Ecuador Group - Blog #4
by Sheila Grantham
Find more on the Ecuador Trip here >>>
Blog index here >>>
My experience in Ecuador
I have to admit I learned a lot from my Ecuador experience. At first I was really out of my comfort zone and thought I would not enjoy myself at all. My host family was absolutely amazing but they lived very different then I do. They have cold showers, their mattresses are not mattresses like the one I sleep on, they wash their clothes by hand and their food was primarily soups, rice and beans. Every morning they get up very early and the rooster makes sure of that at 4 every morning! It was hard at first to adapt to but eventually I got into a routine every day.
My placement was not at all what I expected. I was shocked at how run down the daycare was, especially the children's tables- one actually collapsed while the children was using it. The teacher was amazing. Impalita, always maintained her cool even when the children of all ages were running around in every which direction- she could always draw them back in with one of her interactive games. I was amazed at how laid back she was- never yelling or getting upset over anything. I admired that a great deal.
My host family is Quicha, which are the indigenous peoples from that region. My host mother is a nurse and I am very grateful for that! I got really sick while I was there and she was always making me herbal teas and taking care of me. My host father is a teacher who is incredibly passionate about maintaining his Quicha culture and protecting their indigenous knowledge. They have two children- Camie and Koorie. Camie is the baby and she is adorable, but is still in the terrible two's phase. Koorie is nine years old and people will often see him on the 'welcome to Otavalo' posters. I will never forget the generosity this family showed me when I stayed with them and hopefully someday I will be able to return the favor.
Life in Otavalo was very interesting. Once a week they host the world's largest indigenous markets, where for one day a week the streets are made for vendors and not cars. I picked up a lot of indigenous crafts for my family and myself. The restaurants are very cute in downtown Otavalo. The whole group ended up eating several times at one of the few restaurants that made pizza. The décor was very entertaining as they had bean bag seats in one section and they provided live latin music on certain nights. But what was most breath-taking in the area of Otavalo was the volcanoes and mountains that surrounded you. Our group was lucky enough to be able to climb a mountain. I can honestly say it was the most challenging thing I have ever done. I was faced with really bad altitude sickness but I never felt prouder the moment I reached the top.
Overall, my experiences in Ecuador has taught me many things. I learned that stepping out of my comfort zone was great. It forced me to learn other things I had not known before. Going to Ecuador made me more laid back and it taught me to have more respect for other cultures. In addition, I appreciate everything I have more. Although my host family didn't have much, they had all that they need and it really did make me realize how great my life truly is.
|
