Winter

January 16

While all you Canadians are shoveling your car out from the snow, I sit in my room in shorts and a tank top with a fan directed at me. Winter here is much different than back home. Although it rains almost daily, the temperature is still warm enough that an umbrella in unnecessary because it feels so good. However, the temperature is not the only distinguishing factor between winter in Canada and in Ecuador. 

Yesterday was a very ... interesting... experience for me. Have you ever hear of los grillos? They are giant crickets that apparently multiply in winter. Let me paint you a picture so you know what I mean.

Imagine you walk into a pet store because you need 

food for your frog. You ask the salesperson if you 

can buy 20 crickets to feed your beloved pet. But rather

than giving you a small bag with 20 crickets, she takes 

you to the back room where they store them by the 

thousands in a big bin. She pulls out her wand and uses her 

sorcerer powers to shrink you down to be 3 inches tall.

Because she is clearly the queen cricket and needs to 

feed her babies (who like to eat humans) she throws you 

into the cricket bin. Now you are 3 inches tall with crickets

flying, jumping and crawing all over you. Keep in mind that 

since you are so small, these things are giant - they are grillos.

This is basically what I experienced yesterday. It was funny to see everyone freak out when they came near you but I understand how disgusting it is. You could literally shovel them off the sidewalk. So although I may be experiencing massive amount of heat, your nightly snowfall (for some of you) is probably more tolerable than los grillos.

... So don't be too jealous.