¡Feliz Navidad!

A couple of days before December, all the PCVs got an e-amil from our boss telling us that we wern´t able to travel to Quito for the month of December due to increased danger during the holiday season. I wasn´t too happy about that because I had things to do in Quito, but what can ya do? Luckily the President of the Community Bank asked me to make an appointment in Quito for December 17th at two offices in Quito we are working with. Because ut was work related, I got permission to go. The meetings were busts, but I got to pick up my mail (Thanks Mom and Dad for the cookies, Aunt Char for the card, and Megan for the care package and an update on all the travel nurse gosip!!). I also got presents for the neighbor kids and food for Christmas dinner wih the family.

The next day I hiked about 40 minutes to the next town over, El Chaupi. This is a kickoff point for climbers and hikers who are going up the Ilinizas. I was hesatent to visit here because I thought that there´d be a lot of stuff to do, and I was right. I had to go to one of the hostals in town to get some info on hiking (I think some friends and I are goin gto climb a Mtn. next year). The hostal was like a Colorado ski lodge, and there were tourists sitting around the huge fireplace sipping coffee and reading. I got the info I needed and then we ate a nice, but expensive lunch. The american tourists said that there was a big group of 20-somethings there the night before drinking beer and playing cards. Less than an hour away, but what a difference! I donñt think I´ll be heading back anytime soon, because it would be too big a temptation to hang-out with other Americans all the time.

Friday was a busy day. In the early morning the teachers at the high school and I had "Secret Santa" (I got a t-shirt and candy) and then their Christmas program. Next, I went to the day care center for their program and lunch. Then I went to the grade school to watch the older kids doing a traditional Christmas game. They had sunk a de-barked and greased tree trunk near the school with presents tied to the top (the picture ot the top of the post is of this. Sorry for the sideways view, but it comes out bigger this way.). The kids had to climb up the 25 foot pole to get the presents. The whole time I was watching, I was afraid a kid was going to fall, but the teachers and parents watching were unconcerned. Then I grabbed a bus and headed to the jungle town of Puyo for a Christmas party with soem other PCVs.

The ride out there is beautiful and takes you right under the active volcano Tungurahua. It was a little more than disconcerting to look out the window of the bus and see a gigantic ash cloud spurting out of the top of a mountain only a couple of miles away.

On Saturday night we had a nice dinner and a gift exchange at some friends house and played poker. Sunday we got up early and went for a mountain bike ride down a trail with waterfalls all over. Although Puyo is only about 50 miles away from La Libertad, it is a different world. Hot, tropical, and full of bugs.

I headed home on Christmas Eve and noticed that the Pan-American Highway by L.L. was lined with families. I´d heard before Christmas that people from Quito will drive down and throw candy from their cars to the kids, but also that the Government was stopping this because too many kids were getting hit by cars. They made an announcement at the grade school, but I guess nobody paid attention. There were cars slowly giving out candy and almost causing accidents.

We didn´t do anything for Christmas Eve (for dinner instead of the fancy dinner I´d usually have with my family in the States, I had a plate of rice and a banana), so I took the time to make some eggnog for Christmas Day. The nog turned out well and was even better because it would be illegal in the States (I used Cuban rum. Havana Club, very tasty).

Christmas Day I relaxed, read, ate Christmas cookies, drank eggnog, and listened to Christmas music. That evening the whole family got together and we grilled some chicken and I made a cream cheese and corn side dish. It was all delicious and the kids opened the presents I got fot them. Not a white Christmas, but not horrible.

I hope you all had a great Christmas where ever you were. I miss you all!!!