New Years Eve.....Ambato

I walked around the center of Ambato around 4:30 this afternoon and there was not a whole lot going on. Compared to last year nothing. I will make another round around six. I did get a few pictures on Calle Vela, close to the 12th of November Park.


More later.

Christmas....2007.

My friend Linda, who lives across the Pastaza River from the small town of San Francisco, invited myself and some friends for Christmas. Linda's place is about a 45 minute trek into the mountains. When we got off the bus at San Francisco it was raining cats and dogs but we were not going to let a little rain dapen out Christmas spirit.
We arrived looking like drowned rats but after putting on some dry clothes we warmed up by the fire and had a wonderful time.

Let Me Tell You About Fabiola.

 

I met Fabiola more than two years ago, when Lorenzo, my weaver friend of mine from Salasaca brought her over to the spa and told me she needed a job. She was 19 and a very shy girl, dressed in the typical Salasacan dress. I told her I could use her if she was willing to do whatever needed to be done. She agreed and started the next day.

Well that shy young lady that arrived that day is still with me and helps in all of the projects that we are doing…..But she is not shy anymore. Where at first I would ask her to do something and she would only nod….today she will look at me and say..."I’ll get to that later as I have something more important to do now". She drives me a little crazy and at times I’ll admit that I am almost angry with her. When she sees that look, whatever it is that I give her, she will turn to whoever is around and say “He’s mad at me”, and I have to smile and usually I just say….”almost”.

I don’t think she has ever been to work on time. When she worked at the spa in Ambato, there was always an excuse. The busses were full, I had to feed the cows….or this or that. The list could go on and on.

When she was working at the school and her house was less than 10 minutes away she still had the same excuses except for the bus.

She is now working at the volunteer complex and her work habits have not improved. She knows and I know, that I will never tell her to find another job. And if she ever quit, I would miss her….a lot.

All of the above, I say with all of the love one person can have for another. She is part of my family of friends, that I have here in Salasaca. I am the godfather to her brother and I am not even Catholic. On my 74th birthday she hosted surprise party for me at the home of Jose her “novio”.

Almost a month ago now, Jose and a few members of the musical group left on a tour of Peru, Chili and Argentina. I don’t know who arranged it, but I hope they come back rich and famous. In the meantime Fabiola is coping with the loss. She and Jose have been together for a long time. She jokes about being liberated, but I know she cries when no one is around.

Recently, around the 1st of November when everyone was getting ready for the big party to honor the dead at the cemetery. I asked her if she was going to take care of me when I died. ( Which means preparing you for burial.) She said “yes, I will do that, but you need to leave me $4,000”. I asked her why, ”Because I will need to buy four cows”. “Four cows”?, I said. “Yes, because I will have to feed all of the people who will come to the funeral”. I doubt that it will be a four cow funeral, but it is jokes like that, that make me feel like I am doing something that is worthwhile.

The first of the year we are giving Fabiola a new job. Her passion in life is not cleaning and washing clothes, but dancing and being part of the local folkloric dance group. In fact, Fabiola helped prepare the children for their dances in the Christmas program.. After the program I talked with Rosa Maria about making the folkloric dances of Salasaca part of the curriculum here at the school, and have Fabiola teach the class once a week. She thought it was a wonderful idea so starting in January, Fabiola will be in her own element at least one day a week.

Baños Babes On Parade.

I went to Baños on Sunday to pick a volunteer for Katitawa and caught the tail end of the annual parade that is part of the two week long Baños Birthday Bash. Here are some pic's of some some Baños Babes....
And a few other entries.

Katitawa Christmas Program

Check it out on the Katitawa Page.

What We Really Need Is Cash.

Many people have asked, "What do you need down there?" Well we need a lot of things, and most of what we need is readily available here and the prices are fair. Some good hearted people have sent us materials and books for the library. The items have been sent priority mail, which is expensive, and we have to pay duty, not on the materials but on the amount that was spent for postage and insurance. More often then not the duty is equal to the cost of the items. If you are making a trip to Ecuador....Bring all you can as the duty is normally zero. If you want to bring a computer or something expensive we would appreciate it, but let us know ahead of time and we will advise customs that it is for the school.

There is a French tour company that has the Katitawa School on their itinerary and brings a bus load of French tourist by about once a month. They always bring a box of the most commonly used supplies which keeps us in pens, pencils, notebooks and such. This really helps and we rarely need to buy these types of supplies.

What we need, is money for maintenance and improvements.

We would also love to be able to raise the salary of our only paid teacher. Luis is a creative teacher, the likes of which you will not find in many schools. His salary is only $150.00 per month.

I know in today's economy, extra money is hard to find. However if you feel drawn to the donate button in the right hand colum, feel free

The Winds Have Changed....Salasaca & Ambato gets little ash.

Monday night the winds over Tungurahua changed and the ash that normally flows to the West, reversed and we got a little fall-out. Not much, but just enough to remind us that our neighbors to the West have this almost everyday.

There is no cause for alarm....If you are anywhere near Baños, plan to visit this weekend. The big two-week long birthday party has a lot of entertainment left....including the annual race of the wooden cars, or carts may be a better word, on Friday the 14th. Here are some pictures from the race in 2004.

Tungurahua Is Causing Concern.....Mostly for the farmers.

In the past few weeks the activity of Tungurahua has increased. It is spewing a lot of ash and for a couple of days last week the winds shifted to the east and gave Baños a little dusting.

The newspapers have been giving it a little more coverage then usual and that of course effects tourism. The first two weeks of this month are the fiestas that mark the anniversary of its founding. This is always a busy time of year and this year the numbers are way down. Let's hope the next two weeks will be better.

The farmers who grow their crops on the side of the mountain are getting so much ash that it is causing damage. These poor people who lost so much just one year ago are getting discouraged....They are tough people but there is just so much a mind and body can take.

Volunteers

It is hard to believe that 2007 is almost history. The year has been full and each day has been an adventure.

Bill and Debbie, volunteers from Scotland will be leaving for home in two weeks and we could use another volunteer, so if you are in the area and want something worthwhile to do please come on by. Our annual Christmas program will be presented on the 13th and you are all invited. Seriously, if you are in Baños we would love to have you visit….You may even want to stay.

When we first started this project, I was a little concerned about having so many different English teachers. I thought that it would be a problem for the kids….Getting attached, (and they do get attached), to one person only to have her leave and then having to get to know another. I have however, dismissed this concern as no problem. The kids are sad to see a friend leave but then they are excited when the next one shows up. They are getting an international course in English and I often wonder what kind of accent they will end up with.

It is wonderful to see the kids learn….I remember just one year ago in October or maybe it was November when we started the program not one word of English was in their vocabulary. Now….I am amazed. The volunteers have been absolutely wonderful.

When I think of the volunteers, I look around and see things that remind me of them….Their presence is still felt. They all left something behind that the children and myself will never forget. The other day Darwin, took the map of the world and pointed to Australia and said Mark and Adriana. All of the kids are like that. You give them a name and they will point to their home country.

Every time I enter the English classroom I see the different colored papers on the walls….showing the alphabet, days of the week, months of the year and “What is your name” and I think of Janneke. The kids will never forget Ian and the trip to the zoo, nor will I. His blue vest that he willed me and I am wearing today….A wonderful person who joined the Salasaca soccer team and helped finish a thatched roof for a family. He was ready to do most anything.

Each time I turn on the water pump I think of Elizabeth who hand delivered the new pump. She hated tomatoes and I can still see her picking them out of salads and soup. She is a beautiful girl and promises to be back next year. When I see the new roof on the old building or see the sign on the library I think of Enda and John. And, Hotel California and Julie are synonymous. Marco from Ireland, said he was born in 1969 and one of the kids said, “We have not had that vintage here since”.

The littlest kids and I water Marco’s apple trees and Adriana’s rose bush everyday. They promised to be back. And when I look at the new school sign or the “Wash Your Hands” in three languages over the sinks by the dining room I think of Ganga and the many nights we sat in the kitchen and played cribbage. And Rachel, a much giving women. I still see her at the kitchen table making up new games to teach new words to the kids and we still play them. And Sonia….from France. One of the easiest women to get along with I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. It did not mater what she was dong, she always loved doing it and if you didn’t giver her anything to do she found something. And now we have Bill and Debbie….They are still with us and when they leave I will miss them as well.

One day we had a couple from Chicago stop by for a visit and stayed three days…. And a young man from Israel who came by for a day and gave us some help.

I thank you all and you can be sure that the children remember you and they talk about each and everyone of you often. You have enriched all of our lives.