After surviving innumerable twists and turns of Otavalos mountainy roads, the group stepped off in the small town of Pucara, comprised of 35 families in total. After being fed a filling meal of rice, beans and meat, it was time for the welcoming ceremony.
Sitting in a row, we watched the villagers speak, welcoming us to the town and inviting us to participate in a set of traditional games. Despite being described as ātraditionalā the games end up ranging from egg throwing, to tomato dancing (in which you dance with a partner and a tomato wedged between both of your foreheads). Afterwards, it was in the same atmosphere of joy and amusement that we got sent off to our host families with which we would be spending the following four nights. Four nights and four days of speaking Spanish (or forcing yourself to attempt to do so).
The week was spent in and out of the homes, learning about the community, and the way it opposes a potentially devastating mining project by developing their own sustainable form of tourism.
We toured the locally manufactured āwetlandā, worked on an organic farm and coffee plantation, collecting everything from pineapples to lemons, hiked through dense forest, and spent our days in work gloves and rubber boots.
But the four days ended up going by quickly, as we had to move on to our next destination; JunĆn, a small community at the heart of the growing conflict between government and locals fighting for the right to their land. So we said goodbye to Pucara after more entertaining games, a traditional dance show on behalf of the local women dance crew, and an interpretation and presentation of the cupide shuffle on our behalf.
However, before packing our bags and riding in the back of a truck onto our next destination, we made a two day stop. A two day stop filled with adrenaline and excitement, as we have the terrifying pleasure to take the highest zip line in all of Ecuador. Starting at 1100 feet, we slid down the metallic wire, our screams being lost in the valley below us. It was with shaking legs that we took our harnesses off and made it down to our cabins for the night, taking the time to stop by the local hot springs, and for some of us, pausing to shake off all the ants that had somehow managed to climb up under our clothes.
Who knows what weĀ“ll face next.
– Alex