I am leaving the Sierra on Tuesday. Training is almost over!!! We officially swear in as volunteers at the U.S. Ambassador’s house in Quito on Friday!!! It has been a great 3 months, but I am surely ready to move and start working. The following are bits of my life here that I will miss or have treasured during training:
-Dancing like ¨rockstars¨(as my host siblings Jasmina and Alex try to pronounce in english) in the kitchen with the fam...it reminds me of my own siblings in the U.S. who I dearly miss.
-Waking up by the sun shining through my window and seeing the cap of snow-covered Volcan Cayambe.
-Hiking almost every day, sometimes on the cobblestone roads, dirt paths, through the forest or the hills...I feel like a kid exploring. We have only gotten lost once....it was fine, Mom, I ran up to the top of a hill and was able to catch a glimpse of Cangahua center to direct us home :). The pictures dont do this place justice, but it is absolutely breathtaking.
-The indigenous women perfectly dressed with their hat, blouse, cardigan, necklace, shoes, and pleated skirt worn just so. The diversity of the people and culture in the Sierra is awesome,
-The chocolate ball at Cafe Aroma, which is the closest thing we have found to a North American ¨brownie¨
-Chochos: white beans and fried corn kernels, with onions, tomato, and cilantro on top. Don’t knock it till you try it. While it may be street food, and although I am a ¨health promoter¨, chochos are a complete protein...so I can justify eating it and loving it.
-The little shepard kids with their flocks of sheep and goat in the streets and countryside, and the boys often riding the sheep as they graze.
-The pigs and cows that constantly walk by Kristen´s house as we are having spanish class. Its such a different life than what I am accustomed to...haha, and Kristen´s dad always asking us if we´ve seen the cow...haha, and Kristen getting asked to walk the pig...oh, and there are also the cutest little kids that come to her door (also during our class) asking for milk.
-Cynthia complaining about having to protect herself from the evil turkey that tries to attack while she takes her clothes off the line...Apparently she is armed with a broom as her hands are also full of clothes...i would love to see her in action
-Hanging out in the center with my Cangahua crew. Geez, Im going to miss them. Hahaha, and Spanish errors. They are funnier when made by people other than myself, especially Kris. Examples: while giving a Dengue presentation to a high school class, she described a symptom and pointed to her face saying ¨caca¨(feces) instead of ¨caja¨(face). Hahaha, and when she told numerous Ecuadorians ¨que Dios le pegue¨ after they did her a favor, before realizing that this means ¨may God strike you down.¨ She had meant to say ¨que Dios le page,¨ meaning ¨may God pay you.¨ haha, amazing.
-Constant, endless fiestas and parades de San Pedro. Okay, I kind of detest the music and inconveniences after 3 months of such things (like when I cannot sleep because the same song is on repeat at 2am, or our bus getting stopped because of a giant corn parade), but it´s also humorous and and interesting, and cool that the people uphold such traditions that honor their ancestors.
I´m not trying to romanticize this place, this culture, or my life here. It is anything but. It is wonderful, and should be seen for what it is. I have enjoyed my time, but with the positive also come negatives....
-My proximity to the snow covered volcano means it’s really really cold (have I stressed that enough? and its not like we have hot water or heat to warm the body up). So yes, I hate being cold.
-The distinct indigenous dress and culture is wrapped up in the phenomenon of racism. My family and Kris´s family used to make fun of me because they thought I had the accent of an indigenous due to the way I pronouced my r´s.
-Exotic food and high altitude = many nights spent by the toilet, in an outside bathroom of slugs and mr. rat.
-Adorable children tending animals or buying milk in the afternoon means that these children are not attending school.
-Pigs, cows, sheep, dogs, donkeys, horses, cats, goats = dung evvvverywhere
-Fiestas = drinking = alcoholism
The list goes on, and I am sure I am not aware of even half of it. But hopefully it gives some context to my pictures and insight into my life during training.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Thursday masses
Although the country is predominately Catholic, most people do not attend mass. And although I am not Catholic, I adore the architecture, design, and decoration of Latin American churches, and am really interested in liberation theology, so I personally love to attend mass. It’s also a great way to get to know people and the issues of the community. I have gone to Sunday mass a couple times, which is located in the main church of Cangahua (the blue one in the pictures--inside it looks like a typical Latin American church with saints and colorful decoration...this one also holds a skull in a glass. I am uncomfortable with taking pictures inside places of worship, or else I would for your enjoyment. If you have never seen a church in Latin America, Google pictures of them. They are amazing). Thursday´s mass however is my favorite-it is held in a small room inside the Priest´s house.
In the front of the room is a low wooden table, covered with a woven tapestry (typical handicraft of the indigenous sold in the market), with 2 black candles and a Bible sitting on top. The priest sits behind it on a wooden stool about 2 feet off of the ground, consisting of unfinished wooden planks. A few small (yes, small, meaning 2 ft in height, 1 in width, and 1.5 in length) stools are positioned around the table with higher wooden benches located on 3 walls. The wall behind the priest is painted yellow and covered in interesting objects, definitely revealing the pervasiveness of syncretism--a clay, almost cartoonish like mask of Jesus with blood dripping from his mouth is hung in the center, backed with a colorful tapestry. On the left side of Jesus hangs a feather covered necklace, and on the right hangs a traditional bow and arrow.
On the right side of the room lies a large tree branch. In front of it sits an aloe plant and a candle. Another candle also sits in a nook of the branch, next to another Jesus face. This face seems to be made of wood, perhaps stained a darker color, and serves as a secret door to the communion cup. Before communion the priest opens Jesus´s face to remove a silver cup from inside.
Meanwhile, the congregation is just as interesting. You have Rosa, the well-dressed and wealthy mestizo Cabina (telephone services) owner who always volunteers to read scripture and answers all questions posed during service, and leads in song when the others have forgotten the words (hymnals are not used here). Then you have 2 or 3 older indigenous women-they seems to have traveled from ärriba¨(the hills), are a bit dirty, yet have the kindest eyes and warmest smiles. There are usually another 2 or 3 teenage boys, who of course make things interesting. They always giggle when ¨passing the peace¨with the gringas. Kris and I often catch them snickering when we attempt to sing, or when we trip over spanish words during the read & response. Last night they were playing with a stuffed teddy bear the entire time, pretending that it was singing, praying, etc. Then you have Kris and I- Kris has bright red, thick, curly hair, and Im always bundled up in my hat and scarf, so visually we are quite the extranjeros (foreigners). The language and culture barriers/differences just add to this dynamic. And Im not Catholic, so even if the mass was in english I would sit, stand, and kneel at the wrong time. And I dont have the hymns or prayers memorized by heart, nor in spanish. So that´s another strike against me. The people are kind, but I must say I often feel inappropriate and awkward. Lastly, you have the priest. Padrecito (the priest) is a rather short man (or average height if we are comparing him to the men of the Sierra), with big intense, black eyes, dressed in a white robe, tennis shoes, and a knit cloth around his neck, and hair slicked back. He speaks almost in a whisper, which is simultaneously soothing and super eerie, and makes eye contact with no one. He is also indigenous, which creates quite the conflict in Cangahua center, where the majority is mestizo. Cangahua consists of the small town center and 48 surrounding communities located in the hills above the village. Apparently he is loved by the more rural communities, but has a controversial presence in town.
The etiquette of mass also strikes me as odd. It officially begins at 6:30 pm when the church bell chimes, but never actually starts on time. Kris and I are always the first there and people continue straggling in until 7 or so. In the Sierra you usually greet the group when entering a room, so each latecomer enters and interrupts the scripture reading or sermon with ¨buenas noches.¨There is often a kid or 2 running in and out of the room, and many times one of the women is breastfeeding her baby (this is an acceptable practice anywhere and everywhere in Ecuador). The cat likes to peek its head in every now and then as well.
To top it off, this past Thursday the Padrecito spoke of the books of Corinthians, likening the city of Corinth to Cangahua. In Corinthians Paul write of the divisions in the community, and lack of unity and solidarity among the people. I have heard numerous sermons on such matters, but my current context gives it a whole new meaning. Classism, racism, sexism, etc....these tensions obviously also exist in North Carolina, but the history, culture, and significance is different and easier for me to ¨see¨here. And the fact that the Padre is an indigenous, speaking from a place of lower status & privilege...this is much different than the well-paid, white, middle/upper class man in Suburbia, US, that I am used to. And the congregation to whom they speak is obviously very different as well.
The dynamic between people and physical place of worship is so interesting, as you can hopefully imagine. But I love these strange masses, as they have given me more insight into cultural norms, and remind me of where I am and also where I come from...meaning they remind me of all these social and cultural constructions, my reference points and the lens through which I view my experiences here.
In the front of the room is a low wooden table, covered with a woven tapestry (typical handicraft of the indigenous sold in the market), with 2 black candles and a Bible sitting on top. The priest sits behind it on a wooden stool about 2 feet off of the ground, consisting of unfinished wooden planks. A few small (yes, small, meaning 2 ft in height, 1 in width, and 1.5 in length) stools are positioned around the table with higher wooden benches located on 3 walls. The wall behind the priest is painted yellow and covered in interesting objects, definitely revealing the pervasiveness of syncretism--a clay, almost cartoonish like mask of Jesus with blood dripping from his mouth is hung in the center, backed with a colorful tapestry. On the left side of Jesus hangs a feather covered necklace, and on the right hangs a traditional bow and arrow.
On the right side of the room lies a large tree branch. In front of it sits an aloe plant and a candle. Another candle also sits in a nook of the branch, next to another Jesus face. This face seems to be made of wood, perhaps stained a darker color, and serves as a secret door to the communion cup. Before communion the priest opens Jesus´s face to remove a silver cup from inside.
Meanwhile, the congregation is just as interesting. You have Rosa, the well-dressed and wealthy mestizo Cabina (telephone services) owner who always volunteers to read scripture and answers all questions posed during service, and leads in song when the others have forgotten the words (hymnals are not used here). Then you have 2 or 3 older indigenous women-they seems to have traveled from ärriba¨(the hills), are a bit dirty, yet have the kindest eyes and warmest smiles. There are usually another 2 or 3 teenage boys, who of course make things interesting. They always giggle when ¨passing the peace¨with the gringas. Kris and I often catch them snickering when we attempt to sing, or when we trip over spanish words during the read & response. Last night they were playing with a stuffed teddy bear the entire time, pretending that it was singing, praying, etc. Then you have Kris and I- Kris has bright red, thick, curly hair, and Im always bundled up in my hat and scarf, so visually we are quite the extranjeros (foreigners). The language and culture barriers/differences just add to this dynamic. And Im not Catholic, so even if the mass was in english I would sit, stand, and kneel at the wrong time. And I dont have the hymns or prayers memorized by heart, nor in spanish. So that´s another strike against me. The people are kind, but I must say I often feel inappropriate and awkward. Lastly, you have the priest. Padrecito (the priest) is a rather short man (or average height if we are comparing him to the men of the Sierra), with big intense, black eyes, dressed in a white robe, tennis shoes, and a knit cloth around his neck, and hair slicked back. He speaks almost in a whisper, which is simultaneously soothing and super eerie, and makes eye contact with no one. He is also indigenous, which creates quite the conflict in Cangahua center, where the majority is mestizo. Cangahua consists of the small town center and 48 surrounding communities located in the hills above the village. Apparently he is loved by the more rural communities, but has a controversial presence in town.
The etiquette of mass also strikes me as odd. It officially begins at 6:30 pm when the church bell chimes, but never actually starts on time. Kris and I are always the first there and people continue straggling in until 7 or so. In the Sierra you usually greet the group when entering a room, so each latecomer enters and interrupts the scripture reading or sermon with ¨buenas noches.¨There is often a kid or 2 running in and out of the room, and many times one of the women is breastfeeding her baby (this is an acceptable practice anywhere and everywhere in Ecuador). The cat likes to peek its head in every now and then as well.
To top it off, this past Thursday the Padrecito spoke of the books of Corinthians, likening the city of Corinth to Cangahua. In Corinthians Paul write of the divisions in the community, and lack of unity and solidarity among the people. I have heard numerous sermons on such matters, but my current context gives it a whole new meaning. Classism, racism, sexism, etc....these tensions obviously also exist in North Carolina, but the history, culture, and significance is different and easier for me to ¨see¨here. And the fact that the Padre is an indigenous, speaking from a place of lower status & privilege...this is much different than the well-paid, white, middle/upper class man in Suburbia, US, that I am used to. And the congregation to whom they speak is obviously very different as well.
The dynamic between people and physical place of worship is so interesting, as you can hopefully imagine. But I love these strange masses, as they have given me more insight into cultural norms, and remind me of where I am and also where I come from...meaning they remind me of all these social and cultural constructions, my reference points and the lens through which I view my experiences here.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
disheartening
I am a bit disheartened. Every night at dinner my host mom Rocio complains that Jasmin (my 8yr old sister) wont eat. I try to avoid getting involved in family issues, so my response is usually ¨Jasmin, eat, the food is good and you need the vitamins in order to grow.¨ This is a constant issue, a conversation I am used to by now. But last night was different. Rocio was practically force feeding Jasmin while complaining that she doesnt like food and wont eat. I ask why. She says that Jasmin wants to stay ¨flacita¨(skinny). Jasmin smirks. I ask where where learned that being skinny is beautiful, and Rocio speaks for her, citing movies and televnovelas as the culprits. Again, Jasmin smirks. This broke my heart.
In college I studied the ins and outs of the media and how it manipulates children and affects their self-esteem and self-image, how it constructs a materialistic and selfobsessed society. Nevertheless, I feel no more prepared to deal with this situation on an individual and personal level. I am equipped with knowledge of nutritition and strategies/workshop ideas for building self-esteem with youth groups. Yet I was speechless last night.
There are so many things I wanted to say-you are beautiful, your body is a gift from God, the beauty industry´s mission is to create unrealistic ideals in order to make a profit, movies are not reflections of real life, food is a privilege and essential to your health, etc. etc. But the root of this issue is so much greater. I honestly thought that while living in the campo (country) where the campesiones can make as little as 50-100 dollars monthy without benefits in the field or flower industy, that these issues of image wouldnt be as pervasive. I expect them in Chapel Hill, but not in a town where people are suffering from malnutrition. We must refrain from perpetuating such ideals. This is not only a societal probelm in the US, but has become a global disease. Selfishness and emphasis on one´s physical appearanece are not admirable values. I do not even know how to begin a dialogue with this beautiful child who is afraid that food will cause her to be something other than the ¨normal¨and ¨beautiful¨she sees in the media.
I posted a few more photos on webshots. Check em out.
In college I studied the ins and outs of the media and how it manipulates children and affects their self-esteem and self-image, how it constructs a materialistic and selfobsessed society. Nevertheless, I feel no more prepared to deal with this situation on an individual and personal level. I am equipped with knowledge of nutritition and strategies/workshop ideas for building self-esteem with youth groups. Yet I was speechless last night.
There are so many things I wanted to say-you are beautiful, your body is a gift from God, the beauty industry´s mission is to create unrealistic ideals in order to make a profit, movies are not reflections of real life, food is a privilege and essential to your health, etc. etc. But the root of this issue is so much greater. I honestly thought that while living in the campo (country) where the campesiones can make as little as 50-100 dollars monthy without benefits in the field or flower industy, that these issues of image wouldnt be as pervasive. I expect them in Chapel Hill, but not in a town where people are suffering from malnutrition. We must refrain from perpetuating such ideals. This is not only a societal probelm in the US, but has become a global disease. Selfishness and emphasis on one´s physical appearanece are not admirable values. I do not even know how to begin a dialogue with this beautiful child who is afraid that food will cause her to be something other than the ¨normal¨and ¨beautiful¨she sees in the media.
I posted a few more photos on webshots. Check em out.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Peru
On a more important note, I just read about the devestating events in Peru. We had heard news that there had been an earthquake because of a tsunami warning in Esmeraldas (where we were staying this week)..but I was not aware of what had actually occured. I hope you and your loved ones are safe. Please keep all Peruvians in your thoughts, including the hundred+ Peace Corps volunteers in the country as well.
Technical Trip 2-Esmeraldas
I just returned from a fantastic trip in the coastal province of Esmeraldas. The theme of the trip was tropical diseases, specifically malaria, dengue, and chagas. We attended lectures and presentations at various medical clinics, both NGO and public organizations, to learn more about these diseases affecting many Ecuadorians. On the final day we broke up into small groups and gave a presentation to a local high school about malaria...very good practice.
Highlights:
We took a mini excursion to check out Cynthia´s site in Tachina, 1hr or so from Esmeraldas City. It was so cool to have the opportunity to see where she will be living and the type of work that she will be doing. I have come to the realization that things are very different from the States, but I usually only come to this conclusion when I make comparisons and think about how things function differently.
For example, Kristen and I realized we would be super big creeps in the States if we tried to make friends and get to know people like we do here. In order to assimilate and get to know the community, you just have to get out there and introduce yourself to people. So envision this situation...I am walking through town and a little boy is playing with a kite. I stop and say hello, ask him what his name is, and maybe then his age, where he lives, etc. The child usually responds, and will ask me similar questions, and perhaps even invite me to play with him.
I CANNOT imagine doing this at home in Cary, NC. First of all, the poor guy would probably be scared because I am a stranger, and Im sure his mother would be afraid I was a petafile or something. It just would not fly at home. These kinds of comparisons are fun sometimes.
Another example: at Cynthia´s site we visited the Mayor´s office. He knew a day ahead of time that we were coming because our boss called him by telephone and TOLD him what time we were available. He suprised us with a cake! An enormous birthday-like cake, paired with Coke. Picture a similar situation in the States: I email or call the Mayor´s secretary. They get back to me within a month´s time, and I am lucky if he has time to meet with some random volunteer that is stopping by town for an hour. If I am invited in, I must wear business attire and I surely would not be suprised with a cake. Perhaps a bottle of water.
I took a few pictures this time around which will hopefully help me tell more stories, for the week seems to be a blur right now...I will post those next time I come to the internet cafe. I have posted pics from orientation and the first technical trip (July 14). http://community.webshots.com/user/kenneysarah?vhost=community&track_pagetag=/page/photo/goodtimes/friendsfun&track_action=/Owner/Header/Nav/MyShots/Albums Enjoy!
Highlights:
We took a mini excursion to check out Cynthia´s site in Tachina, 1hr or so from Esmeraldas City. It was so cool to have the opportunity to see where she will be living and the type of work that she will be doing. I have come to the realization that things are very different from the States, but I usually only come to this conclusion when I make comparisons and think about how things function differently.
For example, Kristen and I realized we would be super big creeps in the States if we tried to make friends and get to know people like we do here. In order to assimilate and get to know the community, you just have to get out there and introduce yourself to people. So envision this situation...I am walking through town and a little boy is playing with a kite. I stop and say hello, ask him what his name is, and maybe then his age, where he lives, etc. The child usually responds, and will ask me similar questions, and perhaps even invite me to play with him.
I CANNOT imagine doing this at home in Cary, NC. First of all, the poor guy would probably be scared because I am a stranger, and Im sure his mother would be afraid I was a petafile or something. It just would not fly at home. These kinds of comparisons are fun sometimes.
Another example: at Cynthia´s site we visited the Mayor´s office. He knew a day ahead of time that we were coming because our boss called him by telephone and TOLD him what time we were available. He suprised us with a cake! An enormous birthday-like cake, paired with Coke. Picture a similar situation in the States: I email or call the Mayor´s secretary. They get back to me within a month´s time, and I am lucky if he has time to meet with some random volunteer that is stopping by town for an hour. If I am invited in, I must wear business attire and I surely would not be suprised with a cake. Perhaps a bottle of water.
I took a few pictures this time around which will hopefully help me tell more stories, for the week seems to be a blur right now...I will post those next time I come to the internet cafe. I have posted pics from orientation and the first technical trip (July 14). http://community.webshots.com/user/kenneysarah?vhost=community&track_pagetag=/page/photo/goodtimes/friendsfun&track_action=/Owner/Header/Nav/MyShots/Albums Enjoy!
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Additional Blog
Hello! I have created another blog for more technical items...Some of it is in spanish, some english, and none of it has been proofread. I intend to put most items in spanish and english, or to correct spelling errors when I find the time. If you are curious about PC mission, goals, PC/Ecuador Rural Public Health Program, or my personal site, check it out! Link: http://vivasantaana.blogspot.com/
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Site visit!
Disclaimer: I havent slept in 2 days (one sleepless night due to roosters and clucking chickens and cockroaches falling on my face, and another night spent on an overnight bus back to the Sierra), am on chocolate and fried plantain overload, haven´t spoken english in 5 days...Open with caution :)
Hello! I just back into town from my site in the coastal province of Manabi, where I will be living for the next 2 years! It was a great visit. I met the key people (president, volunteers, a few doctors and teachers) of the 6 communities I will be working with and also a bunch of locals. For the first 3 months I will be living upstairs in the house of Cecilia, one of the presidents. She rocks. A single mother, female president, and a very progressive, out-of-the-box type thinker. She is well respected by all genders and ages, and seems to know everyone and all the inside scoop. I feel really lucky to be living with her and her son (Juan, age 10-a bit timid, I didn’t really get to know him very well). She is my parent´s age, and kept saying that if she did have a daughter, she would be my age (I am the daughter she never had, type thing). She really makes me feel wanted there. The house is quite nice, in better shape the majority around the area. We are required to live with host families for the first 3 months in our site, and then are free to find our own place. The first floor of Cecilia´s place is empty and already has a few pieces of furniture. It’s safe and in a good location. I think I will slowly fix it up and move in when my 3 months are up.
The physical beauty of my county of Santa Ana is astounding. It’s really gorgeous. We are located on the river. The land is really fertile, and I have orange, avocado, plantain, and lime trees in my backyard, as well as coffee bushes and other unknown plants. It is super tropical and the weather is awesome. Skirts during the day with an occasional sweatshirt at night.
The people are much more outgoing than here in the Sierra. Although I think that randomly forming a youth group or women´s group may be a difficult or awkward task, the culture here may be much more accepting of this type of thing than I anticipated.
The country and province already have a lot of health systems in place. For example, the Ley de Maternidad Gratuita states that all mothers get free health care throughout their pregnancy, and that their children receive free health care including vaccines until age 5. This is an awesome law, but if the health clinics are not stocked with appropriate resources or do not employ a doctor for more than 3 days a week, the mothers will not have access to the rights they are entitled to by the government. I will be working on these sorts of things.
If you all have questions, please ask!!!! I don’t want to bore you with a long laundry list of what I did each day on my site visit, so I will just tell some stories. But if you are curious about something specific, I would love to tell you about it!
Motorcycle accidents are a huge cause of death in Ecuador. The first night I was there I had to attend the funeral of an 18 year old boy, and family member of 95% of the town. It was an interesting way to be introduced to the town, at such a personal event. It was culturally very interesting, as the women and children sat inside the house reciting psalms and prayers and the men sat outside the house staring into space, sitting in silence. After the service everyone was staring at me. They obviously had no idea who I was. Awkward! Then a couple people wanted to know who I was…I gave a brief explanation, which was followed by a question of my age. I told them I would be 23 in March. They became quite animated and told Cecilia (my host mom) that they should give me 3 chickens for my birthday! I have no idea why. It was a topic of conversation for the rest of the trip.
Another common conversation topic and question was my love life. Introductions usually went something like this:
Cecilia or one of the other people I was with (health volunteer, neighbor, etc) would often introduce me, and I would follow with a brief description of my work and reasons for being here.
Ecuadorian: Welcome, Are you single?
Me: No, I have a boyfriend in the States.
Ecuadorian: Oh, well do you have an Ecuadorian boyfriend?
Me: No, my boyfriend lives in the States.
Ecuadorian male (single, married, with children, 13 yrs old, 60 years old, etc): Oh, well I am single, you should take me back to the States. You need an Ecuadorian boyfriend.
or Ecuadorian female (mother, daughter, my host mom, neighbor, etc): Oh, well my brother/friend/son, etc. is single. You need an Ecuadorian boyfriend. You need many Ecuadorian boyfriends.
Me: No, I have a boyfriend and I am faithful (it sounds less awkward in Spanish, promise : )).
Ecuadorian: Well, the saying goes that a pair apart makes 4 happy people. We will find you many Ecuadorian boyfriends. And anyways, no one is faithful. Your boyfriend will not be faithful. He will have many women.
I would try to laugh it off, but really, this happened every single time I met ANYONE above the age of 12.
When Cecilia and I were walking to the neighboring town (all my 6 communities are located on the same main road. So to walk from one town to the other I continue walking straight. There are 40-70 families in each town. Usually multiple families live together in 1 house), I heard a voice. I follow her up to the window of this small wooden house, and see a teeny tiny shriveled old women. Absolutely precious. She grabs my hand, touches my face, says welcome, and asks Cecilia why I am here. Then another women, even smaller than the first, peeks her head out the window. I didn’t even notice she had been sitting there…These women must have been at least 90 years old. Cecilia responds to the question with: This is Sarah, she is here to live and work with us for 2 years. She is from the United States. The two older women look a bit confused. Cecilia follows her response with: She has come from a different country. Oh! They exclaim, Welcome! It was crazy that they didnt know what the United States was. Then the 2nd woman begins to recite a poem, which I later found out was used years ago to court young women. This was quite the experience. I felt so loved, and so strange at the same time. I cannot wait to go back and visit with these women. You could tell they were so full of love and life and just wanted people to hang out with.
When I would walk down the street people would shout whatever English they knew…this meant using the ¨greetings¨: thank you, sweater, good evening (at 10am), what is your name (I responded with ¨what is your name¨-the man was speechless and left me alone haha).
(Oh! I almost forgot! For my CH beauties, Rach, and Adam: I HEARD TAKE ON ME AGAIN! This time it was in a bar in Santo Domingo, the site of a volunteer we stayed with on our way to Manabi. Amarylis´(the volunteer) Ecuadorian boyfriend owns a bar downtown, called Dark Zone..haha...So 3 of us volunteers are hanging out with Amarylis, her boyfriend, a few Ecuadorian friends in this weird bar with black lights in the middle of the city....all of a sudden, Take On Me starts playing! Kris loves the song too, so we get up and start dancing...you know, the crazy, Take On Me, style dancing. Totally fitting in with the Ecuadorian culture, right? haha....well....it was enough for the bar owner to start the strobe light and disco ball for us..hahaha, it was so funny. And made me think of yall. Ill be gone, in a day or 2222222222222222222222222! )
The week was an adventure. I think it was quite productive in that I got a good idea of some themes I will be working with, and the culture of my town. Trying to acclimate and culturally assimilate to another family, another 6 towns, and gain legitimacy will be a challenge, but this is why I am here, to work. Sometimes I have to remind myself of that, haha. This is a voluntary job. I have wanted to do Peace Corps for many years, and I am finally here! So awesome. But I miss yall. And with moving locations again, I will have even more opportunities to share stories and pictures of friends and family from home…at times this is awesome and exciting, but at times it makes it even harder. A bunch of stuff is happening at ¨home¨(I don´t even know what or where to call home now), and its hard to be away. Ryan (brother) turned 7 on Aug. 2, and he just lost his first tooth! Such a big deal! A bunch of friends are moving and getting adult jobs. Stuff like this makes me sad to be gone. But I am blessed because my site is awesome, and I think I am going to make some good friends and have support from at least some key people in the community. One of my closest friends here, Kris, lives about 1.5 hours from me, which is awesome. It´s comforting to know that I will have another volunteer dealing with similar things in a similar environment.
I havent heard from some of you in a while! I know you are busy, but when you get the chance let me know what you are up to and how your lives are going!
All mine,
Sarah, or that weird looking, acting, and speaking gringa (white girl)
pìctures from cultural trip (3 wks ago)
We are driving through the valley in a camioneta, or the back of a pickup truck, a very common form of transportation for animals, crops, and people.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
i am a cultural mess
Haha, I had quite an eventful morning, and the fact that Ecuador´s culture is not my own was thrown in my face. It makes me laugh, so I thought I´d share. And it also reveals my often funny or awkward presence in this country.
This morning I went for a run around the soccer field. I don’t often attempt to run, because it is quite difficult at such a high altitude, inconvenient, and a huge cultural faux pas.
First, description of the physical nature of the soccer field. It is set a bit above the center of town, and has beautiful views of the mountains and the surrounding countryside. It is officially the high school´s soccer field, but has about 15 mounds of dirt located in the center. Donkeys and sheep often graze on the field. Usually there are a couple kids either playing soccer in the remaining grassy areas using garbage as goal posts, or climbing on the large metal goal posts. There are 2 little girls who often hang a hammock from the top to hold their dolls.
The soccer field is the only area in which I can run, for if I run on the streets the dogs will chase me or the people will stare. A white girl running is quite a sight. So I limit myself to running laps around the ¨soccer field.¨
Today there were 4 little girls sitting on the end of the field, just talking and hanging out. 2 boys were flying their homemade kites, of plastic garbage bags, sticks, and old clothes as the rope. The first lap they asked what I was doing-a typical question…then at each lap continued to ask me how many laps I had remaining, if I was tired, why I was breathing so hard, what is my name. I answered the questions, I told them I would come hang out after I was done. So I sat down with the girls after my ¨run.¨ They once again asked why I was running, where I was from, etc. etc. The boys came and sat down with us and we talked for about 30 minutes. During this conversation, I was asked what my career was and my college major. They didn’t understand that my ¨specialization¨ was Communications, regardless of how hard I tried to relate this to counseling or teaching. People here major in fields that will aid them in getting a job. Communications. Often a joke in the US. Really a joke here. Then one of the girls starts laughing…I ask why, and her brother responds ¨you can say words in Spanish, but your pronunciation isn’t very good, because you are learning¨(haha, I thought my Spanish was improving because I tested Advanced-Low in the most recent PC language test. Think again. Oh humility.)---moreover, she wasn’t even laughing about my funny white girl pronunciation! Her leg had fallen asleep. An eventful morning run.
Then I get home, and my grandmother laughs. She always laughs at me when I get back after a run. She asks me how my run was, I tell her a little bit about my experience with the kids, and she says I look funny to them because I wear stretch pants…this wasn’t even a reason they mentioned. But yes, I wear running tights for 30 minutes 2x a week. And it is apparently quite noticeable and really super weird. It was an interesting interaction because we are talking about my odd presence and cultural offenses, meanwhile an indigenous woman is outside handwashing the family´s clothes, and my grandfather is sitting over a bucket of blood, plucking the hair off of a dead cuy (guinea pig). A couple weeks ago my grandpa showed me the cuy shed (there are about 20 of them, 10 ft from my room, separated by gender and size) and had said that some of them are almost mature. Apparently that means ready to be eaten. Plus there was San Pedro music playing in the background. This is music from the 4-day festival 3 weeks ago which continues to be played EVERYWHERE. And while all of this is going on, I am standing there in my running tights. It was a funny mix I thought.
So those are my thoughts from today. A glimpse into my crazy life. Off to my site tomorrow morning! Cant wait to let you all know how it goes.
Love,
Sarah
This morning I went for a run around the soccer field. I don’t often attempt to run, because it is quite difficult at such a high altitude, inconvenient, and a huge cultural faux pas.
First, description of the physical nature of the soccer field. It is set a bit above the center of town, and has beautiful views of the mountains and the surrounding countryside. It is officially the high school´s soccer field, but has about 15 mounds of dirt located in the center. Donkeys and sheep often graze on the field. Usually there are a couple kids either playing soccer in the remaining grassy areas using garbage as goal posts, or climbing on the large metal goal posts. There are 2 little girls who often hang a hammock from the top to hold their dolls.
The soccer field is the only area in which I can run, for if I run on the streets the dogs will chase me or the people will stare. A white girl running is quite a sight. So I limit myself to running laps around the ¨soccer field.¨
Today there were 4 little girls sitting on the end of the field, just talking and hanging out. 2 boys were flying their homemade kites, of plastic garbage bags, sticks, and old clothes as the rope. The first lap they asked what I was doing-a typical question…then at each lap continued to ask me how many laps I had remaining, if I was tired, why I was breathing so hard, what is my name. I answered the questions, I told them I would come hang out after I was done. So I sat down with the girls after my ¨run.¨ They once again asked why I was running, where I was from, etc. etc. The boys came and sat down with us and we talked for about 30 minutes. During this conversation, I was asked what my career was and my college major. They didn’t understand that my ¨specialization¨ was Communications, regardless of how hard I tried to relate this to counseling or teaching. People here major in fields that will aid them in getting a job. Communications. Often a joke in the US. Really a joke here. Then one of the girls starts laughing…I ask why, and her brother responds ¨you can say words in Spanish, but your pronunciation isn’t very good, because you are learning¨(haha, I thought my Spanish was improving because I tested Advanced-Low in the most recent PC language test. Think again. Oh humility.)---moreover, she wasn’t even laughing about my funny white girl pronunciation! Her leg had fallen asleep. An eventful morning run.
Then I get home, and my grandmother laughs. She always laughs at me when I get back after a run. She asks me how my run was, I tell her a little bit about my experience with the kids, and she says I look funny to them because I wear stretch pants…this wasn’t even a reason they mentioned. But yes, I wear running tights for 30 minutes 2x a week. And it is apparently quite noticeable and really super weird. It was an interesting interaction because we are talking about my odd presence and cultural offenses, meanwhile an indigenous woman is outside handwashing the family´s clothes, and my grandfather is sitting over a bucket of blood, plucking the hair off of a dead cuy (guinea pig). A couple weeks ago my grandpa showed me the cuy shed (there are about 20 of them, 10 ft from my room, separated by gender and size) and had said that some of them are almost mature. Apparently that means ready to be eaten. Plus there was San Pedro music playing in the background. This is music from the 4-day festival 3 weeks ago which continues to be played EVERYWHERE. And while all of this is going on, I am standing there in my running tights. It was a funny mix I thought.
So those are my thoughts from today. A glimpse into my crazy life. Off to my site tomorrow morning! Cant wait to let you all know how it goes.
Love,
Sarah
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
MY SITE!!!!!!
YAY! We were assigned our sites this morning, where I will be spending the next two years of my life...The whole process felt like college acceptance letters, it was really weird. The anxiety, the opening of letters describing our sites, the crazy emotions after realizing where I will be spending the next part of my future. Eek!
First off, I am so pumped. It seems like a great site, meeting my hopes for job responsibilities as well as town size and location. I will be visiting the site all of next week, hanging out with my counterpart (the identified community leader with whom I will coordinate activities at least during the first few weeks living at my site) and my future host family, learning the ropes of the community and trying to get a feel for what resources and additional information I may need to gain before heading out there...I move to my new home September 1st!!!
Ok, so now for the site itself. I will be living in the coastal province of Manabi, in the county of Santa Ana. The concentrated population in 260, and the total population in the parish totals 500. It is 2 hours from the large city of Portoviejo and 60 minutes from the large town of Santa Ana. The temperature is 75-80 degrees!-I am so thankful...no more of this wearing 2 sweaters, 2 pants, 2 pairs of socks and hat, gloves, and scarf to bed. The rainy season is between December and April; the town is located at sea level and inland...TROPICAL! I suppose this what I envisioned when I learned I was going to be living in Ecuador.
My health work in Santa Ana will often be coordinated with the local health centers of the Ministry of Health as well as Plan International, a development agency that has a very strong and well respected presence here in Ecuador (http://www.plan-international.org/wherewework/americas/ecuador/). My primary activities which have been outlined by my counterpart thus far (of which I will have the flexibility to choose and play around with when I arrive) are: provide nutrition education to children, prevention of teen pregnancy, work with youth groups, maternal health and breastfeeding promotion, promote prevention strategies for common diseases, support a youth group´s radio program, and help develop income generation opportunities for women´s group.
The upcoming site visit has been described as the worst week of the 2 years...apparently it is quite overwhelming, intense, and emotional...however, I am still looking forward to it and will send updates in a couple weeks.
Hope all is well!
Love,
Sarah
First off, I am so pumped. It seems like a great site, meeting my hopes for job responsibilities as well as town size and location. I will be visiting the site all of next week, hanging out with my counterpart (the identified community leader with whom I will coordinate activities at least during the first few weeks living at my site) and my future host family, learning the ropes of the community and trying to get a feel for what resources and additional information I may need to gain before heading out there...I move to my new home September 1st!!!
Ok, so now for the site itself. I will be living in the coastal province of Manabi, in the county of Santa Ana. The concentrated population in 260, and the total population in the parish totals 500. It is 2 hours from the large city of Portoviejo and 60 minutes from the large town of Santa Ana. The temperature is 75-80 degrees!-I am so thankful...no more of this wearing 2 sweaters, 2 pants, 2 pairs of socks and hat, gloves, and scarf to bed. The rainy season is between December and April; the town is located at sea level and inland...TROPICAL! I suppose this what I envisioned when I learned I was going to be living in Ecuador.
My health work in Santa Ana will often be coordinated with the local health centers of the Ministry of Health as well as Plan International, a development agency that has a very strong and well respected presence here in Ecuador (http://www.plan-international.org/wherewework/americas/ecuador/). My primary activities which have been outlined by my counterpart thus far (of which I will have the flexibility to choose and play around with when I arrive) are: provide nutrition education to children, prevention of teen pregnancy, work with youth groups, maternal health and breastfeeding promotion, promote prevention strategies for common diseases, support a youth group´s radio program, and help develop income generation opportunities for women´s group.
The upcoming site visit has been described as the worst week of the 2 years...apparently it is quite overwhelming, intense, and emotional...however, I am still looking forward to it and will send updates in a couple weeks.
Hope all is well!
Love,
Sarah
Saturday, July 14, 2007
cuy, eggs. slavery. charlas. excitement.
HI!
Wow, the past couple weeks have been super packed. I just got back from el Valle de Chota on a technical trip with 10 other volunteers. the Chota Valley is located about 1.5 hours away from Cangahua in a valley obviously..it was sooo warm compared to Cangahua..probably 65 degrees or so! We were away for 4 days, with the goal of improving our knowledge of the health system here in Ecuador. I will tell a couple quick stories...
We visited the small town of Mascarilla, which consisted of about 25 houses at the base of a mountain. It is known for its foundation of arte negro, a group of artisans who make crafts (primarily clay masks) in honor of their history and their people. We hung out with some locals, learned to dance the bomba, and received a demonstration on how the masks are created (the women go up into the mountains and collect the specific type of soil, and use only salt and water to make the masks which are later fired in an oven in town).
The most striking experience in Mascarilla was when we visited the ruins of a sugarcane factory, destroyed only 30 years ago. The Mascarillians were enslaved by the Jesuits and then Mestizos until the 1970 Agricultural Reform was instituted and land was divided between the families. 1970!!! While we were walking through the ruins, I asked Alicia (the women who was showing us around) when the Blacks of her community considered themselves to be "free." Her response was quite profound..."it depends on how you define the term free. women are still enslaved by their husbands. and as negros we are still enslaved because we are making a living off of the history of our enslavement." Wow.
In Otavalo, a larger town at higher elevation, we visited a private, non-profit clinic called Jambi Huasi, a center for both modern and traditional medicine. It is supported by the Federacion de Indigenas Campesinos de Imbabura (the federation of rural indigenous in the province of imbabura) with the mission of improving indigenous health (focus on women and children) and belief that a "healthy town is a liberated town" and "health can only be understood in its social and cultural context." They work in the surrounding 40 rural indigenous communities in the mountains, giving sex ed charlas (presentations) in schools, providing official training for midwives with support of the Ministry of Public Health, and much more. It is quite progressive. We got the honor of witnessing 2 traditional treatments.
I participated as a patient in the first. I stood in front of this tiny, female, indigenous doctor as she rolled an egg all over my body for a few minutes, mumbling phrases in Quichua (indigenous language). She then cracked open the egg over a tea cup, and using a small spoon moved the yolk around intensely looking for something. She diagnosed me as having a headache and difficultly breathing. 100% correct (Ive been sick since I arrived, although on my way to recovery i hope :)). It was so incredible. She performed the same practice on Crystal, whose diagnosis was even crazier. She told Crystal that she had bacteria in her stomach, that she was sweating so much last night she couldn't sleep, and that she had no ganas to walk that day..it was crazy. Crystal had told Molly when she woke up that morning that she hasn't slept because her legs were sweating. so weird.
The second traditional med doc works with cuy (guinea pig). This was one of the strangest events or feelings I have ever experienced. incredibly intense. Greg (a volunteer) took off his shirt, and another indigenous, female, really old, doc proceeded to roll/hit a live cuy all over his body as it squeaked and gasped for air. She alternated between stretching the cuy´s body (with one hand around the neck and one tightly grasping both feet), and holding it just around the neck as she hit it over Greg´s body like a dishrag. After about 5 minutes of this practice the cuy died (the length of the process is dependent upon how long the cuy lives) and the women sat down on a stool in front of a small trash can. She proceeded to cut the cuy´s neck open vertically, where she stuck her fingers into the body below the hide, and ripped the body open from throat to anus. After skinning the animal, she again cut the body open vertically, revealing all organs. Fully opening the body, she took out all the organs (expect the heart) and placed them in her right hand. The intestines were still wriggling due to parasites. After examining the organs she told Greg that all organs were healthy (meaning his were as well). They (the cuy and Greg) had a few unnoticeable parasites, and more serious back problems. Greg was shocked. Lastly, before disposing of the animal´s remaining "body," she pulled out the heart. Most importantly, Greg´s heart was healthy.
This stuff is amazing. I don't believe that either traditional or western med holds all the answers, but both should be respected and definitely have their purposes.
Another success from the past couple weeks was getting the opportunity to give a charla (presentation) to a women´s group in Cangahua. Cynthia´s (a volunteer) host mom is a leader in this group, and asked us to talk about family planning and contraceptives ( a huge need in this area, especially with the indigenous families, who are often illiterate and are unaware of laws, rights, or services, or do not have access to these services due to their physicial proximity to the town.) to her cooperative! It went really well. We discussed the need and advantages of family planning, presented different contraceptives (uses, pros and cons, common myths), and answered a few questions...And we were asked to speak again next week! Super chevere. The request is for a charla on HIV and AIDS. About 25 women were present, and their knowledge of AIDS is that it is a disease that can be transmited by blood. The did not know any more than this, so I am super pumped to have the opportunity to educate! YAY!
The counterparts/community leaders from our future sites are coming to Cayambe next week for a site fair. We will get info about the community needs, and receive our site assignments on the 24th!!!! So next time I write I should know where the heck in Ecuador I will be living for the next 2 years. How long have I waited for this moment?! Haha, Katie, if it wasnt for you I wouldnt even be aware of my PC invitation (one of my best friends and roomates last year in Chapel Hill had some weird premonition one afternoon that my invitation was sitting across the street on the neighbor´s porch. she just felt that the mailman had brought it to the wrong house. i doubted her, told her she was crazy, and wasn't in the mood to go check. due to her wonderful ability to cheer me up, i became motivated (how stupid does this sound, that I was too lazy to walk across the street?!) to go outside with her and check it out. and sure enough, my invitation was sitting in front of the neighbor´s door!) So long story short, it´s been a long time coming.
I really hope that all is well. Your friendships and relationships are so energizing and give me strength and make me smile at the most random of times. Thank you.
Peace,
Sarita
Wow, the past couple weeks have been super packed. I just got back from el Valle de Chota on a technical trip with 10 other volunteers. the Chota Valley is located about 1.5 hours away from Cangahua in a valley obviously..it was sooo warm compared to Cangahua..probably 65 degrees or so! We were away for 4 days, with the goal of improving our knowledge of the health system here in Ecuador. I will tell a couple quick stories...
We visited the small town of Mascarilla, which consisted of about 25 houses at the base of a mountain. It is known for its foundation of arte negro, a group of artisans who make crafts (primarily clay masks) in honor of their history and their people. We hung out with some locals, learned to dance the bomba, and received a demonstration on how the masks are created (the women go up into the mountains and collect the specific type of soil, and use only salt and water to make the masks which are later fired in an oven in town).
The most striking experience in Mascarilla was when we visited the ruins of a sugarcane factory, destroyed only 30 years ago. The Mascarillians were enslaved by the Jesuits and then Mestizos until the 1970 Agricultural Reform was instituted and land was divided between the families. 1970!!! While we were walking through the ruins, I asked Alicia (the women who was showing us around) when the Blacks of her community considered themselves to be "free." Her response was quite profound..."it depends on how you define the term free. women are still enslaved by their husbands. and as negros we are still enslaved because we are making a living off of the history of our enslavement." Wow.
In Otavalo, a larger town at higher elevation, we visited a private, non-profit clinic called Jambi Huasi, a center for both modern and traditional medicine. It is supported by the Federacion de Indigenas Campesinos de Imbabura (the federation of rural indigenous in the province of imbabura) with the mission of improving indigenous health (focus on women and children) and belief that a "healthy town is a liberated town" and "health can only be understood in its social and cultural context." They work in the surrounding 40 rural indigenous communities in the mountains, giving sex ed charlas (presentations) in schools, providing official training for midwives with support of the Ministry of Public Health, and much more. It is quite progressive. We got the honor of witnessing 2 traditional treatments.
I participated as a patient in the first. I stood in front of this tiny, female, indigenous doctor as she rolled an egg all over my body for a few minutes, mumbling phrases in Quichua (indigenous language). She then cracked open the egg over a tea cup, and using a small spoon moved the yolk around intensely looking for something. She diagnosed me as having a headache and difficultly breathing. 100% correct (Ive been sick since I arrived, although on my way to recovery i hope :)). It was so incredible. She performed the same practice on Crystal, whose diagnosis was even crazier. She told Crystal that she had bacteria in her stomach, that she was sweating so much last night she couldn't sleep, and that she had no ganas to walk that day..it was crazy. Crystal had told Molly when she woke up that morning that she hasn't slept because her legs were sweating. so weird.
The second traditional med doc works with cuy (guinea pig). This was one of the strangest events or feelings I have ever experienced. incredibly intense. Greg (a volunteer) took off his shirt, and another indigenous, female, really old, doc proceeded to roll/hit a live cuy all over his body as it squeaked and gasped for air. She alternated between stretching the cuy´s body (with one hand around the neck and one tightly grasping both feet), and holding it just around the neck as she hit it over Greg´s body like a dishrag. After about 5 minutes of this practice the cuy died (the length of the process is dependent upon how long the cuy lives) and the women sat down on a stool in front of a small trash can. She proceeded to cut the cuy´s neck open vertically, where she stuck her fingers into the body below the hide, and ripped the body open from throat to anus. After skinning the animal, she again cut the body open vertically, revealing all organs. Fully opening the body, she took out all the organs (expect the heart) and placed them in her right hand. The intestines were still wriggling due to parasites. After examining the organs she told Greg that all organs were healthy (meaning his were as well). They (the cuy and Greg) had a few unnoticeable parasites, and more serious back problems. Greg was shocked. Lastly, before disposing of the animal´s remaining "body," she pulled out the heart. Most importantly, Greg´s heart was healthy.
This stuff is amazing. I don't believe that either traditional or western med holds all the answers, but both should be respected and definitely have their purposes.
Another success from the past couple weeks was getting the opportunity to give a charla (presentation) to a women´s group in Cangahua. Cynthia´s (a volunteer) host mom is a leader in this group, and asked us to talk about family planning and contraceptives ( a huge need in this area, especially with the indigenous families, who are often illiterate and are unaware of laws, rights, or services, or do not have access to these services due to their physicial proximity to the town.) to her cooperative! It went really well. We discussed the need and advantages of family planning, presented different contraceptives (uses, pros and cons, common myths), and answered a few questions...And we were asked to speak again next week! Super chevere. The request is for a charla on HIV and AIDS. About 25 women were present, and their knowledge of AIDS is that it is a disease that can be transmited by blood. The did not know any more than this, so I am super pumped to have the opportunity to educate! YAY!
The counterparts/community leaders from our future sites are coming to Cayambe next week for a site fair. We will get info about the community needs, and receive our site assignments on the 24th!!!! So next time I write I should know where the heck in Ecuador I will be living for the next 2 years. How long have I waited for this moment?! Haha, Katie, if it wasnt for you I wouldnt even be aware of my PC invitation (one of my best friends and roomates last year in Chapel Hill had some weird premonition one afternoon that my invitation was sitting across the street on the neighbor´s porch. she just felt that the mailman had brought it to the wrong house. i doubted her, told her she was crazy, and wasn't in the mood to go check. due to her wonderful ability to cheer me up, i became motivated (how stupid does this sound, that I was too lazy to walk across the street?!) to go outside with her and check it out. and sure enough, my invitation was sitting in front of the neighbor´s door!) So long story short, it´s been a long time coming.
I really hope that all is well. Your friendships and relationships are so energizing and give me strength and make me smile at the most random of times. Thank you.
Peace,
Sarita
Sunday, July 1, 2007
¡Buenas Tardes!So, to catch you all up on the adventures here in Ecuador. I feel like I have been here for months...I am now living with a host family in Cangahua, 30 minutes from Cayambe, where we had training last week. It is a small rural town, about 5 blocks by 5 blocks, located way up in the mountains, with a bunch of small surrounding farming/indigenous towns. The views are absolutely amazing. On clear days (clear days here actually don{t exist, bc the weather is constantly changing...rain, clouds, sun, mist, wind, etc. all day, so during a clear hour...) you can see the snow covered volcano Cayambe. The scenery is awesome...tons of farmland, animals, little houses, cobblestone or dirt streets, dogs and children everywhere. The inhabitants of Cangahua are mostly farmers or store owners. I live with a grandmother, grandfather, mother, brother (13 yrs), and 2 sisters (8 yrs and 1.5 yrs). They are awesome, very friendly, and helpful. I live in a small and very simple house on a corner across from the center of town. All rooms open to the outside, where the clothes are hanging on clotheslines, and the cuyes (guinea pigs) are kept in a small shed. Guinea pigs are a favorite here in Ecuador (to eat). There are 3 bedrooms (1 is mine---at times such as these, when I see what I am given, and what the family is given, I feel so privledged...maybe not even privledged, but spoiled. yes, spoiled. and at times, ungrateful. i am grateful to have my own room, but I am often so cold without heat. I am grateful that we have a toilet that flushes, but when the slugs come out at night, I am a bit taken a back. I must change my perspective, yeah? I think this is a huge part of Peace Corps, learning about your own culture, your expectations or what you take for granted...I must reflect on this and observe the culture with the understanding that I have a filter when I experience anything here, be it conversation, actions, or circumstances.) The central parque (center of town) consists of a beautiful blue catholic church, a couple tiendas (stores), a pool hall, and a central cement area with a couple bushes, cement benches, volleyball net/soccer field, and 4 or 5 circles painted on the ground for dancing (during festivals the surrounding communities (really rural towns) come to Cangahua to dance in their respective circles.) I guess it{s kind of like a dance-off? We have one tonight for the celebration of San Pedro and Pablo...I{ll let yall know how it goes :) The people here really are so fabulous. Everyone I pass says good morning/afternoon/night, how are you, welcome to cangagua. Its much different out here in the campo (rural parts). They look you in the eye, acknowledge your presence, want to know how you are getting along, if you want to come play futbol with them, etc. I love it, definitely not what I am accustomed to in the States outside of my small neighborhood.My days here consist of "training"-cultural, language, technical, safety, personal health. There are 4 other PC volunteers in my town, and we have been assigned a faciliator, Kelvin, who is tan chevere (meaning cool--apparently comes from "chevorlet" the expensive and cool car). It{s all very informal but intense. For language training we study vocab, grammer, local phrases, etc at one of the volunteer{s homes...cultural training we visit markets, talk to locals, walk around and get to know the area...for technical training we study the functioning of the ministry of health by visiting health centers/clinics in Cangahua and around the area, asking local families, hanging out at schools during recess, meeting with town officials, doctors, school principals, gathering statictics (which is quite difficult). Safety and personal health are taken care of during general meetings of fridays when all volunteers gather in one town with PC staff. In my free time I play soccer/basketball/volleyball/marbles/cards with the local kids, hang out with my mom in her store (which is pretty awesome that as a women she owns and manages her own store), go on hikes with my PC friends, sit in the center and talk to locals enjoying the views of the mountains and rolling hills and farmland...Yesterday after a super packed day we (PC vols) sat in the center with a beer and watched the sheep and cows graze way up on the mountains while the sun set, speaking in english for once (we try our best to speak in spanish at all times) about our lives and our passions and goals...it was so nice, bc with limited spanish vocab it is difficult at times to express the way you feel. I feel oddly at home in Latin America..I did in Central America, Puerto Rico, and now here in Ecuador...I love the physical beauty of the country, the colorful houses and shops, the small stone/dirt streets, the beautiful and happy people despite circumstance, the rich history and indigenous culture, the language and fun word play, the traditions, the built in stairs and houses on the hillside....it feels so "lived in"...the machismo, lack of public health knowledge (like nutrition, sanitation), and lack of opportunity is a bit disheartening, but comes with the job and the life here. That{s it for now. I wont be writing for a while, and probably not usually this much, but I wanted to give you all an overview of what my life will be like for the next 2 months or so. I hope you all are doing really well!!!!!!
Con all my cariño and more,Sarah
Con all my cariño and more,Sarah
Friday, June 22, 2007
I´m here
Hi! I´m here in Cayambe, Ecuador for the next 10 wks fçof training! Wont have access to internet but once per week at most, but will try to keep you all updated! im safe and sound and having a blast.
all my carino,
skenney
all my carino,
skenney
Friday, June 8, 2007
Looking for a good read?
A good friend asked me for a few book titles to read while I was gone...so here are some of my favorites...many relate to Latin America or why I desire to do such a thing as Peace Corps:
Love in the Time of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
In the Time of Butterflies, Julia Alvarez
Mountains Beyond Mountains, Tracy Kidder
The World Is Flat, Thomas Freidman
Sex Lives of Cannibals, J Maartan Troost
Dark Star Safari, Paul Theroux
A Small Place, Jamaica Kincaid
The Good Body, Eve Ensler
Born to Buy by Juliet Schor or Consuming Kids by Susan Linn
The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison
Love in the Time of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
In the Time of Butterflies, Julia Alvarez
Mountains Beyond Mountains, Tracy Kidder
The World Is Flat, Thomas Freidman
Sex Lives of Cannibals, J Maartan Troost
Dark Star Safari, Paul Theroux
A Small Place, Jamaica Kincaid
The Good Body, Eve Ensler
Born to Buy by Juliet Schor or Consuming Kids by Susan Linn
The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Finally...Orientation details
I finally received notification of my orientation location! (Within the past couple weeks I have met two recent UNC grads who will be in my training group! Small world, huh? ) I will be living in Cayambe, about 1.5 hours outside Quito and just above the equator . The small town is in the "Sierra" or highlands, and is named after the nearby volcano. Volcan Cayambe is Ecuador's third highest peak at 5, 790 m, and is the highest point in the world crossed by the Equator and the only point on the Equator with snow cover. Yes, it will be cold according to my thermostat, at 45-70 degrees (thanks Whit for your patience at REI, Candace for your wonderful packing advice, and Mary for your warm sweaters!), but I'm sure the mountain views and rich culture will make up for the temperature!
While I am itching to leave, I am thankful for the time I have been able to spend with friends and family. I will miss you all more than you can imagine. I think this is the last post I will write before I depart...and thanks so much for the wonderful items you have given me...I really appreciate it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All my love, SJK
While I am itching to leave, I am thankful for the time I have been able to spend with friends and family. I will miss you all more than you can imagine. I think this is the last post I will write before I depart...and thanks so much for the wonderful items you have given me...I really appreciate it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All my love, SJK
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
I will be updating my blog with information, stories, and pictures instead of sending mass emails. Of course I will send individual emails, and would love to receive them as well.
I am guaranteed access to email/internet once per month, so I will do my best to reply to all messages a.s.a.p. but it may not be quickly. But please do not let this discourage you from sending notes! :) I love all mail
The following is my address during pre-service training (until Aug. 30)
Sarah Kenney, PCV
Cuerpo de Paz Casilla 17-08-8624
Quito, Ecuador
South America
I would really appreciate letters! If you want to send a package-like item, please pack in a padded envelope...apparently it is incredibly difficult to get large packages or any type of box of customs in Quito. also, it has been suggested to mark contents as "biblias" (bibles) and claim a 25 cent monetary value. send mail through regular postal service. yay for mail!
I am guaranteed access to email/internet once per month, so I will do my best to reply to all messages a.s.a.p. but it may not be quickly. But please do not let this discourage you from sending notes! :) I love all mail
The following is my address during pre-service training (until Aug. 30)
Sarah Kenney, PCV
Cuerpo de Paz Casilla 17-08-8624
Quito, Ecuador
South America
I would really appreciate letters! If you want to send a package-like item, please pack in a padded envelope...apparently it is incredibly difficult to get large packages or any type of box of customs in Quito. also, it has been suggested to mark contents as "biblias" (bibles) and claim a 25 cent monetary value. send mail through regular postal service. yay for mail!
Saturday, April 28, 2007
PC overview
I am leaving the country June 18, 2007 for 3 months of training and 2 years of service. My program is rural public health, and the following are my specific responsibilities:
-serving as a link between communities and public health programs and policies
-training members of the community in the importance of a balanced diet
-training mothers with children under five to improve breastfeeding and weaning practices so that children maintain a more stable and healthy growth
-training partners in reproductive health and family planning so that more couples will space their children
-training adults and youth in sexual education, including prevention of STIs and HIV, so that youth delay their sexual encounter and practice safer sex when active
-promoting reproductive rights of women and men
-engaging in local and national health programs that address specific regional problems, such as tropical diseases.
I will be living with a family during my stay, however my specific location has not yet been assigned.
-serving as a link between communities and public health programs and policies
-training members of the community in the importance of a balanced diet
-training mothers with children under five to improve breastfeeding and weaning practices so that children maintain a more stable and healthy growth
-training partners in reproductive health and family planning so that more couples will space their children
-training adults and youth in sexual education, including prevention of STIs and HIV, so that youth delay their sexual encounter and practice safer sex when active
-promoting reproductive rights of women and men
-engaging in local and national health programs that address specific regional problems, such as tropical diseases.
I will be living with a family during my stay, however my specific location has not yet been assigned.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
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