A New Beginning at Katitawa School

September the 4Th marked the beginning of our second year of English classes at Katitawa. Although we had five graduate we still have six of the older kids returning. Four of the six are doing exceptionally well and it is great to see their progress.

We also have four of the littlest kids who have moved up from the kindergarten. Last year we had two one and a half hour sessions per week and now we have a one hour class everyday. Since we are a small school we are able to limit the classes to four children per class which is great for teaching a new language to kids who already speak Spanish and their native Kichwa. For the rest of the story click here.and you will be linked to the Katitawa School site.

Our Volunteers....Past and Present.

The young people who have volunteered here in Salasaca have been great. Learn a little more about them at our Sumak Kawsay Yachay Foundation site. We would not be able to do what we are doing without them.

I will be going to Baños tomorrow afternoon with Fabiola to pick up a new volunteer that Lorenzo at the Casa Hood Restaurant talked into spending a little time teaching English at the Katitawa School. We have two weeks left of the Summer Session and we are two teachers short. Thanks Lorenzo.

Vacation English Classes At Katitawa

Vacation school English began on July 9th. We really did not know what to expect as to the number of kids who would show up but was very pleased with the turnout.We started out the day with 20 students and before the week was out we had 30. We split them into three groups seperating them by age and ability.
Elizabeth took the most advanced. This group was made up mostly with Katitawa students who she had worked with during the school year. For the rest of the story please visit the Katitawa School Site

Katitawa School Projects

We have many projects at the Katitawa School. Here on the Baños Ecuador blog I will list them and if you click on the titles you will be taken to the various posts on the Katitawa School page where you will find a description and the progress being made.

Sports Court...Soccor, Basketball, Volley Ball area.

New walkway at the entrance to English classroom.

Ian's Thoughts

I have to say that my expierience here in Salasaca has been more than normal, infact it has been extraterrestrial. I mean that in a good sense. The people are inviting and loving. I believe that there reaction to my being here is positive in part to my activities at Katitawa school. I am not sure wether my life style and interations with the teachers and students at Katitawa have made me smell better, or if the fact that I am living a good life has caused such a positive response from each and every person I come in contact with. I lean towards the idea that the children I am teaching are teaching me. I hope that the impact these kids are having on my life is reflective. It has been almost a month and I am torn with the decision of leaving. On the one hand I miss my family and friends and have a long way to go before I make it back to Texas by land. On the other hand, I feel that leaving here will be like leaving new family and friends that I have only just begun to know. When I arrived the openess and acceptance of all the people was shocking. Usually there is some barrierors to break through before people let you in, here there are no walls, instead the farmers of this community separate their plots of land by useing large agaves. This is one metaphor that explains alot about the society here. I am a teacher here in Salasaca, but more than that I have become a friend. For all of those reading this, it would do you good to visit, even for just a day.
Ian Chambers

I Was Thrilled, I Was Proud And I Am Happy

Yesterday, as I walked the 3KM's to the Katitawa School, which is located in the hills above Salasaca, I was a little preoccupied because I did not know really what to expect for the day. We had an event scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM and when I left the school the afternoon before, nothing was ready. This event had been scheduled for the 21st of June, which in the old Inca calendar, is the Day of the Sun, and still has some significance today. We had been disappointed when we were told that because of the conflicting schedules of the dignitaries from Salasaca and Pelileo we would have to celebrate the day on the 28th. As it turned out it rained almost all day the 21st but was sunny all day on the 28th which for this area is extremely rare. For the rest of the story please click here to open the Katitawa School page.

You Guessed It, J.

I received a message from a reader a few days ago asking what was the meaning of this box that has been adorning this wordless post for many weeks.

He answered his own question...."It must be something to do with the solar panels" Well he was right on the money. It is the control box for the two panels that give power to the pump that furnishes the fresh water to the school up the hill. Some months ago the discharge pipe sprung a leak and sprayed water on the box and in a short time a fire destroyed the electronics. Since then when they needed to fill the water tank above the wires from the panels were were draped over the pump wires and to everyone's surprise it worked fine. So as the old saying goes "If it works don't mess with it." For the rest of the story Click Here

When I found the problem I was a little concerned that this direct connection may in time, if the conditions are right, cause a problem with the pump, I asked a friend who was returning to Florida to see if he could find a replacement. He took this digital picture of the unit and all of the specks and is looking.

So far I have not gotten a reply. If any one who reads this blog has experience with this type of equipment and has an idea where I can get replacement and its cost. I would welcome the information.

Specs.
Maker: GRUNDFOS
Type: CU 200 Elunil cpl. V-NO-V02
Product No.:96467801
S/N 1582

Live Life One Day At A Time....But plan for the unexpected.

I know now for sure that the number of readers of this blog is proportional to the number to posts that I make. In the past two weeks I have spent very little time in front of this machine as I was laid low by a bout with pneumonia which was my first experience with the realities of this common ailment. I am happy to say that I am feeling great and hope to return to the classroom on Monday.

It is amazing how things work out...My problem started two weeks ago when I met up with our new volunteer, Ian Chambers, from Austin, Texas, for the walk up the hill to the school. We had met the previous Saturday in Salasaca where I gave him a tour of the school and showed him his quarters. I did not appreciate then just what a great find we had made.

It was a rainy morning and we thought about taking the truck with the kids, but the rain stopped suddenly so we started on foot. It is a beautiful walk and a great way to start the day. I introduced Ian to the first class as my helper for the next month. Two hours later I had the chills and had to leave. He took over at that point and I headed for Ambato, where a hour and a half later I crashed and slept for four or five hours. Four days later, after x-rays and lab tests I was told that I had pneumonia. I am glad to say that after what seems like a thousand hours of sleep I feel great. I saw the doctor this morning and he confirms what I feel.... I am fine.

Ian stopped by a week ago Thursday and we talked a little about how things were going and he said everything was fine and he loved the job. I had planned a trip to the zoo in Baños for the next day and I commented that, "I guess the trip to the zoo was cancelled", because I had made a deal with the director that I would pick-up the difference in the cost of the trip and what the kids could pay. He responded.."don't worry, everything is taken care of." Thank you Ian. I don't know if anyone had a camera that day, but I hope so.

One lesson that this little adventure has taught me is that we humans are pretty fragile individuals. One minute we are fine and the next ....Who knows. Rosa Maria, the director of the school and I, had a conversation a few weeks ago and she was concerned what would happen to the school if she was not there. I did not pay much attention because she is a healthy women. and those problems were years away. Now I am taking a different look at that possibility and am working on some ideas that could insure for the future that what we have started here in Salasaca will continue with or without Rosa Maria or myself.

If anyone who reads this blog has had experience in this type of program I would appreciate your input. More on the subject later.

Katitawa School Gets Electricity....Thanks to Arizona State University.

While surfing the web a few days ago, I ran across a post on the ASU website telling of the solar pannels that were installed at the Katitawa School in 2003. This is where our foundation, Sumak Kausay Yachay,is providing the teachers for the English clases here in Salasaca. For the rest of the story plaese go to our new Katitawa School site.