Monday, March 31, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
A LOS GALAPAGOS!
It´s finally here, the moment I´ve been waiting for, one of the main reasons I came to Ecuador... TOMORROW I LEAVE FOR THE GALAPAGOS!
I´ll be there from Thursday until Tuesday - 5 full days, packed with intense snorkeling, crazy animal watching, volcano exploring, and who knows what else.
After getting back to mainland Ecuador, I´ll spend some time in Guayaquil, a huge coastal city in south Ecuador. Then I´m busing with some friends to Cuenca (beautiful historic city) and then up to Baños (incredible vacation spot for extreme sports, like mountain biking, white water rafting, hiking, rock-climbing, etc.). Then it´s back to Quito, where classes start again March 31.
Be ready for lots of pictures of large tortoises and sea lions when I return!
and Happy Easter.
I´ll be there from Thursday until Tuesday - 5 full days, packed with intense snorkeling, crazy animal watching, volcano exploring, and who knows what else.
After getting back to mainland Ecuador, I´ll spend some time in Guayaquil, a huge coastal city in south Ecuador. Then I´m busing with some friends to Cuenca (beautiful historic city) and then up to Baños (incredible vacation spot for extreme sports, like mountain biking, white water rafting, hiking, rock-climbing, etc.). Then it´s back to Quito, where classes start again March 31.Be ready for lots of pictures of large tortoises and sea lions when I return!
and Happy Easter.
Sidenote: Obama's speech on race
Just in case you missed it, here is a link to Barack Obama's speech on "race in America," which he delivered yesterday in Philadelphia.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/18/us/politics/18text-obama.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print
It's a solid and unifying masterpiece. He addresses the questionable anti-white/anti-America remarks by his black childhood pastor. He discredits the punch that whites support his candidacy solely because it helps them declare "racial innocence." (See http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120579535818243439.html?mod=googlenews_wsj) He delineates our present-day America, riddled with racial inequities. But he eloquently serves the message that every American, regardless of race, is facing the same challenges. One of my favorite parts of the speech was this:
"As such, Reverend Wright’s comments were not only wrong but divisive, divisive at a time when we need unity; racially charged at a time when we need to come together to solve a set of monumental problems – two wars, a terrorist threat, a falling economy, a chronic health care crisis and potentially devastating climate change; problems that are neither black or white or Latino or Asian, but rather problems that confront us all."
Yeah, his words are ideals. But they are the ideals our country needs to unite under.
"For we have a choice in this country. We can accept a politics that breeds division, and conflict, and cynicism. We can tackle race only as spectacle – as we did in the OJ trial – or in the wake of tragedy, as we did in the aftermath of Katrina - or as fodder for the nightly news. We can play Reverend Wright’s sermons on every channel, every day and talk about them from now until the election, and make the only question in this campaign whether or not the American people think that I somehow believe or sympathize with his most offensive words. We can pounce on some gaffe by a Hillary supporter as evidence that she’s playing the race card, or we can speculate on whether white men will all flock to John McCain in the general election regardless of his policies.
We can do that.
But if we do, I can tell you that in the next election, we’ll be talking about some other distraction. And then another one. And then another one. And nothing will change.
That is one option. Or, at this moment, in this election, we can come together and say, “Not this time.” This time we want to talk about the crumbling schools that are stealing the future of black children and white children and Asian children and Hispanic children and Native American children. This time we want to reject the cynicism that tells us that these kids can’t learn; that those kids who don’t look like us are somebody else’s problem. The children of America are not those kids, they are our kids, and we will not let them fall behind in a 21st century economy. Not this time.
This time we want to talk about how the lines in the Emergency Room are filled with whites and blacks and Hispanics who do not have health care; who don’t have the power on their own to overcome the special interests in Washington, but who can take them on if we do it together.
This time we want to talk about the shuttered mills that once provided a decent life for men and women of every race, and the homes for sale that once belonged to Americans from every religion, every region, every walk of life. This time we want to talk about the fact that the real problem is not that someone who doesn’t look like you might take your job; it’s that the corporation you work for will ship it overseas for nothing more than a profit.
This time we want to talk about the men and women of every color and creed who serve together, and fight together, and bleed together under the same proud flag. We want to talk about how to bring them home from a war that never should’ve been authorized and never should’ve been waged, and we want to talk about how we’ll show our patriotism by caring for them, and their families, and giving them the benefits they have earned.
I would not be running for President if I didn’t believe with all my heart that this is what the vast majority of Americans want for this country. This union may never be perfect, but generation after generation has shown that it can always be perfected. And today, whenever I find myself feeling doubtful or cynical about this possibility, what gives me the most hope is the next generation – the young people whose attitudes and beliefs and openness to change have already made history in this election."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/18/us/politics/18text-obama.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print
It's a solid and unifying masterpiece. He addresses the questionable anti-white/anti-America remarks by his black childhood pastor. He discredits the punch that whites support his candidacy solely because it helps them declare "racial innocence." (See http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120579535818243439.html?mod=googlenews_wsj) He delineates our present-day America, riddled with racial inequities. But he eloquently serves the message that every American, regardless of race, is facing the same challenges. One of my favorite parts of the speech was this:
"As such, Reverend Wright’s comments were not only wrong but divisive, divisive at a time when we need unity; racially charged at a time when we need to come together to solve a set of monumental problems – two wars, a terrorist threat, a falling economy, a chronic health care crisis and potentially devastating climate change; problems that are neither black or white or Latino or Asian, but rather problems that confront us all."
Yeah, his words are ideals. But they are the ideals our country needs to unite under.
"For we have a choice in this country. We can accept a politics that breeds division, and conflict, and cynicism. We can tackle race only as spectacle – as we did in the OJ trial – or in the wake of tragedy, as we did in the aftermath of Katrina - or as fodder for the nightly news. We can play Reverend Wright’s sermons on every channel, every day and talk about them from now until the election, and make the only question in this campaign whether or not the American people think that I somehow believe or sympathize with his most offensive words. We can pounce on some gaffe by a Hillary supporter as evidence that she’s playing the race card, or we can speculate on whether white men will all flock to John McCain in the general election regardless of his policies.
We can do that.
But if we do, I can tell you that in the next election, we’ll be talking about some other distraction. And then another one. And then another one. And nothing will change.
That is one option. Or, at this moment, in this election, we can come together and say, “Not this time.” This time we want to talk about the crumbling schools that are stealing the future of black children and white children and Asian children and Hispanic children and Native American children. This time we want to reject the cynicism that tells us that these kids can’t learn; that those kids who don’t look like us are somebody else’s problem. The children of America are not those kids, they are our kids, and we will not let them fall behind in a 21st century economy. Not this time.
This time we want to talk about how the lines in the Emergency Room are filled with whites and blacks and Hispanics who do not have health care; who don’t have the power on their own to overcome the special interests in Washington, but who can take them on if we do it together.
This time we want to talk about the shuttered mills that once provided a decent life for men and women of every race, and the homes for sale that once belonged to Americans from every religion, every region, every walk of life. This time we want to talk about the fact that the real problem is not that someone who doesn’t look like you might take your job; it’s that the corporation you work for will ship it overseas for nothing more than a profit.
This time we want to talk about the men and women of every color and creed who serve together, and fight together, and bleed together under the same proud flag. We want to talk about how to bring them home from a war that never should’ve been authorized and never should’ve been waged, and we want to talk about how we’ll show our patriotism by caring for them, and their families, and giving them the benefits they have earned.
I would not be running for President if I didn’t believe with all my heart that this is what the vast majority of Americans want for this country. This union may never be perfect, but generation after generation has shown that it can always be perfected. And today, whenever I find myself feeling doubtful or cynical about this possibility, what gives me the most hope is the next generation – the young people whose attitudes and beliefs and openness to change have already made history in this election."
Monday, March 17, 2008
The blog has been napping
...but just a post to let you know I'm alive.
Over the weekend, I traveled with some friends to Mindo, a pueblo about 2.5 hours from here. It was a fabulous break from the city. We took hikes to/around waterfalls and took several swims (what tranquility! I decided I must live by a waterfall at some point in my life); flew high in the sky, via harness and cable, over awesome views of the forest scenery; saw some beautiful butterflies and hummingbirds in flight; and tore through the muddy abyss that is Mindo on ATVs, aka four-wheelers. What fun!
Now it's back to school for just three days; Thursday begins our spring break. We leave on Thursday morning for the Galapagos! I'll be there until Tuesday, when some friends and I will fly back to southern mainland Ecuador and take our time traveling back up towards Quito, stopping at some cool spots along the way.
I'll leave you with two distinct views from Quito:
Nighttime view from church's rooftop in the Historical Center of Quito
View from a hilltop behind a house in south Quito, with the cloud-covered city stretching behind it
Over the weekend, I traveled with some friends to Mindo, a pueblo about 2.5 hours from here. It was a fabulous break from the city. We took hikes to/around waterfalls and took several swims (what tranquility! I decided I must live by a waterfall at some point in my life); flew high in the sky, via harness and cable, over awesome views of the forest scenery; saw some beautiful butterflies and hummingbirds in flight; and tore through the muddy abyss that is Mindo on ATVs, aka four-wheelers. What fun!
Now it's back to school for just three days; Thursday begins our spring break. We leave on Thursday morning for the Galapagos! I'll be there until Tuesday, when some friends and I will fly back to southern mainland Ecuador and take our time traveling back up towards Quito, stopping at some cool spots along the way.
I'll leave you with two distinct views from Quito:
Nighttime view from church's rooftop in the Historical Center of Quito
View from a hilltop behind a house in south Quito, with the cloud-covered city stretching behind it
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Update: Ecuador-Colombia dispute
To all those who expressed their concern about the current situation here: Thanks. Truly, we are safe in Quito (about 150 miles away from where the incident occurred), and in all probability the situation is purely political and will not escalate further.
To update on the situation:
President of Ecuador Rafael Correa has sent 3,200 troops from the Ecuadorian military to the Colombian border, but it seems this is more symbolic than a military move.
As a result of the incident, Ecuador has broken all diplomatic relations with Colombia, closing the Colombian embassy in Ecuador and bringing Ecuadorian representatives home from its embassy in Colombia.
Correa has also started a "diplomatic offensive" with Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, Panama and the Dominican Republic, against the Colombian government for its violation of other nation's sovereignty.
Relations between Colombia and the rest of Latin America had already been tenuous because of Colombia's relations with and receipt of aid from the US government. This all is just isolating Colombia ever more from its neighboring countries.
To update on the situation:
President of Ecuador Rafael Correa has sent 3,200 troops from the Ecuadorian military to the Colombian border, but it seems this is more symbolic than a military move.
As a result of the incident, Ecuador has broken all diplomatic relations with Colombia, closing the Colombian embassy in Ecuador and bringing Ecuadorian representatives home from its embassy in Colombia.
Correa has also started a "diplomatic offensive" with Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, Panama and the Dominican Republic, against the Colombian government for its violation of other nation's sovereignty.
Relations between Colombia and the rest of Latin America had already been tenuous because of Colombia's relations with and receipt of aid from the US government. This all is just isolating Colombia ever more from its neighboring countries.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Ecuador affected by Colombian anti-rebel fighting
A break from my more light-hearted posts to share this noticia (news) from Ecuador:
In a severe blow to the Colombian rebel group FARC (the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), the Colombian military launched an attack early today that killed the second-highest ranking FARC commander, Raúl Reyes, and 16 other FARC rebels.
The attack occurred in the southern-most part of Colombia, just on the Ecuadorian border. The fighting spilled over into Ecuador, where the FARC unit was stationed, and where the bodies of Reyes and others were found. Colombian military planes also violated Ecuadorian airspace.
Tonight, my host family and I have been listening to the TV news coverage of this event, which carries great weight for Ecuador. Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa just delivered a speech asserting that Ecuador's sovereignty had been threatened by the Colombian fighting within its borders. In response, President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia has just delivered an apology to Ecuador for the event.
President Hugo Chavéz of Venezuela, which has also been affected by FARC fighting in the past, announced that if a similar event occurred within Venezuela's borders, it would spark a war.
Correa sent troops from Quito to investigate in northern Ecuador, where the fighting had occurred, and they found a permanent FARC station containing food and arms for over 200 people. It is still unclear if the Ecuadorian government knew that this camp was there.
I'm sure we'll continue to hear more about this in the coming week, so I'll keep you all updated as things occur.
In a severe blow to the Colombian rebel group FARC (the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), the Colombian military launched an attack early today that killed the second-highest ranking FARC commander, Raúl Reyes, and 16 other FARC rebels.
The attack occurred in the southern-most part of Colombia, just on the Ecuadorian border. The fighting spilled over into Ecuador, where the FARC unit was stationed, and where the bodies of Reyes and others were found. Colombian military planes also violated Ecuadorian airspace.
Tonight, my host family and I have been listening to the TV news coverage of this event, which carries great weight for Ecuador. Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa just delivered a speech asserting that Ecuador's sovereignty had been threatened by the Colombian fighting within its borders. In response, President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia has just delivered an apology to Ecuador for the event.
President Hugo Chavéz of Venezuela, which has also been affected by FARC fighting in the past, announced that if a similar event occurred within Venezuela's borders, it would spark a war.
"President Uribe, think about it long and hard. You had better not get the idea of doing this on our territory because it would be a 'causus belli', cause for a war," President Chavez said in his first reaction to the raid." (CNN.com)
Correa sent troops from Quito to investigate in northern Ecuador, where the fighting had occurred, and they found a permanent FARC station containing food and arms for over 200 people. It is still unclear if the Ecuadorian government knew that this camp was there.
I'm sure we'll continue to hear more about this in the coming week, so I'll keep you all updated as things occur.
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