The Homestead

Hi Everyone,
Now that I have a camera, I can finally show off my new home. Enjoy!!

My bed and living quarters. Small, cold, but it works and I have my own space.

My Dresser (actually just a bench we moved into the bedroom but it works)

This is the view exiting from my room. It's open air at the moment which can make things cold, and the concrete doesn't help...

This is directly left after exiting my room. It is the second floor, which is very unfinished but has a roof.

Still in the "transition" area between the main house and my room. The door to the right goes outside, to the garden, my bathroom, etc. The left door takes you inside the main house.

This is the view going outside, although as with this picture, it is usually obscured by drying clothes. The lines are also placed for average Ecuadorian height so there have been several "near-decapitation" events when I don't pay attention.

Just past the laundry lines is my bathroom. You can see the shower bucket on the left. Had some cold nights when I had to pee and go out to here. Have often thought about buying a spacesuit that allows you pee and keep sleeping, but they're strangely difficult to find in Otavalo.

This is the laundry block, where I USED to wash my clothes. The pig pen can be seen in the background.

What used to be the outdoor shower has since been turned into a chicken coop. What a terrible waste!

The farm. Lots of veggies and fruits grown here. There is a small doghouse on the right.

More farm. The pig pen is straight ahead (don't worry, close-ups of the pig are coming up!)

This is a tree tomato farm with over 200 trees and a corn field. Both are for selling at market, not personal consumption.

This is the back gate out to the main road. There are lots of beautiful flowers that Maria grows.

Pig!!! I may actually get to eat this guy before I leave. Yay!!

Just beyond the pig pen is grandma's house and the sister's house. About 20 family members all live on the "compound." I have only met a few formerly, although the whole town is related.

A picture of my house taken from the perspective of the pig.

Next to the bathroom is the cage for the rabbits and guinea pigs. These will definitely become dinner in the next 2 months...

Bunnies and Guinea Pigs. Just don't get too attached to these cute guys.

The family/sitting room.

Looking left to the kitchen and dining room behind that bookshelf and wall.

Maria and Segundo's room/TV room

Kitchen. Simple by American standards but fully-equipped.

Dining room.

Open fire cooking room for guinea pig roasts, animal slaughters, and tostada cooking (the latter being the only one I do in there.

The back garden and access to the attached store owned by Segundo's sister.

And finally, the office and computer room that has recently become my classroom for Kichwa.

That's that. A small window into my Ecuadorian existence.
Love
Kent