Ecuadorian Baptism Party

Making the potato pancake things.  Note the ginormous pig.

So much food! These are just the appetizers

Sebas (left) with the DJ

Vicente, my six year old dance partner

Courtney with our humongous plates of food

Sebas and I.  He was so cute in his suit!!

Doña Cecelia with a huge plate of food. 

It's a big deal.  Like wedding big deal.  So much food. Enough to feed an army.

Sebas (one of our students - he invited us to the baptism) came to our house early in the afternoon so he could bring us back to the house.  It was the most convoluted route - by the end we had no idea where we were.  We took the same bus that we take to school, but then turned here and there, crossed a big road, went up steep stairs cut into the side of a hillside and walked some more.  We got to his house around 2:45 and were the first guests there, as apparently we weren't going to the church for the actual ceremony, just the celebration afterwards.  And the party didn't start until five.  Awkward.  Four gringo girls just chillin at the house.  In dresses.  We helped put chairs out and make the potato pancake-like things, but other than that we kind of felt like we were in the way.  But we had Sebas and his cousins to talk to - one of them, Vicent, fought to sit next to me and was such a sweetheart of a six year old.  Definitely my dance partner for the night.

Not only did they have several large speakers, but they had a DJ with a real desktop computer and a disco ball.  They all went around and gave toasts (there was a head table with the parents and direct family of the little three year old juan adrian).  They started having other people speak, and we were so worried that everyone would have to say something.  And that we would have to give a toast.  Cue stomach churning.  But thank goodness that was not the case.  We drank to the occasion and then the dancing began.  We had to burn off enough calories so that we were ready for the feast to come!  There were many appetizers of cookies and fresco queso cheese and little candies.  The first round was soup with rice and veggies and a whole potato and a chunk of chicken.  Pretty much filling just by itself.  The main dish was pork (they grilled a whole pig and they told us that they killed it themselves on thursday) and potatoes (a mix of sweet and normal potatoes in a patty like form cooked on a skillet, but still soft on the inside) and ecuadorian corn off the cob and shredded lettuce.  Doesn't sound like a whole lot, but it was piled high on these plates.  Enough so that you made sure to balance your plate really carefully so it wouldn't all topple.  We had no idea how we would eat it all, but figured it would be rude to leave any food (this is a huge deal for them.  they save and save to throw a huge event like this.  their house has dirt floors and two bedrooms for at least ten people.).  Thankfully they gave everyone bags to put their food in so that you could eat a portion and save the rest of your plate.

We left shortly after the dinner, as Caitlin wasn't feeling so well, and as we had been there for around six hours.  It was such an amazing experience to have and to witness the generosity of this family and ecuadorians in general.  They have so little, but will share whatever they have.  They invited us, shared their celebration and food and culture with us when they never had to do that.  Also, as we were asking for directions to tell our cab driver (no way we were wandering home at night) Doña Cecelia's husband offered to drive us home (Doña Cecilia is Sebas' grandmother) and he took us all the way to our door.  He refused to let us off anywhere else.  We were so grateful for the ride!! And for the opportunity to take part in this wonderful, happy celebration.  The ride home was especially beautiful, as all of Quito was lit up.  It was cool to take the same bus route that we take home from school, but at night it looked completely different.  It's a little bit higher than the main part of Quito, so we got a gorgeous elevated view of Quito at night (we passed by the field that we went to on thursday and at night it looked even prettier).  Quito is so lit up at night.  Lights as far as you can see, except partway up the mountainsides they stop.

One day left in this lovely city and so much to do.  We are going to the virgin statue (el panecillo) in the morning and then maybe the zoo, maybe the botanical gardens, the artisinal market in la mariscal, and maybe the basilica. And then maybe we'll pass out. Livin it up on our last day.  So much left to do.