So you may be wondering what life is like now that I have actually settled into life in Otavalo. My family is really crazy, laid-back, loving, and tons of fun. The most routine activities end up being memorable, or at least laughable, experiences. They get a huge kick out of me, and I am definitely entertained by them, particularly my brother and sister (Kami age 5, Kuri age 12).
Sometimes they attack me and it is a 4 on 1 tickle fight.
They love to randomly take pictures of whatever we are doing, sort of a Japanese obsession.
The kids are constantly full of energy, which can occasionally wear me down but is more often refreshing to come home to.
Their cooking and preparation of food is a constant source of intrigue. Here is my aunt's pig head being "prepared" to be deep fried and transformed into a popular dish called 'fritada.'
Meanwhile, Kuri decided to camp out and watch from a few feet away.
That night I got my chance to eat it. Yum...
Here is my first exposure to Chicha, an alcohol made from grains. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I was a fan. And it was made that much more authentic by the fact that I drank it out of a coconut shell.
One morning we woke up at 515 in the morning to hike up to a sacred Kichwa site called El Lechero. It's a sacred tree and is accompanied by a folk tale. Supposedly the tree is more than 800 years old. Regardless, it is a gorgeous spot overlooking 4 volcanoes and a lake.
Afterwards we were rewarded by "Mom" with a special breakfast of sausage, potato pancakes and fresh juice and milk.
Another day we visited the guinea pig lake (see "The Calm Before the Storm"). Kami had a great time and the weather cooperated well.
Most of the time when we hang out, we chat, joke, act a little weird...
Or shell peas.
Lauren and I decided to cook an "American" meal for my family one night. We prepared honey-roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and steamed veggies. It was a big hit. I even got a picture of my non-drinking Mom hitting the sauce (I'm the son with the bad influence...).
Paul and Kristen (friends from Oregon living in Otavalo, see post “Northwestern Hospitality” or several others for more info) asked Lauren and I if we would be willing to come over for dinner one night to watch their girls (Rosie age 8, Ally age 12) so they could have some time to themselves. We agreed and decided to make it a fun “American” night for them by making mac and cheese and chocolate chip cookies. We ended up having an awesome time, jamming on their many string instruments, having a dance party, destroying the kitchen in the process of preparing cookies and dinner, and just being kids.
Kristen and Lauren decided to take the Ecuadorian intercambio to another level when they joined a local indigenous girl’s soccer team. The team entered a tournament in a nearby village. Everything was just about as Ecuadorian as we expected, meaning that the games absolutely never started on time, dogs and kids randomly ran across the field in the middle of play, almost half of the games were forfeit by opposing teams because they forgot to show up, and the best most authentic thing of all was the prize. A bull for the winning team and a pig for the runner’s up.
I tried to be the biggest fan, and would often hang out with whoever else showed up on the sidelines, in one case 3 of Lauren's sisters.
Sometimes the opposing team showed up in less than conventional transport.
The girls ended up in second place after a hard-fought final. That meant a pig!
The party was great. Lots of typical Kichwa dancing (walking in a circle) and of course drinking. Here's the coach Gladys and I with some Canela (hot liquor).
Next weekend, we slaughtered the prize, cooked him, and of course danced more.
Even if my family is occupied or I am elsewhere, some Ecuadorian family always seems to take me in and allow me to take part in their lives and daily routine. For Easter, I was invited to join Lauren’s family of 10 to prepare and eat the traditional holiday cuisine, Fanesca.
It is a celebration of life and harvest. 12 different grains are mixed together into the most delicious hardy soup you could imagine. The preparation is extremely labor-intensive but worth the effort. Every bean must be removed by hand and often the entire process takes more than 24 hours.
I kept getting distracted by animals....I couldn't help it with all of these kittens and chicks running around.
Anyways, that's all for now. I hoping to post again before Wednesday. Lots of hugs and kisses from a crazy nation.
Love
Kent
nice to get that GATOR shirt on the blog!
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