Nothing Short of Thankful

It is not every day you turn 35. By my count, this is the only time that I will turn 35. In accordance with the special nature of this occasion, I will now list thirty and five things for which I am thankful (not necessarily in any particular order)...

Brigitte. She is an incredible companion. The perfect partner for a million misadventures. Beautiful, carefree, bold, and much much more. She is teaching me daily. Lately, it seems she is teaching me Spanish!

Oonsk and Ba...AKA Tim and Julie...AKA Mom and Dad. Two of the most exceptional parents on the planet. They have excelled at the most important vocation of parenthood. Whether it has been mom holding my hand en route to the hospital whilst my lungs spasmed during one of my childhood asthma attacks, or dad having "the talk" with me over a Burger King breakfast of french toast sticks, these guys are professionals when it comes to parenting.

My faith. I am thankful that I believe in a God who sacrifices. A God who espouses sword holstering and cheek turning...so thankful for a God who teaches that strength is found in weakness and wisdom is found in foolishness.

The Jacobs and the Buchers. I love the laid back go with the flow nature I have inherited. I also love, as John Reinhard says, "The Bucher Buzz."

Uncle Ardie, Aunt Susie, Uncle Denny, Aunt Laurie and my Pops

Grandma and Grandpa Jacobs

Bucher, Bucher, Bucher...and Bucher, Bucher, Bucher, Bucher, and the newly arrived Bucher. Bucher is the older younger brother with business sense and wisdom beyond his years. Bucher has been the surprising first in almost everything important...matrimony, parenthood, home ownership...what is next? And Bucher is the hardest working person I know. And every other additional Bucher has just added more Buzz to the joy of being Bucher!

 

Bucher, Bucher, Bucher, Bucher, Bucher, Bucher, Bucher, Bucher, Bucher...missing from the picture are Bucher, Bucher (including his bag of Mr. Potato Head hands), and Bucher

The Anderson family. Thanks for your patience with me. You are all good examples of getting things done. Thanks for raising Brigitte so well and teaching her to work so hard...she made excellent fried chicken tonight!

The Cubs. Thank you for losing so much. You have taught me a humility, that so many fans (no names here Josh and Uncle Denny) who have had nothing but success, seem to lack. All the years of losing will only make it more sweet when we finally go all the way.

Pizza. You are so good to me. You come in many sizes...thin crust, deep dish...shapes...squares, triangles...I love all of them. Long live the blessed union of cheese, tomato sauce, and crust.

Books. You have taught and entertained me so much. In the words of my buddy Dylan, "I don't have time for fiction." But in my words, "I don't have time for nonfiction". A special thank you to Annie Dillard, Edward Abbey, Mr. Tolkien and Mr. Lewis!

Colorado. Thank you for being the healthiest state in the nation year after year. You constantly remind me, damn you, that it is not ok to sit and watch tv all day long on a Saturday...and that life is better lived out side! In spite of all the heart ache in the past few years, fires...floods...shootings....there is still no place like home. In the words of the ineffable Renee Belisle (maker of delicious cake pops), "There you go showing off again Colorado!"

Beer. Thank you for your many flavors. Porter, stout, lager, pilsner, pale ale, IPA, reds...blondes-you are all of you good friends.

Purdue. Hoosier by birth...Boilermaker by the grace of God.

Cap Hill Small Group. You know who you are. I love and miss you all! Come visit us!

My pivot bicycle. You are better than I deserve. I am thankful for how you are light enough to go uphill...and burly enough for the moments I sustain the courage to go downhill. I apologize to you for my lack of aggressiveness. 

Chacos. I never knew how much I loved these until recently. They are hanging on by a thread.

Kindle. I did not think we would hit it off. I like the touch of books like Luke and Casey like vinyl records. But here we are in September...and you are absolutely amazing. And old books are free! You make traveling even more wonderful.

The Denver Public Library. Thank you for the whole Game of Thrones series as well as the Carlos Ruiz Zafron books. Here I am in Ecuador checking out books from the Denver Public Library! Increible! (that means incredible in English).

Fall. You are a great season. Thanks for the colors, the chill in the air, and the cider. And football. I will catch you next year!

Coffee. Thanks for just being who you are. You pick me up every morning with a smile. I thank you.

Osprey. You make great bags.

The Avett Brothers. I cannot deny my man crush on Scott Avett. Thanks for singing with such joy.

Singletrack. You make mountain biking worth it. After "mountain biking" in Mexico and in Ecuador, I love and miss you more than ever.

Indiana. Thank you for the Jacobs and the Buchers and for basketball.

Basketball. Thank you for letting me play your game. 5 foot 6 on a good day and slow does not make me very effective...but I love you nonetheless.

Morgan Township. What a great school to grow up going to? Where else could an unathletic sad sack like myself have played a different sport every season?

Dr. Dog. Thank you for your consistency.

Alameda International High School and Jefferson County Public Schools. Thank you for employing me and for having great kids and great teachers. And thank you for leaves of absence!

Other countries (China, India, Mexico, Nicaragua, Colombia, Ecuador, Canada...y mas). Thank you for your food, culture, and especially your food. You have taught and continue to teach me that I am not the center of the world because I am from the United States (though sometimes I think I am).

Denver. Thank you for your location and for all of the people that you contain...even those who live in the suburbs...cough Yimmy.

Doc. Thank you for reminding me of how roads are really not that important.

The front porch at the Bucher household. Many a good time you have hosted.

English. Learning a second language is helping me really appreciate how easy it is to speak my first. 

The Navajo Reservation. Thank you for three good years.

Havasu Canyon and all of the waterfalls contained within. I do not think that I can express the joy I experience every time I go here. Specifically when you get behind a waterfall.

The Grand Canyon. I miss you. We shall meet again. That is me riding one of God's water slides.

Thanks to anyone who was foolish enough to read this leviathan. More Ecuador next week!

At the Beach

"Then the wild and distant seas where he rolled his island bulk: the undeliverable, nameless perils of the whale; these, with all the attending marvels of a thousand Patagonian sights and sounds, helped to sway me to my wish. With other men, perhaps, such things would not have been inducements; but as for me, I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote." Herman Melville

We felt the itch for distant seas and the island bulk of the whale last weekend. So we went to Puerto Lopez. Puerto Lopez is a small fishing village on the central Pacific coast of Ecuador. To get there, we took a 4 hour bus ride northeast to Guayacil, then took another 4 to 5 hour bus ride northeast to Puerto Lopez.

Puerto Lopez is most famous for whales. Whales go there to breed from June to September.  Since we were on the tail end of this season, we were worried that we might not see any whales. Fortunately, we caught the tail end of some whales...

We arrived in Puerto Lopez on Friday. We booked a tour (insert your token Gilligan's Isle reference here...except that our tour was a full day...and not 3 hours...and we lacked a millionaire...and a Gilligan...but we did have a skipper) and Saturday morning we were on our way to whale watching. Our tour included the following activities...whale watching, a hike on the Isla de la Plata, lunch, esnorkeling (translated to English...snorkeling), and more whale watching.

Upon our arrival to the Isla De Plata...

we encountered a variety of different animals...including sea turtles...

and crabs...

Blue footed boobies...

And other fowl creatures.

On our return to mainland the captain slowed the engine and Gonzolo shouted, "Mira! Ballenas!" Brigitte and I scrambled to the top of the boat to try and capture a few photos. With the boat moving in the waves it was difficult to capture images (you toggle between just letting your jaw drop and trying to take the photos). It is almost as if you have to choose whether to take photos or simply watch. 

The humpback whales are a thing of beauty to behold. The males launch into the air and the crash back down into the water in an attempt to woo the females. It reminded me of the many times I tried to woo females by launching into the air and crashing into the land. But the whales have it figured out. They use water!

We were told that if we had come during the heart of the season, we would have been surrounded by whales. 

After we had our whale time, while we were returning to mainland, our boat had some mechanicals. The brave mariners worked on the engine while the waves tossed us about. Brigitte tugged my sleeve and said, "I think I might get..." and suddenly, mid sentence, she turned and lost her lunch over the side of the ship. Immediately after Brigitte finished her gift giving to the sea, another woman in our group followed suite. Thankfully it stopped there...before all 15 of us got sick. After a short while the seamen fixed the motor and off we were.

The next day we explored the local playas with a friend we met on our whale tour. Her name was Daniella and she was from Chile. She patiently put up with our banal Spanish banter. 

Daniella started singing while we were on the beach, "Abajo el mar! Abajo el mar!" We recognized the tune and started singing as well, "Under the sea! Under the sea!" This must have inspired my Sebastian crablike tribute...

 Then Brigitte joined me...

We finished up the trip at a place called agua blanca. But the water was not white. It was like a hot spring, minus the heat...plus the sulfuric smell. The mud was supposed to be good for your skin. And Lord knows my skin needs all the help it can get, so we pulled a "when in Rome" or a "cuando en Roma" and smeared mud all over our faces.

And Brigitte took the best photo of her short 31 years...

We are happy to report the mud had an amazing effect on our skin. Specifically mine. Remember those Bucher bags I have under neath my eyes? You know the ones (Bucher, Bucher, Bucher...and even Bucher, you guys really know what I am talking about. I am bringing some mud back for next summer). My wrinkly under eye bags have now gone the way of the buffalo. Thanks Ecuador! Meanwhile Brigitte maintained her stunningly beautiful appearance.

For Better or For Worse

Do you ever feel like your life is mundane and boring?  When people ask you what you have been up to you are at a loss for words? This is how I feel as I begin to write this blog. Sure, we seem to be getting busier and busier as our life changes and develops in Ecuador. But, does anyone really want to know about it? Well for better or worse, this is a snap shot into our lives. 

We finally went on a "city tour" this past week even though we have been in Cuenca 5 weeks. You would think we would know everything by now. Come to find out, Panama hats are from Ecuador and are made in Ecuador...they just became popular during the construction of the Panama Canal. Andy and I got to see a Panama Hat factory. 

But you can also buy hats at the factory. What do you think? Should Andy buy this hat? 

We also finally went to the up a tower of the Neuva Catedral (New Cathedral) after 4 days of clouds we celebrated seeing a beautiful view. 

We started volunteering with an after school program this last week. We help "primary students" k-1st here with their "deber"  which translated means must but we understand it as homework. But, there is K-6th grade at the program. Our limited Spanish limits us from helping the older kids. The kids are from families who work in the local market. This work is very demanding, so the after school program helps kids do their homework and play. Monica, one the workers, told us that some kids live with 5 people in one room !!!! They are pretty cute and it is fun to help draw circles, do patterns, and count.  But they are also rowdy and can be a tad violent as they play during free time. We are getting to know them better and are working on building some rapport since we really do not know how react when kids are pulling hair and say it is just a game.  A side note, Darwin, a 5 year old, totally killed me at marbles. 

Andy and I went to Cajas National Park again this weekend. It was super fun and beautiful. 

We went with a club from Cuenca and visited a different part of the national park. 

There seems to be lakes everywhere in Cajas. 

More Lakes!

We made some British friends the last two weeks or so, Steven in the middle and Anthony on the right. I love our random faces in this photo. 

We enjoyed the sunset on Saturday night with a view of the New Cathedral. I love the architecture here in Cuenca. 

I guess my week was not that boring!

I'm Lovin' It!

I never eat McDonald's in the states (except that one time on the Reservation...).... but when I travel... And I get lonely...I have been known to cave in to the familiar french fried wicked deliciousness that is McDonald's (emphasis on wicked). Three examples.

• China, 2004...I was teaching English in China. We had free access to Chinese food in the school cafeteria. It was disgusting, the golden arches called, and often we answered. 
• India, 2007...I got sick visiting my buddy Lon. My first post Dehli belly meal? A "chicken burger" (they do not serve hamburger in India due to obvious cattle restrictions) from McDonald's. 
• Mexico, 2010...I was studying Spanish for a month in San Cristobal De Las Casas...when loneliness struck. What makes people feel happy when they are lonely in another country? Big mac mblt a quater pounder with some cheese...

For those keeping track at home, that is McDonald's 3 Bucher 0.

Thankfully thus far I have had the self-control to "say no".

But I still want to eat things that I know, especially after a month and a half of eating different food. Thankfully I married Brigitte. She pushes me from the tacos and sandwiches that I tend toward.

This week we prepared Seco de Pollo. Literally, it sure seams to mean dry chicken. I like my chicken a bit on the moist side. But in reality, it is more of a sauce or stew of chicken. We procured the recipe from here. We enjoyed the chicken quite a bit. It is one of the more popular dishes here. There are a variety of "Seco de..." dishes, "Seco de Chivo", "Seco de Res", etc... Here is Brigitte enjoying her "dry" chicken.

Brigitte really is the machine that makes this Bucher Anderson cooking thing work. She is always ready to push us to infinity and beyond while I want to stay in the finite and remain.

We enjoyed another Ecuadorian food this week, they are called salchipapas. Salchipapas are literally a mix of two great things...salchichas (hot dogs) and papas (french fries)...Salchipapas. Increible!

Usually they are served in a bowl, slathered in ketchup and mayo. Then, they are eaten with a toothpick. Salchipapas literally fuel Ecuador. President Correa is probably slumped over his desk planning the exploitation of the Yasuni as I write this, with a bowl of salchipapas keeping him going...dripping ketchup and mayo all over important documents.

One of our teachers (Brigitte's specifically) was kind enough to invite us to his hometown for Sunday. Sundays here in Cuenca are really...really...quiet. Nothing happens. At the beginning of our time here we thought that the rapture had come, and there had been some sort of miscommunication. But no, the people just leave. So Gabriel was kind to invite us to his hometown about an hour away. There, we were able to have a good time doing the things you do on a Sunday in Ecuador, like wearing small hats...

And jump on suspension bridges...

And even open up the doors of our perception...

We are excited this week as we are going to probably begin volunteering at an after school program! We also hope to NOT eat McDonald's!

Español v. English

Have you ever thought about how fighting the good fight is...a fight? Fights in and of themselves are not easy. I know. Ben is my younger brother and for the first few years of life I could take him. But then, sadly, the younger brother that is Ben (though he would wish to be known as the older brother) could take me. I imagine this is still the case, which is why I am rather inclined to pacifism these days. Thanks to Ben...Thoreau...and Jesus.

That being said, our fight here is a battle against English. I apologize for the violent verbiage but for me it is very hard. I just want to swim in a sea of English. I want to approach random white people for conversations...sometimes this results in conflict between Brigitte and I. Here is a photo of Brigitte and I after we began fighting because she wanted to speak English and I wanted to speak Spanish...

Brigitte has been doing an incredible job of speaking Spanish, and I am jealous of how quickly she is learning Spanish. Her determination, energy...and creative use of hand motions get her far. When others learn that she has only been studying Spanish since the end of July, they are always impressed. But we still have a long way to go.

Oftentimes Brigitte struggles with the difference between "buenos dias", which is good morning, and "buenas tardes", which is good afternoon. My approach to this is to simply utter, "buenos..." or even the more brief, "bueno...". This has resulted in many instances where we walk into a store in the afternoon, and Brigitte boldly begins, "BUENOS DIAS!" to which I quietly add, "tardes", we laugh...the clerk laughs...and then we move on with the conversation. Today we went through these motions. She declared BUENOS DIAS, I corrected her, but then she pointed out that the man at the store had initiated with a "buenos dias". I was appropriately chastened, because it was 11: 45. Still buenos dias.

We like the bread here a lot. While my brother is learning how to slang bread, I am continuing to hone my ability to consume it. Last Friday our teachers took us to a panaderia (bakery) where they use a wood stove to cook their bread. I know man "cannot live by bread alone"...but this bread does make it tempting...

It was warm and it was good. So good. Brigitte has had to physically restrain me because I want to quit school...quit everything in fact, and just eat bread at this panaderia.

This bakery was found in the old school bakery sector. That is how it is here, things are divided into sectors. The furniture sector. The car repair sector. The school supply sector. If you walk a few blocks and only see hats in every shop, then you guessed it, you are in the sombrero sector! During our Friday field trip, guess which sector we went to?

No, it is not the crazy monument sector. Instead it is the blacksmith/ironworking sector. And in it, they have the coolest monument that we have ever seen. This is a monument of a blacksmith exploding out of a volcano, anvil in hand, ready to pound some iron. You can see the mosaic "lava" flowing from the "ironman". Don't worry, neither myself nor Brigitte were injured while shooting this picture.

On Saturday we went to a national park that is an hour from our house. Sometimes...well actually a lot of times...our lack of fluency makes things take longer. We left that house at 8:30. We walked to the main bus terminal. We asked the a women working at a ticket office how to get a ticket to the national park. She said we had to leave the bus terminal and get on the local bus number 11, and then take it to the "Occidental" bus station where we could find a bus to Cajas national park. We ran out of the main bus terminal. We jumped on the first number 11 bus. After two or three stops we decided that we never got a second opinion. So we got off the bus. Walked back to the bus terminal. We asked another ticket agent for which bus we needed to go to Cajas National Park. She pointed outside to a bus and said, "That one!". We ran out to get on the bus. The man said something in Spanish that seemed to mean there was no space. We went outside and waited. We walked by each bus and said, "Does this bus go to Cajas?" They all pointed to the bus that had no space. We walked back to that bus again. We asked the conductor again if there was space. He said maybe. We waited. Then another conductor came and said, "There is no space." We went back inside the station. We asked another ticket agent where we could get a bus to go to Cajas. She said, and this may sound familiar, take the local number 11 bus to the Occidental bus station. So again, we left the station...took the number 11 bus. But this time we stayed on it. We finally made it to the station. And we finally made it to Cajas!

For those of you who do not "hablo espanol", 4 horas muy dificil is translated as, 4 hours very difficult. And here is why. You spend 1 hour trying to find the trailhead, even after you have a big green sign pointing at it it is that hard to find. Then, once you find the trailhead, you spend 3 climbing straight up, because Cajas does not believe in switchbacks. Finally, you spend 1 more hour being lost again, because suddenly the trail disapparates and you have to bushwack your way to home. But it was incredibly beautiful...and we loved every minute of it!

Oh and I have now texted myself 20 more times.