Since I have decided to extend my stay here in Ecuador I have been spending a good amount of time trying to figure out what I have to do regarding visas. For US citizens, upon arrival in Ecuador they are given a 12-X visa – which allows them 90 days in a calendar year to be in the country. Since I am staying over 90 days, this visa won’t suffice. Until about a year ago it costs 10 cents and a visit to the local consul to extend the visa to 180 days in a calendar year but over the last few months the policy for tourist visas has changed numerous times and for this reason it has been really confusing figuring out exactly what I have to do. Gracias a dios, I finally got all my papers together (and found out that they were the correct ones, yippee), so I headed to Quito yesterday to apply for the visa (unfortunately I have to return to Quito Monday to see if my application has been authorized in order for it to be processed).
QUITO. Not wanting to travel alone, I asked Segundo (the mountain/treasure guide I have mentioned before), since he doesn’t work anymore (although he is almost 80 and still leads trips into the Llaganates…the mysterious national park that borders El Triunfo), to accompany me to Quito. After picking some fresh fruit for a tonga (Kichwa word meaning food supply) we set off for Quito and 6 am from El Triunfo arriving to Quito at 11:00 (which didn’t give us much time to make it to the consulate which closes as 12). Luckily, we got all the visa drama settled, so we had the rest of the day to track down one of Segundo’s friends that he wanted to see. Segundo has a lot of friends. Having led over 200 trips into the Llanagantes, and having befriended I am guessing all of the trekkers, it is no surprise. We finally got a hold of his friend Juan del Hierro who invited us to his house at 3. Having time to spare we headed to the Instituto de Geográfico Militar (the military institute of geography) to look for maps of the Llanganates. The military officer working in the map area figured we were setting off to search for the supposed 60 plus tons of Incan gold hidden in the Llaganates, and pointed to a random spot on the map saying he already knew where the treasure was. In reality, Segundo just wants to take a trip to a lagoon in the Llagantes that he flew over once in helicopter. We ended up buying two maps (the first maps the honored guide had ever owned of the beloved Llanganates) even though he could walk the trails with his eyes closed, and then we spontaneously called another friend of Segundo’s who invited us to lunch.
This friend, Fernando, who called Segundo “hermano,” treated us to a delicious seafood lunch. When he had to head back to work and Segundo and I still had about a half hour to spare before heading to the house of Juan del Hierro we decided to order dessert…which ended up being two huge banana splits. According to Segundo desserts like ice cream are like liquids and have lots of vitamins, thus you can eat as much as you want. I like this idea. Eventually we grabbed a cab and headed to the northern part of the city where Segundo’s friend had given us directions to his house. Or rather, we had scribbled down on scrap paper one street name and about five times “turn right,” “turn left at the next curve,” “turn right and go straight for a while,” “turn right at the auto shop.” As I’m sure you could have guesses, we got pretty lost. The cab driver not being the nicest, and me being out of cell phone credit to call and ask for directions, we got out of the cab where we figured we were pretty close and set out to find the house on foot. Having entered two other houses, taken about ten wrong turns, and an hour later we arrived to the house of Juan del Hierro. A huge white house in a gated community overlooking all of Quito, my campesino friend Segundo definitely looked out of place. But, I could tell from the start Juan and Segundo were old friends. Sharing story after story about trips into the Llaganates and reminiscing about old friends, it didn’t matter that Juan had a huge house and two BMW’s in the driveway. Not to mention he had beautiful original artwork hung all the house, half of which was signed and dedicated to Juan del Hierro himself. We spent the latter part of the reunion talking about the Ministerio de turismo and about the possibility of El Triunfo being a site for a community tourism project. It is in this conversation that I got roped into helping gather personal stories and history of the Llangates, along with photos, routes, tourist packages, etc. to present to the Ministerio de Turismo in a couple months.
After our visit with Juan del Hierro (I really like this name, which is why I keep mentioning him by his full name), we headed to the bus terminal and back to Baños. In Baños we finally convinced a taxi driver to take us up the mountain to El Triunfo and ended up arriving to our respective houses at about 11:45 pm. What a day!
domingo, 28 de febrero de 2010
domingo, 21 de febrero de 2010
holaaaaa
It has been a while since I last blogged…so I will try to give some good updates.
This past Tuesday, the official day of carnaval, I went with a group of people to Puyo (a town about an hour away that is in the jungle) to go swimming and (of course) play carnaval. We ended up going to a park that had numerous lagoons and lakes to swim in (and even saw a little monkey playing in the trees). Everyone went swimming and some little boys were effortlessly trying to get me to swim them across the deep-water on my back…which was really tiring. After a packed lunch of, take a guess, chicken and rice, we all climbed back into the two trucks and headed back to El Triunfo. A group of about twelve of us were in the back of the truck, aka we were prime targets for those playing carnaval…throwing buckets of water on us from roof tops, water balloons from the streets, even other trucks were throwing things at us. We of course were prepared as well and every time we crossed a river we stopped to refill our buckets and bottles with water. Once we even stopped to buy cane liquor (pure alcohol from the cane plant that they mix with a variety of fruity flavors)…it is pretty strong stuff to say the least. I was absolutely soaked the entire return trip and will admit I am feeling the effects with a nasty cold.
On Thursday I did a painting activity with the second and fourth graders. I started by asking each class to think about something that represents their daily life here in El Triunfo. Immediately the students were shouting out ideas: trucha (trout), milking cows, picking mora (blackberry), riding horses, the volcano, el monte (the mountains up the hill from the center of town), etc. I tried to have each student focus on a simple idea for the actual painting, something they could really focus in on. Although the actual hour or so I spent with each class painting was a bit stressful (picture me alone with a class of about 25 students who had never painted before), and none of the teachers were too helpful, the majority of the paintings turned out great. You can look forward to seeing a selected few of the painting on stationary for sale in the local Cascade and Ada area (and by contacting the lovely Shelley Mishler) in the near future. Hint, hint fundraiser for the elementary school here in El Triunfo…my goal is to start a library here with children’s books as there are currently 180 students and less than 10 books in the school. With 100% certainty I would say that the students spend a larger part of the school day playing fútbol (soccer) than reading. Although it may be more accurate to say that they don’t read at all.
As of last week I am spending Fridays helping to teach English in the high school, right up the hill from the elementary school. There are actually only about 50 students in the high school because the majority of high school-age students in the area either attend high school in Baños (the bigger town about an hour down the mountain) or only attend school on Saturdays in order to help out with farming and household chores. It is fun to work with an older age group and they certainly propose a entirely different set of challenges than the students in the elementary school. For example a student in ninth year spent the entire class hour making kissy faces at me. I have been in contact with a couple of my favorite Spanish teachers from high school and we are planning to Skype in the coming week, allowing the US students to practice Spanish and my students to practice English, an intercambio/exchange of sorts.
Yesterday I made chocolate chip cookies, however as I discovered there is no cookie sheet in all of El Triunfo I had to opt for chocolate chip bars…which ended up rather gooey and misshaped.
Well, I think that is all I can think of for now…I will try to post again later this week!
This past Tuesday, the official day of carnaval, I went with a group of people to Puyo (a town about an hour away that is in the jungle) to go swimming and (of course) play carnaval. We ended up going to a park that had numerous lagoons and lakes to swim in (and even saw a little monkey playing in the trees). Everyone went swimming and some little boys were effortlessly trying to get me to swim them across the deep-water on my back…which was really tiring. After a packed lunch of, take a guess, chicken and rice, we all climbed back into the two trucks and headed back to El Triunfo. A group of about twelve of us were in the back of the truck, aka we were prime targets for those playing carnaval…throwing buckets of water on us from roof tops, water balloons from the streets, even other trucks were throwing things at us. We of course were prepared as well and every time we crossed a river we stopped to refill our buckets and bottles with water. Once we even stopped to buy cane liquor (pure alcohol from the cane plant that they mix with a variety of fruity flavors)…it is pretty strong stuff to say the least. I was absolutely soaked the entire return trip and will admit I am feeling the effects with a nasty cold.
On Thursday I did a painting activity with the second and fourth graders. I started by asking each class to think about something that represents their daily life here in El Triunfo. Immediately the students were shouting out ideas: trucha (trout), milking cows, picking mora (blackberry), riding horses, the volcano, el monte (the mountains up the hill from the center of town), etc. I tried to have each student focus on a simple idea for the actual painting, something they could really focus in on. Although the actual hour or so I spent with each class painting was a bit stressful (picture me alone with a class of about 25 students who had never painted before), and none of the teachers were too helpful, the majority of the paintings turned out great. You can look forward to seeing a selected few of the painting on stationary for sale in the local Cascade and Ada area (and by contacting the lovely Shelley Mishler) in the near future. Hint, hint fundraiser for the elementary school here in El Triunfo…my goal is to start a library here with children’s books as there are currently 180 students and less than 10 books in the school. With 100% certainty I would say that the students spend a larger part of the school day playing fútbol (soccer) than reading. Although it may be more accurate to say that they don’t read at all.
As of last week I am spending Fridays helping to teach English in the high school, right up the hill from the elementary school. There are actually only about 50 students in the high school because the majority of high school-age students in the area either attend high school in Baños (the bigger town about an hour down the mountain) or only attend school on Saturdays in order to help out with farming and household chores. It is fun to work with an older age group and they certainly propose a entirely different set of challenges than the students in the elementary school. For example a student in ninth year spent the entire class hour making kissy faces at me. I have been in contact with a couple of my favorite Spanish teachers from high school and we are planning to Skype in the coming week, allowing the US students to practice Spanish and my students to practice English, an intercambio/exchange of sorts.
Yesterday I made chocolate chip cookies, however as I discovered there is no cookie sheet in all of El Triunfo I had to opt for chocolate chip bars…which ended up rather gooey and misshaped.
Well, I think that is all I can think of for now…I will try to post again later this week!
domingo, 14 de febrero de 2010
Carnaval pics and bad news
Below are some carnaval pics (the aftershots) and pics of my dear pacha (who died yesterday from a sickness she had because she received her puppy vaccinations too late). Pobre Pacha!
sábado, 13 de febrero de 2010
carnaval!
We have a five day weekend this week because of carnaval. Since we Americans do not really celebrate carnaval, what most likely comes to mind when you hear about the holiday is Brazil and the half naked (or basically completely naked) glittery women that dance samba in the street. Well, that is one example of carnaval, but here in Ecuador they have their own set of traditions – traditions of which I feel free to comment on as I sit here writing this soaking wet. Here in Ecuador carnaval is celebrated with parades and parties and a non-stop celebration of “love and friendship” (as quoted on an invitation I just received to a carnaval party Sunday night). However, the tradition that the kids like most and that reminds everyone that carnaval has arrived is to “mojarse” aka get everyone wet and or messy. This can be done with water balloons, buckets of water, splashing water from a sink, squirt guns, etc…and then you are reminded of how wet you are when flour, egg and silly string are added to the mix.
So to “jugar carnaval” here in Ecuador all you really need it water. So basically everyone is fair game to play and get played. This past Thursday school was shortened to a half-day in order to play carnaval with the students. I had heard about the “traditions” and thus came prepared…with silly string, eggs (one of which I cracked on the school director’s head), flours, and water balloons (which I woke up extra early to fill). By the end of the almost two hour “play-time” I looked like a drowning ghost: absolutely drenched with flour plastered all over my arms, face and hair. I think I still have some flour in my ear.
Tomorrow I am headed to Baños, the hopping tourist town 45 minutes down the mountain from El Triunfo, to watch the parade (and call my Mommy to wish her a Feliz Cumpleaños) and Sunday I am headed to Ambato (the biggest city within a two hour distance from El Triunfo) to watch the even bigger parade and rodeo.
¡Vive carnval!
So to “jugar carnaval” here in Ecuador all you really need it water. So basically everyone is fair game to play and get played. This past Thursday school was shortened to a half-day in order to play carnaval with the students. I had heard about the “traditions” and thus came prepared…with silly string, eggs (one of which I cracked on the school director’s head), flours, and water balloons (which I woke up extra early to fill). By the end of the almost two hour “play-time” I looked like a drowning ghost: absolutely drenched with flour plastered all over my arms, face and hair. I think I still have some flour in my ear.
Tomorrow I am headed to Baños, the hopping tourist town 45 minutes down the mountain from El Triunfo, to watch the parade (and call my Mommy to wish her a Feliz Cumpleaños) and Sunday I am headed to Ambato (the biggest city within a two hour distance from El Triunfo) to watch the even bigger parade and rodeo.
¡Vive carnval!
lunes, 8 de febrero de 2010
Unas cosas...
Highlights of the last few days:
1. I taught the family I am living with to make pizza.
2. I went to the carnival fiesta and parade of a nearby town and learned that in parades here they throw fruit instead of candy! And being the only white, blue-eyed girl around, I got A LOT of fruit! YUM!
3. I went horseback riding this morning and it was very fun and gorgeous views!
4. I milked a cow for the first time...no further comment.
5. I am currently sitting inside a store while the owner is at lunch using the internet signal from across the street. The owner literally just left me here alone while she went out.
1. I taught the family I am living with to make pizza.
2. I went to the carnival fiesta and parade of a nearby town and learned that in parades here they throw fruit instead of candy! And being the only white, blue-eyed girl around, I got A LOT of fruit! YUM!
3. I went horseback riding this morning and it was very fun and gorgeous views!
4. I milked a cow for the first time...no further comment.
5. I am currently sitting inside a store while the owner is at lunch using the internet signal from across the street. The owner literally just left me here alone while she went out.
Blog Popularity...
I received a notice last night via email from blogspot.com stating that I had over 500 readers!
Kidding. More like 5. Ha. No worries. Sigo escribiendo…
The school week has drawn to an end, and overall it was a pretty good one, as I hinted at in my last posting. Today I started my new Friday post at the colegio (high school). However, it wasn’t a regular day because this weekend there are the fiestas in a nearby town, Patate, and there is a big parade that twenty five of the high school students are dancing in (a traditional folkloric dance of Ecuador, I might add) – and today was the dress rehearsal. So instead of teaching, I helped to hand out outfits for the dancers (I will have to post pictures after the parade…the get-ups are adorable…a spin off of the traditional Ecuadorian dress).
The only downfall of this week has to do with my efforts to fundraise for the elementary school in order to start a library. As I have mentioned before, the school has about 180 students, grades one through seven, but is lacking in resources. There is no money in the budget for arts and crafts supplies or for physical education necessities (not even a soccer ball or jump rope). Furthermore, and this is the part that bothers me the most, there is no library in the school (nor in the community as a whole), so the students only occasionally read for classes and leisure reading is nonexistent. For this reason I see a library as the perfect addition to the school – and as an outlet for students who don’t really have any common space within the school, and certainly not one where they would be invited to relax and read a book (or two, or three).
I sat down with the school director on Wednesday and presented the library idea and some of my fundraising ideas and he seemed thrilled. He was already set to show me the extra room that he though would be a great space and so on. However, the following day, the same director, who lovingly calls me “Megita,” pulled me into his office to inform me the professors had talked and think it would be better to get the school a projector. Now let me say that not one teacher knows how to correctly use a computer or any other technical device. He said that with such a projector they could do many more activities in the classroom and so on. As I was sitting in his office I could picture the projector being used for the teachers to watch movies projected onto the wall…certainly not something I see benefiting the students to a large extent, or to any extent at all. I was nonchalant during this encounter because I was a little taken aback. I felt like I (and my USA connections) was/were being advantage of.
When I returned to my house later in the evening Isabel informed me that Don Galo (the director) had just told her to tell me that they also could use a computer and that she should encourage me to get one for the school. “UM HELLO, IT’S NOT LIKE I AM A MONEY TREE you idiota” was only one of the things I considered telling the director. However, I decided I would let myself cool down and kindly tell him the following week how I feel and why I think the library would be the most beneficial for the students.
I feel like this is a situation that often arises for extranjeros (foreigners) in developing countries such as Ecuador. The people in the given community realize they have a chance to get somethings that they want (lap tops, projectors, etc.) out of an individual with connections to money and lower U.S. prices on such items and so they in a way use or take advantage of the extranjeros, whether they mean to or not. It frustrates me because I feel very loved and accepted by the community, so to feel taken advantage of puts me in a difficult position…there is a fine line between giving the community something it needs and having resources taken advantage of.
Enough of that drama…I am looking forward to the weekend and heading to Patate for the fiestas and dances. Not to mention I am going horseback riding with a student later this afternoon. Lindo Ecuador!
Kidding. More like 5. Ha. No worries. Sigo escribiendo…
The school week has drawn to an end, and overall it was a pretty good one, as I hinted at in my last posting. Today I started my new Friday post at the colegio (high school). However, it wasn’t a regular day because this weekend there are the fiestas in a nearby town, Patate, and there is a big parade that twenty five of the high school students are dancing in (a traditional folkloric dance of Ecuador, I might add) – and today was the dress rehearsal. So instead of teaching, I helped to hand out outfits for the dancers (I will have to post pictures after the parade…the get-ups are adorable…a spin off of the traditional Ecuadorian dress).
The only downfall of this week has to do with my efforts to fundraise for the elementary school in order to start a library. As I have mentioned before, the school has about 180 students, grades one through seven, but is lacking in resources. There is no money in the budget for arts and crafts supplies or for physical education necessities (not even a soccer ball or jump rope). Furthermore, and this is the part that bothers me the most, there is no library in the school (nor in the community as a whole), so the students only occasionally read for classes and leisure reading is nonexistent. For this reason I see a library as the perfect addition to the school – and as an outlet for students who don’t really have any common space within the school, and certainly not one where they would be invited to relax and read a book (or two, or three).
I sat down with the school director on Wednesday and presented the library idea and some of my fundraising ideas and he seemed thrilled. He was already set to show me the extra room that he though would be a great space and so on. However, the following day, the same director, who lovingly calls me “Megita,” pulled me into his office to inform me the professors had talked and think it would be better to get the school a projector. Now let me say that not one teacher knows how to correctly use a computer or any other technical device. He said that with such a projector they could do many more activities in the classroom and so on. As I was sitting in his office I could picture the projector being used for the teachers to watch movies projected onto the wall…certainly not something I see benefiting the students to a large extent, or to any extent at all. I was nonchalant during this encounter because I was a little taken aback. I felt like I (and my USA connections) was/were being advantage of.
When I returned to my house later in the evening Isabel informed me that Don Galo (the director) had just told her to tell me that they also could use a computer and that she should encourage me to get one for the school. “UM HELLO, IT’S NOT LIKE I AM A MONEY TREE you idiota” was only one of the things I considered telling the director. However, I decided I would let myself cool down and kindly tell him the following week how I feel and why I think the library would be the most beneficial for the students.
I feel like this is a situation that often arises for extranjeros (foreigners) in developing countries such as Ecuador. The people in the given community realize they have a chance to get somethings that they want (lap tops, projectors, etc.) out of an individual with connections to money and lower U.S. prices on such items and so they in a way use or take advantage of the extranjeros, whether they mean to or not. It frustrates me because I feel very loved and accepted by the community, so to feel taken advantage of puts me in a difficult position…there is a fine line between giving the community something it needs and having resources taken advantage of.
Enough of that drama…I am looking forward to the weekend and heading to Patate for the fiestas and dances. Not to mention I am going horseback riding with a student later this afternoon. Lindo Ecuador!
miércoles, 3 de febrero de 2010
Woof Woof
I have now been a resident of El Triunfo for 4 days. Whoo.
Some highlights of my first few days after the move up into the mountain town…both during school hours and “after hours.”
1. Pacha – I am guessing most of you, well none of you, know what “pacha” means. It is actually a kichwa word that means madre or mother of the tierra (land). This is the name of my new Ecuadorian puppy. This may sound silly that I have a puppy here, but Pacha was meant to be my puppy, so I say to you boo-ya. Pacha was the last puppy left of one of the teachers at the elementary school and no one wanted her because she has a little belly button that pokes out of her belly – which people thought was bad lucky. When I saw her and played with her and said she was adorable and so on she was gifted to me within five minutes. I originally said no but then the family I am living with says it is fine and if I can’t bring her to the United States (a grina puppy) then she can stay with them. So that is how I got myself an Ecuadorian pup. Grey, with little blue eyes and only about three months old, Pacha became my puppy…and then after 20 hours she ran away. She was missing for almost two days until there were about 180 people, or rather kids ages 4-12 out looking for her. Thus she was found in a house up the hill, just having returned from fetching milk from the cows with an older woman in town. So that is how I got my Ecuadorian pup back. And today I bought her a cute little pink and purple collar. Mi perrita linda, Pachita.
2. Deberes – Deberes translates to homework in English, and this week, for the first time the entire class of sixth graders did their homework. I had purposely tried to make the assignment a little more fun that normal and did mention that we could listen to English pop songs on my lap top if the work was done…but still! I was impressed. I think the kids themselves were rather surprised. Not to mention the “vagos” or generally troublesome, often held back a year or two (or three) kids in a couple of the classes have really started to open up to me and to work and pay attention is class. I could hardly believe it the other day when one of these students kept showing me all class how much progress he was making in his English notebook with the assigned tasks.
3. Segundo stories – I think I mentioned Segundo in my last blog, but if not, he is one of the older men in the community, not the mention the oldest and most respected treasure hunter and guide into the Llangantes mountains in the area. And he loves to talk . Over dinner, on a walk, searching for my lost puppy, picking fresh fruit off trees, he always has a story. The other day he was telling me about his relationship with Eugene Brunner, a famous German treasure hunter who is known to have discovered the exact location of slew of Incan gold hidden in the Lllagantes mountains. He told me of Brunner’s sad life of being continuously used for his gold secret and how he often cried because it was so hard to hold in. Segundo I think has an idea as well regarding where the treasure is, but he tells me with sincerity that he has no interest in the treasure and never has, “for what does one need gold for in this country, to make life more difficult when I already have a roof over my head and food on my plate.”
I am writing this before going to bed, so wish me luck that Pacha doesn’t get her cry on during the middle of the night.
Some highlights of my first few days after the move up into the mountain town…both during school hours and “after hours.”
1. Pacha – I am guessing most of you, well none of you, know what “pacha” means. It is actually a kichwa word that means madre or mother of the tierra (land). This is the name of my new Ecuadorian puppy. This may sound silly that I have a puppy here, but Pacha was meant to be my puppy, so I say to you boo-ya. Pacha was the last puppy left of one of the teachers at the elementary school and no one wanted her because she has a little belly button that pokes out of her belly – which people thought was bad lucky. When I saw her and played with her and said she was adorable and so on she was gifted to me within five minutes. I originally said no but then the family I am living with says it is fine and if I can’t bring her to the United States (a grina puppy) then she can stay with them. So that is how I got myself an Ecuadorian pup. Grey, with little blue eyes and only about three months old, Pacha became my puppy…and then after 20 hours she ran away. She was missing for almost two days until there were about 180 people, or rather kids ages 4-12 out looking for her. Thus she was found in a house up the hill, just having returned from fetching milk from the cows with an older woman in town. So that is how I got my Ecuadorian pup back. And today I bought her a cute little pink and purple collar. Mi perrita linda, Pachita.
2. Deberes – Deberes translates to homework in English, and this week, for the first time the entire class of sixth graders did their homework. I had purposely tried to make the assignment a little more fun that normal and did mention that we could listen to English pop songs on my lap top if the work was done…but still! I was impressed. I think the kids themselves were rather surprised. Not to mention the “vagos” or generally troublesome, often held back a year or two (or three) kids in a couple of the classes have really started to open up to me and to work and pay attention is class. I could hardly believe it the other day when one of these students kept showing me all class how much progress he was making in his English notebook with the assigned tasks.
3. Segundo stories – I think I mentioned Segundo in my last blog, but if not, he is one of the older men in the community, not the mention the oldest and most respected treasure hunter and guide into the Llangantes mountains in the area. And he loves to talk . Over dinner, on a walk, searching for my lost puppy, picking fresh fruit off trees, he always has a story. The other day he was telling me about his relationship with Eugene Brunner, a famous German treasure hunter who is known to have discovered the exact location of slew of Incan gold hidden in the Lllagantes mountains. He told me of Brunner’s sad life of being continuously used for his gold secret and how he often cried because it was so hard to hold in. Segundo I think has an idea as well regarding where the treasure is, but he tells me with sincerity that he has no interest in the treasure and never has, “for what does one need gold for in this country, to make life more difficult when I already have a roof over my head and food on my plate.”
I am writing this before going to bed, so wish me luck that Pacha doesn’t get her cry on during the middle of the night.
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