Hi, Tiernan and Kayla here, two of your four student leaders for the week!
Ayllui is Quicua for ‘Family’ which is exactly how we spent our time in Peguche, just outside of Otavalo. I'm going to talk a little bit about our homestays and classes during Peguche. We had four different groups: #1: Sky, Alice M. and Nayeli. #2: Balin, Alice E. and Samanta. #3: Leila, Kayla and Steven. #4: Erick and me. It was really cool because each of our families were vastly unique from one another and we all had very different experiences. For example, Erick and I lived with Mama Suca, a grandmother who is famous within the community of Peguche. She was an amazing cook and treated us like her sons (she even called us "Hijo"). She taught us some Quicua, which is the native language of Ecuador, and when I had a headache one afternoon she cleansed my spirit with a family ritual involving an egg.
Sky, Nayeli, and Alice's homestay was really close to ours, so we spent the most amount of time there. They were very kind, and had a brother around our age named Said who we played a lot of pool with. They also had a lot of community contacts, and were the ones who set up the Temezcal.
Balin, Samanta, and Alice's homestay was a bit farther away but Erick and I also spent a lot of time there because it was the music house. They were absolutely loaded with instruments, and had everything from guitars to flutes to an accordion. Since Erick and I play guitar and Balin plays bass, we had a really good time playing and singing together (they had a microphone hooked up to speakers). On Monday the 4th the whole group went over and we had a sort of musical exchange. The family is also in a band, and they played us some of their original songs. Afterwards, we played for them and everyone danced. It was an awesome day.
Finally, the homestay of Leila, Steven, and Kayla was the farthest away. It was about a 15-20 minute walk from Erick and I's homestay, so we only went there once or twice. I wish they had lived closer, because they were probably the most knowledgeable family about what to do in Peguche. For example, one day they took us to a place where you get to catch your own fish and then for 3 dollars they made us a whole meal with them. Aside from being knowledgeable, the family also had a daughter around our age who spoke English, which was really cool because it allowed her to bond with those of our group who don't speak as much Spanish.
Another thing this area is famous for is one of the biggest indigenous markets in South America. It is known for its artisans, handmade crafts, and woven products. There were many stands selling crystals, ponchos, paintings, and other interesting things. I bought a beautiful painting of Cotopaxi, the mountain we climbed up back in Baños. It was an overwhelming shopping experience but I enjoyed seeing the different artisan crafts as someone who has an interest in the arts. I also got to try my bargaining and haggling skills at the Otavalo market, something I've never done before. It was a weird feeling for me to decide what low price I would pay for a potentially handmade product but I could tell that many of the things that were sold here were likely made by machine. Regardless it was a really cool experience and definitely made me more conscious as a consumer.
We’ve had a really sweet time in Otavalo and can’t believe our time is nearing to an end! Next week’s leaders will share more about our time in Pucara and Junin!
