Mis Aventuras

end of week 4

kelly4563 — Mon, 7 Jul 2008 18:11:00 GMT

sooooo.... it is now the end of week 4... and i still haven't really written anything on here. not much time for blogging BUT i did upload new pictures again! miss you all :)

end of the first week of teams

kelly4563 — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 21:48:00 GMT

.... so I don't have much time on the net - need to get back to the meter that's about to run up soon. BUT the first week was AMAZING. Check out the pictures under "week 2". Love and miss you all!

peace

---

good morning Baltimore!

kelly4563 — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:43:00 GMT

Yes - Katherine did bust out that hit theme song from Hairspray on our way to B-town. We're finally all here and alive, despite delayed planes, leaky aircrafts, intense lightening, electricity loss, broken car parts, and an oven fire in a log cabin.

The log cabin is owned by an awesome guy named Gary who not only told us he would take us in, but then made arrangements to stay elsewhere so we could have the entire house to ourselves. He actually built most of the house all by himself! He is such a joyous and generous person despite the fact that he has had to live under some rough conditions: He was born without 3 different muscles in his body (one being in his tongue) and therefore appears to be mentally handicapped, even though he is not. These tough trials that he has undergone have definitely led to the gentle and kind spirit he has from working to accept and become at peace with the life he has been given. To put it simply: Gary is an awesome, up-for-anything type of guy that is taking us on our first big adventure this weekend to Washinton D.C. Perhaps we can see the Statue of Liberty? (just kidding mom).

We spent this morning roaming around the inner habor and WOW, Baltimore is cool. Things are already getting pretty busy even though no teams have arrived yet. Tomorrow we are meeting with a lot of the community organizations/members that we will be working with.

Well, that is all for now! peace and love <3.

im back! :)

kelly4563 — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 19:07:00 GMT

well, i am back in the great o' u.s. of a. but, i just thought i would let everyone know that I added photos from the last few weeks of my trip (the amazon, mindo, and oltavalo) hope you enjoy!

Dia de la Madre (Mother´s Day)

kelly4563 — Tue, 15 May 2007 15:23:00 GMT

My family sure knows how to celebrate Mother´s Day properly...

My mom and all of her brothers and sisters hired a mariachi band to serenade their mother (mi abuela here). she was moved to tears. although i have definitely experience a lot of things here that have made me really angry with the way a lot of latin men treat women, the entire culture definitely displays an intense respect for mothers. for weeks before mothers day, the streets were crowded with vendors selling flowers, cards, candy, stuffed animals,... all specifically for mothers day.

i put up an album over the whole day...which include pictures of my family here and, better yet, pictures of my little cousin break dancing. check em out :)

i am definitely starting to feel a mix of emotions about leaving. although i am really excited to get back and see everyone, i am definitely going to miss this place. i cant believe it, but monday morning i am leaving Cuenca (and my host family, sadly) for the rainforest! exciting!!

un fin de semana con los indigenas (a weekend with the indigenous people)

kelly4563 — Mon, 7 May 2007 18:03:00 GMT

Well, I just got back from a weekend in Saraguro, an indigeous culture group 3 hours south of Cuenca. It was definitely a weekend packed full of experience.

We arrived there in the late morning and were quickly shuffled off in a chiva (an open air bus)to a neighboring town to hike. Part way there, we actually got to mountain bike. Not going to lie, i literally thought i was goin to plummet off the side of the Andes mountain. Actually, Madison almost did... but luckily our indigenous friends came to her rescue.

When we arrived, we got a tour of the city, the church, and then started our intense hike. once we reached our destination, i realized why we had endured the difficult trip to get to it: soooo beautiful. it was funny though, because once we got there, the Saragurans whip out this huge bottle of this alcohol they make from fermentated plant juices... and start chugging away despite the fact that we have a 2 hour, somewhat dangerous hike ahead of us. I tried a little bit but with my lack of gracefulness i decided that a only a sip would be best haha.

The next morning we hiked up a a near vertical incline haha... everyone was a little tired. However, once we got to the top it was totally worth it. We came to a cave where 4 indigenous healers (kind of like shamans, but not because they are realllly offended to be called that) were starting a cleansing ceremony. It has definitely been interesting to learn about their spiritual beliefs... they are somewhat of a combination between Catholicism and the original native religion. When the Spanish came over to colonize South American, they began to teach the natives (or i guess one could say force them to learn about...) Catholicism. The Andean cross is equal on all four sides because they believe this better represents the 4 components of the world (earth, wind, fire, and water). Also, when trying to teach the natives about the Virgin Mary, they equated her to mother earth.

Although I do not necessarily agree with many of their beliefs, I definitely think there is a lot of truth to be found in their way of life: it is all based on solidarity, generosity, simplicity and reciprocity. They are definitely in tune with the fact that creation reveals the beauty of the creator.

After the ceremony, we hiked a little farther to a waterfall... i cant really describe how pretty all of the scenery has been and the pictures really dont even capture a fraction of it all.

Then, we headed to one of our Saragurian friend´s house for lunch... which believe it or not was guinea pig. And if you cant believe that, you iwll never believe that i actually ate it! yeah i know, despite the fact that i really dont enjoy meat, i tasted guinea pig. it´s actually a delicacy here!

La Playa!! (the beach)

kelly4563 — Tue, 1 May 2007 17:05:00 GMT

Well, I just returned from spending an amazing week on the beach.

On our way to the coast, we stopped in the big city of Guayaquil. We took a city tour which was awesome... you should definitely check out the pics.

Our first stop along the coast was Puerto Lopez. There, we visited Isla de la Plata (island of silver). It´s called this because when the birds poop all over the island and it dries, from a distance the island seems to be shimmering like silver haha. We got to see so many interesting species (like blue-footed boobies!). After our hike through the island, we got to go snorkeling.

Despite my desperate attempts to protect my skin (i applied spf 45 about every 30 minutes) my poor poor flesh was still burned to a crisp. I am now at the pealing stage which is oh so attractive... ha Then, after being burned, I got sick again and was pretty nauseous, couldn´t really eat or stand up for a day or so... but atleast my immune system is probably getting stronger? right?

also (mom dont´read this part ;) ) we all went hang gliding (actually i dont think it was hang gliding, but it was similar) and jumped off the cliffs! it was absolutely amazing. this guy from kentucky, named Greg, took us. it was actually quite refreshing to hear his southern accent.¨yáll tienen cerveza?¨haha.

The whole trip was really centered around the evironment. We stayed in an Ecocity called Bahia. There, we got to tour a recycled paper factory and learn about the city´s devotion to protecting the environment. The next day, we took canoes out into mangroves. However, there is only 5% left of the original mangrove forest... so much deforestation has occurred because the people wanted to make more money by shrimping. However, after el nino of 98, shrimping is way more difficult now. Therefore, not only is this an environmental issue for the area, but a social one as well. So many people are now without work and food. Their original way of life was centered around these mangroves that no longer exist. However, Ecopapel has fortunately created a lot more jobs.

Later in the week, we spent a day at an ammmmazing organic farm. We learned all about why it is so important to farm without the use of chemicals and the techniques in which to do so. They have also started a school for the children of the area in order to teach the next generation how to farm organically and the reasoning behind why the ways in which their parents farm actually harm the land.

I really feel like God has been teaching me so much through all of my experiences here about our responsibility to care for His creation.

¨God then makes people whom He puts right in the middle of all this loaded creation, commanding them to care for creation, to manage it, to lovingly use it,to creatively order it. The words He gives are words of loving service and thoughtful use. From day one (which is really day 6), they are in intimate relationship and interaction with their environment. They are environmentalists. Being deeply connect with their environment is who they are. For them to be anything else or to deny their divine responsibility to care for all that God has made would be to deny something that is at the very core of their existence.

This is why litter and pollution are spiritual issues.

And until the last sentences makes perfect sense we haven´t fully grasped what it means to be human and live in God´s world.¨ --- Rob Bell

A Bittersweet Weekend

kelly4563 — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 16:18:00 GMT

Well I just have lots to update everyone on

Friday, I went to Cajas National Park... and you should definitely check out the pictures because it was goregous. However, as I am looking back through the snap shots I took I am realizings that the pictures don´t even begin to capture it. The waterfalls, the lagoons, the mountains, the forests, ... So instead, you should just come visit me! haha

This whole weekend was a HUGE celebration of the Foundation of Cuenca (the third largest city in Ecuador, where i am studying). 450 years! Thursday night was a huge party in the center of town with fireworks, music, salsa dancing... etc. The whole city was flooded with artisans from all over the country coming to sell their hand made goods.

However, I did have to move out of my house this weekend and I was really sad to leave my host mom and sisters because they were amazing. I am now living with a new family which is the exact opposite of my old one. Orfa (my old host mother) was 72, made all of her food from scratch, and was very traditional in her lifestyle... she hand washed my clothes!! My new host mom, Monica, looks 15 years younger than she really is... we live in the center of the big city in a high rise apartment with my host brother, who is also 20, and my host sister (18) but she is currently studying in Quebec right now (yeah canada!!!).

So, in short, I am hoping this is the last of the big bumps on the road of my adventure. This week we are spending a few days doing volunteer projects in the schools here so I am very excited about that. Then, this weekend, we are off to the coast for a week!! ah my poor pasty white skin!

Semana Santa (Holy Week)

kelly4563 — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 16:38:00 GMT

Being an extremely Catholic country, Easter is not merely a day in Ecuador but rather an entire week.

There is a tradicional dish that literally EVERYONE in Ecuador eats during the week (but mostly on Good Friday) called Fanesca. mmmmm... it was good let me tell you. It actually has a really neat significance as well. In the dish, which takes forever to prepare, there are 12 different types of grain representing the 12 disciples of Christ and fish which symbolizes Jesus himself.

Good Friday there were no classes so my friend Theresa and I went around and explored all of the many cathedrales in the center of town. Catherdrales are literally the only places open during Good Friday and Easter... all else of the city shuts down. It was almost erier how quiet the normally noisey city streets were. It seems that there is mass all day long every day throughout ¨holy week¨. Each cathedral is packed up and down the aisles. Lines form in order to go up and touch the cross at the front the cathedral.

Saturday, which they called the Saturday of Glory, I was able to roam around the festivities... watch the parades of children from all the many different schools in Cuenca. Later that night, Theresa and I attempted to cook pizza for her host family. I say attempted because it ended up being consumed more like a casarole haha... Theresa and I kiiind of forgot to grease the pan. However, despite the fact that it was a disater, her family was very gracious and kept saying ¨que rico!¨... meaming how delicous...as they consumed the very little amount of pizza that was eatable (sp?)

Pascua (Easter) was awesome. Theresa and I went with her family to one of the few noncatholic churches in the town. It seems to be a rather new church .. started by missionaries i believe... and had an extremely passionate and lively congregation. and surprisingly, i could even understand the sermon haha. Afterwards, we all went to the country together to pick veggies for dinner.

chow!

Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday)

kelly4563 — Thu, 5 Apr 2007 15:29:00 GMT

I got to experience Palm Sunday here more out in the country among the indigeous people of Ecuador and it was really cool. We were on our way to Igapirca (an Incan ruins site) and we stopped at a really amazing church up in the hills. Then we stopped at a market full of HUGE pigs, sheep, etc... so yeah definitely check out those pictures if you get the chance!

Also, here´s a little something that God used to encourage me this week. When I was sick I got super upset and it really confused. I´ve always thought of myself as pretty independent and never thought I would have a problem being away from home for 3 months. However, in the beginning of my trip a part of me honestly wanted to just be home with my family and & friends... i kept thinking to myself how much easier it would be. Then this appeared in my inbox:

Somewhere Else: by Jon Walker

Have you ever been somewhere you didn´t want to be? Maybe it was a job, a town, or a marriage. Maybe it was a stage in life, like singlehood, or a state in life like a disability. It´s very possible that as you are read this you are wishing you were somewhere else - anywhere else - living a different live, but you know it´s not likely that anything is going to change that anytime soon.

God has a word for you. It´s the same word He gave a group of people when they were stuck in another country, exhiled from their homeland. They´d folded their arms and said, ¨We´re going to wait this thing out, and when we get home we´ll start living our lives.¨

Through the prophet Jeremiah, God told them, ¨You´re not going home anytime soon, so start making your lives here. Plant gardens, buy homes, let your children get married, and pray for the peace and prosperity of the place you are currently living...¨

To use a modern chiche, God was saying ¨bloom where you´re planted¨.

...¨it is only by living completely in this world that one learns to live by faith.¨ This focus allows you to see that your life is centered in God and not the place you live or work, not the person you´re married to - or not married to - not how you look or how you feel.

Investing in people around you is exactly how you find life. Jeremiah even told the exhiles that God had arranged for them to be in exhile. So it was God´s plan all along to push them to the end of their existance, so they would end up centered solely on God.

You may feel like you´re in exhile too, but God is still working in your life. And His message to you is: Dig in and fully embrace the life around you.