First Days in Ecuador

Anthropologist Margaret Mead famously reminded us: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”

This adage might inspire you, cling to your inner-idealist for a fleeting moment, or make you roll your eyes, but it has persistently begged for my attention since I first came across it last year. I have a few thoughts that seem to reappear day after day, like that street dog I once fed that now diffidently awaits my generosity, probing me with his hopeful, albeit sickly-looking eyes, challenging me to confront my own values and decide for myself how I will act.

Like the street dog, I could choose to ignore my fascination with Margaret Mead’s words and continue on the Path to the American Dream. Or, I could act and feed my dream to somehow “change the world”, because I can’t stand to see how it is starving in so many ways. I chose to take this semester off and (if I may employ another hackneyed expression) take the road less travelled; specifically, the Pan American highway to Cuenca, Ecuador.

After a somewhat tumultuous few days of dealing with airline drama and bus trips, I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived last week in Cuenca, a clean, historic, intriguing city with a pleasant 70°F average temperature. Even more exciting for me (an agriculture major with a penchant for farmers’ markets) is the huge outdoor market selling every type of fruit/vegetable/animal product you could ever imagine, just minutes’ walk away!

I could continue listing reasons I love Ecuador already, but their significance pales in comparison with the relational aspect of my stay here so far. From my neighbor on the plane who invited me to visit her family in Ambato, to my neighbors here in Cuenca who have made sure I feel welcome and safe, people have been incredibly kind. The Ascend staffers are “muy amable” and always try to help me with my Spanish, which is often laughable at this point. At the school in one of the communities where we work, we were greeted with an enthusiastic chorus of “Buenos Días!” and left with stomachs full of bread and tea after a planning meeting with the director. With community-based projects such as Ascend’s, relationships are of utmost importance. The genuine kindness of the people here reminds me that the small group of thoughtful, committed people who will change our world is made up of neither US (the Americans) nor THEM (the Ecuadorians) – it is all of us together who are contributing ideas, resources, friendship, and hope in some of the places where it is much needed.

I look forward to spending the next six months here in Ecuador, working on a variety of projects and getting to know the staff, the city, and the communities!

Que le vaya bien -

Jessie Gunter, Intern, Spring 2011