In Search of Tee-Shirts

On Monday Karl and I left for Ambato in the morning in search of tee-shirts. La Bib provides tee-shirts to volunteers and recently ran out of size L and XL.  Ambato is about an hour bus ride from Banos and has a large market where vendors sell clothing.

The bus ride to Ambato was uneventful. We passed through a town where shops specialize in making and selling blue jeans.  If one cannot find the right size, they can make them for you.  In addition, when one purchases a pair of jeans, the shops offer to sew on any name brand you desire.

When we arrived in Ambato we walked from the bus station to the market. I could immediately tell Ambato was a larger city and I needed to pay more attention to my surroundings. The market was very large with vendors mostly selling food and clothing.  Once again there were a lot of name brands for sale.

 

 

The Ambato Market

We searched for blank tee-shirts so the Arte del Mundo logos could be added on. After negotiating with several vendors, we ended up purchasing 20 tee-shirts for $3.50 each.  The next stop was the shop to add on the logo.  To get there we needed to take a taxi.

After attempting to flag down a taxi and walking about a half mile, we decided to take a bus.  I have read and been warned to look out for pick pockets on local buses in Ecuador.  Well, I didn't even get on the bus before someone tried to pick my pocket.  We were waiting in line to get on the bus when I felt a slight tug at the side of my cargo pants. When I looked down I saw the hand from the man next to me move away quickly. I immediately called him out with a few choice words and told Karl we would have to find another bus. If he would have been successful picking my pocket, he would have ended up with a Cliff Bar and a $20 bill.

After we finally dropped off the shirts, Karl and I went to the downtown market for lunch. For $2 we had a large bowl of catfish soup that included potatoes and plantain, and the main dish included rice, avocado, chicken, and salad.  I was full for the rest of the day.

Ash, Ash Everywhere

We had planned to work this morning at 8:00a.m. on a wooden bench for the children, but when we went outside the winds had shifted during the night and ash had fallen over the town. So instead of working on the bench, everyone grabbed a broom and began to sweep.  I never thought I would rather be shoveling snow back home! We are now hoping for rain to wash away the remaining ash.

In the fourteen years the volcano has been active again, this is only the tenth time the winds have shifted and ash has fallen on Banos.  Just my luck on my fourth day in town!

 

View of Ash Form Volcano In Front Of La Bib

Volunteers Sweeping Up Ash This Morning 

 

 

Here is a link to a website I am using to follow the volcano's activity:

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/tungurahua/news.html

Due to the ash La Bib will be closed today, so we are working on the bench and other odd jobs around the building. Tonight two volunteers will be cooking dinner for everyone so we can have a home-style meal. After dinner we plan to have a card game.

 

Working On The Bench

Arte del Mundo - Day One

Monday was my first full day at La Bib. Several volunteers returned from weekend excursions, so I was able to meet them.  Most have been here for two weeks, but one couple have been for several months. I quickly learned the ropes from them.

We met at 2:00p.m. to decide on the weekly lesson plan and discuss updates. I used it as an opportunity to provide the donations the team at Abundance Wealth Counselors had raised. Everyone was excited and thankful for the new supplies and the monetary gift.  I am still in awe at how my employer and co-workers have supported me on this trip.

Finally the time had come. I had planned this trip for months. An opportunity to exit my comfort zone and work with children who spoke a different language.  It was 3:30p.m. and they were showing up.  How was I going to react? I had a choice, either go all in or take the easy way out and sit back and watch. I decided to throw myself into it.

The children are required to read for the first hour. I sat with David as he read me a book in Spanish based upon the movie Cars. When we started the crafts, I sat with Douglas and helped him create a bird from colored tissue paper. I'll have to admit that it didn't look much like a bird when it was complete, but that didn't matter.  For and hour and a half Douglas and I worked together on a project and got to know each other.

Arts & Craft Time at La Bib

When we were finished with the craft project, we all went out into the courtyard. We played ball, a game of limbo with a broom stick, and hide and seek. Getting a few hugs and fist bumps from the children at the end of the day was priceless.

On my first day I did things I had not done in years. I now know this experience will be a suspension in time, and a time for reflection.


(I've added a feature to follow my blog by e-mail updates. Just add your e-mail address on the upper right hand side of the screen and you should get a notification when I post to the blog.)

Quito to Banos

Saturday was my first day in Quito.  To adjust to the altitude (9,500 feet) and rest after a long day of travel, I spent the day exploring the area and meeting fellow travelers at the hotel. The hotel was in Old Town, which has narrow cobblestone streets, colonial architecture, and several plazas.

On Sundays, Quito closes the streets around Plaza Grande to cars and buses. Locals and tourists flock to the area by foot and on bike. As I walked to plaza on Sunday morning, I stopped to watch street performers, look at crafts for sale, and eat breakfast at a café. It was a great way to end my short stay in Quito.

Plaza Grande - Quito, Ecuador

After checking out of the hotel, I took the 3.5 hour bus ride to Banos. As I missed the non-stop bus, we stopped at several small towns along the way to drop off and pick up passengers. The bus systems in central and south American are the main mode of transportation to get from town to town. I have traveled a lot on these buses, and am still amazed how this is part of every day life for so many people.
 
The decent into Banos was amazing. It begins high in the Andes on a winding road that declines 3,000 feet to the town. At the beginning of the decent one cannot miss Volcan Tungurahua, a massive active volcano that is constantly spewing ash into the sky. Banos is situated at the base of the mountains and volcano.

 

Volcan Tungurahua - Banos, Ecuador

When I arrived at Fundacion Arte Del Mundo, known as La Bib by the locals, I was greeted by Hanna and Mayssam, two volunteers from Australia.  After I was shown my room, I went for a walk to town. I stopped for lunch and ate outside on one of the main streets and immediately got a feel for the town. It is a mix of locals, tourists and backpackers.

I returned to La Bib and met Karl who runs the foundation. He came to volunteer five years ago and never left. Karl had planned a welcome dinner at a friend's house that is built into the side of a mountain.  The house overlooks a river and has a great view of the volcano. Before dinner we hiked up the mountain to look for lava erupting from the volcano. Although it was cloudy we could see the glow from the lava.  Dinner was chicken cooked over an open fire pit.

It was the perfect way to start my two month stay in Banos.

The Arrival

When I arrived in Quito last night, the hotel pre-arranged a taxi to pick me up. Marco was holding a sign with my name on it, which was mixed in with several dozen other signs in a crowd of taxi drivers looking for their fare. 

As we walked to his taxi, Marco and I both agreed we spoke little of each other's language.  That didn't stop us from having a great conversation on the ride to the Colonial House Hotel. During the hour long ride, Marco pointed out various landmarks which included every Chevrolet on the road. For some reason Marco really likes a Chevy. He also took pride in pointing out recent construction developments in the city and places I should visit.

Marco was the perfect person to meet as I arrived for the first time alone in a foreign country. He put me at ease.  Hours earlier on the plane I pondered this trip.  Ahead of me is adventure, the unknown, and a chance to find myself again. But more importantly it's a chance to help others by giving back.

Over the next few months I hope to share my experiences through this blog. I almost can't wait to see what my thoughts will be on the plane ride back. But first I need to start the adventure!