Hi all!  I cannot believe another month has come and gone.  When I uploaded my last post, we were in the middle of a National Emergency in Ecuador, known here as the “Paro.” I did not want to comment on it in the blog while it was still unfolding, but now that things are back to normal, I will give a brief update about our life during the Paro!

In short, the Ecuadorian government announced a new economic plan which included doing away with subsidies on oil that had been in place for about 40 years.  In response, workers of the entire transportation industry announced a country-wide strike for the upcoming day, and we were informed that schools would be closed as a result.  Many people said this strike would last a day at most; so, we decided to make the most of having a day off of work in the middle of a busy schedule. We grabbed a cheap box of wine and an elaborately decorated cake (just for fun!) and had a nice night in.  The next day, we wanted to be more informed of what was happening around us, so we went for a walk around the city to see the protests- those close to our house were strikingly quiet- sights included yellow taxis blocking roads, sporting home-made signs denouncing the government and its actions.  In fact, the whole city was noticeably quiet- no noise from busses or taxis, and hardly any from private cars as they were unable to pass through major roads. We continued into the center of the city, and the closer we got the more apparent it was that things in this part of town were not quite so quiet.  Protestors were advancing toward the main government building, chanting and throwing rocks, as police stoved them off with tear gas. At this point it was apparent that the Paro was more serious than anyone had previously thought. As it continued on for days, more and more people joined, and the Ecuadorian community united across various identity lines to advocate for one another.  It was truly incredible to be here in Ecuador for the Paro- never in the United States would we see such labor union (sector-wide AND country-wide), let alone such a strong union across identity lines to fight for the same goal on behalf of one another. We continue to be impressed by the Ecuadorian community and are more so now than ever.  

Taxi drivers protest by our house blocking the street

Closer to the center- clearly more tension 

The government building of the Province (Azuay) after the first day of protests

The Paro lasted for 11 days- we had no school or major events within that time.  Also, as major roadblocks were formed surrounding large cities such as Cuenca, a shortage of gas began to affect us all.  In our apartment, we ran out of the gas for our water heater, and spent a total of almost 3 weeks with only cold water before gas service was able to return to normal.  Because the city was almost completely shut down by protests, we spent most days in the house doing a whole lot of nothing, religiously following every news report as it was released.  And, though the protests were extremely important, once the city returned to its normal daily functions, our commutes to work seemed a bit more brighter. We have come to love this city so much, and to see it clean, colorful, and full of life again, revitalized by the obvious power in the hands of a united people, was a bit of an emotional experience.  Although now I think I will never take another hot shower for granted, I am grateful to have been in Ecuador for such a significant and impactful event.  

Everyone was glad that the Paro ended before it was time for Fiestas de Cuenca.  This is a full weekend holiday (Friday-Tuesday) in which the city celebrates its independence from Spain.  The Fiestas consist of streets filled with vendors of colorful foods and artesanias, various parades, shows, and celebrations, as well as people out to take advantage of the holiday.  One of the most typical food combinations in Cuenca for the fiestas includes a bread called “Guaguas de Pan” (pronounced "wawas de pan") and a drink called “Colada Morada.” The Guaguas (a term that means child, or Niño in quichua) are bread (usually sweet) decorated with faces, as if they were niños.  Colada Morada is a thick, chunky fruit drink that accompanies the Guaguas well. Of course we tried these traditional foods more than once (more like 3-4 times) because they are only made and sold during the fiestas. 

An example of the Guagua de pan and Colada Morada

Guagua de pan made by my students at Calasanz!

The Cathedral lit in red and yellow (instead of the normal blue) to celebrate Cuenca!

As a part of the fiestas, my volunteer location, Instituto San Jose de Calazans participated in a parade.  The school chose something along the lines of “ghost stories” from Cuenca as the theme, and all of the students (and I!) dressed up and rehearsed choreography accordingly.  Jhoseline was even able to join to lend a helping hand! We had ghosts and all. I have included pictures of all of us in the costume and on the float. If you would like to see it in action, click here and watch from 1:39 to 2:14.  I’m the big ghost on the truck in the smoke! 

The students ready for the parade! (and me in the back on the truck)

Me in full costume and makeup with some of the  other volunteers at Calasanz, Maik and Riley!

On the float! Some students, professors, and me!

Doing the parade with my students was one of the most rewarding experiences yet here in Cuenca.  The students practiced for weeks leading up to the event, and their faces giggling at me in full costume and makeup lit up my heart.  To not only see a celebration of a place you know consider a home, but to participate in it with people that care for you and that you hold dear is special beyond words.  Sometimes, our four months here feels like forever, and sometimes it feels like a blink of an eye. In this moment, it was neither- it was just perfect alignment. 

The ghost costume wasn’t the only costume I wore in that weekend!  Fiestas happen directly after Halloween, so my life was full of costumes during those few days.  At CEDEI, we hosted various activities with the niños classes and all were encouraged to dress up!  I dressed as “Sleeping Beauty,” because it is obviously the perfect excuse to wear pajamas to work. My lesson plan for this day consisted of vocabulary about halloween costumes and talking about Halloween traditions in the United States.  Most of the teachers even got into the spirit, and it was a great day taking a break from taking ourselves and our jobs so seriously. 

With my students! 

Festive teachers!

Another one of the most rewarding parts of our lives here in Cuenca is the people that we have gotten to meet and get close to.  Not only have we met so many wonderful Cuencanos, we have also had the opportunity to meet others that aren’t from Ecuador, but aren’t from the U.S. either.  For example, we have made many Venezuelan friends, and gotten to learn so much about their context, from slang words to delicious foods. We have been lucky enough to have some of our Venezuelan friends cook for us a time or two- and no worries- pictures included! We also met (through Mark) a wonderful couple that lives here, and the husband is from Ecuador while the wife is from Colombia.  They invited us to their beautiful home and prepared some Colombian food for us. It was such a treat to spend the evening with them!  Of course, we expected to come to Ecuador and learn about Ecuadorians, something that we continue to treasure every day, but we have had the extra pleasure of learning from people all over the globe- something that I hadn’t anticipated as much. Que rico!

Arepas- a Venezuelan dish (and one of our new favorites)!

Patacones- also Venezuelan!

Colombian empanadas!

Hot chocolate (with a special recipe that was not revealed to us)

Colombian Buñelos 

A bright spot in this month for us was Mark’s visit to Cuenca! First, he was kind enough to offer to bring care packages from our parents in the U.S. The only thing I specifically asked my family to send me was creamy Kraft mac n cheese! I am happy to report that they sent me 4 boxes (and I still have three left)!  Through Mark’s visit, we were able to experience Cuenca in a new way, a way that we haven’t yet after these first four months. We were able to experience it through the connections he has forged and his own wonderful view of the city. In a way, it was a bit of an exchange of experiences- in which he showed us his life in Cuenca- the people he loves and that love him, the places that he has visited time and time again because they bring him joy, the impactful work done, the layers of various years of visits.  We were able to show him our lives- our freshly built yet strong connections, the work that we are doing, the places we have found that bring us joy, and our excitement for what the future holds here as well. Personally, I was excited to have a more meaningful way to thank him for what he has made possible for us than simply typing “thank you” and sending it across the internet. Mark and Linda, if you’re reading this, thank you again for making this life possible for both of us!

First bowl of Mac n Cheese in 4 months!

Meeting the Palacios! Go Bucks!

Of course, no one’s life is perfect, and I won’t be using this blog to pretend that mine is the exception.  Our schedules are definitely greuling- leaving the house at 7am, working and volunteering during the day, and not returning until almost 8 at night can take its toll after a while.  If anything else tips the scale on stress for the week, it can be easy for it to begin to feel as if it is all too much. We are tired every day, and go through more coffee than two 22 year old girls probably should.  Things get pushed to the wayside on weekdays and weekends are never enough to catch up. The other week, I was beginning to feel too aware of all of these mini-stressors. And sometimes you have days or even weeks like that.  And then one day, you find yourself walking to meet your best friend in the world after finishing another long week. You know you guys will hug and congratulate each other- because the support that flows between you never fails.  Its sunny, and every little shop you pass is somehow playing a great song that you know. You don’t even notice that your feet hurt as you pass a panadería and for a moment, the sweet smell completely distracts you. You pass a few people that you know, reminding you that no matter how tired you feel, you have made a place for yourself here, and things are as they should be.   In the end, walking on sunshine can be the same as walking down street you have walked a million times, just with a new awareness and renewed gratitude.

Huge "treat yourself" moment- Sebastian Yatra concert in Cuenca! We both needed this night

Through all the ups and downs, we're doing it together!