Intercultural Communications

Guayaquil

krthomas12 — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 10:03:00 GMT

On Monday, we said goodbye to our host families. My host mom drove us to school and hugged us goodbye. I already miss her and my host siblings so much. We went out to eat as a class at this family-run restaurant in Cuenca, and it was by far the best meal of the trip. We had so much traditional food, and the best chicken, steak and pork. It was phenomenal. After lunch, we embarked on a 4 hour, winding bus ride through the Andes to Guayaquil for our last 3 days before flying back to the US.

On Tuesday, we spent our morning at an orphanage. It was a beautiful foundation, and the people working there really cared about these kids. The orphanage has a school right there, and they had a great outdoor area for the kids to play. The orphanage has kids from really a young age to 17 and 18 year olds. One 8 year old girl named Estrellita (translates to star, and in this case, since she is young, little star) wouldn’t leave my side. She was the sweetest, happiest girl I have ever met. All of the kids there were so happy. I even got interviewed on camera, in Spanish, about my experience there as well as in Ecuador. It was a great experience.

Today, we visited a Special Education school, and it was great. It is a very well-run facility, and it seems like they have a great program from preschool to 8^th grade, to facilitation into real jobs. We also visited a facility for the poorest/most at-risk people in Guayaquil, and it helps them get their lives back together. It also works a lot with domestic violence cases. In the afternoon, we toured Universidad Casa Grande. It was a beautiful, small school that focuses on communication. Tonight, I’m going out to a restaurant with my professor and a few other girls. I am really excited for the chill night, as the huge amount of activities we have been doing the last two weeks as well as the crazy humidity and heat in Guayaquil is wearing me out. I do miss Cuenca a lot. Tomorrow we have 2 city tours, and a farewell dinner with the class. We have a very early morning on Friday, as we are leaving for the airport at 4:45 am. I am excited to go home, but I also don’t want to leave. I have made some amazing friends on this trip, and have had so many experiences of a lifetime. I will have to write a reflection blog once I get home (and sleep for 3 days straight.) As for now, I’m going to enjoy a nice nap before dinner. Adios!

Final Project

krthomas12 — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 12:55:00 GMT

My final narrative project for the class. Check it out!

Day 14/15- Saraguro

krthomas12 — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 11:08:00 GMT

The class departed early Saturday morning for a small indigenous town about 3 hours away from Cuenca. The Saraguros are the 4^th and final indigenous Andean group that we had an opportunity to spend time with. When we arrived on Saturday, we got in these small trucks that had boards in the back for seats and no doors or windows. We rode in these for almost an hour when we finally ate lunch sitting on a cliff with a view of a river and mountains. It was very hot out, and most of us got sunburnt. After lunch, we began a fairly difficult hike on Incan trail up a mountain. There were times when the trail was no more than 12 inches wide, with a vertical rock wall to one side and a steep cliff to our other side. It was one of the coolest things I have ever done. When we got to the top, we had the most beautiful view. The area we hiked to was a very sacred place for the Incans and is still sacred for the Indigenous people. Our guide, who was an indigenous woman, led us in a few exercises to release all of our bad energy. It was amazing. After visiting a textile workshop, we had dinner in a small house. After we ate, we got to listen to traditional Andean music performed live and participate in circle dancing.

On Sunday, we visited a small community where we got to participate in a traditional ritual. We entered a hut type construction, and it we decorated beautifully with flowers, corn, and ribbons. The indigenous people led us in this ritual of giving thanks and receiving positive energies. Afterwards, we participated in more circle dancing. We spent a few hours in the markets, and then headed to another house where we got to try the traditional Ecuadorian meal- Cuy. Cuy is guinea pig. And it tasted a bit like chicken. This is when my day gets interesting. I started to not feel very well, so I got up to walk to the bathroom. On my way there, I fainted. After throwing up everything I had eaten today, an indigenous man have me some herbal infused oil to breath in the aroma, as it is supposed to help with dizziness. It worked tremendously. After I was able to stand up, I was given Horchata tea, which is supposed to help with upset stomachs. Again, this natural remedy worked wonderfully. It was definitely one of the coolest days of my life, especially since I have never puked with such a beautiful view to look at. Tonight is my last night with my host family, as we head to Guayaquil tomorrow.

Day 12/13 and Analysis

krthomas12 — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 08:59:00 GMT

On Wednesday, we visited a CEDEI school in Cuenca. We got to tour the classrooms and learn about the curriculum. It was a bilingual school in Spanish and English, and French is offered once the students reach 3^rd grade. I absolutely loved the school, as it is very inclusive and it has an advanced Special Education program compared to many other schools in Ecuador.
We had an early morning on Thursday as we departed for Cajas National Park. It was an absolutely perfect day. The park was beautiful, and I hiked with the best group of people I could ask for. We ate lunch on top of a hill with a gorgeous view. It was a bit difficult, as it was the highest altitude we had been at this entire trip, but everyone made it through and had a great time.

Analysis

As we wind down our second week here, I cannot begin to explain how much I have learned. One of the things I notice most as I spend time in Cuenca is how family really does impact so much of the culture here in Ecuador. Whether it is education or health care, family plays such an important role. Many of the problems in education arise from the importance of family. Students view their home-life and family culture as more important than school. So if anything they learn in school disagrees with their home life, they are going to choose their home life. As more of a collectivistic society, family plays a huge role in healthcare as well. Families will often help make decisions for an individual.

From spending every weekend with extended families and including all family members in big decisions about education and healthcare, the value on family is definitely the most prominent aspect of their culture that I have noticed while I am here.

Day 11- Cuenca

krthomas12 — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 08:57:00 GMT

Today was another normal day; we had class in the morning where we talked about healthcare in Ecuador. For lunch, we had a cooking class where we made Locro de Papas, which is a potato, cheese, and avocado soup. We also made beef, a tomato salad, and a corn/egg side dish. It was quite delicious. In the afternoon, we visited a health care center. It was very interesting to compare it to the United States clinics. The set-up, the process to check in, and the way they did things were very different. Granted, it was a public, medium sized clinic and not a private or large hospital.

Dinner tonight was delicious. My host-mom made chicken, rice, avocado, potatoes, peaches, and my favorite juice that tastes like mangos and oranges. We talked with my host-mom after dinner for a long time about everything from cooking to the government. It was a great conversation, and I feel like my Spanish is improving a lot as I spend more time here. Tomorrow we get to visit a school, and I am beyond excited. I am considering doing my student teaching in South America, and I think Ecuador would be a wonderful country for it.

Day 10- Cuenca

krthomas12 — Tue, 7 Jan 2014 12:42:00 GMT

My time is flying by here in Ecuador. I have already been here over a week, yet I feel like it has been at least a month. We have done so much, and we still have so much to do. Today, after normal class time, we visited a TV broadcasting station. It surprised me how similar it was to an American station. For the first time since I have been here, I felt like I could have been back in the United States (except for the language differences.) It was so cool to see where they film their news shows, and we actually got to observe a cooking show being recorded. We even made it on TV in Cuenca! Emily and I walked home for lunch after the tour, and of course, it started to rain. I guess we are lucky though, since this is only the second time it has rained since we are here (and also because all of my friends and family are currently suffering from -40 degree wind chills.) I would take 70 and rainy over that weather any day.

After our afternoon class, Emily and I headed back home once again. When I got home, I attempted to get some homework done, but Santi kept wanting to play. How can I say no to his cute 3 year old face? Just kidding, I probably gave in because he kept throwing his Spiderman balloon at me. He taught me quite a bit of vocab today, and he absolutely loves talking about his day. He is the most adorable kid. I am starting to miss both my family and friends at Augie, but I do have the most wonderful host-mom. She treats Emily and I just like her own daughters, and gives us hugs every time we leave and again when we arrive home. It is definitely beginning to feel a bit like home here, and there is a certain level of comfort and happiness that I feel whenever I am surrounded by this wonderful family. I am definitely going to miss them when we leave for Guayaquil a week from today, as they are probably my favorite part of this experience in Ecuador.

Day 9- Culture Shock

krthomas12 — Mon, 6 Jan 2014 10:45:00 GMT

Today was a rather relaxing day, but very eventful for my thoughts and views on some of the differences between my culture and the culture of Ecuador. We woke up early to take a day trip to the Ingapirca Ruins, which was extremely fascinating. Before arriving at the ruins though, we stopped at another Indigenous market. This particular market was full of fruits, vegetables, meats, and live animals. There were chickens, guinea pigs, dogs, and cats (not all for eating.) It was extremely crowded in the live animal part, and I felt a bit of culture shock for the first time on this trip. I have always considered myself very open-minded, but I was surprised to find myself almost looking at these people in a negative way just because I felt uncomfortable in this new situation. The society I grew up on has created a stereotype that markets like these are full of poor, uneducated, and sometimes uncivilized people. I can infer that this isn’t true when I think about this particular market for a few different reasons.

1) At first glance, the market is full of dirty animals and lots of people. When you look a little more carefully though, these people are dressed in beautiful traditional clothes and often are at the markets with their entire family. How many of us Americans can say that our parents and grandparents get to work, AND spend time with their family? The majority of American families only see each other at night and maybe weekends. As for the dirty animals? In the United States, we usually don’t see where our meat comes from other than the grocery store. Yes, it may be a beautiful local farm, but a lot of our meat does come from factory farms that contain far worse conditions than a chicken who lived its life in the backyard of an Ecuadorian house, completely natural.

2) Who am I to decide what a good lifestyle is and what is a bad one? These people seem happy. They are kind, polite, and are spending their day outside interacting with people face-to-face rather than sitting at a computer or on a phone or watching television. According to countless studies and American stereotypes, this lifestyle of being outside and less social media use is one that is beneficial to our health. Yet, how many Americans that say something like, “I wish I could spend more time with my family, more time outside, and less time sitting at a desk,” would accept and embrace this lifestyle of these Indigenous groups? Probably not very many.

As I think about my experience so far here in Ecuador, I think one of the overlying themes I have encountered is “don’t judge a book by its cover.” My favorite part of my time spent here is the houses. They are gated off, and by American standards, look unsafe, beaten down, or unlivable. But, open the gate and you might see a nice car, a beautiful garden, and a gorgeous front door. Step inside that door, and (in my particular home) you find a beautifully decorated sitting room and a huge Christmas tree, a small, but practical kitchen, a gorgeous sunroom filled with plants and flowers, a wide, winding staircase that leads to a family centered set of bedrooms, a scattering of toys that represents a child that lives here, and more hanging plants and flowers beneath a huge glass ceiling to let in sunlight. All of this is located behind a huge, tall black gate and walls that have graffiti on them.

This has been an eye-opening day for me. As I conclude this blog, I can’t help but feel excited to find out what else I may encounter on this experience. But first, I’m going to enjoy this nice cup of tea that my host-mom made me to help combat the horrific cold I have come down with.

Day 8- Cuenca

krthomas12 — Sun, 5 Jan 2014 12:28:00 GMT

This morning, a group of 9 of us went zip lining. We drove about a half-hour outside of Cuenca to the foothills of the city. Most of them had never been before, and everyone had an absolute blast. There were 6 or 7 different platforms and a decent amount of hiking. It was so much fun.

This afternoon, Malena (my host sister) took Emily and me out shopping and we got our nails done. I’m usually not one for these activities, but it was great bonding time. I spent a few hours today playing with Santi after I got back from zip lining. We play Spiderman, and we always talk about colors and mustaches in Spanish. We also play a game where we count to 3 and I pick him up so he can “fly.” I he counts to 4 instead of 3 though, he gets to attack me because I’m the “bad Spiderman.” I love talking and playing with Santi, especially since he is the only native speaker that I actually feel like I am on the same level of Spanish. It was a relaxing day, and tomorrow we go to Ingapirca, which is Incan ruins.

Day 7- Cuenca

krthomas12 — Sat, 4 Jan 2014 23:24:00 GMT

Today was wonderful. It seems like every single day here is better than the last. We had class in the morning, and then a few friends and I went out to lunch at a modern traditional Ecuadorian restaurant. We stopped at a heladeria (ice cream shop) after before heading back to the school for a lecture on immigration out of Ecuador and the impact it has on families in Ecuador. After the lecture, we had dance lessons where we learned the Merengue. Emily and I walked home for dinner where we had a traditional tortilla made from spinach, egg, and cheese. I thought it was delicious. Also, my host mom makes homemade juice every single meal. She has made naranjilla, orange, mora, apple, and many other tropical fruit juices. The fresh fruit and homemade juice might be my favorite food in Ecuador, other than this delicious traditional sauce called aji. It is made from a spicy pepper, and I love it with pretty much any foods. After dinner, Emily, Katie and I took a taxi back to the colonial part of town to meet up with the rest of the class. We went to a discoteca and had a blast. It was a great first Friday in 2014.

Photos: Ecuador

krthomas12 — Fri, 3 Jan 2014 11:53:00 GMT

Day 6- Cuenca/Analysis

krthomas12 — Fri, 3 Jan 2014 11:52:00 GMT

Today was our first day of class in the CEDEI building. My host mother walked Emily, Katie (who is living across the street) and I to our class this morning. It takes about half an hour to walk to the building, and it is absolutely beautiful. We cross over a river into the colonial part of Cuenca to get to our school. We returned home for lunch after a tour through a museum of cultural artifacts, and had a meal of potato and spinach soup, rice, beef, peppers, and mango. In the afternoon we had another tour through a museum about Incas and the four geographical regions of Ecuador. The walk home was beautiful, and we arrived to a welcoming greeting from Santi.

Analysis of the first week- This first week in Ecuador has been quite an experience. One of the most interesting things that I have learned about is the Indigenous groups in Ecuador. We have had the opportunity to visit a few of these groups, and I have learned quite a bit. One of the biggest differences in identity that I have noticed about both these indigenous groups as well as my host family is that family is the most salient factor. There are often multiple generations living in the same house together, and if they don’t live together they make an effort to see each other much more often that most extended families in the United States would.

I have also realized how difficult it is to completely avoid perceived stereotypes and ethnocentrism. And it isn’t even just from my perspective; they are also a factor from the perspective of an Ecuadorian. For example, I was talking to one of my host cousins, and he was asking me if “Project X” (an American movie about college parties) was how college really was in America. He also thought it was absolutely crazy that I only see my family 4 or 5 times a year since I live at school. It is definitely important that I go into these next two weeks here in Ecuador with an interpretive approach and that I make a clear effort to effectively communicate with the people I encounter. It will not only benefit me, but also the people here in Ecuador.

Day 5- Cuenca

krthomas12 — Thu, 2 Jan 2014 11:39:00 GMT

Today was an absolutely wonderful day. After a festive New Year’s celebration last night, I woke up to a bowl of fresh papaya and yogurt prepared by Elena. At noon, we went back to her sister’s house to eat lunch with the extended family. We had a vegetable soup, chicken, and rice. I spent a lot of time playing Spiderman with Santi, and he is definitely helping me practice my Spanish. After a while, the entire family split up into different cars to go to a small town about an hour outside of Cuenca. Emily and I were in a car with 3 of our cousins who are about our age. When we got to the town, we went to an indoor food market. There were all kinds of food there, and we had this hot milk drink with tortillas. These tortillas are made out of corn and they have cheese in the middle. They were absolutely delicious. The cousins, Emily and I left and went to walk through a beautiful park by a river. We had a wonderful time bonding with our cousins, and there was a lot of laughing. We made one more stop at another small town even higher up in the mountain, and it was a beautiful plaza with a huge garden in the middle. There was a large church, and there were dozens of jewelry shops. As we made our way back to Cuenca, we got stuck in traffic for quite a while. This made for lots of bonding with our cousins. We talked about culture, movies, stereotypes, food, and quite a few other topics. When we arrived back at our house, I felt like I had known them forever. We were laughing and joking. I absolutely love my host family, and I couldn’t have asked for a better first day to a new year.

Day 4- Cuenca

krthomas12 — Thu, 2 Jan 2014 01:01:00 GMT

Today was a travel day, and we drove for almost 7 hours through more mountainous roads. We did make one stop at the oldest church in Ecuador, which was built in the 1500’s. The drive into Cuenca was absolutely beautiful, and the city is filled with rivers and parks. We drove into the colonial part of the city to where we would meet our host families.

Emily (my roommate for the homestays) and I met our host mom, and her name is Elena. She greeted us with a kiss on the cheek and a very welcoming hug. She is an absolutely charming lady. She drove us to her house, which is about a 20 minute walk from the center where our classes are. Her house is small, but gorgeous. There is a front sitting room, a kitchen, bar, and a sunny courtyard downstairs. The large staircase twists up to an open family room and the bedrooms. My bedroom has a large window that gives me a beautiful view of the neighborhood. Elena’s husband is an economist working in the United States right now, and her son is living in Chile. Her daughter, who is a law student, lives at home with her 3 year old son named Santi. Santi is such an energetic little kid, and he absolutely LOVES Spiderman. We spent about an hour getting settled in, and then we all went to the grocery store, and then to Elena’s sisters house for New Year’s Celebrations.

The house was filled with family members, and there were about 30 that attended. Emily and I quickly became known as the “gringitas.” When we first arrived, we had homemade tamales and coffee. After another few hours, we had these baked cake ball type things covered in honey. The younger men in the family then brought in a large tv, speakers, lights, and soundboard and set up a karaoke machine. The family, who spoke little to no English, decided to pick a song for Emily and I to sing. Of all the English songs in the world, they chose Hotel California. Eventually though, I was singing Spanish songs that I knew, and after a while I was singing Spanish songs that I didn’t even know with my host Grandma. I don’t know how the older men and women in my family had so much energy, as they were dancing and partying nonstop. We had dinner around 9:30, and went back to singing and dancing. At midnight, we went outside to burn the Manigotes (they are like mannequins) and shoot off fireworks. Every single street was filled with small fires and fireworks and cheering.

The traditional Ecuador greeting is to kiss everyone on the cheek when you enter a room and again when you leave a room. I was kissed over 50 times (I lost count after 53) just that night. It is definitely going to be strange when I start kissing my friends out of habit when I go back to the United States. There are more celebrations on New Year’s Day, so I’ll write more about that later. Happy New Year!

Day 3- Salasaca

krthomas12 — Thu, 2 Jan 2014 01:00:00 GMT

We left Quito and made our first stop at an old mansion that has since been turned into a hotel. We explored the beautiful grounds and building, and then were served hot chocolate, coffee, and tea. A musical group that played traditional Ecuadorian instruments, (which we had learned about yesterday) played a short concert for us.

After another 2 hours on the bus, we visited another indigenous group in Salasaca. We were able to observe a man using a large loom to weave a beautiful rug. The dyes that gave the rug its vibrant colors were produced from the blood of a bug. They use these natural colors instead of chemicals to preserve Mother Earth, and therefore the products are more expensive. The rug we saw being made typically takes about 3 months to complete. We ate a delicious lunch of various vegetables and potatoes, and then went outside to learn a traditional dance.

Our night was spent in Riobamba, where we had our first group discussion. We talked about culture, and some of the things we had seen in Ecuador so far. We ended the night with a delicious meal of Locro de Queso (a potato, cheese, and avocado soup,) chicken, rice, and an apple soda.

Day 2- Quito

krthomas12 — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 13:22:00 GMT

Today started out with another early breakfast at Hotel Otavalo. We boarded the bus and started our drive to Quito through the winding mountain roads. We stopped the equator monument before continuing to a museum that shows the works of Oswaldo Guayasamin. He paints with a lot of dark colors and skeleton-looking figures. The majority of his paintings represent the suffering and pain of different groups of people from all over the world. I had recognized a few of the paintings such as Lágrimas de Sangre, but I found myself really enjoying his work. There were a lot of powerful themes among the diversity in his paintings.

After the museum, we continued into Quito where we ate lunch at a shopping mall. The mall closely resembled one you would find in the United States. Afterwards, we began a walking tour of the Calle de Siete Cruces in Quito. We saw many beautiful churches and cathedrals, such as the Basilica (which is the border between the two sides of Quito), and the Compañia de Jesus. The latter was absolutely gorgeous, and the inside seemed to be made of gold. It was actualy volcanic rock, brick, and wood carvings that were painted with gold leaf. The intricate details and patterns provided a maze for the visitors to look at, and the beautiful paintings covered the walls. We stopped at a few plazas as well, and Plaza Grande (or Plaza de las palomas muertas) was extremely busy with people. Even though there were no actual markets set up, women and children were selling different items and foods along the streets. We ended the tour at the top of the hill at the end of the street where the enormous statue of Mary stood. You were able to see the city from 360 degrees, and it was absolutely huge.

The day ended with dinner at a rather American restaurant across the street from our hotel, which is extremely nice. Tomorrow is another early day as we part ways with Quito.

Day 1- Otavalo

krthomas12 — Sun, 29 Dec 2013 12:59:00 GMT

Today we woke up bright and early and had a breakfast of scrambled eggs with ham, rolls, papaya and tree tomato juice, and coffee and tea. We had a few hours of free time where we explored the markets in Otavalo. The indigenous people are significantly shorter than the average person, and they are extremely friendly and polite. We bartered the prices, even though they are already fairly cheap compared to what we are used to in the United States. The markets continued street after street, and the center was a large plaza that seemed like a maze of tents and vendors. Everything from scarfs and blankets made from alpaca wool to entire pigs, fruits, and vegetables were being sold.

We ate lunch in a small restaurant where we all had sandwiched and pop, and we grabbed a pastry at a pastelería. The prices of everything, from bottled water and food to clothes and shoes are extremely cheap. After lunch, we headed to Cuicochi, which is a lagoon with a large island in the middle of the lake. We hiked up to the top of a peak, and everyone was a bit shocked by the immediate effects of the high altitude. The peak was at 10,353 feet above sea level. The view was gorgeous, and well worth the hike.

We continued to a small textile workshop where we learned more about the indigenous cultures in the Andes. We saw different outfits of some of the cultures, and we learned how sheep wool is spun and woven. We walked up the street a ways to another workshop, but this one was for traditional musical instruments. We watched a women make a flute-like instrument, and then enjoyed a performance by some of her family members.

Dinner was in a traditional Ecuadorian restaurant, and I had pollo al ajillo and a mojito cubano. Both were very delicious. The walk back from the restaurant to Hotel Otavalo was a beautiful one, as the streets that were earlier in the day filled with tents and vendors now were lit up by lights hanging from the buildings. Some of the larger buildings had colorful lights on the outside, and there was a festive feel to everything.

Tomorrow we are going to Quito to explore the city. It should be a great day!

Pre-Service Blog

krthomas12 — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 09:22:00 GMT

Culture is the set of beliefs, customs, and traditions that a group of people share. There are sub-cultures within larger cultures, and it is possible for someone to identify with multiple sub-cultures at the same time. There are many values, behaviors, and traditions from my identified culture. Some basic values include generosity, kindness, individuality, and openness. Being on time, professionalism, and a polite attitude are some of the behaviors of my culture. I celebrate the traditional American holidays, such as Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and the Fourth of July.

I believe that the Ecuadorian culture has some similarities to the American culture as well as some differences. I think that there are some general values that the cultures share, such as kindness, generosity, and openness. I think that the Ecuadorian culture is less concerned with being on time. I also think that there are generally more family values, and family time, especially meal time, is very important in the Ecuadorian culture. These assumptions stem from both my past experience in traveling in Central/South America, (I have been to Costa Rica, the Galápagos’, and have spent a brief amount of time in Guayaquil) as well as discussing cultural differences with friends I have made at school who are from Ecuador.

The education system, as well as the literacy rates of students in Ecuador has improved dramatically in the past years. The main problems today in the education system are lack of funding and educating the rural populations. It is difficult to keep accredited teachers in rural areas, and there is some push to create more bilingual schools in languages other than Spanish. There are colleges and universities in Ecuador, but many students cannot afford a higher education. The dropout rate at younger ages is also very high.