Otavalo Weekend

Libby, me and Torrey- Alpaca hats Imbabura

So here I am on Tuesday, November 24, wondering where the heck this semester has gone! It is definitely crunch time, I have three weeks left of my program, with a 17-20 page paper yet to be completed... it's getting closer every day, and less than a month before I will be home to celebrate Christmas.

This weekend we had our final academic salido de campo (field-trip) with the HECUA participants. This trip included a visit to a clinic that practices both traditional indigenous as well as westernized medicine, shop-time in the famous Otavalo market, and a home-stay with local indigenous families from in and around the city. Two students stayed with each family in order to take part in a really great cultural opportunity, but without the shock of going solo.

Our house for the weekend

Julia, a student from Colorado College was my travel companion. We stayed with the Guandinango-Vinueza family in a small community of 80-families called Santa Barbara. Our first afternoon we helped Maria, the mom, prepare a traditional Ecuadorian food- mote, a specific way of preparing corn. The mote would be used for the minga the following day while we were shopping at Otavalo. A minga is a community event where all of the families who live within the community join together to harvest on the communal lands. Our family had two wonderfully animated children, Apauki (7) and Sayani (5). After a summer filled with little ones, their excitement was a welcome energy added to the weekend. We celebrated Sayani's 5th birthday on Saturday night with a special cake and lots of giggles.

Sayani and one of the baby kittens.

Maria's mote for the minga (there's an alliteration for you)

Apauki, me, and Sayani- our last night.

Rumor has it that there is a list somewhere telling each of us the 1,000 things that we need to see before we die. The Otavalo market in Ecuador's province of Imbabura is one of them. Hundreds of stalls, in dozens of rows make this weekly event a bit overwhelming, but I had a great time searching out some presents and feel like I found some treasures! Of course I often found that I have expensive taste for hand-made artisan work. It's probably my work at the Tianguez that has added to this dilema. During the market time I was also able to do some interviews for my ISP, it was nice to feel like I was being at least a little productive with my weekend away from Quito.

Otavalo Market- Poncho Plaza

We visited a bird sanctuary, the Parque del Condor. All of the birds at the park are rescued from around the province. Some only stay while they are healing, while others will permanently live at the reserve. Some highlights: the condor (duh!)- GIANT birds, almost extinct, a bald eagle named Gringo, and finally a snowy white owl that just happened to be one of the birds used in the Harry Potter movies. Those of you who know what and HP fan I am, can imagine my excitement. The photo below should give you some idea! It was a beautiful day and the closest weather I've felt to a MN fall, absolutely lovely.

Hedwig!!

Can't really explain it... but these are my friends!

All in all it was a great last hurah! with the HECUA-ns. Well technically we still have three weeks so we'll probably have more hurahs. This week actually, for my first Thanksgiving away from the family and the U.S. we're hosting a meal for our group and all of our host families. About 75 people. Last night while grocery shopping, we were going through the line, and the cashier/baggers were looking at all of the food we were purchasing giving us some crazy looks, that is until the turkey came through and instant understanding crossed their faces. "Ahhh... gringos+November+giant bird=Thanksgiving". I'm in charge of apple pies-- never done it from scratch by myself so wish me luck!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!