11)     My favorite experience today was having free time in Otavalo market. I loved having the ability to roam the market and practice my Spanish. Testing my abilities was a fun challenge, I negotiated prices and mad small talk with the vendors. The market was full of so many colors, smells and sounds that were new to me. We walked through the things for sale like blankets, bags and clothing as well as the part of the market that sold foods. I was surprised to find raw chicken and full pig heads as well as a multitude of spices and fruits that I have never seen. There was so much to see in the market and I am very glad that we got to make it part of our itinerary.

22)     I learned a lot about a traditional lifestyle for people like Claudia when we went to her house for lunch. It was amazing to see so many things on my plate that could be found right outside my door. I also learned a lot about the way the indigenous groups and people near her in the country live. It was very strange going through narrow dirt streets in a large bus that could hardly fit. The way that they live their lives is much more simple than ours and much closer to nature.


33)     There have been many experiences in my few days here that have been surprising or foreign to me. Seeing so many stray dogs in Otavalo and Cotacachi was surprising and very strange to me. I love animals and I was very tempted to pet or feed the dogs but I know that we are not supposed to feed them. Seeing things like raw chicken and strange fruits or meats in Otavalo was also a strange experience. Both times I caught myself thinking about how weird these things were to me and tried to remember that this is just a different way of life. Trying the cuy was also a very strange experience, cuy is a very popular dish here in Quito, when I told my host mom she was excited to hear about it, however many of us on the tour were more nervous than excited about trying Guinea Pig. Once I tried the dish I realized that it tasted like regular meat, however many of us did not eat much of the dish because it was still so strange to us. I am working to change these views by keeping an open mind about new foods and experiences. Trying the cuy was a small step but I am trying to become less ethnocentric towards other cultures.

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