The thing with sleep

Before I get to the thing with sleep, a preliminary remark: Several times I have felt incredibly privileged here. And not just that, no, also simply happy. I am sitting here on the Plaza de la Independencia and watching the bustling activity! I am here, in South America!

It was fantastic to sit on the bench, listen to the guitar player's improvisations. To see how indigenous people in their traditional dress try to sell their products of hard work, how two little boys on the bus started rapping about money and opportunities and youth, how the police officers whistle to regulate traffic - despite traffic lights, how heat and cold alternate here, how ... There is so much to see here, fantastic.

That leads me to the thing with sleep: It is now the third night that has passed and I have been awake for many hours in each one. In the first one (after the flight) from twelve noon until morning, in the second one I went to bed at seven (idiot!) and had to toss and turn from eleven onwards. And this night around two o'clock. Again until morning. At least I felt that sleeping would be possible from the alarm signal.

But why? What's going on? Fortunately, I don't take it too seriously: It goes the way it goes. So what?

But it is tiresome. After all, I went to bed late yesterday. The four of us took a bus to the Marin Central station after the neighborhood stroll and walked to the Centro storico. There we bought a ticket for the 'Tren de los Volcanes' and then went for food and drinks. Wonderful place, a restaurant named 'Vista hermosa' above the rooftops of Quito. The photo from the last post was taken there. And when I was back home, I had no hurry to go to bed. I didn't want to repeat the mistake from the evening before (7 o'clock, really idiotic!!!).

The result was (almost) the same: I'm awake, something is going through my mind. Most of the time it's something I can't remember at all. Unknown face, unknown place, something is being said or happening, I wake up, gasp for air because I realize that I haven't had enough and take a few superficial, quick breaths. Turn on the other side and the game starts all over again. With my movements at night, I could operate a medium-sized power plant. Why?

I don't have a conclusive answer. I know that in 2001, when I spent a week in the mountains with the military at the Britanniahütte in Saas Fee, I also had these breathing interruptions. I also know that here in Ecuador I have nothing, absolutely nothing to do, except for learning Spanish and later helping with the projects. I have no responsibility, for anyone. Only for myself.

That's why I believe that tensions are being released here that have built up over the years. They cannot be released in the normal environment, where every minute is actually filled with work or self-imposed actions and social obligations. The night is too short to process all of that dreamily, time is too short and I am certainly not a master in sharing worries and fears with someone. Someone who likes to talk about himself a lot and often would probably have an advantage here.

Maybe it helps if I just write it down in the blog like this. That's why the appropriate picture above.

Situation report, what else is going on: Private lessons are still going well, tip-top. I can benefit from it, I realize. There is a thunderstorm going on outside that convinces me not to go out. It's cold, even though it's located a few kilometers below the equator. For lunch - today with the extended family - we had something chicken-like, very good, with rice, potatoes (Geschwelti), salad with tomatoes and avocado in it, for dessert a sweet fruit (calebasa??). The food here is definitely good and certainly healthy, with lots of fruits and juices. (Chugos, not Yugos = freshly made juices).

Speaking of 'food': Today I was allowed to write a short essay as homework: How we organize our meals in Switzerland. When we have breakfast, when we have lunch and what it's like etc etc.

I have done that and actually agreed to go to Plaza Foch to meet my colleagues for a beer or something. But the thunderstorm is slowly subsiding.

Maybe I'll skip it and go to bed early today. (?!!!!)