Colors of Quito

We first got into Quito, Ecuador at night from a full day of traveling. Exiting the airport the first thing I noticed was the cool fresh air and the sharp orange lights twisting up the sides of the mountains that surround the airport. The students and professors collected onto a charter bus and started our descent up one of the mountains to our hotel. I immediately noticed the relaxed and friendly nature of the Ecuadorian people that we came into contact with. The reception we received from customs was very different than any experience I have ever had in the Logan Airport. The city was hard to take in at night, but the next morning was an eye opening experience. The roads are very compact, filled with people. There are lots of people around selling various things, like ice cream, cocoa leaves and scarves. The buildings are all beautiful colors, but are usually chipping in areas. The city carries a warmth with it.

Our program’s orientation featured many cautionary tales of what could happen if we don’t be careful. There are a few medical concerns that we needed to be concerned about. There are mosquitos in Ecuador, but not in Quito. Mosquitos in Ecuador can carry Zika, Yellow Fever, and Malaria. We need to be aware of Traveler’s Diarrhea and altitude sickness because Quito is at 9,500 feet. The main concern, as far as danger, is of thieves, and areas that are more dangerous than others. We were told of areas were we could go in groups of two-three, areas we had to go in groups of at least five, and areas we could not go. And at the end we talked about the different responsibilities of each class. For the culture class we are required to keep a sketch journal that we write in everyday, both pictures and writing. For our video class, we talked about our four video projects, and how to preliminarily use the camera. I was surprised about the mosquito concern, that we could go to dangerous areas during the day, and that we could have people steal our things, but I am still excited all the same.