Troyer's Ecuador Adventures

At Home Again and THANKS!

2008-06-07T14:40:00.002-04:00

We have been at home in Florida for a week having arrived in Miami on Sunday June 1. We are sure there will be many days of reflection about our experiences in Ecuador over the next few months. We are a bit different because of our experiences. Hopefully, the people and the school in Puyo are a bit different because of our work there. Our hope is that it truly was a win, win situation for all involved.
People have asked us if we plan to return. The answer is that most likely that will happen. The job was only begun and we have a great deal of interest in what becomes of the school. The people associated with the school are outstanding people and have a magnetism that would make anyone wish to return to see them again.
A major part of our reflection on the experience will be to readjust to the abundant lifestyle we enjoy in this country. What will be our obligation to share in the future? When you see your "neighbor" in need, what is our responsibility? What is a fulfilling retired life? These and many more questions will follow us in the future.
Thank you to the many readers who followed this blog. Even as we returned home we have heard of additional people, who only casually knew us, who followed our experiences. We feel a need to recognize two couples who made this expereince possible. Eldon & Phyllis Yoder from Iowa provided an opportunity for us to accept this assignment. And then there was the home front. Phil and Joann Long, our friends and neighbors faithly watch our home, cared for our property and made midnight trips to the Miami airport. A special thanks to these people. And also a thanks to those who sent emails of interest and encouragement. It meant a lot. Finally there were all those people last summer who provided books, cash and other support to make the project happen. Thanks!
Until the next adventure, thats it!

The Process of Leaving

2008-05-25T15:13:00.000-04:00

Once again the cultural differences emerge as we have entered the wind down process here. Completing a job, or at least moving on, in the US is very much a matter of finishing up small tasks and leaving things in good order for the people left behind. Here, we find it to be as much a matter of social transition as it is a matter of tasks transition.

And so Friday evening the entire staff and some new Junta members gathered at a restaurant just outside of town for the official social termination of our stay here. The evening starts out on a festive note with group games and contests. All is meant to be light hearted and fun. Then the more serious exit ceremony begins. The Director thanked us for our work. Each staff women gave MJ a small gift by which they could be remembered. The men also gave me small gifts, but somehow things were not as straight forward. One forgot to bring something and gave me the keys to his car which he promptly reclaimed. Several others gave things that were reminders of private jokes in the past. All was in good humor!

Finally, the serious thanking took place. Emotions came to the surface and a few tears were shed. I couldn’t even use my old joke about making it look like you were leading a parade when, in fact, they were running you out of town. All of this was a sharp reminder of how seriously the Latino culture takes personal relationships. At moments like this one can easily measure the degree of acceptance we felt.

One postscript is in order here. I was writing this blog late Sunday morning on my computer. The son of our landlady came with an urgent message. We were to appear in the church immediately. Because of a number of things pertaining to getting ready to leave and because I am a little under the weather with a sinus cold, we had decided to skip church today. We were dressed in five minutes and taken immediately to the church where we were presented with a “thank you” plaque. We had assumed that last Sunday was the official “thank you” when we, along with the new Junta and other teachers, were recognized during the church service. I said to the Pastor “no one told us about this morning”. He was dumb-struck and responded “but you always come for the first service.” This is an excellent example of Latino planning and US expectations in conflict.

New Governance For The School

2008-05-19T16:53:00.000-04:00

Changing the school governance from a strong individual (senior pastor) to a school board (Junta) is both an interesting and challenging process. I have a feeling that the challenges have just begun. Playing roles one has never played or even observed before is full of surprises for everyone.
Today I spent about two hours working with the Director of the school on the topic of how she plays her role in a Junta meeting. First, the idea that one would outline, in writing, the details of every issue and present this document for Junta member’s consideration before the meeting is new. Secondly, the point that one needs to be available at the meeting to respond to questions and reactions of the Junta members is also new.
We are attempting to move from a procedure of announcing a new program to the public and THEN doing the research to see if it will work to researching first and then announcing a well planned program. Our school is suffering from a series of announce and then plan projects. Four announce and then plan programs have not worked and then retrenchment is required. Needless to say, that doesn’t do much for credibility of the institution.
Our next Junta meeting is Thursday evening. Before that time, we hope to meet with the president of the Junta to review the role she should play at a Junta meeting. We have discovered to this point that nothing can be assumed when it comes to playing new roles. We have some very good and sincere people who want the best for the future of the school. Whether or not the new governance will work depends a lot on our ability to teach the new governance roles.

Parade - Part II

2008-05-17T15:34:00.011-04:00

This will be the second and last posting of the Puyo celebration parades. Hope you enjoy the color and the festivities. Part of the parade was in the rain. Didn't seem to bother those in the parade, however.

School Kids Parade This Past Monday

2008-05-16T16:38:00.019-04:00

The photos in the blog today are all from the four hour school parade this last Monday. We often have difficulty downloading photos. Today was an exception and so we continued to download. Enjoy the color and the celebration that is done so well in this culture.

The two pictures below are photos of the Esperanza School kids.

Huaorani

2008-05-14T15:54:00.007-04:00

We had difficulty with internet downloads yesterday, so here is a part of the parade of last Sunday. As the sign indicates, the Huaorani (spelled several different ways) were a part of the parade. The dress (or lack there of) of the men bring about wide spread reaction in the crowd.

Seems that the history of these people in the last 52 years has been on some sort of speeded up version of an unlikely story. It was this tribe located here in the jungle that killed 5 American missionaries some 51 years ago this past January by spearing them to death.

Like most groups in the world who lived a primitive life, the Huaorani have been through a lot. Going from no money, living off the land and not being able to read or write to joining the modern world has sent shockwaves through their culture. Many of these shockwaves have been negative such as high alcoholism and living a life of subsistence poverty. The story is not over yet.

These people seem to have been accepted by the larger culture around here but at arms length. They are a curiosity rather than full partners in the local life and culture.

The future is uncertain. They have a large tract of land where they live their own style of "reservation life". The amount of land they cover is but a fraction of what it once was. Hunting and gathering took huge expanses of land to keep meat and food plentiful. The oil company invasion of their area has changed their lives forever.

Sunday Morning In The Market

2008-05-12T16:22:00.007-04:00

Sunday morning before going to the parade of indigenous peoples, we went to the Puyo Sunday market. Thought we would throw in a few pictures of food (one exception). Starting with the cows head, we were told that it makes excellent soup. (Count me out)

These pigs were in the back of a covered pickup. Fowl and animals like pigs are sold live and the butchering goes on at home. Well, it is fresh meat!

The picture above is a fairly common sight around town. Again, soup would be a food product, but you also see these things roasted and even the exterior fat is eaten. We called it "cracklings" years ago.

The above armadillo is really considered a great meat. They either roast or BBQ it. Some say it tastes like rabbit.

The non-food item above is broom straw made from a tree. Not sure of the details here.

And finally for dessert, the wiggly mess just does me in. I came by this box of "sawdust" and it was all moving. Inside were these giant grubs which feed on a certain kind of tree. The grub is considered a very special treat. (This is one of those pictures you need to click on to see the full size of these creatures.

Another Puyo Parade. Indigenous Day

2008-05-11T16:19:00.010-04:00

Town birthday celebrations are great here. Among other things it means a parade each day for three days in a row. Today the parade was centered on the indigenous peoples of the larger area around Puyo. We went to the staging area of the down town central park and took a number of pictures of the various groups getting ready. Dressing in traditional custome, getting painted up and just milling around with friends. It was a great photo opportunity.

The above group picture is of the Huaorani, a tribe that was very isolated and impossible to visit fifty years ago. They are now the highlight of the local parade.

The Huaorani are still not clothed very heavily. Living for centuries in the junggle entirely naked was actually a survival matter. Being soaking wet for days on end has a lot of health issues connected with it.

The group below are from another tribe. Because there were about 8 to 10 groups represented in the parade today, we foreigners get easily confused.

The kids in all groups get involved. The little girl below is typical of this. She was not too happy about me taking a picture until I showed her the results on the viewfinder. That brought a big smile.

Many of the participants paint each other. Saw but one person (above) looking in a portable mirror and painting themselves.

Most of the customes are colorful as the boy below illustrates.

Tomorrow will be the X-rated showing as the Huaorani show below. Even in a culture like here which is more open to this kind of thing, the Huaorani brought similes to peoples faces. One mid-twenties gal was taking pictures of the guys approaching the crowd as a group. Her camera was clearly not aimed at their faces.

Puyo Birthday Party

2008-05-10T16:48:00.002-04:00

This weekend is the annual Puyo birthday celebration. Not sure how many years old the town is but some of the pictures on display show the town over the years. Within our life time the town was little more than thatched roof huts and buildings and dusty streets. It is amazing how modern the town has become in the last thirty years.
There was a parade of bands this morning throught the town. On Monday, there will be another parade of dancers including a lot of school children. We could sure learn a lot about how to celebrate from these people.
Looks like we will be back in school on Tuesday.

And Now For A "School Board"

2008-05-09T16:16:00.000-04:00

We will attempt to summarize a meeting last evening that has been some time in the making. The school desperately needs an oversight committee of some sort to assist the Director with a long list of management issues. The oversight committee is commonly called a Board of Education in North America. Here, it is referred to as a Junta. Four women were asked by the senior pastor to consider appointment to the Junta. Last night the four gather along with the Director, an assistant pastor in charge of church administration, MJ’s co-teacher who acts as translator and us.
The meeting was excellent! The four potential Junta members, who all have some education experience, asked excellent questions about a model I had written. The model, translated into Spanish, consisted of about four pages of basic responsibilities of the Junta, how meetings should be conducted, and necessary orientation points for the individual members. After two hours of reviewing the model, asking questions and discussing some of the points, the group agreed to meet again next Thursday evening.
Now I am in a strange situation. I have attended and participated in hundreds of board meetings in the last 30 years. Now when I am faced with initiating a board meeting process, I am not sure what to advise. The structure was always provided before. Establishing a board meeting process in a culture which is not familiar with this as well as with people who have no experience, is indeed a challenge.
We will start with what is valid and what is not allowed in such meetings. It comes down to clarifying what the authority domain of the board is as opposed to the authority domain of the school administration.
Secondly, we will outline an agenda structure. The agenda has to include a number of items that as as prompts to remind all concerned that these matters should be discussed. For example, the budget is not really made out. We just spend until the kitty is empty and the church is asked to pick up the deficit. Monthly budget status reports are a must. This example is one of about eight things that must be discussed monthly.
We have also outlined a list of about 15 items that are major issues facing the school at the moment. In the past, items that may be on this list were resolved by default or became a crisis that took various tolls. Proactive school administration is a new concept here.

More to come on this topic in another week.

School Problems & Issues

2008-05-07T19:52:00.002-04:00

A number of issues seem to be coming to a head in the last few days. This was not unexpected. As a matter of fact we have been expecting a last minute rush of issues and the "please do list" would get crazy.
We had suggested the concept of a type of school board for school governace some months ago. Just now a quick scheduled meeting will be held tomorrow evening with potential board (junta) members, the director and the administrative assitant pastor of the church. The senior pastor is out of town yet again. I asked if people coming to the meeting had received the materials I wrote some three months ago about organizing a board. No materials had been distributed. We must start meeting with no information and from scratch. Something about cultural operations here that does not "allow" preparation for a meeting.
Semester test (a new concept) reality is upon us. Had a major confusion set straight in an after school meeting today. One teacher thought the semester test was to be distrinuted to students so they could memorize the correct answers. After a lot of tension, that one got re-directed.
There is some thought about using the semester test as an entrance exam for student for next year. there are still a ton of complexities to work out with that one not the least of which is test security.
We are NOT bored!

Puyo Fair - The Flowers

2008-05-05T16:24:00.007-04:00

We just finished two days and night of about 6 inches of rain. Temperatures dropped to a cool 69 degrees. One windoow we never close was slide shut. Everything is a little damp. We are thankful for a place with a clothes drier. Things are looking up now.

Last week we heard the main highway to Quito was closed around Banos due to five landslides. That was open after an over night closing. Problem is that additional rain often causes additional slides in the same area.

Before leaving the local fair, we thought we would send along some pictures from the flower section. We have mentioned before that orchids grow wild all over the place. We have noticed a place between here and Banos along the highway where orchids are just thick on the road bank.

The flower collection at the fair was just amazing. We have included a few for you to look at.

Puyo "County Fair" Part II

2008-05-03T13:04:00.006-04:00

Food is always a good place to start. The picture above was our lunch. Beans, banana chips, tuna, corn, tomato, onion with lemon and a bit of aiji (strong spice) The plate was good enough for the both of us. Cost $2. When is the last time you filled up at the fair for a dollar a person!!

We don't just walk around looking for good-looking young gals. This one was a former short term English student when we volunteered at a private tutors home for a week or two. She was handling out bank calendars.

Families here, as is the case most places, enjoy the fair. Kids have to eat the goodies.

The little guys can always have all the fun they need with an open water hose. Two open hoses is double the fun.

The picture above is a lot of bull. We were impressed with the size and bulk of the animals since little or no grain is fed to them. Grass and other green plants are plentiful, however.

There has been recent rebuilding of some of the structures at the fairgrounds. This cattle barn is in excellent condition.

"County Fair" Time in Puyo

2008-05-02T16:30:00.010-04:00

Today and for the next several days, the "county fair" is on here in Puyo. Actually, it more of a "state fair" as Puyo is the capital of the Pastaza provience of Ecuador. It is a huge are which is mostly covered with rain forest and open area. Puyo is by far the largest town at some where around 25 to 30,000 people.
The fair is similar in many ways to county fairs in the US. The additional feature is a good showing of all the indiginous groups who live in the area. The pictures below show some of the carfts from the Huaorani culture. This was the tribe that some 50 years ago killed five Americam missionaries.

The picture below is tree bark soaked in water for several days and dried. It is then used for women's skirts or a "baby carrier".

The darts used in the higly effect blow guns are shown below. These darts are made of extremely hard wood and are finely crafted to travel straight.

Other groups are also featured. The pictures below show the hand crafted jewelry of the Shiwar.

There is some locally made furniture which is shown below.

A kind of "Chinese patato" shown below is cut up in a modern slicer. The chips are deep fried and are very good. They are a bit more crisp then chips we know in the US

There are several meat choices available. Check out the next two pictures for the obvious answers to these choices.

There were a number of displays in which the excellent vegetables of the area we on display. Even here there seems to be a contest between the "naturally grown" and fetilized products.

Sugar cane is grown all over the area and the resulting products are on display. Easy to get your sugar fix here.

Future blog postings will feature other displays from the fair.

Labor Day Break

2008-05-01T16:46:00.002-04:00

We are on a two day "labor day" holiday. Spent the morning working with the school Director and the church corporation administrator looking at school finance. That was another world.

We looked at cost per student based on expenditures and cost per student based on total school income. There is a $25 a month NEGATIVE difference between the two. The church supplements the school budget 30% so the bottom line evens out at the end of the year. We will not go into detail except to say that when you run a school on less than $900 per year per student (with church help), there is a new definition for "basic education". Readers who know about school finance in the US will find this a small fraction of the cost of operation in usual circumstances.

We hope to find a day in the long weekend to travel to the community of Banos (volcano town) to just look around.

More People In The Market

2008-04-30T17:56:00.009-04:00

After looking back through the pictures of the markets, we decided to share a few more people pictures. In some cases we could just stand still and "let the pictures walk to us". The woman who has long since abandoned her dentist was obviously delighted with a chick she had for sale.

Young people the world over like to do the "pose" thing. This young lady did so when she saw me about to take her picture.

When the baby is hungry; feed it! That holds true when you are riding the market taxi.

Sometimes feeding the baby is a matter of stopping the selling, raising the apron and taking care of business.

Babies go along for the entire day. Mom often carries the baby AND heavy loads of produce at the same time. We were amazed at the fact that you seldom heard a baby cry.

Life in the small farming villages is tough duty in a lot of ways. First, working the fields is all done by hand including carrying out the crop at harvest time. The two pictures above and below show the "village taxis". The truck is just filled with people who come bailing out once the truck reaches the market. The picture above shows the line of "taxies" where the village people load and unload

And finally, just a street view of the activity in the picture below.

Market Products in Riobamba and Alausi

2008-04-29T15:48:00.013-04:00

So what do you want to buy or eat? The market products from Riobamba and Alausi and posted today. The picture above give an idea of the fruit and vegetables available

The picture above is worth a click to enlarge it to full screen. This husband and wife bought a sheep and a little pig. The wife found it easier to carry the pig than to lead it by the rope. The pig looks comfortable enough.

Although Ecuadorian food is somewhat bland, there are spices available. However, compared to our experience in the Middle East, the spice stalls are very small.

Grinding various grains into flour is done in the market. I think we are looking at a millet grain.

MJ and Debra are looking at big cakes of brown sugar. At first we thought it was home made soap.

There are mostly live chickens in the fowl section. There was a small pen of ducks as is shown above.

Both husband and wife come home from the market with a sheep. We happened to take the picture as the lead sheep was making a lot of noise.

Although it is too cold and the elevation is too high to raise bananas, they were plentiful in the market. A stalk of ripe bananas were selling for a dollar.

Some creative items were for sale as well. The animal "feed pans" below were made of old tires. Click on the picture to see the detailed work.

Don't know the price of eggs, but they were plentiful. The three of us had a breakfast of two eggs, coffee, juice, bread and cheese for a total cost for all of us of $5.

The most disgusting thing in the market to us, was the small animals that looked like huge rats being roasted over a grill. The head, including the teeth, and most other body parts were clearly visable. Many locals say this is the best meat around. No chance we can get this meat past our minds, let alone our mouth!!!

An then there is the traditional roast pig. The "good" interior meat goes for other dishes. What is left here is the outer layer of fat which a kind of "crackling". Hard roasted pig fat is considered a good "finger food". we enjoyed watching people walk up and take a bit when the vendor wasn't looking.

The People of The Street Market in Riobamba

2008-04-28T16:16:00.004-04:00

We are having considerable difficulty downloading pictures today. The pictures are from the street market in Riobamba, some three hours away from Puyo by bus. In this posting we are looking at the people of the market.
The Riobamba market is one of the largest street markets we have seen anywhere in the world. At least 29 city blocks of markety are located here. We were told there is another market in another part of the city as well.
The delight in seeing a rabbit is obvious. What is not know is why these women are so pleased with the creature.

The baby needs a drink. It is much easier for dad to provide the drink instead of unstrapping the baby. Child care is not an issue for these women because the baby goes with mom every where. The women below trade information or advice. The market is for more than just buying and selling.

The people in the Riobamba area are known for the colorful dress. The women especially were bright, multicolors. The fedora hat is a standard item for all women. In the pictures, you will notice several styles and colors. We don't know why the differences.

The picture below shows a great deal of living and probably wisdom in the face. We were able to capture several such pictures.

Back From Weekend Trip

2008-04-27T18:59:00.001-04:00

We just got home a few minutes ago from Riobamba and Alausi. Pictures of the "train ride" and the market in Riobamba will follow for several days this week. We need some time to download the pictures and sort which ones will be posted. Some 100 pictures to work through.

Student Day Off To The Parks

2008-04-25T17:14:00.002-04:00

Just a short note today. Today is "students day off to somewhere day". Different classes went different places such as parks pools, or recreation area.
In our case, we reviewed school budget with an eye towards establishing some kind of teacher salary schedule that recognizes both education of teachers and experience of teachers. Looks like we have a ways to go on that one.

Esperanza School: This and That

2008-04-23T16:16:00.005-04:00

Thought we would do a misc. picture blog today. There are times when there is a bit here and a bit there that is a bit interesting. The first two pictures show two 7th grade students who were sent out of class for whatever reason. I came along with the camera and started taking pictures. They scrambled like crazy to find some way to hide but the flat wall provided no cover. The one decided to look through the window to look "normal" while the other one hid behind the first. Now how normal is that!!!

The picture below is of the second grade. The teacher wanted a class photo and so I was pressed into service. Notice how "normal" they are in that there is a monkey in every group.

Finally, during teacher recognition week, the 4th grade along with a parent or two planned a surprise for the teacher. The boys with the rose hid behind their back was cute. The teacher was also served lunch.

Puyo Market - Products

2008-04-22T16:48:00.005-04:00

The posting today (delayed a day because of internet problems here) features the products of the Puyo market. It is obvious that this area produces more than rain forests and wood. The picture above is only a small part of the bananas in the market. Bananas are eaten many different ways. We still are not into roasted bananas over a grill.

The rivers bring in things like this huge live turtle. I am sure he was a good soup meal for some family.

We have eaten a lot of fresh pineapple. This cost about a dollar each.

The root and leaf vegatables are very plentiful. We eat fresh radishes all the time. Amazing how a huge radish can be woody like in the midwest, but they never have a strong taste.

Fresh meat is another issue. We just have a problem buying fresh meat after seeing how it is handled and is out in the open air for hours at a time.

A comment on our last blog posting asked about the US dollar being used at the market. Yes, the US dollar is not olny used at the market, it IS the currency of this country. They were looking for some economic stablity and went to our money system several years ago. And now with the value of the US dollar taking a nosedive --- well so much for stability.

Puyo Market (Part I)

2008-04-20T16:42:00.007-04:00

We have begun to look locally for things we have not done or seen yet. Yesterday we were in Shell (about 5 miles away). A blog about that trip later.

This morning we went to the Sunday morning Puyo market. Had not made that trip yet. The pictures today are the PEOPLE of the market. The next posting will be about the products of the market.
The picture above shows that not everyone thinks having their picture taken is the highlight of their morning. The lady with the folded arms was sending a strong message.
This market is actually very large. Many of the vendors are indiginous people from the area around Puyo.

MJ is buying some locally made jewelry. Most of the jewelry is made from various kinds of seeds.

When one gets too old to carry the heavy stuff, there is always a way to do it. Not sure my neck could take this load even now.

The kids are really something! This little gal was really IN TO her cotton candy!

The ladies above were obviously old hands at this market stuff. A wide variety of dress is evident around the market.

Mothers with babies and young children bring them to the market as a matter of fact. This mother was very pleased when we showed her the picture on our viewer. Kids are always cute!

More Cultural Differences

2008-04-18T16:29:00.000-04:00

In the teacher class yesterday, we did a presentation on cultural differences between the US and Ecuador. This was done in chart form to minimize language and translation difficulties. Such topics as time, people relationships and communications were discussed.

There seemed to be a number of surprises. For example, the fact that we view people and ideas separately in the US while here they are viewed the same. Viewing them separately allows us to accept the person while rejecting their ideas. “He is a good guy, but he has some strange ideas” is not a possible conclusion here. The view that people and ideas are one in the same causes people here to be very careful in disagreeing openly with another person for to do so is step one in severing the relationship.

In the US we are a lot more individualistic. Here the person is always viewed as part of a group be it family, social, or work group. You have to be careful what you say because it reflects on the group. An outspoken person in the US can be viewed as just that, while his or her remarks are not viewed as a reflection on the family or other group.

All of the above causes communications to take on a totally different characteristic here. It is difficult to get straight “yes” and “no” answers especially if the question is a bit sensitive. Communication with “the boss” is especially troublesome. You must not challenge the boss. In the US, many leaders expect to have probing questions raised to help clarify their thinking and their decisions. A boss who never allows questions is viewed as some sort of low self-esteem individual in the US.

Finally, the receiving of visitors under any conditions and at any time here is viewed as a must. When I suggested that people other than very close friends and immediate family should call first to see if a visit was OK, they were surprised. When I went farther and said a visit request might be turned down because one was busy, they were horrified. No matter what your plans or how busy you are, you never turn down a caller.

Seems the leaders of our government might do well to research some of the sensitivities of communicating with other cultures. If we were to do so, maybe our image in the world could be improved.

Teacher Day Assembly

2008-04-16T16:26:00.005-04:00

After experiencing download difficulties yesterday, we are posting pictures from the Teacher Day celebration held this past Monday. As usual, our assemblies are held outside as shown in the above picture. The day was "sponsored by the student queen and family of the school. Apparently a contest is held early in the school year and a school queen is selected. This year the queen was in 4th grade. This appears to be a fairly expensive thing for the winning family.

Some of our female teachers were called forward to participate in a game in which they collect clothing and other things you wear from students. They each selected a student in advance to "dress" with these things. The winner got a small prize. The winner had approximately 14 additional items on including several jackets.

A professional clown team was hired from another city. They were very good as they held the attention of the entire school for about 90 minutes with all kinds of silly games.

At the end of the assembly for students, teachers were gathered around a three person band for traditional music. The trio was really very good.

Finally, the teachers were each presented with a gift from the queen and her family. the bottom picture shows this presentation.

The entire assembly event was a full two hours. It was plain, simple fun and a nice way to honor teachers.