La IoNY

After frantic weeks of deadlines, few beers between classes, non-stop editing and newspaper clippings, I have had a calm weekend to read and write. And a promising lazy morning, interrupted for a nerve wracking ritual: renewing my US Visa.

Nerve wracking because you never know what the outcome will be.  If positive, the time you are allowed in America becomes the issue.

 I’ve got to say, regardless of the long queue, the bit of disorganization and the obnoxious G4S security guards, the US Embassy in Quito has polite and tongue in cheek interviewers for the dreaded visa process.

After my shouting match back in February with a French consular officer, I was rather calm -I had been in the US before. Last time, JFK officials laughed with me as they stamped my passport, I have friends I want to go visit and my great aunt's health is not improving with NYC's weather...I need to pay a visit soon-  I was however, overwhelmed by the amount of people present. No matter the economic crisis, the demand to go to La IoNY was overwhelming.

The new office is like any other US state office: clean, functional, with a vending machine, a TV and a vast amount of hand sanitizer dispensers.

I had been thinking why my age was brought during every step of the process. I know double majoring is not that common in the US and that by now I should live on my own. I did not like to be reminded of that, yet in Ecuador it is normal to live with your parents until you get married. Or until your early 40s. Or in fact, never move out. 

The waiting room and interview windows are now merged; I could hear every interview. While I moved my left gray heel up and down and played with my ponytail, I could not help but notice a pattern:

-Where do you live?

a) In an apartment, it’s my parents’ property

b) With my parents

The interviewees ranged from late 30’s, late 20’s and some held well-groomed, restless toddlers in their arms. Every answer that related them to depending financially on their parents was followed by a long silence. Every question regarding salary made me and surely the interviewee, tense. I felt I was not the only tense, for living with her parents still. I realized If I don’t move out soon I will be stuck, even for the ritual of a visa process. Y eso, si da a la larga, un poquito de vergüenza. 

Recapitulación y nueva etapa

Mi experiencia como bloguera hasta el momento ha sido inconstante, confundida. Alimentada mientras realizaba mi viaje por Africa del Oeste por las nuevas experiencias que veía y la falta de un internet fiable.

De regreso en Ecuador, me doy cuenta que el verdadero reto radica en el mantener esa actitud de niño de ver cada experiencia, cada lugar como un niño, sin caer en juicios de valor alimentados un 100% por otros.

¿Nada fácil uh?

El reto está presente, y pienso mantenerlo. Una plataforma de mantenerme alerta. De poder redactar. Si bien no todos contamos con el talento nato de la escritura, creo que de escribir constantemente, algo bueno y agradable ante los ojos del lector puede llegar a surgir, entre garabatos y un tipeo constante, o a veces, frenético.

Una nueva etapa, constante evolución. Porque a la final, cada uno de nosotros nunca para ¿no? ahí radica la simpleza y belleza de vivir. Y la simpleza y complejidad, de escribir.

Ghana: Make Peace Happen Challe!

Even though I have left Africa, I could not avoid writing new posts regarding   events and places that called my attention during my stay.

I remember reading about Football Games as “one event that will allow you to truly see Africa” whilst in Ghana.

I hesitated. Is it another experience of people dealing in the worst way with a score they do not approve of?  Swearing at the opposite team fans and even racist remarks towards the players like it is in Ecuador?

Well Ghana, you’ve proved me wrong.

Accra was eager for Michael Essien’s Charity Match: Africa XI World XI.  Expats whose favorite sport was rugby were suddenly discussing the performance of the Black Stars, Ghana’s National Team. All of a sudden street vendors stocked themselves up with Ghanaian flags all over Accra and residents from cities such as Cape Coast – for once- were spending a holiday in Accra.

The celebrations started on May 24^th at around 13h00 with the arrival of the players. Lisa Salmans, general manager of Citizen Kofi described the players as “hitting the ground running”. Citizen Kofi was one of the venues where the players had a party with fans, after Michael Essien’s fundraiser in Labadi Beach Hotel.

The Citizen Kofi venue, the night before the match was a  joyful, relaxed celebration.  A carefree Essien  kept joking around with fans. Sadly a not so friendly Didier Drogba, who looked annoyed when asked for photographs.

May 25^th Arrived. People gathered in  their houses to share a few Stars and to pep themselves up for this celebration. It was African Union day and Ghanaians, proud to be the beacon of stability in the region, Hosts of the AU Match, had plenty of reason to celebrate, big time. Challe!

The match in itself was rather slow. Then again, these types of fundraising football games are made for the players and the public to enjoy. Baby Jet (Asamoah ) was part of the half time entertainment with Essien joining as a backup dancer. Children from SOS Children's Villages were the reminder of the topic that was being raised to public light: Make Peace Happen in Africa.

If there is one negative aspect of this match, had to be the obnoxious amount (if I could stretch the meaning and use of obnoxious) of pick pocketing. IDs, Mobiles, cameras and even Kebabs were the targets. Accra is a relative crime-free city but the pick pocketing for some put a damper on their celebration mood.

I ought to mention that Ghana was a land to which I arrived because I had no other option, and of which I had only seen the bad things of. People demanded money everywhere; Expats and tourists where constantly being ripped off, all the attractions or parks where dirty and let’s not even mention customer service (or rather, lack of). But once I was able to get out of my narrow minded set of “there is nothing like Abidjan” I was able to enjoy Accra. I enjoyed it quite a bit and at some point I called it home.  I even forgot of my blog during my stay in Ghana, but I got to admit it was because I was having a lot of fun, with the vibrant, relaxed nightlife and weekend trips.

Ghana is not on the world headlines (unlike Ivory Coast) for a good reason: Stability and a hassle-free way of living is a way the nation is described. And let’s face it: Stability rarely makes headlines.

 By the time of the football match I just needed re assurance of my feelings towards Ghana. And I could not have chosen a better time to admit Ghana had a special place for its people and is a place I definitely want to return to.