My weekend getaway

By Emily Churchill

I love living in Quito because it’s close to so many amazing destinations for short getaways. Like many people, I’ve spent much of the past year staring at a computer screen, but I’ve still taken advantage of safe opportunities to get out and explore when possible. 

A few weekends ago, my boyfriend and I drove three hours south of Quito to the Hosteria La Andaluza, just outside of Riobamba. It’s a beautiful inn at the base of Chimborazo volcano. (Unfortunately, because it’s the rainy season, Chimborazo did not reveal her magnificence to us on this particular trip.) 

The property has existed for almost 500 years under many different owners. It’s claim to fame is that Simon Bolivar, one of South America’s most famous libertadores, stayed at the property on his many trips passing through Ecuador. You can even stay in the room where he slept! 

The property is beautiful and is home to many furry friends, including llamas, horses, cats, and an entire patio filled with rabbits. The hotel staff keep a basket of carrots in the patio for anyone who wants to feed them. I was lucky enough to become friends with the adorable rabbit pictured in this post. 

The hotel has a beautiful spa and a wonderful restaurant which serves a mix of traditional Ecuadorian dishes, as well as some international ones. There is also lots of colonial and 19th century artwork to explore throughout the hotel. 

The hotel staff did a great job of implementing COVID-friendly guidelines and precautions and there was plenty of room between guests at all times. We thoroughly enjoyed our weekend at Hosteria La Andaluza and we hope to return sometime during the dry season to catch a glimpse of Chimborazo!  

Meet my Spanish Teacher

By Anna Wilgenburg

As interns and program directors here at Manna, we all have the opportunity to take Spanish lessons with the Simon Bolivar Spanish School. These classes help us learn the language for our own personal goals, but they have also been indispensable in helping us, as volunteers from abroad, connect with the people in the community that we serve. When you are able to communicate with people in their native language, you are often able to have a larger impact than we would have been able to if we were unable to speak Spanish with them. I feel that even though my Spanish is far from perfect, I am still able to show interest in Ecuadorian culture by trying to speak the language, and I think that my students and members of the community as a whole appreciate this.

I was able to interview my teacher, Sandra Quishpe, about her experience as a teacher at the Simon Bolivar school and working with the students from Manna.

MPI: When did you start your school? How long have you been working with students?

Sandra: The School started in 1994 in Quito, I have been working with students for more than 26 years.

MPI: How many students do you teach? How many teachers do you have?

Sandra: Due to the Pandemic we have had to change, adapt and reinvent ourselves to continue providing our services by doing what we most like to do, teach and share the language and culture. Right now we have 7 teachers who are working, but we have a database of professional teachers who support us when we need them. At this time we have several students taking online classes and a few who are taking face-to-face classes.

MPI: Where did you learn to speak English?

Sandra: I learned at university, but if you don't practice you can't speak the language, so I learned more in my work as a teacher and helping students in the office.

MPI: How long have you been working with Manna?

Sandra: About 3 years.

MPI: What are the most important things to keep in mind when learning Spanish?

Sandra: First, find your rationale for learning the language. Then find affinity and interest in the language and culture of the place where the language is studied. Patience, dedication, perseverance in learning, and finally the motivation of personal growth and opening more doors in this wonderful world are important.

MPI: Why did you decide to work in this field?

Sandra: Because I like to help people, I love meeting new people and sharing experiences, but above all because I like traveling and seeing more places; I travel to other places while I am in my class teaching Spanish. Working in this job, I am doing what I really like and I am happy.

MPI: What do you like the most about teaching?

Sandra: I love sharing experiences and ensuring that my students can communicate in an appropriate way. I am very happy when they succeed.

MPI: What do you like the most about Ecuador?

Sandra: There are 2 things, the people with their warmth, joy and happiness in the simple things in life, and the unique nature that it has in its 4 natural regions: the Coast, the Sierra, the Oriente and the Insular Region or Galapagos.

New Year's in Ecuador

By Chloe Lacouture

     Happy New Year from Manna Project International to you! As our volunteers and community members celebrate this holiday, it is important to appreciate all of the amazing traditions that Ecuador has in store for the celebration of the new year. Some traditions are similar to those preformed in the US, such as lots of fireworks and spending time with family. Others are unique and involve the whole community getting together to celebrate.

      One of the most popular New Year’s traditions in Ecuador is the burning of a family’s “año viejo” (old year) or monigote. Ecuadorians fill old clothes with sawdust to create these figures that can look like a real person or an imaginary character with the addition of a mask. The monigote figures represent the old year that is burned in a bonfire at the stroke of midnight. Families sometimes create their monigotes to look like hated politicians that they hope will not be around next year. Some monigotes represent more traditional values, relating to religion or a personal meaning created by the family members. Some are purely for fun, such as cartoon characters and superheroes! Communities or neighborhoods may have a competition for who has made the best monigote, some even involve cash prices that go towards the drinking fund for the celebration. Los años viejos is a truly incredible experience for people with a great view of the city at midnight. Fires light up the night and people can be found dancing and jumping over the flames into the new year!

    The bonfires never run out of fuel on New Year’s! The next tradition is to throw a letter into the fire that contains a list of all the things you hope to leave behind in the “old year.” Many people write about any hardships they have had or things that have stressed them out. Others have made it a tradition to write wishes down and burn those instead, in the hope that they will come true next year!

    Another popular tradition in Ecuador is “Las 12 Uvas” (The 12 Grapes). At midnight, each person eats twelve grapes, making a wish before each bite. While the tradition originally symbolized the 12 apostles, people now wish for happiness, wealth, or anything else they desire. 

    If you ever visit Ecuador for New Year’s make sure you pack underwear that comes in every color of the rainbow! The color of your underwear will decide your fate for the upcoming year! Well, not entirely, but many believe that the color can symbolize what you hope to have in the new year. For example, yellow symbolizes luck and prosperity, while red symbolizes love and passion.

    Finally, a tradition that is perfect for the current circumstances we face during this pandemic: dreaming of traveling again. Hopeful travelers will run around their homes or neighborhoods while carrying an empty suitcase on New Year’s Eve. This tradition is a fun way to burn off some energy and wish for life to bring you many adventures next year!

   There are many more traditions that can be found in different parts of Ecuador and can change from family to family. New Year’s is an important holiday all over the world because it brings people together to reminisce on the old year and make wishes and goals for the next year. Celebrating the new year in Ecuador is a perfect way to learn more about the culture and create memories of many amazing sites throughout the night!

Befriending My Language Exchange Partner

By: Muntaha Islam

At Manna Project International, we have a great program in which we virtually connect with an Ecuadorian who would like to practice English every week. As a Floridian who continuously comes into contact with Hispanic culture, especially Puerto Rican and Cuban peoples, participating in the Language Exchange Program here at Manna has benefited me tremendously. I have benefited from practicing my Spanish-speaking with every meeting. My partner and I have even agreed to meet outside of Manna and visit the other’s country (I live in the United States whilst she resides in Ecuador). I adore our many meetings and we never run out of things to talk about. I have learned so much about her life, as she lives quite an adventurous one going bungee jumping, cycling through the mountain paths, being a honey harvester, and riding horses! My partner and I have a lot in common, as we both enjoy making beaded jewelry, drinking tea with honey, and playing with animals. Our interest in the other’s language allows for us to build our language skills in an incredible way, introducing literature, songs, and other media. 

        In the United States, I have noticed that language learning takes on a role as some sort of an academic necessity rather than a desire to experience another culture. The language exchange program feels like a great friendship, in which you befriend a stranger with the interest of language-learning as a foundation for a strong bond. 

Another benefit to speaking to a friend in the target language is shaping your mind to think in more dynamic ways. As an immigrant, I can tell you that the way in which I think whilst speaking my mother tongue (Bengali) and the way in which I think whilst speaking English is completely different! The language itself is a culture in its own, as it models your thoughts and perceptions. Languages change how you see yourself! In the Kuuk Thaayorre language, spoken by the Thaayorre peoples of Australia, it has sixteen words for absolute cardinal directions rather than words related to the subjective sense such as ahead or left. Such usage moulds the Thaayore people to instinctively recognize their place on the globe simply by how their language programs their very senses! Another interesting note is that in Bengali if you were to bruise your knee, you’d say “আমার হাঁটুতে চোট পড়েছে”, which translates to “my knee bruised itself”. In opposition, in English, you’d declare, “I hurt my knee!”; “my knee hurt itself” doesn’t fit into the grammatical structure. In English, the hurting action gets blamed upon the individual, whereas Bengali blames the knee! 

        In my journey of learning Spanish, I have discovered how descriptive and explicit my thoughts whilst speaking and formatting sentences. It is a very explanatory and sensational language, where how one feels, their opinions, and their perceptions are clearly worded as subjective. The language exchange program at MPI has certainly created an interest in the epistemology behind languages for me!

Ecuadorian Ceviche

By: Linda Dillon

Watch Linda’s video on how to make ceviche here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty8pcrC-2Jk&feature=youtu.be

Ceviche is usually made from fresh raw fish that is cured in citrus juices; however, it can also be made with shrimp and/or octopus. Ceviche is very popular in the Pacific coastal regions of western Latin America and is often eaten as an appetizer. It is served everywhere from street stands to expensive restaurants.

The origin of ceviche is disputed between Peru and Ecuador, as both countries have an amazing variety of fish and shellfish, so it could easily have come from the ancient Inca civilizations of Peru and Ecuador. The technique of macerating raw fish and meat in vinegar, citrus and spices, this process is called escabeche and was brought to the Americas from Spain. It is also linked to the Muslim heritage in Spanish cuisine. However, there have been archeological records which suggest that ceviche may have been consumed in Peru and Ecuador nearly two thousand years ago. 

Every Latin American country makes ceviche a bit differently, placing their own touch of individuality! For example, in Mexico, ceviche is topped with avocado, jalapeno, and hot sauce; Peruvian Ceviche is traditionally drier and served with cooked potato slices; while in Ecuador, ceviche is accompanied with fried green plantains or plantain chips called “chifles”, popcorn, and corn nuts. From experience, I have also noticed that in Ecuadorian ceviche, they include tomato sauce or ketchup for a sweet, tangy flavor and juice from an orange, which is uncommon in other countries when preparing ceviche.

Ingredients

·        1 lb. peeled shrimp

·        7-8 limes

·        1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

·        1 chopped red onion

·        2-3 finely chopped tomatoes

·        2 tsp. finely chopped cilantro

·        ½ cup ketchup

·        2 tsp. olive oil

·        Salt & pepper to taste

Steps

1.     Wash, peel and cook shrimp.

2.     Chop up and mix onions, tomatoes, and cilantro.

3.     Add lime juice, orange juice, ketchup, and olive oil.

4.     Add the shrimp. Add salt & pepper to taste.

5.     Let the mixture sit in the fridge for at least an hour.

6.     Serve cold with plantain chips or popcorn.