The Non Bucket List Bucket List

Like many, I have a bucket list, things I want to do before I kick the proverbial bucket, some of which I´m crossing off on this trip. But then I realized this trip is also satisfying the non bucket list bucket list. You know, those things which weren´t on your bucket list but that you now feel compelled to put on your bucket list since you´ve done them and they were pretty cool and should´ve been on your bucket list to begin with and you want to put them on there just so that you can cross them off. Here´s my evergrowing non bucket list bucket list courtesy of this trip, all of which I´ve already done (and if you didn´t know this then you need to do your homework by reading my blogs more thoroughly!):

• milk a cow
• help butcher a cow
• help butcher a pig
• drink liquor made only in another country (Cacique)
• find a boyfriend in another country who doesn´t speak English
• eat pig liver (sort of wish I could take this one back)
• ride double on a bicycle made for one (three times, once at night, always scared)
• touch a jellyfish
• make jokes in Spanish that make people laugh
• make a phone call in Spanish (which I´ve done numerous times now and which still makes me nervous); this item has prompted me to add to my real bucket list the following: ¨make a phone call in Spanish without having to say ´que´ even once because I understand everything¨

If you can think of other things that I´ve probably left off my non bucket list bucket list, please let me know. I´d hate to have an inaccurate non bucket list bucket list.

And then there are those things you see which you never thought you´d see. The three most recent ones I feel compelled to document here.

First, I saw a guy driving an ATV and brushing his teeth--at the same time. It was morning, and I´m guessing he was running late.

Second, I saw two people dragging car batteries down the street in Quito this morning. Strings tied to the batteries, just pulling them along as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do.

Third, I saw a guy with an IV in his arm and a drip bag (whatever those things are called) in the middle of the street panhandling. Panhandling is extremely common here in Ecuador as is walking down the middle of the street selling things. This guy was clearly playing his sympathy card, as were the little girls doing cartwheels in the street. I thought it was cute until I realized why they were doing it, and then I just felt incredibly sad for them.

As for my current location, I´d love to tell you, but then those insurance people might find me and force me to pay the bill that I really, really, really don´t want to pay. Then again, if you´re on facebook, you already know where I am. Hopefully, you can keep a secret cause did I mention that I really, really, really don´t want to pay that bill.