Ascend Ecuador

Battling Homesickness, Adapting to Cultural Differences: Life in Riobamba, Ecuador

2011-03-15T13:32:00.001-06:00

Two unbelievable months have flown by, and I have to say I am pretty darn proud of myself at how well I’ve adjusted to my new life here. You may think I should be an expert already in tacking homesickness, being an immigrant and a frequent traveler, but nothing beats home for me. I must say I was a wreck my first two weeks in Ecuador, not knowing how I will get through these coming six months living and working in a completely new country. However, I feel very settled in now, and I’d love to share some great advice I received from friends and family that helped me through it:

1. Don’t be afraid to talk: Overcoming the language barrier was possibly the hardest hurdle for me to cross, but in these past two months I’ve changed from being the timid, quiet girl who never spoke a word during lunch to the one that can now tell stories, speak out during staff meetings, and even laugh and crack jokes (in Spanish!) at my coworkers from time to time. How? I took baby steps. For example, I took advantage of every opportunity to say simple phrases like “Como estás? Or “Buenos Días!” whenever I can because I knew I could say them well, and it helps a lot that the locals would smile and respond to me as if I was fluent. It was also great practice to improve my accent and build confident in myself in Spanish, no matter how simple my words or phrases were. This helped me become more and more comfortable in the language, and I began adding more vocabulary, verbs and phrases as time went on. I spoke to everyone, about everything, at every opportunity I can, and I learned to shy away from my fear of making mistakes. When I realized I was improving in my Spanish, I got excited and studied and practice even more. Merely being in a foreign country does not automatically make you a fluent speaker of their language, contrary to many people’s belief. I’m far from being fluent and I’m still studying Spanish every day, and I never travel without my handy dandy pocket-size notebook where I’m constantly writing down words and phrases that I hear but don’t understand. This method has been a great and easy way to learn a language, and I’ve also been able to pick up a lot of local Ecuadorian phrases. I also took advantage of the resources around me. I’ve found an English tutorial center where I now teach weekly English classes and receive free one-on-one Spanish lessons afterwards. Overcoming the language barrier is definitely not easy (as I am still struggling at it at times) but it is extremely rewarding once you see improvement.

2. Let others know: the staff here has been so amazingly awesome in making me feel at home once they realized how lonely and homesick I felt in the beginning. If anything, I learned that sharing your homesick feelings with others is one of the first steps in overcoming it.

3. Get Involved: in anything. Interact with your neighbors. Explore the city. Find ways to meet more people. Talk to people. Ask for resources. I learned to crawl out of my shell and take advantage of every conversation I have, making connections with new friends I make, and even just being extra observant and open in general, (e.x. reading random posters on window walls advertising classes, concerts, etc). Once you make some friends and find your belonging in some place, you’ll feel so much more “at home.”

Aside from the language barrier, I was pleasantly surprised at how easily I’ve adapted to the cultural differences here in Ecuador. Being an Anthropology major, I’ve been fascinated at studying the culture here. Below is a small list of cultural observations and differences I’ve noticed so far:

· Greetings: You greet every person you meet or pass by, even random strangers by saying Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening in Spanish. During meals in restaurants, it’s considered polite to say “Buen Provecho” to others when they are eating. When meeting friends (or friends of friends), it’s common to exchange a small kiss on the cheek as a polite way to say hi.

· Slower pace: Latin America, in general, work at a slower pace compared to the US. While it may be frustrating for those who always like to run by the clock, this cultural difference cannot be overlooked. At least here in Ecuador, I’ve learned that relationship-building is key to getting tons of things done here, and relationships take time. Ecuadorians are generally quite respectful to each other, and with respect comes time- quickening the pace (or rushing things through) at times just doesn’t seem too nice.

· Almuerzo, the grand meal of the day: Lunches here are considered the most important meal of the day. Consisted of three courses- a soup, large platter of food (always with rice), and a dessert, these Ecuadorian “almuerzos” will keep you full until late into the evening. Dinner is not too common, but breakfast is generally eaten. In many workplaces, people are permitted to go home for lunch and same goes for students as well.

· Music: is an enormous part of the culture. Even in various workplaces sometimes, the radio or stereo is turned on. Ecuadorians love to sing and dance, and even in the office here we haven’t passed a single day without some kind of music playing.

What has been the hardest aspect of the culture here for me? The constant annoying cat calls from men on the streets, but I do a great job ignoring them. It’s also been interesting to live in a “machismo” (male-dominant) society; men usually has the upper hand here and I’ve been reminding myself, as a woman, to adapt to this way of life. But all in all, Ecuador has been a really enjoyable experience so far, and the office is getting quite busy. Our annual Gala is coming up in two weeks, and we have tons of construction and health classes lined up also. Busy busy! Prepping for the Gala, passing out invitations, studying a training manual to prepare to teach a class (in Spanish!) on trash next week, doing surveys on families, taking photos, documenting progress of projects, rehearsing a small speech for the Gala, etc. These coming few weeks are going to be really exciting!

Stay tuned!

Alexandra Liu

In-country Ecuador Intern

Spring ‘11

Carnaval in Ecuador

2011-03-15T13:30:00.006-06:00

CARNAVAL. In Ecuador, this four day celebration of the beginning of Lent (known to us as Mardi Gras) is the most exciting holiday of the year. From Saturday to Tuesday, vibrant parades and festivals unique to each city and town bring everyone out to the streets to eat, drink, and be merry. But what kind of celebration would it be without a few hundred water balloons? A prominent Carnaval tradition is to throw water at anyone and everyone – if you’re lucky. Depending on where you are in the country, eggs, flour, and paint are often substituted for water balloons. The youth of Ecuador begin to mobilize in the beginning of February, staking out on rooftops and sidewalks, and by the end of the month you can expect to be soaked anytime you set foot outside. In the weeks leading up to Carnaval, a palpable undercurrent of anxiety can be felt amongst adults during previously mundane activities such as walking to lunch or to the market. Our staff here in Riobamba suffered a few casualties: Alex took a bucket of water to the head from a rooftop, Adri was nailed in the back while attempting to flee in 3-inch heels, and I was chased and eventually cornered and soaked by a small army of boys. At the pinnacle of the Riobamban youth’s reign of terror, we just barely avoided a bucket of paint and flour, which was thrown from the back of a moving truck and missed us by inches.

Aside from the unsettling feeling of being hunted in the streets and the bruises from some of the more aggressive water-balloon launchers, Carnaval is a fun-filled time of celebration to precede the forty days of deprivation that Catholics observe prior to Easter. Alex and I took advantage of the four day weekend and went on a jungle tour through the Amazon, which was beyond incredible! Rainforest hikes, swimming in a river with piranhas and alligators, and playing with monkeys in the heart of the jungle (our lodge was two hours away from the nearest town by canoe) were just some of the highlights.

Ciao,

Jessie, Intern, Spring 2011

First Days in Ecuador

2011-02-08T12:59:00.001-07:00

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

Introducing my new home: Riobamba, Ecuador

2011-02-03T13:12:00.007-07:00

Streets of Riobamba, Ecuador; Ascend office on the right

Why am I interning for Ascend?

I’ve been inspired to explore the field of international development since my last inter

nship in China as an ESL teacher. Working with insufficient teaching materials and lacking appropriate classroom resources, I realized there must be a change in the school and community in whole in order for the students to learn more effectively. Simply throwing a foreign English teacher into a classroom will not do; I knew once I leave, my students will not be receiving the same quality of English education. Despite the circumstances, I was still inspired by the difference I was able to make, but I knew in order to make a real difference in education, the entire community must be involved with the change.

What attracted me to Ascend is its philosophy of empowerment- instead of simply giving money and aid, Ascend provides the tools and resources to a community to ascend out of poverty themselves. This approach promotes sustainability and enables communities to be self-sufficient, and I know my contribution to Ascend will be long-lasting, and I will be able to make a real difference in the long run.

What do I hope to gain from this internship?

Right off the bat will be fluency in Spanish. As this internship is entirely in Spanish, I have been forced to crawl out of my shell and challenge myself in ways I would’ve never imagined. Soon I will have the opportunity to condu

ct numerous surveys (in Spanish!) asking locals in the communities about their family, health, education, business,

income, etc. for data and information to jumpstart our projects. Is it going to be frightening? Yes, but will it rewarding? Absolutely. I have been told to “ALWAYS try to challenge [myself] by taking on tasks that might scare the living daylights out of you” and so far even though I’ve only taken baby steps, I can already see results, and I am excited for the challenges ahead.

I also hope to hone my teaching skills as I will have the opportunity to teach English classes again or other topics to locals in communities. I will also gain experience in event planning as interns are responsible for the Annual Gala that will take place next month. So far invitations, flyers, and posters have been designed, and our next steps will be to venture out into Riobamba to advertise the event, make a site visit of the hotel where the Gala will be held, ask locals for business sponsorships, and selling as many tickets as we can.

Lastly, I’m learning about the many aspects of how a non-profit organization runs, and I am also gaining vast cultural knowledge of working with Latin American people and culture. As an Anthropology major

I’m fascinated by these kinds of cultural exchanges, and this Ascend internship will allow me to see first-hand how the two worlds work together.

How am I acclimating to my new “home”? What are some similarities and differences?

Aside from the language barrier, my transition to Ecuador has been quite pleasant. The weather in Riobamba is typical to my Northern California weather back home- sunny during the day, chilly at night. The city is surrounded by beautiful mountains and I have a great view of the famous Mt. Chimborazo, the highest mountain in Ecuador. For me, adjusting to the Ecuadorian cuisine has been the best part; the food here surprisingly resembles the Chinese diet that I grew up with- lots of soup, lots of rice, lots of chicken, and lots and of fruit.

Typical Foods

..and lots and lots of fruits and fruit drinks

What I have been doing so far:

Last week I had the opportunity to join the Ascend staff in a meeting in the city of Puyo to discuss collaboration work with various other organizations for the community of Guamote.

Puyo Meeting

Currently, Anna and I are working on the following:

Preparation of encuestas (surveys) as we prepare to go out to the communities

Preparation for the Annual Gala in March

Preparation of ESL materials for upcoming English classes in the communities

Stay tuned for more!

Alexandra Liu

In-country Ecuador Intern

Adventures in Ecuador

2011-01-25T13:10:00.010-07:00

I grew up in a town of about 17,000 people in Southern Minnesota. While it was a great place to grow up, the best feature of the town – actually, probably of the entire state – is the lakes. Sure we have some hills, there’s a lot of farmland, and the woods ‘up north’ are gorgeous, but there’s not a whole lot else to brag about.

The reason I tell you this is because three weeks ago I moved to Riobamba, Ecuador. The entire country is about the size of Colorado, and it has some of the most diverse landscape that I’ve ever seen. I’m living in the middle of a mountain/volcano range, the jungle starts just a few hours to the east of here and some of the best beaches in South America are just a few hours to the west.

While friends at home are complaining about the -30°F (-34°C) weather never-ending snowstorms, I’m enjoying temperatures of 60°F (16°C) and up. The worst thing that I have to worry about is carrying my raincoat as defense against the unpredictable rainstorms (that luckily never seem to last too long).

We traveled to the town of Baños, just a few hours from Riobamba, as a mini-vacation this weekend and got the chance to bike the roads along the river from Baños to the neighboring town of Puyo. This was a fantastic experience for me, because although I’ve gotten the chance to travel a bit through the Ecuadorian countryside, I always seem to end up feeling somewhat motion sick and end up closing my eyes … and therefore missing out on the scenery. The two towns are about 40 miles apart, following a road that is (luckily) mostly downhill.

The scenery along these roads is absolutely breathtaking (once you get used to the cars, buses, and trucks that are barreling past you). It really was one of those experiences that you just have to take in and enjoy, because no matter how hard you try to photograph it, you’re not going to capture it. There are several fantastic views of waterfalls along the way, and the vegetation slowly becomes more tropical the closer you get to Puyo (the gateway to the jungle mentioned earlier). We biked about 25 miles of the 40, and then took the bus the rest of the way.

I’ve mentioned the jungle a few times in this post, so I’ll leave you with a quick description of my favorite part of this trip so far. In Puyo we spent an hour at a Monkey Reserve where they keep monkeys rescued from homes and zoos and slowly reintroduce them to the wild. They are sneaky little creatures, but very friendly – and it’s amazing how strong those tails are! I had never seen a monkey outside of a zoo before, so it was quite the experience to have them jump into my arms, sit on my head, and climb up my legs. If it wasn’t completely illegal, I would totally be bringing one home with me!

With love from Ecuador,

Anna Claussen, Alliance Spring 2011 intern

Getting Settled

2011-01-18T13:04:00.006-07:00

Hello from Riobamba, Ecuador. We are Alexandra Liu and Anna Claussen – ASCEND Ecuador’s newest interns! We are excited for this experience and get to stay until June and May, respectively. We live in the ASCEND office and while the accommodations are great, we’re still adjusting to living life in South America – and getting our exercise via the three flights of stairs to our apartment. We’re also going to be joined by a third intern at the end of January, but we’ll let her introduce herself then.

Although we have both gotten the opportunity to travel in the past, this is a unique opportunity that combines cultural education with travel and humanitarian work. We’re both really excited to get out into the communities, especially to get started on the new Simple Technology, Health, Education, and Microenterprise endeavors planned for this year.

Annual Meeting

I (Anna) got to Riobamba on New Year’s day, and was lucky enough to get here just in time for the annual meeting. The entire ASCEND Ecuador staff spent three days at an estancia in Patate, about an hour from Riobamba. This was a fantastic opportunity for me to get to know my new coworkers, as well as to learn a lot more about the projects that ASCEND has completed in the last year and those that are planned for this year. While the retreat was mostly focused on business, we definitely left time for fun as well and made good use of the pool, basketball, and minigolf facilities and even went out dancing one night!

Gala Preparation

We have just started preparing for the annual ASCEND Ecuador Gala that will take place on March 12 and we have a lot of work ahead of us. This is our first official project as interns, and we’re really excited to take the lead and get started on the event coordination – including designing programs, invitations, advertisements, and all of the other necessary tasks to make this event run smoothly. Stay tuned for more updates.

With love from Riobamba,

Alex and Anna, Ascend Alliance interns, Spring 2011

Saying Goodbye

2010-12-09T19:45:00.011-07:00

Out in the beautiful Galapagos Islands

The past four months have flown by and all of the sudden I am in the last week of my internship in Ecuador. Even though I am excited to return home to spend the holidays with my family, and the fact that I am living 25 miles away from an erupting volcano can be a little unsettling, it will be hard to say goodbye to Riobamba.

Volcano Tungurahua

A few weeks ago, I was having a conversation with some local friends about what I was going to do when I got home. I started talking about how I needed to look for a job and jokingly mentioned that I might have to go back to my first job of washing dishes in a resaurant. My smile and slight laughter was met by a serious question. When they asked me how much I made at that job, I told them it was six dollars an hour. One friend then responded that she made two dollars and fifty cents an hour. This was just another reminder of how fortunate and lucky I really am. I have had several other reminders over the past four months, whether visiting a family of 8 living in a small adobe house or seeing small children working out in the fields with their parents. I have seen and experienced several things that have had a huge impact on my life and I hope will continue to impact my life in the future.

Drew getting some soccer time in

In my last interview before starting my internship my boss, Caleb, made sure to tell me of the difficulties of an internship. One thing that stuck with me the most was that I may not see major changes during my internship, but that afterward I would be able to look back to see all of the things I had accomplished, and that I would also be able to look in the future and see what will be accomplished through my work. Now as I am at the end of my internship I can look and be proud of what I accomplished. I can think back on the 10k race I helped organize, the sponsors I talked to, the people I signed up, and all the work the staff put in with no prior knowledge of how to organize a race. I can also look back at the mini expedition with Kyäni, which will lead to a school being built in one of the poorest places I have ever seen. However, when I look back I will mostly think of the simple day-to-day work I did such as: the simple health and nutrition classes, the rocks I moved while kids laughed at me; and the overall warmth of the people with whom I worked.

An Ecuadorian Thanksgiving

Ever since I first went to Latin America in 2005, I have had the desire to help out in anyway that I can. A big reason why I decided to do an internship with Ascend was to get more experience in that field. This internship has not only meant the opportunity to help people who truly need it, but also the chance to continue a career in an area that I am passionate about. As I return home I have hopefully gained the experience necessary to find a job where I can continue to make a difference for those in need.

With kids outside a school

Four months is a pretty short time, and it sure went by fast. But as I return home, I will do so knowing how much I gained from this experience. I am grateful for all the different areas I gained experiences in; things I never would have thought I could do. I want to thanks all the members of the Ascend staff in Ecuador and in Salt Lake City for all always offering their support and help when I needed it, especially to my fellow intern Drew, for all that he taught me. I want to thank my family and friends for all their support during this experience. Most importantly I want to thank the people of the communities where I have worked for the past four months.

McLean Smithson

Intern with Ascend Alliance

The Journey

2010-12-02T13:55:00.002-07:00

Here is a quick look at our two hour commute to the communities where we work. There are some quick looks at the towns we pass, the roads we drive on, the communities when we arrive, and a few other things we see along the way.

Hope you enjoy,

McLean Smithson and Andrew Reeve

Ascend Alliance Interns

Riobamba, Ecuador

http://www.ascendalliance.org

Ascend Ecuador - October 2010

2010-11-05T13:38:00.003-06:00

October was an intense and eventful month. We did everything from organizing and coordinating a 10k race here in Riobamba to attending and competing in an olympic triathlon in the Galapagos Islands. This is a recap of the past month. I hope you enjoy.

Andrew Reeve & McLean Smithson

In-country Ecuador Interns

Ascend Alliance

http://www.ascendalliance.org

Adjusting to a New Reality

2010-09-21T13:15:00.013-06:00

My first day visiting the communities

As the calendar creeps closer and closer to October, I am amazed at how fast time has gone by. It seems like just yesterday I was arriving in Riobamba at 3:00 AM after an eternity of traveling, ready to start my internship. When I first arrived, I was not sure what to expect. I just hoped for the chance to make a difference in peoples' lives. Over the past few weeks I have been given several chances to help the people we work with ascend out of poverty and improve their lives. This can be a very tedious and slow process, but I am grateful for the chance to make even a small difference, and I am very excited for opportunities that will arrive in the future.

Drew scoping out the location of our 10K

Here at Ascend, there is never a shortage of work to be done. We are in the midst of preparing a 10K run which will take place on October 24th. This has proven to be a very challenging task due to our small staff. We have to design all the advertisements, posters, t-shirts, product bags, prizes, and other logistics for the run. We also are very busy talking with potential sponsors. In addition to organizing the run, we are also preparing to receive representatives from Kyani, a company based out of Utah that wants to help Ascend build a school for those in need. The village that has been chosen for Kyani to visit is called Galte Pakcha. Ascend has worked with several villages in the Andes and completed many projects to help those in poverty. However, this will be the first time Ascend has worked in Galte Pakcha. This will prove to be a challenging task, because we do not have many contacts to help us work with the people.

Children in the current school in Galte Pakcha

Initially we arrived in Galte Pakcha hoping to begin making contacts with the people and to gain their trust. In addition, we also wanted to begin collecting information about the community to send back to Ascend Headquarters in Salt Lake City. I was not sure what kind of reception we would get from the people. After all, it’s not common for two Americans to show up unannounced willing to help. But the people were great from the moment we pulled up in our truck. Several were there to greet us and welcome us to their home. They also prepared a big meal for us with lots of potatoes and Cuy (Guinea Pig), which actually tastes pretty good once you can get over the fact that you are eating a cute little animal. The people have been very easy to work with and have made our job a lot easier.

Coming face to face with Cuy

An obstacle we face while working in Galte Pakcha is the language barrier. The native language is Quechua, so the people speak Spanish as their second language. Most of the time we can communicate very well, but there are other times when a translator (Quechua to Spanish) is needed in order for us to communicate. In spite of this, we have received plenty of help from the villagers, who help us overcome any difficulties we face. They even have the patience to help us try to learn a few words in Quechua.

Collecting information in Galte Paccha

I feel very fortunate to be a part of this wonderful organization, and for th chance to help those in rural Ecuador. I also feel privileged to work with people who live in such poverty yet constantly have smiles on their faces. I know a problem such as poverty cannot be solved overnight, or even during the four months I will spend down here, but I also know that I can be a part of a special process that helps those in need ascend out of serious poverty.

McLean Smithson

Intern, Ascend Ecuador

www.ascendalliance.org

A Different Perspective

2010-07-16T15:53:00.008-06:00

My backyard, Mt. Chimborazo

I´ve never suggested living far from where you work, I have always advocated against it. But my job, is different, I´m thousands of miles away from my home, thousands of miles away from my safety zone. I travel at least a few hours a day in our truck to our place of work, but I enjoy it. You see, we work far up in the mountains, away from modern civilization, away from it all. Up here, we are different, we are people of the world, all trying the help each other in the best way we can.

Our first meeting.

Ascend is more than an organization to me, more than some average NGO or humanitarian organization. Ascend is what I eat, sleep, and dream about. It´s what I do, it is my life right now, and honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. We are doing many things through out the world to help those in need, but here in Ecuador we have several projects that are under way that are helping empower those in need so they can Ascend out of poverty. The first, and the most material, is that we are remolding a bathroom at the school for the children, you should have seen the condition it was it when we first started.

The before picture, can you imagine if the bathroom at your child's school looked like this?

The second is that I have begun my English lessons to those teenagers and adults that have the desire to learn. I can attest, these individuals have more passion than I´ve ever seen to learn something that they don´t call their own. Education, as we all know, is the most important thing in life, especially if you want to go some where higher than where you are now. As the days pass English becomes more and more important for these individuals, because they know, with only
another language, they can empower themselves.

The mid-way picture, we´re almost there, looking better!

My perspective here is different, it is a bit of what I expected, but a bit more rough than I had originally thought. We work hard day in and day out and we know that the work we are doing is helping these individuals better their lives. Some may disagree with what I´m doing, but I do not. I see this as a life changing experience, and I know I will grow up here, if at least on a little.

The Ecuador Crew.

As for now, I leave with you what I have seen and the experiences I´ve had. I know that if you´re reading this you have at least a little bit of passion towards the work we are doing, and trust me, I can show you how amazing my help and yours is here. There are more experiences to be had and more people to help, so for now, I leave you with this. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Andrew Reeve
www.ascendalliance.org

How to teach a child how to fly

2010-07-05T17:26:00.006-06:00

Well, I’ve had my first week here in Ecuador and I’ve seen some crazy things. I´ve been inspired with hope and reason. I´m not sure if I can change the world, but I can at least try. Today was a special day. While we were in the community helping the poor I found myself surrounded by children. I had a reason, a way, and I was bound to teach them something, and I did. Being the crazy person I am, I decided to tell them that I could fly, and with an example, they soon also wanted to fly, so I taught them. As we jumped off of our dirt mound time and time again we shared laughs, and I thought, is this how I ascend? Is this how we ascend? I hope so. .

Flying, in this sense, is a metaphor. Realistically, my goal here is to empower those in need to save their children and ascend out of poverty (empoderar a los mas necesitados salvar a sus niños y salir de la pobreza).

Its not really about me, its more about Ascend. More so about the work we are doing. For example we are almost finished with a remodeling project of a bathroom for the kids at the school. There's a lot more we can do, but for now, we're doing the best we can. I hope that with time we can make a change in these peoples lives. I know we probably have, but there is always more help that is needed.

Anyways, Ill keep it brief, I have work to do, people to help, a world to change.

Goodbye for now, here´s hoping we can meet again.

With Love,

Drew

www.ascendalliance.org

The Four Seasons of Idealism

2009-08-11T11:26:00.005-06:00

While there remains a strong possibility that I may just be a hopeless romantic or the naive product of a generation that came of age without tasting the bitterness of war, I'll say what I'm going to say here, with the hope that this dose of idealism will find its place among the catacombs of optimism that I believe underly the hearts and minds of everyone who works in this field; or at least anyone who may stumble upon this humble blog.

Across the wooden table at a little stucco-walled cuencan café I listened carefully to a young, bright-eyed french girl, through her viscous accent, as she explained in detail what is wrong with the world and how we are going to change it. I suddenly became conscious of my years when the blunt-edged thought entered my brain: she sounds exactly like me three years ago.

Am I already in the autumn of my idealism? Do we shed our leaves with age, like the deciduous trees, and withdraw into introspective dormancy, with hopes that the bitter winter of cynicism won't heave our roots from the frozen ground and leave us lonely; another rotting log in the springtime forest? I started to doubt myself–was I losing the faith?

Right then I felt safe and warm, in the company of good friends and great ideas, with a cozy blanket of salsa rhythms on the little stereo. But my mind wandered back to a week before, at the same table in the same café, when two thieves came to press their daggers against the window, emitting icy stares through drug-fogged eyes and reminding us all that things are not O.K. The owner rushed to padlock the door and told us that no one could leave until the police came. They never did.

My time here is a series of life lessons. Some come naturally, while others are nearly impossible to digest with my gringo stomach. But what Cuenca keeps whispering to me through all of her beauty and ugliness is that when the day is done, you have your best friends and the people that you love, and that's it.

I come from a place where many people believe in their government, trust the system that engulfs them, rely on the police and public works; where a common faith unites the community with a fair amount of force. But at the same time, it is a place where I have never spoken to my neighbors in our apartment building, although we pass each other on the stairs every day. In that sense, Salt Lake City is the polar opposite of Cuenca.

Before I slipped out of my overcast daydream and actually started focusing on the conversation again, I had to ask myself that pending question: am I making a difference? It kind of burns inside you like that chinese food that you shouldn't have eaten in downtown Quito.

Greed is not easily shed from the human psyche, and although greed for signs of progress in a humanitarian project is distinct from greed for money and power, it still comes from the same family of emotions. I want something for me to make me feel good.

As the date of my return flight draws painfully close, I've taken time to synthesize the bulk of my experience in Ecuador. I've learned that while my greed and impatience will always nip at me, I must learn to read the book of life word for word, page by page–I can't scan through it and arrive to the parts that I find most interesting. Patience and understanding are the keys to progress, along with the obvious prerequisite of hard, hard work. Sometimes it's necessary to go back and re-read a paragraph that you didn't understand in order to understand what comes next.

In that sense I've learned to cherish the details: friendships formed with the locals, laughing with the children, the good feeling that comes from even the smallest success and the wisdom that comes with every failure, the beauty of the countryside and even the long, bumpy ride up the hills to Allpacruz that becomes tedious after the 40th time.

Have I completely fixed what's wrong with the world this summer? No. Have I helped it at least a little bit? I'm pretty certain of that, and I've come to terms with what it takes to make a difference. On my last bus ride, I looked out the window into the poor communities and saw suffering, as I always do. And I felt guilty for my gringo clothes and my gringo money and my privileged lifestyle, like I always do. But something was a little bit different. I felt about 10% less sad, because I knew that I at least represented a tiny part of the struggle to improve the lives of others. And I could relate to them more, because I know something about their reality.

It turns out that I am only in the early springtime of my idealism. This thing is just starting to grow. When people ask me what I'm doing in South America, I'm proud to tell them that I'm working in humanitarian projects with Ascend. I'm proud to be part of the growth of this thing, as it moves forward and makes a difference in more and more lives. And I'm proud of every little struggle, difficulty, mistake, success and achievement that I've experienced this summer, because at the end of the day, I know that we are doing it for the right reason. This is a path that I'm going to continue to follow with my life, and I hope you'll join me. (if you're still reading)

Thank You

Caleb

Gala 2009

2009-08-10T10:20:00.003-06:00

After months of planning and preparation we were able to actualize the first Ascend Alliance Gala in Ecuador on Thursday the 23rd of July. Although there were a few oversights, the overall impression was that the event was a total success. There were very few empty seats, the food was delicious, the entertainment was great and the the few of us (mostly staff) that stuck around until 2 am for the after party had a great time dancing! We were able to auction every item that had been donated to raise funds for the projects that we have planned here in Cuenca. We would like thank our sponsors who made the gala possible and a few special individuals for their generous contributions.

We would like to give a special thanks to the following:

Hotel Pinar de Lago for accommodating all of our friends from up north and for being so easy to work with.
www.hotelpinar.com

Everyone at Quinta Lucrecia for making the event go as smoothly as it did and for being willing to be flexible!
www.quintalucrecia.com

Lan Airlines for their generous donation of a round-trip flight to New York City.
www.lan.com

Fine artist Benjamin McPherson for donating a giclée print of his brilliant rendition of the last supper, titled "And It Was Night".
benmcpherson.com

Salt Lake City based artist Chris Thompson for donating an original charcoal drawing.

We look forward to working with you in the future.

More Expedition Photos

2009-07-30T08:12:00.016-06:00

A panel of judges confirmed that I have never once looked this cute brushing my teeth.

English class in Galte San Juan.

This was a new concept for them and they could not get enough of it.

Hard at work moving construction materials.

I assure you that no one was this serious after the photo when I let them review it on the screen.

The Vice President of San Juan and our Red Cross volunteers building the new slide.

Arts and Crafts time with some new friends.

The climate is bitter, but the stunning beauty more than makes up for it.

Throwin' some mud. He got really good at it by the second day...

Building a new school for Galte Miraloma.

The children were enthralled with the puppet show, "Tontín."

Expedition artists finishing up the mural.

Peace, Love and a new playground.

Galte San Juan/Miraloma, Chimborazo, Ecuador. July 2009. (Photos: Caleb Braley)

Ascend Expedition Video

2009-07-30T07:32:00.010-06:00

Reflections on the Expedition

2009-07-29T22:19:00.011-06:00

The July 2009 Ascend Expedition was a success and an amazing experience for all who attended. I may be venturing into the territory of artistic license in making that claim for everyone, but I'm certain that no one would disagree.

We worked together on a variety of projects:

• English Classes
• Reproductive Health/Prevention Classes
• Workshops on Better Utilization of Local Crops
• Cooking Classes
• Medical Campaign
• Construction of an Oven
• Construction of a New School Building
• Construction of a Playground
• Restoration of a Classroom
• Arts and Crafts Workshops (Including a Puppet Show)
• Wall Mural

We also experienced a fascinating cultural exchange with the people of Galte San Juan and Miraloma, the two communities where the expedition took place. I personally spent a lot of time facilitating communication during the projects. Kichwa (a dialect of Quechua) is the first language for most rural residents of the Chimborazo province, meaning that Spanish comes in second. Despite the fact that we all had to meet halfway and communicate in our second languages, the level of understanding remained high as we all worked together towards a common goal: improving the quality of live for the people of Galte San Juan and Miraloma.

I'd also like to take this chance to thank all of the expedition participants. It was very heartwarming to see a group of fellow Americans who are conscious of the reality and needs of others, and furthermore, willing to donate their time, hearts and minds to assist folks in need. I speak of behalf of all of us here at Ascend Alliance when I say that we are very thankful that this wonderful group of friends chose to dedicate themselves to serve with Ascend. We hope to work with you all again in the near future.

The Park City Five

Being part of this expedition was especially inspiring because it was carried out in memory of 5 very special people. I was very moved by the way the families and friends of these children who tragically passed away were able to come together and make something so incredibly positive out of such a difficult loss.

In 2008, five young graduates of Park City High School (ages 17-20) tragically died between the months of February and September. These five students had the opportunity to attend a great high school and it was their parents’ wish that a school be built in their memory in another area of the world where it is desperately needed. The Park City 5 Memorial Fund was established to raise money to build a sister-school in Riobamba, Ecuador. The fund also offers 5 annual scholarships to distribute to PCHS students who may wish to travel to Ecuador to help build the school and work with the local population. The building of this school will not only benefit the children of Ecuador but the students of PCHS who will maintain an on-going relationship with the school and a general cultural and language exchange.

Please visit the Park City Five website to learn more: http://parkcity5.blogspot.com/

Galte San Juan/Miraloma, Chimborazo, Ecuador. July 2009. (Photos: Caleb Braley)

The Expedition Begins!

2009-07-16T22:56:00.004-06:00

Hey all! This is Amanda, intern for the Riobamba office. We are so excited because tomorrow starts our big expedition in the communities of Galte San Juan and Galte Miraloma.

A group of 50 from Utah has just arrived to Quito and will be meeting us in the communities tomorrow afternoon. We are excited to help the people of these communities out as much as we can.

Our planned activities include:

building a classroom
building a cafeteria
building two community brick ovens
teaching business classes (how to earn money selling bread and artisans)
repairing community parks
building new school playgrounds
a medical campaign
a wall mural
remodeling a classroom
personal hygiene training
nutrition training
help with a potato harvest
computer classes
making puppets, a puppet theater, and putting on a show with the kids
teaching the people how to use their local, nutritious crops (quinoa and chochos) to make delicious food so that they will use these crops and be healthier.
art and games with the kids
first aid training

Needless to say, we are going to be BUSY these next few days, but we're looking forward to improving the lives of the people in these communities and it will be a great time.

I'll keep you updated on how it all goes!

VACA LOCA!!

2009-07-03T14:26:00.004-06:00

Last Friday marked the end of Corpus Christi, a seven day celebration and one of the most important roman catholic holidays in Ecuador. For those of you (like myself) who don't have a clue what this holiday is or where it came from I'll give a brief history.

According to the source of all knowledge (wikipedia) the first appearance of the holiday on the Christian calendar came after petitions of the thirteenth-century Augustinian nun Juliana of Liége. Juliana always had great respect and veneration for the holy sacrament and longed for a special feast or holiday in it's honor. She later had a vision in which she saw the Church under the light of a full moon with one dark spot. She felt that this dark spot signified the absence of such a holiday to commemorate the holy sacrament.

In 1208 she received another vision in which Christ himself commanded that she plead with the church authorities for the institution of the feast of Corpus Christi. Juliana eventually convinced the authorities and in 1246 Bishop Robert de Thorete, Bishop of Liége, ordered a celebration of Corpus Christi to be held each year thereafter.

Keeping this brief historical summary in mind, it is extremely fun to try to fill in the gap between the Augustinian nun's humble supplication for a feast to commemorate the holy sacrament and giant paper replicas of an indian woman, her male counterpart, and a giant bull, all equipped with explosives, dancing through crowds of terrified, screaming, unarmed, Ecuadorian citizens, which is exactly what I we saw last Friday night. I know what you are thinking... AMAZING!! Right? I was initially impressed but I didn't fall in love with the holiday until I saw la vaca loca lower it's horns, take aim, and deliberately shoot people at head level with roman candles. I couldn't help but think about how many people would have been arrested for this type of behavior in the states.

I'm sure that for someone not familiar with western culture easter bunnies, pine trees, elves, reign deer, and chimneys would be equally hard to link to Jesus as the fire breathing vaca loca. No matter how obscure the relationship seemed to me I thoroughly enjoyed this peace of national individualism.

QUE VIVA LA VACA LOCA!

Sustainable Agriculture Projects, Operation Expansion, and Fútbol...

2009-06-19T09:31:00.006-06:00

In other Ascend Ecuador news, Mark, Tyler and I met with an agricultural specialist this past week to discuss the logistical side of our proposed sustainable agriculture project in Quingeo. Luckily, Mark has a degree in Agriculture, because I doubt that Tyler nor I would have understood the technical details of that conversation any better in English.

We'll begin with test patches of soil, one here in Cuenca and the other high in the mountains, in Allpacruz. We must be meticulous in which crops we choose to promote in this project in order to achieve long-term sustainability. The climatology of the Azuay Province here in the Ecuadorian Andes is intriguing and peculiar. Here in Cuenca, we are surrounded by a multitude of micro-climates. For example, a 1-hour jaunt to the northeast leaves you in a drier, fertile valley, where you will probably want to go swimming because of the heat. Here in Cuenca, on the other hand, the nights are relatively cold, it rains almost every day, and the temperature hovers around 60 degrees constantly. You'll probably want to go out with a jacket. If we head 30 km west of the city, into Cajas National Park, we'll find ourselves in a jagged tundra landscape of hills and valleys that tops out at 14,599 ft above sea level, where no one in their right mind would plant anything.

Consequently, before we promote certain seeds for our agricultural project in Quingeo, we are going to test short-cycle crops and compare results in the different micro-climates, in order to achieve the maximum long-term benefit in Allpacruz. Please check back for updates on this project.

Additionally, Ascend Ecuador is planning to expand operations to some new communities. The whole crew went on a scouting mission to nearby Paute last Friday, where we met with a few community leaders to discuss potential projects and assess the needs of the area. We'll be meeting again with the communities this weeks to further explore options in Tomebamba and Gualaceo. This is the first step for Ascend in initiating a new operation: meet with the villagers, assess their needs, listen to their personal accounts of the situation, and determine how we can most effectively assist local residents to ascend out of poverty.

On the lighter side, I am being put to shame by 7 year-olds on the concrete fútbol field after English classes each week in Quingeo. Playing soccer with little kids in the mountain villages is by far the most fun thing to do in Ecuador, besides eating Guinea Pigs. Please stay tuned for updates on our new communities and the sustainable agriculture projects. If you are reading this, please share this blog with a friend!

Tomebamba/Allpacruz, Ecuador. May 2009. (Photos: Caleb Braley/Judd Hardy)

Community Response and Togetherness

2009-06-15T14:29:00.006-06:00

Community cohesion is the most integral component of Ascend's programs. Our ventures in Enterprise, Education and Technology are most successful when we receive organized, genuinely enthusiastic responses from the communities where we are working. Consequently, communication between Ascend and local residents, which leads to accurate assessments of real individual needs, is the other crucial component which allows us to address specific necessities in each locale and provide projects and programs that result in tangible benefits for the townspeople.

At this week's graduation in Allpacruz, I witnessed the closure and success of an Ascend Education program. Throughout the past year, Ascend Ecuador has offered various workshops on personal physical/mental heath, domestic violence, substance abuse, marital issues, among other relevant topics. The attendees were comprised of local mothers, who consistently gathered with the will to learn.

While these educational workshops constituted a relatively slow process, they are one of the most important impacts Ascend has made in the mountainous province of Quingeo. The best thing that we can possibly hand out for free is the opportunity to learn, and when appreciated and utilized, this gift leads to a direct improvement in the quality of life for the recipient.

As a newcomer to the nonprofit world, I find myself grappling with the tendency to want to see drastic change, misguidedly wanting to tear everything down and rebuild it in order to make it better. Yet my continued commitment to Ascend is teaching me that real impact is made in the exact opposite manner; through patience and a deep understanding with the beneficiaries of the aid we are offering, and more importantly a deep respect for their indigenous culture and traditions. Far from an imposition of culture, a genuine humanitarian impact is realized through a real comprehension of the reality of the people with whom we are working, leading to the maximal utilization of the opportunity Ascend strives to provide.

As they received their diplomas, the women were grateful to have had access to information that they would not have found elsewhere, and to have participated in the creation of a local forum where they were able to exchange ideas and experiences, foment their sense of community and grow stronger as a group. They are all eager to continue with community projects, and this is the legacy that Ascend works to create with all of our missions.

Allpacruz, Quingeo, Ecuador. May 2009. (Photos: Caleb Braley)

Hello, My Name is Roberto

2009-06-05T07:55:00.009-06:00

As Mark's 1975 Datsun pickup chattered through the cobblestone streets of old colonial Cuenca, the vibrations eased the retention bolt out of the shifting linkage, rendering the gear lever useless. It was two-thirty in the morning on a Tuesday, and we were stuck in second gear.

Tyler was hard to miss when we finally reached the deserted bus station. He towers above most people in Ecuador–myself included–and his american clothes and cumbersome bags left us with little doubt that this was our new intern. We heaved his luggage into the truck bed, squeezed into the cab and headed back to Ascend Headquarters.

We were both glad to be two interns strong when we arrived in the small hillside village of San Vicente the following morning to begin teaching English classes. Unsure of what to expect, I had prepared rough curricula for two different age groups, 4-6 graders/anyone younger, and brought some basic materials.

Tyler went off with the "wawas" (affectionate name given to youngsters in Ecuador) and I took charge of the older kids. I was nervous; I have minimal teaching experience and even after hours of reading "ESL for Children" resources online I wasn't sure how to begin; how to connect with the pupils. My gut told to just be myself and let things happen.

It worked. Not necessarily on my behalf; the children demonstrated a pure love for learning, especially English. Perhaps they were excited to escape their everyday teacher and see a different face in front of their chalkboard, or maybe deep inside they realize that English could be their gateway to a new and exciting world...I'm hoping that it is a combination of both. Anyhow, Tyler fittingly commented, and I concurred, that neither of us could remember ever being so excited inside a classroom when we ourselves were wawas.

For now the English classes will take place weekly in the Quingeo villages of San Vicente and Yanallpa, continuing for the rest of the summer. The scholastic year ends earlier in the nearby village of Allpacruz, but Ascend is communicating with the professor, and if we can garner enough interest we will begin weekly summer English classes there as well. The preparedness and zeal that I have seen in all of the local students leaves me optimistic that we'll soon be teaching in Allpacruz as well.

Stay tuned for updates on our first annual Ascend Gala here in Cuenca and our self-sufficient farm projects in Quingeo. Peace.

San Vicente/Yanallpa, Quingeo, Ecuador. May 2009. (Photos: Caleb Braley)

The Reason We Are Here

2009-05-29T14:03:00.006-06:00

Affectionately known as the "Beet," he is easily the most recognizable face in town.

Jefferson, probably their future soccer star, after getting his fangs cleaned by the dentist.

Kids waiting curiously in line for dental cleanings.

Allpacruz, Quingeo, Ecuador. May 2009. (Photos: Caleb Braley)

Substance Abuse Counseling in Allpacruz

2009-05-29T09:18:00.014-06:00

Doctor Jimena Fernández accompanied Priscilla and I along the bumpy dirt roads of Quingeo to the Allpacruz meeting house, where a sizable group awaited us on a sunny Tuesday afternoon. Ascend Ecuador had arranged a free counseling session, a lecture and open forum for local women to discuss issues and gain access to information resources regarding substance/spousal abuse.

Everyone seemed shy; the room was deathly silent as the doctor began to lecture and ask questions. I snapped some photos. Jimena was having a hard time evoking a response from the villagers.

In that moment, I realized two things. All of the children, with their mothers locked in the meeting house, were nervously scratching and peering in the windows, trying to see what we were doing to them inside. Also, looking around I became painfully aware that not only was I the only extraterrestrial white person within a 30 km radius, but more relevantly I was the only man in the room. So I passed my camera to Priscilla, bailed out of the meeting house and started a game of fútbol on the concrete court with the anxious children.

As more and more children materialized out of the corn field and the playground to join our match, the meeting house erupted with discourse. By the time Priscilla and the Doctor emerged, I was drenched in sweat, having made a lot of new friends and realized how bad I am at fútbol.

I don't know exactly what they talked about, but I could tell it was a positive experience from the attitudes exhibited. Doctor Fernández was particularly pleased with the experience and expressed her desire to continue with the sessions.

Ascend's programs are seeing success in Allpacruz due to our own hard work, but also because of the other crucial component of change: the cohesion and willingness of the villagers to assemble, communicate and work with us, and the desire to utilize the resources that Ascend provides in order to improve their lives and the lives of their families.

Allpacruz, Quingeo, Ecuador. May 2009. (Photos: Caleb Braley)

Strengthening Families in the Quingeo Province

2009-05-28T11:15:00.004-06:00

A local mother with her two children.

Allpacruz, Quingeo, Ecuador. May, 2009. (Photo: Caleb Braley)

Be True to Your Teeth, and They Won't Be False to You

2009-05-25T15:27:00.012-06:00

As much as my co-workers continued to speculate about whether or not I was on the same incoming flight as the young boy diagnosed with the H1N1 Swine Influenza in Guayaquil, Ecuador last week, they were able to put their fears aside to organize this weekend's Dental Campaign in Allpacruz.

We assembled the Ascend team, and with the addition of a local dentist and two dental students from the Catholic University, headed up into the hills to provide basic education, supplies, and dental exams to local families.

After the young ladies from the Dental School took the townspeople through a course in the basics of dental care and every last tooth was brushed, everyone lined up outside of the schoolhouse, where the Dental Doctor began exams. Children went first, followed by their parents.

While most received basic check-ups and cleanings, a few unlucky souls needed some teeth pulled. They were all troopers about it though, and as the hours passed and the sun burned through the clouds to beam down upon the town square, the line outside the schoolhouse slowly diminished.

The children passed into the next classroom to write thank-you cards and then streamed out onto the concrete soccer field (also the town square) to play a makeshift game of volleyball, which ended up turning into soccer after not too long. Mark and I joined in.

As we boarded the bus back to Cuenca, we were all happy that the villagers had turned out in such great numbers and enthusiasm that day. They appreciate the work that Ascend is doing in the village, and recognize the value of the opportunity to better their health and education. This positive connection with the people of Allpacruz gives us hope for further achievements in the region.

Tomorrow we return with local physicians to provide medical exams, and Wednesday I begin teaching English classes in San Vicente and Yunallpa. I can't wait to see the kids again.

This little girl examined her sister's mouth for her after her exam, just to double check that everything was O.K.

Allpacruz, Quingeo, Ecuador. May 2009. (Photos: Caleb Braley)

High Andean Greeting Cards and A New Greenhouse for Allpacruz

2009-05-20T17:25:00.034-06:00

Yesterday, the Ascend Ecuador crew rumbled through the green hills outside of Cuenca to the small village of Allpacruz to continue work on projects designed to empower local residents and improve their quality of life.

Priscilla and Jimena took to the meeting house with a group of locals. They carried with them a cardboard box bulging with an assortment of stationary supplies, stamps, stencils, colored pencils, markers and glue; just about everything necessary to make a good mess.

While working together on their psychology thesis, the two hatched the idea of encouraging the villagers to create their own interpretations of holiday greeting cards. By selecting the most promising prototypes to reproduce for sale in the city, a profit can hopefully be gained that could be reinvested in Allpacruz in order to further Ascend's mission: benefiting the residents. While this was the first attempt to harness the power of Andean greeting card art, the excitement and creativity of the villagers left us all feeling optimistic.

While the artists created their homegrown versions of Father's Day cards, Mark (the Ascend Coordinator here in Cuenca) and I traversed a nearby hillside to check on the progress of a newly-built greenhouse, which will allow the locals to experiment with some new crops that wouldn't typically take well in the high Andean regions, specifically tomatoes. We have our work cut out for us: first we'll need to repair the cracked reservoir–thankfully situated uphill from the greenhouse–so we can move forward with the gravity-based irrigation system that we'll install next week.

As a new intern, I was inspired by the way the children rushed to Mark's feet to hug him as we exited the truck in the humble town square of Allpacruz. For the small children of the village, he represents opportunity; something different, change. Ascend is making a difference here, and this is something that I am proud to be a part of; I hope that any others aware of this reality will join our cause.

Stay tuned for next week's updates on our medical and dental campaign in the villages. Peace.

Allpacruz, Quingeo, Ecuador. May 2009. (Photos: Caleb Braley)

Learning Business Skills in Ecuador

2009-02-26T10:42:00.002-07:00

Community Worker from Micro Enterprise. Liame Community, Ecuador. June 2008.
(Photo taken by Ashlie Bernheisel)

For more information visit www.ascendalliance.org

WELCOME!!!

2008-11-10T11:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the official Blog for Ascend Alliance Ecuador expeditions. Here you can find information on future and past expeditions to Ecuador as well as keep in touch with friends you have made through your South American adventure.