luckily, just then, I noticed that Maria was boiling the milk before serving it. I guess that made me grateful, but hot milk is pretty nasty and hot unpastuerized milk is the worst. Knowing that I needed the calcium but recognizing the fact that it would be poor form to vomit at the kitchen table, I excused myself, walked into the store attached to the house, bought some néstle chocolate powder, and returned. Alas, I now make sure I always carry chocolate powder to the kitchen table.

Harvesting - After the aforementioned cuy breakfast, Segundo asked for my assistance outside. He gave me a sythe, one of those blades that the grim-reaper is alwways waving around, and told me to follow him. I wasn´t sure what was coming next but was slightly dreading the possible slaughter that was inevitably just around the bend. We approached the pig pen, and Segundo pointed to the fat guy in the corner...He then said, ¨we need to go to the field to cut him some alfalfa sprouts.¨ Relief! Alfalfa sprouts I could do. We spent the next hour harvesting alfalfa sprouts and chatting in the field. Segundo asked if I had ever harvested anything. I thought long and hard, believing and hoping that at some point in my life I had done the most basic human function of gathering food. Nothing came to mind, and I mumbled ¨no.¨ I then carried on into a rambling explanation and defense of the West and why most people have never farmed.

Goodies - I probably walk 5 miles or more everyday, and living on the hilltop, half of that is up a steep incline. Needless to say, I burn lots and lots more calories than I ever could in the States, even if I went to the gym everyday. That being said, I also consume more here than I ever have in my life, without a doubt. I estimate my daily caloric intake to surpass 5000. It´s amazing how the body adapts to changes in lifestyle so quickly. I am constantly snacking and eating, and the meals are always huge. Tons of rice, kilo after kilo of potato, corn and beans of every variety and with every possible condiment (onions, tomatos, lime, salt, mayonaise...), and lots of chocolate and ice cream. Technically speaking, those last two are not exactly staples of a traditional Ecuadorian diet but I´m not Ecuadorian. I eat about 8 cookies everyday, some fresh from bakeries that dot every city street, some Oreos. Two full size chocolate bars, and an ice cream bar top off it all off. On a healthier note, I pair these starches and hydrogenated treats with at least 8 servings of fruit each day.

The Rotation - To conclude, I will address I very simple routine that is followed here religiously. Monday, Wednesday, Friday are for rice. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday are for soup. Sunday is the best of the best. Literally, every day besides Sunday is on the rice-soup rotation, no exceptions. The rice can be paired with beans or lentils. The soup always has potatoes, and some assorted green things in a chicken broth. That may not seem too strange, but the rotation includes every meal. So what did I have for breakfast this morning - soup. ¨What´s for lunch today Kent?¨ you may ask...soup. ¨How about dinner?¨ SOUP. You get it.

The third installment should come Thursday, titled ¨Cultural Awareness.¨

Love
Kent