El séptimo día (Day 7)

(Wednesday, May 27, 2015)

In the beginning of this trip we have learned that Ecuador is not a place of poverty, but a place of perpetuated social injustices. This is especially seen with young indigenous students. After being in the community of Huantugloma these past three days, I have become extremely conscious about the messages that the students are receiving. In the classroom of the 8th-10th graders messages like “poverty and necessity are the result of personal insecurity, fear, and ego.” When young kids have to see a message like this every day they will begin to internalize this message. These children will grow up to blame themselves for their shortcomings. This is especially harmful because they will not be told about the strategic obstacles placed in front of them because of their social identity—an identity they did not choose and can never change.

For this reason, I wish I could change the message that enduring abuse and mistreatment is a way of life. I wish I could change the individual blaming and shaming they are subject to at such a young age. I wish that I could spark the mind of the child who will spark change. It is my hope that they all can be champions of change—a change that works for them and their surroundings.

-Kalani Johnson

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today was our 6th full day here in Ecuador. Our experience continues to be an immersion filled with good food, friendly people and rich culture. We started the day with our trip to Huantugloma and as usual, we were greeted with a warm welcome. I spent my time working with the pre schoolers and was excited to see how well they are catching on to the new vocabulary we were teaching them. After school, we went to a youth center in Cuenca where we had a thought provoking talk about the way the indigenous people of this area view themselves in relation to nature, and others. The speaker emphasized the importance of community versus individualism and the idea of nature as an entity that cannot be owned. He explained that we wouldn't say we own the rain, or the air, and how that contradicts our tendency to claim ownership of land and exploit it. The speaker also pointed out how we often see ourselves as the subject and nature as the object. I was moved to thoroughly examine my personal values of materialism, my life choices and their impacts on my physical environment. The ideas discussed during this talk truly support the alternative break goal to help promote individuals that are conscious of their place in society and will use their awareness to bring about positive change. I am grateful for this and the many other thought provoking perspectives that I'm being exposed to during this experience.

-Joyce Marrel Kolenky