But it's dark out...

Just a disclaimer... this might not make sense to anyone. I'm writing about what I realized today and you might think.... well obviously.

Another disclaimer... you might think this blog is cheesy and over the top travel-phile. Oh well... that's me.

Tomorrow makes it official; we'll have been here two week. Which makes this next statement kinda weird. Tonight was the first time I was out and about when it was dark out alone.

I had class from 5-7 and when I looked out of the window at the end of class it was dark. I didn't really know why I didn't think about that before hand but it really took me off guard.

This city isn't really the safest of cities. Especially for gringos, especially at night, especially for girls, and especially by parks. Well I'm a gringa (taking care of the gringo and the girl), it was night, and I had to walk past the biggest park in Quito, Carolina. Now I've been a bit on edge about safety since we got here for a number of reasons. Mostly because of what I've read and heard from others but it also has something to do with having all of my possessions with me that I'll need for a whole year and probably a little something to do with the fact that my Dad is ultra-cautious whenever we travel.

I mean my Dad parks the car a certain way when we eat at Lou Malnati's in Rosemont before a trip because he wants to make sure no one breaks into his locked and alarmed SUV while we enjoy some pizza. Were talking ultra cautious and ultra aware. But because of that I've learned to be aware and cautious too.

So I'm out tonight, walking to MegaMaxi to pick up a few things and then home and there are a lot of thoughts going on in my head. First I tell myself to put on my 'Don't mess with me, I'll mess you up' face and to walk with confidence and purpose so I don't look like typical scared American girl. Second I tell myself to be very aware of my surroundings... Is anyone following me, walking to close, etc... just the usual. So I'm doing all of these things that I've been taught and that I've learned and I forget to look around and experience what's actually going on in the city that I'm living in.

So as I begin to actually look around I begin to realize the exciting energy in the air. Families of grandmas and grandchildren are out, groups of what looks to be junior high age students are out doing their junior high thing, couples are taking a walk... people are living here. I must have walked past 15 street food vendors with large groups of people, families, friends, and couples gathered around eating dinner. There's a lot of talking and laughing, even some music at one of them and boy did the food look tasty! We're not talking your everyday hamburger of hotdog, we're talking shish-kabobs with three different kinds of meat and hamburgers with ALL of the toppings. There's beer and soda and just a general good time.

I mean it's not a revelation of the tenth degree, but tonight on my walk home in the dark I realized that people live here, real people. Quitenos, as they're called, and it reminded me about the heart of traveling, the reason it's addicting, and why I love it so much. So far this trip has been about finding a place to live, starting work, learning spanish, meeting friends, living together, fixing up the place, etc. But it hasn't been about the very reason that I started this process in the beginning. It hasn't been about traveling, about observing at first, then emulating, and then investing in the culture, the history and the daily grind of Ecuador.

So that's my plan... to continue to be aware but to stop being fearful and to put myself in the position to observe Quitenos. Because once that happens, the falling in love with a place is only a few months away.

Hope all is well! Only 13 days from Valentines Day!

MULUB,

Taylor