Cuenca - Mall del Rio
Trip Start
Mar 04, 2004
1
21
24
Trip End
Ongoing
Cuenca, Ecuador
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
I am sitting in the fancy mall in Cuenca using the free Internet service that is available throughout the mall. Is this Peace Corps? Ecuador is rich in the cities and poor in the country. I could be at any mall in the US right now, same prices, same movies in the theater - with Spanish subtitles - same food court.
As always, I have let a lot of time go by and, now, I have a million things to share with you. First of all, the chicken project is moving and shaking. We received the money, started construction and are own our way. Please check out the construction photos that I uploaded with this entry. The community has reacted somewhat negatively to the advancements of our project. Some of the people are threatening to call the authorities because they are not benefiting from the group. The group consists of 10 highly dedicated people that I have been working with for the last 10 months. Now that construction has begun, greedy community members are coming out of the wood work to get a piece of the pie. They do not want to work, they do not want to help, they just want a share of the profits. After 15 months, I found only 10 people that truly wanted to work, attend meetings and that were honest and dedicated. Now, everyone is interested. I asked one lady where she was 15 months ago when I was explaining my role in the community and she told me that she didn't think any project with me would profit; she thinks so now.
Tragically, one of the 15 year old boys from San Vicente was killed when a boat that was carrying Ecuadorian illegals to Guatamala sank. There was a mass in remembrance last Sunday. I hope that this discourages some of the people in my region (70% of the male population leaves to the cities, the US or Europe) from spending all their money ($12,000 - $15,000) on passage to the States. If I could convince at least 3 or 4 young people that life in Ecuador is not that bad and that living in the US as an illegal is horrible, I will leave a happy volunteer.
Last week, I went to the beach to watch the whales. The whales come up the Ecuadorian Coast with the Humbolt current. We went whale watching in their mating grounds. Some jumped fully out of the water. Others shot water out of their blow holes. Pretty amazing to say the least. Before seeing the whales, we also visited Isla de la Plata - the poor man's Galapagos - where we saw boobies (birds) and frigate birds. Albatrosses also inhabit the island along with sea lions but we saw neither.
Tomorrow I am off to Quito. I have to see the doctor for my allergies - I think I am allergic to my community! - write for the Peace Corps - Ecuador newsletter and pick up some chemicals to make shampoo and soap with my group. I will be in Quito for about 10 days, so e-mail often, I'll have Internet every day!!
