El Esketchy

Ok, there are some words we have in English that just don't translate, and it is seriously the most annoying thing in the world, because some words just describe situations perfectly. For instance: awkward. The closest thing they have in embarrassing, and that's just not gonna cut it. But the word I swear I miss the most: sketchy.

Things that are sketchy in the Dor, but not in America:

1. men waving out their windows and shouting "hello". apparently, saying anything in return is flirting. it is WAY to easy to flirt in latin america.

2. water. watch yo'self. it can get ugly fast.

3. sitting in a window seat. yep, always go for the aisle. weird, I know.

Things that are sketchy in America, but not in the Dor:

1. a man sitting alone in a van on the side of the road with the motor running. perfectly normal.

2. a professor kissing you on the cheek or giving you their number. in fact, pretty much every syllabus I have has the prof's cell on it.

3. strangers asking for lots of personal information. how tall are you? how white are you? how blond are you? where are you from? what town? what do you live near in quito? who are your host parents, I probably know them? Combine a lack of political correctness and natural curiosity, and I now understand why everyone knows everyone else here, now including me.