Ecuador Adventures

Thursday, June 18, 2009

New cell phone number

My new cell phone number is 09416-8720, and for those who are calling from the U.S. 011+593+94168720.

Only 2 more weeks and I will be in Colorado! Yiiiippppppeeeee!

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Paseando in my site

Posa Honda, the lake by my house, where we go swimming, tubbing and “pasear” in canoe.

My friends Miara and Alexandra who sneakily convinced me to go with them to visit a rural community to invite them to a fundraiser event that we are having for Fathers’ Day. They were upfront about the community being far away, but they didn’t tell me that we had to get there by foot. We climbed a steep hill following two tired donkeys for 2 hours in the hot sun until we got to a community that sat at the top of the mini-mtn and looked over all the small towns below. (such good views that I wish I could share with you but my camera ran out of batteries on the hike.) We all arrived with bright red faces and sweating out of every pore in our bodies but I wouldn’t hesitate to go again if I got the chance.

The community we hiked to was at the top of the tallest hill in the background of this photo.

Fish I used to make civiche...Turns out that gutting fish is pretty simple.

BBQ in La Finca...garlic shrimp and ribs! Sooo good!

Love these girls!
Irene, Kristen, Colleen, Yo and Karen

Baby chics at my house

I'm a new mom

My two new little girls....Kisca (cat in Russian) and Analy (name from a Tela Novela)

The claw.......ahhh!

hugs!

My friend Kristen came to visit me this weekend and came bearing "gifts." Two little kitties had been abandoned and left in the street crying. She has been looking for a home for these two adorable animals and my host mom Cecilia and I couldn't help but take them in.
They had several different health issues when I got them but with a little treatment and cariño, they are two happy kittens now.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

working with all ages

My group of promoters for my Happy Heart program.
They are so pillas

The doctor from the health center came to give a presentation about Diabetes

Calculating B.M.I.

Conducting Glucose and Cholesterol exams for the community participants

Where we give our the Happy Heart Presentations in one of my communities...my work is far from corporate cubicle life

El Dia de Nino! Kids day in Ecuador!
We celebrated by having a march with all the elementary and high schools and then had a program in the center of town.

We made visers/hats and handed them out to the little kiddos who still had class.

Parade of kids

A youth group conference I helped put on about with Plan International. We did an activity were the teenagers had to pretend like they were on a radio program being interviewed as themselves but 10 years older. It was very interesting hearing the responses. Are you married? Do you have kids? What kind of career do you see yourself having?

How would you respond? Where do you see yourself in 10 years????????

Tooth fairy claims bankrupcy

I helped organize a Dental Brigade in my rural communities, and I have never seen so many teeth get pulled in one day.

I was impressed with what these dentists could do with such minimal supplies and working in a small elementary school building

Some of the kids were so brave…this little boy just had his two front teeth pulled and still walks around with a smile on his face. (He told me he had to be brave for his younger brother who needed to get a tooth pulled)

They are the reason I do what I do

No longer a freshman in PC

I went to Quito last month for mid-service medical exams and to welcome in the new group of PC volunteers. I am getting 2-3 new Agriculture volunteers out near my site, which is exciting. It was an odd feeling to not be on the other side of the fence, answering questions as an experienced volunteer and watching as the newbies head out to their sites to begin their service. I feel like I have passed my freshmen year of PC and have moved up to being an upperclassman.