in the news...

So, I have been recuperating from my illness by eating lots of fresh fruit, juice and soup. today i tried a soup with chicken & cows feet plus liver- real healthy and although i didnt try the chicken feet the cow was delicious!
Lately i have been trying to concentrate on turning my spanish into something useful. I read the papers here and go to class with articles that i want to discuss knowledgeably. i try to keep up a daily diologue in Spanish about politics here in Quito and whatever else keeps the conversation heated and interesting. i now have a conversational partner- english for spanish with an ecuadorian who enjoys politics. this is a good opportunity, becuase i can ask a longterm Quito resident for info and opinion.

I have discovered from the local paper that Libya, Iran and Russia are all making friends with
Ecuador. President Correa just visited Iran- who is lending money and technology to Ecuador for securing the Columbian boarder and then Correa popped in to visit Gaddafi, to express his admiration for his political career. Interesting yes? My profesor commented that these relations will be good for Ecuador- Libya has oil, so does Ecuador. She views this as a possible new aliance that can strengthen Ecuador. It does appear that Correa is rapidly shifting the country left, opposing privatization, and doing a lot of social spending. He is also known and criticized for having a quick temper, and being really good looking. Quitenos say that his volitile personality makes him untrustworthy with political decisions and several have commented that he was elected over a better qualified encumbant, based on his looks. Well, the voting process is never perfect.

Other news here: relations with Brazil have been strained due to corrupt Brasilian contstruction firms. one, Odebrecht, built a hydroelectric plant last year with money lent to Ecuador from a development bank in Brasil. the plant was built poorly and the Odebrecht spent some time fixing it. Now it is fine, but the incident amplified tensions caused by on-going problems with Brasilian companies that have overcharged for shoddy work. Not only have I read about this, but I know a Brasiliano who worked on that project. the result was that Correa kicked out all Brasilan construction companies, leaving 3500 Brasilian workers jobless and several projects on hold. however, this week diologue has reopened.

To illustrate the logic of the government here, Ecuador is due to make a foreign debt payment in 2012 of 30.6 million (out of 680million) , but Correa has declared the debt illigitamate, becuase the previous government had aquirred the money and misappropriated it. well, in the same time frame, Ecuador just bought some huge airplane for some amount similar to the debt payment.

Here is another example. Recently the constitution was revised and that means that all sorts of bureaucratic mayhem has ensued. for example, when i left for Ecuador all official websites indicated that obtaining a tourist visa was as simple as paying $30 dolars. I have recently learned that these websites are pathetically behind in current information and that in the last few months, regulations and laws on immigration and all visas have changed sporatically.

For me this has manifested as running around to all sort of offices with officials holding differing opinions. then there are the rumors and tall tales of people successfully gaining visas, or that crossing the Colombian boarder works, mixed with scary accounts of huge fines, extortion, and unsafe boarders- and not because of FARC or drugtrafficing.
okay- so here is my situation. I need just a little more time. I want to investigate the flower-trade in Ecuador, workers conditions, wages, export. I can sort of speak Spanish now so its possible, with a native Spanish-speaking friend to interview people. find microfinance in the city ect. But, my visa expires on the 2nd of January. between after xmas and the new year is a really hectic time to travel. and i dont want to up and scram out of Ecuador without checking out topics and territory a little more.