I spent a few weeks in Ecuador....a study abroad experience where we spent some time near....Tena...in the Amazon....and a little time near the Andes.
I went because...I wanted to learn Quechua...the indigenous language...because...one requirement in Linguistics is that you know a language, not a well documented language.....and because I was going to be starting my master's in Linguistics and I wanted to get back into languages....and learning languages...and get away from the corporate world for a few weeks.
it was crazy...and awesome...and hard...
there were weird bugs....and scorpions...and being coated in sweat and bug spray 24/7. Once in a while...a shower....and then 10 minutes later....sweat and bug spray took over.
We were out there....remote...camp set up for the school's program...basically...the director married a woman in the village and he set up his program there...it was a cool program...just...kinda weird.
no electricity at our camp...but the camp down the road, about a mile walk...had real showers....and study areas with electricity...it was like...a Marriott to us...down the road....
and for us...others...rough housing...on platforms...
and for us...others...rough housing...on platforms...
oh, yeah...it rained...a lot. It's the rainforest after all....
Once I was using the bathroom....which was a small shack- two bathrooms actually...separated by some thin plywood...and the guy next to me is all..."Ummmmmm, there's a scorpion in here!"
omg. perfect.
hahahahaha..and they aren't those cute little ones from Arizona...these things are HUGE...and BLACK AND FREAKING DEADLY. :)
and so...anyway....
another time...I went to go grab a drink of water....and near the faucet...there was a cute caterpillar....like a fuzzy....like spikey hair one....adorable...yeah....I mean..I've seen those in Minnesota...or something like it....
and a guy next to me....(he was considered...ummmm...an expert at that point...he had been there a few weeks longer than any of us...)....he said, "yeah, ummm....do NOT touch that thing...it's poisonous."
yeah.... ok....wow.
We also had a cool pottery workshop....where we made traditional bowls and whatnot from local clay...and just threw them on some open fire to harden.
they use brushes...made with their own hair... here's my brush....with my hair. I'm surprised at the color...back in 2004...looks like it was almost close to being natural...over the years my hair has been blonde, red, black, brown...every shade in between....
we painted in traditional patterns...and many chevrons were used.
Here is my bowl....
and shards of another bowl that I bought...but broke. :( oh. well.
Quechua class was amazing. The teacher knew very little English but spoke both Spanish and Quechua...and all of us in class... about 5 of us...and all more- let's say...mature students....knew Spanish...
they use brushes...made with their own hair... here's my brush....with my hair. I'm surprised at the color...back in 2004...looks like it was almost close to being natural...over the years my hair has been blonde, red, black, brown...every shade in between....
we painted in traditional patterns...and many chevrons were used.
Here is my bowl....
and shards of another bowl that I bought...but broke. :( oh. well.
Quechua class was amazing. The teacher knew very little English but spoke both Spanish and Quechua...and all of us in class... about 5 of us...and all more- let's say...mature students....knew Spanish...
So...basically...the class was conducted in Spanish....and learned Quechua...via Spanish. and mind...blown. learning a 3rd language in your 2nd language...and not even being fluent in that 2nd language....wow.
the other thing is...we were out there...remote....rain, mud, bugs, no electricity...and one, kind of...luxury we had...was this tiny tiny....little store at the bus stop...up the road...and they sold...beer...it was just called...Pilsner. hahahahahah...and also...the only chocolate they had was a large bar of baking chocolate....sooooo not what you want to really binge on.
there were botany students....and anthropology students...and language students....and teachers...it was a cool mix of people....and the whole experience...was pretty great....
We also took a hike into the rainforest and had a guide....who was from the area...explain to us about all the different plants and what they were used for...was amazing. We slept out there...on a platform...with no roof...and hung out near the botany students who were having a lecture all about cacao. :) and chocolate.... and were eating all kinds of different chocolate. :)
and so...yeah....i've been digging for days to find Ecuador pics...and can't...but when I do...I will update this post.
yeah...Ecuador...Amazon and the Andes....
peace and love....and experiencing new things....like eating bugs and being covered in deet...I highly recommend it.... the experiencing new things.
the other thing is...we were out there...remote....rain, mud, bugs, no electricity...and one, kind of...luxury we had...was this tiny tiny....little store at the bus stop...up the road...and they sold...beer...it was just called...Pilsner. hahahahahah...and also...the only chocolate they had was a large bar of baking chocolate....sooooo not what you want to really binge on.
there were botany students....and anthropology students...and language students....and teachers...it was a cool mix of people....and the whole experience...was pretty great....
We also took a hike into the rainforest and had a guide....who was from the area...explain to us about all the different plants and what they were used for...was amazing. We slept out there...on a platform...with no roof...and hung out near the botany students who were having a lecture all about cacao. :) and chocolate.... and were eating all kinds of different chocolate. :)
and so...yeah....i've been digging for days to find Ecuador pics...and can't...but when I do...I will update this post.
yeah...Ecuador...Amazon and the Andes....
peace and love....and experiencing new things....like eating bugs and being covered in deet...I highly recommend it.... the experiencing new things.
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