Part of a complete breakfast

Today was Day of the Dead, which is more important than Halloween in Ecuador. In fact, people don`t really celebrate Halloween here, at least not like in North America. Here, it is a day much like any other, except that teachers are expected to bring in some sort of sweet or treat for their students (mine got toffee, Oreos and a midterm exam!). At night, there is no door to door trick-or-treating, or little kids running around hopped up on sugar. Apparently, at CEDEI elementary school, the niños dressed up in traditional Ecuadorian garb (velvet knee length skirt, white frilly blouse, and black velvet bowler hat), but I didn`t get a chance to see them. Some families may have a private costume party, but overall, the sight of children dressed up as Barney the Dinosaur or the Wicked Witch of the West is rare. However, every year the Peace Corps in Ecuador put on a raging party, and all the volunteers from all over the country flood into Cuenca for the night, in all sorts of ridiculous and hilarious costumes. My roommate, Kristi, and I attended, with felt emblems pinned to our stomachs ("Care Bear Stare!"). I was told by a drunk Jerome (who STILL hasn`t left yet!!), "Baby, don`t take this the wrong way, but you have the perfect body for a Care Bear!" Um....thanks? At any rate, the party was a blast, I ate some candy, met a few people, and got some good costume ideas for next year.
Anyways, back to El Dia De Los Muertos. Today, people all over Ecuador dress up in their Sunday best (kids even get the day off of school) and visit churches and graveyards, offering up fruit plates and treats to deceased family members. There are markets selling roses and purple tissue paper hearts, and little fiestas going on at every church I passed. My favorite thing was walking through a church market and hearing some spanish pop music playing (a frequent occurance, but this sounded live). Upon investigation, I found myself amidst a crowd of men watching five young women in sequined bikinis (with tassels!) gyrating their hips seductively and singing. Sounds about right for a day where people honour the dead, eh?!
There are actually festivities taking place all weekend around Cuenca. Tomorrow is All Souls Day, and Saturday is the Independecia de Cuenca (each major city celebrates it`s own Independence Day), so it promises to be an interesting weekend around here. However, it also promises to be my only Saturday off from now until Christmas, and as I haven`t left Cuenca since I got here over a month ago, I sorely need to get away and recharge my batteries. It`s been a long and busy month. Hence, I am heading to a small surf town on the coast called Montenita. There are actually quite a few teachers going, and I`m looking forward to a couple of days of fun in the sun (and hopefully some surfing, too!).

Always, Em