Friends, Music, Food, God...

Hey Everyone!

i hope you all had a well-rested weekend. I sure did! Gaby invited me, along with 6 of her friends to go to a place called Tonsupa (on the coast), in the province of Esmaraldes known for its beach. We left at 4am, and made it to Tonsupa about 5 hours later. i tried to sleep on the way, but with the mountain driving, it was difficult. we were going back and forth from 120km to 60km as we took turns on the mountains. Ecuadorians drive crazy (que loco!) but are very good in the way they drive.

i got to know Pablo (i actually know someone named Pablo now!!), Gaby (not Aguilar), Alex, Steve, Hemena, and David. i found out in the middle of the trip that all of these people were waaaay older than me, but i couldn't tell. ages ranged from 24 - 30. there were 3 couples on the trip...and all the men were around 28-30. is this normal? does anyone know if Ecuadorian couples usually have younger women and older men?

music...ahh, what to say. Pablo (whose car i was in) likes to listen to PHIL COLLINS. haha, i've got some of his songs stuck in my head now. from what i heard, there was a lot more english music on the coast. bands like the Offspring, Eric Claption, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and the like stream on the airwaves. i learnt from Gaby that Enrique Iglesias actually ISN'T popular in Ecuador...but Shakira is. remember Shakira?? yeah... but Julio Iglesias made it big here. sidenote: Fabby had the Supertones playing on his stereo last nite...it's neat observing the musical influences in thi country. i'll have to actually turn on the radio and listen to some stuff soon!

oh, the FOOD... que rico! (sooooo goood! delicious!) i had this dish called "ceviche a camarones" which is essentially a shrimp cocktail cept in a larger bowl. i think most people eat it as a meal because you also get plantain chips, and popcorn with it. i had it right on the beach as a little lady and her cart prepared it for me. i was a little hesitant at first and Gaby admitted a little later that she was worried that my stomach couldn't handle it, but i was totally fine. ceviche consists of shrimp, red onion, fresh tomatoes, parsley or cilantro, lime juice and orange juice, and a little bit more of some other goodness :) yeah...it was like a fresh salsa with shrimp...and apparently it's the best on the coast, because it's fresh. if you eat it in Quito, it may not be as fresh because they have to transport the shrimp up into the mountains. in addition to ceviche, i had empanada (some pastry thingy with sugar on top and cheese inside), and various other rice/meat combos. oh yeah and i had a mega milkshake....like the size of a big tub of yogurt....

haha, and i knew this question would come from my new friends: "what is Canadian food like?" i think i've asked some of you guys back home what IS canadian food, and my answer was..." ohh...bacon....eggs...pasta...bread....maple syrup!" i had no clue...i gave a pat answer and explained that Canada is very multi cultural, and so is the food! if you know a good answer for what "Canadian food" is, please share!

on the way home, Pablo and Gaby (the couple, not my host-sister) asked me what church is like in Canada and if i had been a christian all my life. i explained to Gaby and Pablo that when i was younger, i had a misconception about who God was in my life. i saw Him merely as a "genie" figure asking for things only when it was convenient for me. my relationship with God was very much ask ask ask, and no such thing of giving. i then explained that one nite my brother told me, using Bible verses, who God really was and what it means to know him personally, like i know my own family members. my being a "Christian" was not dependent on whether i went to church, read the bible, did "good things" or even had christian friends, but it was dependent on believing in the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. it was thru this process that my relationship with God was reconciled and i had truly understood my position in relation to God His love for me. that nite i prayed, "God, if you are real, reveal yourself to me and show me who you really are." since then, my life has been changed and used to serve Him daily and to share with others and knowledge of what it really means to know God personally, and intimately. Gaby said that when she was 12, she said the same prayer, and has since been close to God. i think this conversation was defintely an answer to prayer. before i left for Ecuador, i told God that i wanted to not only experience the work that He is doing in another part of the world, but to also meeet other brothers and sisters in Christ and to hear how they see Him and experience God. not surprisingly, He works the same out in Ecuador, as he does in Canada, and the rest of the world.

ok, i have to go cos James and i had to get started on our to do list...but in summary...i have mosquito bites (i sure hope they weren't malaria bites cos i didn't get any medication for it...eek!) and i GOT BURNT!! in all my life, i have NEVER gotten sun burnt...but you know, i guess it's expected if i have the sun at the EQUATOR shining down on me. yeah, the top part of my body is red, and it hurts when i have the strap on my bag across...but it was worth it :) i can now say that i've been burnt...but im sure it will result in a killer tan :P anything else? ummm....no, i think that's it. oh yeah, and rainbow...my water bottle stinks...just like in africa! i don't know what it is about water south of the equator, but when it's been sitting in your Nalgene after a day or two...it starts to smell like sulfur..or some really bad odour.

ok, hasta luego!

oh yeah, and my spanish is getting better. Pablo and Gaby helped me out a LOT during the road, trip and i taught them more english...

ok...chao!

dL