Taxi!!! Taxi!!!!

This blog may be the funniest I have written. I do feel however, that it should be taken serious because at the time the events occurred it was not funny, but do enjoy! Taxi's in Ecuador are one of the main ways of transportation, taxi's or buses. I however do not ride the public buses because public buses here are dangerous. It is always extremely crowded which allows for easy pickpocket which happens normally here. Pickpocket is a big deal here and what makes it so bad is that these pickpocket's are good and you may not even notice your missing something until you need it. It happens like that all the time. For example my friend studying abroad here got eleven dollars stolen from her book bag while on the bus. I know eleven dollars is not a lot but it goes to show you that no amount is safe. With this being known I always take a taxi. Taking taxi's may seem easy just flag one down on the street and go but NO! Not here in Ecuador. Yellow taxi's are extremely dangerous here. Yes I know that sounds crazy but yellow taxi's are targeted. I was told once I got here about two young girls that were international students had been here for a year and decided to take a taxi off the street instead of calling one the taxi driver took them somewhere and people jumped out the trunk and robbed them. It could had been worst. Let me make this clear getting in a yellow taxi or ANY taxi (unmarked) is dangerous if you did not call a taxi company. If you call a taxi company your trip will be known and it is a less of a chance something can happen to you. Well one night after the movies I had mandatory meeting that I was notified about and hour before the meeting. I had to get to my destination so I went to the safest place I could think of to get a taxi drive. In front of the mall is the safest because the taxi driver's work for the a taxi company and they drive unmarked cars. I got into a taxi in the front seat. I do that because I do not like to appear like I am in a taxi. As the taxi driver is taking me to my destination he is talking to me. I do not understand anything because he is talking so fast so all I could say is no comprenda (i do not understand) but he just kept on talking. Once we got to the neighborhood the taxi driver did not know where to go I pointed to the left and all of sudden he bit my finger. I was so pissed I back hand slapped him and told him pare pare (stop) le taxi!!! I jumped out he was laughing like it was funny! I threw a dollar in the car which I should not had done is what people told me, but I did not want him to follow me. I was so mad and my anger took over. I would not suggest slapping the taxi driver, but I would suggest you to do something, because if you let anyone especially a man (no women drive taxi's here) they can sense that fear and take advantage of it. I know make sure I call my taxi because I know that is the safest way to deal with things. I just keep looking back on the situation, what if I did not jump out the taxi? What if he got mad that I slapped him? SO many things came into factor after the fact. I now look back and laugh at the situation because the thought of telling other people my finger got bit by a taxi driver seems to be unreal. Well I am a live example of that.

"kill me kill me!"

Those were the words of Ecuador president, Rafale Correa as he spoke to police officer and military personal as they protested against his new. Let me rewind a few years. Before Rafale Correa became president they had already had eight presidents in the past ten years. The past presidents got pushed out by protesters. Once Rafale Correa decided to pass a law that cut the benefits for police officers and military personal, most of them went on strike. Ecuador is its own country it is not like in the United States where we have one president to governor all the States. So when the president set that law the stronghold of this country (security) went under. People started stealing, setting things on fire, it was like when in the States alcohol got abolished! People where in the streets just like that and the crazy thing about it was that some of the police and military personal were joining in on the criminal acts. The country was put in a State of emergency. To make matters worst the president got stuck in a police hospital in Quito, Ecuador's capital. The police were not trying to help and to add to it thousands of people had gathered outside the hospital to wait for the president to come out. I was sure they were going to kill him. Sitting in my room I was really scared knowing this could go from bad to worst in seconds. I watched for hours as I heard sirens outside my window. Things did get worst however, night fell and with that criminals were everywhere. I was emailed by the US consulate I was to stay in my house there was no reason to leave. The president was still stuck in the hospital so a rescue was attempted. Footage from inside the hospital was scary the president was crawling on the floor once he got to the door his men had to cover his body with theirs. People were trying so hard to get to the president. I feared for his life and for mine if he was killed. I was not ready to go back to the states and thought that would had been a result had he been injured or even killed! The president got to safety but in the process one of the army personal got killed. He took a bullet for the president right on national television in front of the whole world eyes. It was a sight to see. Part of me wanted to cry. I know this is not my country but everyday I wake up and go to sleep here and I will be doing that until April, so I care about this country the people and what goes on it. I may not have much of a voice here but it is still evident that this is my home until I return to the States. What I experienced was worst than 9/11 because the war was here in Ecuador it was not in another country it was ten minutes down the street from me. Knowing that the only control you had was to stay in house left you feeling really overwhelmed!! Something about this country I realize through all of this was that this country is strong. They stick up for what they want they all have each other backs, even though what they were fighting for was done wrong, it just shows how when people feel strongly about something they can come together as a country. It may sound crazy but when 9/11 took place in the states people worried only about themselves. The finger was being pointed every which way on who to blame. The people here are strong and I want people to know that. This country may not be rich, this country may not obey traffic laws, but this country sticks together and if there is one thing the States can get from this blog is that as North American with all our right we should work together and fight together. We are in this all together. The next I expected to walk out on the street of saddness, pain, anger, but to my suprise people where out watering there plants, dancing, store open, it was as if the day before was a memory. It amazes me how one day this country can have so much anger and the next they are filled with joy. It amazes me how one day the president was almost killed and the next day everything is noremal. It amazes me how in the States we have been in war for nine years...