Año Nuevo

New Years Eve didn’t bring quite as much homesickness along with it.   They have a lot of great traditions here that I’ve never heard of or seen anywhere else.  When I was asked out American traditions, I felt kind of strange explaining that we watching a giant glowing ball drop on the TV and then usually party all night.  Here, they make “años viejos” or “old years.”  These are paper mache figures that are stuffed with fireworks and burned at midnight.  The idea is to burn the old year—to get rid of old regrets, failures, habits, etc. and to make room for the new year with its new opportunities.  Neighborhoods and local stores and organizations make huge presentations of años viejos, which are judged in a contest.  Around 9pm on New Years Eve, everyone in the city goes out to check out this years’ set ups and decide for themselves which is the best.  My two favorites: one depicted the process of making Ecuadorian sunhats, which is a important, traditional art in my area, while the other played some of the most vulgar regaetton music and had dancing scenes from the discoteca [keep in mind… these are all life size figures made of paper mache and placed on huge wooden platforms… it was INCREDIBLE to see how much they got into it].  To pay for it all, men dress up as the “widow” of the old year and ask for money in the streets.  After our tour around the city, we went back to the house for dinner with all of the family.  Turkey was the main dish, but there were crab rolls, farm raised chickens, fried rice, salad, etc. etc.   As soon as we finished eating, the minutes were ticking down to 12.  Everyone made at least some attempt to stuff 12 grapes in their mouth with the last 12 seconds of the old year, and at 12 on the dot, the champagne poured and the fireworks were lit.  The años viejos were doused with gasoline and thrown up in flames, and as every car alarm began to sound from the rumbling booms of firecrackers, everyone cheered, cried, and wished one another the best in the new year.  And, as if there weren’t enough things going on, a few running laps around the urbanization with suitcases were made to ensure frequent traveling in 2012.  After the festivities died down we went up stairs to get primped and prepared for the next step: the partying.  Even my parents went out to party… it seemed like all of Portoviejo was heading out.  There are huge, formal parties with $25 dollar entrances and required invitations.  But, in the end I headed to a friends house who’s parents had decided to throw a party for the exchange students.  After enough dancing and food to kill me, I headed back to the house around 6 am, slipped into my bed, and slept well into the new year.