February and March

So much has been happening lately I don’t even know where to begin. My projects are going really well. I love my work in the high schools, my jovenes facilitadores are doing great—we have had two different workshops where they are the main facilitators (I had to help them out a little bit with some details)—and we will be having our first husband and wife family planning workshops in the next couple of weeks. I’m excited, the moms are excited, and I actually ran into a few of the moms and they said their husbands are really excited to come too. Hopefully all will go well. I am also really learning a lot about how international aid works since COCACH collaborates with an international NGO. It’s interesting and bureaucratic. I haven’t really made up my mind about how I feel about some of the things that international NGOs do. Some of the things they do are very helpful to the communities but in many ways they breed dependence and teach the communities to rely on foreign aid rather than try to help themselves. I don’t know…we’ll see.

I’m really starting to feel at home here in Alausi. I’m getting to know people and weekly go to friends houses for dinner and just to chat. I’m also starting to make friends my age. I think this weekend I am going to go out dancing with a couple of friends here in Alausi. I have also seen a lot of great movies (DVDs cost a dollar here) and read more than I ever have—which I absolutely LOVE. All the PCVs kind of swap books too, so I’ve got a lot more on the list to read.

My mom came to visit me at the end of February/beginning of March. It was really great. We spent the first part of the trip in my site after a quick visit to see my host family from training in Santa Rosa. I took my mom to some of the communities I work in and she got to meet some of my moms and jovenes. She got to see just how cold it is in the communities and what resources the people have to work with. Unfortunately, she didn’t get to see a taller with the moms, it was cancelled at the last minute. She did get to go into one of the high schools with me to see what I do there. All my kids wanted to practice their English with her. They covered the basics: age, where she is from, family members, etc. but other than that all conversation had to be translated by me. I’m glad my mom got to meet the people I work with and my friends here in Alausi.

Me and my mom with some of my girls

We also had a couple of days to travel. We went to Salinas de Guaranda, where there is a delicious Ecuadorian chocolate factory. Wwe bought a ton of chocolat. Some Ecuadorian traditions including chocolate with Aji (chili pepper) and a typical Guarandan liquor called Pajaro Azul (Blue Bird). We also went to see some ancient Cañari/Incan ruins at Ingapirca then went onto Cuenca. After that we headed to the beach. It was fabulous!!! We stayed in Puerto Lopez. We went to an island called Isla de La Plata (aka the poor man’s galapagos) where we saw lots of blue footed boobies (they’re birds) and to a gorgeous secluded beach. The sun is super strong there, though, and I got really sunburned.

Boat ride to Isla de la Plata

Playa Los Frailes

This past weekend and Monday and Tuesday were Carnaval—which is basically like Mardi Gras. In Alausi, the tradition is throwing water and colored dirt at people. A bunch of extended family came to Alausi to celebrate. Sunday we “played Carnaval” as they say here. We were all soaking wet and covered from head to toe in colored powder. My hair was purple and black for days. But it was so fun! There was a huge parade and traditional dancers. Although by the end of Carnaval I was sick of watching everywhere I went to see if someone was going to cover me in foam or throw a water balloon at me. One or two days is fun, but four complete days of “playing carnaval” can be a bit overwhelming.

¡Juguemos Carnaval!

I’m really starting to settle into my life in Ecuador. I have my routine, I have my friends and I have my work. It no longer feels like I am on some kind of long vacation (well, vacation with a lot of work) but rather that this is my life. I travel on some weekends but stay in Alausi a lot too. I’m glad that I’m starting to get to know more of Ecuador. The nice thing about being here for so long is that I get to go to a lot of places off the beaten path and also have the time to not only meet some really cool people, but also spend time with them.

Next week I’ll have been here 9 months. Even though I know that’s a long time, it’s flying by. I kind of wish it would slow down so I could enjoy each and every day while I’m here.

I hope all is well back home!!