Mugged!!!!!

Yes, I was mugged yesterday in the park! When it's sunny, I'll go to the park and do my homework. I thought I had noticed this guy watching me. Well, he made his way over to try and start a conversation, but all he really wanted was my bag and the bag is what he got! Especially after he pulled out this little makeshift knife. He cut me on my left hand, but it wasn't bad at all. I'll miss that backpack, complete with all of my spanish work, my camera, money, and  dedit card. I'm sure he's going to have a spending spree this weekend! Well, YAY for him!

As for me, I guess I won't be doing homework this weekend.  UPDATE: Now, I'm starting to think that I just wanna go home and wrap this "expedition" up? What do you guys think?

The BA Breakthrough/My Two (Argentenian) Pesos

I met my friends, Mentrail and Tyrone in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was such a great feeling to see some familiar faces from home -- especially from two people that I have become so close with.

Buenos Aires is absolutely stunning. I adored the architecture, the food (the empanadas, the Mendoza wine, and the ice cream were heavenly - wow!), the San Telmo Market on Sunday morning; And of course, the famous Recoleta Cemetary where Eva Peron is buried.

The trip was a great experience! However, most everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong. The hotel that we reserved, overbooked and sent us to another one that was out of the way. Since Mentrail and I were staying together in a separate hotel from Tyrone, we got lost and couldn't find him. When we finally did, Tyrone became terribly ill from food poisoning and needed medical attention. I really didn't get a chance to hang with him but for a few hours. And to make things even more unpleasant, it "seemed" like the local Argentenians didn't take to us too kindly. They would stop and stare at us in the street like we were from Planet Zoogaloo or somewhere! I guess to them, maybe we were. Argentina is way down on the map, right? (Thinking back, I think they were just curious). Unfortunately, I think I allowed all of this get the best of me. I could just hear myself being so negative, and the more negative I became, the worse things seemed (and it wasn't bad AT ALL except for Ty getting sick).

Mentrail had this book in his luggage that he had just read on his flight down to Argentina. It's called, The Secret: The Power by Rhonda Byrne, and he let me borrow it.

In a nutshell, the book states that you get what you give out. You give off negativity, you'll get it right back. It's the basic law of attraction. If you're even finding yourself thinking negative thoughts, you must find a way to combat that by immediately thinking of things that you love. Make a list if you have to. Love conquers all. After reading this, I'm a changed person. I want to continue to show love to my family, friends and even strangers. I WILL show love toward things that I want out of life. I WILL learn to speak Spanish, I WILL have a loving partner, and I WILL have a career that I love. I MUST stay positive.

After reading most of  The Power, I was tested. I was waiting to board the flight back to Quito from BA. The ticket agent announced that the flight was delayed two hours. I sighed a bit, but I was starving! I went to get something to eat a few steps away in one of the overpriced restaurants. I must have been gone about 30 minutes when I saw that same ticket agent run over to the restaurant area shouting "The flight to Quito is departing!" I jumped up and immediately ran to the gate where I saw the plane rolling back on the tarmac. I was devastated!!!

I remained calm and remembered "you get what you give out, stay positive and imagine yourself on a plane back to Quito". The flight employee was all geared up to argue with me (because he was definitely in the wrong). I simply asked what I needed to do. He replied that I was going to have to purchase a new ticket downstairs. I remained firm that he said the flight was delayed a total of two hours. He kindly walked away, but an extremely kind manager, Diana, saw the situation and came up to me and told me that she would help me. And help is what she did. She changed my flight for the next morning, walked me back through immigration, helped me with all of that paperwork and finally, reserved a car service to take me to one of the most fabulous hotels that I've ever stayed in. Meals were included. The next morning, a driver was waiting for me to take me back to the airport. I felt like a superstar! LOL.

So this entry isn't really so much about the trip to Buenos Aires. Rather it's about how we as a people can continue to grow and love. The book wasn't telling me anything I didn't know, but it was a friendly reminder (intervention maybe?) that was right on time. You get what you give out. Here's to love and positive thoughts. And that's my two pesos...

Recoleta Cemetary

Recoleta Cemetary II

Recoleta Cemetary III

San Telmo Market on Sunday morning

This is How We Dooo It!

Remember that song, by Montell Jordan? Ooops! I guess I'm showing my age, right?

Quito is a fairly cheap place to live, but things can still get out of hand if you don't watch your spending. As far as eating goes, I tend to imitate the locals. I eat fruit and yogurt for breakast, a sizeable lunch around 1:00, then I'll just snack in the evenings.

Attached are pics of daily menus at various restaurants. A three- or four-course lunch (almuerzo in Spanish) costs anywhere between $1.50-$4.50. A typical lunch always includes a soup, a main course, a dessert and a natural fruit juice. My favorite restaurant is a vegeterian restaurant called El Maple. They seem to put a lot of thought in their dishes. I usually go to El Maple when I want to treat myself and splurge for lunch at a whopping $4.50 for four courses.



A typical creamy-based soup with spinach, potatoes and other veggies



Sour then Sweet

It's funny how something can seem so horrible one moment, and then the next moment something really good comes along.

Yes, I got my money back. All of it! It took some arguing and threatening to call the police, but I got it back.

My bags were already packed and ready to go. My wonderful tutor, Alba, was determined to help me find a place in the middle of everything and also convenient to her home. The touristy, happening area is La Mariscal in Quito.

In La Mariscal, we were actually headed to a hotel that I found on a bulletin board listing in the South American Explorer's Club. However, the address that was provided was incorrect. Ironically, enough though, the "incorrect" address was of a brand new hotel that had just opened. Still thinking it was the hotel that we were intending to see, Alba and I went in to see what it was all about. It was fabulous for Quito standards. The manager, Juan, was super pleasant and as an incentive for me to stay there, he offered me two free weeks, daily internet service, and even threw in laundry service. I snagged it! Alba and I were thrilled.

Sour then sweet...

The Shower Scene

Here, it seems that there's always someone out there that's scheming to get more money out of you. Do these people know that I'm still unemployed? Actually, it would do me some good to get out here in the streets and try to sing and dance for some coins. Seriously!

On my return back to Quito, I was renting a room from this lady named Maria. Actually, she's the director of the Spanish Institute, Academia Columbus Quito. This is the school that I went to before acquiring a tutor. (For those of you that want to learn Spanish in Quito DON'T GO THERE!) I really didn't know that she AND her 15 year-old son (who constantly watched the same two videos of Lady Gaga in his room)  would be living there, but hey, I needed some place to stay. More on her son later...

Anyway! On the night of Saturday, January 29th, Maria gave me this list, yes, LIST of stuff that she demanded from me. Now, let me remind you, I've been back in Quito two weeks already and have lived here in her place for TWO weeks. None of this stuff was agreed upon when we had a discussion prior to me moving in.

Back to the list. What stuff could she possibly have put on there you ask?

Well, hot water is a BIG issue here in Quito and even considered a perk. You'll even see signs at most hostels/hotels that say "Agua Caliente 24 horas!" Her list demanded that I turn on the hot water heating unit, located in the kitchen, and allow it stay on for only 20 minutes and then turn it off. Actually, this contraption doesn't heat the water up in 20 minutes, not even within an hour!!! So this means, I would have to jump in the cold shower and hope and wish and pray for a trickle of hot water. 

Oh that's not it! She firmly stated after she handed me the LIST, that I would have to pay for maid service AND pay the utitilies Was this @#!!#!$#!# outta her mind???

THERE'S MORE! If the hot water contraption got too heated and perhaps exploded or whatever, I would have to pay for another unit and pay to have it installed. Also, I needed to continue to make sure everything was unplugged before I left the house. Did I mention that I sat in the dark the majority of the time while living here? Oh! well, yes. I had this itty, bitty lamp plugged in and she ordered me to unplug it.

It took me a while to decipher all of this LIST in Spanish, but in the meantime, Maria and her weird son scurried back to Maria's room while laughing incessantly. Once I got the verbage of the LIST and myself together. I realized that I needed to get the HELL OUTTA THERE!! The only problem was that I had paid her for five weeks in advance.

The next morning in my tutoring session, I was so angry and frustrated. My saviour (and wonderful tutor), Alba, was so extremely comforting to me. She immediately told me, "We're going to get you out of there and find you another place to stay." Alba gave me the extra push that I needed.

Guys, that afternoon I got back to Maria's apartment and got my mind (and Spanish words) together and waited for her to get home. I immediately went into the kitchen and told her that I wanted my remaining three weeks of rent back. Of course, she paused and tried to come up with an excuse, but I was adamant. She finally agreed that the next day she would return the money.

Do you think she returned it? What do you think happened the next day??? Hmm?

About Me

Hey! I'm Stefan and I’m in the process of trying to "get out of my own way". I'm learning to laugh at myself and not take myself - or life - so seriously.

I've lived most of my life in the South – Tennessee and Georgia  – and grew up with very strict, religious but loving parents. Yes, I appreciate them and what they stand for to this very day. However, I’m a late bloomer in a lot of ways.

I returned to college to finally get my Bachelor’s Degree in Communications at Georgia State University when I was …let’s just say I was quite a bit older than the traditional college student (LOL). After FINALLY graduating and being involved in an often tumultuous long-term relationship, I decided to move to New York City!  Yes, the Big Apple!  And this is where the birth of this blog begins.

New York City!!!  The BIG APPLE! Yes, New York opened me up. If it wasn’t for New York and the city’s millions of challenges and rewards, I wouldn’t be here now. NYC is/was THRILLING, BEAUTIFUL, EXHILIRATING but...CHALLENGING in so many ways - relationships, jobs, apartments, even washing your clothes and waiting for seemingly hours in line at the ATM.

Well, after getting laid off for the third (yes, third) time from yet another dead-end, clone drone job, I decided enough was enough.  The Higher Power was telling me, this wasn’t for me at this point in my life. So I went back to school to get my certificate to learn how to teach English as a Second Language.

After much, much stress of obtaining that, I packed up all by stuff, put it in a box and came to Quito, Ecuador to immerse myself in the Latin culture and take Spanish classes.  I decided I wanted to learn Spanish and teach English. I’ve been here now for three months and so far it has been an experience.

I haven’t started working yet as a teacher, as I’ve become so entrenched in trying to learn Spanish. It’s become like a challenge (an obsession maybe???) that I really want to conquer. I know it’s going to take time, but I at least want to have a good base. I’m not the most patient person though, and I’m sure you’ll often see my frustrations reflected in this blog.

After Quito, my next step is to go to Bogota Columbia in April to continue my Spanish studies, obtain an English-teaching job, and of course, share these experiences with you!  I'm going to see if I can make a go of this thing in Latin America for a whole year. Got it!  O.K. here we go!…………………………….

I said I wouldn't, but...

My Spanish tutor, Alba, who I absolutely adore, told me about the South America's Explorers Club and recommended that I join. It's an expatriate club that dispenses information for expats, etc.

Okay, I was hell bent on NOT joining any expat clubs, and even avoiding any English speakers since I only wanted to (try and) speak Spanish. But, yesterday I joined the expat group. I figured, well I can't live in a bubble the whole time I'm here.

As a way to welcome new members, the club administrator had a fiesta for new members. By the way, he was African American and from NYC (Washington Heights to be exact). He seemed very intelligent, extremely nice, and easy to talk to. He gave me some quick tips on living in Latin America and what led him here. He speaks Spanish fluently (so I guess there's hope for me yet). I was very impressed by his demeanor and he inspired me to actually keep on keeping on.

I met some nice people at the fiesta. One couple I met, Jason and Michael, have been living in Quito for 14 months. They both seem to enjoy living here. Jason is from a small town in Georgia and Michael from Boston. Jason is the director of a British school here, so we talked about opportunities of me teaching English at this school. So we're supposed to talk more about that and also go bike riding next week. In all honesty, I don't think I want to live here, but the experience would be valuable until I can jet outta here to Bogota. 

Details on the interview, the bike ride, and Jason and Michael as a couple later. Until then...