I did not go to Mitad Del Mundo, so I cannot really talk about anything interesting there. However, I can talk about my experience with the Ecuadorian medical system. The most striking aspect was, of course, the cost. When I first arrived they asked me if I had insurance and whether it was international or Ecuadorian. When they heard it was international they just said "Okay, we will give you a receipt" (this was translated by the very nice faculty member that accompanied me, for which I am immensely grateful.) They did not even bother to look at my insurance card. Then they said that the initial meeting with the doctor would be fifty dollars. When I heard this, I will admit that I started to get worried. I was sure I would need more than a single meeting with the doctor. However, I relaxed a bit when it turned out I needed an x-ray, and that an x-ray added a whopping seven dollars and fifty cents to my bill. The meeting with the doctor afterwards was free and the painkillers and muscle relaxers were another staggering twenty dollars and three cents. Add in the seventeen dollars for a brace, and a sprained wrist in Ecuador still costs less than one hundred dollars to treat.

     I felt that Mama Clorinda's had a ton of seafood dishes and sides of fruit. However, this may be a result of a sort of stereotype that I hold. After all, there was steak, and ribs, and chicken on the menu, but I sort of discounted them because they did not strike me as "authentic" Ecuadorian food. Regardless the rest of the class, at least at my table, all seemed to have the same idea, and stuck with seafood dishes and various of sides. I think that the most interesting things I tried were the ceviche, the cow's tongue, and the chocolate con queso. I'll admit I am not a fan of the ceviche. Usually I like any kind of seafood, but the cold shrimp with an almost vinegary aftertaste was unlike anything I have ever had before, and not in a good way. It was not wholly terrible, but if I am offered it again I will probably turn it down. The cow's tongue was also an interesting experience. I will admit that I was a little surprised that the other table initially turned down the idea of getting a cow's tongue to try. I was enthusiastic about trying a lot of new things and the cow's tongue seemed just the right blend of "exotic" but familiar. In the end, however, I cannot say that I truly liked it. It was very soft, and very chewy, and had a deep, rich flavor, but not one that immediately resonated with me. However, I only had a small bite. If, in the future, I am offered a slice of cow's tongue again, I might be tempted to try a second bite, if only to confirm the feelings about the first bite.
     The final dish that I am going to talk about is one that I will try my hardest to recreate again when I return home. Its name, which I believe is Chocolate Con Queso, does nothing to properly prepare you for your imminent pleasure. As the waitress approaches your table you see an innocuous white mug, set on a saucer with a small bowl and spoon. As she sets it down, you see a combination you have never seen before. Within the mug is a dark, rich, hot chocolate, wafting a pleasant aroma. In the bowl lie several cubes of the glorious off white cheese known simply as Queso. For a moment you are perplexed, as you wonder how this dish (drink?) is to be consumed. Then it hits you. apprehensively, you place a chunk of Queso on the spoon, dip it in the steamy hot chocolate and begin to bring it to your mouth. For one more instant you hesitate, sure that this will be the strangest thing you have ever tasted. Then it is in your mouth and you are transported to a new universe. A universe where, somehow, hot chocolate and cheese combine to form an amazing display of taste, a Cirque-du-Soleil of the tongue.
     So yeah, Mama Clorinda's was pretty good.

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