Viva Lumbisi!

7-24-11

My host mom and I. 

Last night for dinner I ate about a half-plate’s full of boiled potatoes in some sort of sauce, along with a slab of beef which was pretty fatty and tough.  First time I didn’t really like the meal.  After the late dinner, we all went to a party in Lumbisí.  This party was a pre-game of what is to come in August (I think around August 20-24?).  When the party started, dancers performed the national, indigenous dances with music accompanying them.  I was able to drink in all of the music, dance, and costumes, as everything has really grown on me since I’ve been here.  The purpose of this party was to nominate and vote for a queen for Lumbisí before she is crowned in August.  It reminded me much of the movie Miss Congeniality because each one had to dress up, answer a random question on state, and then judges voted for the best one.  There were only 4 girls (I say girls because one of them was 14 years old and the oldest was 20 years old) who had to do this.  The purpose of having a “queen” in Lumbisí is to improve the community people’s lives, clean up the town, and represent this great town.  Once that was over, dancing started.  

My host dad and I dancing away at the Lumbisi party on Saturday night. 

Of course, I danced the whole time since every guy wants to dance with an extranjero.  Dancing and drinking of Pilsener ended early because the Police kicked everyone out at midnight.  However, my host parents, my “uncle” and his friend didn’t want to end the night there, so we returned to my house to continue laughing and talking with each other. 

Me, Danielle (my "uncle") and his friend, David.
This morning I enjoyed a cup of coffee along with the Pan de Chocolate that I purchased yesterday and an omelet with vegetables. SO good!  Since it was a relaxing day, I continued to read the Spanish book and learn new vocabulary while enjoying another cup of coffee. :-)  Afterward, I hand-washed my Keens on the top floor of my house, where we have a washing station and also clothes lines hung up everywhere.  Lots of people have and extra floor for these things (clothes lines, chicken coops, washing stations, and tanks of water), as it’s a great place to dry clothing since there is absolutely nothing to block the sun.  For lunch we ate rice, tuna, guacamole (a first here), and home-made French fries (with ketchup!)  :-).  I love relaxing Sundays, as I was able to start a new book (Water for Elephants) and read outside on the “patio” outside of my room. Around dusk (6PM), I ran around a soccer field for 20 minutes while my host mom was feeding the pigs, and then continued to run with her down a winding dirt road and back to our house.  When we got home, I was stretching and she was wondering what I was doing.  She wanted me to teach her how to stretch!  So we stretched together (haha!) and I told her why stretching is so good for people, and that it helps not to be sore the next day. She really liked that.  Later in the evening, I drank tea and ate bread and honey with my host sister.  I cherish moments like these!