home soon

Well, in 3 weeks I will go home, so what can I say about my year in Ecuador?  There are, of course, good and bad things; stuff I`ll miss and stuff I won`t.  Today the weather in Loja is beautiful and the surrounding hils are inviting for a Sunday walk.  The smell of the Podocarpus trees in the national park drift down over my balcony and I`ve just enjoyed, as always, a visit to the Sunday street market.  I`ve been to other markets in Ecuador but none of them rival the atmosphere of the on in Loja.  Smells of fresh fruit and herbs fill the air and mingle with the shouts of vendors and haggling of customers.  The colours and amazing variety of fruits delights the eyes; I still haven`t tried them all......

I`ll miss the amazing changing scenery: here we are in the hills, fairly temporate climate, but only an hour and a half down to Zamora and you`re getting into the rainforest.  This part of Podocarpus National Park is completely diferent from the part up here: see my photos from last weekend.  Different still is the jungle right down where my Dad lived.  There it`s much more colourful, the constant sound of animals in the night, and it`s sooo hot.  Life crams every available inch from ground to air,exhilerating in its sheer variety and proliferation.

I`ll miss the warmth and tactility of the people, the affection of my students, the fun we have together, the satisfaction of their appreciation.

I won`t miss the food: chicken and rice, pork and rice, fish and rice...... everything and rice, even chips and rice on teh same plate.  Trouble is, I hate rice!  There`s little imagination in the cuisine or in the culture in general.  They say that Loja is the "musical capitol of Ecuador", but I hear little that`s original or different: a disappointment after 7 years in Bristol, a town positively overflowing with fresh tunes!

Culture here refers to the way people behave, which is often very conservative and family orientated.  There is racism.  They stare at me for the tattoos on my arm - not many women have them.  There is little culture in the sense of music, art and cuisine.  I can`t wait for a curry and a pint of Guiness! I`ve applied for work in Spain; I`m imagining chorizo, jamon serano and good red wine.

But I will miss Ecuador, and, who knows? If I can`t get work in Spain I may well apply to come back here.  I`m familiar with the systems and the way of life.  I don`t think I`d come back to Loja though, I`d prefer a bigger city with less gossip and more multi-culturalism.  I`m fond of this country in many ways, I`ll always look back on it with a smile.  If you a person thinking of coming here, I`d say definitely try it, some people regret it but most don`t.  Just remember it`s a developing country and there will be some things you just have to do without.  It`s nothing, you get used to it, and it gives you something to look forward to when you get home,  So I`m savouring the idea of that curry - I`ll probably enjoy like I never have before, and then it`s off to the next adventure.

• Ecuador