Changes for the Better

This blog will be broken into five different parts: Things that I’ve become good at, have improved upon, or have started doing in my life to make me and all-around, better person.

Food
My diet is very different than it was in the United States. Here, I constantly eat a meal including rice, vegetables, some type of meat, and some sort of fruit for dessert. Almuerzo (lunch) includes a soup before all of that as well. The food is healthy, but includes a lot of carbohydrates. For all those atkins diet members, Ecuador is not the place for you. But the best part about the food here is that my temptation for fast food is non-existent. Sure they have one burger king, a couple KFC’s, and a bunch of ice cream parlors, but they are far and very expensive. An average price of a combo meal is around six dollars here. Why would I pay that much for a piece(s) of crap lunch, when I can pay two dollars for a much better and more filling meal? Sure I crave Portillos chili dogs and cake shakes, Giordanos deep dish spinach pizza, and Guinness; but unlike a pregnant woman, those cravings can be controlled thanks to lack of access to those delicious, yet very unhealthy meals.

Reading
Like my favorite fast food restaurants, access to television is limited. Because of this I have engaged in a new activity that I’ve hardly done over the course of my life: recreational reading. I’ve probably read more books while in Ecuador than I have over the past 5 years combined. I recently read, and loved, The Confederacy of Dunces which follows Ignatius, a sloth like intellectual who thinks he is better than everyone else because of his superior intelligence. It’s hilarious and outrageous, and I would definitely recommend it to lovers of Dwight Shrute from The Office. They say reading stimulates the mind, and I now believe that to be true. I feel more smarter already.

Physical Activity
I miss my car, I really do. I miss the convenience, the air conditioning, and the way it makes me feel cool when I blast Biz Markie out the window during the summer, thinking I’m somewhat hip. BUT, I do enjoy the walks to the university every day. I have the most beautiful commute in the world and I’m thankful for that. All in all, I probably walk approximately four miles every day, JUST in my commute. I appreciate the scenery and the burn on my legs walking up the crazy set of stairs every day. I also workout about three or four times a week at a local gym. Membership costs $13 a month, but I just pay one dollar every time I go. It’s much better than the courts. Due to the altitude, I should be in pretty solid shape once I return to sea level Chi-town.

Spanish
I can hold a formal conversation in Spanish. Pretty soon I will be bi-lingual. Booya. That is all.

Confidence
I know what some of you are thinking: Ben doesn’t need more confidence. But I have gained a confidence that is different than that of cockiness, arrogance or superiority; I’ve gained confidence in my abilities, I am not afraid to try new things, and I am a stronger individual for it. I have experienced feelings of fear, stupidity, awkwardness, nervousness, and homesickness. Although I have felt all these feelings in my life, experiencing all of them in such a short period of time has really tested my ability to thrive in adverse situations. Unlike in the United States, I have not once backed down from a challenge since I’ve been down here. I’ve been lost in Peru, I’ve climbed a volcano, I’ve gone on a day trip with Ecuadorians whom I could not understand, I’ve spoke in Spanish in dire circumstances and emergencies, and I’ve even gotten rejected by girls in Spanish. All of those experiences have made me more confident in my abilities to thrive in the real world. I will return to the United States unafraid of successes and failures.

Basically, I have transformed into the most perfect man ever born, women will want me and men will want to be me; look at that swagger; dust those shoulders off, do it.
(That’s not too cocky is it? Hopefully you get the sarcasm)