Te Gusta Jugar Carnaval?

It started off slow, confiscating empty balloons and water guns from kids in the library. We returned them at the end of the night, understanding it is all in good fun, but water and library books don’t mix. Having never experienced Carnaval in Latin America, we didn’t really know what to expect. The games seemed harmless enough… and then I got hit in the face with shaving cream. Although the holiday doesn’t officially start until this weekend, the high school kids are already out in full force and I cower in fear as I walk home from the bus. The common tradition during Carnaval in Ecuador is to throw water, powder, eggs, shaving cream, silly-string and hair dye at friends and unsuspecting strangers.

While walking to the bus yesterday I ran into two of my former English students, high-schoolers in uniform just getting out of school. They approached me with hands behind their back and asked me if I like to play Carnaval. The answer was a firm no, and they laughed at the desperate look on my face as I begged them not to hit me with anything. I watched from the bus window as they launched eggs at another group of high school kids across the street. So far we have been spared (for the most part) from any real damage, but the games are just beginning. The majority of the group is headed to the coast for the long weekend and we will surely come back with gruesome stories and photos to share. Until then, wish us luck!

New Couch!

This week we received a new (and much needed) addition to our rincon de leer... a couch! The old beanbag chairs we had were way more of a hassle than they were worth. After only a few months of niños jumping and playing on them they already needed replacing. We tried multiple times to repair them but still ended up with pieces of little white stuffing all over the library. The teens, who need to sweep part of the library before playing video games, should be especially pleased to see the beanbags go.

The library kids seem thrilled with the change as well, and having a comfy place to sit has seemed to encourage more reading! We are very appreciative of our new couch, which was a generous donation from a fellow American who lives in Rumiloma. The PDs are still searching for more comfy furniture to warm up the adult section of the library.

These primas look sweet and innocent when they are reading...

Eduardo photo bombing

Reading together before English class

Matias, my favorite reading partner

VECINOS!!!!

Here is a photo tribute to our favorite neighbor Caesar:

Caesar is always watching out for us when we come home from the library at night, and enthusiastically greets us with a "veciiiiinos!" every time we see him.

He is always willing to lend us a hand transporting things to and from the centro in his pick up truck.

He was especially helpful during our Community Celebration (FDR) driving Charlie and Taylor around with a loudspeaker to do advertising. He also made several trips back and forth from the library to the plaza to help us bring supplies.

Although sometimes we take it for granted, it really is nice to have someone around who is looking out for us. Gracias Caesar!

Teen Center Paseo

Last Saturday the Teen Center took its first paseo of the New Year to a natural rock-climbing wall near Sangolquí. The trip was lead by an Ecuadorian friend of ours, Joshua, who is a certified mountain guide. He supplied us with all of the necessary equipment, and talked to the teens about safety and proper climbing technique. The wall we used was a natural rock face with built in hooks for ropes that climbers have installed over the years. It was a beautiful place, hidden away behind farmhouses and right alongside a river. We got lucky with the weather and the typical afternoon rain-showers held off (for the most part) until all of the teens and adults had their chance to try out the wall.

We advertised for the trip during the Fiestas de Rumiloma last weekend, and received a lot of interest. Several kids wanted to come but couldn’t because of scheduling issues, and we look forward to seeing them at future Teen Center events. Six teens participated in the paseo, three Teen Center regulars and three of our new English students, as well as Walter, a friend and student of ours who has been helping us out with Teen Center events. Walter is an active participant in several Manna programs, and is always a pleasure to have around. It is especially nice to have him helping with the Teen Center, since he can joke around and relate to the kids in a way that is much harder for Charlie, Watkins and I.

The rock-climbing trip was something we have been planning for a while now, and we were all pleased with the outcome. We are trying to introduce the teens to more positive Ecuadorian role models, and expose them to opportunities they may not have otherwise. Only one of the teens had ever been rock-climbing before, but after they got over the initial fear everyone seemed to really enjoy it. Mishell, one of the new teens in my adult English class, was the only girl on the trip, and the first person to reach the top of the wall. We all had a great time joking around, and cheering one another on. It was fun for me to hang out with some of my new English students outside of the classroom setting, even as they pestered me to translate inappropriate rap lyrics. The paseo was overall a great success, and we look forward to planning and executing the next one.

Carlitos (Profe Charlie) giving it a shot

Joshua and I belaying

Mishell, almost at the top

Johan getting started

Steven (TC regular) crawled up the wall like a spider

FDR

   This past Saturday saw the culmination of much planning, advertising, and preparation undertaken over the last several weeks by our PDs.  The fruit of our labor was the successful Fiesta de Rumiloma (or FDR), a community-wide celebration now in its second year. 

   The festival’s purpose is to promote Manna Project, the classes and services we offer, to promote other local organizations that do good work in our community, and to bring residents together for a good time.  Other organizations that attended the festival included the Red Cross Ecuador, Antorcha de Vida (a nonprofit that provides opportunities and services to handicapped children), Fundación Añamisi (an organic farming cooperative and produce vender), La Casa Victoria (an Ecuadorian organization similar to ours but operating in Quito), Protección de Animales Ecuador (or PAE, an organization offering free veterinary services), and several local firefighters who put on an emergency medical response demonstration with the Red Cross. 

   About his organization’s participation in the festival, Christian Añamisi of Fundación Añamisi said, “It was nice to have the opportunity to actually show our produce to potential customers,” and added that he hoped the event would continue in future years. 

   The Fiesta was held at the Plaza de Rumiloma, a grassy space in front of a church near our Centro, and in the neighborhood of many people we serve.  Among the highlights of the activities were the very popular “saltarín” kids’ bounce house, spirited games of musical chairs and three-legged races, and the presence of our friend and MC, Christian Guachamin. 

   We thank all of the people and organizations who attended, as well as the weather gods who waited until three o’clock to release the rain and lightning, and we look forward to continue working with our community this week as our programs begin anew.  

The MC and life of the party!  Muchas gracias Christian...

A new word for our Spanish vocabulary:  "el saltarín" - kids' bounce house

Tug o' War:  a game that is simple, timeless, and cross-culturally attractive

Not an actual emergency:  the Red Cross and local firefighters demonstrate the procedure for responding to car accidents

From left to right:  Nicole, Heather, Emily, and Taylor