Week 3, Part 2- My new "normal"

Part 2: I wanted to throw in some pics that show a bit more of the day-to-day of my new life here.  

Empanadas are the typical treat around here. Fried bread with cheese in the middle, and sugar on top.  YUM!! 

And this is Jenny. She's 18 and from the midwest. She's here in Tena for 8 months as part of a cultural exchange program before she heads off to college.  I may still be the oldest, but I'm not the tallest anymore.

These decorations just appeared on the pedestrian bridge one day, and have stayed since. They are parrots made out of old car tires.  

My new favorite fruit: granadillas. Think pomegranate seed covered in tapioca with a citrusy taste.  Somehow delicious. 

The hospital has an intramural soccer and basketball league so I joined a soccer team with my co-workers. Each team had to get uniforms made and have a "madrina" represent their team. Basically, it's a pretty girl who stands in front of your team and is judged by some panel. 

Here are the madrinas... ours is the 3rd from the left. 

And our madrina was crowned Queen of the Tournament! 

Not to toot my own horn... but I played pretty dang good, and now have a reputation within the hospital as the "goleadora". Rumor has it that the teams are saying they just have to mark the "gringa" to win.  Even during my zumba class on friday, I said how tiring one of the routines was, and some girl I don't know said "good, get tired so you can't play soccer!" :) 

Here is some evidence from my soccer game- and the evidence left by pesky mosquitos. Definitely a "new normal" that I don't love. Too bad the sun hasn't helped with the whiteness yet. ;)

 Street food is everywhere, and is usually questionable.  For example, these chicken feet.  No thanks. But the sweet bananas with cheese are delicious! 

This is Rafaela, my "little sister". She can't seem to pronounce my name so she calls me "ñaña" which means sister in quichua, the indigenous language of the area.

Here is my brother Juan Francisco. He likes to act like he's too cool for school, but he is a softy. Such a sweet kid and easy to get along with.  

The new normal wouldn't be complete without some bugs... These moths are HUGE and beautiful when they are not flying around your head. 

 Ants are everywhere and show up in a second if there is something worth hauling away. This one impressed me as it carried an entire fly off all by itself.  I decided not to sweep that one away, he was working way too hard.  

In Ecuador, bus drivers have no fear. This is not a one-way highway... this is a bus passing a car in the rain. No big deal. 

 These next few pictures I quickly snapped as I was riding the city bus to work one morning.

Typical "big street".

Typical store fronts with houses above. 

Produce markets line the streets, and are usually the best deal for some good fruits and veggies. 

I like this mural. It says "Reproductive rights- we have the right to not be kicked out of school for being pregnant".  Definitely a relevant issue around here.  

To be continued.... Part 3: the final installment- day trip to the "beach".