The sweet lady who sat on the plane next to us last April 3, 2012 as we flew into Ecuador was delighted that we were going to live in her country for three months. She had been born and raised in Ecuador and was returning to Quito from a visit with family in Miami. She eagerly supplied us with information and facts about her beloved country. Then, we told her where we would live for three months and she said, "Oh. Oh, it's cold in Riobamba. We call it frio in Rio. Frio means "freezing." Her follow-up question? "Did you bring enough clothing?"
Yes. We did bring enough clothing, and we layered everything we had. We layered during the day because the buildings, hospitals, schools, churches, businesses, and restaurants are not heated. Our Marmot coats became our most reliable piece of clothing.
We layered at night because homes/apartments are not heated. We slept under three very heavy alpaca blankets. We showered at night because we were not brave enough to shower in the morning at 5 a.m. when our alarm gently reminded us to get up and layer as quickly as possible.
Ecuador is in South America, but not all of South America is warm. It was a learning process for us. Observe the children: they layer in the morning when it's cold, but they unlayer in the afternoons on days when the sun peeks to favor their world. They learned from their parents who learned from their parents who learned from their parents how to get and stay warm.
We were never sleepy during the day. The crisp weather jarred us into attentiveness and alertness. We could see our breath every morning as we walked to school. And, every morning, the children warmly greeted us while all bundled up in their uniforms and coats. Another chilly day...and all of us hoping for "sol por la tarde!"
Now, we are home...in Phoenix and it's meeting our expectations of high summer temps. But we have the best of both worlds: the reality of and appreciation for the present heat and the memory of and appreciation for a warm experience in "frio Rio!"
Keep Looking Up and we will, too! Jim and Linda
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