One of the plazas in Quito you can see the Basilica in the distance...the two peaks
Ecuador
Ecuador
Thursday, April 28, 2011
The Basillica!!!
Here are some photos of our cultural trip to Quito! The Basilica was absolutely breathtaking! Hope these pictures will do it some justice...
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Rukullacta: Week 1 in site...
Ok so I'm here in Rukullacta. I've been here for a week now. What to tell you guys....Well I live in a really tranquilo site. It's very quiet all except for the roosters, the occasional dog fights, and the blasting music from the neighbor at all hours of the night and early morning (thank goodness for earplugs). I'm surrounded by green...green, green, green! I'm surrounded by mountains and forest and the Sumako volcano is not very far; I can see it when I go to Tena. It's really hard to describe what I see except to say that there are times when I stand outside mouth agape staring at the distant mountains and think...Damn, I'm so freaking lucky!
So I'm going to be working with the Runa Foundation in Archidona helping with investigations in guayusa and who knows what else...my job seems a little vague at this point. For the past few days I've been visiting the viveros (tree nurseries) to meet the guys that work there and help out where I can. Unfortunantly everyone runs circles around me and at times I feel more in the way than helping but I know that will change with time. I have also been going out to communities to help cut estacas (tree cuttings) for the viveros. That is an awesome job! I went yesterday with Silverio, my counterpart, to a distant community to cut estacas at his cousins farm. We went fairly far out into the "monte" (woodlands, forest) to find the guayusa trees. It was an amazing experience. I'm out in the monte hanging out all day with a Kichwa family cutting estacas and listening to them speak Kichwa and attempting to speak a little Kichwa myself. At the end of the day before we left the Senora of the finca (farm) asked me if I would like to have some chicha de chonta (chonta is fruit from this type of palm tree...I'm not sure if I spelled 'chonta' correctly I'll check back with you guys on that). I'm not a huge fan of chicha...it tastes very different to say the least, but I wanted to be polite and show my appreciation for letting me follow them around for the day. I drank as much as I could and after La Senora invited me into her house to see some of the handy crafts she had made from 'Mate' which is fruit they use. They carve it out and dry it and use it serve chicha and other things in. As I stood there admiring her work she asked me which one I wanted. I was really taken aback. She wanted to give me one of these beautiful bowls? I was so touched by her kindness I didn't know what to say. To be honest I didn't think that she cared too much for me she didn't speak to me very much while we were out in the monte working. And now she was offering me this beautiful gift. It was a really really great day. I hope I have many more similar experiences....
Here are some photos of my new family. These are just a few of the kids...
So I'm going to be working with the Runa Foundation in Archidona helping with investigations in guayusa and who knows what else...my job seems a little vague at this point. For the past few days I've been visiting the viveros (tree nurseries) to meet the guys that work there and help out where I can. Unfortunantly everyone runs circles around me and at times I feel more in the way than helping but I know that will change with time. I have also been going out to communities to help cut estacas (tree cuttings) for the viveros. That is an awesome job! I went yesterday with Silverio, my counterpart, to a distant community to cut estacas at his cousins farm. We went fairly far out into the "monte" (woodlands, forest) to find the guayusa trees. It was an amazing experience. I'm out in the monte hanging out all day with a Kichwa family cutting estacas and listening to them speak Kichwa and attempting to speak a little Kichwa myself. At the end of the day before we left the Senora of the finca (farm) asked me if I would like to have some chicha de chonta (chonta is fruit from this type of palm tree...I'm not sure if I spelled 'chonta' correctly I'll check back with you guys on that). I'm not a huge fan of chicha...it tastes very different to say the least, but I wanted to be polite and show my appreciation for letting me follow them around for the day. I drank as much as I could and after La Senora invited me into her house to see some of the handy crafts she had made from 'Mate' which is fruit they use. They carve it out and dry it and use it serve chicha and other things in. As I stood there admiring her work she asked me which one I wanted. I was really taken aback. She wanted to give me one of these beautiful bowls? I was so touched by her kindness I didn't know what to say. To be honest I didn't think that she cared too much for me she didn't speak to me very much while we were out in the monte working. And now she was offering me this beautiful gift. It was a really really great day. I hope I have many more similar experiences....
Here are some photos of my new family. These are just a few of the kids...
Baby Dillon and Will
Baby Dillon and Jessica
Me!
Jamil and baby
Maria Jose and baby
Maria Jose, Jennifer, y Yo!
Finished Training!!! I'm now a Volunteer!
Hey everyone!
Sorry for the lack of updates but it's been a little crazy since the swearing in ceremony. So I am done with training (or I have been for the last week). I can't believe it's over. It feels like these past three months have gone by so fast. I still can't believe I've been in Ecuador for 3 months. Sometimes it feels like I've only been here for three weeks.
So swearing in was a huge mixture of denial, exhilaration, relief, sadness, and uncertainty. All the normal things you'd expect from someone who is about to be shoved onto a bus to leave everything they know in Tumbaco for something completely unknown and uncertain. I tried to tell myself that I was as prepared as I was ever going to be and there is nothing to do but close my eyes and JUMP into this new world and hope for the best....so far I feel as though I'm doing pretty well.
I really miss my host family in Tumbaco. It was really difficult to leave them, they are such a wonderful family and the next volunteer who gets to live with them is sooo lucky. I cried a lot the morning before I left and Marta (my host mom) did as well. Which I was a little surprised about and made me cry all the more.
I hope everyone is well in the States...I miss you guys....Come visit....Be happy....
Sorry for the lack of updates but it's been a little crazy since the swearing in ceremony. So I am done with training (or I have been for the last week). I can't believe it's over. It feels like these past three months have gone by so fast. I still can't believe I've been in Ecuador for 3 months. Sometimes it feels like I've only been here for three weeks.
So swearing in was a huge mixture of denial, exhilaration, relief, sadness, and uncertainty. All the normal things you'd expect from someone who is about to be shoved onto a bus to leave everything they know in Tumbaco for something completely unknown and uncertain. I tried to tell myself that I was as prepared as I was ever going to be and there is nothing to do but close my eyes and JUMP into this new world and hope for the best....so far I feel as though I'm doing pretty well.
I really miss my host family in Tumbaco. It was really difficult to leave them, they are such a wonderful family and the next volunteer who gets to live with them is sooo lucky. I cried a lot the morning before I left and Marta (my host mom) did as well. Which I was a little surprised about and made me cry all the more.
I hope everyone is well in the States...I miss you guys....Come visit....Be happy....
Family Appreciation Day. Marta (mi madre), Mayri (back left), y Gaby (back right)
Kristin and Whitney at our Swearing in!
The boys
The Girls
Christina and Kristin...We did it!! We're Volunteers!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Tech Trip to Puerto Quito & Carnaval!!
Puerto Quito:
Well what's been going on for the past 2 or 3 weeks? A LOT! And of course I've not been keeping up with my blog. I've been so busy with training that I can't keep track of the days. I can't believe we are already into the 2nd week of March. So what's been going on? Well last week we had our tech trips. My groups trip was in Puerto Quito. About 3 hours from Quito in the Coast; it wasn't actually anywhere near the coast. It's one of those transitional locations between the Sierras and the Coast. It was absolutely beautiful and fertile. You could throw an old stick out into the yard and in a year you would have a tree. The climate on the other hand was TERRIBLE! It was so hot and humid I had to peel my clothes off at the end of the day. I was dripping sweat from every crevas of my body. Sweating is an understatment...I was leaking for 5 days straight! Well aside from the heat and the leaking I had a really good time. I was a little under the weather for the first day or two, what with my stomach battle against the amoebas. I felt that I really learned a lot and it gave me an opportunity to meet the people in our group on a more personal basis. It's been difficult to try and fit in during training; I've felt alone amongst many of my american companions. But I feel like things are getting better, maybe because I don't care anymore and I'm starting to come more out of my shell.
Anyway back to Puerto Quito. We learned how to make yogurt, milk cows, make cheese, prune cacao trees, harvest and process yucca, learned a little about pigs, chickens, and cuy. Que mas? We learned how to make a worm bed, dig canals on the sides of mountains with a Nivel-A (or A frame) and how to kill and process rabbits (not one of my favorite arts). All in all it was a good trip and after a hard days work we got to go lay in the hammocks and swim in the pool or river behind the farm. Thanks to all you taxpayers for my "vacation"!!
Carnaval:
So carnaval...a really fun and dangerous time for "Gringos." I was assaulted by espuma, huevos, agua, and harina de colores (foam, eggs, water, and colored flour)!!! I had a really great time with my host family and I got to eat cuy! An interesting little animal, but I don't think it's my favorite thing I've eaten here so far. I'm not a big fan of eating things with a face or feet. But I'm glad I tried it. Definantly worth the try.
Very dangerous!
Fritata de Gringa....
What's to come?...Well in 5 days I find out where my site will be for the next two years! Everyone please cross your fingers that I get placed into a good site with welcoming people and another good host family.
What else?...Well I got talked into dancing (I think the Bomba...A coastal type dance) with 5 other trainees in front of all the other trainees, facilitators, trainers, and THE AMBASSADOR of Ecuador!! What have I gotten myself into! I'll let you know how that goes. This is completely not like me. I don't dance to anything with much more than a rigid hip wiggle. This is going to be interesting.
A few adjustments that are quite different from the States:
1. You have to throw toilet paper in the trash, not the toilet. That took awhile to train myself into doing.
2. The water is not hot...more like luke warm...on good days. It's a struggle some mornings to take a shower.
3. The light switches are sideways not up and down
4. The rooster crows at 3am...4am....4:30am...5am.....5:30am...6am.....well you get the picture and it's usually right under my window...how does he know to do that?
5. Anytime you walk into a small store or place of business you must greet the people in the store. Or should, it's polite. I'm so used to not talking at times I forget.
6. I take a public bus to and from the training center...I now have a different outlook on personal space. But everyday is an adventure!
7. I think the people here really like christmas because I see christmas decorations everywhere and it's March...
8. There are dogs EVERYWHERE. That's a tough one for me because I want to take all of them home with me.
9. I eat soup twice a day almost everyday. That's been an adjustment...I'm only used to soup on cold days or when I'm sick.
10. Rice and potatoes have become the staple point of my diet...I have a feeling that's going to get old soon, but the fruits here...my god they are good! And my host mom makes the best juice in the morning! It might be one of the favorite parts of my day. That good old glass of fresh juice.
What's to come?...Well in 5 days I find out where my site will be for the next two years! Everyone please cross your fingers that I get placed into a good site with welcoming people and another good host family.
What else?...Well I got talked into dancing (I think the Bomba...A coastal type dance) with 5 other trainees in front of all the other trainees, facilitators, trainers, and THE AMBASSADOR of Ecuador!! What have I gotten myself into! I'll let you know how that goes. This is completely not like me. I don't dance to anything with much more than a rigid hip wiggle. This is going to be interesting.
A few adjustments that are quite different from the States:
1. You have to throw toilet paper in the trash, not the toilet. That took awhile to train myself into doing.
2. The water is not hot...more like luke warm...on good days. It's a struggle some mornings to take a shower.
3. The light switches are sideways not up and down
4. The rooster crows at 3am...4am....4:30am...5am.....5:30am...6am.....well you get the picture and it's usually right under my window...how does he know to do that?
5. Anytime you walk into a small store or place of business you must greet the people in the store. Or should, it's polite. I'm so used to not talking at times I forget.
6. I take a public bus to and from the training center...I now have a different outlook on personal space. But everyday is an adventure!
7. I think the people here really like christmas because I see christmas decorations everywhere and it's March...
8. There are dogs EVERYWHERE. That's a tough one for me because I want to take all of them home with me.
9. I eat soup twice a day almost everyday. That's been an adjustment...I'm only used to soup on cold days or when I'm sick.
10. Rice and potatoes have become the staple point of my diet...I have a feeling that's going to get old soon, but the fruits here...my god they are good! And my host mom makes the best juice in the morning! It might be one of the favorite parts of my day. That good old glass of fresh juice.
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