Last Day In Ecuador

This is really weird. I am leaving for the US and will be there in less than 24 hours. I really miss Tabuga!

My presentation went really really well, and now I am doing last minute shopping and packing before I leave. Francesca and I are getting a hotel by the airport tonight, and then we are going to head off at 4am to get there and wait for our flights. I fly Quito->Miami->St. Lious->Chicago. Three planes until I'm home. How weird!

Meanwhile, here are some more photos I had from Tabuga of the kids and Tabuga.

Naiomi

Katarine

Adriana

Deisy

Naiomi and Dairan- Brother and sister

Valentina

Karina

My girls modeling for me

Striking a pose in the biblioteca

host cousin Ariel

Ximena, Me, Fabiola, and Leo

My brothers, John Carlos and Rico

Host family minus Ximena

Sad to be Leaving :-(

My final boardgame

Explorodores de Suramerica

Posing with my boardgame

Today was really hard. It was so sad to say goodbye to everyone. I got up to finish all my stuff in the library. I spent about 2 hours working on photos and labels for the board game. I went to lunch and packed up my stuff. Leo, her son Ariel, and her daughter Jamie came with Fabiola and I to the bus stop. Jennifer’s family came as well. It was sad, and Fabiola cried. I have never cried saying goodbye, but seeing Fabiola, my closest friend/sister cry made me tear up as well. A ranchera passed a bit later, and we got on it with all of our bags.

All I can say is that living in Tabuga for this month has been the best thing I have ever done. I have never seen poverty, much less experienced it firsthand. It has opened my eyes to so many things I can’t possibly express in a journal. I feel like family to my host family and would adopt some of the kids if I could. I could not have asked for, or even dreamed of a better experience, and I wish I could stay longer. I feel like I am leaving so many family and friends behind. I am so thankful for what I have in the US, and all the opportunities available to us. I wish I could take some of these kids and give them the opportunities I have had.

I now realize how important education is to anyone. I am so happy for the contributions I was able to make to help advance the education here. I also am happy to have showed Fabiola a city, and introduced her to new foods and a new language. I love that every penny I spend on someone from this town is appreciated.

 I don’t know how or when, but I will one day return to Tabuga.

Despedida

I worked for about 4 hours in the morning on painting, drawing, and finishing my board game for the library. I finished everything but the labels on the countries to bring in to the library. Today was my last day in library, and I was showing all of the new books to the kids. I got to the library, and saw one little girl walking there. She handed me a present and card. When I got to the library, they had all picked flowers again to give me. Paulette, the problem kid, made a bank out of a Barbie, ribbons, and a coconut. Eduardo gave me a bracelet, and Yandry gave me a keychain. The kids made me cards, which really meant a lot to me. I then showed them all of the new books, and they were super excited. Kari set up cookies and juice like a party. Jennifer’s despedida party was next door in CNH, and my host aunt Leo invited us all over. We joined parties, and all danced and hung out. 

Showing the new books I bought

Some of my kids

Eduardo!

Deisy

Valentina and Karina

My host cousin Jamie Leck

The daughter of one of the men who works in the reserve is the cutest little girl I’ve ever seen. He name is Ginger, and he dropped her off to come to say goodbye. She was also so excited about the new books, and I danced with her and the other little girls at the party. The moms kept giving us beer, and the kids stole Jennifer’s camera, and took so many photos of the party. I made sure to spend a lot of time with the kids because I am going to miss them so much. It makes me sad to remember that they are not living as well off as I had the opportunity to growing up. 

Ginger and I

I love this girl!

The kids reading the new books

More reading

Kari reading to Ginger and Jamie

My host aunt Leo presented us with gifts. This whole time, I have been commenting on this origami swan she has in her house and she told me we could make one for the library. I kept forgetting to buy paper, but she made me one as a gift. It is beautiful, and really meant a lot to me. She also drew me a picture that says “Dena-mita, BOOM”. Another mother made me a pretty basket. They have so little, and yet, have so much to share. 

Dancing with Karina and Ginger

My host aunt Leo, her son Ariel, and her daughter Jamie Leck

Leo's Card

More gifts

Valentina showing off the book with her name

We had dinner on my roof under the stars, then I went to Leo’s to say goodbye. I returned to take a family photo, but Ximena was not there. We woke up my parents because I was not going to see them the next day before they left for work. My host mom Monica was crying and it made Fabiola cry. I think my host dad teared up a bit as well. Fabiola called Arturo and John Carlos to come over for my last night. We hung out and joked around for my last night in Tabuga.

La Reina de los Flores

In the morning I hung out with the kids for a while and taught them some English, then went back to bed.

I woke up for the Corazon Feliz meeting that Jennifer, Kari, Fabiola, and Geomira were leading. It was very interesting to see all the women of the community learn about basic health at a level I was learning at in middle school. The girls took the height and weight of the women to calculate BMI. They played games and were active. They loved that I was there participating as well. I felt really accepted as part of the community.

Fabiola, My Mom, Me, Leo, our neighbor and Ximena

Jennifer, Me, and Kari

Later, I installed Rosetta Stone on Geomira’s computer, and taught her, her kids, and Valentina how to use it. I could see them really getting most of it. I can’t wait to see how much they know in the future when I visit someday.

Some of my favorite kids

Bringing me so many flowers

Throwing petals everywhere!

Jennifer and I decided to watch the soccer game with the guys in one of the areas where the men hang out. It was all guys our age and younger, and kids running around. The kids were all hugging me the whole night and whining for me to stay. They then took flowers and threw them all over me. I told them to stop, but they just about destroyed an entire bush to throw flower petals everywhere. I had petals all over me. Pavo, the father or Naomi, Darian, and Viviana’s baby, took lots of photos of us on my camera, and then had his friend drive me home on a motorcycle powered cart. I felt like a queen driving away because they were throwing flower petals as I was the only one in the cart.