News from Ecuador

Friends and Relatives:

It is time to break the long silence. We just got the internet connected a day ago. It doesn't seem to be up to speed as Skype is not working well. Maybe there is a kink in the wire. Also, our Easyshare program doesn't want to accept any pictures from our camera, so rather than wait to do show and tell, we have decided to tell all now and show later. Technology seems to be the biggest problem so far, and I get uncomfortable when it gets more complex than a hammer. Well, OK maybe a nail gun. But after that it is Greek to me, just like Spanish is also Greek.

As some of you know, we spent three weeks at the MTC (Missionary Training Center), in Provo. That was a week beyond schedule because of a hangup with our visa. That was ok because we got a week of language training that we wouldn't have gotten otherwise, which was very helpful, especially to Debbie who has taken to Espanol like a duck to water. I am kind of like a cat to water with it. We got to be tutored live by a couple of the tutors that we had on the phone before leaving Liverpool (Andrew Baer and Javier Bucheli). It was great to finally meet them. They do a great job. In fact everything that happens at the MTC can only be spoken of in superlatives. Also in some of our free time we did get to go hiking in the mountains and up a canyon.

However great it was at the MTC, we were glad our visa came through and we were able to get on with the adventure. Now that we have the internet we are able to see on The National, on CBC what we are missing in NS. THe weather here is plenty warm, but not as bad as I expected. High 80's to low 90's during the day, and the most beautiful balmy evenings imaginable. It is pure joy to be out in the evening. The temple is on a hill (of course) and is a very prominent feature in the landscape. Because of the hill, the perimeter wall is down the hill, and on one side you can look out over the city. It is on an enclosed lot about 20-30 acres in size. It is enclosed with a high wall with a laser beam inside and video cameras everywhere, and guards at the gate. That kind of security is par for Guayaquil. Every house has high walls, some topped with broken glass, or iron barbs or barbed wire. Most if not all apartment buildings have armed guards, as do all the malls, both inside and out, and even ice cream parlors. The guards wear flak vests and carry a pistol as well as a 12 guage pump shotgun with a pistol grip in place of a stock. There is no such thing as police brutality charges or tasers in Ecuador. I understand that they are trained to shoot first and ask questions later. The small convenience stores are ofen completely enclosed with a heavy iron grate. You can point at what you want and exchange money through the grate but you don't get inside. To me, it does not indicate that crime is worse here than elsewhere. It is a recognition of human nature. It seems like a sensible crime deterrent. Knowing you might get blown in two with a load of double 0 buck is probably a stronger deterent than knowing you might get a few days in jail with three squares a day and early release for good behavior, or because the jails are so full we can't afford to keep anybody there very long anyway. I suspect Ecuadorian justice is a lot cheaper and a whole lot more effective at discouraging repeat offences.

I think lawyers are not in great demand in Ecuador. I don't think that there is much you could litigate. If you get hit by a car it is your fault for being on the street, or if it was on the sidewalk, it is your fault for not jumping out of the way. If you fall down a manhole or drive into one with no cover, it is your fault for not looking where you are going. (They leave them off all over the place). They want a sign, they put the post in the middle of the sidewalk. If they change their minds, they might cut it off leaving a 6" stump. You trip and get hurt, your fault for not paying attention. You know what? I think they have the right idea. We North Americans are litigation crazy. Here you can ride in the back of pick up trucks, or stand in an open bus door if you want. You get hurt, your fault, you pay the price. Simple.

Even though the signs point to a high rate of crime, we do not at all feel unsafe on the streets. DEbbie and I walk together, or alone with no difficulty. When we go out in the evenings, which is rare, we go in groups. We generally go by bus or taxi, which are very reasonable. Buses are frequent because in a city of 3 millon, with a very small percentage of people with cars, it is public transit for the masses. All the cars and buses drive like crazy. The buses seem to have no springs or shocks, and they all have manual shifts and cowboys for drivers. They are quite fun actually. We prefer them to taxis. Everybody drives with their horns, and nose in and out and butt in and seem to be almost rude, but they never seem to get road rage, and we have never seen accidents, and the vehicles are not all dented up. They have their own rules of the road and it seems to work. Generally speaking the Ecuadorians seem to prefer buses to to walking. We travel by foot as much as possible, and until you get in the immediate viscinity of a mall, we have the sidewalks, such as they are, to ourselves.

The people are great. We have only been here three weeks, and we love them. The Ecuadorians are very gentle and loving. We have a particularly slanted view I suppose, because the criminal types do not come to the temple. We love working with the people we work with. All have been helpful and patient as we struggle with the language. The women all greet each other with a hug and touch cheeks and kiss the air near the ear. Kind of a symbolic kiss that doesn't quite connect. Men all greet each other with a handshake. Just to make sure, you might wind up shaking hands two or three times with the same person. They take no offense when you butcher their language, and find it funny. They seem to appreciate the fact that we are trying.

Since being here I don't believe I have seen more than 4 people smoking. They have all been women, which proves that Ecuadorian men are smarter than women. I have not seen cigarettes for sale in the stores. The only place I have seen them for sale is by street vendors who have them in a little tray that is supported by a stap behind the neck. Obesity is also the exception in Ecuador. Survival seems to be more important than indulging in excesses. I have seen no bars, and only a couple of what are probably night clubs. The Guayaquil phone book is the size of the Halifax directory. The yellow pages are a section about 1/2"thick.

I love the skin color of the natives. It is a nice rich light brown. Generally the natives have very clear unblemished skin. In a warm climate like this, a lot of the women expose more of it that they should perhaps; a practice I find disgusting of course. Actually, I find us white folks to be a bit pastey and washed out looking by comparison. Some of the people from Otavala, come by the busload in native costumes. Men and women have long black hair that they wear in a single braid down their backs. The women have white embroidered blouses, with many gold necklasses, and black dresses. They speak a separate language.

We spend long hours at the temple. When on the morning shift we are up at 5:30am and then are done by 12 or 1:30 depending on if I am at the door. The evening shift we are there at 4:15 and get home around 10:30. Saturday is generally a 12 hour day,for everybody as bus loads come in from the surrounding country, and we go flat out until around 6:30pm. Time goes quickly and enjoyably.

Our apartment is very comfortable. We have 640sq feet of space. (17.5' x 36') with plenty of cupboard and closet space. The kitchen is fully equipped as well as the living room and bedroom. Our apartment als comes with a TV and cable with maybe 80 or so channels. Many of them are English with Spanish subtitles. Pretty hard to find anyhting worth watching, just like home. Now that we can get the news on CBC on the internet, the TV will collect dust. CNN is a pretty poor excuse for a news program, and that was all we found to watch. They are changing cable providers in a month or so and going with on that carries BYU TV, and they have some interesting stuff at times. The apartment is very well done, just like everything the Church does. Bath is all ceramic tile, as well as ceramic tile in entry and kitchen. The temple grounds are all gardens and parking, and a team of gardeners work full time keeping the grounds beautiful. 4 times around the inside perimeter of the grounds is a mile, and we enjoy getting out in the evening when it has cooled down and walking.

Thats the news from this end folks. We would love to hear yours.

Pete & Debbie