A Trip Report by Marcelo Carrera

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NOTA DE PRENSA DEL VIAJE RALIZADO POR MARCELO CARRERA AL ESTADO DE KENTUCKY DESDE EL 28 DE AGOSTO AL 11 DE SEPTIEMBRE DEL 2010.

La visita tuvo como objetivo “Desarrollar profesionalmente el conocimiento acerca de los recursos naturales para la gestión sostenible y establecer directrices para el mejoramiento del BioParque Amazónico La Isla, de la ciudad de Tena, ubicado en la región amazónica de Ecuador.

El intercambio de experiencias y el conocimiento de trabajos similares en educación e interpretación ambiental en el cual se ven beneficiados la sociedad y en especial los niños y jóvenes fue otro de los objetivos.
Con estos antecedentes las visitas fueron realizadas a los siguientes Centros:
El Lexington Mac Connell Springs, Arboretum de la Universidad de Kentucky, Pine Montain Settlement School, Flat Lick Elementary School aquí hubo dos presentaciones acerca del trabajo desarrollado en Ecuador a estudiantes de quinto y sexto grado.

Rave Run Interpretive Center – Salato Wildlife Center – Gladie Visitor Center. Daniel Boone National Forest. En la Universidad de Kentucky se impartió una charla sobre Recursos Naturales de la amazonía ecuatoriana

Compartir experiencias no solamente fue en el aspecto ambiental sino también en lo cultural y lo histórico Bluelick State Resort Park y experiencias en la recolección de frutos en Red Valley Orchads.
En Indianapolis – recorrido por 100 acres, Parque Ecológico y Ambiental. Y el Zoo de Indianapolis.
La segunda parte de la experiencia se desarrolló en Bowling Green
Visita al Dale Hollow Lake – National Fish Hatchery – Lost River Cave – Kentucky Down Under – Mammoth Cave National Park.

En el Campus de Glasgow se impartió clases sobre lenguaje y cultura Ecuatoriana por tres ocasiones.

En WKU de Bowling Green se difundió dos clases adicionales, incluida al programa de líderes de la Universidad.
Visita al Zoo de Luisville, fue una experiencia sumamente interesante, pues allí se pudo conocer de cerca el manejo de animales, sus dietas y los protocolos de manejo de fauna, algo similar posee el BioParque La Isla con un pequeño centro de rescate animal.

The Score and More From Rankin and Ruthi

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For those interested in the soccer score, the Imbabura tem defeated the national tem 1 to 0.The entire game was accompanied by the oldest brass band in the free world, who only knew one song.The magic of the Andes only added to the excitement of this game. The play was VICIOUS!!! After the game, Dr.David Coffey picked us up in Otavalo where he was touring with 22 students from Western Kentucky University, and we returned to Quito.

The next morning we were off to Santo Domingo. We will go from 12,500 ft. down to 300 ft. above sea level. As we descend, the terrain changes dramatically. It is exactly like views from Romancing The Stone, this incredible green vegetation and dramatic waterfalls at every turn. The temperature in Santo Domingo is much warmer and humid.

Santo Domingo is located in the lowlands on the western slope of the Andes. It is a major transportion hub connecting the coast with Quito and the rest of the country. It is also the center of some of the most productive agricultural land in Ecuador. They grown palm oil, pineapples, cacao, bananas, plantain, and various other fruits and vegetables. The city gets its name from the local indigenous group the Tsachilas, who paint their hair a bright red, using an achote paste. The Spanish call them The Los Colorados (translates The Colored Ones). When the area was colonized, they were converted by the Dominican priests and the town was called Santo Domingo Los Colorados.

After checking into our hotel, we were off to the local hospital where we learned much about the increase in Diabetes since the introduction of Coca Cola and KFC (Thank you, U.S., you shouldn´t have). We met with Dr. Leonardo Oviedo, who has been to Kentucky many times, and works with several groups, including Partners and Shoulder-To-Shoulder. Later we went to a farm, Finca de San Antonio, owned by a local agricultural college. It was initially owned by one man, but was confiscated by the federal government after he was convicted of drug trafficing. It hs 22,000 acres and that is not one of my normal exaggerations. They raise beef cattle, have a dairy, raise pineapples and various fruits. It is a major farming industry. They make about $750,000 per year on the pineapple alone. Most is exported to the U.S. and Europe. We cut pineapple in the fields and ate it right there. It was sooooooo delicious. It doesn´t get fresher than this. The rest of the farm is covered with tropical vegetation and has a river running through the center, with various types of fish and small alligators. The alligators are employed to keep the water clean. When Ruthi saw all these rivers around this farm, she was GREEN with envy.We returned for a reception at the radio-television station Zarcay. Our host was the owner Holgar (pronounced Ohare) Valestequi, who is a WKU grad. He spoke of the political perspectives of the coastal area and the infiltration of the Colombian cartel, using Ecuador to launder their money. We fell into bed exhausted.

We´re keeping all our friends and family in our thoughts and prayers, and hope you will do the same. We´ll be baaaaack,

—
Rankin and Ruthi

Winter in Ecuador

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It was the spring of 1989. I had several Partners  projects under my belt and had spent enough time in Ecuador to have fallen in love with the people and the country. I was determined to learn more about the Indigenous flute music of the Andes, as it touches me to my core. The more I studied and listened to the music, the more I realized I had some sort of cosmic connection to it. I decided that my next project would be to bring an indigious band to Kentucky for a series of concerts. The big question was how do you find the best band to bring? The answer became obvious, a battle of the bands. We did our publicity and had a series of regional playoffs in Ecuador, with the winner competing in the fall of that year over a three day weekend in Ibarra. Ibarra is the sister city with Winchester, Kentucky. One band really stood out. Not only were they excellent musicians, they had developed instruments from garden hoses, pvc pipe and a rams horn. Also they garnered attention because they wore their hats backward. To make a long story short, this band won. The band, Americamanta, came to Kentucky the next spring and opening at the Kentucky Centre for The Arts, then hitting the College circuit. Americamanta won freinds and fans wherever they played. Before the trips to Kentucky, none of the band members had ever flown, most had never left their home town of Otavalo.

 One of the leaders in the group was Jaime Yacelga. He would tour Europe with the band and turned Americamanta into a success story. In the US, they have recorded six CDs and are in high demand for festivals across the country. Over the years, as he toured in the US, he would visit in KY where our friendship developed. The band felt comfortable staying with us and we all looked forward to private concerts for our family and friends. Eventually, Jaime would bring his new wife Emma, where she and Ruthi would become fast freinds. Ruthi taught her to drive and to cook KY meals. After the birth of their first child, Aliyah, they asked that we become the girl’s godparents. We traveled to Ecuador aware that our relationship had converted from friends into family. Anytime we walk in Otavalo people address us as compadre and comadre. We all stay in touch with regular phone calls and emails.

 Now, here we are in Otavalo again, my brother Donnie and sister-in-law Roberta are to be god parents to Jaime and Emma´s second child, Raisa. Last night we went to a local pena and heard friends of Jaime play. The sound of those deep flutes still resonate in our minds. I feel like I am home, connected to this place by love and friendship. The christening will take place in El Quinche, about 80 kilometers from Otavalo. The church was built in the 1500´s after the Virgin appeared to bring a message of hope and faith. The Virgin of Quinche is highly reveared by the indiginous of Ecuador. Thousands of people come every week to pray for help, love, business etc.

 When we arrived at the church we were seated for mass. Afterwards about 400 people stood in the aisles with photos of family members, keys to new cars, and business cards to be blessed. Then came Quinceanera and two weddings. Finally, we were escorted to a back room with 10 other families for the christenings. Even though the whole experience reminded me of a goat rodeo, when it came time for Donnie and Roberta to become Padrino and Madrina, there was this incredible sense of spirituality that transended the chaos.

Afterwards we returned to Otavala for a familty dinner and celebration. One of the surprises for us was the reunion of several of the old members of Americamanta who performed together. There was also folk dancing, hip hop and dancing into the wee hours of the morning. I am going to have to go on just a few hours of sleep as there is an under 20 soccer game at 11:00 a.m. against the national team.

Abrazo fuerte.

> Rankin and Ruthi in Ecuador

Notes from "the Gringo Trail"

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Hola amigos!

I am in Vilcabamba, the valley of eternal youth.   Beautiful views and the weather is fabulous–warm yet crisp.  The altitude is around 5000 feet approx.  The image above is on my very balcony. 

I have been on the road, (the “gringo trail” we used to call it). From the jungle, (Tena and then Patate), I made my way through Banos to Quito, ever increasing in altitude.  Quito at approximately 7000 feet is lovely with great weather, leaning to the cooler temps.  It is a huge city now with too much traffic, too much noise, too many people.  Lots of culture–museums, arts, music–and lots of shopping.
Ecuadorian people cannot be stereotyped any more than other countries/cultures.  People tend to be very polite and friendly.  Laughter is common and, when you know people well, they tend to be very honest and open.  They also do not get upset over things like travel snafus because everyone here knows that being polite by smiling and asking “how is your day” will get you much further than showing frustration — good naturedness. I am enjoying this paradisiacal place.  I love the mountains, the people, the mountain air and the bright sun.
Left Quito on Saturday, traveling 10 hours by bus ($10.00) to Cuenca. Cuenca is a far from Quito and somewhat off the beaten track.  It is colonial with attendant architecture and history.  Higher in altitude than Quito, therefore, cooler. Very “rustic” outside of the city–some communities are without electricity still.
Three days in Cuenca at a great hostel with a lovely courtyard.  Very comfortable.  All hostels and hotels provide continental breakfast with bread, cheese, jam, coffee con leche…sometimes eggs.  All guests were gringos–meaning European, USA, Canada, Australian travelers.  This is what I mean by the “gringo trail”.  Travelers share information and travel together or meet up in unexpected places.
Cuenca is a popular place for studying Spanish or Kichwa (the native language).  Of note, Cuenca has become quite popular with USA retirees looking to buy property and live here. There are growing communities of ex-pats in several places in Ecuador.  Why?  It is cheaper to live, certainly.  The natural environment is fabulous here and the Ecuadorian government is making the most of it by establishing large protected areas–national parks, etc.  Coast, mountains, jungle–rain forest and cloud forest–there are many endemic species of birds and plants.  Of course, there are worries about moving to another country–healthcare in particular–but, that’s another story.  (look up International Living, if interested).
Back to Cuenca, the hostel and the travelers there, which included:
*   2 young (19 years old) Norwegian girls studying Spanish and going to live with host family in Cuenca.  They plan to stay in S America for 7 months.
*   2 young (19-20 years old) American girls–One had studied in Cuenca last year and wanted to return to friends, the other is studying Kichwa (She does not speak Spanish) and plans to volunteer with a group called WOOF–something about world organic gardeners who volunteer to work on a farm in exchange for free room and board.  Hmmmm. Interesting idea but free farm labor is a new concept here.  They plan to stay a long time.  I have my doubts.
*   1 retiree from Colorado, a man looking for places for him and his wife to move. He prefers Asia and speaks no Spanish.
*   1 retiree from Rochester, NY,  a single male, has found a place he wants to buy.  Left the hotel to study Spanish (beginning) and live with a family.
*   A couple from Great Britain–teachers–long time travelers in S. America.  Speak Spanish.  Fun.
*   Several Americans roughly my age  that I didn’t meet.  One guy stayed at the hostel all day every day–reading and working on his laptop–started drinking beer after breakfast.  (I think he couldn’t leave after several.  Very quiet guy)
*   1 Italian gynecologist who lives in Madrid.  We had fun–went on a hiking tour together.  We shared lots of coffee and interesting conversation.
*   1 Swiss long time traveler–great Spanish (He had lived with a Cali Colombia woman for several years).  Headed for Peru, then home.
*   1 Swiss young woman (around 25 years old). A nurse with good English, but no Spanish. Very nice.
Vilcabamba is wonderful (6 1/2 hour incredible–high mountain/hair pin curves–bus ride from Cuenca–$9.00).  I am off to hike a trail through one of the natural reserves.
Greetings and saludos to all. 

Dr. Larry Barnes — a follow up

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I now feel as though I have a second home in Ecuador , and I plan to return to this beautiful land in the very near future.”






Dr. Larry Barnes, professor of music at Transylvania University in Lexington, was composer-in-residence for the country of Ecuador in August. Barnes attended the new-year celebration in Cayambe and met with folk musicians there. In Ambato and Quito he gave a PowerPoint lecture on American popular music, and presented a live program of his original music, including RainSongs for flute, harp and rain stick; Behind the Golden Door for piano and electronics; and several selections from the film Euphoria for cello and piano. In Quito nearly 1000 attended the final concert, and due to the small size of the hall, the musicians graciously offered to present the program twice. Barnes also offered a two-day workshop for composers in Ambato and Riobamba on writing a popular song.

“I was overwhelmed by the response to my music and presentations, and by the generosity, friendship, and enthusiasm of this country’s people. I especially wish to thank my host Rommel Jumbo for his tireless efforts, all the hosts in each city who shared their homes and meals with me, and the students and teachers who treated me with the utmost respect. I now feel as though I have a second home in Ecuador , and I plan to return to this beautiful land in the very near future.”

Composer in Residence

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Larry Barnes will serve as composer-in-residence for Ecuador through Kentucky-Ecuador Partners, August 6 through 20. He will visit and present in Quito, Cuenca, Ambato, Riobamba and Cayambe. Barnes will present a lecture on American popular music history; lead a workshop on popular song composition; meet with Ecuadorian composers to review their music; present an evening program of his own music; and meet with music historians to learn about the country’s native music. Barnes is Professor of Music at Transylvania University in Lexington, where he teaches composition, music theory, Jazz/Rock history, and world music.

From the Equator with Love

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Teresa Cox, a student at Western Kentucky University and the first recipient of the Kentucky Ecuador Partners scholarship has returned from a KIIS study abroad program in Ecuador. She writes:

I don’t know when it happened. I don’t even know how it happened. But Ecuador stole my heart.

Boarding the plane from Atlanta to Quito, I had no idea that my life was about to change forever. It sounds cliché, really. Four weeks on a study abroad trip is a great experience – but life-changing? It seemed improbable. Regardless, we touched down in Quito shortly before midnight that night and I had no idea that my world was rapidly about to change.


Discovering downtown Quito, in all of its diversity, filled my first few days. Coming from a town of 10,000 with only a handful of stoplights and fast food restaurants, I was amazed to stand in a city the size of Quito, especially one with such diverse socioeconomic cultures. Driving downtown, we passed an opulent casino and ritzy hotel. A block later, we saw barefoot children playing in front of graffiti protesting the conservative political movement and rallying for support for the socialists. The town stretched on for miles, seemingly days. And I was hungry to drink in as much of it as possible.


One of the greatest aspects of the trip was the service learning component. We conducted dental brigades not only in Quito, but also in the remote Afro-Ecuadorian community of Santa Anna. Both brigades were – honestly – more than words can describe. I held the hand of a little girl while she had five teeth extracted and wiped her tears as she sobbed from the pain of the numbing injections. I hugged mothers who cried from gratitude that we had given their child such as a precious gift. I watched barefoot children, covered in dirt, learn what a toothbrush is. I spoke with a beautiful woman who told me that despite the lack of running water and electricity and, oftentimes, food, that the community in which she lives is the best place to live in the entire world because everyone there is happy – and after seeing it, I believe her.



We travelled to the rainforest and I made connections and friendships for which I will forever be grateful. The lodge at which we stayed, Yachana, has a neighboring high school, Yachana Colegio Technico. Not only were we able to interact with the students while they were at the school, but many of the students also volunteered at the lodge, serving meals and making beds in order to socialize with the “exotic gringos.” Without electricity, there wasn’t much to do, and on a whim one night, another girl and I decided to take some music outside and dance with some of the kids. They were astounded that the tourists wanted to spend time to them, talk to them, even dance with them. We learned to salsa, we talked about life, we practiced their English, they helped us practice our Spanish, and we bonded. I have a very special place in my heart for those high school children whom we spent two weeks getting to know.



I stood on the Equator, something that I only dreamed about doing as a little first grader in elementary school. I sunk my toes in the sand by the Pacific Ocean and navigated 6 hours on a public bus. I drank chica. I ate grubs roasted on a banana leaf. I laid outside on the ground and looked at the stars that are only visible in the Southern Hemisphere. I visited an indigenous shaman who spoke Quichua and managed to rid me of my ills. I learned how to use a blow dart gun. I hiked for three hours in a primary, untouched rainforest, literally watching our guide machete a path for us as we went. I met an amazing family in the middle of a McDonald’s in Quito, with whom I sat and talked to for nearly two hours. I swam in the Napo River and watched the local children in the community jump in the Napo for bathing. I played in the rain with high school kids and afterward, jumped into that same river fully clothed to continue our water fight. I feasted on every type of fruit I could ever imagine (and many I would have never imagined), yucca, and even a stew made of stinging nettles.

I learned how to say basic greetings in Quichua. I interpreted rather spontaneously for a Hungarian woman in need of a pedicure at the mall. I bought handmade jewelry at the market in Otavalo. I sat with my feet in a river, singing Michael Jackson songs with four eight-year-old children who had decided that they wanted to talk to a gringa. I danced to reggaeton music with a ten-year-old boy who blushed the whole time, and a seven-year-old girl who wanted to dance like an American. I rode a cable car up to 14,000 feet in altitude and marveled at the beauty of Quito. I fell in love. I woke up and realized that this is where I wanted to be. This was home. Crying on the flight on the way home, I knew that I already felt homesick for the place I had so quickly come to know and love. I don’t know when it happened. I don’t even know how it happened. But Ecuador stole my heart.


My memories from my trip are some of the best moments of my life. The clarity, the simplicity, and the beauty of the place enraptured me. I have never felt so happy, nor have I felt so calm or at ease – completely sure of myself and exactly what I need to spend the rest of my life doing. I will always be grateful for my experiences in beautiful Ecuador, and am anticipating my return – my chance to return to this distant place with rivers and rainforests, with beaches and children playing in the streets, with people who have the biggest hearts and the biggest smiles I have ever seen. Mostly, I just anticipate my chance to go back “home,” to the place which I was fortunate enough to have found where I truly, and genuinely, belong.

photography and text by Teresa Cox

Art of the Chagras Exhibit

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The Art of the Ecuadorian Chagras
July 10 – August 29, 2010
Central Gallery, Lexington Public Library
140 East Main Street

Reception July 16, 5:00 – 7:00

The Kentucky-Ecuador Partners is hosting another fantastic exhibit at the Central Library Gallery. This year we will have a display that features items used in the everyday life of the Chagras (cowboys) in Ecuador. Handcrafted leather tack and clothing, along with works by Ecuadorian artists Jesus Cobo, Julio Montesinos and Edgar Reascos.

Louisville photographer Ross Gordon’s work will also be featured. Gordon photographed the chagras while traveling from Louisville, KY to the farthest tip of South America in a vintage VW Beetle.

High School Spanish Students Visit Ecuador

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This past May [2010] Randy Barrette, the Spanish Teacher at Menifee County’s high school and at-large member of the Kentucky-Ecuador Partner’s Chapter took a group of 7 students to Ecuador.  Their guide was none other than the Quito chapter’s Executive Director, Miguel Castañel.  

Below is a collaborative piece in which the students describe the impact the experience had on them. 

Through our experience we have learned about the people and places in Ecuador.  Ten days is not a long time, but what little time we were there, we were immersed in a different world.  We learned about the geography, culture, and a little bit of how society works in Ecuador.  If we had to summarize our experience in about twenty-five words, this is what we would say:  Our brief yet memorable trip to Ecuador opened our eyes about the world to show that there is more to life than our small town.

What we carry back in our hearts and minds is how much we appreciate our country.  We don’t realize how much we love and understand our country until we see the way others live.  We also carry back the pleasure we had to see so much, and from such a beautiful country.  From the rainforest to the city, our eyes were always taking in new sights.

While in Ecuador, we experienced poverty, and stereotypes were broken.  We thought that if an individual was indigenous, they were impoverished, but that was just the opposite. We were fortunate enough to visit an indigenous family’s house to see how they made their living and the beautiful, luxurious house they were able to afford because of their hard work. 

We feel more knowledgeable now that we have seen the way others live, interact, and use their land in so many ways.  Instead of the man-made dependent society in the U.S., Ecuador uses natural resources to its advantage and in a way that protects itself, which surprised us.  Our amazing trip has led us to understand more about the country and the unique aspects that make Ecuador so wonderful.  We learned that we could be taught in different ways than our typical classroom set-up.  Our group learned from the world through our traveling in Ecuador.

 

Quitumbe Ballet and Orchestra

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Kentucky Ecuador Partners will be hosting a performance of the Quitumbe Ballet and Orchestra on Sunday September 6 at 4p.m The performance will take place at the Lexington Central Library, 140 East Main Street and is free.
The Quitumbe Andean Ballet and Symphonic Band were born as an extracurricular school workshop and were made possible by the close collaboration of the “Quitumbina family.” Quitumbe Andean Ballet’s repertoire rests on traditional Ecuadorian dance. Rooted in history, social content and cultural identity, its ethno-contemporary choreographies showcase the artistry of young dancers from the Quitumbe School of Southern Quito. This program is intended to give a small glimpse of Ecuador’s rich tradition of music and dance filled festivals. The audience will be treated to dances native to Ecuador, Latin America and the world.

There will be an opportunity to shop for Ecuadorian made crafts, clothing, pottery and jewelry at a booth hosted by Kentucky Ecuador Partners.

Because this is a holiday weekend, we’re concerned about attendance. These young people have traveled a long way to entertain us; let’s not disappoint them with a small audience. We everyone to join us and ask that you invite others.



The Quitumbe Dancers and Symphonic Band are brought here through cooperation with Sister Cities Louisville-Quito, Indiana University Southeast, and the University of Kentucky Office of International Affairs.
for more information contact:kyecuadorpartners@gmail.com