It’s Christmas season! Though, honestly, I am not feeling it. It is easy to forget how much we rely on artificial stuff to create that Christmas vibe. Honestly, in Europe and the States the whole town is made up in Christmas deco, starting November. You get Christmas cookies, Christmas chocolate, Christmas music, Christmas everything — [...]

Ever since I got to Ecuador two months ago, I have been giving homework help to disadvantaged working children — from the second to the sixth grade — in the South of Quito. These kids, while they usually do not live on the streets, do not have the support they need from their families. Their [...]

Blackouts are huge news when they occur in the developed world, even if the electricity was gone for just half an hour. It’s a big deal to us these days — it almost seems we are hardly able to survive without that most important of utilities. Here in Ecuador, though, occasional blackouts seem to be [...]

It’s a fact. They are irrational, aggressive and annoying — especially when they are driving the Trolebus, Ecuador’s electrified commuter bus. They will go ahead full speed whenever they can, just to slam on the breaks when they reach the next stoplight or station or sometimes for no reason at all. They couldn’t care less [...]

Last weekend, I was above 4,000m for the first time in my life: we climbed Rucu Pichincha (4,680m). It was quite amazing actually — not because the climb was that special but because it was so normal. The human body’s ability to adopt to different environmental conditions is absolutely stunning. Since Quito itself is at [...]