Ecuador 2006: Hospitals

We visited two different hospitals while in Quito. While in the childrens' hospital, we put on srubs, were told which floors we could visit, and were sent off to talk to people on our own. Many things surprised me. Perhaps the biggest one was how many people were there. Each room had about 4 patients, but almost every patient had someone there visiting them. Another thing is how open everyone was. We were able to ask about what happened, how long they had been there, how that affects school, etc.

This little boy in the photo was adorable and kind. He had broken a bone, so that's why he was in the hospital. He played soccer with us, tried to take pictures with my camera, and tried to share his snack with us.

Ecuador 2006: Mitad del Mundo

We went to the equator while in Ecuador. Mitad del mundo means the middle of the earth. There's not much to write because the videos show it all. Enjoy!

Ecuador 2006: Cloud Forest

After visiting the cloud forest in Ecuador, I know what my favorite ecosystem is. A cloud forest has similar flora to a rainforest, but is at a higher altitude and thus is colder. While traveling through a cloud forest, one is basically traveling through green mountains that have, in the morning, clouds rising up out of them. In this picture, we had gone swimming in the cloud forest (which was very, very cold).

Ecuador 2006: Otavalo

We were blessed to be able to go to Otavalo, a town known for its amazing artisan market, not simply as tourist, but rather as students and as friends of a friend. The husband of the director of our school in Quito is the godfather of some of the children in one of the Otavalen families. We were thus able to go visit their home. They showed us how they weaved, explained to us their marriage ceremonies, and dressed up two of our students in their clothes. After that, we were able to go to the market. It is much harder to barder after knowing a family that lives off the money made in the market.

Ecuador 2006: Futbol

At the very end of our trip, we managed to sneak in a trip to a soccer (futbol) game. The game was between Guayaquil and Quito--the two largest cities in Ecuador. It was incredible to be able to see how many people came to the game and how impassioned they were.

Afterwards I ran into some of the men from my family (if I were my host-mom's daughter, they would be my brother-in-laws) and they asked me if I had learned any new words while watching the game. I knew they were swearing (everyone was except us!), but I didn't know what they were saying. The second picture was taken during half-time in which a huge banner was pulled over the crowd for a break from the sun.

Pictures and words cannot communicate it, if anyone has a chance to go to a futbol game in Latin America (or nearly any foreign country) they should take that opportunity.

Ecuador 2006: The Beach

While I have visited the beach in nearly every country that I have been to, it proves to be an elusive place. I mean this in the sense that often we visit the beach, but seldom do we live there. What I know about the culture of the different groups on the coasts of Ecuador, I know from reading not experience.

But I do not mean this to be a complaint, because our time at the beach was a terrific time to relax, reflect, appreciate creation, and get to know the others in the group even better. Someday though, I'd like to get to know some costenos.

Ecuador 2006: Amazon

Going to the Amazon was a truly amazing experience. First, the travel simple to get there from our comfortable home in the Andes was quite the adventure. A rather active volcano, Tungaragua, had erupted the night before we were supposed to leave. So plans were delayed a day and we had to take a different way to Shell Mera because of roads being blocked from the eruption. So after an entire day of driving, we spent a night in Shell which is on the edge of the Amazon. The following day we flew into the Amazon to spend some time with a family there.

Being with the tribe taught me the opposite of what I had learned in Quito. While in Quito, I was able to connect with my family and the teachers well because I knew relatively good amount of Spanish. This was nice contrast to when I was in Guatemala during high school and unable to communicate with the people around me. So while I was in Quito, I was learning how much language matters in forming relationships with people.

But then with the tribe, we did not have a common language. However, we learned to not let that be a hindrance. We were able to play with the children and interact with the adults without a common language. When it came time to leave, it was hard to say goodbye even though we had only spent a few days with them, we had no conversations with them, and we didn't actually know how to say "bye". So while I was in the Amazon, I learned how much language doesn't matter in forming relationships with people.

Ecuador 2006: Host Family

My host family is Ecuador was super incredible. I was the only student living with them and was able to get to know the family well even though I was there for just one month.

One thing that was special to me were the children of the family. Being able to invest in those children was truly a blessing.

Another thing that really impacted me was when one of the aunts who was very sick would stay at the house. She was having problems with a brain tumor and needed to go to Miami for a serious operation, but the greater illness was the depression that plagued her. Sometimes her husband would bring her to the house and family members would surround her with love and try to get her to eat or walk, but she couldn't and wouldn't. Her husband would stay downstairs, talking to be about politics or religion or anything other than his sick wife while the others would work with her upstairs. I felt humbled to be there during that struggle.