Judging an English Theatre Competition in Ecuador

Have you ever wanted to be Simon Cowell from American Idol? Or maybe you lean more Adam Levine from The Voice? Well fans, you’re in luck. I’m about to share with you the inner details of how it feels to be a judge in a real-life competition. How did I end up so lucky and famous you might ask? I speak English. That’s how.

Here in Ecuador, we work with a University called the Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas, or ESPE for short. Each week, as Program Directors we assist in English classes, giving advice on pronunciation and how to study English. This relationship has been active for years and it is a fun way for Program Directors to make friends in the community that are of a similar age range. That being said, ESPE often asks us to help them with extracurricular activities, one of which recently was a theatre competition.

Each English class from the three ESPE campuses across Ecuador worked for weeks on preparing a play to be presented at a country-wide competition. These plays were of childhood fairy-tales or stories, adapted in English. This activity helped students learn how to think creatively in another language, while also encouraging fun participation! After weeks of practicing, came the final competition! Seeing as though the volunteers at Manna are native English speakers, we were asked to participate as judges for the final competition. Due to scheduling conflicts, I was the only one able to attend- and boy was it an experience!

I arrived on site and was greeted by the guards of the military base where it was being held. I was brought to the theatre, and escorted to the front row where I saw with the panel of two other judges- an English teacher from Quito and native Canadian, and an Ecuadorian actor. We were given padfolios with voting ballots and introduced formally to what we would be doing. After being given a grading cheat sheet, we sat and waited…and waited…and waited… for the plays to start. After the slight delay due to technical difficulties, the first play began. It was the tale of Beauty and the Beast, a fan favorite and household classic. The beast costume was phenomenal, and Belle (also known as simply Beauty in this rendition) truly let her voice be heard. Although this tale was certainly as old as time, there was no Emma Watson and therefore, was a slight letdown. Despite this, as judges we could clearly see how much work had been put into the execution of these plays. The backdrops, musical effects, and memorized lines (in English) were impressive and kept our attention!

As the night continued, I felt the pressure starting to mount- choosing first, second, and third places was not just a game! As a matter of fact, these kids really really cared about winning! With various intermissions from Professors singing their favorite karaoke jams (one even belted Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”), the battle of the plays continued.

While my favorite, a tale entitled “The White Falcon” took home the prize, I’d love to give honorable mention to “Scooby Doo and the Gang” who not only one-upped my incredible (not so humbly bragging) Daphne costume, but also used a REAL DOG to be Scooby doo! What a night it was!

In conclusion, in a few short hours my childhood dream of playing Paula Abdul as a judge for American Idol came to fruition. I was able to support an incredibly important community group we work with, while also experiencing all of my favorite childhood stories- just slightly modified-and in broken English. Nonetheless, it was an experience I will remember forever, and the free ESPE Padfolio I was gifted helps!

If you want to have the opportunity to get involved with community partners, apply to be a Program Director today!

Mi Lindo Ecuador

As my time wraps up here in Ecuador, I figured it would only be fitting to go out with a final blog post to sum up my unforgettable 5 months.  I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have lived and served in this beautiful country for the time that I did, and I plan to take my friendships and memories with me throughout my life. Unfortunately, there are some parts that I won’t be able to take with me throughout my journeys.  For your reading pleasure, I’ve compiled a list of the things I’ll miss most about Ecuador as I move forward.

1.Getting called “Nenita”

In Spanish, nena is both the word for little girl and for a term of affection equatable to “baby.”  I usually introduce myself as Nena instead of Nayna because it’s much easier for all parties involved, and I love the look of surprise I always get when I do this.  What follows is typically a conversation involving the other person saying, “okay, but what is your real name??” When I tell them that that is, in fact, my real name they laugh and tell me that it will be very easy to remember.  Most of the time this is excellent because everyone knows my name, (and I mean everyone): families in the centro, my taxi drivers, the guy who owns the gym I go to, the students at ESPE university, the lady who threads my eyebrows, you name it!  I also feel somewhat famous because my name is in almost every song (think about how many songs in English have the word “baby”). Because everything in Spanish is a diminutive (see number 12), my name often gets converted to Nenita, which is just too cute to be true.  I’m not necessarily looking forward to returning back to the states and getting called plain ol’ Nayna.

2. Measuring the passage of time by growing crops

Rumiloma is a predominantly farming-based community, and our walks to the centro from the bus stop typically involve passing a few different fields with corn stalks.  Every month, we are able to gauge just how long we’ve been here by how tall the stalks grow.  The most recent time we walked together, the stalks were taller than Ayzsa!

3. Making the world your bus stop

This is an extremely convenient and courteous service that all bus drivers humor for their passengers.  Gone are the days of running for buses.  For more clarification on this topic, see my previous blog post about riding the buses of Ecuador.

4. Having the taxi company know exactly where you live

A few years ago, there was a PD named Emily, who must have been the first person to call the particular taxi company we use.  Since that fateful day years ago, our home in Sangolqui has been known as “La Casa de Emily.”  Now whenever we call for a taxi from our house, we only have to say “Buenos dias” and the operator immediately asks us the Spanish equivalent of “would you like a taxi to the House of Emily?” What’s even better, is that some of the taxi drivers tell us that they remember driving Emily around and ask how she’s doing now.  This might be the most fun part for me. Based on the day and how I’m feeling, Emily has completely different lives: sometimes she is married and lives in Ecuador with her children, sometimes she’s a high school teacher in the United States, sometimes she’s a famous actress in Hollywood, California,

5.  Seeing cute sleeping dogs everywhere

This is enough to make you smile no matter how bad your day is.  On that note, it’s also incredible that the dogs here are aware of traffic rules and know how and when to cross the street.  We almost never have to worry about dogs getting hit by cars because they follow jay-walking laws better than we do!

6. Knowing everyone when you walk down the street

It seems that at times here, everyone is related.  Everyone is someone’s cousin or brother-in-law. Nothing makes me happier than walking to and from the centro or around Sangolqui and being able to wave to and talk to so many families along the way.

7.  Always being greeted in a room

The culture of Ecuador is such that when you walk into a room, it’s polite to say hello to every single person in the room. Whether it’s a nod, a kiss, a handshake or a “buenos dias”, and whether or not you know everyone in the room, this is what you’re supposed to do (and it’s rude if you don’t!).  Large meetings are often interrupted by latecomers who have to greet everyone in attendance, but no one seems to mind.  I’ll have to remind myself upon returning to the US to 1) not say hello to everyone in every room that I enter and to 2) not get offended when strangers enter a room and don’t greet me.

8. The ability to book a Mariachi Band for any and all social gatherings

This needs almost no explanation. For me, it’s not really a party unless you have Mariachis.  I’ve been to at least 6 events with Mariachis in my time here (and have passed by dozens more) and have attended events where people are disappointed if there is no band. There’s something about trumpets, guitars, matching uniforms, dancing and giant sombreros that now makes parties with just DJs seem super boring!

9.  The availability of Manicho

If you didn’t know, Manicho is a usually $0.50 chocolate and peanut bar and is available on practically every street corner.  Ecuador has never failed to satisfy my chocolate cravings, and for that, I am forever grateful.  If you need more explanation about the magic of Manicho, refer to my previous blog post about the junk food of Ecuador.

10.  Nicknames

The five of us have gotten accustomed to the nicknames that the community uses to refer to us (either to our faces or when talking about us).  Instead of Nayna, Hunter, Ayzsa, Jimmy and Vincent, we are La Morenita (the brown one), La Blanquita (the white one), La Negrita (the black one), El Flaquito (the skinny one) and El Serio (the serious one), respectively.  After a few months, we found ourselves referring to each other by those names when talking to community members as well:

“Jimmy is teaching class today.”

“Jimmy? Who’s Jimmy?”

“El flaquito.”

“Ahhh, right, right.”

11.   The unimaginable variety of students’ track suit combinations

Almost all students from grade school to high school wear school uniforms. These students also have mandatory gym days in their schedules and on those days, they all wear matching track pants and jackets with their school colors. On these exercise days, the streets and buses look like giant adds for Sports Authority.

12.  Exaggerations when speaking Spanish

Everything in Spanish is a diminutive. Sopa (soup) is sopita, casa (house) is casita, dollar is dollarito, centavos (cents) are centavitos, agua (water) is aguita, hija (daughter) is hijita…the list is endless.  Everything is cute and little, even if logically it makes no sense (for example, ahora, the word for “now” is hardly ever spoken. Ahorita is said instead).  Conversely, when exaggerations in the opposite direction are desired, “issimo” can be added to basically any word: lindissimo, grandissimo, bastantissimo (really beautiful, really big, way more than enough, respectively).

13.  Everything about juice

It’s almost a crime to not take advantage of all the fruits/fruit juice of Ecuador, because they’re fresh, affordable and nonexistent in the states! I almost always order fruit juice when I’m out to eat, because fresh fruit juices in the US are so expensive.  Perhaps my favorite part about ordering a fruit juice is getting it para llevar (to go) because most of the time you are given your juice in a plastic bag tied at the top with a straw stuck inside. I always feel super cool struttin’ down the street with my plastic bag of pineapple juice.

14.  Food glorious food

Depending on the way you see it, $0.15 bread, $2.50 lunch plates and 5 for $1 apples can be a gift or a curse.  I, of course, see it as the former.  It’s certainly going to be a rude awakening when I return to the states and eat out for the first time.  On the wave of affordability, the most beautiful bouquets of flowers can also be bought here for just $1! This could be why all the couples here seem so happy… it’s so affordable for guys to apologize when they mess up!

15. Beautiful views, beautiful relationships

I’ve said this repeatedly, but as the nature fanatic that I am, Ecaudor never once disappointed me in providing magnificent sunsets, sunrises, night skies, rainbows, mountains, volcanoes, lakes and forests for me to see and climb and hike and swim. There is something so special and unbeatable about this natural beauty that no pictures can do it justice.

Undoubtedly the most difficult part of leaving a place you’ve called home for half a year is saying good-bye to the family and friends you’ve made.  I never imagined I’d be so warmly welcomed into our community and would form such strong bonds while here.  If nothing else, it’s all the more reason to come back and visit in the future.  I will never forget my time here and look forward to making new memories when I return.  Until next time, Ecuador!

See yourself living in Ecuador? Apply now to be a Program Director! 

What’s an Hornado Anyways?

This past weekend, MPI Ecuador hosted its annual Hornado Solidario in Rumiloma.  What’s that, you ask? No need to be ashamed.  Just a few weeks ago I, too was an hornado newbie. The quick answer to your question is: a lunch fundraiser with traditional Ecuadorian food.  But don’t get it twisted; this ain’t your typical Firehouse Pancake Breakfast fundraiser.  A LOT more goes into an hornado than you’d think.  What follows below is an explanation of everything that required for a successful Hornado.

1.    The Hornado

Hornado, a signature of Ecuadorian cuisine, refers to a full, roast pig.  And I mean full: head and all. It is to be cooked by a skilled Ecuadorian person (usually a grandmother) and to be served by a skilled Ecuadorian person (usually a grandmother), who has no qualms about ripping off pieces of meat with her hands to serve on plates during the event (see Clemencia below). If you’re lucky, your hornado will come decorated, like ours.

2.    Las Tortillas de Papa (the potatoes)

We bought 200 pounds of potatoes for our Hornado.  For sizing help, 200 pounds of potatoes is enough to fill 3 large garbage cans.  We enlisted the help of our adult English students to help us peel all of them… and were able to finish in less than 2 hours!  We outsourced the boiling and mashing of the potatoes to another skilled Ecuadorian señora, so all that was left to do was to take the 3 garbage cans of mashed potatoes and make them into patties by hand to be fried on the day of the Hornado.  Luckily patty-making is grunt work and doesn’t require Ecuadorian skill (so most PDs and local volunteers were put on patty duty).  The frying of the potatoes, however, was spearheaded by Clemencia’s sister, Blanca.

3.    Mote

It’s a rule that a balanced Ecuadorian plate must contain at least two types of starches.  Simply putting a serving of white rice, corn, verdes (bananas) or potatoes is not sufficient.  You’ve gotta have a combination of them.  Mote is type of corn kernel (much bigger than those that we’re used to in the US) that fits the bill for the second starch of the plate.  It is boiled and cooked before serving.  

4.    Salad

We must have chopped at least 8 heads of lettuce, 50 tomatoes and 30 onions for the salad.  Agrio, or salad dressing, is made from tomatoes, onions, limes, cilantro and brown sugar loaf.  As another sizing estimate, we had enough agrio to fill a medium-sized garbage can!

5.    Great Company!

We served about 300 plates at the Hornado Solidario, before we began running out of food.  We raffled off some prizes that were donated to us, sang karaoke, painted kids’ faces and had a mini bake sale.  None of it would have been possible without the beautiful weather and all the help from community volunteers.  Below are just a few pictures of the great day we shared.

You can also contribute to the fundraising efforts of our Ecuador community by donating here! Type "Hornado" in the comments section. 

You Know You’re In Ecuador When…

At about two months into our time in Ecuador, we’ve finally hit the sweet spot between being fresh arrivals and being more experienced residents. While we are by no means experts yet, we have certainly been able to discover many of this country’s secrets, surprises and differences from the United States. 

With input and many chuckles from the other Program Directors, I’ve compiled a list of signs to help confirm that you are in Ecuador (in case your plane ticket wasn’t evidence enough).  I hope it allows our friends and family back home to better understand Ecuadorian life and laugh with us at some of the funnier daily occurrences we encounter.

1.     Milk is sold in bags.  Seems trendy, until you try pouring it into your cereal.

2.     You can’t find any shoes larger than a women’s size 7.  ‘Tis the land of dainty feet.

3.     You never really need a watch because there are so many daily indicators of the time.  See the following list:

• Roosters begin crowing at 3:00 AM (and usually continue on throughout the afternoon).
• The gas truck comes around at 7:15 AM sharp (see number 7 for further details).
• The Cotopaxi safety tones go off throughout town at 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM (Cotopaxi is an active volcano).
• It gets dark at exactly 6:30 PM every evening.
• Even if you wanted to wear a watch, the country runs on Ecuadorian time (which according to my precise mathematical calculations means add 7 to 11 minutes to any proposed starting time).

4.    The standard paper size is 8.3x11.7.  Maybe you think this is trivial, but you don’t realize how accustomed you are to 8.5x11 until you don’t have it anymore!

5.     Hole punchers only have 2 holes.  See number 4 for rationale as to why this is noteworthy.

6.     You can rarely pay with a $20 bill.  Stores would almost rather you don’t pay when faced with giving $18 in change.

7.     Natural gas for kitchen stoves is sold on a truck that circulates the neighborhoods every morning at 7:15 AM sharp, playing a loud recording on endless repeat that literally translates to “the gas, the gas, the blue tanks of gas, the gas, to be delivered, the gas, the blue tanks of gas.” I wish I were kidding about this one.

8.     You can buy upwards of $20 worth of fresh fruits and vegetables for under $8. This is by far one of our favorite parts of Ecuador.  Who said eating healthy couldn’t be affordable??

9.     Your face can (and will) be shoved in a cake on your birthday.  I celebrated my 21st here on the day after I arrived.  I can attest to this one!

10.    Every restaurant has some derivative of the word “chicken” in its name. Super Pollo, Texas Chicken, The Chicken House, Pollo Campeón (champion)… I’ve seen them all.  And if you were curious, KFC is very popular here too.  Almost all the locations managed to get the name right, but one location in Quito believes the K stands for “Kennedy” instead of Kentucky, and spent a lot of money on its large signage.

11.    Everyone is terrified of the sun.  My host mom puts sunscreen on her kids for long car rides in case they fall asleep too close to the window.

12.    You see your fair share of animals, some with more pleasant fates than others:

• You almost always pass a field of grazing cows or horses on your way somewhere.
• There are adorable puppies walking around on every street.
• Hornado, or a full roast pig on a large platter, is a delicacy in Ecuador and is often displayed in restaurant windows…leaving very little to the imagination (and even less innocence for a vegetarian like myself).
• Guinea pigs (cuy) are also served up on platters or skewers here.  And no, these aren’t the tiny guys you took home for the weekend from your first grade classroom; these guys are big.  We’re talking major leagues here.

13.    Mothers have extremely creative ways of carrying children. Most children are tied in a cloth wrap to their mom’s backs, so that they are completely covered from the sun. To better appreciate the knot tying skills of Ecuadorian mothers who ride the buses, see number #14 for an explanation on the “safety” of the public transportation systems.

14.    You will never get on or off a bus that isn’t still moving.  It’s remains a mystery to me as to why a country that’s so relaxed has such a rushed bus system, but it doesn’t seem to bother anyone else. Now I welcome the opportunity to hone my moving-vehicle-embarkation/disembarkation skills. It makes me feel like James Bond.

15.    All taxi drivers swerve to the sides of speed bumps to “avoid” them. I think this is an attempt at making the ride smoother, but in reality, half a car going over a speed bump is way bumpier than the full car going over a speed bump…

16.    Every corner store sells practically the same goods.  And quite a variety of those goods, may I add: everything from ice cream bars to empanadas to boxed wine.  Basically a one-stop-shop for your next party.

17.    The national pride is overwhelming.  Rightfully so. Ecuador is ever developing, naturally beautiful and so culturally and historically rich that there is a ton to be proud of.  Even small setbacks such as the fact none of Ecuador’s soccer teams have won in quite some time and its national beer (Pilsener) leaves little to be desired by the taste buds, aren’t enough to stop Ecuadorians from proudly rocking their jerseys and drinking Pilsener on game days… and every other day, really!

18.    Everything is a diminutive. One of our favorite phrases is: “Un favorcito, dame un vasito de aguito?” which literally translates to: a small/cute favor, can you give me a small/cute glass of small/cute water?

19.    The natural views of the mountains and Cotopaxi are stunning.  It’s like seeing Russia from your window, but better. 

20.    You always feel at home.  Everyone in Ecuador is so warm and willing to help; since arriving, we’ve never felt anything but supported and welcomed.  I can certainly say that our transition into life in Ecuador was so seamless because of the positivity of everyone around us, and we couldn’t be more grateful to be accepted so kindly into our community.

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Want to experience Ecuador for yourself?

Gender Inequality in Ecuador: An Interview with Sociologist Sheyla Ibarra Dávila

Gender inequality is a very serious issue in Ecuador today that affects women of all socioeconomic backgrounds, including those who live in the communities Manna Project International (MPI) serves. At MPI Ecuador, we are very fortunate to have developed a strong relationship with Sheyla Ibarra Dávila, a resident of Sangolqui and also a sociologist who has closely studied the culture of machismo, gender violence, and the state of women's rights in Ecuador. Although Sheyla is busy pursuing her Master's degree in sociology and completing her thesis on International Development Cooperation in Ecuador, she always makes time to share her knowledge with Program Directors and help them to better understand the gender inequalities that exist in Ecuador. The following is an interview Sheyla that highlights some of her research and opinions on the subject. 

An Interview with Sheyla Ibarra Dávila

What interests you about sociology? 

I’ve always loved the social sciences and being able to work with people.  I’m a very curious person and ask questions almost everywhere I go.  Sociology is the perfect field for someone who wants to constantly be investigating, researching and learning.

Why is women’s studies your favorite subject of study?

Women’s Studies is incredible to me because women are involved in all aspects of life, but are not valued for it.  Although the patriarchal, nuclear family is valued very highly in Ecuadorian society, women are the sturdy, yet voiceless, backbone of every family.  Women are intelligent, nurturing, loving and strong individuals and should be recognized and appreciated way more than they are today.  I’m very interested in the cultural roots in the devaluing of such important members of our society.

Sheyla

Can you define machismo for those who are unfamiliar with the term?

Machismo is the exercise of power of man over women.  It can manifest in physical violence but also in attitude and psychological aggressions.  In Ecuador, 53% of women experience this psychological abuse from men, 33% experience physical abuse from men, and 22% experience sexual abuse. 

What is life like for the typical Ecuadorian woman?

As I mentioned, Ecuadorian society values the patriarchal, nuclear family with delineated gender roles.  In most families, women are not allowed to work and completely depend on their husbands financially.  Most men dictate what women can and cannot do, which tends to include the expectation that women should stay at home, tend to the housework and raise children. Even young women who receive an education usually leave their studies or jobs after marriage.  Furthermore, because home roles are not taken seriously, women who have outside jobs are given no extra help from their spouses in taking care of house duties.

Can you speak about gender violence in Ecuador?

Gender violence is a difficult subject because it is exacerbated by Ecuadorian cultural norms.  For example, 90% of Ecuadorian women who experience violence do not want to take action against their perpetrator because family problems are considered private matters. Some women are worried about what others will think if they come out with accusations against their partners, and others fear more abuse if they speak up.  [Most] Ecuadorian women are not taught to have dreams or be independent and because of this, are extremely unlikely to stand on their own in abusive situations.  It has been proven that there is a higher risk of violence for married women and that 45-60 years is the age category experiencing the most abuse because that is the age that women are considered to be most “useless” to society. The racial breakdown of women experiencing gender violence is also interesting: 59% of mestizo women, 76% of afro-Ecuadorian women and 77% of indigenous women experience some form of gender violence.

Has there been legislation passed to combat these problems?

Before the 1970s, women [in Ecuador] had almost no rights as individuals.  The 1970s and 1980s were filled with equal rights activism work, and in 1994 a law was enacted that allowed women to take legal action against abusive men.  In 2008, women were finally given equal civil, political, social and economic rights as men, including the rights to decide freely on their sexual and reproductive health decisions.  While huge amounts of money were put towards social programs to support the legislation, the fundamental problem of machismo is ultural problem.  Legislation can only do so much to break social limitations.

Do you feel the effects of machismo in the field of sociology?

Absolutely. It’s difficult enough that many people do not take sociology seriously because it is somewhat of an abstract science, and Ecuadorians like concrete concepts.  But on top of that, being a female in the field poses its own set of challenges.  Most female sociologists are encouraged to study “softer” subjects such as women, children and the elderly, rather than subjects like the environment or politics, which are typically male-dominated fields.  Women don’t have problems learning in the classroom, but when they finally leave the classroom to conduct investigations in communities, it is very common for people to not respect them or to prefer to talk to a male sociologist. For this reason, 99% of female sociologists do not practice applied sociology.

What do you feel are the solutions to the issues of machismo and gender violence?

That’s a great question.  First, I think it’s important to note that machismo is a widespread problem in Ecuador and doesn’t just exist in one region.  Gender violence occurs at about the same rate in large cities as it does in rural areas.  Secondly, machismo also exists at all stages of life: early on in schools, in family life and in the work place.  While we need to work with men young and old to change opinions and attitudes, we also need to convey to women that actions as large as physical violence and as small as catcalling cannot be naturalized.  Neither those actions, nor any in between, should be tolerated by women.

Sangolqui community member and sociologist, Sheyla

While the legislation of 2008 is a step in the right direction, machismo is truly a cultural problem.  I think we are all waiting for the younger generation to make a difference.  More and more young Ecuadorian women are receiving higher education and hold more progressive values than their family members. Seventy percent of uneducated women experience abuse, but this statistic drops to 50% among educated women. Although a 50% rate of abuse is still alarmingly high, it shows a trend of decreased abuse with education and instills hope for an even lower rate in the future. Finally, in today’s day and age, no country lives in its own bubble.  As Ecuador becomes more and more globalized, it will be inspired by the progressive ideas of women who are fighting against violence and machismo all over the world.  As stories and experiences are shared, women can be influenced to encourage major perspective changes to society and mold their reality into a safer and more equal one for all people.

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Thank you, Sheyla!