Wow! I don’t even know where to begin. So much has happened in Ecuador since I arrived last Monday.
Our first few days in the country were spent in the city of Quito, where we did some exploring and had a brief introduction at Yanapuma. Yanapuma is the non-governmental organization that is coordinating our work efforts in Ecuador. Their mission focuses on aiding indigenous tribes emphasizing health and sustainable agriculture. During our orientation we learned about life in Ecuador (the culture and politics), and took Spanish classes. These were first Spanish lessons I have ever taken and it was quite entertaining. Our teacher spoke less English than I did Spanish! No better way to learn, though, right? Jump right in up to your neck!
Then on Friday the day I and been nervously awaiting since I was accepted in TBB had arrived! It was time to head off to our homestays and begin our work. We took a bus to the outside of Quito and then squeezed all 21 of us into two trucks to get to rural village of Los Naranjos, the village where we are staying and working. Los Naranhas belongs to the Tsa’ Chila - an indigenous tribe.
After a long drive of traveling we finally arrived and were greeted by the entire community. What a sight! Alejandro (the cultural leader) introduced us all to our host families and we made our way to their homes. The family I am assigned to, along with Luisa, consists of Rosa (38), Sakari (38), Gloria (11), and Lise (6). The family also has 4 dogs and about 100 chickens running around. They live very close to the community’s center, which is very convenient. Their house is one of the few concrete houses in the community- and its PURPLE! There is no running water in the home, but there is electricity. The outhouse is directly behind their house and there are buckets of water and the river for bathing.
The homestay has been an incredible experience. It is the best learning experience of my life. I’m very lucky to be partnered with Luisa she is fluent in Spanish, so that’s helps tremendously with the language barrier. She speaks while I smile and throw the kids up and down in the air! Sorry, mom, but they like it! :-)
The food has been good, but very scarce. Most meals consist of boiled plantains, a little rice, and a bite size piece of chicken, if we are lucky. Maybe the size of one chicken McNugget. Our host mother never fails to let us know that she kills every chicken we eat! Oh and how could I forget, the other day the ICE CREAM MAN came to our house. We were served a sorbet/ice cream treat of some sort. I don't ask too many questions, I just eat! As you can imagine, the other TBB kids were very jealous. They think our host family spoils us, because we were also given a piece of orange bread one day.
Away from the home we work each day for 4.5 hours. Our project in the community is reforestation. The goal that has been set for us over the next 4 and 1/2 weeks is to plant 8,000 trees along the riverbank. It is an understatement to say that it is tough work. And to think that I used to complain about taking out the garbage once a week! The process begins by hauling the native plants in baskets. We then dig holes in which to plant them. The cruel twist to the story is we are not planting them on a level, clear piece of ground. We are working in the middle of a jungle, replete with poisonous snakes, funny looking bugs, and sorry Faith, death inducing spiders. Fortunately, a few Tsa’chila villagers are always with us to lead us on the correct path away, we hope, away from stuff of my nightmares.
It seems funny to be planting trees in a jungle, but if you saw this jungle you would understand. It is FILLED with weeds and vines, very few trees are left. At the end of each day of work I’m covered head-to-toe in dirt, have numerous cuts from falling off small cliffs, and have more bug bites than freckles! The work is rewarding, though, and the village is so thankful. When I arrive home our host mother makes Louisa and me bug juice (don't ask) and scrubs our clothes like I’ve never seen done before. Mom, care for a lesson? ;-)
The work day ends with lunch at home, a quick shower (no not that kind of shower - the kind of shower where I lay in the shallow river and Louisa poors a bucket of water over me) before heading to the cultural center to have group seminar/ project study time.
Well that’s a quick update of my life here in Ecuador. We are currently in Bahia for the weekend - a beach town. And, yes, we are all alive during Ecuador’s State of Emergency and The U.S State Department's warning to all Americans, but that's another story for another day!
Miss you all!
maddie p
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