NHESP 2011 Update 4

¡Buenos dias a todos! I write to you while cradled between the purple mountaintops of Palugo Farm, Ecuador, surrounded by the steady presence of the eucalyptus trees and feeling the clear mountain air circulate throughout my body. We, the 2011 New Hampshire-Ecuador semester students, are finally in Ecuador! Our flight, though long, was pleasant, during which we enjoyed a knitting lesson from our own Mama Lisl and even joined hands to sing our gratitude for our lunch, regardless of the skeptical glances from other passengers. When we landed in Quito, we reveled in the sensation of being somewhere completely new, somewhere where the common language was not one that we had known since birth; somewhere to open a new chapter of our lives.

            When we reached Palugo Farm, we were greeted by a warm dinner and the even warmer company of the Dammer family, as well as a new addition to our semester family, Roberto, who will be a student-apprentice with Hannah throughout the remainder of our semester. After enjoying one of the most delicious dinners I have ever experienced, we headed off to our cabañas, which are beautiful adobe structures covered with eucalyptus and bamboo, complete with mattresses for each of us—a luxury for which we are grateful (the girls’ cabaña is even equipped with bunk beds). Each morning we walk out of our cabañas onto a porch on which a vibrantly colored hammock always swings and look out at the vastness of the farm fields and mountains.

            Although we have been taking it easy for a few days as our bodies adjust to the altitude, our time in Ecuador has been brimming with adventure and excitement nonetheless. On the first day, Mathias showed us around Palugo, the hacienda of the Dammer family. We relished in the new sights and sounds of Ecuador—savoring the sweet tomatillos in the garden and running our hands over the sleek, silky fur of the guinea pigs. We toured the newly completed house of Thomas and Marcea, which we all agreed is one of the most beautiful houses we have ever seen. For our midday meal, we dined at Thomas and Mathias’s parents’ house enjoying the shade of the towering cyprus trees that seemed to stretch their branches as far as our eyes could see.

The next day we hiked to Pifo, the little, but lively city in the dusty valley below Palugo Farm. Our journey was one of contrast: As we traversed the steep rocky trail to our destination, we braved many thorny plants that tore at our clothing and skin, but part of our path was lined by the serene presence of bamboo and century plants (Agave americana), holding us as we walked to the steady rhythm of a waterfall.

            When we reached Pifo, we split into five groups and set out to explore the city, our prime intent being to purchase the famed Ecuadorian rubber boots (las botas coucho) and canvas shoes for those of us who needed them. We thoroughly enjoyed conversing with the shopkeepers solely in Spanish, and some of us, Ezra and Hytham specifically, entered into some heated haggling. In the end, we were each able to sport our very own comfortable, flexible rubber boots. For lunch, Mathias treated us to empanadas—an Ecuadorian delicacy made with plantain flour and sweetened with pineapple juice.

            Another adventure followed on Sunday when we journeyed to the capital city of Quito. Up and up through the mountains we voyaged in the minivan with Victor—the most skilled driver I have ever ridden with—while Mathias’s wife, Nicole, taught us the history of the city. Vibrantly painted buildings of brick, plaster, and rocked flashed past our eager eyes until we reached a park that was brimming with art exhibits and native plants. We wandered around in the sheer beauty of the place for a time, taking in the sweet smell of the flowers and the rich artwork surrounding us. Our next stop was Quito itself, in which we visited a market, learned about the architecture of the city from Nicole, and enjoyed delicious, traditional Ecuadorian food.

            Our final destination in Quito was Casa del Alabado—Museo de Arte Precolombino, a museum of prehistoric South American history, focusing on the connection between the four worlds—the underworld, the world of the material, the world of the present, and the afterlife. We received a guided tour, kindly translated by Nicole, which told of the history and customs of the ancient peoples who inhabited Ecuador: the purpose and role of the shamans, the roles of men and women, and the techniques used to create tools, art, and jewelry. One part that stuck out in particular to all of us was that the women, after giving birth, would be forced to return to work while the men rested and raised the newborn child. We all thought this custom extremely amusing. However, we also learned that people born into this ancient culture with disfigurements or handicaps were considered sacred and were believed to have a special, important medicine to share with all—how beautiful!

            Although our time in Ecuador has just begun, we are alive with the beauty of all that is around us—the richness of the mountain grasses, the snowy top of Cotopaxi that we see just outside our window, the gentle presence of the horses and cows—enticing us to the excitement of future adventure. And into all adventures we step forward together—as a community.

Quote of the week: “Why does everything have thorns? The plants have thorns, the leaves have thorns . . . even the thorns have thorns!”

Spanish of the week: las botas coucha—rubber boots 

Messages home:

Nelly: “Mom, tell Carol to tell Jeff to write to me again.”

Kestrel: “Mom and Dad, I love you and miss you muchos. It is so beautiful here.”