“Ignorance is bliss.”
I was eating a nectarine the other day, looked at the sticker, and saw that it was imported from California. There are only a couple of things that bring me into the reality that I’m living in the jungle, the nectarine being one of them. Being able to hear the wind coming up the river shaking the tin roofs, shaking everything insight including my door and anything that is not tied down, as well as bringing torrential rain. The bat that now has made my attic its permanent home. My cat waking me up at 1am because its fighting with the black “wild” cat that has decided to roam around my house. The leave cutter ants that have their endless trail going right thru the path to the outside bathroom, then under my house and on to I don’t know where (my curiosity only goes so far). Waking up to what sounds like a small airplane, but really is only a bumblebee that is building a nest in the eave of my house. Sitting in my room and having a humming bird come right into the room and then zoom right out. Taking a cold shower, outdoors, in the hot humid day. Feeling the rumbling of thunder and wondering if the storm will hit. When the storm does hit and your outside working, running under a banana leave (that you will share with at least two people) to avoid getting soaked (because you will get wet). Lying down at night and hearing the deafening sound of the cicadas and crickets as I try to sleep. Waking up at 5am to be able to be ready to get on the 6am truck that will take me into town to get the bus into the city to do groceries, check e-mail and post my blog :).
Changing pace, the big news out in Ecuador right now is the protests that are in progress. One of the indigenous groups out here called the Shuar is doing the major protesting. I do not know details, but know that they are protesting the recent changes in environmental issues made by President Correa, especially concerning oil companies, mining companies, as well as water issues. Things have not turned out well. So far, a Shuar was killed during the protest. It has been unclear as to who killed him and both sides are blaming each other so I don’t think that will be solved anytime soon. Protests, of course, include closing of roads by putting rocks, tree trunks and burning tires. As well as throwing rocks. The President has ordered for more reinforcement in all the areas of the country where there has been major protests, not sure if that will help. Because of this, we have been restricted on traveling, for our own safety. In addition, teachers are on strike, they are protesting for better pay, benefits, etc. The kids in my community have already been out of school for almost three weeks because of this! I don’t think they mind but they are definitely not getting the education that they desperately need.
On a lighter note, I recently discovered that Misi (my cat) is not a female, but a male. How, you might ask, do you not know? Good question, I have never had a cat before and when I got him, someone told me it was boy and then someone else said, it’s a girl. We where like how do you know? They where like cause that’s where the boy part goes. Fair enough, I believed that. For those of you that never had a cat (like me), its not like a dog where its completely obvious. With a cat, you have to make an “effort” to find out. I did not make that effort. We will fast forward to 5 months later where I find out Misi is a he not a she. I was sitting in my room reading and Misi was sleeping next to me. He was sleeping belly up and I was pestering him (since the night before he had made such a fuss that I couldn’t sleep) and then his legs fall wide open and I was like that is most definitely not a girl part. Eureka! I’ve been living with a male and didn’t even know it.
