Friday 6/20/14: walked with Fanny, got caught up on notes and blog, helped Fanny search for flights and learn the functions on her iPad, watched the game.
GOOOOOOOLLLLLLLL!!!!! Ecuador won!!!!
Sunday 6/22/14: spent the day with Andrea: went to Ibarra to help her pick out glasses, ate "BBQ," watched the games (I still can't believe Portugal tied the game against the US at the last minute! Ugh), and helped her choose songs for her thesis. Then, I helped Fanny buy her plane tickets to visit her daughter in Germany.
Ok, so BBQ here is not like BBQ at home (it's missing the key ingredient: the sauce!), but it's still good. I had what was basically a kabob that consisted entirely of meat (3 different sausages, chicken, and beef) with red cabbage and this pea and bean salad that is popular here. Good Lord, I'm going to eat my weight in meat while I'm here!
But it was fun to help Andrea choose songs for her thesis (and avoid writing my own notes. Oops!). After a lot of effort considering the difficulty of lyrics, tempo, accent, and lack of innuendos, we came up with this great list of 18 songs for Andrea to choose 10. And then she found the book used in Ecuador to teach middle school kids and realized that each song needed to match 1 of the 6 objectives. And just like that, we only had 3 songs. Sigh. You'd think that practically being a radio would've made me perfect for this job, but it was tough! We finally chose 9 songs before giving up and grabbing some pizza for a late dinner. Clearly, we were eating like Americans today. ;)
Monday 6/23/14: did laundry, took my pants to get fixed, went to Otavalo, Skyped with Doug and mom.
(Sorry for being brief, but I'm trying to get caught up!)
Friday, June 27, 2014
6/19: A Day Full of Lessons
Thursday 6/19/14: went to Otavalo, met up with Andrea, her mom, and sister in Ibarra at her aunt's house, then went back to her house to visit
Lessons of the day:
1) The lit is wrong: Otavalans use the word "to weave" to mean making handicrafts, not in the strict sense we use it, and practically every woman here knows how to make handicrafts.
2) Otavalan families are huge (5-9 siblings is normal), and I will never remember all of their names (sorry!), especially because multiple siblings share the same name. For example: In a family of 7, these are 4 of the sisters:
Rosa, Elena, Rosa Elena, Luzmila. Folks, please don't do this!!3) I might not be a "real/good woman" by Otavalan standards because I don't know how to make multiple types of handicrafts (but at least I can weave!).
4) It's always nice to catch up with friends. I had the best time talking with Andrea for hours!
Luzmila crocheting an Aya Huma mask
Family photo: (left to right) Huayta and her cousin Marisol stand behind Elena (the single one, not Marisol's mother) and Luzmila
Lessons of the day:
1) The lit is wrong: Otavalans use the word "to weave" to mean making handicrafts, not in the strict sense we use it, and practically every woman here knows how to make handicrafts.
2) Otavalan families are huge (5-9 siblings is normal), and I will never remember all of their names (sorry!), especially because multiple siblings share the same name. For example: In a family of 7, these are 4 of the sisters:
Rosa, Elena, Rosa Elena, Luzmila. Folks, please don't do this!!3) I might not be a "real/good woman" by Otavalan standards because I don't know how to make multiple types of handicrafts (but at least I can weave!).
4) It's always nice to catch up with friends. I had the best time talking with Andrea for hours!
Elena embroidering a shirt by hand, being a good woman
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
How Much Is that Belt on Your Waist? Plus, A Visit to Peguche
Wednesday 6/18/14: went to Otavalo, found Carmen Teran, went to Peguche
Despite being one of the main market days, there did not seem to be many customers at the market today, so I asked Doña Rosa if this was normal. She said that some Wednesdays, there are a lot of people, and others not. For this time of year, the amount seemed normal. In July and August, there would be a lot more people, especially children, because families visit during their vacation from school. "There's no one here. But it's always like this. Some days, you sell a lot, others no. But I'm always here."
While sitting with Doña Rosa, I witnessed quite an unusual transaction: A woman bought Doña Rosa's faja (belt), the one she was wearing! She paid $25 because it was handmade; I went with Doña Rosa to 3 different stalls that sold fajas (neither of us knew they sold fajas in the market, but the women at the neighboring stall told her where to find them), and she bought one that had been made on a machine for $8. Following the picture is the full story:
A middle aged blonde woman and her teenage daughter were looking at Doña Rosa's stall. The mother seemed interested in something, but Doña Rosa couldn't figure out what it was, so she kept showing her everything. The daugther was embarrassed and walked over to talk to me. Although she spoke minimal Spanish, the mother finally communicated through gestures that she was interested in buying a faja, but hadn't been able to find any. Not knowing there were any for sale, and wanting to please her customer who was insistent that she wanted Doña Rosa's faja, she took off her belt to show it to the woman (thankfully, indigneous women wear two belts: a plain one to hold their skirt in place, and one with a design for aesthetics). At this point, the daughter moaned, "Mom, not again! I'm not a part of this!" She looked at me and said, "She's done this before. It's so embarrassing." Doña Rosa was laughing as she told the woman the faja was handmade. She was really excited, and bought the belt. She didn't even try to haggle for the price. She then noticed me talking to her daughter and asked why I was in the market. When she realized I could speak Spanish, she asked if I would find out where the belt was made. She explained to me that she's been looking everywhere for a belt, but couldn't find any. I told her they were called fajas in case she wanted to find any more. We talked a little more, and they left.
Afterward, I expressed my shock to Doña Rosa, saying that must be the first time she's ever sold something she was wearing at the time. Much to my surpise, Doña Rosa said she has actually sold her belt and cinta (hair tie) before when customers insist that they want the one she is wearing. She seemed reluctant to do so, thinking it was odd they wanted something she was wearing. She said she used to sell the beads she wears as a necklace, but she had a pile of them to sell.
Later, Doña Rosa took me to Carmen Teran's stall so I could say hello to the mother of the family I worked with last time. Carmen didn't recognize me at first, which surprised me a bit. True, it's been 5 years and I didn't spend very much time with Carmen because her Spanish isn't great, but I don't imagine that many gringas visit her house on a daily basis for a month. Anyway, she finally recognized me and said that her daughters would like to see me. Doña Rosa arranged for me (in Quichua, the language in which Carmen is more comfortable) to go with Carmen back to Peguche when she left the market around 2:30pm.
I returned to Carmen's stall around 2:15 (not wanting her to leave without me). She began to pack up her stall, and motioned for me to help her. She placed all of the hats and purses into a giant plastic sack, which I held open. Then, she took down all of the ponchos and I helped her fold them and place them in a stack before she added those to the plastic bag until it was full. She filled 2 of the large plastic bags and then tied a sheet around the rest of the ponchos. She then began to take the metal umbrella apart and placed in its bag. A pickup truck with a tall metal frame, covered in cloth on the bed pulled up. Carmen said this was our ride, and shortly, the man began carrying all of Carmen's sacks into the truck. I helped carry the umbrella, wooden pallets she used to keep her products off the ground, and the small wooden stool she used to rest. In all, it took us about 30 minutes to pack everything up. On the ride to Peguche, Carmen pointed out a house that had not been there during my last visit and said that things are different now. She asked if I remembered where we were and laughed when I said yes.
When we pulled up, she hollered to Matilde, who came running up. She looked surprised to see me, and I'm not sure if she recognized me before Carmen called me "Kati" (cot-ee). Then it was back to business; we had to unload the truck before we could visit. After carrying everything down the path past Matilde's aunt and uncle's house to the Teran's home, Carmen called for Olga to come outside. She was also surprised to see me, but she seemed happy, too. Perhaps she recognized me more quickly (odd, given that I spent most of my time with Matilde), or perhaps it's because her Spanish skills are better than her sister, and she was simply more comfortable speaking with me. We visited for a few minutes outside, while Carmen and Matilde put everything from the market away. The number of kittens, puppies, and chicks was somewhat alarming to me, as they and their parents all scrounged for food and whined for attention. Olga joked that they lived in a zoo. Their second cousin, who is approximately 8 years old, came over but kept her distance from me.
Olga then invited me into their house for a visit. The front room -- where I spent so much time working 5 years ago -- looks basically the same. We walked through the middle room, where I had helped clean ponchos, and turned left into Olga's room, where she embroiders shirts. The young girl kept her distance, sitting on Olga's bed and never speaking to me, but always watching me. Olga sat by her sewing machine, tracing a design onto fabric to be embroidered later. I sat on the other side of the sewing machine, all of us with a good view of the TV in the corner, showing the soccer game. Olga said she has watched all of the games so far, and doesn't really care who wins; she just likes the games. When Ecuador plays, however, she cheers for them. Olga translated her statement into Quichua, and Matilda agreed before leaving the room.
Olga was tracing a design onto a small piece of fabric, on top of the same green binder I remember from before that contains all of the designs she has drawn by hand. The fabric seemed awfully small, and Olga said it is for a child's shirt. Olga explained that she has to trace the designs in pencil, rather than pen, to keep the outlines from running when the shirts are washed. She wished she could use pen, since it is easier to see in the dimly lit room. She said there is a new trend in shirts that only has a small embroidered design across the center of the shirt, but she does not like that style. She prefers the style with full embroidery across the top of the front, back, and both sleeves. Thus, that is the type of shirt she generally makes.
She showed me fabric that had been embroidered by hand but not yet made into a shirt and told me she had bought it because she is as fast or good at embroidering by hand. She explained that they don't sell these shirts in the Plaza, but in a store (not sure where). Because she is so busy making shirts, she rarely helps her mother sell handicrafts in the market, but declared that her mother is there every Wednesday and Saturday, and that Matilda often helps their mother.
She told me that she and her sister had both learned to weave when they were little. Their mom had taught them. Olga, however, prefers to embroider shirts. Carmen learned to weave from Olga's "abuelos because more people knew how to weave then." She said that her aunts and uncles also weave, but that everyone generally uses electric looms now. (Judging from the sound of the machines during my entire walk through Peguche to la Pana, I'd have to agree). She said that electric looms produce textiles much faster, but generally only men use these looms because they are difficult to operate and you need to be very strong to use them. She said no one wanted to learn to weave by hand because it takes so much time. Still, products made by hand are sold at higher prices. Everyone in the market seems to know that if a customer wants a handmade poncho, they send them to Carmen Teran.
The irony is that tourists loved the cheap, handmade products found in the Plaza in Otavalo, but the demand soon overwhelemed the supply. As artisans received more money from sales, they began to switch from wooden floor looms to large electric looms, and switch from family-based operations to hired workers. This allowed them to produce more products and sell them at cheaper prices, in order to fulfill the demand of tourists. However, tourists still want handmade products, so many vendors will tell them that their products are handmade (often while admitting that their neighbors' products were made by machines). Tourists are kept in the dark as to the methods and materials of their products.
Despite being one of the main market days, there did not seem to be many customers at the market today, so I asked Doña Rosa if this was normal. She said that some Wednesdays, there are a lot of people, and others not. For this time of year, the amount seemed normal. In July and August, there would be a lot more people, especially children, because families visit during their vacation from school. "There's no one here. But it's always like this. Some days, you sell a lot, others no. But I'm always here."
While sitting with Doña Rosa, I witnessed quite an unusual transaction: A woman bought Doña Rosa's faja (belt), the one she was wearing! She paid $25 because it was handmade; I went with Doña Rosa to 3 different stalls that sold fajas (neither of us knew they sold fajas in the market, but the women at the neighboring stall told her where to find them), and she bought one that had been made on a machine for $8. Following the picture is the full story:
A middle aged blonde woman and her teenage daughter were looking at Doña Rosa's stall. The mother seemed interested in something, but Doña Rosa couldn't figure out what it was, so she kept showing her everything. The daugther was embarrassed and walked over to talk to me. Although she spoke minimal Spanish, the mother finally communicated through gestures that she was interested in buying a faja, but hadn't been able to find any. Not knowing there were any for sale, and wanting to please her customer who was insistent that she wanted Doña Rosa's faja, she took off her belt to show it to the woman (thankfully, indigneous women wear two belts: a plain one to hold their skirt in place, and one with a design for aesthetics). At this point, the daughter moaned, "Mom, not again! I'm not a part of this!" She looked at me and said, "She's done this before. It's so embarrassing." Doña Rosa was laughing as she told the woman the faja was handmade. She was really excited, and bought the belt. She didn't even try to haggle for the price. She then noticed me talking to her daughter and asked why I was in the market. When she realized I could speak Spanish, she asked if I would find out where the belt was made. She explained to me that she's been looking everywhere for a belt, but couldn't find any. I told her they were called fajas in case she wanted to find any more. We talked a little more, and they left.
Afterward, I expressed my shock to Doña Rosa, saying that must be the first time she's ever sold something she was wearing at the time. Much to my surpise, Doña Rosa said she has actually sold her belt and cinta (hair tie) before when customers insist that they want the one she is wearing. She seemed reluctant to do so, thinking it was odd they wanted something she was wearing. She said she used to sell the beads she wears as a necklace, but she had a pile of them to sell.
Later, Doña Rosa took me to Carmen Teran's stall so I could say hello to the mother of the family I worked with last time. Carmen didn't recognize me at first, which surprised me a bit. True, it's been 5 years and I didn't spend very much time with Carmen because her Spanish isn't great, but I don't imagine that many gringas visit her house on a daily basis for a month. Anyway, she finally recognized me and said that her daughters would like to see me. Doña Rosa arranged for me (in Quichua, the language in which Carmen is more comfortable) to go with Carmen back to Peguche when she left the market around 2:30pm.
I returned to Carmen's stall around 2:15 (not wanting her to leave without me). She began to pack up her stall, and motioned for me to help her. She placed all of the hats and purses into a giant plastic sack, which I held open. Then, she took down all of the ponchos and I helped her fold them and place them in a stack before she added those to the plastic bag until it was full. She filled 2 of the large plastic bags and then tied a sheet around the rest of the ponchos. She then began to take the metal umbrella apart and placed in its bag. A pickup truck with a tall metal frame, covered in cloth on the bed pulled up. Carmen said this was our ride, and shortly, the man began carrying all of Carmen's sacks into the truck. I helped carry the umbrella, wooden pallets she used to keep her products off the ground, and the small wooden stool she used to rest. In all, it took us about 30 minutes to pack everything up. On the ride to Peguche, Carmen pointed out a house that had not been there during my last visit and said that things are different now. She asked if I remembered where we were and laughed when I said yes.
When we pulled up, she hollered to Matilde, who came running up. She looked surprised to see me, and I'm not sure if she recognized me before Carmen called me "Kati" (cot-ee). Then it was back to business; we had to unload the truck before we could visit. After carrying everything down the path past Matilde's aunt and uncle's house to the Teran's home, Carmen called for Olga to come outside. She was also surprised to see me, but she seemed happy, too. Perhaps she recognized me more quickly (odd, given that I spent most of my time with Matilde), or perhaps it's because her Spanish skills are better than her sister, and she was simply more comfortable speaking with me. We visited for a few minutes outside, while Carmen and Matilde put everything from the market away. The number of kittens, puppies, and chicks was somewhat alarming to me, as they and their parents all scrounged for food and whined for attention. Olga joked that they lived in a zoo. Their second cousin, who is approximately 8 years old, came over but kept her distance from me.
Olga then invited me into their house for a visit. The front room -- where I spent so much time working 5 years ago -- looks basically the same. We walked through the middle room, where I had helped clean ponchos, and turned left into Olga's room, where she embroiders shirts. The young girl kept her distance, sitting on Olga's bed and never speaking to me, but always watching me. Olga sat by her sewing machine, tracing a design onto fabric to be embroidered later. I sat on the other side of the sewing machine, all of us with a good view of the TV in the corner, showing the soccer game. Olga said she has watched all of the games so far, and doesn't really care who wins; she just likes the games. When Ecuador plays, however, she cheers for them. Olga translated her statement into Quichua, and Matilda agreed before leaving the room.
Olga was tracing a design onto a small piece of fabric, on top of the same green binder I remember from before that contains all of the designs she has drawn by hand. The fabric seemed awfully small, and Olga said it is for a child's shirt. Olga explained that she has to trace the designs in pencil, rather than pen, to keep the outlines from running when the shirts are washed. She wished she could use pen, since it is easier to see in the dimly lit room. She said there is a new trend in shirts that only has a small embroidered design across the center of the shirt, but she does not like that style. She prefers the style with full embroidery across the top of the front, back, and both sleeves. Thus, that is the type of shirt she generally makes.
She showed me fabric that had been embroidered by hand but not yet made into a shirt and told me she had bought it because she is as fast or good at embroidering by hand. She explained that they don't sell these shirts in the Plaza, but in a store (not sure where). Because she is so busy making shirts, she rarely helps her mother sell handicrafts in the market, but declared that her mother is there every Wednesday and Saturday, and that Matilda often helps their mother.
She told me that she and her sister had both learned to weave when they were little. Their mom had taught them. Olga, however, prefers to embroider shirts. Carmen learned to weave from Olga's "abuelos because more people knew how to weave then." She said that her aunts and uncles also weave, but that everyone generally uses electric looms now. (Judging from the sound of the machines during my entire walk through Peguche to la Pana, I'd have to agree). She said that electric looms produce textiles much faster, but generally only men use these looms because they are difficult to operate and you need to be very strong to use them. She said no one wanted to learn to weave by hand because it takes so much time. Still, products made by hand are sold at higher prices. Everyone in the market seems to know that if a customer wants a handmade poncho, they send them to Carmen Teran.
The irony is that tourists loved the cheap, handmade products found in the Plaza in Otavalo, but the demand soon overwhelemed the supply. As artisans received more money from sales, they began to switch from wooden floor looms to large electric looms, and switch from family-based operations to hired workers. This allowed them to produce more products and sell them at cheaper prices, in order to fulfill the demand of tourists. However, tourists still want handmade products, so many vendors will tell them that their products are handmade (often while admitting that their neighbors' products were made by machines). Tourists are kept in the dark as to the methods and materials of their products.
You Never You What You Might Find in the Market...Like Long Lost Contacts!
Tuesday 6/17/14: walked with Fanny, went to Otavalo, found Huayta and Doña Rosa.
Unlike last time, Fanny basically told me that we were going walking today. I agreed, but told her I couldn't walk the same distance as last time because of the altitude. Thankfully, she understood, and we walked a little slower and not quite as far. And then she made me use the exercise machines located throughout the park, like playgrounds for adults. Sigh.
I then went to the Plaza de Ponchos in Otavalo to try to make new contacts, and hopefully find some familiar faces. After failing to find Doña Rosa on Saturday, I was excited to find her daughter Huayta today. She was in a different concrete stall than I had remembered, and she had two additional kiosks made of tables and metal frames. She looked familiar, but I doubted myself, so I walked around for about 15 minutes trying to find her mother. Finally, I gave in, waited for her friend to leave, and asked if she knew a man named Michael Stuckart who is a professor in the U.S. She looked confused, asked his last name again, and shook her head. Then, she clearly remembered something and asked me if he taught English. Yes, I said, he used to teach them English to help them make sales to tourists. She finally remembered Michael, but still looked confused, so I told her that I had visited Ecuador with Michael in 2009. She asked if I had danced San Juanes with her during Inti Raymi, in traditional clothing. When I said yes, she was excited to be able to place me. She told me that they have a picture of me in traditional clothing in their house. She asked if I wanted to see her mother, and I said yes, that I had been looking for her, but I wasn't able to find her.
Huayta presented me to her mother, and we basically repeated the same conversation. They were both rather surprised to see me and hear about Michael because they hadn't heard from him in four years (since his last visit in 2010). He is a copadre for Paccha (another daughter of Doña Rosa), and they had tried to contact him three years ago when Paccha was getting married. They were certain that Michael must be dead; that was the only reason they could think of to explain his silence. I did my best to reassure them that Michael was fine, but it was a little difficult because I didn't have many details to give them.
Once we cleared that up, I asked about her other children, and Doña Rosa told me that the youngest, Bryan, is now 7 years old and in school. Her other son is 11. I learned that Paccha (24, nearly 25) is married, has a one and a half year old baby, and is selling artesanias in Colombia for her husband. She has been there for less than a year, and recently visited Otavalo for 15 days, but has returned to Colombia for two more years. Huayta (23, nearly 24) lives at home and helps sell in the market most days. She go married last August.
Her aunt Elena, cousin Marisol, and uncle were all making Aya Huma masks (also called "the devil" masks, that are worn by boisterous male leaders who shout and call out during Inti Raymi celebrations; see below for pictures) to get ready for Inti Raymi. The uncle was holding a mask that looked complete, and was cutting the balls of yarn on top to make fringe. Elena's mask came only to the top of the eyes when I sat down; about 40 minutes later, the main body of the mask was complete, as she busily crocheted. It was still missing the ears, nose, tongue, and fringe, but it would at least cover one's face. Marisol held a nearly complete mask. I watched as she crocheted and attached the ears, decorated the eyes with 2 colors of yarn, and then declared it was done. The cousin explained that they were for sale, and people (especially tourists) buy them for Halloween or other festivals. She said that some days, they are really popular, and other days, they are not; they never knew which kind of day it would be. The cousin had learned to crochet from her mom when she was 10 years old. I commented on how fast they were working, but they disagreed.
Elena told me that they could also crochet hats. In fact, the Aya Huma masks come in 2 styles: 1 like a hat, with the face on the back of the head, and other other, a full ski mask with a different face on the front and back. They didn't make anything else, though, despite selling ponchos, sweaters, scarves, and blankets. They confirmed what Doña Rosa had told me: plenty of women in Peguche weave, but they didn't provide me with any names.
Huayta had shown me that she decorates shirts, sewing beads around the collars of the shirts traditionally worn by Otavalan women. She said she sells them on Saturdays in the street (because the Plaza itself has limited space). She said she can't embroider, weave, or make the Aya Huma masks; she only sews designs with beads. Her aunt and cousin joked that she is not a real woman, that she is a man, because she can't make anything.
Hat style Aya Huma
Full face mask (like a ski mask)
Unlike last time, Fanny basically told me that we were going walking today. I agreed, but told her I couldn't walk the same distance as last time because of the altitude. Thankfully, she understood, and we walked a little slower and not quite as far. And then she made me use the exercise machines located throughout the park, like playgrounds for adults. Sigh.
I then went to the Plaza de Ponchos in Otavalo to try to make new contacts, and hopefully find some familiar faces. After failing to find Doña Rosa on Saturday, I was excited to find her daughter Huayta today. She was in a different concrete stall than I had remembered, and she had two additional kiosks made of tables and metal frames. She looked familiar, but I doubted myself, so I walked around for about 15 minutes trying to find her mother. Finally, I gave in, waited for her friend to leave, and asked if she knew a man named Michael Stuckart who is a professor in the U.S. She looked confused, asked his last name again, and shook her head. Then, she clearly remembered something and asked me if he taught English. Yes, I said, he used to teach them English to help them make sales to tourists. She finally remembered Michael, but still looked confused, so I told her that I had visited Ecuador with Michael in 2009. She asked if I had danced San Juanes with her during Inti Raymi, in traditional clothing. When I said yes, she was excited to be able to place me. She told me that they have a picture of me in traditional clothing in their house. She asked if I wanted to see her mother, and I said yes, that I had been looking for her, but I wasn't able to find her.
Huayta presented me to her mother, and we basically repeated the same conversation. They were both rather surprised to see me and hear about Michael because they hadn't heard from him in four years (since his last visit in 2010). He is a copadre for Paccha (another daughter of Doña Rosa), and they had tried to contact him three years ago when Paccha was getting married. They were certain that Michael must be dead; that was the only reason they could think of to explain his silence. I did my best to reassure them that Michael was fine, but it was a little difficult because I didn't have many details to give them.
Once we cleared that up, I asked about her other children, and Doña Rosa told me that the youngest, Bryan, is now 7 years old and in school. Her other son is 11. I learned that Paccha (24, nearly 25) is married, has a one and a half year old baby, and is selling artesanias in Colombia for her husband. She has been there for less than a year, and recently visited Otavalo for 15 days, but has returned to Colombia for two more years. Huayta (23, nearly 24) lives at home and helps sell in the market most days. She go married last August.
Her aunt Elena, cousin Marisol, and uncle were all making Aya Huma masks (also called "the devil" masks, that are worn by boisterous male leaders who shout and call out during Inti Raymi celebrations; see below for pictures) to get ready for Inti Raymi. The uncle was holding a mask that looked complete, and was cutting the balls of yarn on top to make fringe. Elena's mask came only to the top of the eyes when I sat down; about 40 minutes later, the main body of the mask was complete, as she busily crocheted. It was still missing the ears, nose, tongue, and fringe, but it would at least cover one's face. Marisol held a nearly complete mask. I watched as she crocheted and attached the ears, decorated the eyes with 2 colors of yarn, and then declared it was done. The cousin explained that they were for sale, and people (especially tourists) buy them for Halloween or other festivals. She said that some days, they are really popular, and other days, they are not; they never knew which kind of day it would be. The cousin had learned to crochet from her mom when she was 10 years old. I commented on how fast they were working, but they disagreed.
Elena told me that they could also crochet hats. In fact, the Aya Huma masks come in 2 styles: 1 like a hat, with the face on the back of the head, and other other, a full ski mask with a different face on the front and back. They didn't make anything else, though, despite selling ponchos, sweaters, scarves, and blankets. They confirmed what Doña Rosa had told me: plenty of women in Peguche weave, but they didn't provide me with any names.
Huayta had shown me that she decorates shirts, sewing beads around the collars of the shirts traditionally worn by Otavalan women. She said she sells them on Saturdays in the street (because the Plaza itself has limited space). She said she can't embroider, weave, or make the Aya Huma masks; she only sews designs with beads. Her aunt and cousin joked that she is not a real woman, that she is a man, because she can't make anything.
La Casa de Fanita
Monday 6/16/14: stayed at home, rode the bus to Ibarra by myself to meet up with Andrea.
I woke up with a terrible stomach ache that I'm blaming on all the milk I had been consuming. So, we quickly changed that. But I didn't feel like doing much, so I stayed around the house. I took the opportunity to get caught up on emails, organize my photos, and write my first blog post. I also learned how to wash my clothes here, which may not seem like a big deal, but my previous host mom would never let me do it. It was sweet that she wanted to be like my mom and do everything for me, but I felt guilty that I never helped with anything. Fanny lets me help cook (I stir pots, set the table, and occasionally make juice), wash dishes, and now, wash my own clothes. It feels nice to be able to help out and be a little more self-sufficient. She also put me to work helping clean the pool, while Marcelo mowed the yard and she watered the plants. Oh yeah, did I mention that she has a pool and hot tub? Photos below.
The view of Fanny's yard, from my balcony
The pool, hot tub, and game center
Oh yeah, there are also soccer nets on the left part of the yard.
I woke up with a terrible stomach ache that I'm blaming on all the milk I had been consuming. So, we quickly changed that. But I didn't feel like doing much, so I stayed around the house. I took the opportunity to get caught up on emails, organize my photos, and write my first blog post. I also learned how to wash my clothes here, which may not seem like a big deal, but my previous host mom would never let me do it. It was sweet that she wanted to be like my mom and do everything for me, but I felt guilty that I never helped with anything. Fanny lets me help cook (I stir pots, set the table, and occasionally make juice), wash dishes, and now, wash my own clothes. It feels nice to be able to help out and be a little more self-sufficient. She also put me to work helping clean the pool, while Marcelo mowed the yard and she watered the plants. Oh yeah, did I mention that she has a pool and hot tub? Photos below.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Picture Time!
Friday, June 13, 2014
The Journey Begins: Bienvenida a Ecuador, otra vez
I hadn't even thought about writing a blog for this trip, but I realized that I have a terrible memory and this is the best way for me to remember all those details that make an adventure amazing. And, it's also the easiest way for me to fill in all the lovely folks at home who have supported me in all of my crazy endeavors over the years. Since I'm late starting this blog, I figured I'd lump the first few days together, since it's been a lot of settling back in and trying to make arrangements. Each day starts with a brief recap (mostly to jog my memory) and is followed by stories.
Last time I traveled to Ecuador with Jason and Dr. Stuckart during the H1-N1 scare, so we wore masks the entire plane ride. Even though I I was flying alone, let's just say the trip is much more enjoyable with only 1 layover and no surgical masks. I could've done without the extra 2 hours we sat on the plane, waiting for a storm to pass so we could take off. But it gave the man behind me time to launch into his life story (my favorite part about traveling on planes!) and tell the girls seated next to him that he's a professor at a SUNY school and he visits Quito 1-3 times per year to work at an orphanage he helps manage.
Cue me putting on my outgoing personality to strike up a conversation with Prof. Steve! The conversation between two people who share a passion (the wonderful people of Ecuador) is amazing! Turns out, he finds my research topic fascinating and wants to help: "I think I have some contacts for you. We should meet up tomorrow in Quito." And as I pulled out my notebook to exchange contact info, boy was I proud of myself for staying an extra day in Quito and not planning to leave for Otavalo immediately! Sometimes, not having a plan when you travel is actually your best option.
We finally arrived at the airport around 12:20am. I found a taxi driver named Jose, and despite my sleep deprived brain and rusty Spanish, we (attempted to) conversed for the 30 minute ride into Quito. By the time I checked into the hotel, It was around 1:30am local time (2:30am for peeps back home), and I'm pretty sure I could've slept standing up if necessary.
Wednesday: walked around Quito, activated cell phone, met up with Steve and Mauricio, made arrangements for Thursday
I may have missed breakfast, but trust me, it was worth sleeping in!! I figured out the wifi, which was a little victory in itself, no end finally mustered up the energy/courage to ventured out of the hotel. Thankfully, I was staying very near to the hotel we stayed in last time, so I had a good idea of where to go. I headed toward the main drag, found a phone place, and activated my Ecuadorean cell phone. This might not seem like a big deal, but trust me, I was proud of myself. Then I wen for a long walk, found una panaderia (a bakery), bought some lunch, and went back to the hotel to make plans. Mauricio had helped me book the hotel, and we made plans to meet up later that night. Blady was looking for a place for me to stay in Peguche. Andrea arranged for me to travel to San Antonio (much closer to Otavalo than Quito) and stay with her aunt. I was genuinely overwhelmed by the generosity and patience of my friends. SUSI was definitely more than a job, and I'm so glad to have made such good friends that I'm able to see two years later!
Later that night, I met up with Mauricio and Steve. We went to la Ronda (a section of Quito) to eat empanadas, and then continued to walk around the city and visit some impressive churches. It was so much fun to catch up with Mauricio, especially after he had been so helpful. It was great to talk to Strve when we weren't in close quarters, especially because he thinks he is supportive of my project and trying to help me. So even though I spent a lot of the day hanging out in the hotel, it was a good day.
Thursday: checked out of hotel in Quito, ran errands with Andrea's Aunt Fanny and cousin Marcelo, traveled to San Antonio, and attended a small festival de San Antonio (complete with fireworks that would have any US fire marshal in a tizzy) with Andrea, her mom Lupita, and Aunt Fanny. (Sorry mom. Jason was the dramatic blogger last time, but I'm flying solo, so I have to include some of the flair this time.)
I checked out of the hotel, and Andrea's Aunt Fanny and cousin Marcelo picked me up. Fanny has a daughter who is studying in Germany. She will be there a total of 3 years to complete her masters, so Fanny and Marcelo plan to visit her. I went with them to the German embassy to try to get visas. When that didn't go as planned, we grabbed some lunch and headed to the travel agency to straighten everything out (and watch the opening ceremony of the World Cup). We ran a few more errands, and then I rode the bus with Fanny to her house in San Antonio. All of the highways have been redone since I was here in 2009. They used to be comparable to that wonderful stretch from Salamanca to Jamestown, except with sharper turns and fewer lanes; now, they're nice than most of our roads. I was amazed by how much nicer the ride was, and how much faster it was, even with the extra stops.
When we arrived in San Antonio, we had un cafecito, fed the dogs, and checked the score of the first game. Andrea and her mom, Lupita, came over to say hi. It was wonderful to see Andrea!! If I were allowed to have favorites from SUSI, she would be at the top of the list!!
It just so happened that I arrived the night before the saint's day of San Antonio. Naturally, they were having a celebration. They said there would be fireworks, so I was in! We waited around for quite a long time, but it gave me time to catch up with Andrea. We finally found out that the celebration was starting late because a priest was taking advantage of the large crowd and trying to raise money for his church. Welcome to Ecuador! They have these things called castillos, meaning castles, (see below; the first is from Google, the second is the one I saw) that I can only describe as looking like towers made out of bamboo (but they aren't). On every level, there is a different design made out of fireworks. Someone walks around holding a string connected to the castillo to make it turn. There are 2 other men responsible for lighting each set of fireworks. Sounds safe, right? Oh yeah, and when it spins, it periodically shoots fireworks out...with the crowd standing right there... Thankfully, I don't think anyone got hurt...just a bit scared! After all that excitement, we called it a night.
When we arrived in San Antonio, we had un cafecito, fed the dogs, and checked the score of the first game. Andrea and her mom, Lupita, came over to say hi. It was wonderful to see Andrea!! If I were allowed to have favorites from SUSI, she would be at the top of the list!!
It just so happened that I arrived the night before the saint's day of San Antonio. Naturally, they were having a celebration. They said there would be fireworks, so I was in! We waited around for quite a long time, but it gave me time to catch up with Andrea. We finally found out that the celebration was starting late because a priest was taking advantage of the large crowd and trying to raise money for his church. Welcome to Ecuador! They have these things called castillos, meaning castles, (see below; the first is from Google, the second is the one I saw) that I can only describe as looking like towers made out of bamboo (but they aren't). On every level, there is a different design made out of fireworks. Someone walks around holding a string connected to the castillo to make it turn. There are 2 other men responsible for lighting each set of fireworks. Sounds safe, right? Oh yeah, and when it spins, it periodically shoots fireworks out...with the crowd standing right there... Thankfully, I don't think anyone got hurt...just a bit scared! After all that excitement, we called it a night.
Friday: left around 7am to walk 5km (3.1 miles) with Aunt Fanny and her friend, napped, and went to Otavalo and Ibarra with Andrea.
Let me tell you, when I agreed to go on "a little walk in the park," I had no idea what I was getting myself into! The expression to signify ease certainly did not apply! We picked up Fanny's friend and drove to this huge, beautiful park with interweaving walking and biking trails that run mostly in a line, rather than looping back. We started walking, and Fanny joked that we were going to walk to the mountain on the horizon. I laughed. I thought she was joking. I'm not really sure she was... The first half of the walk was lovely, looking around at the great views of the mountains, towns, and the huge "park" itself. On The return trip, however, I was quite certain I was going to die. Ok, not really. But because of the altitude, it was very difficult for me to sustain their pace for such a distance, and I craved the end of our "little walk."
After the walk, I took a nap, and then went to Otavalo with Andrea. I mostly wanted to learn how to take the bus there and figure out where I was going in town. Thankfully, I had some mini victories: I got my bearings and found the Plaza de Ponchos (market), the hotel I stayed in before, and my 2009 host family's house, and even visited with my host dad and sister for a bit. It's grandpa's favorite ride at Disney and it's completely true: it's a small world after all! On our way back to San Antonio, Pepe (my former host dad) asked Andrea about her family, and we realized that he knows her entire family, but she had never met him before!! When I asked Aunt Fanny, she said of course she knew him; they are friends. What are the odds?! As they say here, the world is a handkerchief (because they are so small)!
That evening, I went to Ibarra with Andrea and met Andrea's boyfriend Diego and friends Dani, Patty, and Patty's daughter Sofia. You all know I'm not a huge fan of kids, but good Lord, the kids here are absolutely precious! We had un cafecito, and then drove around the city a lot. We even saw a little San Juan/Inti Raymi celebration, so we stopped. Sofia wanted to dance, so I was volunteered to join in.
Saturday: visited Blady in Otavalo, went to museum and to see el lechero tree, watched a movie in Ibarra with Andrea.
I went to Otavalo by myself for the first time (woo hoo). Saturday is market day, but I was shocked to see how much the market has grown and see the number of tourists (I counted 10 huge buses). I spent about 45 minutes just walking around, mapping out the size of the market! I tried to meet up with Mariuxi, a professor from Pitt, but we had unknowingly traded places, and she was in Ibarra for the day. I was finally able to meet up with Blady, though! He was just as excited and sweet as ever! He reminds me of a puppy... I met his mom, sister, cousin, and aunt. We grabbed some lunch (he told me I should try traditional Ecuadorian food, and then bought me a meal with a hot dog, hamburger, and fries. hmmm), and then went to a museum that used to be an obraje. An indigenous man helps run the museum, and he gave us an amazing tour! After we left the museum, we visited the famous lechero tree, and then met up with Andrea in Ibarra to watch The Edge of Tomorrow (in Spanish).
Sunday: hung out with Aunt Fanny, watched the Ecuador game, skyped with family.
Pretty self explanatory. We can't talk about the Ecuador game, though...
Pretty self explanatory. We can't talk about the Ecuador game, though...
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