Sometimes English is Hard (vol. 1)

Sometimes English is hard and does strange things. Here's what can happen if you're not careful:

An ice cream place advertising Banana Splings.

Coma-Coca, the drink of choice at this coastal restaurant. We're not sure if this is an attempt to be clever (in Spanish it means "eat cocaine") or if someone was just very confused...

We didn't eat at this restaurant.

Here's a little help with the last one:

Pescado Frito - fried fish - Correct!
Pescado Apanado - prepared fish - More correct would be "breaded fish"
Pescado al Ajillo - fish with garlic - Yay! (ps THIS IS DELICIOUS!)
Pescado a la Plancha - fish to the iron - Haha no. Grilled fish.
Pescado al Vapor - sweater fish. fish sweater? - Teehee! Steamed fish. We saw "sweaty fish" at another restaurant. We stayed away from that one, as well.

These photos all came from our trip to Puerto Lopez. The food there is fantastic (and I'm sure even the sweater fish is good). I especially recommend anything encocado--with coconut sauce!

I just hope that my flubs in Spanish can bring someone such entertainment. I can't compete with our friend Rich--he told us, "Me duele la pechuga," which means, "My chicken breast hurts."

What's your favorite language blooper?

..kirstie..

This post is part of the Language and Culture series.

Foto Friday: Horses

It's not just us! It seems like everyone in town has caught horse fever!

Germán takes part in the town's celebration.

Carlos and Joesi also take to the ring. They're fast!

Here's Joesi again, getting some help from Isaac during a training day. The high school kids learned some basics of dressage, which is like dancing.

Robinson ("Copy") and Estrella working on some moves. (We should mention that Copy's attire--shirt up over the belly and pants in danger of slipping off--is the style here, for both young and old men.)

 This post is part of the Forest and Farm series.

Happy Graduation!

Congrats to our friends both here in Ecuador and back home who completed their studies this year!

The highschool graduation ceremony was a little different here from what we are used to. Each student was robed and hatted by his/her parents just before going on stage. They then took an oath vowing to use their education in the best service of their country and accepting the responsibility of being a bachiller. Receiving their diplomas, they walked off stage and passed the robe and hat to the next student.

Robinson's (aka "Copy") parents robe him up to receive his diploma.

"Doky" reads his oath to serve his country.

Joanna reads her oath.

Other nicknames of students from this group include Dumper and Whimper. They had no idea their nicknames meant something in English.

This post is part of the Language and Culture series.

English Club to Angel Robes

Living in Ecuador can be a slippery slope of getting volunteered for things...

Desarrollo vs. Prosperidad

This post concludes some philosophical ramblings about my role in development, education, and prosperity.

My world doesn't fit!

This post picks up on the themes I introduced yesterday. Let's jump right in!

Pins and Needles

This is a straight pin:

Straight pin.
(C) Public Domain

To me, pins are essential to be able to sew, something that I very much enjoy doing. When I got to Ecuador and found that there are tailors and seamstresses all over the place, I was very happy to find myself among friends. Here was something I understood! At least, that's what I though at the time...

Project: Conociendo la Naturaleza en Inglés

We'd like to introduce our first Peace Corps project blog! Our project blogs will showcase a project that we have completed in our community as a part of our Peace Corps service.


Vacation Course: Conociendo la Naturaleza en Inglés

This project, which translates as "Learning about Nature through English," was a suggestion by one of our community counterparts. He originally asked for an English course for the high school students to attend during their two-month vacation from school, but our project area is Natural Resources Conservation (NRC). So we decided to teach both English and environmental education.

Language and Culture: Hace mucho invierno hoy

When we were packing to come to Ecuador, we knew we would probably be living just south of the equator, and therefore expected the timing of seasons to be a little different. Everyone knows that in Australia, for example, summer is in January and winter is in August.

Language and Culture: This IS My English Name!

Our first real project that we jumped into here at our site was an English Conversation Club. It's been a great way to meet some new friends, to share the English language with our community, and ironically, for me to work on improving my Spanish.

Language-learning materials. Also, a COLORING PAGE!!!
Drawing and photograph by Kirstie Bickford.

Language and Culture: Where's my manners?

Even between cultures that are relatively similar, like those of the United States and Ecuador, there can be differences in what constitutes "polite behavior" that leave us scratching our heads. Read on for a few examples in the arena of food!

Tumbaco Quiz Answers

Thanks to all who played our Tumbaco Quiz! You can all have an internet chócale! You can have one even if you DIDN'T play!! Here are the answers and some explanations:

1. What does "¡Chócale!" mean?
a. chocolate!
b. a million dollars!
c. a new kitty!
->d. high five!
e. SLANDER! err.. libel?
f. pie in the face!

In Spanish, chocar means "to crash." So don't take "chócale" literally... They use the phrase for high fives, fist bumps, and whatever other faddish alternatives to handshaking there might be.

Language and Culture: Not All Gringos Speak French

Here´s a conversation we had with a teacher the other day:

Translated from Spanish:
Teacher: Do you speak French?
Isaac: No, sorry.
Teacher: Do you know anyone who does?
Kirstie: No, but we know four volunteers from Spain at the other school in town. It´s possible that they speak French.
Teacher: No, Spaniards don´t speak French; they speak Spanish like Ecuadorians do.

And here are some ponderings:

The weird part about this conversation is that we don´t know the teacher, so she was assuming that because we are obviously not from Ecuador, there is a greater likelihood of us knowing French. But why didn`t that assumption apply to the girls from Spain? (PS Spain is closer to France than the US is. Also, for those who learned "gringo" from a Mexican - the word doesn´t have the same negative connotation in Ecuador as it does in Mexico...)

..Isaac and Kirstie..

 This post is part of the Language and Culture Series.

Language and Culture: A Couple of American Vampires

We´ve had some really great conversations with our new neighbors. This week we chatted with some students at one of the local elementary schools, and the conversation went something like this:

Students: What color are your eyes?
Bickfords: Blue. (We show the students our eyes.)
Students: Your eyes are green. But sometimes they look pink.
Kirstie: Pink?!
Students: Is your hair dyed?
Kirstie: No, it´s natural. Is your hair dyed?
Students: (Uncontrollable giggling. Then a pause...) Can we touch your arm?
Kirstie: Sure.
Students: (Rubbing Kirstie´s arm) Does your skin sparkle when you go in the sun?

We blame this conversation on Twilight.

Not a vampire.
Photo by Kirstie Bickford

..Kirstie and Isaac..

 This post is part of the Language and Culture Series.

Blog Series: Language and Culture

Living in a different country with a different language can be a challenge. That´s why it´s important to remember to look for the lesson and the humor, whatever the circumstance may be. We´re starting a new blog series called "Language and Culture" exploring some of the more instructional and/or hilarious moments we experience during our adventures.

Sometimes living in a different culture is like being an alligator on a farm: the food is different, you can´t understand anyone, and you´re always under the microscope and using that microscope to analyze everyone else.
Photo by Kirstie Bickford

Here is our list of current articles in this series:
A Couple of American Vampires - Interactions related to being white in a Kichwa/Mestizo town
Not All Gringos Speak French - Assumptions about foreigners
Where's my Manners? - Differences in manners across cultures (with a recipe for chicha de avena)
This IS My English Name! - A look at Ecuadorian names
Hace Mucho Invierno Hoy - Seasons aren't the same everywhere.
Pins and Needles - Cross-cultural sewing fail.
Desarrollo vs Prosperidad - Isaac's philosophical ramblings about development, prosperity, and education.
My World Doesn't Fit - Part 2 of Isaac's philosophical ramblings.
Happy Graduation - A little about graduation in Ecuador
Sometimes English is Hard (vol. 1) -English snafus

Language and Culture

You can also click the links in the sidebar to see some of our other series.

Chao!
..Kirstie and Isaac..