October 25, 2010
Greetings from Guayaquil! It's the end of a satisfying and tiring day, but I wanted to tap out my thoughts before my
memory fades, which these days happens all too quickly. My eyesight isn't what it used to be too, and the hair gave way to
my shining pate long ago. Old age: gotta love it!
The truck with Anita, my translator, Douglas, the driver, and Johnathan, the field rep, was a little late due to traffic. Like
much of Latin America, things like lane lines are mere suggestions and are routinely ignored, though every transgression is
met with a barrage of horns. The street scene outside my hotel is chaotic. Rush hour on a Monday.
Thirty minutes later we pulled up to Bianca's house in Duran, a city across the river from Guayaquil. No sooner did I get out
of the vehicle when I was greeted by Bianca and her Mom, Mariana. Bianca just turned 16 a couple of months ago. Unlike
the young teenager I met two years ago, she is blossoming into a very pretty lady.
After giving me a bone-crushing hug, introductions to a rather large extended family followed. It was amusing later in the
day when I asked them how many people lived with them, her mother replied, "Fifteen, I think." Bianca's response: "Oh,
not that many. Eleven at most." You know the place is hopping when neither of them can even remember how many
people live with them!
Mariana insisted on serving me a plantain and cheese dish she made especially for me. I love both, but something seemed
to be missing from her recipe. Moisture, for one. It was drier than the Sahara. I consumed whatever I could to maintain
diplomatic relations and then claimed I'd had too big a breakfast. Interestingly, she later conceded that she does none of
the cooking. Probably a good thing for all concerned. With all the people roaming the place, they've agreed on an efficient
division of labor. Mariana does most of the dishes and Bianca does clothes.
With the gift exchange out of the way (she and her Mom got jewelry and I received a picture frame and shirt), we headed
outside for pictures, as their place has the illumination of your average mine shaft. I got them lamps on my first visit, but
maybe they prefer a cave-like existence. Bianca is wonderfully photogenic. I took far too few photos the last time around,
so I made up for it this time. I´m sure she feels like a celebrity with all the flash photography directed her way today. (I´ll be
sure to share the good ones upon my return.)
Bianca suggested the Guayaquil zoo, so we piled into the truck and spent the better part of an hour getting there. ¨Was
this place in Peru?¨ I wondered? How many zoos have I been to in the last two years? Twelve? You need to know strange
and trivial facts about the animal kingdom? I'm your man. It was also outside, which means mosquitoes. While able to
avoid being peppered with bites, a couple got me good. What is it about me and mosquitoes? I also managed to have a
small bird poop on my head. Is this a sign?
We left the lions and tigers behind and headed for the mall for lunch, (yes, another mall lunch. How many of those have I
had in the last two years? Thirty?) and shopping. Bianca scored with a few blouses, jeans, a denim skirt, and shoes. She
desperately needed a printer for school, so she is now the proud owner of a color unit. I told her to take it easy with the
pictures and graphics, as the cost for the silly ink cartridges nearly exceeds the cost of the printer. Usury, I say!
We got really cozy in the truck made for five with six of us and a pile of packages and a printer, and were on our way to
some park when the ladies decided they'd rather try bowling instead. Across the street we went to another mall. Anita was
the only one other than me that had ever bowled, so I taught them the basics. Given that I struggle to break 100, rest
assured it was a very brief lesson. Something tells me I witnessed Bianca's one and only experience at the lanes (the girl has
fingernails to preserve, don´t you know), but we all had a good time regardless.
A quick trip around the grocery store and we were back at Bianca's place with her haul. It was well past 5:00, so farewell
hugs and well wishes had to be short and sweet. As usual, I promised to return. In doing so, it dawned on me that the next
time will likely be my last with this charming and lovely young woman. Seeing her misty-eyed and telling me she loved me
makes all of the travel hassles, biting mosquitoes, and pooping birds fade away. I'm going to miss her.
Tomorrow promises to be an action-packed day. Loads of gifts, meeting and interviewing three kids of other sponsors, and
finally seeing Ashley and her family. Should be fun. I'll send my thoughts tomorrow evening. Thanks for hanging in there
through my lengthy blog.
Ciao!
Greetings from Guayaquil! It's the end of a satisfying and tiring day, but I wanted to tap out my thoughts before my
memory fades, which these days happens all too quickly. My eyesight isn't what it used to be too, and the hair gave way to
my shining pate long ago. Old age: gotta love it!
The truck with Anita, my translator, Douglas, the driver, and Johnathan, the field rep, was a little late due to traffic. Like
much of Latin America, things like lane lines are mere suggestions and are routinely ignored, though every transgression is
met with a barrage of horns. The street scene outside my hotel is chaotic. Rush hour on a Monday.
Thirty minutes later we pulled up to Bianca's house in Duran, a city across the river from Guayaquil. No sooner did I get out
of the vehicle when I was greeted by Bianca and her Mom, Mariana. Bianca just turned 16 a couple of months ago. Unlike
the young teenager I met two years ago, she is blossoming into a very pretty lady.
After giving me a bone-crushing hug, introductions to a rather large extended family followed. It was amusing later in the
day when I asked them how many people lived with them, her mother replied, "Fifteen, I think." Bianca's response: "Oh,
not that many. Eleven at most." You know the place is hopping when neither of them can even remember how many
people live with them!
Mariana insisted on serving me a plantain and cheese dish she made especially for me. I love both, but something seemed
to be missing from her recipe. Moisture, for one. It was drier than the Sahara. I consumed whatever I could to maintain
diplomatic relations and then claimed I'd had too big a breakfast. Interestingly, she later conceded that she does none of
the cooking. Probably a good thing for all concerned. With all the people roaming the place, they've agreed on an efficient
division of labor. Mariana does most of the dishes and Bianca does clothes.
With the gift exchange out of the way (she and her Mom got jewelry and I received a picture frame and shirt), we headed
outside for pictures, as their place has the illumination of your average mine shaft. I got them lamps on my first visit, but
maybe they prefer a cave-like existence. Bianca is wonderfully photogenic. I took far too few photos the last time around,
so I made up for it this time. I´m sure she feels like a celebrity with all the flash photography directed her way today. (I´ll be
sure to share the good ones upon my return.)
Bianca suggested the Guayaquil zoo, so we piled into the truck and spent the better part of an hour getting there. ¨Was
this place in Peru?¨ I wondered? How many zoos have I been to in the last two years? Twelve? You need to know strange
and trivial facts about the animal kingdom? I'm your man. It was also outside, which means mosquitoes. While able to
avoid being peppered with bites, a couple got me good. What is it about me and mosquitoes? I also managed to have a
small bird poop on my head. Is this a sign?
We left the lions and tigers behind and headed for the mall for lunch, (yes, another mall lunch. How many of those have I
had in the last two years? Thirty?) and shopping. Bianca scored with a few blouses, jeans, a denim skirt, and shoes. She
desperately needed a printer for school, so she is now the proud owner of a color unit. I told her to take it easy with the
pictures and graphics, as the cost for the silly ink cartridges nearly exceeds the cost of the printer. Usury, I say!
We got really cozy in the truck made for five with six of us and a pile of packages and a printer, and were on our way to
some park when the ladies decided they'd rather try bowling instead. Across the street we went to another mall. Anita was
the only one other than me that had ever bowled, so I taught them the basics. Given that I struggle to break 100, rest
assured it was a very brief lesson. Something tells me I witnessed Bianca's one and only experience at the lanes (the girl has
fingernails to preserve, don´t you know), but we all had a good time regardless.
A quick trip around the grocery store and we were back at Bianca's place with her haul. It was well past 5:00, so farewell
hugs and well wishes had to be short and sweet. As usual, I promised to return. In doing so, it dawned on me that the next
time will likely be my last with this charming and lovely young woman. Seeing her misty-eyed and telling me she loved me
makes all of the travel hassles, biting mosquitoes, and pooping birds fade away. I'm going to miss her.
Tomorrow promises to be an action-packed day. Loads of gifts, meeting and interviewing three kids of other sponsors, and
finally seeing Ashley and her family. Should be fun. I'll send my thoughts tomorrow evening. Thanks for hanging in there
through my lengthy blog.
Ciao!