tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54353453082890265472024-02-18T20:32:47.661-05:00living off the gritPedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-84743548515041230142014-11-28T22:23:00.000-05:002014-11-29T09:53:26.122-05:00"My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you"<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFr4ASfgx4FYtwp22H5IZ_j5oVCmlfH2PHLimVRVnw_FWLkeGOYlRiIQ7U2K90rXJ187KgK6wiR5RJLESjSA6s9Z5HViEtapGWHSow1WEMvSpwYimP6uWT1qWUU0J1is0JETRIKZdl8fM/s1600/IMG_3200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFr4ASfgx4FYtwp22H5IZ_j5oVCmlfH2PHLimVRVnw_FWLkeGOYlRiIQ7U2K90rXJ187KgK6wiR5RJLESjSA6s9Z5HViEtapGWHSow1WEMvSpwYimP6uWT1qWUU0J1is0JETRIKZdl8fM/s1600/IMG_3200.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Clouds parting over Chirimoyal.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Resilience. Flexibility. Courage. Faith.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Where do the engines of the human soul find their fuel? What is the strange sustenance that will-power and spirit provide? Out of what material does perseverance manifest?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3FLXLGL4xn10zM8Hyyguo6BMvZFC4KaFnFB0wo4OhY8BFF-rWA8udPMHfo1ia_sPqpRJu8oA4LNyj7QjfvQFKCQh-xljipFRq4h-Aad14DmKtVUZNpOf-lBrwiM07jXVSNwHkXUzXMxc/s1600/IMG_2951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3FLXLGL4xn10zM8Hyyguo6BMvZFC4KaFnFB0wo4OhY8BFF-rWA8udPMHfo1ia_sPqpRJu8oA4LNyj7QjfvQFKCQh-xljipFRq4h-Aad14DmKtVUZNpOf-lBrwiM07jXVSNwHkXUzXMxc/s1600/IMG_2951.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A beautiful, bug-free view.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The fruit of labour on Chirimoyal.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I drew my cup from my family. I aspired toward the dignity of endurance that Hannah Arendt wrote of in "On Revolution." Life is difficult: problems arise like waves on the seashore. Living, one must come to understand</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, is not in avoiding or worrying about the inevitable problems -- rather, to confront the problem of living is the basis of all human labour. The exertion of labour is the first act of happiness; the rejuvenation that would follow is the second act. Happiness itself is like the theatre crowd: when the show ends it begins to leave. This is the simple nature of happiness that is yet so difficult to enjoy, and impossible to hold in one's hand.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP0SR8ZnNUQCG3AEoMbbwutgUy09Vel5co4Wnv5_O4xfJS0Oz0S9b60K7RorXwdi7gmz6MDaR7E-kWlS8z1wDEawQYD48JPr4cuavSbSM2xbfsXgUiHxOLNw0pfPrOL2q86o00xY2qVEw/s1600/P1050473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZl4bwLE1n70gQjoKANncZRDfQGmav4q3lIPg5LFiVR7pXVNQm8CUyhak8LP1zvZTuwoSe26BbvT1f8Mz4CBMiAEya__LxVm1F6TmBnZD18xyEaZC5gHx2tHgLQ_vDRW2CPoyDViBgkU/s1600/IMG_2952.JPG" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Necessary to build for our necessities.</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZl4bwLE1n70gQjoKANncZRDfQGmav4q3lIPg5LFiVR7pXVNQm8CUyhak8LP1zvZTuwoSe26BbvT1f8Mz4CBMiAEya__LxVm1F6TmBnZD18xyEaZC5gHx2tHgLQ_vDRW2CPoyDViBgkU/s1600/IMG_2952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To be happy I chose to build again: I chose the process, not the product. The great need I felt then to see my work through to its construction was a desire to see a completed process, not a desire to construct a certain structure. This much I had learned from the first attempt.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I might choose to build again, though I could not choose to return to our earlier situation. The tide swelled: our budget dwindled, our visa period had a definite, approaching end and our family beckoned us to a "traditional" life with worried words. Our project had roots in a deeper, older tradition.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The practical points of rebuilding desperately needed our focus.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The next several posts will break these points down and cover them one-by-one. Expect short articles on:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">designing</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">siting</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">clearing and preparing a site</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">levelling a site</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">transferring a design to the ground</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">digging and filling the foundation trenches</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">stacking a stone stem-wall</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">pouring an adobe floor</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">finding and preparing the right cob mix</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">machine mixing large quantities of cob</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the need to adapt a cob work-process to specific climates</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">trimming</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">collecting materials ahead of time</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">what to do when you can't achieve your goal: flexibility & improvisation in natural building</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">putting up a roof</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the unforeseen uses of a structure</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">natural building and community</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>If you build it, they will come...</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...and more...</span></li>
</ul>
<ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP0SR8ZnNUQCG3AEoMbbwutgUy09Vel5co4Wnv5_O4xfJS0Oz0S9b60K7RorXwdi7gmz6MDaR7E-kWlS8z1wDEawQYD48JPr4cuavSbSM2xbfsXgUiHxOLNw0pfPrOL2q86o00xY2qVEw/s1600/P1050473.JPG" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The last sun rays</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">stretch and scatter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">the valley night.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</ul>
Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Ibarra, Ecuador0.36267800000000011 -78.1306670000000170.29916450000000011 -78.211348000000015 0.42619150000000011 -78.049986000000018tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-10727082469599885962014-08-05T17:20:00.000-05:002014-08-05T17:21:07.652-05:00It's Not Rock Science<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We got our rocks and we got them for free. In the end, you get what you pay for.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Although what we received did not split easily under hammer and chisel, and certainly weighed the weight of what we thought we had bargained for, it was the rain that revealed the true nature of our rocks.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7Hl6XNJfcGkxNmuLLVTtnYlv55vzUgMatdGWZyEicBVhfplvNaQExHHjPr61Ut5Gv2k-DEq8spbuRZtqsEsiZKcUIOLWE54dxfZvGLA2qG4wDl_939G3mZOm-qCzhHS8e7O-n93gKVQ/s1600/IMG_2997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7Hl6XNJfcGkxNmuLLVTtnYlv55vzUgMatdGWZyEicBVhfplvNaQExHHjPr61Ut5Gv2k-DEq8spbuRZtqsEsiZKcUIOLWE54dxfZvGLA2qG4wDl_939G3mZOm-qCzhHS8e7O-n93gKVQ/s1600/IMG_2997.JPG" height="150" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Some of these things<br />are not like the others.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Ecuadorian Andes are not glacial mountains, though some do contain glaciers. They are not carved of solid rock; they are not of fixed height. The Andes are the geological result of the massive tectonic plates under the earth and ocean coming together and overlapping, a process called orogenesis (<b>Greek</b>: <i>oros</i> [moutain] + <i>genesis</i> [creation, origin]). Every year as the plates continue their movement, the plate on top is pushed slightly higher by the plate on bottom wedging itself further underneath. The top plate folds and deforms, giving birth to mountains. Growth of this sort is a slow thing, but I have heard it is the slow moving things about which one should worry, if one worries at all.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What is now the top, middle and lower strata of the Andes was once, so long ago the entire universe was noticeably younger, the bottom of a great sea. That sea contained mostly sand, a good deal of organic matter and a scattering of relatively small rocks. All of this has been mixed together and very slowly formed into mountains. As Oscar put it, ‘The Andes are made of cement.’ It is a weak cement and while great compressive force has wrought physically tough material capable of withstanding the blows of man and machine, water undoes its bonds in very little time.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course, there were signs that our rocks were not rocks. They were very brittle and broke under the chisel in odd ways. I guessed that something was amiss and left the stem-wall un-mortared and incomplete for a week while awaiting a response from an Irish stonemason I had met in Cloughjordan. His response came: he could not tell the rock from only a photo. By then it no longer mattered: the rain had revealed the truth.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK4h0Y4WW0tjCs9mTlq_KRgvvRXaquMTH4UKPYIeYJR9_SvxQ4-tR5ca0E8eDuOGY5_qvA-AsPYZc6VPTvjWJKQHnLHEGKT47qtg7jLrdYjRWTyBJ2hgMYjTidxw17Q-ybQYLKayFbrWs/s1600/IMG_3169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK4h0Y4WW0tjCs9mTlq_KRgvvRXaquMTH4UKPYIeYJR9_SvxQ4-tR5ca0E8eDuOGY5_qvA-AsPYZc6VPTvjWJKQHnLHEGKT47qtg7jLrdYjRWTyBJ2hgMYjTidxw17Q-ybQYLKayFbrWs/s1600/IMG_3169.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Truth within the rocks.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhor1rByM323c4-lNj2JgDHrQlP4X4qS398Oxzhh6vPLzwJYgiMbWDMR7Od4M483EGvD236YCYyEsae5TSr2UnwdNflDdK_9H3nK8pWjBl7g4r2EyB8lFDjh7TaFiH5B7oazrWkY95lcjQ/s1600/P1060201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhor1rByM323c4-lNj2JgDHrQlP4X4qS398Oxzhh6vPLzwJYgiMbWDMR7Od4M483EGvD236YCYyEsae5TSr2UnwdNflDdK_9H3nK8pWjBl7g4r2EyB8lFDjh7TaFiH5B7oazrWkY95lcjQ/s1600/P1060201.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When the Universal Solvent<br />has dissolved the 'rock'<br />to a watery sludge, not even<br />a single pebble remains</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The organic matter of our rocks had turned into a thick sludge not unlike clay slip, but much more watery. This sludge leaked down through the rocks and into the gravel drainage ditch where it covered the top course of gravel and became stuck. The rocks themselves looked like poor disintegrated piles of cement, with a melting exterior over a dry, hard and solid mass. The sight was miserable and the feeling terrible. In the end we had paid dearly for our free material with a month and a half of negotiation and hard labor down the drain — and the drain clogged!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the Chota Valley we have a saying:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He who laughs last,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">is surely Ingeniero Zapata.</span></div>
Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com1Chota River, Ecuador0.4960802 -78.1034301999999910.4921107 -78.1084727 0.5000497 -78.098387699999989tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-89617998080184237342014-05-22T21:31:00.000-05:002014-05-22T21:40:30.161-05:00Nobody gets in to see the Wizard. Not nobody.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMEtB-MNQI7HF86h39WmobJX9Kjhab5mFv86H_P-C6qUklyxE__rj5wwOlHUEPKF1IrAUt7GjCNihNkn4BuiKSNX7DH93Envam4BwjunoG6Ih3j1Ci5IJLu7BqB2YnsrRLhL2kUfE5FY/s1600/IMG_2497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMEtB-MNQI7HF86h39WmobJX9Kjhab5mFv86H_P-C6qUklyxE__rj5wwOlHUEPKF1IrAUt7GjCNihNkn4BuiKSNX7DH93Envam4BwjunoG6Ih3j1Ci5IJLu7BqB2YnsrRLhL2kUfE5FY/s1600/IMG_2497.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Electric light on Chirimoyal.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Four A.M. in the valley of Chota. Darkness envelops all things, casting the mountains in dim outline against the sky. The water boils noisily on the stove, the only sound left. I pull on a warm camel-hair hat, pour a cup of coffee for myself and sit, staring out at the shadowy forms beyond the black mesh surrounding the kitchen, red nescafé cup steaming in my hands. The foundation trenches have been dug and the gravel infill filled in. It is time for the stone stem wall. One day has passed since the chief engineer of the province ordered Ingeniero Zapata to provide me with rocks from the excavation site.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The gate to the encampamiento appears deserted. I walk up to the hatch and bang on the steel door. I wait half a minute and bang again. To my left is a small guardpost jutting out from the monolithic concrete wall surrounding the encampamiento. The hatch in the guard-post slides open.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"How can I help you?" I turn left to face the unseen questioner.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I would like to speak with Ingeniero Zapata."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"He's not here."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On the other side of the hatch a security guard in a bullet-proof vest with company insignia sewn over the right breast looks back at me. The time is not yet five A.M.: truth is still a relative thing.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"During a meeting with the chief engineer of the province two days ago at the MTOP headquarters in Ibarra, I was told me to meet Zapata here between four thirty and five in the morning."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Let me go see."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The hatch closes. My hands are warm in the pockets of my vest. A hatch opens, the one beside the vehicular gate.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Yes?" says a worker with a white helmet.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I would like to speak with Ingeniero Zapata."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"About what?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"About receiving a few dumptrucks of rocks from the road works near the old panamericana."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"What's your name?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Bartels."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Wait here. Ingeniero Zapata is preparing the crew so he may be a while."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I'll be here," I say, pointing to the pick-up.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The hatch slides shut.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From within the pickup cabin I watch the white cinder block change from black to grey.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Hey!" The hatch beside the vehicular gate is open. The dawn quiet amplifies the sound of the pickup's doors opening with a heavy click and closing with a satisfying thunk. For the third time this morning I have a stranger's face.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Well?" I ask.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"The Ingeniero says he can't spare any material."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Look, do you know who Sofía Franco is?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"The Ingeniera?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Yes, the same, head of the MTOP. I had a meeting with her two days ago and she had the chief engineer of the province call Zapata and tell him to give me the material I'm asking for. Please remind him of that."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"OK, I'll try telling him that..."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Wait – could you just ask him to come over here and speak to me himself?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Wait here."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The vehicular gate-side hatch slides shut. The hatch in the guardhouse slides open.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Who are you?" asks a security guard.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I'm here to see Ingeniero Zapata," I say, turning to the left. "His boss called his cell-phone two days ago and ordered him to give me two dumptrucks of rocks from the road excavation by the old panamericana. My name is Bartels; I spoke directly with Zapata right here, two days ago at about this time."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"What do you need the rocks for?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"For the foundations of a house I'm building."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Where are you building?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"On the old pana, just past where they are excavating."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Ah, that's real close-by."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Yes. Could bring Zapata for a moment? Just tell him who I am, he should know."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The hatch slides shut.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I kick at the lose gravel in front of the gate. The sun is beginning to rise. Metal rattles and the gate slides open. A white ministry pickup rolls out of the driveway, stopping before my pickup. A security guard walks over. How many security guards does the encampamiento employ? "Please move your pickup out of the way," he says, and points to a strip of bare earth between the encampamiento wall and the highway. I move my pickup and watch the gate close behind the ministry pickup. From within their pickup, one of the ministry men looks at me from under a yellow hat, and then their pickup turns onto the highway and is gone.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dawn is a strange moment. The sun rises quickly while time passes slowly.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Sir!" The gate-side hatch is open. I get out of the pickup and walk over.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"What's up?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I told Zapata what you said." Ah! At last, an acquaintance! I nod.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"He doesn't know who you are or what you're talking about."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"And I suppose he didn't receive a call from his boss the other day either?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"That's right."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Is there more than one Ingeniero Zapata here?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"No sir, just the chief engineer."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Can I speak with him please? If he's busy maybe you could let me in and I could see him in his office."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I'm sorry, but Zapata has already left for the day."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Well where can I find him?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I can't say – he drives around to all of the works in the region throughout the day. Your best chance is in the morning--"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"--between four and five-thirty?" I interject.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"That's right."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Thank you," I say.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The hatch slides shut.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Zapata . . . !</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A house must needs construction to be built. Just so hands must need work to construct. My hands, driving me all about in search of materials, were long in not doing construction work. For a second time in two days I visit the MTOP. This time however Ana, the secretary, lets me in to Sofía's office after a short wait. We exchange greetings.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Did you receive the materials you needed?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"No – Zapata said he neither remembered me, nor the phone call the chief engineer made to him – but I don't know, they didn't let me speak directly to Zapata."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Hmm... In that case, you'll have to submit a written petition for materials, signed by the director of the NGO you are working with, yourself, and me."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"You'd sign something like that?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Sure, it's not a problem if we have the signature of the director of you organisation. We can't give materials and services to private individuals, but to organisations, yes."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Alright! – thank you so much! I'll go prepare a petition for materials with the organisation. Will you be in this afternoon?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I'm here from three to four-thirty."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"OK – I'll come by between those hours for your signature."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"See you later."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"See you later, Sofía – and thanks!"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Ibarra, Ecuador0.3626778 -78.13066670.2991643 -78.2113477 0.4261913 -78.049985700000008tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-6847412748695254862014-04-03T22:49:00.000-05:002014-05-22T19:58:01.385-05:00Z for Zapata<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiXiICTVuspBaAZtOWwgsm39b_HJEYOqptBhRm5NkLyu6TZbnzqxzhMFBYcvxR4C65THUGroxdH8mS_X_lIDHq2v8Qzg2AJZrDHm7CkawzLEHINpn5EER_uJJd_iQGnUfy42b8jOfb6Tc/s1600/IMG_2875.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiXiICTVuspBaAZtOWwgsm39b_HJEYOqptBhRm5NkLyu6TZbnzqxzhMFBYcvxR4C65THUGroxdH8mS_X_lIDHq2v8Qzg2AJZrDHm7CkawzLEHINpn5EER_uJJd_iQGnUfy42b8jOfb6Tc/s1600/IMG_2875.jpeg" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Zapata!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Free material. The balm of gilead for poor natural builders. Clay from a road cut; stones from an excavation site sand from the ground or river. We received several dump trucks full of free materials from the Ministry of Transportation & Public Works, or M.T.O.P. Will we ever ask them for stones again? Quoth the raven, "Nevermore!"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I awoke to the sound of my alarm ringing at 4:30 AM. The crickets had gone to sleep several hours ago and the birds had not yet woken. There was one person out there, somewhere, awake, and I had an appointment with him: <i>Ingeniero Zapata.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My blue Mazda pickup rolled off the highway onto the driveway to the M.T.O.P. encampment. Gravel crunched and popped under the tires as I came to a stop before a large corrugated steel gate. I got out of the pickup and walked up to the gate. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Buenos Días," I shouted. A hatch to the left of the gate slid open and I heard a voice from somewhere int he darkness. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"What do you want?" </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I walked closer to the hatch and peered inside, trying to get a glimpse of the courtyard. I could see a small number of workers crossing beneath a large mango tree, while a paved drive led to a large hangar, probably a garage. When the workers began for the day, which they soon would, they would roll out in 16 </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">dump trucks, four Komatsu hydraulic shovels and a number of ministry pickups with the M.T.O.P. logo painted on the sides. They would climb to their positions in the mountains and resume excavation to make room for the expansion of the panamericana to four lanes. They reminded me of the ants taking apart the cement fixings of our house, working constantly and leaving rubble piles at their work sites. Unlike the men, the ants also did us the favor of removing dead cockroaches and food scraps. I turned my attention back to the voice beyond the hatch. "I'm here to see Zapata. I heard he'd be here at this time," I said.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Who are you?" the voice responded.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"My name is Bartels," and I added "I live here," in case they were feeling neighbourly.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"What do you want?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I would like to speak with the chief engineer about receiving some of the rocks excavated during your works. Is that engineer Zapata?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Yes."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The hatch slid shut. I waited, hugging my down vest tight around my torso. A few seconds later the hatch opened.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"What do you want?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Are you engineer Zapata?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Yes."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"You're the chief engineer?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Yes."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He had a yellow helmet. Everyone else had a white helmet.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I would like to know if it would be possible to receive from the excavation works a dump-truck or two full of rocks, for use in the foundations of a house I'm building."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Zapata looked at me through the hatch. In the dim light I couldn't make out his features.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I can't give you any material without permission from the director of the M.T.O.P."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Where is the M.T.O.P. director located?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"At the M.T.O.P. headquarters, in Ibarra."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had Zapata draw me a map, then I thanked him and returned home. The birds had woken up for their morning concert and I wouldn't be returning to sleep any time soon. I put on a kettle for coffee and heated up a breakfast of tomato de árbol and banana in oatmeal with granola.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
The M.T.O.P. is a gated complex on the main road through Ibarra, leading south to Quito in one direction and north to Tulcán and the border with Colombia in the other direction. I drove past the ministry complex twice before realising it was there. The security guard at the gate, after learning I was there to see the director, waved us through with the colloquial "Siga." The first building past the gates on the left-hand side is a tiny guard house with no door. All of the buildings in the complex surround the parking lot, which extends back until it bends and is out of sight. The office next to the guard house was plastered with cement, per the norm here, and a large triangular wedge had fallen away, exposing the the rough, light-grey concrete wall. Following the office, a large bathroom facility showed no outer damage. Further down the left-hand side of the parking lot a large hangar, corrugated roof held aloft by several steel pylons, housed two large dump-trucks and a small backhoe. The hangar juts into the parking lot, blocking further view. To the right-hand side past the entrance to the complex is an empty building. What I imagined would one day be window frames were no more than several holes in the far wall, clearly visible through the collapsed near well. Naked rebar stuck out from concrete columns and floors like grass growing on an undisturbed field. The next building into the complex on this side caught my attention. A stone and mortar wall protected the outside of an outdoor staircase. I parked and the security guard wandered over to the pickup. He asked for a more detailed version of my business there. I explained the discussion with Zapata and he gestured to the rear of the parking lot. "You want the building in back," he said, returning to his post. I went as far back as the hangar before realising that all of the buildings beyond looked the same to me. I stopped and asked a a man working on one of the dump trucks where the director's office was. "You mean the directora, engineer Sofía Franco?" He pointed to the metal-framed glass doorway next to the staircase with the stone wall, back towards the entrance. "You want that building up front."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Inside the building where the directora presumedly resided during working hours a young woman greeted me. "Are you engineer Sofía Franco?" I asked. "No," she replied, "I'm her secretary." As I was introducing myself another man entered and began speaking with her. She asked me to take a seat in the chairs in an alcove by the entrance. A man and a woman had already sat in two of the chairs and had to stand up to let me by as I stepped up into the alcove. When I sat my knees were almost touching the man's knees. All of us waited silently in the uncomfortably close intimacy of that alcove. After five minutes the secretary approached and motioned me to her desk. I explained the situation with Zapata.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"What do you need the material for?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I need about two dump trucks of stones and three of clay-filled earth, if that would be possible, for a natural house in Chota."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"In Chota? Ah, that part of the road is under the jurisdiction of the provincial M.T.O.P. of Carchi, in Tulcán."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tulcán is two hours from Chota by car.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Ingeniero Zapata told me to come here for the directora's permission."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Ah, maybe, but the excavation there is part of the road works done by the Carchi M.T.O.P."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Look, I live on the old panamericana, just past the Ambuquí toll both. It's still the province of Imbabura there."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"You have to go to Tulcán; we can't give you permission here."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"The land where I'm building is 5 km further from Ibarra than the excavation works. To build there I had to get permission from the government administration here in Ibarra, not from Carchi... and Ingeniero Zapata was clear that he receives orders from you all, at this ministry in Ibarra."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She held my gaze.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"The ministry can't just give away materials to any individual who comes and asks for them."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I'm not asking for much, and I'll pay the full cost of transport, including gasoline."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"What you're asking for is not possible."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Please, could I speak with the directora?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She glanced away and then back at me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Are you part of an organisation or something?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Yes," I replied immediately, "I'm a volunteer with an NGO here in Ibarra. This house project is related to my work with them. We work with indigenous communities, with the blind community of Imbabura, and with... uh... what's the word for people who are in jail?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Prisoner?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Uh, so maybe ex-prisoner capacitation."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The conversation had moved outside my prepared speech and my Spanish vocabulary was barely up to the task.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"One moment."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The secretary entered the room she had glanced at earlier. Above the door was a placard with the words "Ingeniera Sofía Franco." After a moment she reappeared.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Go ahead, the directora will see you now."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The directora, from behind her desk, was chatting with a man slouching on the couch. I introduced myself. The directress pulled her glossy lips into a big smile. "I'm Sofía," she said. "Your project is an interesting. What can we do to help?" I began to explain. When I arrived at Zapata, the man on the couch pulled out his cellphone and dialled a number. I shifted my explanation to the work done by the NGO. Sofía was nodding along with what I was saying.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Zapata," the man on the couch spoke into his cellphone, "did two gringos come by this morning?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sofía and I turned to regard him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"What did he ask for?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There was a pause as Zapata responded on the other end of the line.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"That's all? That's not a problem, give it to him."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sofía smiled at me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"You can go pick up the material now," this time the man spoke to me as he pocketed the cellphone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Thank you very much," I said, "though Zapata said I need the director's," I looked at Sofía, "or the directora's permission."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They both laughed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"This is the head engineer of the province," Sofía explained while gesturing to the man. "He's like the boss of Zapata."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I nodded.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"All the same, could I have your number just in case he forgets this call?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They both laughed, the head engineer especially loudly. I wondered if Zapata had a reputation, or I were busy making one for myself. Sofía consented and we exchanged numbers. I thanked them both, we all shook hands and I left the office. On the way out I resumed a conversation I had been having with the secretary about obtaining straw bales. After promising to contact a neighbour of hers she had seen baling barley straw she suggested we exchange numbers. Another round of thanks and handshakes and I left the ministry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Back in the pickup I thought about how Sofía said she was 28, and the secretary looked in her thirties, and how Sofía was made up with lipstick and eyeliner. I remembered what Pablo had said. 'Jamie, Correa has removed all the heads of public ministries and agencies from office. And he replaced them with attractive young women straight out of university. And now? Good luck getting anything done if it involves the government."</span></div>
Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Ibarra, Ecuador0.3626778 -78.13066670.2991643 -78.2113477 0.4261913 -78.049985700000008tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-5650552522504134972014-03-19T14:39:00.000-05:002014-04-03T22:54:08.295-05:00Aggregating Mistakes<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We knew we would make many mistakes when we began this project. Today's mistakes are the seeds for tomorrow's successes, and we prefer to leave this project having made most of our grand mistakes in natural building. For your edification and amusement, here are some of the errors of our ways.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1. <i>We'll just strap the baby on our backs and work together.</i></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnHgZRICgC9fXsS1cWLnrbY8yliQA35bIATRSbZaKDNaS2t9ztfK71YVjH10by1LYnlWzFhOjh7hkhqBhObFY2aR1U6JG3FopxbxrUnphzukVd6a5MtTE4KrenMXDP-g7X3SZt_Wf72c/s1600/IMG_1190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnHgZRICgC9fXsS1cWLnrbY8yliQA35bIATRSbZaKDNaS2t9ztfK71YVjH10by1LYnlWzFhOjh7hkhqBhObFY2aR1U6JG3FopxbxrUnphzukVd6a5MtTE4KrenMXDP-g7X3SZt_Wf72c/s1600/IMG_1190.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This one doesn't mind.</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The baby, as it turns out, has plenty to say about that. Half of us is occupied with childcare in easy times, and on other days we abandon work on the natural house to cook, clean and nap. Parenting is a much harder job than natural building.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. <i>That looks fine, let's just go ahead and build.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We try to accommodate many different priorities here, sometimes leading us in a tricky balancing act with no right choice and many wrong ones. After digging and filling the foundation trench for the first attempt we realised we hadn't put enough thought into the design. The result was several awkwardly large rooms that had no flow. This and several other "mistakes" filled us with such regret we decided to scrap the first attempt, relocate the site, and begin again from scratch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. <i>We'll organise the site later.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-R2K4bBxeupZIjAvje7Caf5y1LYF_oQRXoN6XUf68hABbnNsWoJx6oRf5CBi3zrf4W1dGspmAjSHFHlVyigEDEc8X1MxTjCfkuJWQBJcjHRi9mStYL3ifsIFmMl8x_jASXbbgsLotjo/s1600/IMG_3784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvZnfhBF2uNQ7xS_FUeeH67MeZuMTVCelulVadXiIQjuq5nbG7BkGwnsb6VibsE6kQT13NUwCbkp621I1q0NL6xTQIMIjeFiZhfV2YeICGG-67jHUOp_IUH0Brnb0igjz8bA0AkOjkyw/s1600/IMG_3147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvZnfhBF2uNQ7xS_FUeeH67MeZuMTVCelulVadXiIQjuq5nbG7BkGwnsb6VibsE6kQT13NUwCbkp621I1q0NL6xTQIMIjeFiZhfV2YeICGG-67jHUOp_IUH0Brnb0igjz8bA0AkOjkyw/s1600/IMG_3147.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chaos.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBWgpvGrVCNwg1QHfmhSr8j91k8YT2AFOCWB_Qr3vlHUYC5WqRFshs0bjP14vR0bHEbYaR9yP33DHarW8RLP6bT6y8yH4k99yEIHKsqESNkJxHcsny0giSAC47zJqBEOZ_hcbNcp8HWn4/s1600/IMG_3784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBWgpvGrVCNwg1QHfmhSr8j91k8YT2AFOCWB_Qr3vlHUYC5WqRFshs0bjP14vR0bHEbYaR9yP33DHarW8RLP6bT6y8yH4k99yEIHKsqESNkJxHcsny0giSAC47zJqBEOZ_hcbNcp8HWn4/s1600/IMG_3784.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Order</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When the schedule is placed before all else, quality of work is sure to suffer. Organisational lapses accumulate and boulders end up on the wrong side of a foundation trench. Piles of excavated earth block the work area, until they are haphazardly relocated to make way for a wheelbarrow. On an un-level site, just carting around 80kg of rock is a challenge. Alternatively, a site with even a minimum of forethought put into organisation is delightfully satisfying to work on and, personally, much more aesthetically pleasing. Sand, stones and earth handy where you need them; always a clear and level path for the wheelbarrow; safe for children to work and play in and around. They must mind the scorpions, of course.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4. <i>Never trust Zapata.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">More on this later.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i></i><br /><i></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5. <i>Trust in ourselves and our vision.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(alternatively,<i> Just Say No!</i>)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There will always be someone who thinks they know better than us how to accomplish our dreams. Sometimes they do know better than us about the practicalities of getting there. But if we relinquish decision making to this person, at that point our dream ceases to be ours and becomes theirs -- and that is in the lucky case. Much more likely is that our dream becomes their side-project or resumé-padder, and we are pointed in the "right" direction and left on our own at the first difficulty. We cannot trust our intuition once we begin down this road because the project no longer comes from us, is no longer tied to our standards, nor to our aesthetic and technical vision. No matter how much more than us someone knows about a specific subject or way of doing something, we will stand firm in our decisions. Working to educate yourself without a teacher can be stressful and frightening. The final form of your work remains cloudy and the path to achievement is unclear. This project has been full of these experiences: learning to cement, learning to plaster, learning to build a dry toilet and grey water system, learning to build a stone foundation. I can say that ultimately, walking our own path is much more satisfying and, for me, has been much more edifying than following someone else. Even if it means restarting from scratch a couple of times.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZhyphenhyphenvlGQn5cjlOU_8AUCF34k7xeGZZCyhxJhOAEi07jpquU10o5W5I_KGRu94-w7etQforFhBsotg6NZMHGucWV84Dv9qR0nZn6SManQ_OjObxtY1__lsrfVGYoD5iX9uFEP_hZOqbeYw/s1600/IMG_4201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZhyphenhyphenvlGQn5cjlOU_8AUCF34k7xeGZZCyhxJhOAEi07jpquU10o5W5I_KGRu94-w7etQforFhBsotg6NZMHGucWV84Dv9qR0nZn6SManQ_OjObxtY1__lsrfVGYoD5iX9uFEP_hZOqbeYw/s1600/IMG_4201.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our intuitive interpretation of dry-stacked stone foundation. Taken before we applied mortar.</span></td></tr>
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Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com3Ambuqui, Ecuador0.4473288 -78.0052678000000130.4155723 -78.045608300000012 0.47908530000000005 -77.964927300000014tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-19892368915678425492014-03-17T08:42:00.000-05:002014-03-20T07:27:00.301-05:00Orion's Belt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The longer you stare at the night sky the more stars are revealed. The patina of thinly spotted blackness dissolves and coloured spots of light twinkle into vision. The empty space between those spots is filled with a glowing cob-web of stellar illumination. Galaxies and constellations take shape</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Under the stars, I think of our project in Ecuador. We had an idea that we would arrive in the country, proceed to work with Ainoa on our backs, helped by a small force of volunteers to finish the cob house and build a permaculture garden where we would grow most of our vegetables.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The longer we stay and work the more complexities and problems are revealed. The naïve vision dissolves and administrative realities make us spend time where we had not planned to spend it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9L0XhX8qu39j9qW86Syz10z0o_GhUQROlbCiDed96qYkxd8bhxv1GBJgAxUaqsjc_10Pa7zhwazlqjOAyAcZIsoUShP_5eMWUfif5u4hgfUTTnxBuKbbpKWhyDCl8mfWUfApfBGs8Es/s1600/IMG_20140309_172322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9L0XhX8qu39j9qW86Syz10z0o_GhUQROlbCiDed96qYkxd8bhxv1GBJgAxUaqsjc_10Pa7zhwazlqjOAyAcZIsoUShP_5eMWUfif5u4hgfUTTnxBuKbbpKWhyDCl8mfWUfApfBGs8Es/s1600/IMG_20140309_172322.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The water company's sense of humour.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Recently we lost water and spent a total of 14 days without drinkable water, and without any water at all for 12 of those days. I wish I could say this was a rare occurrence. The only thing to note this time was the extraordinary long duration of the stoppage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Despite, although "in spite of" is more true to our feelings, all the misadventures and time wasted waiting in doctor's offices, lines at the utility company and Associasion Nacional de Transito, we have managed to complete more than nothing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">First, we have learned a lot. About ourselves, mostly. Call it knowledge, or wisdom -- the skein of accumulated experience that pulls judgement in one direction or another.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And then there's the house. It's not that we haven't worked on it, it's just that progress has been... well...</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The first attempt at the house was rushed. We didn't level the site beforehand. The gravel trench was too shallow half around. We didn't tamp the bottom of the trench or the drainage gravel. The "rocks" we received for the stem-wall were actually aggregate full</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-ZF-WULVSMdd-JrFeIgl3UoC1HxkJxNbgjWcyIMxW5ed13KraZNbaffa1YTL9kolvatW_7rcsr_KyQRmFhuPzyTiYeWzfS0nyyXUE2mDgKRjDcUcoZ8kbHm34hk_pI7MnlJf6-uD-nk/s1600/IMG_2993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-ZF-WULVSMdd-JrFeIgl3UoC1HxkJxNbgjWcyIMxW5ed13KraZNbaffa1YTL9kolvatW_7rcsr_KyQRmFhuPzyTiYeWzfS0nyyXUE2mDgKRjDcUcoZ8kbHm34hk_pI7MnlJf6-uD-nk/s1600/IMG_2993.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Radiolarian is not rock.</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">of fossilised radiolarian, small mineral skeletons formed by oceanic protozoa eons ago, before the continental plates collided together and pushed up the Andean mountains; these "rocks" melted into a wet clay-like substance after the first big rain. We didn't use mortar between the rocks.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The second attempt, our current attempt, is much less rushed. We levelled the site roughly 2 meters around from the exterior of the walls. The gravel trench extends down a good 60cm under all parts of the exterior wall. We tamped the bottom of the trench and tamped again after each 15cm layer of drainage gravel. We built the stem wall with rocks we had ordered from a quarry. We are currently mortaring the rocks together to prevent the biting flies, cockroaches, mice, opossum and scorpions from sneaking in. The spiders we don't mind so much, especially since they tend to consume unwelco</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">me insects. Even the brown-widows are guests on the outside-facing parts of the stem-wall.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg83sKfnY20e4TRDC-1KPzjM3OtM8FpbXZrge9LTDGVh-mEwSChKhWwZ-HZ9cBYX3GPw_jzc7HwTYmcLtjuxjoNYull43wGeQiRpb7yWT0T02SPlR1D7nrE0V3IJAShd2ofvBQg61EmzKM/s1600/IMG_4118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg83sKfnY20e4TRDC-1KPzjM3OtM8FpbXZrge9LTDGVh-mEwSChKhWwZ-HZ9cBYX3GPw_jzc7HwTYmcLtjuxjoNYull43wGeQiRpb7yWT0T02SPlR1D7nrE0V3IJAShd2ofvBQg61EmzKM/s1600/IMG_4118.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hello, Lycosidae friend.</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Doing things properly takes a lot of time. The satisfaction of a job well-done comes at the price of an extended schedule and a lot of effort. We gladly pay this price, and then grimace as environmental variables double it.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Between the first and second attempts it rained and the radiolarian melted into the drainage gravel. We had to remove the radiolarian from the gravel trench, some of it with a 18-pound sledge-hammer, the wooden handle of which broke after three strikes and had to be replaced with a steel tube. The remaining gravel was covered with a layer of concrete-like organic matter that prevented drainage. We continued to have rain. The layer of radiolarian turned into a gooey glue which no amount of sifting would remove. So we shovelled the gravel out of the trench and spread it out on the ground to dry it in the sun and air. When it had dried we sifted it twice and carted it over to the new site by wheelbarrow.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFiNpYW_zPIWycGagMb6Ejlwi8FlDwb8F22kb01l0-fFUfUJQsmHTHbvQRxGqhj78sJkYLMu4mkpm7MegCdeEAbp5MxHyhk4eqWvqXCr-jAj22d8u19Meb-mJaCXlsr_mR_Ue6KkIUO8/s1600/IMG_3570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFiNpYW_zPIWycGagMb6Ejlwi8FlDwb8F22kb01l0-fFUfUJQsmHTHbvQRxGqhj78sJkYLMu4mkpm7MegCdeEAbp5MxHyhk4eqWvqXCr-jAj22d8u19Meb-mJaCXlsr_mR_Ue6KkIUO8/s1600/IMG_3570.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hard work.</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We filled the gravel trench on the second site and tamped it. We began dry-stacking the rocks we had moved from large piles next to the first site. Some were so heavy we had to roll them the 15m into place. After dry-stacking, we began to mix cement and sand to make mortar. Mortar mixes require a good amount of water available, both for incorporation in the mix and for wetting and cleaning tools. Monthly water outages are common in the region, sometimes for up to five or six days per month. When we began to mix mortar we lost water on the third day, for four days. On the fifth day the water came back and we lost electricity in the afternoon. Of course, our mixer is electric. The next day electricity was restored. Two days later we lost water, for four days, and on the fifth day the water ran from the faucet dark grey, all day. So we came down to Quito for a week, from where I write now.</span></div>
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Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Ambuqui, Ecuador0.4473288 -78.0052678000000130.4473288 -78.005267800000013 0.4473288 -78.005267800000013tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-87778065509579984132013-10-31T15:37:00.001-05:002013-10-31T15:38:07.964-05:00Mayoristery<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The price of manual labor in Ecuador is $150 per week. The weekly food bill for us once stood at $80 for two adults and a toddler. I kept asking anyone who would listen how workers with large families accounted for this. When several EMAPA employees came to install the water meter on Pedregal I finally received an answer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ana Lucia took me along to the Mayorista the first week I was in Ibarra. We walked along amongst open rooms full of woven plastic sacs bulging with fruits and vegetables. Ana Lucia stopped now at the blood-red Tomates de Arbol, now at the tiny orange Naranjillas and now at the enormous light green Watermelons. At each stop she conducted business with a familiar humor and then asked me to show the vendor to which car to carry each 15 kilograms of fruit.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Ana Lucia," I asked after the last watermelon had rocked the car and we glided through throngs of buyers, "Can anyone shop here?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Of course, why wouldn't they be able to?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"It's a wholesale market and I don't know if it's permitted for people who don't own restaurants or––"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Ah, no, only store owners are allowed to shop here."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Food stores?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Hmm... Food stores, restaurants, anyone who needs a large quantity of fruits or vegetables."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"So I couldn't buy here?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"No, I don't think so; No."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I looked out of the window and watched the exit barrier swing back in place. Just like that, the Mayorista was out of my mind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Months later I stood next to a pickup, swatting at sand flies.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"It's the hour when they're most active," said one of the men with a yellow helmet and reflective vest.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"What? Oh, the flies, yes. You have to put on repellent in the afternoon." I was watching his compañero dig for the water main.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Is the wall OK?" I gestured to the brick wall covered with patches of cement mortar.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"What happens is that if we put the meter in the wall we have to make a hole for it and the wall will fall over. But that doesn't matter, we'll put the meter on top and if you have more bricks you can build around it later."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"That's fine, I've got about 15 bricks more."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"You won't have a problem then, that's easily enough."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I wasn't there when the technician came to verify the location of the main here, but I heard that he said a brick wall like this would be fine."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"No, you want something with a hole in the middle, so we can install the meter like that," and he pointed across the road at a small concrete-block wall with a water meter neatly cemented in the center.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"It doesn't matter though, we'll use cement to put the meter on top of the bricks and you can put the other bricks around it when you have time."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I nodded and watched the worker connect the main to half-inch plastic tubing.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I have a question for all of you, something I haven't managed to figure out here in Ecuador. How is it that salaries for labourers are so low, but commodity and food prices so high?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They all looked at me.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Well, for example, what's the salary for a week of manual labor?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"They don't charge by the week, usually you pay for a month at a time. But a week would be about $125."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I paid $150 per week for three weeks, but I guess that's a little expensive?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"$150... that could be the price."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"We pay about $80 a week for food at Gran-Aki. If you live with your parents and children, how do you cover the cost of living when most of your salary goes toward food? I don't understand this."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"You buy fruit and vegetables at the Mayorista."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"At the Mayorista... can you shop there if you're not a business?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Yes, anyone can shop there. What you buy at the supermarkets usually comes from there, and then the supermarket adds to the price for the store, the employees and taxes. The Mayorista is cheaper, and better quality."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Cheaper? I don't know. We buy on Tuesdays at Gran-Aki and there's a 20% discount on produce."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Look, how much is a lettuce there?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"85 cents before discount, so––"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"25 cents at the Mayorista, and for better quality."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"And you're sure anyone can shop there?"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Yes, it doesn't matter who the person is."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was all questions and they were eager to educate me. A little too eager.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today the water company had to send workers back to Pedregal to fix a leak between the main and the meter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last week we took our first shopping trip to the Mayorista. There's a section called the Minorista, where we buy most of our veggies but we also visit some of the larger wholesalers, buying mandarins and pineapples directly off of a truck. The Mayorista is the typical market experience: searching for the right quality of fruit, some haggling and finding our señora who this week threw in some extra veggies 'because it's you.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now, I feel horrible doing this because I know not all of you are happy with your available choices in local food, nor can all of you afford what you'd like in fruit. When we were living in Brussels most of the fruit we bought was from Morocco and my favourite, strawberries, were $5-6 for a small plastic box, so expensive for us that they were a twice-a-year treat.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">... and yet I am compelled to continue, perhaps by the desire to document, perhaps by the desire to entice volunteers. Whatever be it, here is the total of our produce purchase from this Monday, at a price of $26.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXeToBzHDOJT7rtcmF21nIkUxPmgr6wicNQONWpW1bfj8BijzyLuRxKB6S18cUUqNXHUJOIP2kKe_eBuRyYUb63urjGPvWR8kehqdKqLkipetKrUJs0ywl5xEco9XIHI3Iqu5URFmkr-0/s1600/IMG_3174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXeToBzHDOJT7rtcmF21nIkUxPmgr6wicNQONWpW1bfj8BijzyLuRxKB6S18cUUqNXHUJOIP2kKe_eBuRyYUb63urjGPvWR8kehqdKqLkipetKrUJs0ywl5xEco9XIHI3Iqu5URFmkr-0/s400/IMG_3174.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strawberries $1. Non-produce purchased at Gran-Aki.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Chota River, Ecuador0.447486 -77.9906371000000150.4435165 -77.995679600000017 0.4514555 -77.985594600000013tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-33720576268292058162013-10-04T13:07:00.001-05:002013-11-08T10:00:07.796-05:00Siga no más<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Siga no más:" the first Spanish phrase I taught to Oliver.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Go ahead; Proceed; Continue; Carry on." Those three words carry these ideas in Ecuadorian Spanish.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Oliver came to us fresh from his apprenticeship with the Cob Cottage company. He is a young man ripe with ambition and for five weeks he worked alongside us to accomplish the next stage of our project. In natural building they say that planning and foundations are the most intensive stages of building. We made use of Oliver's tremendous physical efforts to proceed swiftly through these stages. Just look at the materials we obtained:</div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="text-align: justify;">10m^3 of gravel infill for drainage in the foundation trenches</span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: justify;">36m^3 of stones for the stem wall</span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: justify;">27m^3 of clay-filled soil for cob mix</span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: justify;">16 bales of straw for cob mix</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm excited to say that materials are nothing without hard labour. As we swung shovels, heaved rocks, and laboured away with chisels and sledge hammers, we realised the formal beginnings of the house. We dug the foundation trenches, filled them with gravel, stacked the stem-wall to near completion, poured a concrete column and built a brick wall for the installation of electric and water connections and finally erected a frame for the dry toilet. A fine list of accomplishments for only five weeks!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
There are many stories to tell, and I hope to regale you readers with them in the coming weeks as the machinery of this blog spins back to motion.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Oliver left Ecuador on October 1st, early in the morning. He plans to look for work from Seattle and he hopes to begin a contracting business in Guatemala when he has earned sufficient start-up capital. </div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LIkb3UujWC8DWP17wKFTxxrmJCdj_2fs4bVkjz5UYnkoIgTrvFawQbYK5vh5pBGPcfTQ-ooXEo05gDkmaspFrXwUk2CdeEUUjfQfqViyrddRdkkOKwPU9BID0TJMgaCnl1_jndd9vjE/s1600/IMG_2528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LIkb3UujWC8DWP17wKFTxxrmJCdj_2fs4bVkjz5UYnkoIgTrvFawQbYK5vh5pBGPcfTQ-ooXEo05gDkmaspFrXwUk2CdeEUUjfQfqViyrddRdkkOKwPU9BID0TJMgaCnl1_jndd9vjE/s400/IMG_2528.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oliver, triumphantly appraising the poured cement column and<br />
2.5m galvanised steel tube assembly.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Thank you, Oliver, for your hard work! Best of luck in your future endeavours.</div>
Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-72371196508603877352013-08-26T10:05:00.000-05:002013-10-04T09:16:10.901-05:00Rest Ahoused<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We have been in a frantic, headlong rush to complete as much of the restoration as possible before the first volunteer/intern arrives Wednesday night. Necessity hastens.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The interior bedroom was the first priority. We painted the floor a <i>terracotta </i>color<i> </i>and unpacked even our long-packed luggages into the dresser. The two nights since have been quiet and peaceful in a way completely opposite of nights in Ana Lucia's house across from the karaoke bar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Next was to complete the netting around the Veranda and install the outdoor kitchen area, comprised of preparation spaces, a sink and an oven with built-in stovetop. We ran out of assembly pieces -- nails, bolts, wall plugs, etc. -- and will be heading to Ibarra in a few hours for a small shopping trip.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meanwhile, now that the evening drive has been eliminated and we can sit down to discuss our ideas for the house we have finally had time to prepare a small model, more or less to scale. Here it is:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0_7EzPGjbwmBpbSl8t1FFn3AFsJkS-0AL7WJtbqwdG1_D5t6_rZ8vCmu5Lbpj-i2vUBaADltzymOXiOrwwG74lGb3dEq4XMi3vamt-87NqtOcdEVidz9Vi_-ZHfCBKohIqVotr3ldmA/s1600/House-BedroomScale.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0_7EzPGjbwmBpbSl8t1FFn3AFsJkS-0AL7WJtbqwdG1_D5t6_rZ8vCmu5Lbpj-i2vUBaADltzymOXiOrwwG74lGb3dEq4XMi3vamt-87NqtOcdEVidz9Vi_-ZHfCBKohIqVotr3ldmA/s640/House-BedroomScale.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">View of the bedroom, lounge, kitchenette, storage room and entrance -- facing south.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ010oHUSox77G_crWiZUTJWXas5P2y3r7T8wnaBGIMQ8-4f43sxwEXIN5FXXnIRFST-hBo41AcjfeWT2PaUp_axJ-28hC5J6HGbxTs8I7yNxQXoxXpyf-cooPDlgxg1vIHJU5AfeM_cM/s1600/House-YogaScale.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ010oHUSox77G_crWiZUTJWXas5P2y3r7T8wnaBGIMQ8-4f43sxwEXIN5FXXnIRFST-hBo41AcjfeWT2PaUp_axJ-28hC5J6HGbxTs8I7yNxQXoxXpyf-cooPDlgxg1vIHJU5AfeM_cM/s640/House-YogaScale.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">View of yoga room with human figurine for scale. Figurine represents a height of roughly 5'8" (172 cm). Yoga room is on a lower level than rest of house.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBQ5TjyLE330iCSXaaXQBIVxvZk0xhXrg_KJJd7AzwyngAQbzLWTsVJLQMzGcpM6uTEuAPul4Z87-lYhxazxIms_GRWTpR2r0P5rdFVlhcDRsOzr8JYOh_u2DkuMF4ltoe4-uHF5cQCU/s1600/House-LoungeScale.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBQ5TjyLE330iCSXaaXQBIVxvZk0xhXrg_KJJd7AzwyngAQbzLWTsVJLQMzGcpM6uTEuAPul4Z87-lYhxazxIms_GRWTpR2r0P5rdFVlhcDRsOzr8JYOh_u2DkuMF4ltoe4-uHF5cQCU/s640/House-LoungeScale.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">View of lounge with human figurine for scale. Lounge is also on a lower level.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8-KU9tnFnErUqeCu2Nb-Uk6T1j0jLLNrBR09SRNax6a0H-pHZbfTBqXq6q8QrOYBIDdeecfNWxIeCGzA_Frr7gXt2AsMRCwiaiYlNa3DDBo_hRP94qCW6qxNryGtpR76No8K22bjx9w/s640/House-TopView.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Top view of house. North is the top of the plywood sheet, where the bedroom is. Yoga room to the east, entrance and storage to the south, lounge to the west.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZK5pa4_QGrOgJRnYKt2m5mAiX902MEfGgHLNs_kcthpHdXhe67yjsChPhIeAN7PnlZeMBFUZtQOykFKrbLK57zlW84HUFPMhQIfFj9yqYsfUHNTAavfKmeW6ngrL4EKu4IIZCVkSyUQ/s1600/House-EntranceScale.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZK5pa4_QGrOgJRnYKt2m5mAiX902MEfGgHLNs_kcthpHdXhe67yjsChPhIeAN7PnlZeMBFUZtQOykFKrbLK57zlW84HUFPMhQIfFj9yqYsfUHNTAavfKmeW6ngrL4EKu4IIZCVkSyUQ/s640/House-EntranceScale.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">View of entrance with human figurine for scale.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4IyfbCzXGx6NoOg4jfuTyMdfRkpyl7273RZFPRGnsDS_PqhfGaF0o9HO4qDIeR62gSASJMtCcumrLJsf4NX_4a2XuzKZpZF3XOLy7hrmT_PV9efJmPZk-5mnfS12KrjrmIA3uvr8Bq8/s1600/House-KitchenScale.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4IyfbCzXGx6NoOg4jfuTyMdfRkpyl7273RZFPRGnsDS_PqhfGaF0o9HO4qDIeR62gSASJMtCcumrLJsf4NX_4a2XuzKZpZF3XOLy7hrmT_PV9efJmPZk-5mnfS12KrjrmIA3uvr8Bq8/s640/House-KitchenScale.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">View of kitchenette with human figurine for scale.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-60045941641885834672013-08-13T13:11:00.002-05:002013-08-13T13:17:24.428-05:00Latitudinal Location Leavens Luxurious Allure<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A short Astronomy primer for the Equator.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The location of Latitude and Longitude lines is measured in </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">degrees</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> (º), </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">minutes</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> (') and </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">seconds</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> ("). A standard measurement looks like this: 0º 28' 5,988".</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1º is 69 miles or 111,2 km.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1º divided in 60 'minute' parts leaves 1,15 miles (1,853 km) per minute.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">60' divided in 60 "second" parts leaves 0,019 miles (0,03 km) per second.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The standard measurement above -- 0º </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">28' 5,988" -- </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">is the location of the house in Chirimoyal</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">, roughly 32,31 miles (51,99 km) North of the equator.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">According to <a href="http://www.cobcottage.com/node/82">The Hand-Sculpted House</a>, the degree above the horizon (the <b>altitude</b>) of the winter sun at noon can be calculated by subtracting the latitude of the site from the latitude of the Arctic Circle: 66º 33' 44". </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">Amazingly, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">the arc of the winter sun </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">throughout</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"> the day is also the path of the summer moon, which provides a second method for estimating solar and lunar location throughout the year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Following the formula, the winter sun at noon above Chirimoyal has an altitude of</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">(66º 33' 44") - (0º 28' 5,988") = 66º 5' 38,012"</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Equation for the winter sun at noon above Chirimoyal.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">Using <a href="http://www.findmyshadow.com/">Find My Shadow</a> I can verify that this equation is roughly accurate by comparing it to </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">the location of the sun in mid December (66,183º) and mid January (67,680º).</span></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTew12f6q55wxwlq0Kze_RLa6qBy_VKZDAkuEON5MYDV2LrPUwwj-iM6JGQOi1_vs0uehNGjBCEzVKUSqhItq9skp8pD_sV7OgRI6BCnydsvU14LL_kOHmyqkMl8KwsodpPruE445f51o/s1600/IMG_2264+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTew12f6q55wxwlq0Kze_RLa6qBy_VKZDAkuEON5MYDV2LrPUwwj-iM6JGQOi1_vs0uehNGjBCEzVKUSqhItq9skp8pD_sV7OgRI6BCnydsvU14LL_kOHmyqkMl8KwsodpPruE445f51o/s640/IMG_2264+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chirimoyal - Summer sunset</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Reckoning the summer sun is done by adding 46º to the winter sun's position, but this is where the Astronomy becomes interesting and also where I had to do some research into the Astronomical implications of being on the Equator in order to understand where the Sun is throughout the year.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">There are several wonders of being at the middle of the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">First, light leaks from the sky much faster here than anywhere else. Far into the Northern or Southern hemisphere, the sun follows an oblique arc through the sky. When the sun sets it continues to move horizontally and vertically, tracing a slanted line and casting visible light into the growing dark for the duration of its perceived descent into the west.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">On or near to the Equator, the sun travels close to directly overhead, in a relatively straight line with regard to the horizon. According to Euclid's "Triangle Inequality" proposition, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><i>In any triangle the sum of any two sides is greater than the remaining one.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This proposition is part of the statement that the shortest path between two points is a straight line. Whereas in the Northern and Southern hemispheres the sun does not follow a straight line toward the horizon, at the Equator the sun travels relatively directly across the sky and sets relatively perpendicularly with regard to the horizon. The period of descent is therefore more rapid and consequently the length of sunset much shorter at the Equator.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">Second, while in the Northern and Southern hemispheres the sun appears to be higher or lower in the summer and winter seasons, on or near the Equator the sun is always high in the sky but </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">passes between the south and north of the sky twice per year</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">. From roughly April to September the sun is in the North, from October to March it is in the South.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Thereby in Chirimoyal we expect to find the summer sun above the southern horizon at</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">(66º 5' 38,012") + 46º = 112º 5' 38,012"</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Equation for the summer sun at noon above Chirimoyal.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">This is an obtuse angle -- greater than 90º -- and means, of course, that the summer sun is actually (180º - 112º 5' 38,012") = 67º 54' 21,988" above the northern horizon.</span></div>
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Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Chota River, Ecuador0.474341 -78.0668470.46640200000000004 -78.076932 0.48228 -78.056761999999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-59725019624561198472013-07-21T08:58:00.000-05:002013-08-02T09:02:23.649-05:00Pathways towards Completion<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pathways, guides into the mystery of beyond, once infused with intent radiate a sacred presence into the very air around them. "Follow me," they promise, "for I lead somewhere."</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSc7RFBF3ACZbZHb9NINVk0oD7rDlg-rYRAsGhJuMnbYGwebhE8NBNHwno5yDp-cMd7gdBgucx4ol3UmGlmQ3dktv3POiyUn87D6X1Dn7UDYpnX9WzmbCACJ-aD6fJtAqOVlwMO7uOM40/s1600/IMG_2232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSc7RFBF3ACZbZHb9NINVk0oD7rDlg-rYRAsGhJuMnbYGwebhE8NBNHwno5yDp-cMd7gdBgucx4ol3UmGlmQ3dktv3POiyUn87D6X1Dn7UDYpnX9WzmbCACJ-aD6fJtAqOVlwMO7uOM40/s320/IMG_2232.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pathway to toilet foundations.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I worked on a pathway for all of the afternoon. It leads to the site of the dry toilet. The pathway is soft earth lined with stones. I finished construction for the day and walked along, inspecting my work. On the pathway I felt a tingling sensation up and down my spine, such as I have felt at midnight temples and tea-houses in Japan. Working </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ceaselessly </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">as we are on restoring the old house to the fullest extent possible before the late august moon heralds arrival of a first volunteer; working slavishly on tiny details and in tiny spaces I forget our true purpose. The house, the house ! -- inside becomes my space and outside the wild, the foreboding, all prickly burrs and biting bugs. In placing the pathway I found my head. In placing the pathway I performed a first trick of magic on the site, mixing chaos and order to seed sacred serenity. Renewed, I delighted in the ecstasy of being.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9vIwMpkbD3Q8qPmPTXBTNd4yaflGbvhquJLD7zxDWPvSPOHCc1lmUpEwxl25zn_NdAqN7o6uZM_gpe-mCurUvxqHVYYspzCUv1F-95SGLA_eau4VfiaTjitqTNkMNvVNLGvMN7NDWhoM/s1600/IMG_2121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9vIwMpkbD3Q8qPmPTXBTNd4yaflGbvhquJLD7zxDWPvSPOHCc1lmUpEwxl25zn_NdAqN7o6uZM_gpe-mCurUvxqHVYYspzCUv1F-95SGLA_eau4VfiaTjitqTNkMNvVNLGvMN7NDWhoM/s200/IMG_2121.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painting the walls green.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Boring though the recent renovation has been, constant commitment to the task at hand has allowed us to beautify the interior. We have painted the walls, white and lavender in the interior bedroom and white and new-leaf green in the main room. We have sealed the ceilings with plaster and silicon; before that we screwed fresh plywood to the rafters and made ceilings in the pantry and main room. I have hewed four legs for a bed frame from a 5m lumber pole. I have finished the first wood window frame and attached a tule cut to screen out the bugs.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Bz_HUHa769IJwSTtdVBU6JEpI0nYfsmVIjTOZNnUFDRdpD5EAC69xf1pcj_Su8ZrrorOO9Q4kXGxjtHVHU3Ag16w2p2uawmICLtXvqromRqfcm2-cmAhVG3xK2j3T4UqPepj5uvLijE/s1600/IMG_2067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Bz_HUHa769IJwSTtdVBU6JEpI0nYfsmVIjTOZNnUFDRdpD5EAC69xf1pcj_Su8ZrrorOO9Q4kXGxjtHVHU3Ag16w2p2uawmICLtXvqromRqfcm2-cmAhVG3xK2j3T4UqPepj5uvLijE/s200/IMG_2067.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plywood ceiling.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH2sb4u_mBwoc97n_PzPlG-oGnHvEutKjZTe2-TLqYCqO486RMZ8CcOdUtwE1r64bOUERkT7MjbOa5E4lIjhgXpA9CtbmLJ9ucytJHXjKxhDhMZy4A1WFkZzcLrqTcwL24Zo9REmMd7QM/s1600/IMG_2220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH2sb4u_mBwoc97n_PzPlG-oGnHvEutKjZTe2-TLqYCqO486RMZ8CcOdUtwE1r64bOUERkT7MjbOa5E4lIjhgXpA9CtbmLJ9ucytJHXjKxhDhMZy4A1WFkZzcLrqTcwL24Zo9REmMd7QM/s200/IMG_2220.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bed frame.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Bz_HUHa769IJwSTtdVBU6JEpI0nYfsmVIjTOZNnUFDRdpD5EAC69xf1pcj_Su8ZrrorOO9Q4kXGxjtHVHU3Ag16w2p2uawmICLtXvqromRqfcm2-cmAhVG3xK2j3T4UqPepj5uvLijE/s1600/IMG_2067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Slowly, steadily this temporary residence that has absorbed so much of our time is nearing completion!</span><br />
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Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com1Chota River, Ecuador0.4803774 -78.0915780999999920.4803774 -78.091578099999992 0.4803774 -78.091578099999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-22696180165056008452013-07-08T21:32:00.000-05:002013-07-08T21:33:28.343-05:00There are no strings on me!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We knew the big challenge when Oscar left would be to work on the house while caring for Ainoa. At nine months of age she revolts against overlong rides in the baby carrier. Her crawling skills have improved to where leaving her sitting on the foam play-mat is out of the question as well. Our temporary solution is that Sandra has been taking care of Ainoa while I work on the house, though we try to switch roles and relieve each other during easily rotatable activities like painting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKW2NzDUuSEOqaXfc5IXGiC4uP426aHBJ9Tot9a0dXIWQq4TSpsVOre1dJY98eOgxcM89I9KGfJh8NujfT6zOzJvEO-RkWYJyGDcIdxmBmvWSh5wyC711peSVT84b2hOCq50-xbHabcN4/s1600/IMG_1596+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKW2NzDUuSEOqaXfc5IXGiC4uP426aHBJ9Tot9a0dXIWQq4TSpsVOre1dJY98eOgxcM89I9KGfJh8NujfT6zOzJvEO-RkWYJyGDcIdxmBmvWSh5wyC711peSVT84b2hOCq50-xbHabcN4/s400/IMG_1596+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chirimoyal - Main room with netting tent</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For some work rotation is simply not an option. When we have a task requiring us to combine our efforts and leave Ainoa alone for a short time we place her in a travel crib and try to focus on our work over her cries of frustration. Just two days ago she learned to pull herself up on the crib side and watch us work through the open doorway. This discovery and mastery of equilibrium has provided for a much calmer co-working time. We also have begun more keenly than before to feel the need for a large playpen which should give Ainoa sufficient space to exercise her burgeoning crawling and walking skills.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyO-jmLzKnftLkGN0y8P7bgLFGfv_nYcOnpRBBWAV85ky61F46HwmEQ2_Im5cU0MaY-gzh-Og9JdQhez-9yWTfQAGmlOkPg13KUOn4EpxOxkswEauv7cHG6Rq4rIzWKGZiCS166bdqAVk/s1600/IMG_1925+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyO-jmLzKnftLkGN0y8P7bgLFGfv_nYcOnpRBBWAV85ky61F46HwmEQ2_Im5cU0MaY-gzh-Og9JdQhez-9yWTfQAGmlOkPg13KUOn4EpxOxkswEauv7cHG6Rq4rIzWKGZiCS166bdqAVk/s320/IMG_1925+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chirimoyal - Painting the interior bedroom</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On Wednesday we visited the elusive carpenter Juan and gave him measurements and descriptions for the playpen, using one piece of a set he had crafted for Valentin as a model. The 155 cm by 125 cm size will fit around the foam play-mat and the price, US $150, was in the range of 1 m^2 playpens we had inquired about at the Santa Clara market in Quito.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Once the interior bedroom has been completed, which may be as soon as July 6, we will move Ainoa in along with her new furniture and current anti-fly enclosure. We will continue to use the crib for positioning her around the house while we finish the interior.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For future outdoor work we have yet to develop a method, having however the outlines of a plan in mind. The basics of this plan are:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Choose a visible location near or around the site and clear the ground. May involve levelling terrain.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Install the bug-net equipped 3 m^2 tent on this location.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Place the play-mat in the playpen under the tent.</span></li>
</ol>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course we shall have to evaluate the practicality of this plan once we begin construction of the dry toilet, our first big outdoor project. The final solution may keep us working at a slower pace, as does the current arrangement, but enjoying Ainoa’s ever more alert and active presence the day through is, for now, a welcome exchange.</span></div>
Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Chota River, Ecuador0.447486 -77.9906371000000150.4435165 -77.995679600000017 0.4514555 -77.985594600000013tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-44518196218169818612013-07-04T22:49:00.001-05:002013-07-06T22:32:46.368-05:00Magnum Opossum, Part One<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When moving into an abandoned house, never assume the former tenants were human – or former.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chota Valley - Repair works on the roof.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Twenty years is roughly how long the house in Chota had been derelict when we arrived in Ecuador last February. While inspecting the house for the first time we noticed a shoddy wooden food rack and two thin mats in the middle room which connects to the veranda. These obvious human artefacts put our minds at ease and led us to the assumption that natural processes had been kept at bay, at least somewhat, by the presence of people. Even if only a resting area for day labourers, we thought, the habit of the attentive species homo-sapiens to form a comfortable habitat could be relied upon to ward off complete re-assimilation of the house into the field. If we had taken the Mango tree seriously, we would have arrived at a very different judgement.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chota valley - Stripping the ceiling </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Beside the front entrance to the house is an old Mango tree, the crown of which looks down upon all the land. I park the pickup truck in the shady nook between tree and house. We </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">have trimmed the branches of this Mango tree several times to protect the house. In the beginning, the Mango tree was devouring the house; and an opossum was devouring the mangos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Usually when something unexpected falls into one’s lap, one does not expect to be bitten: that is just what is unexpected. The worker we hired to repair the roof encountered an opossum in the rafters, startled, lost his footing and fell through the ceiling to the floor where he lay when the opossum fell on him, bit him, and scurried away. Or, as one version of the story went, he killed the opossum, worked the rest of the day, took the carcass home and had opossum for dinner. Whether we believed in escape or entrée, at least the opossum seemed to be a problem resolved.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chota Valley - Covered in dirt</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While we were back in Quito haggling over paperwork at the visa office, Oscar stayed on in Ibarra to continue working on the house. He soon heard scuffling and squeaks in the ceiling, starting daily around four in the afternoon. We returned and I went back to working on the house with Oscar. I didn’t hear what he had, however as we were about to fit a new ceiling into the interior bedroom and I thought removing the old, rotting plywood would make this easier, I suggested we have a look. Up the ladder I climbed, between the plywood boards I wedged a metal trowel, I pulled and down the board came. I was not prepared for the shit we found up there. Opossum turds, mango pits, dead leaves and corn cobs; detritus poured to the floor and rose billowing into a grey cloud until the walls of the room were invisible and I fled, coughing and brushing my eyes clean with the inside of my shirt. I resolved to buy an anti-dust respirator and goggles and continue the next day, which I did. When all strips of plywood had been brought to the ground and the grey dust hung low in the darkened room I surveyed my work. Several inches of debris covered the floor in a thick layer, hiding many of the plywood strips. Oscar came in with a broom; I took a shovel. All the refuse was enough to fill two large sacs formerly used for 50 kg of sand. We dug compost holes in the garden and emptied the sacs there.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chota Valley - Stripped ceiling</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Two days later I had stripped the plywood from every ceiling but the standalone room in which several weeks earlier we had installed the gypsum board sub-ceiling. I went through an entire anti-dust cartridge in the respirator and each time I finished a room I could feel the dust in my nose, in my mouth, on my skin. We had eliminated a potential Asthma risk for Ainoa but still we had not found the opossum. There were only three pieces of plywood left on the ceiling against one wall of the main room. We decided to leave those for the moment and continue putting in the new ceiling.</span></div>
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Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Chota River, Ecuador0.447486 -77.9906371000000150.4435165 -77.995679600000017 0.4514555 -77.985594600000013tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-89024636504175907642013-06-29T08:17:00.001-05:002013-06-30T09:50:46.822-05:00Boondocked<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We had been docked in Quito for long enough. Barnacles grew on our ship. Our passenger was already beginning to crawl and she practiced standing with the usual biped zeal. Finally, the legal papers granting us a years passage in Ecuadorian waters were approved and duly appended to our books of travel. The luggage was hauled up the gangway and lashed on deck, the sails were raised and we turned from the port ready to navigate the harrowing narrows leading to the open sea. Narrows navigated, I settled in at the helm steering a course for the oasis of Chota.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chota Valley - Back yard</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Eight days of absence had left the house naked in incompletion, all illusions stripped from our minds. Oscar had departed and the responsibility for finishing the opus hung most terrifying, yet also most satisfyingly, on our shoulders. Naturally, we did the most practical thing and set to work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Facing the unknown, we chose prudence and planning as the guides of our method. The first order of business was to split planning into two stages: before we move into the house and after we move into the house. The former involves preparing, sealing and cleaning – and in some cases constructing – indispensable areas of use, such as a bedroom, the larder and the composting toilet. For the moment, when nature calls we dig holes and fertilise the soil, however this leaves the most delicate and vulnerable parts of us open to the dozens of hovering midges waiting for a glimpse of soft flesh. They descend like piranhas at the scent of blood and perform their succulent work just as quickly.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chota Valley - Applying Plaster.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our new schedule of work covers many first-time tasks for me: mixing cement and plaster were the challenge of the early week. For the cement, two parts sand to one part cement, mixed together and wet until appearing correct, was a successful strategy mostly because I knew the dry measurements and I had seen cement before, which gave me an idea what the mix ought to resemble. I found the plaster mixing much more difficult, having no idea of what consistency the mix ought to be, and I tried four different mixes of gradually drier consistencies. I still don’t know if my mix was ideal, but most importantly I was satisfied with how it applied to the walls. By attempting to plaster between the edge of a wooden ceiling support beam and the wall I discovered a basic limitation of plaster, namely that if it is stretched too far between surfaces it will not float suspended and falls, by the most direct path possible, down. This discovery prompted a call to my father, who proposed wedging foam strips between wood and wall in order to give the plaster a support surface where otherwise there had been nothing. This solution did not result in the most attractive work, by fault mostly of my neophyte hand, but it completely suited our ‘quick & easy’ criteria. I hope we can finish the look in a more satisfying manner through further work.</span></div>
Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Chota River, Ecuador0.447486 -77.9906371000000150.4435165 -77.995679600000017 0.4514555 -77.985594600000013tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-85171820966946189472013-06-25T16:21:00.000-05:002013-06-25T16:33:56.386-05:00You Shall Not Pass!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If one makes plans in the Rio Verde communities, past the dirt road turn-off in Lita, one must take the weather into account. Otherwise, one may die.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On the road to Rio Verde - Horse Crossing Muddy Water</span></td></tr>
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The wednesday afternoon I drove to collect Oscar from Chota was heavy with a chaotic spectacle of clouds. Low, wispy clouds stretched across the valley, like the languid smoke from countless smouldering embers hidden between the sugar cane fields. Thick, puffy clouds emanated from beyond the distant eastern mountains, seething up stupendously to the inner reaches of space. I drove slowly, fighting with my curiosity and wonder to keep my eyes on the road. Around the mountain bend a flat crown of clouds remained visible behind. When I arrived at the site, I mentioned what I had seen to Oscar and joined him for two hours of work. When we departed for Ana Lucia’s house in Ibarra, neither of us thought to what the clouds might portend.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On the road to Rio Verde - Villagers Returning</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thursday morning came and we woke early at the sound of our alarm clocks. By a quarter past six we stood in front of the door to Pablo’s offices, waiting for our ride to Lita. The streets were empty. Along came a young man on a bicycle and sat down beside us. He nodded our way. “Are they often late?” I asked him. “Yes,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At half past six, one of Pablo’s employees arrived in the organisation’s shabby Mazda 4x4 double-cabin pickup. As we prepared to load our tools and my saxophone into the cabin, I asked him if there would be much cargo in the bed. “No, not much,” he replied. We placed our gear in the cabin, thinking to move some of it to the bed before leaving the city. Another pickup, a massive Toyota Hilux, pulled into the space behind the Mazda. Another of Pablo’s employees stepped down from the passenger side door and waved to us. We exchanged greetings and helped her load a few bags more into the Mazda cabin, then the two employees, the young man, Oscar and I boarded and we left behind the quiet sidewalk.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chicks in Boxes</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We stopped on Fray Vacas Galindo, beside the old railroad tracks leading to Highway 35 and out of the city. The driver made a call on his cellphone. He left the car, still talking on his phone, and approached the only open shutter on the block. From the cabin we watched him negotiate a deal with someone inside. The other employee turned around in her seat and asked us to help load some boxes onto the bed. As we climbed out of the cabin and picked up the boxes I had a good view of the dozens of little chickens inside each one. This was the cargo for the chicken-raising project in Rio Verde Medio. Next came four 25 kg sacks of chicken feed. Between the 100 kg of feed and the 70 chicks in boxes there was a full load on the bed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Across the valley and beyond the first of the eastern mountains, Oscar woke me from a doze. “Look,” he said, pointing to outside the passenger window. I did not see what he intended me to. Realising my confusion, he added “The waterfall.” A wide stream of water was cascading down from the peak of a mountain on the northern side of the Mira River. On our last two visits this waterfall had been a thin white line barely visible from the highway. “It’s been raining here,” said the driver in response to our conversation about the volume of the waterfall. “Jamie saw huge clouds on this side of the mountain range, towards Lita, yesterday,” Oscar mentioned. “You have been to Lita in all sorts of conditions, haven’t you?” I asked the driver.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Yes.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Do you think we’ll be able to pass the roads to the Rio Verde communities?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“We won’t have any problems today. I have seen worse than this.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thinking that he must not have seen the clouds I had seen, I closed my eyes and fell back asleep.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When I awoke, we were at the military checkpoint just before Lita. A soldier was directing the pickup into the small parking area and had asked for Oscar and I to bring our passports to a little desk underneath a tarp. We crossed the two lanes to the desk and I sat down on a bench against one of the three waist-high walls. Still bleary from sleep, I heard someone say, “Remove your jacket.” I looked at the soldier sitting behind the desk. “You cannot wear that jacket here,” he repeated. I looked at him. “What?” I asked. “Your jacket, you have to take it off here.” Finally my brain clicked on. I began to unzip my military camouflage jacket while asking, “You mean here at the checkpoint, right?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Yes, you cannot wear that jacket at the checkpoint.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When we were back in the car I turned to Oscar. “I’ll have to find some military camouflage pants.”</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5B9QICYrYx4lGc6aiOC_qlc9q6hvLjIfwXuQF9otQyvvwPXOuNbDjZxjVaoN1xE_K0rTZ95VgtBActddXohzrgnHD9xnHeB5TKpCjRech-fJ3Mw7qnbyPjTltjRaNMUfVf64wtjmMnKc/s1600/IMG_1375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5B9QICYrYx4lGc6aiOC_qlc9q6hvLjIfwXuQF9otQyvvwPXOuNbDjZxjVaoN1xE_K0rTZ95VgtBActddXohzrgnHD9xnHeB5TKpCjRech-fJ3Mw7qnbyPjTltjRaNMUfVf64wtjmMnKc/s640/IMG_1375.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Former Road to Rio Verde</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Three minutes later we were in Lita, turning onto the dirt road. As we climbed the first steep incline, rounded a corner and began to climb again, a siren interrupted us. The driver pulled over and we watched as first an ambulance, then a pickup truck with seven people in the cabin and about a dozen crowded together on the bed, and then a police pickup with</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupN8YB2hMSfaDpk4IYTotafv81Ur6hPZ6nrug3foLxdg2XbQRs02vdfGaoA9VrR7ehmKzVxzF0voDdlfSoPFStfJchIVaJmXyMXrEwLxsl-zhXKIestPktt-hzPPbqQ-v8F1_txe303M/s1600/IMG_1376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupN8YB2hMSfaDpk4IYTotafv81Ur6hPZ6nrug3foLxdg2XbQRs02vdfGaoA9VrR7ehmKzVxzF0voDdlfSoPFStfJchIVaJmXyMXrEwLxsl-zhXKIestPktt-hzPPbqQ-v8F1_txe303M/s320/IMG_1376.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Road to Rio Verde - Waiting at the bridge</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> another dozen people packed onto the bed passed on our left. Oscar looked at me. “I don’t think we have luck with the roads today,” he said in English. “No,” I replied, “I don’t think we’ll be doing any painting today.” Continuing along the road for several minutes we came to the first clay bank, an enormous red wall of earth which usually presented us with the first sign of how the roads further along would be. On our last visit we encountered a heavy truck unable to pass, but I managed to drive the pickup as it had fishtailed through several puddles of mud. Today was different; there was no road. The road was there where it passed over the river on a short bridge, and it turned right to head in the direction of the slope -- and that was where a lake of mud occupied the ground where the road normally continued, two small trees bent over in the middle of the lake. There would be no passing through to the Rio Verde communities.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSxRHtoD7b5Oh9C1t0g4UMlt1wqEJWu3LmK7UCp2V_zRq1Gj2B3L9niX8LitFhsoxrYEUx-Bwl8caIeMpIkPqoaSJ4e0GFI1cJj-ozpLmgnsPQgGln2YHqVD4v3mj0ME7qGGml4wCalU/s1600/IMG_1404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSxRHtoD7b5Oh9C1t0g4UMlt1wqEJWu3LmK7UCp2V_zRq1Gj2B3L9niX8LitFhsoxrYEUx-Bwl8caIeMpIkPqoaSJ4e0GFI1cJj-ozpLmgnsPQgGln2YHqVD4v3mj0ME7qGGml4wCalU/s320/IMG_1404.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Road to Rio Verde - Young men and their bikes.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As the employees waited around trying to postpone the inevitable decision of returning to Ibarra, mission incomplete, I climbed onto the mud bank to take some pictures. While I was taking photos of the slide, two men from the Rio Verde Medio community arrived on foot. They spoke briefly with the driver and then set out into the jungle. When I had climbed back down and cleaned the mud from my boots in the river, I asked him what they had said. “Someone on a motorbike was washed off the road last night by one of the landslides. They found his body under the slide this morning.”</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chicks in Baskets</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We began to discuss our options. The employees tried contacting Pablo, but neither of them had reception. We waited. I took more photos. A trickle of Rio Verde Medio community members began to arrive, and then a stream, until half of the community had marched through the mud to reach us. All at once we began to engage in activity, moving the chicks from boxes to leaf-lined baskets, deconstructing the cardboard boxes to make basket lids, lashing the feed bags to their horses. As each basket was filled with chicks someone would heft it onto their back and start out across the lake of mud. When all of the cargo had been distributed and taken away we bid farewell and a safe voyage back to the remaining members of the community and watched as three young men who had arrived in the meantime hauled a motorbike through the mud. The employees tried once more to contact Pablo, could not, and at last made the decision to abandon the rest of our mission and return to Ibarra.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiguMKWDwSthDAVjbAhqv94DfcFbHJh3Up-OHLVSmHdBz-SArl63aO8KFf9qS9n6SLgp4BiQsw_8XwsVN-XskhJ10hhoOO_AZa9R1yqW3ybS8T1OAowF1RF3-vL9PCx6Ei5PW_6Vynt6iI/s1600/IMG_1400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiguMKWDwSthDAVjbAhqv94DfcFbHJh3Up-OHLVSmHdBz-SArl63aO8KFf9qS9n6SLgp4BiQsw_8XwsVN-XskhJ10hhoOO_AZa9R1yqW3ybS8T1OAowF1RF3-vL9PCx6Ei5PW_6Vynt6iI/s640/IMG_1400.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Road to Rio Verde - Help Arrives</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On the drive back Oscar and I were discussing the efficiency of weekly drives to Lita that might or might-not end in a quick return. “We have no way of knowing if the roads are going to be cleared by the time we arrive or not,” chimed in the driver. “So you drive down regardless of the weather and if the roads are blocked you return to Ibarra?” I asked. He nodded. “That is a remarkably inefficient way of conducting business.” Oscar looked at me. “Jamie,” he said, “better to be inefficient and alive, than efficient and dead.” I looked out the window. Thick torrents of water gushed down the mountainside. Above, the open sky shone blue.</span></div>
Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Lita, Ecuador0.874452 -78.467811999999981-24.6475825 -119.77640599999998 26.3964865 -37.159217999999981tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-39938121093195006682013-06-23T23:20:00.001-05:002013-06-24T09:40:50.633-05:00Recruiting Volunteers -- Haircut not included.<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Ana Lucia on the scissors.</span></td></tr>
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With a fresh new haircut, a clean car, and a house finally approaching completion, we're ready to begin looking for volunteers. We'd like to cast the call as widely as possible, which means you, our readers, will have to act as the internet megaphone. Drop some information in a casual conversation with a friend, suggest a trip to Ecuador to a family member looking for something to do, if you or someone you know is <a href="http://www.alternet.org/corporate-accountability-and-workplace/70-percent-americans-are-emotionally-disconnected-work">emotionally disconnected at work</a> consider taking time off. Do what you've got to -- we're waiting for you.</div>
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Travel to Ecuador and spend up to three months learning or refining natural building skills with a small family in an Andean valley. Information is presented three ways, as suits your reading style, below.</div>
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We are looking for several interns to help build a cob house and tend the kitchen garden on land in the Chota Valley of Ecuador. We will provide housing, shower and toilet facilities, Internet, food for 3 meals a day and ground transport to and from our site. You will provide air fair and a minimum of US$200 per month to cover lodging expenses. You may choose to stay between one and there months. The week is five days of work with the weekend off. The climate is hot and dry with lots of sun. Contact us by e-mail (pedregaldechota@gmail.com), twitter (@pedregaldechota) or Skype (barisajam) if you are interested or have any questions.</div>
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We are looking for three volunteers/interns to help us in the construction of a cob house in the Chota Valley region of the Imbabura province in Ecuador. Living facilities will be provided, including: one private bedroom, one shared bedroom, three meals a day (to be prepared communally), potable water, Internet, electricity, outdoor kitchen & larder area, washing machine for laundry, composting dry toilet and solar shower. Additionally, we will provide road transport to and from our site, or in the case we cannot provide it, alternative methods will be arranged.</div>
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The land is located in a warm, dry climate with lots of sun and a daily breeze in the mornings and evenings. The Chota River runs along one side of the property 500m from the lodgings. Temperatures range between 20-30ºC in the day and 15-25ºC at night. There are many insects and arachnids inhabiting the land and many of the insects have a mosquito-like bite (think biting midges). We have done our best to seal the habitation as well as driving the worst of the insects from the immediate vicinity of the house and workplace, however no method is perfect and encounters with these flying neighbours should be expected.</div>
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Both of us (Jamie and Sandra) have worked as volunteers on natural building projects so we have some understanding of the issues facing you. We are prepared to offer emotional support and what counselling we can. We are always open to discussion of on-site practices.</div>
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We ask that you pay a minimum of US$200 per month to help us provide utilities to the site and ensure the pantry remains stocked. The amount is open to higher donations if you enjoy your stay and wish to contribute more to our project.</div>
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You will be expected to work 5-day weeks from morning (~8am) to evening (~6pm) with a two-hour lunch break and water/snack breaks. You will not be asked to work through sicknesses, injuries, or physical or mental exhaustion. We know you are volunteers/interns, not indentured servants.</div>
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Weekends will be free to do as you see fit: spend the day relaxing, work on an on-site project, visit Ibarra or Quito, travel. If you wish to travel we ask that you inform us at least several days in advance so that we can plan to transport you or help you arrange transport and accommodation for yourself.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Washing the pickup. When this gets old, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">you can carry</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">old cooking-gas tanks up </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">the mountain to Ibarra,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">or crawl through the ceiling looking for opossums.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">We have prepared </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">a number of tedious, strenuous chores</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">to ensure you 'enjoy' your stay!</span></td></tr>
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Work will consist of preparing and building cob, putting in doors, windows, plumbing and electricity, floors, shaping terrain and landscaping, gardening and some cooking and cleaning. In general, you should consider all activity surrounding natural building as included in work. All work is communal, in other words performed together or on a rotating schedule -- we will be cooking meals and cleaning the site as often as you.</div>
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Ecuador offers 90-day tourist visas to holders of passports from certain countries. You will be asked to possess a passport valid for at least a year from your planned date of entry. We will help you as much as we can, should you request our help, in locating the nearest consulate and identifying required documents. We are veterans of the visa process and at the very lest we can offer you some helpful tips.</div>
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“We” are myself, Jamie, a 29-year-old American man from New York, who has lived on both coasts of the US, Japan and Belgium, and Sandra, a Belgo-Peruvian woman in her early thirties who has lived in Belgium, Peru, Japan and the Czech Republic. We are LGBTQ friendly and welcome people of all skin colours and ethnic backgrounds. We believe that everyone has the right to their own belief (and diet) and while we enjoy discussion, we ask that you please not evangelise.</div>
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These are the general descriptions of where, and with whom the internship/volunteer position will be. If you are interested and/or have additional questions, please contact us at the project e-mail (pedregaldechota@gmail.com), on twitter (@pedregaldechota) or at Skype username barisajam.</div>
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For all interested persons we will conduct Skype or phone interviews. We are looking for people who can bring something from their own lives, so if you play an instrument, sing, practice yoga, tell stories, speak a second language, teach children, can educate us about a different walk of life -- you get the idea.</div>
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We look forward to speaking with you.</div>
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1 Pay for your own transport to and from Ecuador.</div>
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2 Agree to 5 day/week work schedule, weekends open.</div>
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3 Agree to certain daily and weekly chores: cooking, cleaning, etc.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZIQD04V9_k0__mpOEPfgiYA8oz8_wiyc7i8c9S2T64SEKhttWCWLk38uTtyybAeMGrz09rVdxzctOgpexN3UWOl_SJgqIpHw6aU2a8SGF14xp_SLinSiomYjow9PkUuNZQ-BA2Q0rEd4/s1600/IMG_1765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZIQD04V9_k0__mpOEPfgiYA8oz8_wiyc7i8c9S2T64SEKhttWCWLk38uTtyybAeMGrz09rVdxzctOgpexN3UWOl_SJgqIpHw6aU2a8SGF14xp_SLinSiomYjow9PkUuNZQ-BA2Q0rEd4/s320/IMG_1765.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Soon to be site of the outdoor kitchen.</span></td></tr>
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4 Inform us of any dietary needs, allergies, phobias, health concerns, etc.</div>
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5 Pay a minimum of $200 per month to cover expenses. Price open to donations!</div>
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6 Have a passport valid for at least a year from date of entry.</div>
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7 Pay for medical visits and prescriptions while in Ecuador.</div>
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<b>Environment</b><br />
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1 Housing in a restored brick and concrete house. Private room & public room for bedroom options. Outdoor kitchen. Electricity, potable water, cooking gas. Dry toilet. Solar shower.</div>
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2 Dry climate, temperature between 20-30ºC with breeze in the morning and evening. Lots of sun.</div>
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3 Many small biting flies. Spiders. Opossums. Birds.</div>
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4 Spanish speaking country, neighbours.</div>
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5 About four hours from the pacific coast (no nearby surf spots however), 45 minutes from Ibarra (provincial capital), two and a quarter hours from Quito (national capital), three hours from Columbia.</div>
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<b>Provisions</b></div>
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1 Basic foodstuffs, seasonings. Three meals a day.</div>
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2 Ground transport, by pickup truck, to and from the airport. Trips to Ibarra or Quito on weekends. Other trips can be planned in advance, or help with the bus service will be provided.</div>
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3 Counseling and emotional support. Language support.</div>
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4 Learning opportunities in natural building, dry toilets, wastewater management, gardening.</div>
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5 Internet access on-site.</div>
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6 Support for medical visits, sick care, etc.</div>
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<b>Term</b></div>
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1 One to three months for holders of passports from countries with a 90-day tourist visa agreement.</div>
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Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Ibarra, Ecuador0.3626778 -78.13066670.2991643 -78.2113477 0.4261913 -78.049985700000008tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-61931885998793956982013-06-19T16:30:00.002-05:002013-06-24T00:03:23.522-05:00Hasta la Visa, Baby.<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We've been leaving and returning to Quito so frequently recently we decided to stay until the Visa process was finished. Although the volunteer visa application process would seem to be straight forward with little room for trouble if all the documents are in order, we found order in a procedural sense to be something conspicuously absent from the visa offices. Below is an account of the rest of our application process.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">30 May, Thursday</span></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWQEePkrlHBPPgzn9SNKMuCFJJugKfMMYOvdJBfThFvLHdaWytAX2IacUCYtmQLvTbs0jQiSpZgSmuQxUu_Fgg_i0b8OSMD56RJHlybP4ldbsS6x5BszA6lcBCNYWmIETUFzbJuX8M9Y/s1600/IMG_1684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWQEePkrlHBPPgzn9SNKMuCFJJugKfMMYOvdJBfThFvLHdaWytAX2IacUCYtmQLvTbs0jQiSpZgSmuQxUu_Fgg_i0b8OSMD56RJHlybP4ldbsS6x5BszA6lcBCNYWmIETUFzbJuX8M9Y/s400/IMG_1684.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Early morning fog along Gonzalez Suarez, from Guápulo</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We returned to the ministry in the early morning and by ten o’clock we were sitting across a desk from a ministry agent. She checked all of our papers and checked them again. She went through the list of requirements for the 12-VII visa and had us point out each document as she ticked them off. “OK,” she said, “I see that you have all the necessary documents, all correctly legalised. have you canceled your current visas?” No, we replied. What? “Before you can submit your application you must go through the process of officially cancelling your current visas. The fee is $50 per person. You can find the application form and requirements on the website of the ministry. Come back tomorrow and cancel your visa -- oh, and don’t worry about photos on the cancellation application -- then bring your receipt of payment to me on monday.” She flipped through our application a final time. “You’ll also need to buy a folder for all these documents; and tell me, where is your ‘Project’?” She tapped the requirement printout where it read:</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For anyone applying for visa 12-VII as a volunteer:</span></i></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A letter from the organisation to the head of the ministry requested the services of the volunteer.</span></i></li>
</ul>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A letter from the volunteer to the legal representative of the organisation in which the volunteer agrees to offer his or her services freely.</span></i></li>
</ul>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A chronological list of activities to be carried out by the volunteer.</span></i></li>
</ul>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Project.</span></i></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i></i><br /></span>
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<i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">These documents must be submitted along with the application. </span></i></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <span style="text-align: justify;">“What is the necessary documentation for the project?” I asked.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Let me see if I can get you an example,” she replied, leaving the desk to search through several applications on the wall behind her. She returned shortly. “Hmm, I can’t find any examples, but it should be OK if you just write about the project you will be doing.” I showed her my letter to the organisation in which I had specified the dates and content of my volunteering. “Like this, on a separate piece of paper?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“I think that will be acceptable.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Can you give me any more advice about what specifically I need to write?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Create a new document with the heading ‘Project.’”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“And if I copy and paste the information from the letter under the heading ‘Project’ that will suffice?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“I don’t know exactly. But that seems like enough to me. Do that, bring it with the receipt of payment for the cancellation, and we will look at your application again.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We thanked her, left the ministry, picked up our small luggage in Guápulo and left Quito for Ibarra.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3 June, Monday</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We returned to the ministry at ten o’clock, fully expecting the cancellation process to be quick. The ministry agent at the information desk looked over our application. “Where is your application for the new visa?” he asked. I looked at Sandra. She covered her mouth with a hand. I looked back at the agent and told him that the woman with whom we had spoken had not informed us we would need our application for the 12-VII visa in order to cancel our current visas, nor was that listed as a requirement on the ministry webpage. He would not give us a turn-ticket without the application. We caught a cab outside post-haste and once back in Guápulo printed the “project,” added it to our 12-VII application and caught another cab back to the ministry. This time we quickly received a turn-ticket and on the sparsely populated first floor our number was called immediately. As the agent behind the desk was reviewing our application I asked her if having so few people was normal on mondays. “No,” she replied, “none of us know what is going on.” She flipped back to the application form. “You need photos for each of you, but otherwise your application is complete.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“The woman we spoke with last time we came told us explicitly that we would not need photos on this application form,” I said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“You do need photos. Give the woman at number three your 12-VII application and ask her to review it. In the meantime, you can go take photos.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While Sandra went to have her picture taken next door, I went to number three with the 12-VII application in hand. The same woman we had spoken with four days earlier gave the application, now properly enclosed in a folder, a cursory look and asked, “What documents were you missing?” I showed her the “Project,” she nodded approval and we both returned to number one. At this point Sandra met us with her photos which, glued onto the form, completed our application. We took the $150 invoice to the payment window on the ground floor, copied the receipt of payment at a copy shop down the block to include with our 12-VII application and returned to number one on the first floor to hand over our passports, to be picked up the following day.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4 June, Tuesday</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY0XHbJIJeDcR6R8eUniTyZ55zr4Y9zJGnfvTpjGTmcnDYQO8pWBLM1ka4BGZeXIn2-hd6M_35qBVU4UU6mQSO5_F39TE7LNy2bGogr4nc80RTRoIs9tvEfPMKWEmujqrDhklTy-WwcKc/s1600/IMG_1720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY0XHbJIJeDcR6R8eUniTyZ55zr4Y9zJGnfvTpjGTmcnDYQO8pWBLM1ka4BGZeXIn2-hd6M_35qBVU4UU6mQSO5_F39TE7LNy2bGogr4nc80RTRoIs9tvEfPMKWEmujqrDhklTy-WwcKc/s320/IMG_1720.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Public parking for Ministry of Foreign Relations, Quito</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The queue on the first floor was longer today and we waited about 45 minutes with a large screen broadcasting children’s cartoons from the front of the waiting area. The layout, with all of the seats turn forward in rows, reminded me of the US embassy in Brussels. No books, no magazines, no newspapers and no areas to chat; only a lone TV screen broadcasting unrelentingly into rows of onlooking seats. Our number was called, granting blessed relief from the television and another interview with the familiar female agent at number two. I mentioned the addition of the copies of receipt of payment for the visa cancellation. She looked over the requirements and had us locate each document for her. We did this several times as some of the requirements were together in a single letter or form. Satisfied that our application was complete, she had us sit in front of a camera for photos. “Everything looks to be in order. I’m giving you an appointment for next tuesday. Come between three thirty and four and go to the second floor,” she informed us. We left giddy and giggling between ourselves. Finally, our visas!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">7 June, Friday</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When Oscar and I arrived home at Ana Lucia’s in the evening after a day of working on the house in Chota, I noticed a message in my inbox from the ministry. The e-mail read:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>After reviewing your application we have determined several documents are missing. You have 48 hours to submit </i><i>the following or your application will be canceled:</i></span></div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Birth certificate, apostilled or notarised, with notarised translation</span></i></li>
</ul>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Domestic Partnership</span></i></li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Justify diploma and workshops on résumé</span></i></li>
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</blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sandra and I conversed in puzzled horror. The only birth certificate listed as a requirement on the website was for children, and we had given an apostilled birth certificate of Ainoa’s along with a notarised translation as part of our application. What did the mysterious second line mean? How could we give a “domestic partnership” to the ministry? We had submitted a notarised statement in which we attested to living together as legal cohabitants for two years in Brussels. Likewise we had submitted an apostilled diploma with a notarised translation. What -- and how -- did I have to justify? And finally, what to make of the 48 hour deadline? Was that business days? Did the deadline stand in reference to our tuesday appointment? Was the ministry open Saturday? I sent a reply asking for clarification in the form of detailed explanations of what documents exactly were required, and we planned to leave Sunday night and visit in person on Monday.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">10 June, Monday</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Relatively short wait in line. At number three we met a new agent. We showed him a printout of the e-mail. “Did you submit your child’s birth certificate with the application?” he asked. We had. “And was it apostilled?” It was. “And your diploma?” Apostilled, with a notarised translation. Andres had explained to us that the “Domestic Partnership” document had not been used by population services for five years and our notarised statement was the most proof we could give. We explained this to the agent. He excused himself to retrieve our application. He had us show him all the documents, the copies in his file and the originals we had brought with us. He excused himself again. When he returned, he explained what had happened.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Normally your application must contain notarised copies, but you have shown me the originals today and I have spoken with my director and he approves the application. We may ask to keep your notarised translations, but your application should be unblocked. Call this number tomorrow. It’s the legal department. They blocked your application. Tell them you spoke with Jimmy V. and his director told you to call. Ask them to confirm the status of your application. Then come back on Friday after 11am.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We thanked him and drove back to Guápulo.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">11 June, Tuesday</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We spent four hours, from nine to one, calling the legal department at the ministry. The two times my call did not arrive at the voice mailbox, which was full, I explained the situation, the other party put me on hold, and within a minute I was listening to a dial tone. Sandra finally succeeded in having a discussion around a quarter to two. She was told that the justice department communicates exclusively by e-mail and if we had not yet received an e-mail yet we must continue to wait. They still had not replied to my original reply of two business days before. We decided I would return to the ministry the following day alone to get some answers.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">12 June, Wednesday</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had to wait for over an hour but I had brought an illustrated Spanish vocabulary book so at least I was able to get something done and avoid the television, which was again broadcasting cartoons. When I came to number three the familiar woman was there. I explained the situation. She got up and went into the back room. When she returned she told me, “Your application has already been handed over to another department for processing. Don’t worry, you have all the documents and the application should go through now. There’s nothing you need to do. Don’t worry.” She gave me an appointment for Monday at 11:30 on the first floor. We had been told numerous times that I could come alone so that Sandra would not have to come with Ainoa, but all things considered we decided to go all three of us.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">17 June, Monday</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One of the guards helps Sandra carrying Ainoa by pulling her past the line and giving her a priority ticket while I retrieve my passport from the glove compartment of the pickup. Good thing, for when we arrive at the first floor there are more people waiting than we have seen in any of our visits. Even with priority, we have to wait about 40 minutes before sitting at number three. Our female acquaintance looks askance at us. “What was the problem with your application?”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“What?”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“What did they write to you?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sandra has to step in and help me because I cannot understand the Spanish. The woman listens to her response and leaves to the back office. When she returns she says, “Please take a seat. I’ll call you when your application is ready to be reviewed.”</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw31rfjNO9NbsudV7io3Kzhp5zJag4g9v3qLYsjCemoXKhD8hWqjAB8QDuLqmEhB5c45Iv_2Uy4tcIfZoeRsGU5u3QytgT2RvnQKEnx7w6jdiWvXHcOOL8cTSI2HkVDhTDVh9XvNGsN9Q/s1600/IMG_1723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw31rfjNO9NbsudV7io3Kzhp5zJag4g9v3qLYsjCemoXKhD8hWqjAB8QDuLqmEhB5c45Iv_2Uy4tcIfZoeRsGU5u3QytgT2RvnQKEnx7w6jdiWvXHcOOL8cTSI2HkVDhTDVh9XvNGsN9Q/s320/IMG_1723.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ministry of Foreign Relations, Quito</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We sit back in the waiting seats, baffled. I am still a little hopeful. Sandra is devastated. The next in line at number three is an English speaking couple. From their conversation with their translator I make out that they too are having problems in getting their application approved. I ask them what visa they are applying for and what seems to be the holdup. The man’s 12-VII application has been held up for reasons unknown to them while the woman’s application has been approved. The only difference between their applications was their résumés. I wish them luck and return to my seat beside Sandra and Ainoa. The time is one thirty. We are called back. The woman brings the application file and asks where Ainoa’s birth certificate is. We locate it for her. She brings our file to the back office where she discusses it with two male agents and then brings it back to us. She asks where the apostille is. We ask her to turn over the page and have a look. Again she has a discussion in the back office and returns to us. She begins to enter data into her computer. I suggest that we give her the original notarised translation if that will help. “No,” she says, “everything is in order. Don’t worry. Your application needs to be signed by the director, which should take 10-15 minutes. Have a seat and I’ll call you when it is ready. Please wait downstairs with the baby so she isn't disturbed.” Half an hour later Sandra comes back to the first floor. Ainoa is asleep in the baby carrier. Five minutes later we are called to number three. Our application has been approved. We take the $250 invoice, pay downstairs, make a copy of the receipt, return to number three on the first floor, hand over the receipt and our passports. In return we get official application papers and an appointment for Wednesday to pick up our passports, new visas inside.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">19 June, Wednesday</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our visas are here -- unfortunately we only have a year with them before we must renew. On the other hand, when we do renew we can add an additional two years to the stay, provided we still have money to continue with our project. Here's to the future!</span></div>
Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Avenue 10 de Agosto, Quito Canton, Ecuador-0.1894558 -78.492469299999982-0.2529703 -78.57315029999998 -0.1259413 -78.411788299999984tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-20030720323285212922013-05-29T21:52:00.000-05:002013-05-29T21:55:28.983-05:00Sleep Deprived<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“The first gift you give to your children is sleep, and you never get it back.”</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4D04NJlmWarYOIRjWhyTwCHJ2v4yyIJW2k3TS19tvgAOofURBF5FXTDXxQ-qsgjrWOAcAi3ufZ4BvUBcrLACeEC14irQR2uhZHig5fvuWo2cwqn2SU0nJtSYKoKQhjMYTfj9k8Jkt8g/s1600/IMG_2038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4D04NJlmWarYOIRjWhyTwCHJ2v4yyIJW2k3TS19tvgAOofURBF5FXTDXxQ-qsgjrWOAcAi3ufZ4BvUBcrLACeEC14irQR2uhZHig5fvuWo2cwqn2SU0nJtSYKoKQhjMYTfj9k8Jkt8g/s400/IMG_2038.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Brussels - 2056</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When Sandra was pregnant with Ainoa, I reduced my working hours and planned eventually to be completely unavailable for work from a month before her due date. Half a year earlier a producer and director combo had signed up for a certain number of class hours with one of my employers, however they became too busy with work and postponed the remainder of the hours indefinitely. Now that I thought to take time off not only did they want to complete their hours, the producer had been feeling limited by his lack of command in English and had decided he would like to take private courses as well. I tried asking if they could wait until November to resume their study. The director had already filled his schedule and would not be attending any further classes. The producer would still be attending but he absolutely could not reschedule. Rather reluctantly, I accepted the job.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We met for one class and then Ainoa was born. When we resumed lessons a week later my preparation was hasty and I apologised for the slip in quality. The producer, a father of two-year old twins, looked at me and said, “You don’t have throw-up on your shirt, but if you aren’t getting any sleep, I believe you are a father,” and then he shared his wisdom about the gift of sleep.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This week, Ainoa has been struggling through the appearance of her two top-front teeth. She is inseparable from her mother and insufferable at night. For a baby who already wakes up three or four times under normal sleeping conditions, her insufferable nights are a marathon of wakefulness for the parents. The other day I crashed and had to rest in bed all day and the net day, Sandra fell in the line of duty and took her turn under the covers with the laptop.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of all our difficulties here -- a foreign language, a foreign culture, administrative travails and no income -- sleep deprivation courtesy of Ainoa has been far and away the most challenging to overcome.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We woke up this morning at eight o’clock intending to arrive early at the ministry of foreign relations and submit our (finally) completed application for volunteer visas. In a fog of semi-wakefulness we prepared for the day and set out. At a tiny copy shop we bought a large manila envelope for all of our visa documents. Down the street we caught a cab to the ministry. The cab left us a block further than we had requested and we spent ten minutes searching for the correct address on foot, accompanied all the way by Ainoa cooing from the baby carrier. At last we saw it: a large concrete building with metal lettering on the facade. We queued behind seven or eight people at the information desk. When it was our turn I asked where we submit the application for 12-VII visas. “Visa applications are finished for the day,” replied the ministry agent. “We stop accepting new visa applications at 11am.” Was it that late already? We left the ministry and caught a cab back. I looked at the clock: 11:45. Where had the last four hours gone? And thus we were resigned to spend another night and day in Quito, all three of us feeling the pain of Ainoa’s teething.</span></div>
Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Guapulo, Quito Canton, Ecuador-0.20272 -78.478219999999965-0.2185985 -78.498389999999958 -0.18684150000000002 -78.458049999999972tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-53629615670012345262013-05-29T21:12:00.000-05:002013-05-29T21:54:02.342-05:00Ceiling it up<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yesterday we nailed the final supports into the ceiling beams of what will be Oscar’s room and completed this three-day project. The old ceiling had been thin wood paneling nailed to the underside of square beams sagging with rot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chota Valley - Ceiling renovation</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Oscar designed the new ceiling with three cross-beams pushed up against the rotting ceiling boards: one in the centre of the room hammered in from the outside, resting on the opposite end in the interior wall; and one bolted onto each side wall parallel to the centre beam. These beams support eight wooden planks. Each plank sits on a nailed-in centreboard connected at both ends to two small blocks bolted through the centreboard and nailed to the cross-beams. The planks give a flat supporting surface above them for four pieces of 122 cm wide (and variable length, about 193 cm on average) gypsum boards (drywall). The gypsum boards overlap the two middle planks about 10 cm on either side of each board and are flush against the wall-beam on one end and the centre-beam on the other.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chota Valley - Putting in the netting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The exposed support wood and squares of grey gypsum above provide a strange mix of elegance and crudity. I can look at the ceiling and appreciate a job well-done but I cannot say that I find the end result aesthetically pleasing. Nevertheless the ceiling provides a more secure barrier against the elemental and insect activity of the area than what was there bef</span>ore.</div>
<br />Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Ambuqui, Ecuador0.4473288 -78.0052678000000130.4155723 -78.045608300000012 0.47908530000000005 -77.964927300000014tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-71992052625083064482013-05-17T21:07:00.000-05:002013-05-29T21:08:29.494-05:00Chota Calling - Volunteers<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1gDIoJdWIn2wQdRZofI8JgpBBA45dPlrcZo5j8_cxxd8qbIoJJEk8XSBffZID7ZhmNxboDrT_S9unzrKFosANqlyLQAn3H9CvD7Jo2BVso-vJZJCIaG6qepYlRteFQS8mIL4rnLKTcWM/s1600/IMG_0717+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1gDIoJdWIn2wQdRZofI8JgpBBA45dPlrcZo5j8_cxxd8qbIoJJEk8XSBffZID7ZhmNxboDrT_S9unzrKFosANqlyLQAn3H9CvD7Jo2BVso-vJZJCIaG6qepYlRteFQS8mIL4rnLKTcWM/s640/IMG_0717+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chota Valley - Back view</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5piU3ivg04rp1mipnEszfVUnGkHaeyisCSHLOvYQaJVdS6FrWx3PdHV97FL3wUE2Q4T7cL9WVb9XJY0F9gwtbAZAO5N7B-Xob-ROHItQMOXAzRZpqkZuLjTO-k5Pz5B9aDv9IjpaZHWM/s1600/IMG_1225+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5piU3ivg04rp1mipnEszfVUnGkHaeyisCSHLOvYQaJVdS6FrWx3PdHV97FL3wUE2Q4T7cL9WVb9XJY0F9gwtbAZAO5N7B-Xob-ROHItQMOXAzRZpqkZuLjTO-k5Pz5B9aDv9IjpaZHWM/s200/IMG_1225+copy.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chota Valley - Putting in mosquito netting</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Which brings me back
to the house. Since our little trip to Lita, we’ve made good progress. The
supplies we grossly overpaid for (we got a little too eager when talking to a
greenhouse-installation contractor on the adjoining property) were delivered
and we’ve been setting up the wooden frame for the mosquito net which will
guard our rear veranda from the tiny biting flies so prevalent in Chota. We’re
halfway finished with the new ceiling in Oscar’s room: three large wooden
beams, the two on the side of the room attached to the wall with bolts and the
middle beam placed through holes in the walls on either side; smaller wooden
boards running between the beams in four places with three sheets of 122cmwide
gypsum board (a.k.a. drywall) suspended on those boards. It’s a lot of work to
get everything up where it needs to be and a pain because most of it is above
shoulder level, but with half a day’s effort more the ceiling should be
complete.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The water company
finally came, a month after we had paid for service, to set up the water meter.
They knocked a hole in the brick and cement pillar served formerly to hold up a
gate and installed the meter there with cement. The pressure is a bit weak but
we’re happy to have this essential utility installed at last!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrpa92-xHqlngspYoupoiNjHRMjxB3g5z2yKCiX_On8z5hZxMzso9quZUaQAcr8yDTyf_kZ5RQwiAbSuXHqbQFjppSeZ3zZBu8nY40j65v5Gwt8U6J0G3fvVMnJFBD3Q4NNFCSWVM7EQ/s1600/IMG_0722+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrpa92-xHqlngspYoupoiNjHRMjxB3g5z2yKCiX_On8z5hZxMzso9quZUaQAcr8yDTyf_kZ5RQwiAbSuXHqbQFjppSeZ3zZBu8nY40j65v5Gwt8U6J0G3fvVMnJFBD3Q4NNFCSWVM7EQ/s200/IMG_0722+copy.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chota Valley - Side view</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And so, we have
Oscar’s ceiling to finish, the mosquito netting to put up, and a dry toilet to
design and install and then we’ll be ready to move into this temporary house
while we construct our cob house. “Fixing it up” has taken a month longer and
about $500 more than we had originally planned for, but at least we’ll have a
building to protect us from the bugs and the elements, and most importantly,
somewhere we feel comfortable with Ainoa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This update has been
a long time coming, and yet I wanted to write so much more. Buying supplies,
driving to-and-from the land in Chota, working on the house, helping cook
dinner and taking care of Ainoa require almost all of my time and until
recently I didn’t know how to fit updates into that schedule. Now I’ve made a
habit of writing a little every day and even if the writing isn’t always good
or the subject interesting, at least you should have some idea of what life for
us is like here and how we are progressing in our project. Updates will be done
in a more regular fashion in the future -- and with construction on our house
starting soon and a room opening up when Oscar leaves in June, invitations to
come and visit/volunteer with us!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Ambuqui, Ecuador0.4473288 -78.0052678000000130.4155723 -78.045608300000012 0.47908530000000005 -77.964927300000014tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-53461352339363139232013-05-13T21:32:00.000-05:002013-05-18T22:20:28.257-05:00Kafkaphony- May 2013
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meanwhile we managed to take care of some administrative
business during a trip back to Quito. We signed up for healthcare with
Ecuasanitas at $127 a month, which includes $25,000 life insurance, plus $7 per
person per month for dental coverage and $5 total per month for ambulance coverage,
which makes $146 per month to cover us three. I filed for an Ecuadorian
replacement for my US license and I thought I would be taking the theoretical
and psycho-sensory tests a week and a half later. I also thought that drivers
are permitted only 90 days after their date of entry driving with a foreign
license.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHHvLkeyL6ckZKThkacYUqzzfjrD1bfi1HCW5xSb-nUH595gfWfFknao-mpvkLKK6OTsTsEckKotrM5fooL5AA4SzWRxeIZ2oyP2Bp2tAb-Bxx4R0onp6V_igH3RQZanfUYKfRCXJ_p2o/s1600/IMG_0173+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHHvLkeyL6ckZKThkacYUqzzfjrD1bfi1HCW5xSb-nUH595gfWfFknao-mpvkLKK6OTsTsEckKotrM5fooL5AA4SzWRxeIZ2oyP2Bp2tAb-Bxx4R0onp6V_igH3RQZanfUYKfRCXJ_p2o/s640/IMG_0173+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Quito - scenic view of the old city</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I recently returned to Quito to enquire about the state of
my application. On my first visit to the ANT office on the other side of the
city I lost myself in the city streets and arrived an hour and a half after
leaving the notorious driveway at Andres and Caroline’s house. When I finally arrived
I queued in line for the license desk and upon consultation I was told to take
my query to the international license branch on the second floor (first floor,
for my European friends). Happy was I to see that the international license
branch was almost empty. Happy was I to be seated by an agent almost immediately
after stating my business. I explained my situation to her, she left for a
moment to verify the status of my application, she returned. And then she
shattered my happiness. My visa, she explained, only had two weeks left on it.
The ANT would not issue me a driver’s license for such a short time. I kindly
asked her to explain what the hell she meant by saying that I only had two
weeks left on my visa. She pulled the copy of my visa approval from my
application file and showed me the date listed as “REGISTRATION OF VISA”: November
25, 2012. The Visa was for 180 days and, she elucidated, my visa would expire
on May 24. I protested. I showed her my passport with the actual Visa in it and
handwritten thereupon, in the line “Date of Expiry,” 03/AUG/2013. She demurred.
Why would the ministry of foreign affairs assign two differing dates? The date
of expiry is 180 days from this date here, November 25, 2012, on this paper. I
contested. November 25, 2012, is the date I applied for a visa at the
Ecuadorian embassy in Brussels, and consequently the date the visa was
approved. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BmGbYeMcRr2kDXPZZaNZoBNfS3bgScLKh6rBy4z6sD8mizNkAtFCTy3xPtbGTJwgLed8RnQej5-XleA_wTQmG4pW9_rj4bV5bUUBIkJQd9IXJN0UqvEXxDDM_l59RMKLSBIepg4vPZY/s1600/IMG_0250+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BmGbYeMcRr2kDXPZZaNZoBNfS3bgScLKh6rBy4z6sD8mizNkAtFCTy3xPtbGTJwgLed8RnQej5-XleA_wTQmG4pW9_rj4bV5bUUBIkJQd9IXJN0UqvEXxDDM_l59RMKLSBIepg4vPZY/s320/IMG_0250+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Quito - Virgin of the Apocalypse</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I reflected that the efficiency of the administration at the embassy
in Belgium seemed ironic in the present moment, but I didn’t say that. We continued
like this for half an hour before I gave in. Very well, I said, but could she
give me the maximum amount of time I was allowed to drive in Ecuador with a
foreign license? Only 70 days? Was she positive it isn’t 90 days, as I had been
told by traffic police and is listed on the US Department of State website for
travellers visiting Ecuador? Oh, she is positive? And is there anything I can
do between now and when I come back with a new visa, as she suggests I do, to
continue driving? No? Despite that I’ve bought a car, that the administrative
approval for a new visa might very well take months, was there nothing I could
do? No. And if two weeks is now too short a period to issue me a visa for, could
she tell me what the minimum period was, so I could be sure to know for how
long at least I had to renew my visa? There is no minimum? There must be a law,
or a rule the ministry follows when considering cases? No? Each case is decided
by a panel and the panel determines the minimum? And does the panel have a
general rule for minimum duration of visa? No? Is two weeks too short? Yes? Two
months? Maybe? I see. Goodbye, señorita. I left the ANT completely dejected. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The following day, after talking with Caroline and then with
Valentine’s nanny Rita about the best strategy to pursue, and with Sandra who convinced
me I was after all right about the expiry date, I returned to the ANT. This
time I arrived in twenty minutes. On the second-floor I was escorted into the
back offices of the international license branch and seated before a high-level
official. He took one look at my application and said “Oh yes, I remember you
from yesterday.” I explained my case to him and he began to offer the same
protest which had been so sour to me the day before. I interrupted immediately
and explained politely but firmly that every foreigner who enters the country
with a visa has to register hat visa with the ministry of foreign affairs
within the first month of their stay in the country, during which process the
ministry activates the visa and registers an expiration date starting from that
activation. The date of registration for a visa on the other hand has no
relation to the expiration date and, I continued, how little sense it would
make to apply for a visa while abroad only to loose time off of your permitted
stay for each day you remained abroad. He listened, we discussed, and then he
took my passport and application, I imagine to a panel, for review. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjDtDpfO7SLklqyj19WtxskEAqk528t_-hgmoc9DLZp8r3mvfq9CgEDnvE9BSFS8TTDBw3lMrWQmW8yjAvwB7WL9Z-Op_BIJgER_KsGPOVeMOnaU4Y0RKdX4erHSHjSsZOUPZbMKek1Y/s1600/IMG_0401+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjDtDpfO7SLklqyj19WtxskEAqk528t_-hgmoc9DLZp8r3mvfq9CgEDnvE9BSFS8TTDBw3lMrWQmW8yjAvwB7WL9Z-Op_BIJgER_KsGPOVeMOnaU4Y0RKdX4erHSHjSsZOUPZbMKek1Y/s320/IMG_0401+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Quito - scenic view of Guapulo</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Three minutes
later he returned and explained that the agency had interpreted the date of
application as the date of activation and therefore had assumed May 25 as the
date of expiry. If, however, what I said was true -- and he would verify
immediately with an e-mail to the ministry of foreign affairs, so if I could
provide him with a phone number to contact me at several hours later -- then
the panel would reconsider my application in light of this new development.
But, he wanted to know, why did you want a drivers license now if you’ll have
to apply for another license and pay the administrative fees again in two
months when you have a new visa? How else, I calmly questioned, am I to
continue to drive during these two months? What do you mean, he asked. But I’m
only allowed to drive 70 days with a foreign drivers license. What? Or is it 90
days -- I don’t know, your colleague yesterday told me 70 but I’ve heard 90
from police officers and I’ve seen 90 online. No, no, he said, with a foreign
drivers license you’re allowed to drive for 6 months -- 180 days, exactly the
length of your visa. Oh. Could I have a print out of that law, please? Sure I
can? Thank you, have a nice day.</span></div>
Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Quito Canton, Ecuador-0.2166667 -78.51666670000003-0.7247747 -79.162113700000035 0.2914413 -77.871219700000026tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-91104638362691547772013-05-09T11:58:00.000-05:002013-05-29T22:08:34.692-05:00The way back - May 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJRe8PWHrU39dQkLD1Vzq2cceWDtww_5XZlcV8o6rMVIemjeIx3KPHcMRl_cmxdU9YS5RCqBNH-WBLCAEh0kzlexEZtnUwV3Li2saI7mHgZLx4-gNMQRN85uF1LxAsGbvxgX1UUB8Z-s/s1600/IMG_0963+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJRe8PWHrU39dQkLD1Vzq2cceWDtww_5XZlcV8o6rMVIemjeIx3KPHcMRl_cmxdU9YS5RCqBNH-WBLCAEh0kzlexEZtnUwV3Li2saI7mHgZLx4-gNMQRN85uF1LxAsGbvxgX1UUB8Z-s/s400/IMG_0963+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Near Lita - Caña guadua house</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDYvUK7inHPhyOAYfAr3QIpYQFp95Pohaxm6PLc4TPYQANxiSEmca_KPIv3YGImK7T3dPznvFPfwVwqamSyjezIVZmYvpwl1QRcYc5yxhdw1hPdDNhVJmqumPaI_RMgFMu0lXbzIsnlE/s1600/IMG_0997+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDYvUK7inHPhyOAYfAr3QIpYQFp95Pohaxm6PLc4TPYQANxiSEmca_KPIv3YGImK7T3dPznvFPfwVwqamSyjezIVZmYvpwl1QRcYc5yxhdw1hPdDNhVJmqumPaI_RMgFMu0lXbzIsnlE/s200/IMG_0997+copy.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Near Lita - View from 2nd floor of Caña guadua house</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We followed the pickup Pablo was
in about 5 minutes further east on the highway to a small dirt driveway into
which the pickup turned abruptly. We followed, parked and climbed out of the
car. Several baby pigs squealed as they sprinted past us to their pens. We
continued down the path to where we were flanked by two large enclosures: a
guinea-pig farm and a chicken farm. Pablo asked the staff in the guinea-pig
farm to gather two of their older guinea-pigs who were no longer very useful in
breeding. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJu14rvJXv8opSj-rmb8zVj-8YIZ4rr7BVVlhBJ2vuBHCUuwjzdm2mjsexQzvpkvGOYlq2XsmKVrvGXUPl5Z_TeUhXRk5c5szaQGHpeBVmovpHPF5LLD9NSkfHApk6F7lM3blUUtUgRnQ/s1600/IMG_0979+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJu14rvJXv8opSj-rmb8zVj-8YIZ4rr7BVVlhBJ2vuBHCUuwjzdm2mjsexQzvpkvGOYlq2XsmKVrvGXUPl5Z_TeUhXRk5c5szaQGHpeBVmovpHPF5LLD9NSkfHApk6F7lM3blUUtUgRnQ/s200/IMG_0979+copy.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Near Lita - Caña guadua walls</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and ceiling beams</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGrZSGOFafFQBc9J4vyAE66kECTDxdJyal4OWf7ZgGogcqvCYTo2Foy_sYq-x3F8-qVonB5p-5ernj3hBxcfcKdBij0ZXLbHbLZ52zkNuS0eeP0ETFxNTpD2X8or3G3gLqOTnVhAFpXRg/s1600/IMG_0992+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGrZSGOFafFQBc9J4vyAE66kECTDxdJyal4OWf7ZgGogcqvCYTo2Foy_sYq-x3F8-qVonB5p-5ernj3hBxcfcKdBij0ZXLbHbLZ52zkNuS0eeP0ETFxNTpD2X8or3G3gLqOTnVhAFpXRg/s200/IMG_0992+copy.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Caña Guadua - "Windows"</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meanwhile we continued over a small bridge and emerged into a
clearing. In the center of the clearing was a two-story building. From the
stone and cement foundation up, the house was built entirely of caña guadua, a
large, wide-tubed plant in the bamboo family. Caña guadua can grow up to 25
meters long and is quite a stout building material, as we now saw before us.
Caña guadua pillars hold up a caña guadua floor, serve as walls, and meet
ceiling rounds of caña guadua where structural parts of the building are bolted
together into a huge caña guadua clot above the second floor walls. Pablo
explained that this was a </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">center for rehabilitation -- I can only image that means for people who have served time in prison, as Pablo’s organisation also works to provide education to </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">incarcerated folk -- and therefore everything had been built quickly, easily, and cheaply. Caña guadua satisfies all those criteria, the only lengthy part of building with it being the curing of the wood which takes about 25 days . </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Near Lita - Where the supports meet.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We explored the facility, took some pictures, then headed <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">back to the pickup. As we passed the guinea-pig farm, a staff
member came out and handed us a thick plastic mesh bag with two guinea-pig in
its bottom. “These are for Ana Lucia,” Pablo said. “And what’s she going to do,
keep them as pets,” I asked sarcastically, not sure that she would be happy
with what came next for the guinea-pigs. “No, she’ll kill them,” </span>Pablo answered
flatly. “Are you sure? Because I’m not so sure she will be able to,” I
contested. “You don’t know what Ana Lucia is capable of,” Pablo persisted,
“she’ll kill them.” I </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Near Lita - River-stone Foundation</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">pressed. “Why don’t you kill them, Pablo?” He looked
away. “I could never kill a guinea-pig,” he answered sheepishly. “But you have
no problem eating them?” “Jamie, I know it's not quite all logically correct…
but let it be, it’s who I am.” I shrugged, and decided that I should at least
know how to kill a guinea-pig so I could explain the method to whoever accepted
the task. I asked the staff member who had brought the two guinea-pigs to us.
“Well,” she began to explain, “there are two ways.” “What’s the easiest?” I
asked. “You hold it by the back of the neck and cut right here,” she said,
gesturing across the throat, </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Near Lita - Caña Guadua steps</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“and hold them up while they bleed out.” “And
what’s the other way?” “You smash their nose into a rock and their eyes pop
out.” “You have to be precise with that, don’t you?” “Yes, but if you do it
correctly they die instantly.” I nodded, satisfied that I could ensure a quick
death for the two unfortunate guinea-pigs. Really though I shouldn’t have been
worried, as I’ve since learned that almost everyone in Ibarra knows how to kill
a guinea-pig.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our trip wouldn’t have been complete without giving a ride
to a family at a small strip of restaurants all the way back to Ibarra, or
running into a storm and then a landslide which covered the mountain highway
with a layer of football sized rocks. By eight p.m. we had finally arrived back
in Ibarra, safe and with no damage to the pickup.</span><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Lita, Ecuador0.874452 -78.467811999999981-24.6475825 -119.77640599999998 26.3964865 -37.159217999999981tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-43129961371583690922013-05-08T12:28:00.000-05:002013-05-29T19:19:00.589-05:00Encounter with the Awa - part II<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rio Verde Community - Scenic view from village</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The next village was only 5 minutes further along the dirt road, practically at its end. What a different village this one! The shoulder of the hill had been completely leveled here and five sturdy wooden buildings stood in a row on the side of a dirt playing field. At the far end of the field was a tiny playground with a swing-set. Beyond that was the schoolhouse. Pablo had taken us to this village, he said, to ask a favour of us. One of the young women here had wanted to continue her education after completing the village schooling. Her parents had separated when she was younger and neither of them would now sponsor her. The village head-person wouldn't sponsor her. Finally, her grandmother had stepped in to assist her. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rio Verde Community - The Road Up</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The young woman had gone to Quito to study at a beauty school and then returned to Ibarra after her graduation. Young adults who leave the village to study in big cities seldom return to the village, Pablo explained, but this young woman had wanted to come back. So now her grandmother had asked Pablo if he could put in a small beauty salon for her. Nothing overly complicated, "but most of the girls here reach a certain age and get pregnant and that's it for their education. I think if we build a little room for this young woman to give manicures in it will show the girls in the village that they can do something more, they can become professionals if they want to." "As long as I get a manicure I'll help," I joked. Pablo gave me a serious look. "No, Jamie, I don't think she's actually going to give many manicures, but if the people in the village want to, they can come see what it would be like, they can have some excitement, and they can fill their imaginations with different possibilities."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rio Verde Community - New Construction</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Before introducing us to the grandparents, Pablo led us around the premises, again with me acting as his surrogate photographer. The buildings here are all in much better condition and there are two new facilities, a row of immaculate toilet stalls and an assembly hall. I wondered who had built these facilities and why they weren't going to help with the beauty salon. A sneaking suspicion arose in me that Pablo had a way of testing potential volunteers by subjecting them to travails. I recalled his story about the 6-hour hike with the activists from Quito. While I was considering this, Pablo brought us into the school building, where class was just letting out. "Friends, I'm going to ask you to stay for just a moment. I have something I want to talk to you about." With this he called the students back into the classroom, where all thirty-or-so of them sat back down. "Here with me today is a friend of mine, Jamie," he pointed to me, "from the United States. He is an English teacher. I was wondering," he continued, "if you would like to learn English?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Silence. Some of the students stared blankly ahead. A few girls close to Pablo fidgeted excitedly. Pablo tried again. "This is an opportunity to learn English. Are any of you interested in seeing what Jamie's English classes are like?" Some nods this time. "Well, what do you say?" "I think we're interested," said a student who looked like class representative. More nods. Murmurs of agreement from around the room. "OK, in that case, Jamie," Pablo said from across the room, "can you tell them something about your courses?"</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rio Verde Community - First year school rooms</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“I’ve taught English in Japan and Brussels,” I began. “I teach because I like to communicate. I teach because helping people learn to communicate in a new way brings me joy. My class will not be one where I stand in front of a board,” I walked over to the chalkboard and pantomimed picking up a piece of chalk and drawing, “explaining everything to you, while you sit and listen. No.” I began to walk around the class, walking up to students’ desks. “In my class you’ll do a lot of talking, you’ll make a lot of mistakes, and you’ll learn how to communicate in English.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Say something in English,” interrupted Pablo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“In English? OK. I look forward to working together with you all in the next trimester, and I hope you enjoy learning English!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Well, that was really difficult! Thank you, Jamie, and thank you for your time, friends. Enjoy your afternoon.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We walked back across the playground and football field amidst the students, who were looking at me with a mix of curiosity and excitement. At the building next to where we had parked an older woman was waiting for us. “This is Jamie, this is Oscar,” Pablo introduced us immediately. “And this is the woman I was telling you about. Her granddaughter is the hair dresser.” The woman stood next to her partner. Both looked to be in their late fifties. Their faces were handsomely refined by wear, and they held themselves with a dignity I hadn’t noticed in the other villagers. The man’s button-up shirt and belted trousers might have looked pretentious amongst the casual style of everyone else, had this outfit not seemed to fit him as casually as a second skin. The woman invited us up a steep set of stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Their lodgings are a simple set of beds in a room of wooden boards. A construction style with no insulation, just cut and fitted boards, screws and nails. I was strongly reminded of the buildings I had seen in southeast Asia, in Laos and Myanmar. The grandparents had some ideas about how to arrange the room to turn it into a beauty salon: put in a few boards to make a new wall here, place a mirror there, cut a hole in the wall here and cover it with a loose metal mesh to make a window, add a few shelves there. After explaining this they deferred to Pablo, who deferred to me. I took measurements, discussed some ideas with Oscar, and assumed responsibility as the “head decorator” for this project. We’ll be travelling back soon to decorate.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We said goodbye to the grandparents and set out on the long, unpaved mountain road back to the highway. Before returning to Ibarra, however, we had one more stop to make. What had been the entire purpose of this journey, what we had almost completely forgotten about. </span></span><br />
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Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Lita, Ecuador0.874452 -78.467811999999981-24.6475825 -119.77640599999998 26.3964865 -37.159217999999981tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-13165018321516556832013-05-08T11:56:00.000-05:002013-05-29T21:57:45.560-05:00Encounter with the Awa - May 2013<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJtGnMELLUaOw-FOL5C2eSQsDQDCPSS2kQEE56hnrcrWIl7hD18WuwIPiBC533JtwO9MeOozwGKqU74SmiB895LAmLZeDcGIrdQyJpqKEUMlaTPC8I5sjrH9RVeyosR9qb9XpauIYswo/s1600/IMG_0881+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJtGnMELLUaOw-FOL5C2eSQsDQDCPSS2kQEE56hnrcrWIl7hD18WuwIPiBC533JtwO9MeOozwGKqU74SmiB895LAmLZeDcGIrdQyJpqKEUMlaTPC8I5sjrH9RVeyosR9qb9XpauIYswo/s400/IMG_0881+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rio Verde Community - Village Square</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shortly after our
arrival and shaking hands and exchanging greetings with all of the male adults
and many of the children, a meeting was called to order and Pablo was asked to
attend. As his friends and guests of the village, we sat in too. We occupied
part of the short wood benches fit against the walls of the assembly hall along
with about half of the attendees, while the other half sat in plastic chairs
arranged in loose rows facing toward the “front” of the hall. The assembly
chairman, the village headman and Pablo did most of the speaking, although
participation was open to any villager who spoke up. The subjects brought up
were villager participation in foundation sponsored projects not being enough to
justify funding to the Swiss sponsors; the construction of a new permanent
kitchen and </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMKzF4sby5DOz8Y4LSEjYIUaba_qX5J96lIUgKkBMsOX6z76O_rg6_l3Jol_EU8eYVoWhf2FNxPVB5ViVj1ehhtPpCLKylNRWSVGkKeySkPFhyahAFR03vGX3s7mq5yhBLfdAizLjNiE/s1600/IMG_0875+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMKzF4sby5DOz8Y4LSEjYIUaba_qX5J96lIUgKkBMsOX6z76O_rg6_l3Jol_EU8eYVoWhf2FNxPVB5ViVj1ehhtPpCLKylNRWSVGkKeySkPFhyahAFR03vGX3s7mq5yhBLfdAizLjNiE/s200/IMG_0875+copy.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rio Verde Community - Assembly</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">dining hall; a project to raise chickens (which apparently had gone
fine in another village until the first big festival and then all the chickens
and eggs were eaten); and finally a plea to the village adults to learn how to
sign their names, important now that banks and government agencies will be
changing their regulations as not to allow fingerprints. The meeting was long
and I found my attention wandering. Eventually we were asked if we </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">wanted to
share any words with the assembly, which I found strange as Pablo had invited
us in order that we might learn more about the organisation that will be
sponsoring our volunteer visas. I thanked the village for including us in their
community, and Oscar simply introduced himself. Lunch was next and one of the female
teachers brought us a plate with cooked yuca piled high upon it, and a small
dish full of salt. As I finished the spaghetti I had prepared in case vegan
food was not available and tasted a yuca, I began to regret having brought food
-- the yuca was the most delicious I’ve ever tasted, soft and moist, delicate yet
not floury and full of flavour.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rio Verde Community - Outside the kitchen</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not much happened
after lunch except that, as I followed Pablo and two male villagers to
photograph the newly constructed chicken coop (as Pablo had forgotten his
camera he appointed me his surrogate photographer for the day), one of the men
pointed to a white speck on a distant mountain. “Do you see?” he asked. Neither
Pablo nor I saw. “That’s where I live,” he explained. Pablo and him discussed
for a moment and then Pablo elaborated. “Every day he and his kids walk two hours
from there to come to the schools here. They have to cross the Rio Verde but there
is no bridge, so they take their clothes off and cross. Almost everyone in the
community has to make a daily trip like his.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8JxpEEMn0uBEDiNyB2N4IiagUW3DGCqM1L_xDaVCL9fnO0hnvmzm1eyWdfWCoF7ko2by1g1JlX7kk1odklev3NOjURvyFOlp-W9mw5LuNakbXHgNPF7BmutDYNx-WtCBzkrtI4ENIfE/s1600/IMG_0885+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8JxpEEMn0uBEDiNyB2N4IiagUW3DGCqM1L_xDaVCL9fnO0hnvmzm1eyWdfWCoF7ko2by1g1JlX7kk1odklev3NOjURvyFOlp-W9mw5LuNakbXHgNPF7BmutDYNx-WtCBzkrtI4ENIfE/s320/IMG_0885+copy.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rio Verde Community - Inside the kitchen</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our inspection of the
village facilities finished, we said our goodbyes and set out. I asked Pablo
how he had come to work with these people. "Do you want the truth or a
lie?" he asked back. "The truth, always," I said. "A long
time ago I was part of a revolutionary group in Quito," he began.
"After a time, the government decided to start brokering deals with some
of the groups. People who agreed to the deals became wealthy. I didn't want to
make a deal with the government, so they began to harass me and my family.
That's when I moved to Otavalo and began working with indigenous peoples to
have their rights legally protected. I worked with a group of shamans to have
their practice recognised as culturally important. Our efforts were successful
and meanwhile Otavalo as a region was prospering. Eventually the groups that
had been marginal when I first came were doing well without my help and I
decided to leave. I took out a map and looked for the most isolated communities.
That's how I found the Awa."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I wanted to ask
you about the contract. There's a lot of reference to drug prevention, both use
of and trade in. Is that language included in order to receive funding from
government anti-drug programs?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"No. I don't
take any money from the government, I don't want any of the government's money.
All of the money we use here comes from our Swiss funders."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"And do you have
much help from local activists?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Jamie, I've got
to tell you that I really don't like activists."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Why not?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"The activists
have a lot of ideas but when it comes down to action they fall short. Environmental
groups come here with two-year projects and when the two-years are up they
leave the community with all sorts of problems. Conflicts over power, conflicts
over money. Sometimes they leave systems without teaching the community how to
use the system and in the end the land is destroyed. Lumber companies,
development companies, large agricultural companies -- someone comes in and is
able to buy the destroyed land for very little money because the community is
fragmented and desperate. That's why I don't like activists, Jamie."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rio Verde Community - Chicken Coop</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We walked for a few
minutes in silence, and then he continued. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Three years ago
I found out about a group of urban activists in Quito. They dressed like punks,
did a lot of a pro-environmental graffiti... I had a lot of hope in them. So, I
invited them out here. At first they arrived and stepped into the forest and
said, 'Oh, look at all the nature -- it's so wonderful, so beautiful!' We hiked
for six hours to one of the villages. When we arrived they couldn't get off
their feet fast enough. 'I can't stand all these bugs!', 'What an uncomfortable
place!', 'The toilets here are disgusting!' I invited them back to help with
some projects here. Not a single one of them came."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Back at the pickup I
changed into the fresh pair of clothes I had packed and felt some eyes </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkn4fkFvFoG9iaFBFy9v32N1abHFxPgUMNOe8m9sOqT22PBLQu0jr9pnUHwhWoLbF675XcFWvS0SU0mmythlgT9ot-QiEbLMXCH5sTseRp2yF8pd-PlATUHTu11EztWQ7P0-aKzgUAUDA/s1600/IMG_0924+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkn4fkFvFoG9iaFBFy9v32N1abHFxPgUMNOe8m9sOqT22PBLQu0jr9pnUHwhWoLbF675XcFWvS0SU0mmythlgT9ot-QiEbLMXCH5sTseRp2yF8pd-PlATUHTu11EztWQ7P0-aKzgUAUDA/s200/IMG_0924+copy.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rio Verde Community - Inside the Dining Hall</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">watching
me. I turned around and saw a young girl standing inside of the little wooden
hut next to the pickup truck. We had some extra food, so I offered her a banana.
Pablo's colleague looked at me. "She doesn't need any of those," he
said, and gestured to behind the low wooden wall. I gazed over. There were
several bunches of bananas cut straight off the tree; there must have been at
least 50 bananas. I grinned sheepishly and waved goodbye</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span></div>
</div>
Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Lita, Ecuador0.874452 -78.467811999999981-24.6475825 -119.77640599999998 26.3964865 -37.159217999999981tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5435345308289026547.post-42967408664911614402013-05-08T00:00:00.000-05:002013-05-29T21:58:54.519-05:00On the road to Lita - May 2013<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Back in Ibarra. For our Visas we spoke with Señor Pablo who
operates the NGO “Tierra Para Todos”. He has agreed to sponsor me as a
volunteer for his NGO and in exchange I’ll give lessons in English at a small
mountain village school, and possibly to the blind of Imbabura and incarcerated
adults in Ibarra. Last Thursday Oscar and I drove east with him to visit the
mountain communities. He said we would be traveling around the Rio Verde area,
but having no idea where that was I could only follow their red Mazda pickup as
it left Ibarra by the Panamericana towards Chota, reached the first major fork
in the road, and turned left -- to the other side of the Mira river, to where
we had never before gone.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehVdyEEozfbQEhfDTnLvXT24Z29kWBlHlmz_Sp4ST7Pr2zE8esr3hXZiAdqSaJFvNvRfSVjjFRIufP7Fgg0Wb45xiJ-az_GXRUHrAvOpVvpBhlVWXEl1IFQTuQ0z3YBUdW3jyOYY2xD0/s1600/IMG_0846+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehVdyEEozfbQEhfDTnLvXT24Z29kWBlHlmz_Sp4ST7Pr2zE8esr3hXZiAdqSaJFvNvRfSVjjFRIufP7Fgg0Wb45xiJ-az_GXRUHrAvOpVvpBhlVWXEl1IFQTuQ0z3YBUdW3jyOYY2xD0/s400/IMG_0846+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rio Verde Communities - View from near the first village, plus the rare horsed Belgian.</span></td></tr>
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The Mira splits the Andean valley region into a dry side --
where we are building -- and a wet side, which we were now driving through. As
we passed the Salinas museum, whose existence had heretofore been of a dubious
nature, we stopped to let on some hitchhikers. Very few buses this side of the
Mira. As the drive continued, the vegetation around the highway thickened and
turned from desert scrubs into lush copses of tropical forest -- palm trees,
pineapple trees, enormous bushy leaves pushing out in clumps, tall green grass.
And the houses changed, too, from the cinderblock concrete style to an all
wood, stilt-frame style. Villages grew smaller and habitations less frequent.
Along the highway signs to reduce speed would suddenly appear and in 500m would
be a school, completely isolated from any visible community. After driving for
an hour and half we arrived at a military checkpoint. A soldier returned from
checking the car in front of us, removed the roadblock and waved us over to the
side of the road. This is the one of the major roads from San Lorenzo and the Esmereldas
provinces -- and Columbia -- to Ibarra. The drug traffic from the north makes
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The highway on the other side of the Mira is so new that on
Google Maps it’s marked “Highland Road” and disappears en route to the valley
between Cotacachi and El Angel. The new road is well paved and marked, complete
with cat’s eye reflectors and mini-shoulders. The side of the road however is
prone to collapses and at a few locations we had to switch lanes to avoid
landslide debris and fallen trees.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rio Verde Cricket</span></td></tr>
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We arrived at Lita, a tiny hillside strip of restaurants and
hotels, general shops, housing and schools, two hours after our departure. We
parked in front of a restaurant offering breakfast. Inside, our waitress had to
return several times to inform us that certain food she wasn’t available and
did we want something else? Pablo had chicken soup, Oscar took two cheese
empanadas and I had the only vegan option -- dry, crumbly sweetbread. The
instant coffee sat on the table long enough for us to fill our cups before the
waitress took it away to another table. The best part of the restaurant was the
view, of the shallow valley just below Lita and the distant mountains covered
by rainforest. There were many little birds with bright coloured bellies and wings
flitting about, flying through the open walls between supporting wooden pillars
and chirping from the rafters before fleeing back to the tops of lemon trees.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rio Verde Community - Fish Pond</span></td></tr>
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Breakfast eaten, we drove a short ways down into the village
looking for rubber boots. The general store we chose didn’t have my size (44)
but luckily had just close enough (42) that I could fit without sore feet. We
also picked up some water for the trek to the first village. From the store we
drove back up to where a dirt road branched off from the paved highway, on the
other side of a deep ditch. My poor truck -- the shocks took such a beating
from the deep gap between roads! They bounced back though and for the next half
hour I thoroughly tested the low-gear 4x2capabilities, driving on a hole-riddled
dirt road dipping up and down, through rain-flooded mud fields and past fallen
boulders with passing space barely wider than the truck. Jurassic Park came out
when I was nine (1993) and I was so enthralled by the setting -- dinosaurs! and
exploration of a tropical island -- I went to see it seven times in theatres.
Driving through the jungle split by dirt-road was like living out my own
exploration fantasy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Eventually we crossed a bridge and Pablo let us know this
would be the end of our drive for the moment. We got out and I was going to
change into hiking appropriate shorts, but Pablo suggested that I go
pants-tucked-into-sucks as we’d be doing some pretty serious jungle hiking. On
the other side of the bridge a guide from the community was waiting for us with
three small horses -- Ainoa and Sandra <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rio Verde Community - Young Buck</span></td></tr>
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had been invited but had to cancel last
minute when Ainoa floated her first fever. Horses!! -- I was all excited to
ride one for the first time since I was a little kid. One foot into the
stirrups and then onto the back of a heaving, ponderous beast struggling with
the pounds of flesh on its back. Took me but five minutes to get over the
excitement. I tried whistling to the horse to signal a stop, as the guide had
done earlier. Nothing doing. I tried clicking my tongue against the roof of my
mouth and patting its neck. No stop. I tried pulling the reigns back, but I was
sloppy and I got a turn instead of a stop. Then I grabbed the front and back of
the saddle, slipped my feet out of the stirrups and leaped off, to laughs from
the men on the trail behind us. Much more comfortable in mind and fleet of foot
on my own pair I quickly caught up with Oscar and Pablo and took the lead for a
little while.</div>
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The tropical rainforest is an amazing place and one of the
few regrets from my visit to mainland southeast Asia was not trekking through
it. Here I made up for that -- really, this type of environment <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jungle Road - Dying Butterfly</span></td></tr>
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seems to appeal
to all sorts of past fantasies and desires of mine. There is so much to see:
ants marching in line across the path, each one carrying mandible-cut pieces of
green leaf; waterfalls, rushing rivers with precarious wooden bridges over
them; dozens of different species of butterfly and moth, colourful birds
swooping across the path, an eagle soaring above the valley; trees and
vegetation of all sorts, leaves the size of my chest laying fallen on the
ground; zounds, the sounds!!! cicadas buzzing like chainsaws, chirps, water
rushing, mud squishing underfoot. At some points the path was ankle-deep in muddy
water, at other points I thought we were walking on the most interesting
coloured solid rock. I pointed this out to Pablo and he laughed. “It’s clay,”
he said. I reached down and scraped off a chunk -- pure clay, bright orange, in
enormous quantity. Later we found the same amount of lighter yellowish clay. I
told Pablo how excited this find had made me, and how I looked forward to
returning for the different colours when we finally reach the plastering stage
of our house. He took the opportunity to mention a cache of turquoise coloured
clay he had seen about 6~7 hours hike into the jungle, and ever since that hike
has haunted my imagination.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rio Verde Community - Can you see the villagers house in the distant mountains?</span></td></tr>
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When we arrived at the crest of the ridge we had climbed I
looked over and saw the mountains extending their fingers all around us. In the
valley immediately to our left a solitary eagle soared. We arrived at the
village several minutes later. Several buildings consisting of wooden boards
nailed to a frame on a concrete foundation make up a commons. Two wooden posts
on each side of the commons give a playing field. The buildings are, starting
from the right, an assembly room, a bathroom, atemporary kitchen, the 2nd-5th
year classroom, the old kitchen, the dining hall, and then two unidentified
buildings after a gap where the mountain path continues. Of the buildings that
have </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rio Verde Community - Leaf-like moth</span></td></tr>
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windows none have glass, instead using wire netting of 2 by 1 inch open
rectangles. The wooden wallboards have bent and warped in the humid weather
leaving small openings here and there between them. A variety of moths, some
with dark red patterns on their wings, others which at first appear to be
brown, wilted leaves lay motionless in unoccupied spaces. Dogs enter and leave
freely, unless they become particularly bothersome and are kicked out.</div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Pedregalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12236801744826756853noreply@blogger.com0Lita, Ecuador0.874452 -78.4678119999999810.85857400000000006 -78.487981999999974 0.89033 -78.447641999999988