Independent Projects Completed!

Although we had originally planned on finishing the water project this week, the new piping we were set to lay was delayed while en route. Instead, our students dove headfirst into their independet projects. We have quite a range of interests in this group, and therefore a diverse and rich series of projects. From harvesting corn and learning about its meaning to the indigenous Andean peoples, to working in a flower sweatshop and analyzing labor conditions, our group members pursued their ambitions. After collecting stories and myths about the mountain that towers over our community, two students summited Imbabura reaching an altitude of 15,150 feet (with a guide of course!). Another student collected local plants and herbs and interviewed our friends in the community to find out their medicinal properties. And a group of students painted a mural that captures some of the strongest aspects of Quecha culture on a blank wall at the school where we have been teaching English. This was just a sampling of the work they have done over the past week. The other projects – a Quechua cookbook, preparing guinea pig, preparing a chicken, a photoessay about life in Panecillo, making and learning to play a flute, fabric dying with local artesans, designing clothing at a workshop and selling it in Otavalo – have been just as exciting and beautiful experiences.


To all the loved ones of the kids on this trip, you should be proud of their energy, openness and tenacity – Sarah and I could not be more impressed with their positivity, curiousity and dedication to learning about this community.

Now we are just wrapping our day at the Saturday market in Otavalo where local artisans from all over the country convene to sell their creations. Sarah and I set up a photo scavenger hunt to help our students get used to the layout of the town and to have some fun! We then met with the president of an organization representing the Indigenous Otavalan Peoples, who gave us an overview of the history of the Ecuadorian indigenous movement in modern occidental history and how they intend to affect their future.

Tomorrow we will have a laid back day of project presentations and preparing for our upcoming trip. On Monday we head to Cotopaxi, one of the tallest mountains in the hemisphere, where we will hike, ride horseback, mountain bike, rock climb and zip line -- not to mention some surprises that we (the leaders) have thought up!

Hasta cashcama!

Shereef and Sarah