Science Fair and My Skateboard

So I meant to write this last week but I forgot, then I left Quito for the long weekend we had here and have been away from my computer until now.

So on Thursday of last week we had our first three subjects and then la Inspectora came into class and said we were going to a science fair at another high school outside of Quito. So the two IB classes packed into buses and we set off of for the Valley of San Rafael, about 30 mins from the the center of Quito.

The school was pretty normal, it was more spread out than ours and had lots of separate buildings, which I liked better than our prison block set up. Each of the buildings was a block of classrooms and they were all packed with students. We were obviously not the only high school invited because there with kids with all different kinds of uniforms wandering around. We (Alex and I) were ushered into one of the first rooms and told to ask questions about the science projects, which were all being displayed on desks and tables.

After about 15 minutes of looking around I came to the conclusion that Ecuadorian science fairs are a thousand times more interesting than what we do in the states. There were groups making smoke machines to be used in clubs, organic pesticides that not only worked, but also could be sold commercially, also there were several groups experimenting with homemade sugar substitutes that they made into candy for diabetics.

The thing that surprised me the most was the fact that some groups were distilling alcohol, and giving away tiny bottles of it, for a school project. I couldn't get my head around this. I imagined the reactions I would get at Norwell High School if I showed up the day of the science fair with a small distillery churning out pure alcohol, I think I would probably be kicked out of school hahaha.

But the funniest thing about this whole trip was the reactions the other students were having to Alex and I. Every two or three minutes groups of girls would come up to us and ask to take pictures, at first this wasn't that strange, we are gringo's, fascinating to many Ecuadorians, but after a while it stared getting ridiculous. People would wait outside the classrooms for us to leave so they could ask for a photo, or the less patient ones simply tried sneakily to take pictures with their cell phones. Eventually we figured out that most of the other schools have never had exchange students, this explained why we felt like we celebrities being followed by the papparazzi. The whole thing was really funny, I would be interested to know how many random people photos I am now in.

Earlier last week I finally got to pick up my skateboard, which Mum had sent some time ago (THANKS!), from one of the post offices here in Quito. It cost me an arm and a leg due to crazy regulations on sending packages to Ecuador, but i couldnt just leave it there.

Anyway, so after we got back formt the science fair I went back to the house to eat and pick up my board. Then I took the bus to the big park in the center of the city. I think I described it in an earlier post, but the its called La Carolina, and its huge, but the only part I really care about obviously is the skate park. It took some time to figure everything out including the people there, they are all nice and but they have a tight knit group so I skated mostly on my own. Its such a fun place, I know I will be spending a good chunk of my free time there. In fact, I would be there now but it raining, hence, time to write.

Yeah, so I still have to write about this weekend, I did so much. I am dreading writing about it all, a daunting task indeed, but I will. So it may be up later today or tomorrow or even the thursday. I guess it all depends on how long this rain keep up and how much tea I can get my hands on.