My second weekend here in Ecuador I spent with the Morocho family! They invited me to go with them to a Rotary party (to watch the fútbol game of Ecuador vs. Colombia) on that Saturday. I packed a bag because I ended up staying the night.
That Saturday morning Johny Morocho (the dad) came to pick me up in his truck. On our way out of Machala, we stopped by a marketplace where the vendors were selling flowers. There were huge bouquets that sat on stands and had little homemade containers. Johny bought one that was maybe 3 feet tall and only costed $3! We stopped by the mall - here called "Shopping" (not Spanish but used anyways) and "El Paseo" - and he bought some bonbons. These were for Geovanna (the mom) because it was her birthday!
We headed off to Pasaje - and bought a mini flag of Ecuador for the big game. Johny tried to stick it on his window, saying "mi país." Once in town, we went to a little restaurant downtown for breakfast. We ate "encebollado de pescado," a super delicious fish onion soup, with chifles and soya con leche, a good cold drink that kind of tastes like chai. We finished the soup and went to pick up a chocolate cake for the birthday festivities. We went to the house and I hardly recognized it because unlike the first time I saw it, the streets were filled with markets and vendors under their metal roofs that look like scaffolding.
Geovanna was working her store, but we all went upstairs (Johny, Geovanna, Johnny Andrés, Jocelyne, Kevin, and me). We ate the delicious cake and sang happy birthday - here they sing a mixture of the birthday song in both Spanish and English. Johnny and I went a couple doors down to an internet café. On our way, all the people waved and said hello to Johnny (his grandmother owns the building so they all know him). I met Katty, Johnny´s girlfriend, and her mother at Geovana´s store. Her mom parked illegally because they were just stopping by, and a cop came. They explained to him that it was only for a moment and they got out of a ticket because Catty´s father is an official or something like that.
We loaded up in their car and toured the town. We got some "chichurrón," pork that´s deep fried. There were still decorations and a statue of the Virgen María from the night before, when the city was celebrating María for some festival. We drove out to the Rotary members house and ate MORE food.
The men were all preparing for the big game by setting up a projector, a screen, and having several televisions. The majority of the people were dressed in yellow jerseys - Johnny and I didn´t have one. The TV to projector set-up wouldn´t work, and I finally explained to them that the TVs didn´t have an AV Out outlet - that´s fifth place in Introduction to Technology Concepts FBLA! Someone did end up bringing their TV from home and then we got the projector to work.
Johnny and I walked around outside and picked some fresh oranges from the trees. He peeled it and cut a piece off the top. These oranges, he explained, you don´t eat. What you do is suck out the top and squeeze the orange to get the juice to come out. I kept breaking the skin of the orange and getting sticky, but by my third orange, I got the hang of it.
Well, Ecuador lost 0-2 to Colombia. On our way out, we picked a cacao bean off of a neighbor´s tree and booked it home. In Pasaje, we ate morocho, a warm rice drink, with bread. Johnny and I walked around the town, and I drank some batido de guineo (a banana milk drink). It was all sooo delicious!
I played some Pictionary with their family - actually quite difficult in Spanish. Then we all went to Machala to drop Jocelyne off at a Quinceañera party (a huge celebration for a girl´s 15th birthday). We walked around downtown Machala (my first time doing so) then went to an ice cream/frozen yogurt place called Twister Ice. I got a mixture of fresh kiwi and pineapple! We went home and ate sweet "uma con queso," smashed choclo with cheese.
Johnny and I headed upstairs. We looked through his photos of old times in Missouri and reminisced. We started watching the Blues Brothers, but I ended up falling asleep, so Johnny turned it off.
We woke up and ate encebollado de pescado again! How great is that? I talked to Rachel and Mom while Johnny and I walked the town. I had two hands on my phone the whole time - stories about cell phone robberies are common. I lingered around Geovana´s store for a while then went to buy jeans - I only brought 2 pairs and have to wear them to school most of the week.
Johnny and I went back upstairs and listened to some Cat Stevens and Ryan Adams! We then went next door, and I met his grandmother, grandfather, aunt, some cousins and their daughter and nephew (or something like that). They fed us some more oranges (to suck) and guayaba (fruit).
Johnny then drove me back to Machala - different because it used to be me driving him! That was quite the fun weekend.
That Saturday morning Johny Morocho (the dad) came to pick me up in his truck. On our way out of Machala, we stopped by a marketplace where the vendors were selling flowers. There were huge bouquets that sat on stands and had little homemade containers. Johny bought one that was maybe 3 feet tall and only costed $3! We stopped by the mall - here called "Shopping" (not Spanish but used anyways) and "El Paseo" - and he bought some bonbons. These were for Geovanna (the mom) because it was her birthday!
We headed off to Pasaje - and bought a mini flag of Ecuador for the big game. Johny tried to stick it on his window, saying "mi país." Once in town, we went to a little restaurant downtown for breakfast. We ate "encebollado de pescado," a super delicious fish onion soup, with chifles and soya con leche, a good cold drink that kind of tastes like chai. We finished the soup and went to pick up a chocolate cake for the birthday festivities. We went to the house and I hardly recognized it because unlike the first time I saw it, the streets were filled with markets and vendors under their metal roofs that look like scaffolding.
Geovanna was working her store, but we all went upstairs (Johny, Geovanna, Johnny Andrés, Jocelyne, Kevin, and me). We ate the delicious cake and sang happy birthday - here they sing a mixture of the birthday song in both Spanish and English. Johnny and I went a couple doors down to an internet café. On our way, all the people waved and said hello to Johnny (his grandmother owns the building so they all know him). I met Katty, Johnny´s girlfriend, and her mother at Geovana´s store. Her mom parked illegally because they were just stopping by, and a cop came. They explained to him that it was only for a moment and they got out of a ticket because Catty´s father is an official or something like that.
We loaded up in their car and toured the town. We got some "chichurrón," pork that´s deep fried. There were still decorations and a statue of the Virgen María from the night before, when the city was celebrating María for some festival. We drove out to the Rotary members house and ate MORE food.
The men were all preparing for the big game by setting up a projector, a screen, and having several televisions. The majority of the people were dressed in yellow jerseys - Johnny and I didn´t have one. The TV to projector set-up wouldn´t work, and I finally explained to them that the TVs didn´t have an AV Out outlet - that´s fifth place in Introduction to Technology Concepts FBLA! Someone did end up bringing their TV from home and then we got the projector to work.
Johnny and I walked around outside and picked some fresh oranges from the trees. He peeled it and cut a piece off the top. These oranges, he explained, you don´t eat. What you do is suck out the top and squeeze the orange to get the juice to come out. I kept breaking the skin of the orange and getting sticky, but by my third orange, I got the hang of it.
Well, Ecuador lost 0-2 to Colombia. On our way out, we picked a cacao bean off of a neighbor´s tree and booked it home. In Pasaje, we ate morocho, a warm rice drink, with bread. Johnny and I walked around the town, and I drank some batido de guineo (a banana milk drink). It was all sooo delicious!
I played some Pictionary with their family - actually quite difficult in Spanish. Then we all went to Machala to drop Jocelyne off at a Quinceañera party (a huge celebration for a girl´s 15th birthday). We walked around downtown Machala (my first time doing so) then went to an ice cream/frozen yogurt place called Twister Ice. I got a mixture of fresh kiwi and pineapple! We went home and ate sweet "uma con queso," smashed choclo with cheese.
Johnny and I headed upstairs. We looked through his photos of old times in Missouri and reminisced. We started watching the Blues Brothers, but I ended up falling asleep, so Johnny turned it off.
We woke up and ate encebollado de pescado again! How great is that? I talked to Rachel and Mom while Johnny and I walked the town. I had two hands on my phone the whole time - stories about cell phone robberies are common. I lingered around Geovana´s store for a while then went to buy jeans - I only brought 2 pairs and have to wear them to school most of the week.
Johnny and I went back upstairs and listened to some Cat Stevens and Ryan Adams! We then went next door, and I met his grandmother, grandfather, aunt, some cousins and their daughter and nephew (or something like that). They fed us some more oranges (to suck) and guayaba (fruit).
Johnny then drove me back to Machala - different because it used to be me driving him! That was quite the fun weekend.
That's so amazing that you get to be with Johnny!!! Estoy celosa!!!
ReplyDeleteyeah, sure. talk to mom and rachel. just because the mothership doesn't have a camera doesn't mean you don't have to talk to me, too!
ReplyDeletejk. but really.
lylab! i'm glad you get to see johnny :)