Emily's Ecuador Journal

Final Video Project

emilygapinski — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 01:26:00 GMT

Here is a link to my final project for my class!

Cajas National Park

emilygapinski — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 00:16:00 GMT

Visiting Cajas National Park was such an amazing experience today. It will probably end up being my favorite day out of this whole trip. The views were absolutely breathtaking. For the majority of our hike, there were no roads or phone lines to be seen. The park was dripping with natural beauty. I saw many different types of flowers, trees, and birds I have never seen before. My favorite part of the hike was probably when we had the opportunity to stop for a lunch break. During our lunch break, I really took in everything around me; all of the forests, lagoons, and mountains. I am also surprised that the altitude didn’t have a larger affect on me. Being about 12,000 feet above sea level, I assumed I would have been much more tired. By living in Cuenca, I must be getting used to the altitude. Our first hike of the day was about a mile long, and our second hike of the day was a little less than four miles. Someday, I would love to be able to explore all of Cajas.

Yesterday, we got to visit a CEDEI grade school. This school is a private school, but it does not conform to the other Catholic private schools in Cuenca. CEDEI is much more focused on self-expression: language, art, and theater. All of the students start to learn English at a very young age. By the age of about 14, the students can be considered proficient in English. This is a really big aspect in their school, since knowing English, and other languages, is such a large part globalization. The 9^th grade students are also on par with the 9^th grade students in the United States. This surprised me, because I assumed that the Ecuador schools might be a few grades behind us. The school also stressed the number of books that they own not only in Spanish, but also in English. In Ecuador, many people do not read for pleasure, causing libraries not to be easily found. This school also had a computer lab, which is not common in Ecuador. Although the computers were not new, they do the purpose. The class sizes were also very small. The largest class was about 23 while the smallest was only 9. The class days are also very different compared to the schools in the United States. School usually starts around 7 and goes until 1. This helps the family setting, because the kids can go home and eat lunch with their family, since it is the biggest meal of the day. At this school, special needs students also felt very safe. In Ecuador, many are bullied right out of public school. But at CEDEI, special needs students get along with all the other students really well. They also get more one on one time with teachers to ensure success. The only downfall I saw at this school is that it has a very low teacher retention rate. This is because many of the teachers are from out of the country. They come to Ecuador for just a short time to teach.

On Wednesday, I also had the opportunity to witness a shaman perform a traditional healing ceremony. This was very interesting to see because I have never even heard of this practice before I came to Ecuador. The shaman would rub an egg on a person’s body, crack it in a glass of water, and then examine it. From looking at the egg he could tell what was wrong with the person. I am not sure if I fully believe this type of practice, but I have read that a lot of people see positive results from it.

While my time in Ecuador is quickly coming to an end, I am starting to reflect even more on what I have experienced. I am very thankful to have had to opportunity to visit all of the cities I was in. Each city showed me a different aspect of the Ecuadorian culture. I am now able to better appreciate the differences that different cultures hold and better understand what makes them different. From this trip I have learned that just because something is different, doesn’t mean that it is bad or wrong. I will go back to the United States with a better appreciation for diversity and culture within my own society.

Health in Ecuador

emilygapinski — Thu, 9 Jan 2014 00:22:00 GMT

Today was my first time in a foreign hospital, and it was not what I expected at all. The hospital we visited was a level one hospital, which is the lowest level. This means that they don’t do any major surgery’s there. We got to see a delivery room, an immunization room, and some other offices. It was much smaller than I expected it to be. Most hospitals in the United States are very large, but this was only one floor, and part of it opened to the outside. The inside of the hospital also looked very different. Instead of have comfy chairs, televisions, and magazines to read in the waiting room, they just had plastic chairs. There were no bright pictures on the walls. Since the government owns this hospital, everything is free; seeing a doctor is free and all medication is free. This was a very surprising fact to hear since health care is so expensive in the United States. I wonder if health care was more easily available in the United States if Americans would have a longer life span. In general, the hospital didn’t look nearly as advanced as the ones in the United States. But, the life expectancy rate in Ecuador is only 2 years younger than that of the United States. Judging by how the hospital looked, I would have assumed it be much lower. Today in class I learned about the traditional and modern medicine that is used in Ecuador. Since tradition is so special to the people of Ecuador, many apt for the holistic or traditional approach to medicine. This includes using a lot of herbs to cure sicknesses instead of medicine. Although this method might be effective for small sicknesses like a headache or a stomachache, it is not effective for more advanced sicknesses. Sometimes modern medicine is the most effective way. But, many indigenous people do not believe in modern medicine. This sometimes makes it difficult to treat them. Aside from visiting the hospital, I also had a cooking lesson today. We made fresh tomato juice, meat, potato soup, tomatoes and onion salad, a corn and egg dish, and fruit for dessert. The soup was defiantly my favorite. It was very hearty and had a vibrant orange color from the oil we used. The meat was also very good, and the flavors were very similar to those of the United States. I did not like the tomato salad, but only because I am not a fan of tomatoes. The egg and corn salad was very different. I would have never thought to combine the two foods. It was not my favorite dish, but I am happy I tried. The dessert was also very delicious! It was made out of a large fruit that was shaped like a flower. We took the skin off the fruit, cut it into small pieces, and then took the seeds out. Then it was baked with some water, sugar, and pieces of wood. I was skeptical about eating something flavored with wood, but it tasted just like cinnamon. Once the dish was finished baking, it tasted much like apples and cinnamon. Overall, I have really been enjoying the food in Ecuador. On my walk home from school today I stopped at a local bread store. I bought two different sweet bread and both tasted amazing! The best part was that they were only 80 cents! The chocolate and coffee is also much better here compared to the United States. I am hoping I can continue to cook Ecuadorian food for myself once I am back in Wisconsin. Tonight, I also gave my host family a few things from my home. Since I was staying with them around Christmas time, I thought I would bring a few things that connect to my Christmas tradition back in Wisconsin. I brought them a book, The Night Before Christmas, a candle that smelled like a Christmas tree, and also some Christmas candy. From the pictures in the book, my host family was amazed at the amount of snow that was on the ground. They also loved the smell of the candle, since they do not have a real Christmas tree in the house. Since they shared so much of their tradition with me, it was really fun to explain my traditions to them. My host mom then shared with me the history of her father. I found out that he used to make jewelry out of gold in Ecuador. He was famous in Ecuador for his jewelry. There is also a street in Cuenca named after him. After living with my host family for over a week now, I feel very comfortable around them. We are now better able to understand each other and make jokes. It will be hard to leave them and stay in hotels for the rest of the trip. I am very happy that I had the opportunity to do a homestay and learn first hand what it is like to live in Ecuador.

Rain, Rain Go Away

emilygapinski — Wed, 8 Jan 2014 00:14:00 GMT

Well, it is becoming very obvious that Cuenca is in a rainy season. For the last few days, there has been a light, yet constant rain throughout the city. I have noticed that I am very out of place using an umbrella while it rains. Since the sidewalks a much smaller than in the United States, umbrellas seem to get in the way. Whenever I pass someone, I need to lift up my umbrella to make sure not to hit anyone in the head. But there is also a type of beauty that comes with the rainfall. The rain gives the city a fresh smell. Also, the soft pitter-patter of the rain hitting the sidewalk is very tranquil to walk through. Today during class, we focused a lot of time on the use of media for communications. Before this lecture, I was not completely aware of how altered my understand of a topic is due to the news resource that I listen to or watch. We discussed how many new stations in Ecuador are interested in the pop culture and news in the United States. I think this is because the United States is looked at as a powerful country. I have also noticed this while walking down the streets of Otavalo, Quito, and Cuenca. Many advertisements in store windows contain American looking models. In the majority these advertisements, the American models are with their family, smiling, and having a good time. Ecuadorians view Americans as successful and want to be like them. Using Americans in advertisements might draw in more money for a certain business. I am also very interested how Facebook contributes to media and communications in general. Usually, Facebook or Twitter is one of the first ways I hear about major news and keep up with old friends. I wonder if this is the same in Ecuador, since smart phones and Internet are not as easily available. I know since my family lives in the old part of Cuenca, they are not able to get wifi. This is because the city does not want any wires around the city. They also have to get their cable through a satellite. I am now temped to pick up a newspaper and see how they interpreite the global and national news compared to other countries. After our discussion, we had the opportunity to visit an actual new station. Since I have never been in one in the United States, it was very interesting to see all the team work that has to happen to make one show. There is the film crew, the actors, the group that edits, the group that works on audio, and many more people all contributing to one common goal. The TV station was a lot more modern that I would have ever suspected. The physical appearance of the station and the equipment was all very modern. Being with my host family for about a week now, I am starting to become more comfortable with the different practices. An example of this is having to go outside to light a flame to warm up the water for my shower. Once I am done showering, I need to go back outside and turn it off. At first, this task seemed very tedious to me, I wanted the hot water right away. But I have now learned that this is just part of something about living in Ecuador. The first day of class, I didn’t want to walk. I thought it would take so long and I thought I would get lost. Now, after walking to class many times, I am enjoying it. It is nice not having a car and being able to walk everywhere and enjoy the weather and city. I have realized that I will probably never be in Ecuador again and have the opportunity to walk to class everyday. I am realizing that I need to embrace all the difference in cultures. Just because something is different doesn’t mean that it is bad. I don’t know if I won’t like something if I don’t try it. With my last week and a half in Ecuador I am vowing to myself to take every opportunity that comes my way. I want to try as much local food as possible and really soak in the fact that I am in Ecuador. I hope that it is even possible to take some of the customs and traditions back with me to United States.

Ingapirca

emilygapinski — Tue, 7 Jan 2014 00:04:00 GMT

Today our group had yet another early morning departure to the Ingapirca ruins. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed my walk to our meeting place. Since it was Sunday, nobody was out and about in the city yet. No stores were open. It was nice to see the city without people around. I had a chance to appreciate the detail of the city. This was the perfect opportunity to take in the fact that I am studying in Ecuador. On our way to Ingapirca ruins, we stopped at a market. This market was much different than the markets I have visited in Otavalo or Cuenca. Instead of selling handicrafts, this market was selling animals and fresh fruits and vegetables. I was very surprised to see how the animals were being treated. Instead of having chickens in a cage, they were either in a bag or carried by the owner. I also saw guinea pigs being sold. It is still so hard for me to think of them as food instead of a pet. There were also many people with dogs. Our guide told us that dogs are not considered part of the family, like in the U.S., but rather a guardian of the family. Owners usually don’t pamper dogs like in the United States. Once we got into the fruit market, it smelled delicious! There were familiar fruits, like berries, apples, and mango, but also some exotic fruit I have never seen before. I found out that there are 5,000 types of potatoes and 52 types of corn that are grown in Ecuador. I saw some of these species also while at the market. After a little longer on the bus, we reached our final destination. There was an erie feeling walking around the grounds that Incans once walked on. The engineering on the Incan structures in absolutely incredible. It amazes that they were able to build structures, some that still stand today, without the help of modern equipment. They also had a water system that brought water from a local river to the surrounding temples. Finally, they also built a road system that lead to Cuenca, Guayaquil, and Quito! Once we made our way up to the sun temple, the views of the countryside were breathtaking. There are many farms that are set in the hillside. It seems very difficult and time consuming to farm on a hill. Once we returned to Cuenca, there was a parade going through the city near my house. As my host family described it to me, the parade was for a holiday called innocent day. This day is similar to April fools day in the United States. In the parade, I saw bands, groups dancing, and floats. It was really interesting to see how the whole city of Cuenca comes together to celebrate, like New Year’s. In the evening, I went out with my host family to walk around the festivities of Innocents day. It reminded me of Halloween, because many people, young and old, were dressed up in costumes and masks. Although I do not fully understand the importance of this holiday in the Ecuadorian culture, it was fun to experience it.

Economy of Ecuador and Dance Class

emilygapinski — Tue, 7 Jan 2014 00:02:00 GMT

Today in class, I had the opportunity to look in depth about oil and the economy. I found out that oil is about half of the export earnings of Ecuador. This was a surprising fact for me since, in the time I have been in Ecuador, I have not noticed traces of drilling. I would have guessed that handicrafts, fresh fruit, coffee, or chocolate would be a top export. It was really interesting to research a current event that will affect generations to come. There has been a dispute over if it is okay to drill for oil in Eastern Ecuador, where the Andes meet the amazon rainforest. The drilling would specifically take place in Yasmí national park. This national park is one of the last places that is still truly untouched by developers. This park is also home to many species of animals and plants. Many articles discussed the opportunity cost of drilling and making money versus keeping the park in its pristine condition. I believe that Ecuador should use the park as an educational resource. With the multitude of species it has, Yasmí park is a prime place to teach students about the environment. Today, we also had a lecture on migration. Many Ecuadorians travel illegally to the United States or Europe in hope to make money to send back home. Never experiencing a parent moving away, I had no idea the detrimental affects it could have on children. Aside from missing their parents, children loose focus in school, and eventually become depressed. It was very sad to hear about this topic because the parents originally migrated to help the children, not hurt them. I believe this is a problem that Ecuador needs to address if it ever wants to develop in the future. To finish off our Friday, we attended dance classes. It was a lot of fun to learn a different style of dance and hear the music. Although I was not very good at keeping the beat, I was still able to learn a few new moves.

Connecting class and observations

emilygapinski — Sat, 4 Jan 2014 06:00:00 GMT

On the first day of class, we discussed many things that can relate directly to what I have been experiencing through the country of Ecuador. I find the question, who are you, very interesting. If someone asks me this question, I would probably just state my name. But with further examination, this question hosts many different answers. Some of my answers were: female, student, polish, young adult, daughter, Lutheran, and runner. Although some of these traits are primary, mostly they are all secondary. I think it would be interesting to see how a local would respond to this complex question. From what I have observed, I think most Ecuadorians would associate themselves with family, like father or son. I believe this is because they are not as individualist as in the United States. In the United States, we associate ourselves with identities that will get us ahead in life, like a student. But, in Ecuador, family is really important. I have been able to see this through my host family. The extended family lives with my host parents. This is very uncommon to see in the United States. Although this is a different custom than I am used to, that does not mean that it is bad. This can also connect to the social construction in Ecuador. The activities of many families seem to revolve around their family. An example of this how the family eats not only dinner together, but also lunch. At my host family, everyone comes home from work or school to eat lunch together. So far, I have found it helpful to be looking at communications in depth because it is such a large part of the business world. Aside from class today, our group visited two museums and went on a city tour of Cuenca. Our first tour was at the Museo de Culturas Aborigens. It really amazed me how complex and detailed all of the pottery and jewelry was. Then, we visted Museo del Banco Central. I really enjoyed this museum because it had a lot about the life in the amazon. Although we won’t have a chance to visit this part of Ecuador, we still had the opportunity to learn a lot about their culture. One thing I learned is how they shape their heads differently after birth to show different social classes. I thought this was a really interesting way of showing how much money you have. Finally, we went on a short tour of the city of Cuenca. We walked along Calle Larga, which is a street full of restaurants, bars, and shops. We stopped at a fruit and market. I was really surprised at how all of the meat was displayed. Although it didn’t seem completely safe to me, it is the way that meat is sold here. With my first week in Ecuador coming to an end, I am finding may differences in they way people live here. But, I am enjoying the experience and trying to enrich myself in a different culture as much as possible!

Photos: Adventure in Ecuador

emilygapinski — Fri, 3 Jan 2014 05:54:00 GMT

New Year/ Host Family

emilygapinski — Fri, 3 Jan 2014 05:53:00 GMT

Living in a new environment with a new family is a very difficult situation to enter, especially during a holiday season. Experiencing the new customs of a different culture was very interesting. The house was much larger than I imagined. There are 4 bedrooms, a large living area, a dining room, a kitchen, and two smaller sitting areas. The furniture is much more modern than what I have experienced thus far at the hotels. Once I got settled, I had the opportunity to explore the city with our family’s grandson, Christian. It was fun to see all the new years traditions. The new years celebrations are very different in Ecuador than in the United States. With my host family, I helped make the “dummy” that is burned in the street. We took an old pair of jeans, and old t-shirt, and sewed it together. Then, we stuffed it with old newspapers. The dummies I saw in the streets are more ten feet tall and can cost more than $2000. Once it was midnight, the whole family, and extended family, gathered in the street to burn the dummy we made. We also shot off firecrackers and sparklers. The burning of the dummy represented good luck in the New Year and was symbolic of the bad in the old year. Instead of kissing like we do in the United States, the people of Ecuador hug everyone. After it was fully burned, the whole family returned to the house to eat a meal that consisted of ham, rice, and salad. The food was very rich. I was also told that this is the one time a year that they eat this type of meat. After talking with the family, I feel more and more comfortable with my Spanish. Although I cannot speak it perfectly, I am finding ways to communicate through hand motions. On new years day, I had the opportunity to explore the city of Cuenca a little more. Although most stores and restaurants were closed for new years day, I still enjoyed walking around. While walking, I saw many older Americans that I assumed retired in Cuenca. So far, I have really enjoyed my time in Cuenca and am very excited to explore the city even more.

Salasacas and Riobamba

emilygapinski — Fri, 3 Jan 2014 05:49:00 GMT

Quito is such a beautiful city full of history and I am so sad that we had to leave this morning. Our hotel was very modern, huge glass windows overlooking the mountains. The breakfast at the hotel was probably one of the best so far, full of fresh fruit, bakery, and of course delicious coffee. Our first stop of the day was at la Hostería La Ciénega. This was an old mansion that was converted into a hotel. The building was absolutely beautiful and the inside seemed to be endless. While here, we had the opportunity to see the master suite, which did not disappoint. After taking a small tour we got to listen to native Ecuadorian band and drink some coffee. The band was wonderful, playing many different tunes. The music was very different than any type of music I have heard in the United States. After the band was finished, we continued on our way to Salasacas. They sold many goods similar to the market in Otavalo like scarves, blankets, and sweater. We got to see how they make their blankets. The weaver said that it would take him about 3 months to complete the one blanket if he worked on it everyday. He was also able to weave all of the patterns from memory, which I think would take a lot of practice. He also said that in their workshop, all of the colors are made from natural things, like bugs, plants, or berries. Although this process seems very time consuming, all of the colors were very vibrant. When the blanket is complete, it will cost at leant $600! While in Salasacas, the family also made us a traditional meal of vegetables, beans, corn, potatoes, and tea. It was actually better than I expected it to be! Finally, to finish up our experience at Salasacas, we got to see their traditional dance for new years. The dance was really simple, just tapping your heels on the ground. By being in Quito in the morning and Salasacas in the afternoon, I saw how different the variety of cities is in Ecuador. Although there are some very large, modern cities, there are still some small indigenous communities. Our final destination for the day was our hotel in Riobamba. While here, our group had the opportunity to discuss the activities we experienced over the past few days. It was really interesting to hear how we all experience similar things, we all interpreted and processed them differently.

Quito

emilygapinski — Fri, 3 Jan 2014 05:46:00 GMT

Today, we moved from the small town of Cuenca to the modern city of Quito. I am excited to see the difference in the cities in Ecuador. I think that Quito will be much larger than Cuenca and also have more modern looking buildings. On our way to the city, we got to stop at the equator. While we were there, we got a short lesson on the science of the sundial that is located on the equator. While here, I learned that different hemispheres see different parts of the Milky Way and the equator is the only place you can see the whole Milky Way. Our first stop in Quito was at an art museum. Although the tour was in Spanish, it was very interesting to see the diversity that was expressed in his art. This is an example of a culture gap that our group had to overcome. Since the majority of us don’t speak Spanish, we had to interpret what our guide was saying through her motions and what she was pointing out on the paintings. Since the artist recently passed away, we know what he was trying to say through his paintings, so there is little room for our own interpretation. Our second stop in Quito was at a modern mall for lunch. I was not expecting the mall to look so much like an American mall. Although the stores had different names, the clothing looked very similar, and very different from the market clothing in Otavalo. Our last activity of the day was a city tour through old Quito. While on the city tour we got to see a plethora of churches. They were all very different, yet very beautiful. I loved all of the architecture of the buildings. There was so much detail in the churches; I didn’t know where to focus my attention. While on the tour, I learned many facts about the city of Quito and the Ecuador culture in general. But, one of my favorite parts was being able to go up and see the city from atop. Even though Quito is a large city, it is still possible to walk around it and explore the city. For dinner, I ate at a very Americanized restaurant. The packer game was even on!

The wonderful city of Otavalo

emilygapinski — Sun, 29 Dec 2013 14:18:00 GMT

Today marks the first official day in Ecuador. We accomplished so much today it’s hard to even remember it all! To start off our early morning, we had our first Ecuadorian meal. This consisted of hot coco, coffee, tea, a smoothie, eggs, and bread. While all of the food was similar to what I would eat at home, the flavors were slightly different. Our first stop of the day was the market. This was probably one the highlights of the day. The venders were selling everything from jewelry to clothing, to home goods, and even food. Although I did not try any of the food, it all smelled wonderful. We could have spent a whole day just wandering around the endless streets. The streets were stuffed with people. I now understand how Ecuadorians perceive personal space compared to Americans. They have no problem getting close to each other in a public space compared to how Americans like to keep their distance and have a 3-foot “bubble” around themselves. After the market, we took about a beautiful bus ride to Cotacachi. While here, we got to hike and experience all that the Ecuadorian environment had to offer. Hiking up the steep steps was tiring, but totally worth it! We got the opportunity to see breath-taking views of a small lagoon and the city from above. Finally, we finished our day with two workshops: a textile workshop and a musical workshop. At the textile workshop we got to see how the traditional Ecuadorian wool scarves, ponchos, and sweaters are made by hand. Although the hand made goods are more expensive than those made by a machine, they are much higher quality. All of their pieces were amazing. At the musical workshop we got to see first hand how the traditional Ecuadorian instruments are made. Then we got to see a demonstration of all of the instruments being played. This was very fun to watch since I have a music background. For dinner, we went to a traditional Ecuadorian restaurant. Although I had an American type dish of pasta and pesto, the flavors were a little different than what I was used to, just like breakfast. My first full day in Ecuador was filled with many different types of activities that introduced me to the basics about the culture of Ecuador.

Pre Trip Journal

emilygapinski — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 06:27:00 GMT

When preparing to travel to a new country, there are many new concepts that need to be understood and studied. One major idea that needs to be known is culture. The culture of a country is a combination of different activites like communication, religion, language, values, social activities, and knowledge. Studying and experiencing other cultures will icrease the acceptace of our global community. My cluture looks very different from the Ecuadorian culture. For example, my culture believes in a variety of freedoms like speech and religion. Because of the values the United States was based off of, men and women are considered equal. Also, my culture celebrates many religious and national holidays and traditions like independence day, Christmas, Birthdays, and many more. Our behaviors might also differ from other cultures. For example, the way we greet people and how we act towards others.

From what I have read in books and on the internet, I have some assumptions of what the culture in Ecuador would be like. With a different culture comes a difference in the way we dress, the way we greet family and friends, and the food we eat. I believe that the people in Ecuador will dress much more conservative than I would in the United States. From what I have read, shorts and tight clothing are not acceptable. Also, the way we interact with friends is different. In my culture, many young adults spend their free time, going to the moveis, hanging out at the mall, having gatherings at a home. In Ecuador, I think their culture is much more family oriented. So, instead of going out with friends, children have to stay home and help their family farm or make goods to sell and trade. Finally, the food we eat will be drastically different. Instead of having a plethora of fast food resturants, Ecuador has many small markets to buy fresh food at. These markets are the main income for many families.

Being an economic major, the economics of a country is very interesting to me. According to the book, Ecuador and Galapagos, the economic state of Ecuador is very interestiing and recently changing. Since the discovery of oil in the 1970's, Ecuadors economy has been transformed. Although, with the discovery of oil came the destruction of the enviroment. Large oil companies were building roads and taking land without thinking of the affect on the enviroment in the amazon region of the country. The oil companes are also polluting the water supply. Also, tourism is a way natives get their income. Though selling goods at local markets, families can make a living. But, steady jobs are what most Ecudorians want.