I can now call Cuenca my home!

Last Sunday, I met my familia anfitriona that I’ll be living with for the next four months: My lovely host mother Teresita, a very fluffy dog named Dory (yes, after the fish), and an elusive cat by the name of Copo. The house is in the tranquil neighborhood of La Ciudadela de Los Profesores, with a beautiful view of the mountains and a convenient bus line straight to the city center — speaking of which, it’s been a packed week in The City of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca, so here’s an update:

– Salsa! Salsa music and dancing are very popular throughout South America, and I spent my Tuesday afternoon twisting and twirling to the beat at a dance class! Though it may look a bit difficult, I was able to learn the basics of salsa in under an hour.

– Mis cumpleaños! Birthday celebrations are important to Cuencanos, and I spent my 18th with my host family and new friends by trying traditional ecuadorian pastries and eating lots of cake.

– Chicken foot soup! A common meal here in Cuenca, chicken foot soup is very similar to chicken noodle soup … with an extra ingredient.

– La Limpia, or “The Cleansing”: It is common for both locals and travellers to perform this spiritual marketplace ritual on a regular basis — consisting of several components (including rubbing an egg on one’s body, as seen in the above picture), it is said to clease the soul and diagnose issues in energy and surroundings.

– Earthquake! About 2.5 hours north of Cuenca, the city of Chimborazo was hit with a terramoto of 6.6 degree. I was inside at the time, and was able to take safe precautions — though a few picture frames fell off of the wall, we didn’t feel anything more than a soft shake, and no injuries have been reported.

Though much of my time is occupied with intensive language classes, I’ve spent every free second exploring the vibrant city of Cuenca! The city has a rich and turbulent history — in only the past 600 years, it has been occupied by Cañaris, Incas, and Spaniards, each of which has left fingerprints on the language and architecture. For any fans of Spanish mythology — Cuenca is considered a likely candidate for stories of the golden city of El Dorado, and though I have yet to discover streets made from precious metals, its decadent Spanish architecture definitely rings a bell. Directly in the center of the city are the towering New and Old Cathedrals, and vendors selling traditional woven hats and aromatic fried foods swarm the streets of downtown.

My plans for the next week include hiking nearby mountains, visiting a local art museum, and (of course) perfecting my spanish! I look forward to sharing more stories to come.

Keep on adventuring!