Last few days of Ecuador:
My program director planned a trip to Tonsupa, Esmeraldas, Ecuador (an largely afroecuadorian community on the coast, about 6 hours away from Quito). 4 out of the 20ish people in my group went, but it was a blast! She has a house there so it was basically a free trip to the beach. Despite getting eaten alive by mosquitoes, it was nice to spend my last few days in Ecuador chilling on the beach eating delicious food and spending time with awesome people. While we were there we also visited a school that my resident director works with. We planted trees, played with the children, etc.
By the time we got back from the beach, I had about 2 more days left in Ecuador. I spent those days in tears, mostly missing my host family before even leaving them. Not a day goes by (still) where I don't think about them, bring them up in conversation, etc. They are beautiful people, and I look forward to the day where I can return and see them again (hopefully soon! the kids will grow up so fast!).
(family minus host dad)My return home (reverse culture shock and all):
So I left Quito at about 5am, and was the only international student on my plane (unlike my entrance into the country at the beginning of the semester). With my eyes red and puffy from crying, I faced the ridiculousness of the Quito airport (having to wait in several different lines because there wernt any signs up yet that said which line was for which airline, people speaking broken English to me because of my passport DESPITE the fact that I had been in Ecuador for about 5 months and could speak Spanish just fine, having my bags checked SEVERAL times, etc). I took a connecting flight in Houston, and I remember being weirded out by all the white people...and all of the English speaking!!! I found myself reading all the signs in Spanish instead of English (out of comfort), speaking Spanish to anyone I could, and finding it difficult to say "You" to an adult "instead of usted." Upon coming into Chicago, there were NO Spanish signs in the airport, less Spanish speakers, etc. I felt like a fish out of water (cliche, but real). Everything that I grew to know and become comfortable with over the past few months became just a memory behind me. I immediately regretted my decision to return back to the States (financial reasons, mostly...probably should have just taken out a loan but... whatever).
for the record, reverse culture shock is DEFINITELY harder than culture shock. for me, reverse culture shock is when despite the fact that you've been gone for 5 months, your friends do not visit you/have anything planned upon your return, leaving you alone on your first night home. reverse culture shock is when all you want to do is talk about Ecuador, but no one understands, responding with an "oh, that sounds cool..." and switching the subject. reverse culture shock is feeling lonely even weeks/months after being home because all of your friends have new friends that they made because you wernt around, and your new friends are all over the country/world so you can't hang out with them. reverse culture shock is wanting to speak spanish ALL the time but finding very few people to talk to. reverse culture shock is..knowing that you've changed. the best/weirdest way to think of it: imagine a dry sponge, sitting there and fitting into a specific space (the study abroad student before studying abroad). after time, the sponge soaks up lots of water, soap, etc, making it larger (the study abroad experience making the student grow). eventually, they are larger and do not fit in the same spot where they were before (duh).
Nowadays, I:
- still listen to Spanish music, every day
- read Spanish books, as much as possible
- feed my new love for anything Latino [=
- work at a daycamp and have the honor of being able to translate for Spanish speaking parents (which makes me super happy cuz i looove speaking Spanish now!!)
- still miss my host family and hope to visit next summer
- am planning future travel endeavors, of which I will use this blog for. so stay tuned [=
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