Ecuador

Natural Medicine

teresakast — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 08:07:00 GMT

I think the most odd and interesting activity we have done so far is having an indigenous person from the Andes come show us how natural medicine is done. He talked about how they don’t believe in sickness, they only believe in being “disconnected.” He began by burning incense in the center of the room and placing rocks in a circle. Someone asked if they were a special type of rock, and he responded by saying they weren’t actually rocks, they were stars. He explained that when people disconnect from these stars that is when they do not feel well, and to get better they must reconnect with energy.

He then asked for a volunteer to demonstrate how he diagnoses a person who is not feeling well. He took an egg and made circular motions around the volunteer’s entire body. He then had her blow four times on the egg. Afterwards, he cracked the egg into a glass of water. He walked around the room showing everyone what had happened. I had no idea what I was looking at. Apparently the bubbles at the top meant that the volunteer was suffering some sort of head problem such as headaches or insomnia. Also if the egg whites were in a line then that meant the person was suffering back problems.

Next he had us all do breathing exercises while he counted to twelve in the Quichua language. He told us to rub our hands together in a certain way and then part them by about 4 inches. He said this tingling we felt and the energy between our hands was called sami. We got to share our sami with others in the room by putting our hands over another person’s hands and then by their heads.

For the last part of the demonstration, he poured herb-scented oil into our hands which we were then supposed to inhale and put the rest in our hair. After this, he came around with the burning incense that we waved onto our heads and chest. He said we were all reconnected, and for the final act we had to go around the room and hug each other and say, “I love you.”

This was a very interesting two hours I experienced. Normally if I have a headache I just take some Advil, but this group of indigenous people go through many rituals to cure certain ailments. I am glad I got to experience this type of medicine first hand rather than only have a lecture on it. It made it way more fun and attention grabbing.

Media and Health Care

teresakast — Thu, 9 Jan 2014 12:14:00 GMT

This week we have been learning about media and health within Ecuador. We took a trip to the Unsion TV Studio. It was interesting to see that the TV studios in Ecuador are similar to the United States. They were filming a live cooking show when we were there, so we got to watch how they film and produce live TV. All the live sections are filmed in one room. There are different backgrounds for each section, and when they are not used they are covered with a black curtain. We also had a tour of the control center and offices, which reminded me of TV and media centers in the U.S.

We made a visit to a local hospital. The hospital was mainly for delivering babies and emergency room visits. They showed us a delivery room, and it was very different from what you would see in America. The room had no windows and had two beds in it. There were bars on the wall that were for holding on to when delivering the baby. The mother would stand on the bed and hold the bars, while the family would be in the room watching her deliver the baby. There were also a few other positions they showed us for the mother. I was feeling a little uncomfortable (okay more than uncomfortable) when they were explaining this. There is no way I would want my entire family watching me deliver a baby, especially in those particular positions.

I thought it was interesting how in this hospital all the medication is free for the patients. They have a pharmacy within the hospital that gives the patients their prescription. The hospital is government funded so it is possible to do this. In Ecuador, they look at health care as more of a right rather than a privilege. In the United States we are making progress towards this with Obamacare, but right now health care in America is seen more as a privilege.

It was interesting to see how similar the media world is between Ecuador and the United states, but how different the health care program is between the countries. It made me appreciate how advanced our hospitals are, but also made me realize our different views on health care.

Cultural Adjustments

teresakast — Wed, 8 Jan 2014 06:01:00 GMT

There have been only a couple adjustments that have been hard for me here in Ecuador. The main one has been the food customs. For breakfast, it is common to only eat bread or a piece of fruit. Breakfast is fed around 7 a.m. and lunch is not until 1 p.m. This is a long time to only have a piece of bread in your stomach. Once my host mom asked me what I normally eat for breakfast in America, she has been making me scrambled eggs every morning. I am so incredibly thankful.

Another food custom is to eat dinner very late, normally around 8 or 9 p.m. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day, so it keeps them full until dinner. I wake up at 6 a.m. every day so I normally want to be in bed by 9 p.m. instead of eating at that time. My family eats dinner, talks around the table, and then goes to bed.

A third food custom that is hard for me is the amount of meat they eat. Even when I am in the United States, I prefer not to eat a large amount of meat. The main dish is always meat for both lunch and dinner. It is often cooked by itself and very plain. Thankfully my host mom knows I don’t eat much meat and doesn’t take it offensively when I do not eat much of the beef, chicken, or other types meat that I’ve not heard of.

An adjustment that has also been hard for me is the shower here in the house of my host family. Every morning, the shower is what normally gets me out of bed. Here, I don’t want to get up because the shower is so difficult. The only water temperatures are either scalding hot, or ice cold. Needless to say, my showers are quite short.

In order to deal with these adjustments, I have tried to keep a positive attitude. I have accepted that this culture is different than the United States. Even though they have different customs, I try to remember that this will probably be the only time in my life that I will be in Ecuador experiencing these differences. It is important to keep this point of view because it is easy to have an ethnocentric view of our own culture. It takes a little adjusting, but it is possible to adapt.

Female Identity

teresakast — Wed, 8 Jan 2014 04:45:00 GMT

The gender roles in Ecuador are fairly prominent. I have noticed women are expected to stay home and take care of the family, while the husband works for the income. I have observed my host mom and how much work she does for the family. She makes breakfast every morning for each of us, and caters it to the time we get up. Last Sunday I was the only one to have to wake up early, and she felt it was her duty to wake up and make me breakfast before I leave. I told her I could make it myself so she wouldn’t have to wake up early, but she insisted.

One of the most impactful conversations I have had in Ecuador has been one with my host mom. She told me she was proud I was going into advertising and that I could make a difference. She told me she liked taking care of the family, but if she were to ever work she would want to be a counselor for women who wanted to work. She wants to help them find opportunities and convince them they are able to succeed. She asked me if many opportunities were common for women in America. When I told her that it is normal to have two working parents, she looked sad that it was not the same here in Ecuador. She explained that it is not necessarily looked down upon when women have careers; however women feel they are expected to take care of the family.

The younger generation in Ecuador is beginning to change this cultural identity of women. My sister is going to school for physical therapy, and she says many of her friends are also pursuing a career. My host mom thinks it is getting better, but there is still a long way to go.

I am fortunate to be a woman in America where I can pursue my dreams in a career. There is still talk of inequality in the workplace, but at least I have more options than women in Ecuador. In the United States, it is more of an expectation for women to go to school and get their degrees. I feel respected as a college educated woman and I am proud of what I have accomplished.

Harmony Vs. Mastery

teresakast — Tue, 7 Jan 2014 09:32:00 GMT

Environmental harmony is the idea that people and nature can coexist. This is a major view in Ecuador. They believe they are one with nature. It is a beautiful thing to witness. I first noticed this when we visited the Mindala workshop. The owner was of the Quichua indigenous tribe. He was explaining how they weave and make products from sheep and alpaca. He told us how they could make many more products and money if they used mechanical machines for weaving, but that the Quichua tribe did not care about that. They would rather create the natural way with respect for the environment and be selfless than use machines for greed.

I observed another example of Ecuador being in harmony with nature in Salasacas. The family was giving our group a tour in their home of how they weave and make their own rugs, sweaters, scarves, etc. We noticed the colors of the thread used to weave were very vibrant. The owner then described how in order to make certain colors he would take the blood of a certain type of insect found in his plants. He said he would never use dyes or chemicals to color the thread in order to protect the environment. Everything he used was natural, even though using chemicals would be much easier.

Observing how Ecuadorians preserve the environment made me think about how in the United States we like to be masters of our environment. This means we try to conquer it rather than be one with it. Almost everything is made with chemicals rather than naturally, and if harming the environment can make more money, Americans won’t even think twice about it.

Right now in Ecuador they are experiencing an issue with this harmony. President Correa has authorized the rainforest to be cut down in order to drill for oil. Petroleum is the main export in Ecuador; therefore drilling for more will result in more profit. There has been an abundance of protest against this authorization. The rainforest is home to many animals and is a popular tourist attraction, but mainly this deforestation is destroying the Ecuadorian culture.

Harmony and mastery is one of the main differences I have seen between the culture of Ecuador and the culture of the United States. Almost everything they do involves the outdoors; whether it is walking around the city, in the house with the windows and doors open, or eating meals. This is unlike at home because when I want to eat outside my Dad always responds with, “There’s weather out there” (sorry Dad). This is not bad; it just shows the differences of living in different types of cultures.

Consumer Culture

teresakast — Mon, 6 Jan 2014 09:58:00 GMT

This experience in Ecuador has put in perspective for me how much the United States is a consumerist culture. Everything is so simplistic here. Our whole culture in America revolves around money. People in our culture try to make as much money as they can, and are also known to show it off. It is completely different here in Ecuador. They use their money to support their families. If they have any excess income, they use it on necessities, give to churches, or save it (the latter is a hard one for me).

As an American, I feel as though I grew up to be materialistic (no seriously, you should see my closet). I always want the new, trendy clothes. After spending some time here in Ecuador, I have been asking myself the question, “Why?” Why do I have it? Why do I “need" it? The answer may be that I have insecurities. Or maybe it is the pressure by the people in my environment. It could even be that I have been doing it for so long that it has become a habit, which is a hard one to break.

I feel as though I am not the only one in America with this problem. As of late, it seems more of an epidemic. According to the Harvard economist Juliet Shor, when our income rises, instead of saving our earning we spend it and therefore feel as though our income needs to rise yet again. The more money we have means the more we can spend. Think about celebrities: They aren’t buying their clothes at Forever 21 or Target. They are wearing Dolce and Gabbana and Gucci to portray their wealth.

I used to feel bad for countries that were “poorer” than the United States. Now I am envious. “Poor” is a subjective term. They may not have as much money as the United States, but they are rich in love, simplicity, and care. They are happy and thankful for what they have, no matter how much or little that may be. Americans tend to be ethnocentric, when in reality we do not have a better culture; it is merely a different culture. These differences are neither good nor bad, just different.

According to John Oetzal in Interculteral Communication, “Culture is to humans as water is to fish. We do not really see the importance of it until we are out of it.” Now that I am out of the culture of the United States, it is much easier to realize what our culture entails now that I can compare it to the culture of Ecuador.

El Año Viejo

teresakast — Mon, 6 Jan 2014 08:37:00 GMT

The traditions in Ecuador are very different than in the United States. I was lucky enough to take part in El Año Viejo (New Year’s Eve). The first night in Cuenca was December 31, and my host family included me in their New Year’s festivities. In Ecuador, each family buys or makes a dummy doll that is to be burned on New Year’s Eve. The dummy doll is made similar to a scarecrow; the body is stuffed with newspaper and a mask is used for the face. The mask can be of anything or anyone. I saw many politicians, animals, and cartoon characters. I even saw a Michael Jackson mask.

I went with my brother, sister, and grandpa to walk around the streets the night of New Year’s Eve. On the street, there were spaces marked off where there were scenes of all these dolls. For example, there was the Ecuador soccer team portrayed as dolls with soccer posts and a scoreboard. Another observation I made on the streets was that many people were in costumes. It felt more like Halloween rather than New Year’s Eve. I saw a Little Red Riding Hood, a few animals, and also some scary ghost masks. One of my friends in my class is staying with a family who dressed him up like Spiderman.

After our walk around the city, my family burned our own doll. We had one with an old man as the mask on it. Once we lit it, to my surprise, there were also firecrackers placed inside with the newspaper. For good luck, it is common to jump over the doll while it is burning.

Later my family explained to me that the dolls represented the burning of the old year and starting a new one. The doll also is a symbol for someone in the family or close to the family who had died that year. I’m not sure who my family’s doll was symbolizing, but I thought it was a beautiful way to show reverence and respect for the dead.

Another tradition for El Año Viejo is to eat 12 grapes. I was so confused at first why I was eating 12 grapes out of a wine glass. I looked it up online later and found out it is supposed to bring good luck. There are 12 grapes for each month of the year.

I am glad I got to experience this tradition with my host family. I have experienced New Year’s Eve in Hawaii and Mexico, but neither of those compare to the celebration in Ecuador.

Culture Shock

teresakast — Sat, 4 Jan 2014 10:33:00 GMT

Culture shock is a term used to describe the psychological disorientation experienced when you leave your familiar surroundings and are immersed in a foreign culture. The culture shock in Ecuador wasn’t too bad until meeting my host family. No one in my immediate family speaks English, so it was very hard to adjust. I went from being in the honeymoon stage where everything is new and exciting, to being frustrated very quickly. The first day in Cuenca was New Years Eve, so each of us spent the night with our host families. My family consists of a mother, father, 20-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son.

At first my family thought my name was Nancy, so I was very confused as to if they were calling me a weird term of endearment I have not heard of, or if they had just mistaken my name. Eventually I told them my name is Teresa, and they felt horrible for calling me Nancy. This first day there was a lot of ineffective communication where the message received was not what the sender intended. The language barrier seemed as large as the Great Wall of China. I looked like a deer in headlights every time they spoke to me.

The next day seemed to get a little better and we started to understand each other easier. After dinner, I sat at the table and talked with my “mom.” It all of a sudden clicked. She would talk slow and clear so I could understand her Spanish, and I would speak in Spanish back to her and she would help me if I didn’t know a word. We talked about our families and future plans. When she found out I didn’t have a boyfriend, she insisted I go on a date with the guapo neighbor, Christian. She said he could be my new Ecuadorian boyfriend (hope he speaks English). This was when I went into the recovery stage of cultural adjustment. I no longer felt a longing to be back at home where everyone speaks English and doesn’t have rice at every meal.

The family member I connect with most is my 13-year-old brother, Martin. We don’t understand each other, but this doesn’t stop us from being goofy with one another. We will try to take pictures of one another when the other one isn’t looking, or we make faces at each other. The other night we spent playing with his model cars and racing them around the house. Even though my family does not speak any English, I am blessed to have gotten such a helpful, loving family.

Quito, Ecuador

teresakast — Thu, 2 Jan 2014 07:13:00 GMT

Day 2 in Ecuador was a fun, but also impactful day. The first activity we did was travel to la mitad del mundo (the middle of the world). This was a cool experience. There was a small tutorial about the equator and sundial. We learned the earth actually spins the opposite way of what you would think (hard to explain without using visuals). We also learned that the word “north” actually means “left,” and that Ecuador is the only country on the equator to be able to determine the actual line of the equator because the use of the Andes Mountains as a reference point.

After seeing la mitad del mundo, we visited the Quitsato Museum. The museum was filled with paintings and sculptures of the famous Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo Guyasamin. His work depicts the pain and suffering of different hateful acts in Latin America and around the world. Almost all of his paintings are of people or animals. The one that stood out to me is called Rio de Sangre which translates to “River of Blood.” The people in the painting are skeleton-like and the colors behind them are red and black. The meaning behind this painting was to reference the Chilean dictatorship in which many children were taken from families and killed. I wrote a research paper a couple years ago about los desaparecidos (the disappearances), which is why this piece of work spoke to me. Guayasamin does a good job of capturing the suffering and pain, yet also the hope for a better world in his art.

At the museum, there was a quote on one of the walls that read “Yo llore porque no tenia zapatos hasta que vi un nino que no tenia pies,” which means “I cried because I had no shoes until I saw a child that had no feet.” This quote impacted me because it applies to the trip I am on now. The saying is a metaphor for people complaining about little problems, when there are people in the world with much larger problems. I know I am a culprit of this, as are many other people from the United States; hence the popular hashtag on twitter #firstworldproblems.

After day 2 I still don’t want to come home, so this is a good sign!

[See photo gallery for related photos]

Photos: Ecuador

teresakast — Thu, 2 Jan 2014 03:56:00 GMT

Otavalo, Ecuador

teresakast — Thu, 2 Jan 2014 03:53:00 GMT

The first day in Ecuador was spent in Otavalo. We visited the Otavalo Market early in the day. The first observation I made about the market is that all the stands were very close together with little walking room. Then I realized everything in the city was very close in space. The sidewalks are just big enough to fit a person and a half comfortably. The room at the hotel was even a little close for comfort. It fit two beds and a dresser. It was something to get accustomed to after staying in hotels in the United States. Even walking in the streets, people stand very close to one another, and it is normal to get accidentally shoulder checked. For awhile I felt as if I were in a hockey game when I was at the market.

Later in the day we visited Cotacachi. The views were breath taking. We had the option of either going on a boat ride or hiking up the mountain. I was feeling ambitious, so I chose the hike. After about 15 minutes (with a few breaks to catch my breath), we made it to 10,353 feet above sea level. The view was nothing I’ve ever seen before. This time it wasn’t the altitude that made me lose my breath. I could have stared at the scenery for hours.

After the hike we visited the Mindala workshop. There was a demonstration of how they weave alpaca sweaters and scarves, as well as other products. Also at this workshop the owner explained and played a few Ecuadorian instruments.

A general observation I made the first day (besides personal space is a foreign concept to Ecuadorians) is the country portrays its Catholic faith everywhere. There are photos and/or statues of Mary everywhere: on buses, in shops and restaurants, etc. Also, the way people dress tends to be conservative which has to do with their faith. Another observation I made is Ecuador has stray dogs everywhere. You can’t go a few blocks without seeing one. Being a dog lover, it has been extremely hard not to go pet every single one I have seen (we were warned they might bite us and give us rabies). Dogs are also seen in almost every home. At the Mindala workshop we saw a puppy and decided to name him Oso, which means “bear” in Spanish. A third observation I have made is everyone is so friendly. When entering and leaving, “Buenos dias” or “Buenos tardes” is always said to one another. It is considered rude to not say anything when entering and leaving a room, even if you do not know the person.

Overall, the first day was a success. It has been easier than I thought to adapt to a different culture. I have not embarrassed myself too much yet, and am hoping it stays this way.

[See gallery for related photos]

Blog One: Pre-service Blog

teresakast — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 03:41:00 GMT

Merriam-Webster defines culture as "the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time." Simply stated: it is the way of life within a society. This can involve language, fine arts, literature, religion, sports, food, and so much more. In the United States, one of the prime values is intellect and education. From a young age, we emphasize the importance of going to school and being educated. It is commonly believed that going to school and getting a degree is important in finding a good job that supports you and your family. As far as behaviors, many Americans like their space. We find it uncomfortable and awkward when we have to be in close encounters with one person or a group of people. Americans also value their privacy. It is not common to show up unannounced at another's house. Even when we say "come and go as you please," there are still boundaries.

An assumption I have about Ecuadorian culture is very loving and open with one another. This assumption stems from experiences with many good friends from Spain. Greetings always were feelings of excitement with kisses on both cheeks. They did everything in their power to make you feel welcome and at home with them. I never felt nervous about asking for anything; they were more than happy when I spoke up about what I needed that would make me more comfortable (for example, if I was thirsty, hungry, cold, etc). I feel blessed to have been able to witness the love and support they had for one another that I am not used to seeing here. Not to say that Americans do not love and support each other, but Spaniards are much more open about it. Because of these experiences, I imagine spanish culture in Ecuador is similar. I know they normally kiss when they greet, and also always expect you to greet and say goodbye whenever you enter and leave. I have nothing but positive feelings towards the culture, yet I know I still have much to learn about it.

Ecuadorian cuisine is diverse and associated with agricultural conditions. One dish I am excited to try is cuy, which is guinea pig (scared, but I have to try it!). Pork, chicken, and beef are served with rice, corn or potatoes. In mountainous regions, a popular street food is hornado, which is potatoes served with roated pig. A few examples of Ecuadorian cuisine iclude patacones (plantains fried in oil, mashed up, and then refried), llapingachos (a pan seared potato ball), seco de chivo (stew made from goat), and also a wide variety of fruit. Most regions in Ecuador do a traditional three course meal: sopa (soup) and segundo (second dish) which includes rice and protein such a beef, pork, chicken, or fish. Dessert and coffee is also customary. Since I work in a bar, I must include that the most popular alcohol is aguardiente. It is a sugar-cane based spirit. Canelazo is a popular drink made from aguardiente. I am excited to try many of the cuisines offered in Ecuador.