Guinea Pigs & Good Time

Breakfast was wonderful as usual. We said our first goodbyes to the Venezuelan refugee couple who has made breakfast for us this week. Due to the Venezuelan crisis and their currency having no value, 4 million people have fled Venezuela in search of a better life. We then packed up at our hotel in Los Bancos for our overnight at Nido de Vida. Upon arrival, we got right to work heading back up the hill to put the final touches of paint on the school. Of course, no day of work in La Bolivarnese is complete without frequent breaks to admire the rolling hills as far as the eye can see. Once we were confident that the school looked like something we’d be happy to send our children to, we headed back down the hill for lunch. It did not include soup, but the spectacular homemade guacamole more than made up for it – and very likely spoiled us for life!

After lunch and a brief break, we got to work around Nido de Vida. Some of us didn’t get enough of shoveling and spreading rocks yesterday so volunteered to fill in some holes in the driveway. Two of our group members went to pull weeds in the greenhouse. The rest of us went to work with Dona Julia weeding the garden. Although weeds don’t necessarily look the same from Erie to Ecuador, the fun we have gardening with a grandmother certainly is. And, we only pulled out two plants that shouldn’t have been pulled! (And by we, I mean Justin.) The afternoon work was punctuated by a trip to see where the guinea pigs (cuyes) food is cut. Their diet of tall grass is cut down by machete and then heavy bundles are carried back to the farm. None of us realized that guinea pigs ate so much! (Their food intake is a good thing, though, as you’ll find out later.)

Late afternoon saw the long-awaited river swim. It’s the rainy season in Ecuador, so the river was high and the current fast. We took advantage of this by using the current as a natural water slide. We stayed until we got cold and our fingers shriveled up – it was heavenly, and hard to remember that it’s probably snowing in Erie. We returned to Nido de Vida just as the rain intensified, and were greeted by the unusual site of Don Fidel, Brandon, Lenon, Nancy, and Lucia putting up a large tarp or tent at the end of the porch. A few of us attempted to lend a hand while trying to figure out what was going to happen with it, but they made it clear we would soon find out.

Our questions about the tent were answered when our driver arrived with a van full of young people. For our final full night, our friends at Nido de Vida had arranged for a group of Fernando’s friends who are members of a local dance team to join us to demonstrate traditional Ecuadorian dances! The dance was scheduled for after dinner, but we had plenty to keep us busy in the meantime. One of the ways Nido de Vida supports itself is by raising tilapia, and that was on the menu for dinner tonight. We didn’t just eat the home-raised tilapia: we actually prepared it for a traditional Ecuadorian cooking method!

To cook fish Ecuadorian style, roast banana leaves over a fire until they toughen up. This will allow them to bend without breaking. Then, place the fish (with the skin, fins, and head still on) in the middle of the banana leaf and include whatever vegetables you like – we would recommend peppers, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. Then fold the banana leaves over, tie it with the center of the stem, and set in on a grill over an open flame. Roast for 25 minutes, flipping once.

We found the best way to keep busy during the 25 minutes the fish was cooking: a pre-dinner dance! The young Ecuadorian dancers taught the group their favorite dances. In return, our group taught them the “Cotton Eyed Joe”. We worked up an appetite teaching those dances to our new Ecuadorian friends and learning some of the dances that are popular in Ecuador right now.

The fish that we prepared was delicious. The majority of our group tried the guinea pig as well – which was a fan favorite.  A regular guinea pig can be sold for around $10, while a cooked and prepared one can be $15 - the most expensive meal in Ecuador. The family only eats guinea pigs are special occasions, which we were honored by. 

After we were done eating, our new friends presented a couple of traditional Ecuadorian dances while wearing traditional garb. It was beautiful to watch, but we certainly would’ve paid more attention had we known that we were going to join them! We aren’t sure that we did any of the dances right, but we are sure that we had the time of our life trying. As Gita said, “dance is a universal language.” When the dancing was done, we got to celebrate our group member, Kyla’s 20^th birthday by surprising her with cake and ice cream!

And then we had our reflection time and headed to our sleeping quarters. The girls got to sleep in “Dolly,” the newly built guest house named for Bibi’s grandmother, and share their good vibes. Justin slept on the second floor of the main house, while Kathleen and Sara are in nests with beautiful views on the third floor. While we don’t want to leave Nido de Vida and our wonderful new friends, we are excited to explore more in Quito tomorrow!

Author’s note: This post was written by your friendly neighborhood Gannon staff accompanier, Sara. I want you to know – and I speak for Kathleen as well – that the students on this trip are spectacular. If you had a hand in making them who they are today, you have much to be proud of.