Participants Blog

Now, I have stories to fill in the simple lines of a picture of Ecuador on a map

Nicolas shares his excitement of discovering Ecuador.

Let me start off by saying this - Ecuador is simply outrageous. Before arriving here, I knew practically nothing about this country. A brief memory of myself as a child seeing Ecuador on a model globe, thinking “I want to see this equator”, as well as a twenty page research paper, are the only pieces of pre-departure knowledge that I had. Now, I have stories to fill into the simple lines of a picture of Ecuador on a map.

My experience thus far as been incredible; filled with already countless stories and impressions. The sights - from breath taking vistas composed of beautiful canyons, eucalyptus filled valleys, and the ominous presence of Volcano Cayambe (views in which photos do no justice and are for record keeping purposes only), to seeing mothers participate in back-breaking physical labour with their children tied to their backs during surreal community work days. The sense of feeling the cramped conditions of being in the back of a milk pickup truck with 24 other people on a bumpy cobble stone mountain pass with cliffs looming on either side (a typical commute to work). The sounds are fantastic- every animal imaginable, from rooster to donkey, to the voice of a futbol announcer crying out “goooooaaaallllassssoooo” through the radio in my house.

Most importantly though has been my thoughts and feelings, which can only be characterized as being sky high. Sure, I’ve had some negative thoughts and have experienced sickness, but the unbelievably happy life my family lives while together sets an example that I wish to emulate with my own. They lead a simple life and are experiencing difficult financial times, not to mention the gulf in available opportunities that differ between myself and them, but its drastically overshadowed by the manner in which they take each day - with a smile.