Soroche

This whole Quito thing is now undeniably for real! I was lucky enough to get my first glimpse of the city flying in Tuesday evening as the sun was just beginning to set. The clouds rolling down the mountains into the valley glowed gold, and the brightly colored buildings of the city seemed to crawl up to meet them. 

My host family somehow managed to find me in the packed airport—it seems that short hair isn’t a particularly common trait amongst Quitanians. They are an older couple and speak absolutely no English, which I think will end up being dreadfully good for me. So far, there haven’t been any unfortunate miscommunications... yet.

Our first day started primarily as orientation, which was a bit difficult as the fatigue resulting from the high altitude (known locally as soroche) had a definite effect. After a fantastic lunch with quite a view, however, we headed down to the historic center of Quito to go church-hopping. Led by the director of the organization Quito Eterno, we first visited La Compañia de Jesus, a Baroque-style church with a pretty impressive (and intimidating) painting of Hell in the front of the nave.

We couldn't take pictures inside, but outside was still impressive!

We then headed to the cathedral and adjoining bishop’s house. Although we couldn’t take photos inside, we climbed up a tiny, steep spiral staircase and through a candle-lit passage in the walls of the cathedral out onto the roof. Claustrophobia aside, the view on top was completely worth it. 

 The cathedral from above...

...and from across the main plaza at night.

Our final stop was the convent of San Agustín, which somehow managed to be completely silent, even with a loud demonstration by the communist youth party almost right outside the walls (politics in Ecuador are VERY interesting). The evening was finished off with a beautiful dinner, complete with ice cream in a bowl of dry ice, which proceeded to amuse the nerds amongst us.

Delicious nerdy noms

Likely in anticipation of the effects of altitude, yesterday was primarily sitting and lecturing, and today was our last day of orienting, this time at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, where we will be taking classes. Tomorrow, however, is our first field trip—a day shopping in the market town of Otavalo!