Parroquia Retreat to Quinta Linda

Just when I thought working with the Parroquia couldn't get better, they go and invite me on the annual staff and volunteer retreat! Awwwww, shoot! And it couldn't have come at a better time! I came back from my week long vacay to not a lot to do...we'll one thing to do that I didn't really want to do: prepare for my Community Assesment Tools (CAT) Presentation at my Peace Corps Reconnect Conference. I am not sure why, but really sitting down and organizing the presentation was dramatically difficult. I had done all of the hardwork Monday, I ignored that task altogether; Tuesday, I made a superficial start, ie, opened a powerpoint document, made a title page, wrote the first two slides which didn't really tackle the meat of the diagnostic; Wednesday, I gave myself the or else talk and worked through the majority of it, by Thursday, at noon when I headed to the comedor to hang out with the kiddos and help them with their schoolwork, I was mostly done and put the finishing touches on it that evening. Sweet victory! Saturday, I was ready to roll for some good times with the good people of the Parroquia, guilt free and ready for my presentation and the conference!
Don't forget that the Parroquia is the Parish, and the Foundation is a faith-based organization, so our day of fun and games started at church, of course. 7:30 am, and we were gathered around the alter at the church in Fanca before heading out to the pools of Calcetta, sharing in a special celebratory mass, complete with a year in review reflection and team building activities.
Soon, we had all piled into two vehicles and by piled in, I mean we were basically riding Malagasy taxi-brousse style, 4 to a row, tight! Good thing I was wedged between my new friend Miguel, who is also new to the Parroquia group and Miryum who is the vice-president of the Foundation and heads ups the work at the community pharmacy in Fanca to make the ride more comfortable. The ride out to Calcetta took about an hour and a half, and it was the first time I had been out in that direction of Manabi. Here in Bahia, we are still waiting, wishing, praying for the rain to come. The campo folks have fields of dust, literally inches deep, their livelihood relies on the annual rains that still haven't come. The furthest community of our Parroquia is called el Kilometro 20, a town at the 20th Kilometer outside of Bahia and it is brown and dry for as far as the eye can see. Yet just a few more kilometers down the road, and you arrive to green, lush jungle like areas. It's amazing how drastically the climate changes within just a small area!
We arrived at about 10 am to Quinta Linda in Calcetta, an aquatic center with crisp cool water from a local spring flowing into a number of pools with slides! The first order of business, as is the culture here in Ecuador and with the group, was to eat. Bellita, the Parroquia secretary, ordered two big trays covered in cheese empanadas, bowls of a local fresh cheese dish called mojado, which seemed a lot like cottage cheese type curds formed into balls in a bowl of salty milk. You may be wrinkling up your nose, but it is eaten with maduro asada (roasted, ripe plantains) and with the mix of sweet and salty, it was DELICIOUS! It was all washed down with sweet coffee and fresh squeezed limeade. With our stomachs content we could focus on the real events of the day, enjoying the refreshing waters of Quinta Linda in the every-day-hotter climate of Manabi and throwing ourselves down waterslides.
Now everyone knows that I have rarely found a waterslide that I didn't like. Waterslide parks are kind of my dad and my thing, so you bet your booties I was excited to get to getting on the slides. But let me clarify, when I say slides, they are just a quick, straight drop into the pool. Nothing fancy, definately not Disneyworld caliber; think lacquered-up cement half-pipes. The simple design didn't discourage me in the least, I am not a waterslide snob! I rallied the troops, which didn't take a lot of work, and marched everybody to the top of the stairs to throw themselves down. I went first, of course. I being the professional, I refused to use any hand or feet friction to slow myself down, and let me tell you that lacquered cement is fast! So fast in fact that every time I got to the end of the
slide, I couldn't help but scream just a little bit. Everyone found this tirelessly amusing. I was definately the most enthusiastic over 18 year old at the pool that day and everyone just wanted to watch the silly gringa go down the slide one more time, to hear her scream and laugh some more. :D By the end of the day, I think that we got everyone to give the slides at try, at least on the smaller-kiddie one.
Later in the afternoon, a few of us found ourselves over at the billiard tables. Here in Ecuador, pool is a tavern game, and women don't go to taverns; I wasn't sure if I was invited to play or if it was appropriate to. I am not super great at pool, but I know the rules of the game, and I can make more than just a lucky shot, so I joined the boys for a few games, and didn't do half bad. I even provided a bit of the entertainment by crawling across the table for one of the shots. Its nice to know that I have found a group of people who support me, and I knew that even if it wasn't typical for a woman to play pool in Ecuador, it isn't typical for every Parroquia to have a gringa volunteer dedicated to their community work for two years either; it all goes hand in hand.
Below are few choice pictures of the day. One of the most enjoyable parts of the day for me, was getting to know everyone a little bit better, and in a different setting. I loved seeing people let loose a little, not worrying about attendance, deadlines, budgets, planning, the usual, and just enjoying everyone's company and the beautiful relaxing Quinta Linda.

(Top L: Edwardo, Marcos, Pedro, Luchito and Humberto; Top R: Luchito and I playing a round of pool; Above: the Parroquia crew basking in the pool)

Of course before the day was over, we found the time to dance and eat yet again before heading back to Bahia in the late afternoon. Clearly, I had a great time and I feel so fortunate to have found a place among this group of talented, motivated, passionate people! This is in no way the Peace Corps experience I imagined for myself, but I wouldn't trade a minute of it to be anywhere else, with any other group or doing anything different! Viva la Parroquia! I am looking forward to growing with the group in the next year and already looking forward to our next group paseo. :D

(L: P. Pedro and Nany living (er, laughing) it up; R: Caguita and I impromtu salsa-ing;)

RBC. What the heck is that?!

That's a good question. In my post-college life I have found that the real world is full of acronyms; some are obvious, others less so, and some, even after you get all the words in place, still don't make much sense. RBC is one of these types.

Rehabilitacion Basada en la Comunidad, or Community-Based Rehabilitation, that's what RBC stands for. You might ask yourself, so what exactly are we rehabilitating? The answer, people with disability. “Eureka! Of course, why didn't I think of that?” (don't mock me...) Ok, rehabilitation of people with disability, but how does the community do that? Well that is all part of the program...the fundamental idea of RBC is that until we live in a 100% inclusive community, we all need training and rehabilitation to achieve the goal. Its a bottom-up form of development. Seeing as people with disability are often an under-served, if not forgotten, population, the rehabilitation starts directly with them and then, secondly, addresses agency, community, and government.

The first step in the RBC program is to arrive to the individuals and families living with disability and work directly to motivate them to seek out services to help and improve their own lives and conditions and to provide support and solidarity in the process. The second step is to provide simple services that are missing to ease the effects of living with disability. The final step of the community-based rehabilitation process is community outreach; educating people about disability, moving away from a taboo condition and making it a reality that exists, preparing people for interactions, creating a community environment that is hospitable to people with disability, both socially and physically (ie. handicap accessibility!!!!!!), and finally, integrating people with disability into all facets of local community life. Simple right?! Right...

For my dedicated blog followers you might remember that during my site visit the INFA staff thought that I must be a disability specialist because that is what foreigners who come to Ecuador to work do, right? Well it does have some truth. About half of the volunteers that the foundation has seen in the past 2 years have been therapists and specialists in disability; and on a grander scale, the Ecuadorian government is making disability prevention and care a priority. There is a coalition survey taking place by the Cuban and Ecuadorian government to document all of the cases of disability in the country and complete a thorough study of the causes to understand and situation and devise a response. All INFA offices support RBC programs, USAID is trying to launch a disability support program, and there are a number of smaller, private foundations that support the RBC project (probably in the most effective way at present) and compose an ever growing “Red de Discapacidad”(Disability Network).

(Rosie, the coordinator of the RBC Project for the foundation...she might be super woman, and she is my adopted Ecuadorian mom!!!)

Here in Bahia, the strongest response the RBC call to action had been taken on my the Fundacion Corazon Solidario, to which I belong. At present, we are addressing the first two phases of the rehabilitation process. Two wonderful and dedicated women spend their days pounding the pavement (and dusty roads) of Bahia and it's neighboring communities, visiting families who have children with disability. They arrive at the house of the family in solidarity, as a mother, a woman with compassion and experience in raising children. They converse with the mother and child, giving the mother the opportunity to share her experience, successes and frustrations, but also to ask questions and receive information and updates about services and support. Part of the job of these “madres comunitarias” o “promotores” is to check-up on the health and well-being of the child. Is he or she clean, in good health, in a safe environment? Social workers don't exist in the same capacity we in the the states think of them, so these “community moms” are often the only public eyes and ears these kids have to get help if needed. Additionally, to support the efforts of the parents, we have established a Parents Association, complete with President, Secretary and Treasurer, with monthly meetings where, yours truly, (until we secure other speakers and presenters) is guiding parents through reflection activities, goal setting, educating about health, hygiene, and childhood development (because clearly I am an expert in all of these!!!).

(Aula de Educacion Especial, Talita Kum)

The other component of the foundation's response to the disability need is a center for special education. Here in Ecuador, the average teacher is not trained to identify a disability nor to accommodate or aide a special needs student to learn to the best of their ability. Thus, the majority of children with a disability, physical or mental, are not enrolled in any school, nor do their parents prioritize educating their children in “the basics” at home. The basics of the foundation's two special needs schools involve letter and number identification and reproduction, learning colors, days of the week, months, seasons, etc. Think kindergarten material. The students range in age, abilities, and skills, but are really learning together for the first time. It is all so very simple, but really so essential.

***look out for more posts about specific activities the foundation does to support people and children living with disability!!!!***

Home at Last!

Welcome to my home sweet home! It has taken me longer than expected to post photos of my new, and might I say, wonderful, apartment; But it has taken me longer than expected to get myself settled into my place...December is a busy time to move!!!!!! As you can see above I have a cozy little kitchen nook with just about everything a girl could ask for (minus an oven...working on getting a campo oven set up! even though I live in the city! ha ha) Below is the paseo to the rest of the apartment (it´s a small little rectangular, my apartment!) but not the terraza outside! Thats right, a streetside balcony. I am looking into some hanging hammock chairs...but I might never go to work if I have those...all lies! But I really think it might be a necessary and cozy splurge for my apartment!


Here you´ve got the "sala" where I read and work, and my amazing built in bookshelf which I fear will always look a jumbled mess!


My simple little baño! It serves me well and has a nice big shower with questionable pressure! ha ha!

and my bedroom...my bed is the best investment I made. A girl has got to have someplace comfy to sleep...especially after sleeping on a piece of foam over unforgiving wooden slats in Madagascar! And below here, we have my closet! Holler! I just bought the shelving this week which moved all of my close off the floor and into the, well, closet. Finally!

Pregon de la Navidad - Chistmas Parade

I'm not going to sugar coat it, ever since I was about 12, I stopped being so impressed with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I mean it is just always the same! Every year the same! I realize that for some people that is what they love, the expected, the tradition, but it's just not for me anymore. I still do get a little nostalgic about my local, hometown Christmas parade, but let's be honest, I think I was 17 the last time I actually saw it. If I went back now, I probably wouldn't make it to see Santa at the end, cause I already would have hauled my mom into a coffee shop for a double 12 oz. soy latte (can you tell I really want one? cause I do!) or a gingerbread latte (cause I am missing them yet another year!) to warm up and chat, cause it is cold in Bend, OR in December!
Just like last year in Madagascar, it just doesn't quite feel like the holiday season here in Ecuador for me. Sure their are some trees in windows, lights on houses, and people buying gifts right and left, but it just doesn't quite have the same feel as it does at home. Additionally, there are no community wide Christmas traditions, no programmed lighting of the city Christmas tree downtown, no school concerts...hmmmf. But finally, I got wind at the Parroquia of the Pregon de la Navidad - The Christmas Parade! Yessssssssss! The spanish volunteers, Natalia, Maria and I told Pedro that the disability group would 100% be participating. He said he would get a truck arranged for our float. Float? Yes, all the pieces of the event were start falling into place - Pedro assigns each group who wants to participate in the Parroquia's Pregon a bible verse to interpret. of course he does...as the disability project, we were to interpret a visit of Jesus to a sick child and mother where he tells them "Levantate! Animo!" (Get up! Get ready yourself ready!), which are also the theming words to the RBC project in the Parroquia.
Well the day of the pregon rolls around, and what do you know, we don't have a truck for our float. of course we don't! Isidra calls around, and secures us a truck from a neighbor. Maria, Natalia and I get to getting on cutting out giant felt letters to decorate the truck. We also make about 100 little felt flowers to decorate our float. (the budget per group for the float is $0, and the felt is free at the church, so we aprovechar-ed!!!) Of course today is burning hot, clear blue skies, with not a cloud to offer barrier from the equatorial sun! At about 1pm we pack up our felt and huff it down to Isidra's house to get to work on our float.
The truck that has been secured for us, let me say, is an antique, but not necesarily a collectors' item. We immediately get to work covering it with yards of red felt before busting out the packaging tape. It soon becomes obvious that taping is not going to suffice, we are going to have to sew/pin everything together and on to the truck! So here we are are, 5 women - 2 spaniards, 2 ecuadorians, and 1 american sewing and sweating in the blazing hot mid-day equatatorial sun. After about 2 hours our truck was looking particularly mahvelous in our opinion. We stepped inside for a few minutes to cool off and hydrate, before getting ourselves lined up for the big parade to start. I'll spare you the pictures of us sweating and sewing, and just she the final product of our work before heading off to the parade. That is me, Natalia, Maria, and Gabriela our little "sick" child for our float.
Well, we all jump into the truck and speed way to the church in Fanca, as fast as our little old truck will go, to get in line. We were a little late getting there, and were so pleased to find a group of kids from the special education schools waiting for us to arrive for them to participate! Yeah!
So this is where the Christmas Parade is probably not quite what you might expect. There were no school bands (those are reserved for local holiday parades), but instead lots of biblical costuming. It was really a "birth of christ" parade more than Christmas as we American's celebrate it...all the the groups walked/rode the length of Leonidas Plaza arriving at the hospital park for a special mass celebrating the Virgin of Guadelupe and of course, Christmas.

Below are some pictures for your viewing pleasure of the day's events.

(R: our kiddos; L: the two professors, Isidra and Oscar in their roles; B: our group with float)

Some of the other participating groups floats/respresentations:


(R: the INFA group in their Nativity; L: Me and the jovenes! B: Some of the kiddos from the Comedor)

Valero Madness

I can still remember my first acquaintance with a “valero.” A new friend of mine, Adriana, had invited me over to her house for lunch one afternoon with her family. Adriana is the social worker for the Oficina de la Mujer (Office of the Woman) in the Municipio (City/Country Government). She had asked me to help facilitate the formation of an association of social workers in town and help them get some direction on project identification and formation. I was happy to be included and share my experience and knowledge.
Adriana is a great woman, she lives in her own house but has invited her parents to live with her, likewise, her 3 nephews live with her as well because her sister, she tells me has made mistakes and just doesn't know how to manage her life let alone her three boys'. These three boys were my first window into what would sweep Bahia as a phenomenon only to be known as “valero madness.” It was these three boys and the constant “klip klop, klip klop, miss, klip, miss, klop, klop” sounds that would soon become the soundtrack of the bus stop, the bus, the comedor, any activity with the jovenes, it would drown out the sweet sound of afternoon birds from my bedroom window and the rhythm of the waves at the beach. This first afternoon, my first encounter with the valero, I turned around mid-sentence to get a better look at these noise instruments of diversion, and Adriana commented: “when the toys are cheap, we buy them for everyone.” And so it was, at 50 cents a pop, everyone could afford a valero, and within a week, every person under the age of 23 had at least one.
The valero instantly became an obsessive albeit annoying past time. At any point that a child or young person is sitting idle, they are valero-ing. “Klip Klop, Klip Klop” Trying to get the cap on the stem as many times as possible without missing, and when one misses they get right back on track without missing a beat, like its all just part of the game and process. Watching a young person valero is like watching a zombie; there is absolutely no attention put into what one is doing, they just Klip Klop way for hours on end. I have seen a brand-new valero at noon on Tuesday and seen it a dented, used up mess by Friday. These kids are relentless! Valeros are naturally prohibited from school, Thank god. We try to keep the same rule for the refuerzo program with the kids for them to focus on their homework, but that is easier said than done...the valero is ever present.


(The Vera Sisters, Ana Lucia and Patricia are valero-pros! Here they are posing with their toys.)

I find the valeros mildly amusing. Yes, I tire of the ever present clanking they make at times. But I also find myself in awe at the tricks and speed these kids can valero. I am more apt to cheer a kid on than threaten to take it away, but I also, not so secretly, want to learn how to valero myself. Little by little I am improving. I refuse to purchase one; maybe before I leave for a souvenir of the phenomena I bore witness to, but I just can't bare to own one yet because I know I would be clanking away every waking hour! Not everyone has the patience that I have for the valero, Natalia for example. Natalia is now infamous in the parroquia for her overreaction to a valero incident. Now bear in mind this is a young woman who had come to Ecuador for 5 months to volunteer and open a special needs school. She is not religious in anyway, and really wanted nothing to do with church, catholicism, mission, anything religious. And here she was living in a church, woken up every Saturday and Sunday at 8 am by people preparing for 9am mass, and listed to mass every other day, minus Monday at 7pm. The house of the church is a public place, numerous meeting are held there, and numerous people pass through daily to meet, work, and socialize. We'll say it is a Thursday. Maria and Natalia have been up since 6:30, rode the bumpy Tosaguena bus 30 minutes to and from the community at the 20th Kilometro, they have taught 4 hours in their special needs school to a group of varying ages and differing abilities, they are tired. The two cozy into their beds ready to rest, as Natalia almost falls asleep she hears the klip klop begin. The valero is keeping her from falling asleep. She decided to read a bit, but soon finds that she can't concentrate on what she is reading because all this klip kloping is getting in the way. She storms down the hallway to find a group of jovenes upstairs in the church, Rene with valero in hand she states: “whoever is playing with that (insert bad word here) valero better put it away because the next time I hear it I am going to shove it up your (beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!!!!!!!!!!!!)!” In this moment, Rene has klipped, and as Natalia finishes, his valero klops. She screams and storms away. All of the jovenes quietly exit the church... Bear in mind that this event occurred after probably 3 months of daily valero-ing in the house.
Like any craze, I think that the valero phenomena will taper off with the promise of resurfacing again soon. I keep grabbing the valero when I get the opportunity and one day soon, I secretly hope to be a valero master like all of the kids and jovenes I work with in Bahia.