Los Estudiantes son muy bueno

This week I have had the pleasure of accompanying the students in VILA to their respective sites where they are volunteering here in Quito. The first two days I got to go with some students who were working in the markets in the south side of the city. The volunteers were two Stanford students, and a French student from Austria and a Scottish student. Together, they were running a day program for the street children there, and kids of people who have little tiendas en el mercado. This particular week, they were teaching the children about different parts of the earth. Out of their own pockets, the volunteers purchased materials to make volcanoes con los niños. Since there are so many volcanoes in Ecuador, it was a good lesson, and the kids got to name the ones they knew, and they seemed to really enjoy it. The day started with the volunteers setting up, then going around the market to gather the children. Most were very eager to come with the volunteers. They sat in a circle and sang lots of songs in español. I was so surprised at how into it each of them were. Both boys and girls were eager and excited to sing the songs and play the games (including, pato pato ganzo a.k.a. duck duck goose). Most of the kids clothes were in poor shape, but others clearly had new clothes on. After the songs, they each participated in making the volcanoes. At the end of each day, they go with the volunteers to wash their hands with soap and water, and brush their teeth. It was really amazing. I´ll send pictures soon. The following day, they had a similar routine, but instead of volcanoes, they created a mural of the ocean, and the kids either colored in or drew sea creatures. Again, they were all very excited about the project and were generally very obedient. Very impressive.

Wed. and Thurs I went to Casa de la Ninez, where five other students were volunteering. This was an interesting experience. It is basically a camp, which also offers social services for kids and their families, with pretty nice facilities (though it is located right next door to a jail, and you can actually look down into the courtyard of the jail from the Casa). Although there were seemingly more resources at this location, the volunteers were a bit frustrated with the disorganization and miscommunication from the director. I´m really glad I got to see this first hand, because it was truly and interesting situation. The VILA volunteers have a lot to offer, and it seemed that their skills were not put to great use. They did play games with the kids and do art projects, but it was very haphazardly with Ecuadorian volunteers yelling and treating the little kids very poorly. In any case, the VILA students were making the most of it.

A few more sites I´ve had the chance to check out include El Panecillo - this amazing hill with views of all of Quito. Atop this hill is a huge silver stature of the Virgen de Panecillo w/ wings. She is the virgin saint that looks over the city and connects Quito to the sun. It was interesting climbing inside to the area with the view -- to me it was very reminiscent of the Statue of Liberty (climbing inside a tin lady).

Friday I accompanied another student, Maria, at CENIT and her volunteer work included bringing los ninos to la dentista. It was really amazing to see the work she was doing, talking to the parents about dental hygene and bringing the kids in for check ups and fillings (yikes!) The dentist office was a little stall in the mercado, it was far from a dentist office you see in the US (cement floors, paint coming off the walls, etc.) But, she kept things very clean and sterilized things in a hot oven-like box. The kids that came by for check ups that day had lots of cavities, one little girl, probably 5 or 6 years old had 10 cavities! I don´t know how else they would get dental treatment because CENIT subsidizes half of the cost ($12 for 1 filling total).

Inti Raymi Adventures

Where to begin? Well, this past weekend, I was extremely fortunate to be invited (by a friend - Pablo, of a friend - Kat), to a local festival north of Quito, in the mountains. It was part of the Inti Raymi celebration, where local indigenous groups celebrate their heritage and honor the sun. It was amazing. Pablo invited me to come along with him, and two friends (from England and Slovakia) because some of the villages do have volunteers, usually from the peace corps, who help with different projects. We got up early on Saturday, and drove about two hours north. It was a beautiful drive, very mountainous, and a bit dry, and there were lots of colorful little pueblos along the way. The sky was expansive, and a beautiful blue with clouds touching the mountaintops. When we arrived near the town, which was surrounded by green beautiful mountains, we stopped to ask an older woman for directions. She happened to be the sister of the woman who invited Pablo, so she hopped in the car and guided us to the celebration site in the communidad de Eugenio de Caja. We stayed with a host family, who were very gracious and took good care of us.

Since we arrived a bit early for the festival, we went up to Otavalo, a town about 20 miles north of this community, which is famous for its artisan markets and indigenous crafts. It was so colorful, from roasted corn, fresh fruits and vegetables, to colorful blankets, bags, and alpaca sweaters. We also stopped at a quesoria (a local cheese making house) that made queso fresca. They also have volunteers who come to help them maintain the building and the business, and I got the chance to speak to some of the community members who said they were in need of more volunteers to help them with marketing and distribution. I had some good conversations with the people there. The cheese was amazing, and they were saying that unfortunately some of it goes to waste if they are not able to distribute or sell the cheese fast enough (since it´s fresh, it doesn´t last very long). This stuff would sell in a heartbeat in the US, totally organic, fresh, handmade from an indigenous community needing funds.

When we got back to the house, the host family prepared a meal, which consisted of hominy, small pieces of fried pork, half of a fresh avocado, and a roasted potato. It was actually good and filling. Then we headed out down to the celebration area, and our hosts walked us out to the main road, which was a bit confusing. They instructed us to get into the back of this pick-up truck, so we did, not really knowing where we were going, but we knew it had something to do with the fiesta. They took us to another family´s home for the pre-celebration, and they offered the family a live chicken (as did about 20 other families). This community was San Augustine de Caja, and they offered us food, and many beverages. There was lots of dancing with chickens, singing, guitar playing, colorful dresses and masks. The masks symbolized the indigenous community´s interest in preserving their heritage, and putting on a fake mask to keep that within them. It also had a mirror on the forehead, which was to reflect and honor the sun. The beverages were an experience in themselves. Chicha (a mild homemade liquor of yucca or oats and spices) was in a bucket, and they scooped out a cup full of drink for you to have, then you give them back the cup for the next person to drink. They also insisted we drink a mandarin infused pure whiskey to warm us up in the cold weather. Again we were to take a quick shot, and give the cup back for the next person. (They also used this process for soda and fruit wines). Because it was part of the celebration, I couldn´t say no - it wasn´t the cleanliest experience, but it was awesome.

After the pre-celebration, we were herded onto the main road. They had a truck in the front with people playing guitars, and a 18 wheel truck with a huge flatbed, where they had a band and speakers blaring the music. So, we (100+ guests) walk and dance right onto the Panamerican Highway, yes a two-road highway, and start heading back to where the main celebration was taking place. Cars were honking, some were taking pictures, buses and trucks were passing us by, but it was incredible - dancing, singing and drinking on the highway that Che Guevarra rode through on his motorcycle. After about 2 hours of walking/dancing we finally got to the large festival, and it appears that these pre-celebrations took place in other communities, and they all converged in one open field, surrounded by mountains, to dance, drink, sing, and eat. It was fun. It was also really cold. Overall, I can´t really do justice to the experience, but I felt really blessed to have been able to participate in such an amazing event.

I´ll have to save other stories and descriptions about the hostel and Stanford students who I got to visit in action for another time.

Quick stop in Lima en route to Quito

Well, I made it, despite almost missing my flight by an entire day by misreading the departure date and time (note: leaving at 1:30 in the morning of the date on the ticket means that date, not the following date).

As I mentioned in my previous post - I had a 7 hour layover in Lima, and decided to venture out. I met an older Panamanian guy on the plane who was really concerned for my safety because of what he´s heard of Lima. He said he was concerned about going in on his own, then when he heard I was planning to do that, he had to go with me. Then another guy we were sitting with from Savannah, GA jumped in on the conversation as well - they were really nice. It ended up that the Panamanian gentleman couldn´t come into Lima due to visa restrictions, then Brant, from GA, offered to share a ride to his hostel, and he ended up coming with me to the part of Lima I wanted to check out - Miraflores (right on the ocean). That part of Lima was great, and there were handgliders over the cliffs. For future reference, if you are in Lima, check out ¨Vista al Mar¨restaurant, and try the ceviche - muy bueno!

Well, my impression of Lima is mixed. So, the city itself was way more 'advertised' than I expected. The signs for stores and malls were huge, and there were big lights and signs everywhere. There was also a lot of dust and empty buildings, it almost reminded me of the scene in the future in Idiocracy (sans the piles of trash everywhere).

Our cab driver was awesome, and my Spanish got a major work out that first day. He took us to the hostel, then Miraflores, and offered to pick us up and bring me back to the airport. He was super nice, and even gave me his cab number for any return trips. The ride to (and from) the airport was long due to traffic, but by the end we were really talking a lot, which was fun. Speaking of traffic, it was similar to that in the Philippines ' no regard for lanes, other cars or buses, it was pretty intense! But that´s the way things are there.

Now, I´m in Quito and it´s absolutely beautiful. I've been lucky with the weather, I checked before I left, and it said rain for days. But it´s been sunny with beautiful blue skies over this long narrow city between the mountains. It´s gorgeous. And the buildings in Old Town show the Spanish colonial influence (as well as the numerous churches and cathedrals). The hostel I´m staying in is extremely quaint, and luckily quiet (I´m just a bit over the crazy party hostel days). Anyhow, I´m so excited to start my research, meet with the students, and even with a few Ecuadorian contacts who work with American college students doing service. For now, still getting acquainted with the city, and my Spanish... hasta luego!

An New Adventure - Suramerica

Well - it's time for me to hit the road again (well, technically the sky)! I'm leaving tomorrow for South America - Quito, Ecuador in particular -- where I'll be traveling to begin collecting data for my dissertation research on international service and student identity/leadership. I'm so excited to be heading down there, to experience the culture, see the Andes, observe students in action, talk with community members, understand the situation, and to improve my Spanish. Who knows - I may even attempt to write an entry en espanol.

The students I'll be visiting belong to a group at Stanford called Volunteers In Latin America (VILA), and they have been working with street children in Ecuador for a number of years. The students have been extremely warm and welcoming of my research, and they themselves have prepared for this journey in a quarter-long course exploring the issues of Ecuador, international service, etc. I'm so glad that I'll be able to join them. They will be living in Ecuador for two months.

I'll be staying in a hostel in La Mariscal and am looking forward to meeting new friends along the way. One of the students told me that this area is often called 'gringolandia' because a lot of travelers stay there... but I'll probably be able to get by a little easier without complete fluency in Spanish.

Right now - I have few expectations. I'm going in with an open mind - have a few places that I want to visit, but for the most part I want to get lost in the experience, and bring back some good information that will be useful as I continue on the dissertation journey.

The first part of the trip will be an adventure in itself, as I've opted for a 'round about' flight to Quito, with two stops. One in El Salvador for a short time, and the other in Lima, Peru. I'll be in Lima for about 7 hours - and am hoping to take a cab into the city and at least see a little of Peru, maybe grab some ceviche, which I'm told is excellent there (as well as in Ecuador.) Well, wish me luck -- and thank you for sharing in the the journey with me!

The Final Destination – Meeting the Yellow Leaf in Nan

Here is the final chapter of this amazing journey. Our trip to Thailand capped off the whole adventure. We first got to Chiang Mai, spent the night there, then took vans to Nan where we visited the Yellow Leaf. It was a powerful experience. My professor has deep connections there, and we met some of her friends at a grocery store, to bring food and staples to the Yellow Leaf people (along with other items we brought from the US). The actual 'road to their village' was beautiful. Lush greenery, banana trees, rolling hills, another twisty road. We passed a few other villages that seemed much more well off (featuring school children with uniforms). When we arrived at the Yellow Leaf village, I recognized the road from a film we watched in class. The van had gotten stuck in the mud, and people had to walk toward the village. Apparently, the Princess of Thailand recently visited the Yellow Leaf, and in preparation for her visit, the government paved more of the road towards their village. The last km or so was still a dirt road.

When we arrived, our professor was greeted with open arms, and the wife of the chief of the village came and embraced her warmly. The children gathered, and were observing us with sincere curiosity. One of the men started distributing fruits to the kids, and they were so cute, yet it was clear how impoverished the village was. It was also clear that they have made great strides in the last ten years. There were two new huts built for families, and a few families now farming on their own (thanks in part to the land my professor’s non-profit organization purchased for them). Long story short, the Mlabri (Yellow Leaf) were hunter-gatherers and years ago were enslaved by the Hmong in Northern Thailand to work on their farms. My professor learned about this, and began visiting the Mlabri in Burma, Northern Thailand, and Laos. Over the years, she gained their trust, and has been able to help them create a sustainable livelihood, They presented her with a hand-woven bag, and a man who lives in one of the new huts offered her the only thing he could, a hand-carved staff he had made. It was so touching. We got to leave our supplies with the village chief, and you could feel the rumble of the people that they were excited. The ultimate highlight for me was seeing Split Ear, who came in from working in the fields. He is an older Mlabri man who was once chief of this tribe, and was wearing a short sleeve, button down shirt and a loincloth. His name is due to his split ear that he has on the left side. No one knows how old he really is (including himself). We had seen him in videos in class and he has apparently been written about in various anthropological journals. We were told that at first he didn’t really like our professor, and wanted nothing to do with her. Over the years, they built a strong relationships based on trust and understanding. His presence was magnificent, and though there was a language barrier, he spoke to us and welcomed us with open arms, and his charm and humor emerged within minutes. It was definitely an amazing experience.

After one night in Nan, we headed back to Chiang Mai, rode elephants at a conservatory outside of the city, had lunch at a street market where they served rice in a bag along with the meat of your choice, hit up the Night Bazaar (apparently the largest night market in SE Asia), and prepared for our final journey home.

We had a 6 hour wait in Bangkok before our flight back to SFO, and 3 of my classmates and I decided to take a trip into the city to see the Grand Palace and anything else we could. This was the ultimate finale for my ‘amazing race’ parallel. My professor warned that if we don’t get back to the airport by 3, or 3:30pm, we’d miss our flight home. This led to the rest of the group deciding to stay at the airport. The four of us had confidence we could do it, and it was SO worth it! We hopped into a cab from the airport, and went straight to the palace. Then we got into tuk-tuks which drove us to another temple, and some other random side stops. It was a fun adventure. Then back to the palace we got our tickets, and began taking pictures and exploring the grounds (after John had to ‘borrow’ pants from the front, as jeans were not allowed). The palace was ornate and amazing! It seemed like everything was covered in old and jewels, and the structures, and details were incredible. After a good lap around the grounds, it started pouring rain! The timing was perfect, we had seen what we wanted to see. We regrouped near the entrance, grabbed a cab, and headed back to the airport. This was definitely a highlight of the trip for me.

I can’t put into words how much I appreciate the opportunity to participate in this trip. It was overwhelming, exciting, challenging, and exhilarating. I learned so much about myself and others, and look forward to the next adventures in life.

Quick Stop at Angkor Wat

We got to Cambodia yesterday afternoon, and indulged in some spa treatments after a long journey. It was just what we needed to push through this last 'leg of the race'. (I kept comparing this journey to the Amazing Race, and all the way back from SFO have been referencing it in those terms). This morning at the crack of dawn we went to Angkor Wat and Angkor Tom in order to catch the sunrise. Unfortunately it was overcast, but luckily it was cool. We took little Tuk Tuk's from the hotel and it was awesome. They also drove us between sights and all around the area. Each time I think about all the breathtaking views an sights we've seen thus far, and I am still impressed and amazed at this wonder. It wasn't as hot as we were expecting it to be, so that was nice that we went so early. Now things are definitely starting to heat up (it's 10:30am here).

It's unreal to see such a magnificent structure that is soo old, one of the lost civilizations. Some of the local police were showing us where Tomb Raider was filmed, and some other unique areas. Aside from that little bit of pop culture, the rest of the complex commanded awe and respect. It was interesting to see the detail in the stone, and the size of everything. Again, I fear pictures can't capture the magnitude of the structures, but the feeling of just being there was amazing. We did some Buddhist prayers in one of the structures with incense, and were 'blessed with luck' by the monk there (for only a $1 tip!) It was awesome.

The Buddhist influence is very striking here, and it isn't uncommon to find temples and shrines everywhere you go. Hinduism is also somewhat present just from an observer's perspective. It's interesting, one of my classmates just read that Thailand has adopted Buddhism as the 'official' religion of the country. He was saying that while that is clearly the majority there, there is a big Muslim constituency in the south near Malaysia, and that will cause some big conflicts.

Back to Cambodia - we are staying in Siem Reap, which apparently has grown tremendously over the past ten years. Another colleague came here in 1996 and said it was very different and overdeveloped. I guess post 9/11 in 2004 they started seeing a surge in tourism here for Angkor Wat, and built 75 new 5 star hotels, which mostly remain empty or less than half full. Tonight we are going to the night market to continue our shopping adventures as well :) I wish we had a little more time in Cambodia, but we are heading out tomorrow afternoon to go to Chiang Mai, Thailand, and finally the Yellow Leaf.

p.s. I think my best bet for posting pics will be after the trip, I'm just finding it hard to justify the time on the computer. I'll be happy to send them along to anyone interested!

Renegade drop offs in Sa Pa

It is unbelievable how beautiful the road to Sa Pa was. Once again, I was taken by the intense scenery with tall lush mountains, waterfalls, clouds covering the tops, it was gorgeous dotted with bamboo trees, rice terraces, water buffalo, etc. Pictures can't capture the depth and beauty of the mountains and valleys that we can see from our hotel which are very similar. I can't tell if I like Sa Pa so much because of itself or in comparison to the previous place we were at. Sa Pa is a quaint village with lots of shops and people from the Black Hmong tribes selling embroidered items and jewelry. It's somewhat reminiscent of an Alpine Village, but its in Vietnam, with lots of ethnic minorities, and rice terraces around. The French founded this town, and made it a vacation spot back in the day. It's definitely a refreshing difference from Paso.

Yesterday we were summoned to meet in room 211 with an empty day pack. We assembled and started packing our 'inconspicuous' bags with childrens clothes, candies, toys, medical supplies, and headed down the hill. Since we weren't having much luck distributing items due to the strict commie oversight, we were going to trek into villages in the mountains and go into their homes to distribute the goods - a renegade mission! It was super fun, but not as renegade as we thought it would be. Some of the villagers spoke English pretty well - mostly due to the tourists that visit the area. It was still neat to venture into the hills, see the people and talk with them, and distribute items. Another crazy thing was taking a motorscycle back to up the twisty road, up the mountain, into town. We didn't feel like walking all the way back up, and there was a motorcycle stand that was offering rides for $1. So, who could resist? Nevermind that I have never been on a motor bike before, when we took off, I had to close my eyes. He was driving really fast, and turning on an angle at each of the turns! After a little while I got used to it, and saw the amazing views. We almost got run off the road by a van, and a herd of water buffalo, but again - made it safely back to home base. We will be visiting more villages today, but this time not so undercover. It was a fun experience.

My wallet got a little exercise in this town as well. My two friends, Pam and Kim, and I met a 6 year old Black Hmong girl who was super sweet, and we were walking around with her. We bought her a whole new outfit (from head to toe), because her clothes were in such bad shape. She was beaming afterwards. It was a great experience, and we saw her later that evening wearing the clothes.

Finally, I can't believe how long this trip feels, and that I have 2 more countries to visit. Some people in our group will be leaving in a few days when we return to Hanoi, and the rest of us will trek on to Cambodia, and Thailand - where we'll meet the Yellow Leaf. It feels like we've been traveling for months, time has been really interesting out here.