October 2007 Newsletter
My name is Katie Heird and I am an International Programs Coordinator here at CEDEI. I started working here in June, and although I am fairly new to the Office of International Programs (OIP), I am no stranger to Ecuador. I studied here during the Spring Semester Program in 2006 and worked as an intern in OIP in January of 2007 with the Intersession Program. After a crazy summer here at CEDEI, with several summer study abroad programs coming in and out our doors, I know what it is like to be on both sides: student and staff.
We spent the first week on a cultural tour of Ecuador as we made our way from Quito to Cuenca. The itinerary included: getting to know the great city of Quito; visiting the Chapel of the Man (designed by Guayasamin, Ecuador?s most famous artist); seeing amazing volcanic vistas; learning about typical Andean music, weavings, and other crafts; shopping in the world renowned Otavaleño market; exploring a breathtaking waterfall; and a whole lot more. The last night of our tour we spent just next to the Volcano Tungurahua. Lucky for us the hotel was hosting a huge birthday celebration in which all of the students and I were invited to join. We spent the night dancing with new friends and toasting to a man we have never met before. Despite our recent meeting and language barriers, everyone was made to feel right at home, as is the typical Ecuadorian way.
Seeing the students act exactly as I did when I was first studying in Cuenca is one of the greatest joys of my job. Some students think they know it all (that was me) and others can?t find the courage to ask where the bathroom is. By the end of the first week the smarty-pants aren?t so smart anymore, the shy ones have found the bathroom, and everyone starts to feel like one big happy family as they take part in wonderful new experiences.
All the new students have now settled into their new homes here in Cuenca. A typical day consists of classes, cultural activities (like cooking classes, dance classes, ceramics classes), and spending quality time with the host family. One student is working as a volunteer teaching English in an orphanage here in town. Two more have started a different volunteer project at a women´s shelter.
Last weekend the group set off on their own to find their way to Principal, a small village known for ?Panama Hats? and other weavings, by public bus. Despite doubts, they all made it back to Cuenca in time for our weekly 10am Monday morning meeting.
The students and I arrived back to Cuenca this week from Manglares Churute. Besides a few bug bites, everything was awesome! We arrived Sunday afternoon to Churute after visiting a banana and cacao plantation. The plantation was really interesting and we all ate plenty of bananas and cacao. Cacao, by the way, tastes nothing like chocolate?but it is delicious!
When we arrived to our ?campsite? we took off on a hike to explore the wonderful nature that was around us. We saw lots of exotic plants and birds, but what interested me most was the ?wild-wild life?. I think I saw at least 10 monkeys, even one momma-monkey holding her baby! IT WAS AMAZING! We ended the day by collectively cooking a delicious dinner with the shrimp we had bought along the coast earlier that day.
Sunday morning we woke up, made breakfast, and took off on a 2 ½ hour canoe ride to check out the awesome Manglar trees, that are characteristic of the area, and unfortunately disappearing. After our relaxing canoe ride we took an hour ride to Guayaquil, the largest and, economically speaking, most important city in Ecuador. We took a nice tour around the city and settled into our hostel, which was just outside of the city with the most spectacular view of Guayaquil I have ever seen. Everyone cleaned up very nice after our adventurous weekend and hit the town for a fancy dinner. We spent Monday morning exploring the Malecón, similar to an upscale boardwalk, and eating delicious cheveches and enjoying the beautiful view of the Guayas River.
We are back in Cuenca now and after a long week of classes the students have a free weekend to spend how they wish. Some students have planned to spend a relaxing weekend in Cuenca, while others just took off for the Coast again, but this time they are going to spend their weekend on the beach.
Oh Ecuador?
-Katie Heird
International Programs Coordinator
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