People

This morning was full of discussions about our products and intensely analyzing campaigns and marketing with our asesores. What a fruitful and satisfying morning expressing frustrations, concerns and just processing the craziness of the past 3 weeks. One of our fundamental questions was whether solutiones communitarias and the asesores involved should be focused on making money or providing resources to those who don’t have access to them. Some of our campaigns were truly going the last mile and in tiny communities that could only be reached by riding in the back of a pick-up truck for 4 hours while others were in the middle of a medium sized town on market day. These definitely have different feels, attract different customers, and require different marketing strategies. However, at the end of the day we decided that the primary goal of solutiones communitarias is to provide resources but a close second is having the asesores make money and selling a lot of products. That fundamental question is certainly one I will continue to roll around in my head.

It has been empowering to have our feedback be so valued. We have been challenged to turn our criticisms and frustrations into recommendations for improvement. I really believe and trust they are taking these recommendations to heart and it is pretty incredible to feel equipped enough to be able to provide an educated evaluation of this operation.

For lunch I went with a crew to an amazing Columbian restaurant that was recommended by both SEC and my favorite book (thanks to Hannah Carmen), Lonely Planet. When we arrived the owner greeted us by introducing himself, shaking our hands, and showing us to a table. After looking over the menu I ordered a traditional almuerzo, which has become what I crave when I am hungry and it is definitely the best bang for your buck. Columbian’s serve a banana with their soup which was a fun supplement to the first course. At the end of the meal, the owner thanked us for our business and made sure we all enjoyed our food. I was so impressed by how personal he was and the quality of customer service. I cannot help but analyze businesses now after giving multiple presentations on customer service, sale strategies, marketing, and organizational structure. I adored sharing this meal with my dear friend Steph who is originally from Columbia and has spent the majority of her life there. What a girl. She is my go to for information about culture, exotic foods, and just random fun facts in general. Her even temperament, unshakable nature, and fluent Spanish make her a joy to be around and an incredible asset to our team.

After lunch we had an unexpectedly fun afternoon when all the Spanish classes decided to go to the reptile zoo. I saw huge snakes, chicken-eating frogs, a crocodile, and one scary tarantula. For the last hour of class we painted a tree and described ourselves and our experiences here in Spanish. Oh how I miss 1^st grade.

Elizabeth Smith and I made our way to my favorite coffee shop called Café Austria in a torrential downpour. I was lucky enough to skype with my parents for over an hour and then skype with Laura and Scott Edwards, two Carolina friends who are both in Dallas. What a treat it was to see the faces of so many people I care about so much and hear a little bit about what is going on in their lives. But man, it was hard too. I really miss my family and friends. I have come to appreciate the people in my life more and more. There is a comfort in being known by others and there is a pain in the disconnect that time apart causes. My love for these individuals does not change, in fact it certainly grows. Skyping or spending time on facebook and email is honestly hard for me. It takes me away from where I am physically and also emotionally. But I just cannot help but want to know about the happenings in the lives of those I care about. At the end of the day, I am more excited than ever to have time at home with my family and then 9 more months at Carolina. I want to take advantage of every last moment at this school in the unbelievable community of people I have been blessed with. What a year it will be.

The end of the night was filled with exploring the city which was celebrating the end of Corpus Christi with tons of sweets, street food, thousands of people, laterns aloft in the sky, music, and fireworks. Surrounding by Ecuadorians, noises and smells it was sensory overload. The night was topped off by hanging out with some friends and returning home. Another full day in Ecuador!

PBack in Action

After a hard morning run I ate a delicious bowl of fruit and headed to school with Wick. At Amauta (our school) we discussed the different products we are working on introducing in the area. The main one my group focused on was a stove. This stove would be built by a local in a rural community and would allow women to cook using more pots, and installs a chimney with decreases health issues. It is a wonderful product and has been wildly successful in Gautemala but begin to sell it is incredibly complicated. We are working on finding men who could be trained and used to build the stoves in their region. Price is an issue and figuring out a feasible payment plan is necessary. While there are a lot of unknowns we are working hard to research through surveys, the internet, and community visits.

Lunch at home was one of my favorites today—lentil soup, rice, tomatoes, avocadoes, and meat that was like a crab cake but with tuna. Yummy. The afternoon was filled with Spanish and the evening with walking around town and enjoying dinner at a quaint restaurant that is popular for travelers and has fireplaces inside.

The weather in Cuenca is funny right now and the days start very chilly, around 40 degrees, and by mid afternoon it is sunny and hot, in the low 80s, returning to cold by sunset. It is hard to dress for. Tonight after class I found myself freezing and I have been wanting another jacket or sweatshirt. I walked around markets and shops for a good hour with Elizabeth trying to find the right item. Finally it was spotted, a beautiful cream colored, hand knitted large sweater---perfect. I met the woman who made it, tried it on and immediately felt warmer. I tried to bargain ever so slightly and made the price $20. The look on her face told me something had to be wrong, I asked again how much it cost and she said $18. No wonder she was so willing to sell it to me for $20 but seemed utterly confused when I suggested that price. We got a good laugh out of that one. I must be a little homesick because the sweater I chose is very much like one my mom wears all the time. This sweater of my mom’s is a go to and it is one of those articles of clothing I see when I picture my mom in my head. Wearing this new sweater tonight was a little taste of home.

This week is the festival of Corpus Christi and the main square is lined with at least 25 tents full of nothing but delicious sweets and treats. Everything from chocolate cover coconut balls to cookies to cakes to candies to bars to lollipops—literally more sweets than you know what to do with. I walk through just to see it but tonight I finally cracked and man was my sweet tooth satisfied. The square in the center of town was covered with people, vendors, food, entertainment, music and fireworks. Apparently the celebration ends tomorrow but I am adoring the colorful crowd.

Epic Hike- Podecarpus

Today was another day of adventure in Ecuador and man does it make me feel alive. After running along the only big road through Yantzaza with the mountains, fields, families, and wildlife all around me I showered and ate breakfast. Daniel, Matt, Margaret, SJ, and I all caught a taxi to the terminal where we were embarking on a journey to Podecarpus National Park. First, we had to catch a bus to Zamora. We were quickly ushered onto a large bus of which we were the only passengers. The bus attendants then began closing the curtains and asked us to go to the seats in the back. While we thought this was a little odd we were not too terribly concerned, especially with 6’5’’ 200 pound Matt with us. The bus made no stops on the way to Zamora and did not even take us all the way to the terminal. We found out later that we were likely illegally riding and these men were trying to make money off of us on their drive to another location. Oops. However, it worked out for both of us because they made money and we got there in half the time it usually takes.

Once in Zamora we caught a truck to the park and proceeded to hike the remaining 20 minutes to the administrative offices. At this point it is pouring outside and none of us decided to bring our raincoats. I cannot imagine a better group for these conditions. No one even thought about complaining about the conditions, instead we saw it as merely adding to the experience. We put our electronics in plastic bags and began our hikes after looking at the trail maps. Our first hike was about 20 minutes that led us to an unbelievable waterfall. By this time we are all SOAKED from head to two. It was as if I had just jumped into a pool and re-emerged to trek through the jungle without ringing my clothes. We found refuge under a rock at the waterfall, from which we were able to take a few pictures. Standing in the pouring rain, wet from head to two, in the jungle, surrounded by mountains and wildlife, underneath an enormous waterfall with five new friends in the middle of Ecuador was one of the most invigorating feelings I have had in a long while. We were rendered speechless and giddy with disbelief at our current predicament.

                Eventually we decided to keep hiking to warm ourselves up and we decided to try another trial that said 25 minutes to a view. This proved to be a very interesting decision and led us to a hike that ended up being over an hour of straight uphill climbing. Thankfully the rain had slowed to a drizzle which decreased our slipping but did nothing to helping our burning quads. We were grabbing hold of roots and vines as we ventured up the mountain to an unknown destination. While we were concerned and confused about how long this was taking us we were happily distracted by the diverse and gorgeous vegetation all around us. Plants, trees, flower, and vines were rich in color and things we had never before seen. One particularly pesky fern had prickly thorns on the bottom of it that we did our best to avoid after they attacked us a few times. Every time there was a clearing in the trees we had an amazing view of the mountains and clouds all around us. After over an hour of ascension we were muddy, exhausted, and the path was continually getting narrower and more treacherous. We decided to turn around and attempt to make our way down the incline we had just come up. While we had many muddy falls and clung to multiple branches, we finally made it back to the bottom, exhausted, humored, dirty, and thoroughly satisfied with our hiking adventure. We found the guide at the park and asked him where we had gone. He told us it was a hard hike and you should not go too far up because it gets dangerous. This news was no surprise to us. What a day we had. Tired and hungry we left the park and returned to be picked up by a truck and dropped off at the terminal in Zamora. We boarded the bus COVERED in mud, scratches and still soaked from head to toe. We have grown accustomed to being stated at wherever we go because we are gringos. However, today it reached a whole new level as literally every single person in Zamora would lock their eyes on us for an extended period of time trying to figure out why the heck these white skinned, blue eyed, blonde haired people were walking around wet and muddy. All we could do was laugh. After hours and hours spent on public transportation we have seen many ridiculous things. People boarding the bus with chickens, cats, produce, candy, food, children etc. Many people have a stench we like to call the “campo funk” (farm funk) and there is no such thing as personal space. Those who are standing will lean on your seat and it gets crowded and smelly fast. Today was a total reversal of roles. We were the sticky, weird, people standing in the bus, some enjoying street food and definitely slightly on top of the people around us. What an amusing and unforgettable day.

                After a freezing cold shower we all were clean and dry for the first time in six hours. We ventured to our favorite restaurant in Yantzaza where they serve delicious chicken, rice, plantains, and soap with popcorn. After hiking all day with very little food, this meal tasted delightful. Joined by the rest of our group had done a campaign that day, we all explored a local discoteca which we were the only patrons of that night. We had our own dance party and then retired to our rooms. What a completely exhilarating and liberating day.

Reflection

This morning we were charged with the task of processing all we have seen and done as a group. We sat around and talked about all the communities we have visited, products seen, charlas given, campaigns completed, and surveys finished. It was very beneficial to put down our throughs, observations, and give advice for the other interns who will be visiting all these communities in the following two weeks.

I then had a traditional almuerzo (lunch) at a new restaurant with Daniel and Steph. I am beginning to crave a big traditional meal of soup, rice, beans, and meat whenever I am hungry now. The whole group then ventured to a resort type place called Tierra Dorada. It is about 5 minutes from town and charges a $3 entry fee to use the pool, sauna, and bar/restaurant. The beautiful setting provided for an awesome afternoon of laying in the sun, playing uno when it rained, and just enjoying being together. I truly adore these people and am growing closer and closer with them every day. We returned to Yantzaza for dinner, ice cream, and hanging out in the central park area in town. What a solid and full day!

Artisan Goods

The morning began bright and early with a long run with Sarah Jean, Margaret, and Maria Luz. We wandered along the road out of town and ended up running and talking for over an hour in the misty rain. Afterwards we showered and ate our complimentary breakfast of juice, eggs, a grilled cheese and coffee. Yummy.

We rode a truck to the small community of Gautalupe where we visited the homes of four different artisans. All had similar goods of beaded necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and key chains. Most were gorgeous but some were slightly tacky. We all bought gifts for ourselves or goods to bring home to friends. One particular artisan, Mercedes, is mother to 11 children, expecting her 12th and grandmother of 3. Here house was filled with children of all ages running around and loving staring at the odd white skinned people inhabiting their home. It was a great to be in her home and felt rewarding to buy her products, however my heart aches for her. She is trying to support so many people and I know it cannot be easy. Earrings were between $1-2 and bracelets around $.50. I later found out that earrings take half a day to make and bracelets around 2 hours. I don’t know how to feel about paying so little for what took someone so long to make. I want to provide immediately for these women by giving them an income however there has to be a better long term solution.

The women cooked us traditional empanadas and tamales for lunch, followed by our product analysis and a consultation presentation we delivered on sales strategies. It was a nice to be able to give sales advice and hopefully information that will develop their businesses and increase their incomes. However, after spending a day with these women, it is difficult to leave them behind without following up on the progress of their business personally. The other SEC group will be visiting them in 3 weeks and they will forever have a relationship with SEC. I want to see the job to completion but unfortunately that is not in the job description this summer.

Delaying the ride home because of rain we played a rousing game of Celebrity. We eventually put on our raincoats and had a wet ride home. Dinner and great conversations filled the night time. Now I am headed to sleep and excited about a relaxing weekend ahead.

Hasta Luego,

Cate

Value

This may be the most beautiful country in the world. Although my travels are limited, it is hard to beat a country that is nestled in the Andes, has a coastal region, and includes the jungle. What an unbelievable span of natural terrains. Riding in the back of a pick-up truly allows us to appreciate Ecuador in all its glory. I usually sit down in the cab because I like being outside, getting sun, feeling the breeze, seeing the views, and spending time with my friends, however I want to play it safe. I am letting go and being free but the voice of reason inside of me keeps me inside the cab where I am less likely to fall out when the truck driver takes sharp turns or goes over the abundant potholes that plague the roads and dirt paths in this country. However, today I was the first one to the truck so I jumped in the back and had the first seat on the edge near the front (with a bar to hold on to—don’t worry too much mom). The ride back was at dusk, my favorite time of day, and the rush of the wind against my face while looking at the golden and pink lined clouds with the sun setting over the mountains was unreal. A few bugs pounded my face which could have been a nuisance but today they were the perfect addition to the whole experience. I felt alive, I felt free, and I felt far away from Chapel Hill, Nashville and everything that is familiar.

This car ride followed another full day here. At 7am our crew ventured to a restaurant for breakfast of fruit, eggs, three huge pieces of bread, sweet tomato juice, and coffee with milk. I woke up hungry and was satisfied. Before departing on our journey, we all received rubber boots up to our knees in preparation for the trek through the jungle mud we would shortly be going on. After an hour truck ride we ventured through the mud and muck to arrive at the indigenous community of the Shuar people. They are related to the Ashuar in the North, known for their rituals of shrinking skulls, fighting off the Spanish, and other impressive feats and cultish practices. They are also known for their alcohol drink that is the fermented spit of the women after chewing sugar cane. If offered this drink, we were told we could not refuse because it is considered the highest honor and would be rude to decline. This scenario was unlikely however, and luckily we were not faced with the task of consuming this unique beverage.

Once in the community we conducted a charla, or consultation on team work and organization in the morning and on sales strategies in the afternoon. This community is hoping to start a tourism initiative allowing tourists to come to their community, learn from the indigenous people and enjoy the gorgeous land. They want to include hikes to waterfalls, information about wildlife and the ecology of the land, delicious natural food, artisan goods, canoe adventures, and historical education. They need help combining their ideas and forming a tangible plan and timeline. I think the day was productive and constructive for them. In between Charla’s we learned about the medicinal plants they use, picked and ate clementines from a tree, played with a 17 year old pet turtle, and devoured a delicious traditional lunch. Doing our best to avoid losing a shoe in the mud which did happen a few times, we trekked back to civilization. We rode a boat back to Yantzaza while being amazed by the river and rainbow that spanned the sky at the time. Our day ended in the back of a truck riding home.

This organization feels kind of like a garage project where we are making posters and presenting information in simple and easy to understand terms. It is simple, through and through. Yet it is making a huge difference in the lives of those it reaches. And the most amazing part is that we strive to reach far. Today we had to take a truck, a boat, and then hike in rubber boots for 30 minutes to provide free advice to these indigenous people. How incredible. It is difficult at times to stay motivated and keep a good grasp on the vision. However, I have to constantly remember I am part of something that is much bigger than me and does not always produce immediate results. But if I am able to have a hand in changing the life of just one person in the most remote village in Ecuador what a privilege that is. I must continually hold onto the perspective that every person has intrinsic value and worth. They deserve love and care. For whatever reason I have been blessed with abundant access to resources and opportunity; education, loving parents, a supportive community, financial security, American citizenship, etc. So many of the circumstances that have allowed me to excel thus far were out of my control. However, unto whom much is given, much is required. I am striving to honor all those who have contributed to my well-being and provide access to some of the same resources for these equally valuable individuals in Ecuador be it love, compassion, a listening ear, business advice, or eye-glasses, I am here to do what I can with what I have and to learn along the way. Man am I learning.

Thanks for reading.

Hasta luego,

Cate

New friends are fun

Today was a fantastic day spent with interns. I arose to go on a morning run with Maria Luz which was such a joy. We reached the edge of town after only 5 minutes of running but continued on down the four lane highway. Breakfast in the hotel was a grilled cheese, scrambled eggs, fresh papaya juice, and coffee. We then found ourselves in the back of a truck once again.

We spent the morning marketing for our campaign in a small village that is happening on Saturday. Marketing consists of us literally going door to door, handing out fliers, brochures, and putting up posters in prime locations. We are broken records on repeat telling every single person in this community about the free eye exams, glasses, solar lamps, and water purification filters. Some people were cleaning, others on horseback, others teaching school, others working at their tienda. It was a fun and purposeful morning. I truly am excited to bring resources to the members of this community that could change their lifestyles. Some may be able to read now, do homework at night if electricity goes out, or drink healthy water. It is a blessing to play a small role in this big project.

After our marketing we rode back in rain which was a wet ride. Lunch was delicious and full of fun conversation. We function as a family, eating each other’s left-overs, and just passing time naturally together. The afternoon was spent planning our consultation tomorrow which required tweaking our sales strategies presentation. The group we are working with is hoping to start a tourism initiative in their small indigenous community. Essentially we are facilitating brainstorming session for them and helping them to streamline their ideas.

Tonight we bought avocados and tomatoes and made our own fresh and delicious salad to enjoy in the hotel. We have been flipping through old photos and sharing funny high school and college stories. I love these people.

Hasta luego,

Cate

Avocados and Tomatoes

Today was a fantastic day spent with interns. I arose to go on a morning run with Maria Luz which was such a joy. We reached the edge of town after only 5 minutes of running but continued on down the four lane highway. Breakfast in the hotel was a grilled cheese, scrambled eggs, fresh papaya juice, and coffee. We then found ourselves in the back of a truck once again.

We spent the morning marketing for our campaign in a small village that is happening on Saturday. Marketing consists of us literally going door to door, handing out fliers, brochures, and putting up posters in prime locations. We are broken records on repeat telling every single person in this community about the free eye exams, glasses, solar lamps, and water purification filters. Some people were cleaning, others on horseback, others teaching school, others working at their tienda. It was a fun and purposeful morning. I truly am excited to bring resources to the members of this community that could change their lifestyles. Some may be able to read now, do homework at night if electricity goes out, or drink healthy water. It is a blessing to play a small role in this big project.

After our marketing we rode back in rain which was a wet ride. Lunch was delicious and full of fun conversation. We function as a family, eating each other’s left-overs, and just passing time naturally together. The afternoon was spent planning our consultation tomorrow which required tweaking our sales strategies presentation. The group we are working with is hoping to start a tourism initiative in their small indigenous community. Essentially we are facilitating brainstorming session for them and helping them to streamline their ideas.

Tonight we bought avocados and tomatoes and made our own fresh and delicious salad to enjoy in the hotel. We have been flipping through old photos and sharing funny high school and college stories. I love these people.

Yantzaza

The days are beginning to pass more and more quickly and I want to stop time. Today I arose early and ran around Loja one last time. I packed up all my belongings and enjoyed a lingering complimentary breakfast with friends in the café next to the hotel. We took a cattle truck to the terminal with all our belongings and rode once more for over 3 hours to Yantzaza.

Our hotel in Yantzaza is called Oriental Hotel and it is a quirky little joint. It is three stories with rooms that smell a little funky, some damp, some mild-dewy, and others a more non-distinct odor. It has a common space on the second floor that has couches, green and white with a tacky floral design. The décor is fake plants, flowers, and two paintings (or prints?) of an ocean landscape. There is no air conditioning and I feel perpetually sticky. It certainly has its charm---the “oriental” hotel in the middle of Ecuador.

We all had a 3:30pm traditional lunch and had a simple orientation on the small town of Yantzaza. We then all walked around the city, if you can even call it that, which is about 12 blocks long and 4 blocks deep. I love it though. The streets are wide, clean, and filled with people. It a lively place and there are joyful children playing everywhere. Because there is not tons of development you can see the beautiful mountains surrounding this valley town. We were able to walk all over the town and poke our heads in most shops in the matter of a couple of hours. Wherever we walked we were certainly a spectacle. I have a feeling we are the most gringos this town has seen in a while. At dusk we sat at a small restaurant, enjoyed some drinks, and shared life stories. I am fairly confident this restaurant saw significantly more business tonight because people wanted to observe us. Oh my. At one point I ventured to the bathroom which required walking through the kitchen where the family was preparing the food, some sitting playing cards, and another woman doing laundry. There was a gorgeous golden retriever sitting in the garden. I had to restrain myself to not pet this friendly animal that reminded me of home.

I truly love this city and I am really looking forward to the time we will spend there. It is quite possible for us to eat at the majority of the good restaurants and for my morning run to easily cover the entire town. This week is much less hectic than the last, partially because we just have less time in transit to and from different locations and partially because we will be able to recycle consultation presentations. I am excited for a little slower pace and more time to explore and relax with one another.

Hast luego,

Cate

Market

What  a day it was. We met downstairs at 5:40am and headed to the terminal before the sun was up. We proceeded to ride in 3 different buses to arrive 4 hours away in a small town for a market. Two asesores were running a market, giving free eye exams, selling eye glasses, solar lamps, seeds, pure water filters, and energy efficient light bulbs. These asesores were two women living in poverty in Yanzatza and making commission on these sales is a significant income for these women and their families. They have already had to complete extensive training in business practices and become intimately acquainted with the products they are selling. As interns we are responsible for being extra hands, publicizing products, and conducting surveys about future products we may introduce. Today was insane. We had over seventy people receive eye exams between 10:30 and 2:30. Margaret and I were scrambling to make sales pitches in Spanish and promote our products while people waited for their eye exams. It was quite the challenge but we were so busy there was really no time to think. At one point I was giving an oral survey to a woman and I began to feel incredibly dizzy. I knew I needed to be close to the ground or I was going to fall down. I told the woman in English “I’m sorry, I need to sit down” and I collapsed on the ground. Immediately, someone yelled and before I knew it Maria Luz, our program director was supporting me and wiping water on my forehead. My head felt really hot and like it was exploding, my hands and legs were shaking, and I felt like I was going to go to the bathroom in my pants or throw up. I was being given water to drink and food to eat but I could not open my eyes. Finally, after a few minutes I was able to stand and move out of the center of the market. I laid on a bench in the shade and drank Gatorade until my legs stop shaking. Apparently I was green in the face. It was the oddest sensation as I have never fainted or done anything close to that. I felt completely out of control of my body and it was truly scary. However, after drinking a ton of fluids I was fully recovered. We enjoyed a big, late lunch and continued selling the products. By the end of the day, we had made over $500 and each of the asesores made $87. According to Maria Luz, this was the most successful campaign she had ever been a part of. It was so rewarding to see the look on the asesores’ faces and know how much impact this extra income will have for their family. They were empowered and I was lucky enough to play a small role in it.

At the end of the day we journeyed the 4 hours home. I slept most of the way but woke up to see the gorgeous stars and beautiful view. After a 16 hour work day, I am ready for a good night of sleep!

Hasta Luego,

Cate

Day Off

I have not written in oh so long. Today was an ideal day off. I arose early in the morning and ran around Loja. I have concluded that I like Loja but I do not love Loja. The people here are not super friendly, the streets are crowded and it is not very clean. However, I still am obsessed with Ecuador. After running I read and wrote in my journal. I then enjoyed the complimentary breakfast ordering scrambled eggs, mango juice, and coffee with milk on the side. Yum.

Sj, Margaret and I then caught a cab to the terminal and hopped on a bus to a small town called Vilacabamba about an hour away that is known for it’s inhabitants living abnormally long lives. Many people crest 100 years old and this long life is attributed to the relaxing nature of the valley and the clean water from the mountains there. The town was gorgeous. We got in the back of a truck to ride up to a gorgeous hostel we had heard about called Izcahluma, nestled in the mountains with a breath-taking view of the valley. After checking out the maps we choose a 5-hour hike around the mountain ranges. This hike was harder than we had anticipated and after an hour we were sweaty and exhausted, wandering on random pathways, roads, and near houses. At one point we popped out on a paved road and the trial pointed down. We proceeded to walk on this road for over an hour feeling like true backpackers. Much to our surprise we encountered the hostel where we began after under 3 hours. This was a welcomed happening. We joyfully walked to the back porch and sat down enjoying a delicious meal and fantastic conversation with an unreal view. We were surrounded by people of different nationalities and speaking different languages. Ecuador is colorful and full of life. We walked back into town, caught a bus home, and are now preparing for a 5:40am departure tomorrow morning. Oh what a day it was.

Hasta Luego,

Cate

Failing Forward

This morning I started the day off with a long run around Loja with my friend Sarah Jean. SJ is a graduate student at Indiana University who I adored spending quality time with today. She is way overqualified for this program which is glaringly obvious whenever we do group work and her knowledge is far superior to any of ours. SJ is a joy to be around and I am gaining so much from the wisdom she exudes. After our run, I had the pleasure of skyping with my mom while enjoying a warm cup of café con leche. Looking for adventure and an unforgettable way to spend our morning off, SJ and I hopped in a cab and asked the driver to take us to the botanical gardens (assuming that it would be well-known and obvious). Five minutes later we found ourselves at what Ecuadorians call a zoo. It was about the size of a football field and included a bear, two llamas, two pumas, a tiger, birds, a mix between a pig and a porcupine, and a rabbit sized rat. Wow, what an adventure we had.

Our group then chartered a bus and went to the community of La Era in the middle of the Andees mountains requiring a 45 minute ride in a pick-up truck. We had our first consultation presentation today completely in Spanish. Eight women work together for their textile business and they are struggling with unity and cohesion. Our plan was to talk about organizational structure, forming a mission statement, and setting personal goals. However, once we began asking about their organization we discovered that they already had a mission statement, organization, and they were expecting help with finances and marketing, the task left for the other interns. They seemed confused during our presentation, struggled to participate, and we were easily frazzled. After a long debrief we have constructive information to help improve our next consultation.

After a enjoying Mexican food for dinner we are all working on our consultation for tomorrow. Hopefully, vast improvements will be made.

Hasta luego,

Cate

Flexible

Flexible. Be flexible. That is what I am learning and re-learning and boy is it a hard lesson for me. I am one of those people who loves schedules, makes to-do lists, always carries my planner, and lives hour by hour. I like to make the most of my time and be as efficient as possible. Ecuador is not made for planners. It is go with the flow, be open to change, don’t count on things to happen as anticipated and be ready for anything. Today was one of those days where this lesson was huge.

We met in the lobby at 5:20am to leave for a small rural community 3 hours away. The coffee at the bus terminal should have been called sugar with coffee on top—rough start to the morning. Our supposed 3 hour ride was prolonged due to a 30 minute delay because the mountain road went down to one lane for construction. Once in the community we met our ascesores (local entrepreneur) and his niece. Our first task was to pin down the campaign (for selling eye glasses and other products) location and date. The campaign was supposed to be Saturday morning and the interns would then have the afternoon and Sunday off. However, when we were there it was decided that Sunday would be more effective selling in the church where the community gathers. Our free day has now changed which changes our tentative plans to travel an hour away, spend the night and trek and canopy (zipline) in the mountains the following day. Hopefully we can figure something else out. We then spent 2 hours walking all over the small community handing out fliers and spreading the word about the upcoming campaign on Sunday. I did a lot of smiling and handing out fliers while the impressive 13-year-old niece did the bulk of the talking. We were surprised when we had a man interested in buying a solar lamp and we actually were able to make the sale. He then led us to the school where he teaches and we went into the classrooms. The kids were fascinated by us and we told them our names, information about the campaign, and gave them fliers for their parents. Brilliant PR as we talked to over 75 kids in 30 minutes in a community that spreads the mountainside. We then aided as two BYU students interviewed our first customer about his experiences for the documentary these students are working on making about the MicroConsignment Model.

The interns recollected and were then asked to wait for 2 hours while the BYU students conducted interviews. We were initially told we would be back in Cuenca for lunch at 2:30 and have the afternoon off. Instead we didn’t leave this community until 2:30. We all piled into the back of a small pick-up truck, 11 people in the covered backseat and bumped down the mountain path. It was an unforgettable journey of physical discomfort filled with screams, laughter, and broken conversation and story-telling. We passed multiple cows, donkeys, indigenous peoples, waterfalls, streams, and dogs on the way. It was an unreal bonding experience. When we were finally able to straighten our legs upon arriving in the location where we were catching the bus, we found out the next bus did not arrive for another hour. We enjoyed some local coffee at a small restaurant which we single handedly gave more business than it has probably seen in a month. Our asesores made some calls and had us picked up for a quicker departure by none other than a cattle truck. All fifteen of us crawled in through the small door on the side and claimed our seat in this truck that looked like a combination between an army vehicle and a chicken transportation device. We spent the next two memorable hours standing in the back of this truck holding onto the poles for stabilization as we unsuccessfully dodge potholes traveling down the Andes mountains. The sights were breathtaking with a 30 minute window in which the towering mountains naturally led the eye to a sunlit green valley with golden laced clouds as the backdrop. Indescribable. We played sweet and sour with every single person we passed for two hours whether it was local children wandering, men chopping trees, women shepherding, or cars passing us. It was totally amusing and thoroughly entertaining for this easy to please bunch. I truly felt like an illegal immigrant crammed into the back of a vehicle, traveling through unchartered territory. What a crazy experience that I will never be able to forget. Only in Ecuador.

We returned at 6pm, famished, dirty, but shell shocked by the epic adventure we had just undergone. We rallied for a delicious meal and ice cream before heading back to the hostel to prepare for tomorrow’s consultations and just rest. This day was so far from ordinary I do not even know how to put it into words. I am still processing all that occurred. However, I do know that being flexible was a necessity and keeping a positive attitude about everything was key. I am learning to rely less on our “schedule” and see it more as a rough outline of what could happen. I hope I can keep this mind set and grow from this challenge.

Man. Picture me, in the back of a truck with 10 other gringos all waving our hands at once shouting “hola” and hoping for some sort of response from the woman waddling through the dirt path in the mountains with her huge wooden staff, three cows, and two dirty dogs. Toto, this is not Kansas anymore.

Hasta luego,

Cate

Loja

A tearful day it was. For whatever reason I was emotional today. Leaving Cuenca was hard for me. I told my sister whose name I still cannot remember and it is way beyond the point of asking that “I cannot say what I want to say because I don’t have the words, but I really like you”. That was about as sentimental as my Spanish would allow. I really have a love in my heart for my host family. I don’t know how it is possible to care for these people so much despite barely talking to them because I am so limited in verbal communication. Maybe it is just because they have so lovingly and selflessly cared for me for the past two weeks. They have been my family. They have cooked me meals, cleaned my clothes, given me hugs, shared in my joys, shared in my pains. They made me tea and coffee and fruit and just loved me well. They were there to take care of me at 1am when I was as sick as they come. I feel so connected to my family and it was difficult to say goodbye.

Our group of interns has also grown unexpectedly close and formed a dynamic, tight-knit community. It is an inclusive bunch that functions as a unit and whenever people are absent their absence is noticeable and presence is missed. Hugging goodbye for two weeks was unusual and I do not think any of us anticipated it being this hard. We have only known each other for two weeks, how could we possibly feel this connected already?

Eventually our 9 person team loaded the bus and headed on our four hour journey to Loja. Having a smaller group already makes such a noticeable difference. It is possible for us to easily be seated at a restaurant, be entirely aware of where everyone is, and actually get to know every single person on a real and personal level. I am a fan of this group size number wise but would never wish for the separation of our intern team as a whole.

Once we arrived in Loja we ate a large traditional lunch at the cafeteria next to our night , hotel feeling hostel, where we may or may not be the only guests. After a brief orientation we walked around the city for the remainder of the afternoon. It is quaint and charming, being smaller than Cuenca with noticeably more motorcycle, textile, and hardware stores. It is lacking an American feeling coffee shops, restaurants or locations. The people are friendly but not as used to English speaking, foreign individuals. The streets are more narrow and a little more dirty depending on which area of town you are in. However, Loja is still nestled in the mountains and has beautiful scenery all around. After wandering we bought food at the grocery. I got 5 apples, a banana, carrots, and beans for $2.83. I still have a little celebration every time I feel like I was thrifty and then realize Ecuador is just incredibly cheap. The girls ate dinner in our room in our hostel and just enjoyed one another’s company. It was wonderful to just relax in one another’s presence. I am excited about getting to know the city and my group even more over the next couple of days.

Hasta luego,

Cate

A Day Off

Perfection. Today was the perfect day off. It started bright and early with a bowl of fruit in the kitchen with mi mama and her daughter. I then went on a run around the city in gorgeous crisp weather, sun high in the sky. Multiple people were out exercising this morning and people exercising are always happy to be up and outside. I then met Elizabeth Thurber (Liz), one of our team leaders, and Maria Luz, director of the Ecuador program, to walk a 5k together. This 5k was truly Ecuador style. It was scheduled to begin at 9am, meaning that at 9am they were still setting up tents, people were still collecting, and much socializing was happening. The race did not actually begin until after 9:30 and what a race it was. We were pushing the pace with a speed walk at the front followed by hundreds of Ecuadorians some in intense workout gear and others in casual day clothes. It was a colorful crowd for sure. Liz and I enjoyed wonderful conversation about families, futures, pasts, people etc. She is in her 2^nd year out of Oberlin and this is a summer job for her as she hunts for her ideal occupation. I am so encouraged by her and learn a lot by spending time in her presence. She is easy to be around, knowledgable, well traveled and just a joyful, gentle spirit. After the walk there was free fruit and you would think they were giving away $50 bills the way the Ecuadorians swamped the table. I jumped in the pack for an apple and a pear myself. This 5k was oh so different than any I have ever done before.

After the 5k, I changed and met our intern team to take taxis to the Banos, or hot springs. The taxi cab driver quickly carried us to the baths traveling at up to 100 km/h, I feared for my life. Disappointed with the baths, 3 of my friends and I decided to only stay for lunch and then venture back down into the city. Ice Cream, hippie jewelry makers, and a new pair of incredible Ecuadorian pants defined our afternoon. We all kindly bought flowers for our host families ($1 for a 4 rose arrangement) and headed home. I packed up, sadly, and then headed to Emilia and Wick’s houses were I spent the rest of the evening visiting with them and their adorable host mother’s. I am legitimately sad to be leaving Cuenca. It really has become like home and I am just beginning to get the feel for the city, my family, and my favorite past times here. Packing up again, this new place will certainly stop time once again and throw me into further discomfort—what I said I wanted, right?

I am headed to sleep as I am getting up early in the morning to see the other group of interns off to their separate site in Riobamba. It is truly difficult that the group is being torn down the seams as we have all gotten so close and work as a unit so effectively. Although most of these people I have only known for 2 weeks, spending 2 weeks apart now seems like a small tragedy. It really will just throw of the dynamic because we function so well as a large group and have begun to figure one another out. Relationships are truly amazing. It will be interesting to see how the next two weeks redefines relationships/ the group as the pool of people narrows.

Nighty tighty.

Hasta luego,

Cate

Alegre

On our last day of development discussion yesterday, we learned all about our activities for the next two weeks and gave our faux consulting presentations in Spanish. Not only was I slightly uncomfortable with the idea of the development discussion but then it was in Spanish- quite a new challenge. While giving our presentation I pronounced games “juego” as juice “jugo”. I was slightly embarrassed to say the least.

After class I accompanied two friends, Margaret getting her nose pierced and Carly getting her ear pierced. Dad will be happy to know I resisted the temptation to put “any more holes” in my body. I then went home for a quick run/walk, shower, and came back to town for dinner and a night out with friends. We went to our favorite restaurant La Cigale and it was just wonderful. I then spend the night at Elizabeth’s house J

In the morning we arose and had toast and delicious sweet tomatoe and banana juice her mom made that was more like a smoothie. We busted a move to school were our group met to head to a small indigenous community for the morning. After 2 hour long bus rides we arrived in this community where we witnessed women weaving the infamous “panama hats” and other things such as place mats, baskets, and coasters. It was incredible to see the intricacies of their work, however it was hard to justify spending 4 hours in a bus to witness 1 hour of work and see a few products. These women are partnered with SEC through our Good Stuff Good Works campaign which helps sell indigenous artisan goods in the US. I think the products are beautiful, but I wish we had not spent our entire day weaving through the gorgeous terrain to see them.

In the afternoon I ate at my favorite Mexicana restaurant. I ate. A full meal. And digested it. Hallelujah. It is a big day! I then ate some frozen yogurt, walked home, and met up with Elizabeth for a run. I was strong enough and had enough energy to run. How amazing. I am almost 100% recovered from my sickness. Yes.

Tonight at my house there is a new guest who is a classics professor named Laurel from Florida State University. I was surprised to find her sitting on a bed in the room next to mine when I came home from my run. She is taking the summer to travel Ecuador and learn Spanish and will be living next to me for the remaining 2 days in Cuenca. It was nice to talk to her in English but weird because it made me feel a little disposable. I wonder if my host family will remember me after I leave? I sure hope so!

I joined friends in town for a short while and now I have returned to make sure I get another good nights sleep to respect my healing body. Outside there is some sort of concert going on and I am loving hearing the screaming girls and guys singing along. Guitars are jamming and it seems like someone is throwing one rockin’ party. It will be the lullaby that sings me to sleep tonight. Only in Ecuador!

Hasta luego,

Medicino

6.10.11

It is confirmed. I am sick and was not in fact making it up. Two nights ago I woke up mi mama and her daughter with my trips to the bathroom (talk about embarrassing) but I was in so much pain at that point I just couldn’t be self-conscious. They kindly greeted me at 1am with team and a heating pad for my tummy. Trying to speak in Spanish in the middle of the night was quite a new challenge. After a restless night with trips back and forth from the bathroom I decided to sleep through the first hour of school and go straight to the doctor.

The hospital was very nice and the doctor was smart and generous. He was very interested in what we were doing and gifted us with free medicines for our first aid kit. After learning about my symptoms (in Spanish, with help from Elizabeth Thurber and Sarah) and doing all the tests he informed me that I had an infection in my intestines and they were I inflamed. He assured me that this is very common and happens to delicate stomachs who aren’t used to the foods in Ecuador. He prescribed me some meds and hopefully I should be 100% in a few days. I wish it were overnight but of course recovery takes time.

I went home for lunch and shared the news with my host family. They kindly had Gatorade, jello, crackers and other foods in the house for me by night time. At school in the afternoon we learned about the new products SEC is introducing this summer. Agrodrip is a irrigation system and nutributter is like peanut butter and it for malnourished infants. SEC is seeing how selling and building stoves will work in rural communities along with the potential use of SMS technology in the communities. These are all interesting new ideas and products and our intern team will spend the summer researching them, doing surveys, and assessing if these products be useful in our communities.

By dinnertime, I was not feeling so great once again so I had a small meal and fell asleep at the 8:30. Oh my.

This morning I arose at 6am to cook Emborrjados with mi mama for my Spanish class. They are essentially fried bananas. Every intern was assigned a different food to cook and present to the class and staff before our authentic feast at 10am. We had tons of food but once our plates were full we realized, like most food in Ecuador, it was all brown. Carbs, fried, corn, potatoes, butter, eggs, bananas—the ingredients of Ecuador. Unfortunately I had to be incredibly selective about what I ate but I probably saved myself from the stomach ache others felt after the masses of comida.

I am sitting in an internet café and just met two girls from UNC-Pembroke. It is a small world. I am about to head to our last day of development discussion-- hard to believe. 2 weeks down, 6 to go.

Thanks for reading!

 Hasta luego,

Cate

Broma

Another sick day in Ecuador but hopefully the last! I am headed to the doctor in the morning and the director of the program seems to think she knows what I have but we shall see. I am just excited to be treated and hopefully get rid of what is causing my pain.

                Spanish class was interesting as always and filled with my sweet friend Margaret’s hilarious stories in Spanish. In an effort to keep us from the monotony of our worksheets Margaret has shared stories about her parents, her favorite foods, New York, shopping in Cuenca and everything in between. What a joy she is to have in class and in my life! The walk home for lunch was filled with stimulating conversations about controversial and thought-provoking topics. I attempted to run through the city on a flawlessly gorgeous day, 70 degrees with zero humidity, but unfortunately my stomach wouldn’t let me. I returned home for soup and a boiled plantain hoping it would be gentle on my tummy. However, after 30 minutes back at school my stomach cramped and I felt paralyzed by my pain once again. I am absolutely hating being sick because I hate appearing weak in a new group of people. Bummer. My contributions to our consultation planning today were minimal but by 5:30 the pain had subsided. I walked around the city with some girls and returned home for more soup made from scratch (as with everything) by mi mama. Tonight I have finally been able to sit down and just study Spanish. The more I learn the more I forget the basics. Sitting at the dining room table in my house I have loved the random conversations and interactions with the various family members in the house.

                Renaldo is a character worth further expanding upon, and what a character he is. I cannot help but smile even when writing about him. He is the husband of one of mi mama’s daughters, Melinda. Standing robustly at 5’8’’, Renaldo’s physical size does not even begin to reflect his huge personality. He was one of the family members at my first lunch who was easy to talk to because he acted out everything he said without solicitation. I had enough vocabulary the first day to call him an “el hombre loco” (crazy man) and understand that everything with him was a broma (joke). He plays guitar, song writes, and sings for a living. Two nights ago he entertained multiple people with his tunes and I was pleasantly surprised with his skill. Tonight he imitated a monster and sang an Ecuadorian riddle to me used to help kids go to bed. He barked at me from outside trying to scare me in a playful way. He is a true friend and has been from the begin. Laughter is the only necessary communication between us. He makes me feel comfortable always and I never leave an interaction with Renaldo without chuckling to myself. Our typical way of goodbying is by saying “Hasta La Vista BABAY”, accent and all. He is a hoot. And he is family.

                A few funny/interesting anecdotes about Ecuadorian culture:

Ecuadorians do not have to go cups for coffee anywhere (well, we found one place but it is a tiny cup and it’s one place). I asked Elizabeth Smith’s dad about this and it is because Ecuadorians would never want a cup to go. When they drink their coffee they want to sit down and enjoy it and that they will do. Ecuadorians take the time to just be in one another’s presence and the pace is just slower here.

Our lunch break from school is from 12-2:30. I do have a 20-30 minute walk home but in Ecuador there is plenty of time to enjoy a big lunch and a siesta before returning to work. Again, slower pace.

It is between 60-80 degrees here every day and Ecuadorians seem to think this is very cold. We are in their winter and I could have easily worn a tank top and shorts today (if that were culturally acceptable). I think it is hilarious that they find this weather so uncomfortable cold. The other night I was walking home and it was at least 75 degrees. I saw a man cleaning the streets in a full body suit and he was wearing a scarf. I repeat, a scarf. I was sweating in a short sleeved shirt and he was wearing a scarf.

Every time someone enters of leaves a room they individually greet every single person with a kiss on the cheek. It does not matter how many people are there, if they know the people, or even if they are late. I love this. I have kissed more people on the cheek in the past week and a half than ever before in my life. It is a warm and affection culture and I think this helps cultivate such an environment.

When I was sick yesterday, mi mama made me jello for desert. But she did not refrigerate the jello, instead I drank it as a thick and sweet liquid. It was certainly different but I can confidently say jello is preferable after refrigeration for me.

Mejor

Unfortunately, I do not have a report of full recovery but instead a day clouded by sickness. I woke up after 10 hours of sleep feeling pretty bad. I walked to school and all morning in Spanish class felt pretty terrible. I left class a few times thinking I would throw up but never being so lucky. I went home for lunch and mi mama prepared me some food that would be easy on my stomach including jello that she had me drink. I am in a different place. I took a long nap and headed back to school for the afternoon. I was uncomfortable all afternoon and felt my stomach churning. Tonight I felt weak but ate crackers, a banana, and was elated when I found some Gatorade at the pharmacy. Hopefully tomorrow morning will be better.

This afternoon we split into our two teams of interns and began to plan for our travels. My team, Impacto, is composed of nine individuals who all bring a fresh perspective and a variety of knowledge and experiences to the table. Today we worked on planning our consultation with La Era, a group of 8 women who want to expand their business of textiles in their rural village outside of Loja. Our task next week is to help them with team building and organization. After much discussion, we have a structure for our consultation including an ice breaker, the formation of a mission statement, creating an organizational circular system that allocates tasks, and finishing with personal goal setting. Our next task is translating our information into Spanish. I was nervous and did not feel prepared for a consultation but after discussing I was very empowered and excited about the job set before us. It was fascinating the different considerations we had in our planning and the communication of ideas. These women likely do not have computers, printers, or other such supplies. Some may not be able to read, others may have no sense of marketing techniques. I am eager to step into this new experience next week.

Thanks for reading!

Hasta Luego,

Cate

Enfermo, Fiesta, y Canto

Yuck. I got sick today and it was no fun. I woke up in the morning more tired than usually and let myself sleep an extra hour. I spent the remainder of the day nauseous and had chills all morning and broke into a sweat mid-afternoon. My head was pounding, stomach turning, and I just felt my body fighting something. More than anything, I hated being weak and not able to be fully present, engaged, and as upbeat as usual. It is always hard to be sick away from the comfort of home but luckily I found some chicken noodle soup (with French fries in it?!) for lunch and ultimately ended up walking home early from school to curl up in a ball and fall fast asleep. I felt so supported and cared for this afternoon and it was cool to see my new community of friends care for me.

When I returned to my house mi mama made me tea and brought me water. I took a nap but couldn’t sleep for too long because of the commotion going on in the house. Tonight mi mama was having over all five of her daughters, a handful of their kids, and two friends from Canada. Poor timing healthy wise but tonight will certainly go down as one of the most memorable nights in Ecuador. I sat around a table with over 15 people drinking team, eating a dish of potatoes and eggs, and loving watching the interactions while trying to understand the conversation. Ultimately, I ended up talking to a 14 year old wonderful girl named Chaly. She has studied English for 3 years so we were able to both work on speaking each other’s language. Chaly starts her summer break in two days and she told me about her friends in the United States, her desires to go to school there and maybe even live there one day. She aspires to be a doctor. Chaly also invited me to her 15^th birthday fiesta (unfortunately I am out of town) but on Friday I may end up joining her and friends at the local hotspot. I have never been so excited to hang out with 14 year olds. It should be a blast.

Renaldo has quickly become one of my favorite people in Cuenca. He is the husband of Melinda, one of mi mama’s daughters and he is a hoot. I have known him since day one and he is an incredibly animated person which makes him easy to be around and understand. Our communication is not reliant on words but a lot more acting and laughing. Tonight he sang for us and later in the evening gave me one of his cd’s. This is a gift I will treasure forever.

I am headed to bed and hoping to have a full recovery by tomorrow morning!

Hasta luego,

Cate

La Iglesia y Las Montanas

Man alive. I have two really fun events to share with you all.

                First of all, two nights ago Elizabeth and I went to Catholic Church with her Ecuadorian mom and dad. We came home very hungry for dinner and enjoyed a delicious grilled cheese sandwich around the kitchen island. After showering we hopped in the car, clad in our church attire and were excited and nervous for the coming adventure. Once at the church we greeted every person in our path and immediately felt welcomed in this new environment. The service was an interesting hybrid combining Catholic rituals with a comfortable and more modern atmosphere. Sitting in plastic chairs in a room with 100 people we sang, participated in prayers, and listened intently to the sermon. Much to our surprise we understood what was going on and what was being preached. The sermon was about hope and begged the question- what is your hope in? Is it in your appearance, your job, your spouse, your career, money, your future, your studies, your boyfriend, your friends? The pastor encouraged us to put our hope in eternal life through Christ, the only thing we can put our hope in that will not let us down and that has infinite value and worth. It was a powerful message with an animated delivery. At one point during the two hour service there was a time of prayer during which Elizabeth’s adorable mom prayed for her American guests—a very moving gesture. Communion was served in true Ecuadorian fashion—lots of bread. I somehow managed to get the whole piece in my mouth and then spend the next three to four minutes chewing, careful not to choke. The members of the church made sure there was no bread left and served some people two pieces while everyone meticulously licked their finger and made sure to get every last crumb off of their hand. At the end of the service the congregation joined in a circular dance with a box step in unison. Naturally, Elizabeth and I jumped right in. the whole night left us beaming from ear to ear as we were able to see how the Christian Community spans across cultures, nationalities, and languages. While we have many differences we worship the same God.

                Sunday morning I arose at 6am to throw on my hiking gear and quickly enjoy a delicious breakfast mi mama insisted on preparing. I walked to town, climbed on a bus, and was driven an hour away with the majority of interns and an eclectic crew of Ecuadorians ranging in all ages and athletic ability. All 54 “trekkers” participated in some interesting but effective warm up stretches combining yoga with squats and air circles. We then began our what would end up being seven hour climb from one small rural town to another through the muddy mountains. We had to stop at least every 30 minutes to let the people in the back catch up which was frustrating but allowed for great conversations. We were passed by indigenous peoples on horseback, by passed sheep, cows, and walked through pastures, on the ridge, and through trees. It was absolutely gorgeous. For at least an hour and a half we were strategically making our way through muddy paths where one wrong step resulted in sinking a foot deep. Despite the circumstances we only had two interns fall and ended the hike with some mud soaked pants and boots. After the hike I rushed home to catch a movie with my Ecuadorian brothers but no one was home. I guess my communication is not quite as good as I had originally thought. However, I was able to enjoy dinner with some friends. What a day. Ecuador is so wonderful.

Hasta luego,

Cate

Missing you!

So yesterday was the first day I went without writing on this blog and it felt weird. I don’t like a day without a post because it is a day without reflection and time spent putting experiences, lessons, and thoughts into words. Processing this crazy adventure is so important for it to truly have the effect on my heart, mind, and life that is possible.

Yesterday was another day that fell in line with others thus far this week. Spanish class was filled with more conversation than usual. Lunch at home was absolutely wonderful, filled with tons of people, lentil soup, broken conversation, and joy. I hit a wall yesterday with my Spanish and it was absolutely pathetic my inability to form any sort of coherent sentence. My brain was worthless. In the afternoon we discussed an article about talent by Geoff Colvin from Fortune Magazine which was very thought-provoking. Essentially Colvin argues that America’s emphasis on innate talent is unwarranted and holds people back from reaching their potential. He calls for deliberate practice of individuals to master any skill and for personal development. He probes readers to question what do you really believe and what do you really want? Challenging yourself, pushing the limits, stepping into discomfort, constantly self-evaluating, and engaging your mind are key components of growth and success. He also points to the significance of mentors and constructive criticism from others to provide outside perspective and a more realistic view of self. I found the article encouraging and motivating. It is the hard things, the uncomfortable, the unfamiliar that grows us. Persistency is worth it and through putting your mind to something you are capable of far more than you could ever imagine. These principles applied will be crucial for the next seven weeks of my life.

Last night all of the interns spent the night in a hostel for a mere $8 and immersed ourselves in the culture via the discoteca. After socializing, resting our brains, and relaxing in one another’s English speaking presence for a few hours, we went down a set of stairs into “krak” discoteca. What a scene—latino pop music, discoballs, and Ecuadorian teens and young adults dancing the night away. Twenty American’s strong, six of which are LARGE white boys we found our spot on the dance floor and had a blast.

Today we went to a museum giving detailed information, presenting artifacts, and including a large walking tour of a garden all about Cuenca and Ecuador. A blend of cultures from Incans to Spaniards provided for an educational and enjoyable experience. This afternoon I am in an American feeling coffee shop listening to English music. A small taste of home!

I got homesick for the first time this weekend. I miss English, the grocery, shorts etc. but most of all I miss my family and friends. I wouldn’t leave Ecuador if I could but I am growing to appreciate more and more the people in my life and all the ways I am supported by those around me. I love you all a lot and know I think of you daily.

Hasta luego,

Cate

Pelo Rubio (Blond Hair)

Another day in Ecuador. After consulting mi mama, I decided it was safe to venture on my first morning run next to the “river”. This is essentially a raging 30 foot wide stream that runs throughout Cuenca and is an important landmark for figuring out where something is. After a warm shower I enjoyed another cup of delicious fruit, café con leche, and walked to class with my sweet friends who called when they were outside my gate. I kissed mi mama goodbye and was off to school. In the mornings I am served bread with jam and last night mi mama asked if I liked the bread. I tried to gently inform her that it was not my favorite by emphasizing just how much I liked the fruit. Obviously the message did not go through. I cannot bear another day of untouched bread so I have decided to stash it in my backpack and let it be a morning treat for Wick to enjoy as we make our trek to school.

I studied lots of Spanish this morning and then booked it home for a delicious lunch. Today I enjoyed a simple meal with only mi mama while the other family members who sometimes join us were still at work or school. I learned that mi mama is 78, got divorced a long time ago, and has not had a ton of opportunities to travel. At lunch popcorn was sitting on the table in a bowl. I was quickly informed that this was to be put in the soup which was a greenish color with a broth like consistency today. When in Ecuador, do as the Ecuadorians do. I promptly plopped multiple pieces of popcorn in my soup and much to my surprise it was actually delicious—my new favorite way to eat popcorn. After lunch I walked back to school, explored the city and began our afternoon section of development discussions. We learned a lot about our work in the field today and I was struggling to focus. This weekend we have Saturday and Sunday off and it will be a much needed break. My mind is tired.

After class, Elizabeth and I wandered around and found some fun new shops. We ended up hanging at one of our favorite coffee shop/bars/hostels/ local hang outs with some friends. We then had one of the best meals yet at a small Mexican restaurant devouring a chicken burrito with fresh guacamole, beans, and cheese. $3.50 well spent!  I was lucky enough to see Elizabeth’s house and meet her entire host family including some quality time with her 19 year old brother, Sabastian. He was full of life and it was so entertaining to spend time with someone my age of a different culture. He made fun of my Spanish and me constantly but despite our limited verbal communications I left the night feeling like I had a new great friend (especially after he shared two bites of his cheeseburger with me).

Today I have been thinking a lot about appearance because I receive a lot of attention for my blond hair in this country were that is a rare thing to come by. My hair color is not something I can control. I did not decide where I was born, the color of my skin, or the language I grew up speaking. There have been times in the past few days where all I wanted to do was blend in—cut off my hair, change my clothes, my language, everything. I feel noticed everywhere I go and it is exhausting. Yet it is the reality of the situation I am in. Why? Who feels like this in communities I am in at home? What do refugees feel like? People with deformities? skin diseases? What does it feel like to always feel like an outsider and never find a place that feels like home? I don’t have answers to these questions but I do want to be intentional about noticing those people that might feel out of place and trying to make them feel welcomed, valued, and appreciated. In addition, this has helped me better understand self segregation. I have almost always been the majority in all environments I have existed in. As the minority here it is easy to cling to other Americans or people who speak English because it is much more comfortable. I want cultural differences to be lessened and our similarities emphasized in Ecuador or across races, ethnicities, socioeconomic classes, etc. in America.

Just a few thoughts. Still loving it.

Hast luego,

Cate

Hablo Espanol

I am obsessed with Ecuador. I just adore it. The people, the culture, the language. Today has been a day filled with Spanish and it has been a day of forward progress. I can confidently say I have never learned as much about a single subject and gotten so much better at a single activity as I did in Spanish today. I arose this morning at 6:20 am with the sun, read Hebrews 1 in my English Bible and then in my Spanish Bible—what an incredible start to the day. This is truly indicative of my life at present. Relying on English but adoring Spanish and seeing God working in it all. Mi mama prepared bananas and papaya with yogurt and sweet rice crispees on top. It was waiting in a bowl on the table as she cheerfully greeted me. She then poured my some hot coffee with hot milk—ideal. At 7:30 my friends Emilia and Wick picked me up and we enjoyed our 30 minute fast walk to class using every moment of it and having tired legs by the end of the day.

At school we studied Spanish, 4 students (Elizabeth Smith being one J) and a teacher in a classroom from 8-12. It was intensive but so informative. More than a weeks worth of college Spanish in a morning. During our break at 10am, Elizabeth and I found an adorable shop that sells small gala apples, needless to say I have had 3 today. I then made the long trek home with my friends and enjoyed a bean soup, a salad with fresh avocado and tomato, and rice and pasta for lunch. Ecuadorians love carbohydrates and see nothing wrong with the main course being rice and pasta. At lunch I was much more talkative and sustained conversation entirely in Spanish for over 45 minutes learning about my host mom’s daughter (Melina), her husband (Renaldo), and their 14 year old son (Martin)’s life. I talked about my sister, brother, mom, dad, describing them in as much detail as my limited vocabulary would allow. Renaldo plays the guitar and writes songs while Martin’s favorite class is recess (typical). I was in the BEST mood walking back to school in the afternoon with my new Spanish conversation skills. I am thinking in Spanish all the time and am struggling to switch back and forth between English and Spanish. Tonight I studied Spanish vocab for a while—I am so eager to learn. What a refreshing perspective and mindset on education. I just cannot get enough.

In the afternoon we had development discussions about SEC’s Logistical Model and ultimately were put into our groups of 9 students where we function as a virtual NGO (VNGO). My group, team impacto, was given the problem of AIDS in Africa and asked to address the problem in an innovative way establishing desired outcome, beneficiaries, indicators of success, inputs, outputs, and activities. It was a thought-provoking exercise without a doubt. Co-founder of SEC then shared wisdom with us emphasizing the importance of looking at the real needs of people before trying to address them. He said key components of success for a socially minded organizations is moving past sympathy to empathy, finding a balance between community interest and self interest and ownership vs. leadership. He stresses how people are central to any organization and it is crucial to take the extra five minutes whenever they are called for regardless of whether you feel like you have five more minutes to give. He talked about not taking short-cuts, having big visions but being detail oriented. Leadership with humility and the ability to take risks with wise preparation and consideration is needed. Persistency, patience, and perseverance are key characteristics of an effective leader. Man, there is so much more. It is a lot to chew on in one day and I am slowly processing.

Tonight, a group of us went to a local restaurant called Café Ecalyptus. They have 2 stories, multiple fire places, live music, and a balcony overlooking the city. It was a blast to just spend time relaxing with my new friends and have absolutely nowhere else to be.

Needless to say, I am very happy. Thanks for reading.

Hasta luego,

Cate

Mi mama

What a day. A long, crazy, wonderful day. It began with an early morning jog in the park with my friend Sarah Jene, a grad student at Indiana University. We ended up joining a 7am class full of locals that was a mix between zumba and cardio funk---what a hoot! We left the hostel after a delicious breakfast and went to our school. After our Spanish placement exam we met our host families. What a treat!

Mi mama is incredible. She is a joyful, loving, woman full of energy and kisses. She is likely between 60 and 70 with dark skin, gray hair, and a warm personality. She found a way to communicate with me, calling me her hija (daughter) all day despite my VERY limited conversational skills. Mariana is her name but mi mama is much easier and more appropriate for me. Her friend, Yolanda is hosting mi amiga from Franklin and Marshall, Emilia. They drove us home where I was greeted by a household filled with random people whom I struggled to figure out their relationship. My room in on the second floor of the house and I share a bathroom with the majority of the inhabitants, true family style. I was pleasantly surprised with how nice our house was given the fact I was interviewed about my reaction to bed bugs and my willingness to get up at 5am to do household chores. However, after visiting my neighbor, Wick, who is living 3 blocks away with his host mother Lucia, I realize that my accommodations are modest compared to some other situations. While the material comforts are simple, my house is filled with activity, family, and love---just the way I like it. Mi mama is the mother of six and grandmother of 10 ninos. I have met half and cannot even begin to keep straight their names. They have all been unbelievably hospitable and patient considering my meager attempts to communicate. The language barrier is PAINFUL for me because I LOVE to talk and learn about people’s lives. I have never been so frustrated with my inability to communicate and I have never felt so helplessly inadequate. However, I am still having the best time and learning at such an accelerated rate. I always want to stop time and the perfect and desired discomfort I have experienced thus far have made time stand still.

I am loving making friends with locals and other college students in my program. I was lucky enough to have Elizabeth Smith join my family tonight for dinner. I am so thankful I have her to process this whole adventure with me. I am tired and getting up at 6:30 tomorrow to read, drink coffee, enjoy local fruit and make the 30 minute walk to school through town with my neighbors Emilia and Wick. What is my life? This is truly beyond words.

Hasta luego,

Cate