Welcome to the fourth blog of the year. This month has been very interesting with everything going on but I am happy to say that I am healthy and doing my best every day to get by. 

As many of you know and are experiencing we are in a pandemic and therefore our lives have changed drastically. For us, the quarantine began over a month ago. It began with schools closing until further notice. Because schools closed CEDEI as well stopped classes in person and we had to end the cycle online. This was a huge shift since I have never thought online classes before. To be honest it was very complicated and I experienced many issues that could have easily been avoided. 

One of the hardest changes for me has been not going to the Fundacion. I had to go in for 2 days after the government shut down schools and began quarantine. It was not open for the kids, just the staff and it felt so strange being in the Fundacion without all my kids. I miss my students so much and not knowing what is happening with them is hard. I maintain communication through Facebook with some of my kids and at times even help with homework. However, it is not the same. I miss seeing their faces and all the hugs I receive.  They mean a lot to me and I am constantly worried about them and their families knowing that many of their parents are out of jobs and are experiencing hardship. Also, many of them do not have the necessary materials to learn online. Recently a newspaper published that 60% of Ecuadorian children do not have adequate materials to learn online. I know the Fundacion plays such a huge factor in the life of these kids and I am very sad that it is not open and they can not receive the resources it provides. 

Headed to the Fundacion during the pandemic 

Last time on the bus 

Some of the restrictions that the government has put in place seem harsh in comparison to other countries. Ecuador has put in place a curfew and if not followed there are consequences. The first consequence is receiving a fine of $100, the second consequence is paying the minimum wage which is $400 and the third and most harsh one is going to jail.  No one can be outside unless it is to buy food, go to the doctor or the pharmacy. The first curfew that was put in place was from 9 pm-5 am, then 7 pm-5 am and the latest curfew is now from 2 pm-5 am.  I barely go outside, only when it is necessary. The times I have gone outside caught me by surprise. There is a different vibe going on. Everyone is wearing a mask and gloves and fear is visible. If I am being honest it is sad to step outside and see the city you love be so different. I miss seeing the Plaza San Francisco full of artisan vendors and full of people. Now even to go to stores you have to wear a mask, gloves and have to get sprayed by alcohol to enter. Only one person from the family is allowed to go into stores and it depends on the last digits of one’s ID or driver’s license. Even in our apartment, we have rules regarding going out. We have to take an extra pair of shoes and clothes to change when we come back, use hand sanitizer, no visitors, disinfect all of the food we buy and clean the floor to kill all bacteria and viruses we might have brought it. There are a lot of new changes and it has been hard to adjust. I miss my walks to work, teaching in-person, taking pictures of the beautiful city,  buying street food, going to the market to buy fruit, riding the bus, walking past La Feria Libre, and most of all I miss my kids. 

Travel restrictions 

Groceries to last us a while

News about the curfew 

Despite all of these changes, I am happy that I am safe, healthy and continue to have a job which sadly is not the same for many individuals.  Ecuador took measures pretty fast, and although there is a lot of controversy about this topic, it has been strict with all the restrictions and measures to keep everyone home and stop the spread of the Corona-Virus. All of the borders are closed as well as International airports and only some humanitarian flights can leave the country. Unfortunately, Guayas has been the providence that has been most affected by the virus and is experiencing a lot of deaths due to the virus and other reasons. Everyday stories on the news about Guayaquil depict the huge problem that is going on. One reason many say  Guayaquil has the most cases in the country is that people are not following the rules of staying home. The reality is that Guayaquil has more poverty than Cuenca and individuals can not stay home. They need to continue working and earn money daily. This goes to show that the problem is more than just the virus and that many people are suffering due to poverty and lack of resources.

Statistics regarding cases in Ecuador 

Being stuck at home all day has affected my Mental Health. I have been doing a lot of sleeping, crying and overall have been overwhelmed with everything going on. I have isolated myself and have found doing basic things like eating, showering, etc become harder. It is something that no one has dealt with before and has caused many changes. Something I keep telling myself is that I have to allow myself to feel what I feel and process all the feelings and continue despite everything going on. It sucks that our last months here in Ecuador have to end like this and we are not able to travel as we had planned. Despite not always feeling my best I have found ways to distract myself. Painting, playing cards, watching movies/  Netflix series, calling family, talking to friends, exercising, and even playing with the kids next door has helped a lot mentally and brings joy to my life. It nice knowing that there are a lot of things I can do to have fun and feel complete while being inside all day. 

Enjoying  a snack while watching Netflix 

Painting 

I am taking all the measures put in place very seriously and hope that as time passes things get better here in Ecuador and all around the world. I know these are hard times and there is so much uncertainty for a lot of individuals. I feel grateful to still have a job, source of income and family and friends who support me and give me love despite being far away. Thank you all for reading and I hope things get better for everyone soon. Until next time.