first impressions

The first time I saw Guayaquil, real Guayaquil, was with my boyfriend after he picked me up at the airport. I saw many things that took me slightly by surprise. He had warned me before I arrived of what I would see but when I actually saw it….. Wow! One night we went out for yogurt and pan de yucca. It was a place in the heart of Guayaquil on the street. When we got out of the car the first thing I noticed were the people sleeping on the street. Now I had seen homeless people before, although we don’t have many in Alaska, but what surprised me was what I thought when I saw it. ‘ I haven’t become numb to the sight of this yet.’ I had mixed feelings after thinking this. 1- It would be really sad if I stopped seeing this reality. 2- I have to become somewhat numb in order to not feel sad all the time.
Another thing I noticed was the danger. Obviously the majority of people here do not have a ton of money and it would be wise to take certain precautions but if you walk out the door it doesn’t mean you are going to die. There is the possibility of dieing anywhere you are so we should take the necessary precautions but don’t let it scare us into staying at home all the time. We can’t stop living because of fear.
When I returned to Guayaquil a month later I saw a very different place. The place I would call home for the next four months was not the Guayaquil I knew. This was a little comforting to be honest but as I soon found out a little sad. Most people I live around who call themselves Ecuadorians don’t know the reality of 80% of their country.
We live in an oasis where the only things reminding you, you are in Ecuador is the food on the family table and the taxis honking as they pass you walking down the street.
During my first visit to my internship one of the little girls tapped my shoulder, out of 2o students she tapped mine, and when I turned around she planted the sweetest kiss on my cheek. From that moment I knew that this place was going to be perfect for me. Before this visit I thought that the house was just for orphaned girls but that day I found out the majority were taken from abusive families. When I returned to the bus I silently started crying…..