Carnival!

What is Carnival? Not being Catholics, it took us awhile to figure it out. It's the equivalent of Mardi Gras in the US. This four day event begins on the Saturday before Ash Wednesday and ends on "Fat Tuesday" just before the Lent Season which begins on Ash Wednesday. The four days are a time of excess-- overeating, binge drinking, masquerading in elaborate costumes. As you may know, most Catholics give up some indulgences during Lent so the Carnival celebration is to indugle oneself prior to the Lent season.

Carnival is celebrated in many different ways across the country, but one tradition throughout the entire country is to get each other wet with waterballons, squirt guns, even buckets of water. In addition to water, mostly teenagers and children spray a foamy substance, like shaving cream at people and cars. Not just in these four days, but in the weeks leading up to Carnival, children hide in doorways or on the rooftops and toss waterballons at pedestrians. Sometimes even eggs and flour are thrown at each other. As gringos, we were told we might be  "targets" so we walked with vigilence over the past few weeks. We felt as fugitives looking for snipers on the rooftops. We dodged a few waterballons hurled at us from rooftops across the street. At one time, I (Sara) had to shake my finger at a few kids holding waterballons. Although the crazy game is generally played only by teenagers and children, the teachers here at our school had some fun with waterballons on the Friday prior to the Carnival vacation. Last Friday was also Ben's birthday. The English teachers hosted a small gathering for cake. We have learned that Ecuadorians like their fireworks but for a birthday candle...