My return to Ecuador!

In light of my return to Ecuador for the summer, I've decided to resurrect my blog "Maggie's Adventures in Ecuador"! I'm currently writing this from my apartment located in a nice neighborhood in Quito called "Jardines del Batan" (in case you want to Google Map it). I arrived in Quito on Wednesday evening and will be here until August 21st, so a little bit more than 10 weeks!

Watching the sun set from 35,000 feet on the flight from Miami to Quito on Wednesday evening

I was fortunate to receive a Hanna Holborn Gray Fellowship from Bryn Mawr College (where I'll be a Senior in the Fall) to conduct independent research here this summer. While I have yet to really dive into my research (I decided that a couple of days of getting settled in and relaxing after just finishing up at work in DC on Tuesday were in order), I will be studying the concept of "el buen vivir" (the good life/good living) that is the base of the 2008 Ecuadorian Constitution. I want to analyze both rural and urban interpretations of this concept, and particularly how they are influenced by one's proximity to the land. I'll also be looking at intersections of policy and reality, in addition to environmental justice and how this concept could be used in development models. Or at least that's the plan! I'll be engaging in participant observation both here in Quito, as well as the small, rural community about an hour and a half north of Quito where I lived last summer, Yunguilla, in addition to doing research in university libraries. 

I found my apartment through www.airbnb.com, and so far, so good! My apartment is the 6th (and top) floor of the building, and I have a full kitchen, bathroom/shower, washer/dryer and 2 bedrooms. Yes, you heard me right -- I have a guest bedroom! If you've ever thought about traveling to South America, now's your chance! I'd be happy to have you stay here! Seriously! The apartment also has a terrace, which is shared with the other residents of the building (+ the landlord's dog, Negrita, who is out there during the day -- there aren't really such things as front yards here). The views of the city are spectacular, both at night and during the day. It's truly incredible to wake up and see the mountains, the sprawling city (the population is approximately 2,697,698) and the planes flying in at eye level. The elevation is 9,350 feet (2,850 m), so we're pretty high up! Walking up the stairs to my apartment is definitely making me more tired than it should!

The view from my bedroom

La Negrita!

I've already gone on several adventures, the most picturesque of which was a journey into Quito's historical center yesterday with a new friend from the US that I made while waiting an hour and a half in customs on Wednesday night! We explored plazas and churches and ventured to the top of El Panecillo (Little Bread) hill to see the statue of la Virgen de Quito (Virgin of Quito), in addition to trying some good Ecuadorian food.

Church of Santo Domingo

La Virgen de Quito

The view from the terrace at the foot of the statue of La Virgen de Quito

La Basilica del Voto Nacional

Beautiful stained glass inside of La Basilica del Voto Nacional

Speaking of food, I just got back from my third grocery store outing (starting from scratch in an apartment is hard when you don't have a car and have to carry everything up to the 6th floor!). Milk, eggs and margarine aren't refrigerated, and imported products are ridiculously expensive (ex: Tropicana orange juice -- $11, Honey Bunches of Oats cereal -- $7). I've found most all of what I want, so now I just need to find a local fruit market so I can buy pineapple, bananas, plantains, tree tomatoes, strawberries, blackberries, etc.! There's a small bakery about a 7 minute walk away from my apartment, and the grocery store is about 15 minutes walking (and a $1 taxi ride back with all of my bags), so my location is pretty convenient!

Llapingachos (mashed potato patties with cheese) and apple soda -- the perfect afternoon snack!

Tomorrow's the big Ecuador vs. Colombia soccer game, which I hope to watch either here on my little TV with some friends from last summer, or at a nearby bar with lots of crazy Ecuadorian fans! I'm also planning my first trip up to Yunguilla for next week, so it'll be nice to see my friends there and the family I stayed with last summer. Will try to update the blog more frequently than last summer, as I actually have Internet in my apartment! Feel free to send me an e-mail or set up a Skype chat. I have unlimited calling to the US from my Skype account on my laptop, so I can also call home/cell phones all summer! Hope you enjoy the pictures and stories! -Maggie

The view from my apartment at night