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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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