La Caminata de la Muerte

So, yesterday we went on the Caminata. It was okay. I woke up at 6:00, which was a definite bonus, not much of one, but it was there, and got to school at 7:25. I was a little worried that I would be the only one wearing regular clothes, because I thought the Director had said to do so the day before, but no one had the uniform, so it was good. It was the first time I had seen anyone wearing normal clothes, and vice versa, so I wore a Florida shirt and non-jean pants. But everyone else had on jeans, so it wouldn't have mattered anyway. But whatevs.

We had about ten people when we left, but we picked up most of the other kids up on the way there. I've been down the path we took several times in a bus, but this was the first time walking, so I really took a good look at the scenery. Ecuador is such an incredibly beautiful country. The clouds are so close to the ground, because we're so high up, and I could sit and watch them move slowly across the sky, flowing around mountains like water, all day. That's what I did yesterday after the Caminata, actually, when I was at the orphanage waiting to start work. But that's another story. I didn't bring my camera, so no pictures. (Mom, I'm not going to bring my $400 digital camera to a place with 150 kids playing soccer by a pool.)

While we were walking, Ricardo and the Director kept up a running conversation about the different kids in the class, about how Stalin is doing really badly in school, and Diego is trying but his parents don't support him, and how I'm fitting into the class. I wanted to say "I'm right here!" but then she said, "Is Ricardo right, Jacob?" So she knew I was listening. I'm like, WTF, mate? These aren't conversations she should be having with children who aren't involved in what's being discussed, but whatevs. Stalin wasn't there. I don't blame him for not wanting to ride 3 hours in a bus to go to a 3 hour event. Even if the Director did tell us it was obligatory. Obligatory fun. Like Mandatory Study Breaks, only not as cool, and in the rain. Oh yeah, it was raining too, though not hard enough to deter the manic Director.

The place itself was pretty big, with two soccer courts, two volleyball courts, and two pools. I'm not that big on non-ocean swimming, especially with so many people (oh yeah, five other courses went too, with about twenty in each course...), so I just played soccer and volleyball. While we were playing soccer, some of the kids said "Que huevada" and "Que huevas," which was weird, since I've been talking with Victoria about it for a post or two. I don't remember what they were saying it for, though, so I couldn't hazard a guess as to whether it refers to laziness. I'm getting better at soccer. After a couple of fails as a defender (self-imposed), I listened to Edwin and just ran at people with the soccer ball, screaming and kicking at them. It worked out pretty well. I sucked at volleyball, and people kept trying to tell me how to play. I wanted to say, "I know how to play, I just suck at it!" but instead I got back by mocking them when they failed. Jacob: 1, the World: 1. I can live with a tie.

To get from one football court, you had to pass over this cement arched bridge, which was really narrow and had no rails. That kind of stuck in my mind. I was worried, but I got past it fine. There were a lot of mosquitoes, but I only got bit twice! There's a yellow fever epidemic on the coast right now, so Grace the AFS coordinator told me, but I had my vaccination already. Edwin was playing goalie, which meant he didn't move that much, and he got bit up a lot. The game itself was hilarious. Since it was drizzling, the ground was really wet, and I laughed really hard whenever anyone slipped, which was fairly often. I like playing soccer, because since I started out so bad, no one expects anything from me, so people like it when I'm even the least bit successful. Not that I care that much if people like me. Like Michael Scott from The Office says, I don't need to be liked. I like to be liked, I want to be liked, I have to be liked, but it's not an obsessive thing, like my need to be praised.


I also played basketball with Diego, Edwin, Ricardo, and some annoying little kid who follows me and Sarah around at school. I called him "huahuito" or however you spell it, which means "little child." It's fun knowing Spanish. The game slowly degenerated into us trying to take the ball by brute force, and saying, "This is for America!" or for Quito, or Batman, whenever we went to shoot. It was fun. Then I went home, and the bus broke down, and I had to find another one.

I have my grades now (all of these are out of 20):

• English: 18
• Math: 20
• Technical Drawing: 16
• Artistic Drawing: 17
• Artistic Anatomy: 14
• History of Art: 19
• Painting: Blank until I turn in my exam.
• Sculpture: 16
• Computation: 19
• 2-D Composition: 18
• Social Sciences: 19
• Bodily Expression (or "Physical Culture" in the real world, and "gym" in America): 14
• Literature: 19 (WTH, mate?)

That's all for now. Thank you Victoria, for commenting. I would respond with something witty, but Que Hueva. Do you have a blog? I tried to click on your profile link in the comments section, but your profile is private. Thank you also to Emily. I knew shameless self-promotion on Facebook would yield results! I'm glad you like my blog.

¡Ciao!