An Ecuadorian Christmas.....

Well after having tried so hard to compress the homesickness, I was getting worried that I wouldn't be able to enjoy my first Ecuadorian Christmas!

However, the Saturday before, on 23rd Dec, wandering around one of the shopping malls here, I was flooded with an intense peace and a sense of quiet joy. It was a very real awareness of people praying for me. From then on I knew it was going to be okay and that I was now in a place ready to embrace an Ecuadorian Christmas. All the fighting emotions of not being with those I love most at this time of year began to clam down.

And what a Christmas I have had! I have loved it to the full!! But where on earth do I start in describing it to you?? I reckon snapshots are best!

As I said in an earlier entry, all the celebrations here happen on the evening of 24th Dec, by the 25th normal bus services are running, and at 7am on Boxing Day there were men digging up the road outside my house! So literally 'La Noche Buena' the evening of the 24th Dec is the big party and celebration!

I spent it with my Ecuadorian friends Jose and Jacqueline. We left church at 10pm and although I knew it was tradition to stay awake until midnight to welcome Christmas Day in... I didn't realise I had to wait for my Christmas Dinner until midnight as well!!! I was starving!

I watched people arrive by the truckload to neighbours' houses, at 11pm, ready to share in the family Christmas dinner! One family of 14 stepped out of the back of a truck, children wild with excitement for their family celebrations (and presents!)

The streets were alive with people all night, and children appeared to have the job of setting fireworks off every few minutes. I watched a five year old, whom I know well down that street, set off several fireworks.... no concept of safety! At one point every few seconds there was the sound of firecrakers in the street!

We sat in the street, outside Jose and Jacqueline's home, with the radio blaring out salsa music, as we were waiting for midnight. Many of the neighbours did the same. And although salsa is looked down upon by the church here... we did have impromptu salsa dancing between the neighbours which was fantastic! Quite literally dancing in the streets on Christmas Eve! One of those memories I will always keep!

After an array of fireworks at midnight, we were then allowed to eat our Christmas Dinner!
There was tomato ketchup instead of cranberry sauce...
Rice and chocolo instead of yummy roast potatoes (I did miss them!)...
Cold broccali instead of warm vegetables...
Raw carrot and cucumber....
And... wait for it... this is the best yet.... HOT CHOCOLATE served as the drink with the turkey!!! I thought it was just a strange quirk of my friends, but chatting to Dave on the phone the next day he had experienced the same during Christmas Dinner in Peru last year, so clearly it's a South American tradition!!! I am such a chocolate fan normally, but somehow it just felt too strange to accompany turkey!!!

After the dinner we were back in the street with all the other neighbours, everyone just enjoying being together. The children were up and down the street on their new bikes, with their new dolls, wearing their new clothes.... it might well have been 1am by this time, but those children had loads of energy!

Then, at 2am, Jose asked if we wanted to go and visit his uncle???!! At 2am in the morning! I answered with a rather overly enthusiastic 'yes' (I think the adrenaline had kicked in somewhat!!) So off we went to join his uncle, his uncle's family and the party going on in his street! I had (innocently) thought that the roads would be quite empty at 2am on Christmas Day morning, but we found ourselves in traffic jams as it seems this was the hour to go visiting the relatives!!!

I returned to my flat at 4am in the morning (25th Dec) only to wake up at 7.30am for a Chritsmas Phonecall with my family in UK!!! Such maddness!

The 25th really did just feel like Boxing Day, it was all over, the excitement had finished and the turkey curry was being served!!!