Return to Ecuador!

Yesterday marked my return to Ecuador. I originally was only staying until the end of March, but I decided to extend my visa and stay until mid-May, which is how I found myself re-entering the wonderful country of Ecuador late last night. The family that I lived with in El Triunfo had agreed to pick me up at the airport, so when I arrived at 9:15 pm (with three HUGE duffel backs jammed packed with supplies for the library and used clothes to sell in order to raise more money), I luckily had people there waiting for me. I figured it would just be Isabel (my friend who I live with) and her brother who owns the truck, but I should have known better. Instead Isabel’s entire family, including Segundo as well as her brothers entire family were waiting for me in the airport, complete with “Bienvenidos, Megan Mishler” balloons. As soon as I arrived they explained to me that they had been worried all day long, not being able to remember if I was arriving 9 am or 9 pm. Luckily for everyone involved, they guessed correctly. They also told me that as it was every ones first time in an airport as they were waiting for me to pass through customs and get my bags they were taking pictures of themselves as if they had just arrived from a foreign country or long trip (fake crying, waving, hugging)….”just incase we never have a chance to be in the airport again” they told me.

Once we all said out hellos, we packed into the two-cab truck…four in the back and four in the front. It was crammed to say the least. As we headed out of the city and towards El Triunfo we already had been informed that the quickest route home would not be doable because the road from Baños to El Triunfo was closed for a Semana Santa (Holy Week) walk aka caminata from los campos (the small towns) to Baños for a morning cathedral service. Knowing this, we decided we would take an alternative route that would get us home about an hour later than the normal three-hour drive from Quito to El Triunfo. As we were on the last part of this drive we approach police blocking the road and we learn this road is also closed due to another caminata. As I was half sleeping it took me a few minutes to realize we were headed in the wrong direction, back tracking the last hour of our drive. As we pull onto the dirt/gravel road that is our only remaining option for making it back to El Triunfo before morning, Segundo points out to me a cars headlights what seems like hours away and much higher up the mountain. “Yup, that’s where we are headed” he tells me. About an hour into the drive on our “new” country road we come across a big tour bus (luckily without passengers) stuck in the mud at a high point on the mountain. The four men tell us they have been waiting for a car to pass since 10:00 pm – it is now 2:00 am. Two of the men jump into the back of our truck as we try to make our way around the side of the bus. As we try to inch by along the side of the mountain on the muddy terrain, we get stuck. I will admit that I was already imagining this would happen. So, half of us get out of the car and lift up the back two wheels of the truck, which miraculously works. About an hour and a half later (3:30 am), after departing from the Quito airport at 9:30 pm we arrive to El Triunfo. I would say my first seven hour in Ecuador upon my “re-arrival” were a perfect start. I am not being sarcastic…it’s always an adventure.

PS – Stay tuned for an update on how the “pulga” went – aka the selling of the three duffel bags of used American clothes I brought back from the US…