Life at 0° (And Two Miles High!)
La Libertad, Ecuador - I knew this moment was coming. The travel books I had read after receiving my invitation to Peace Corps Ecuador had all mentioned the popularity of Cuy, but one week after arriving, when a steaming pile of potatoes was put in front of me by my host "Mother" with an entire fried Guinea Pig spread eagle on top (The head pointed at me seemed to be smiling), I had to pause and ask, "What did I get myself into?".
Rewind a little over a year and I was a successful engineer working in operations management at a Chicago area steel manufacturer. I needed a change though, so after a lot of soul searching, I decided to quit and take advantage of my skills and lack of attachments to follow Jared Adams´ advice, "Carpe Diem", and apply to the United States Peace Corps. After an intense nine month application process I was offered a position in the Sustainable Agriculture program in the South American country of Ecuador from February 2007 to April 2009. I have to admit that the first thing I did after I read my invitation was to look on a map to see exactly where I´d be living for the next 27 months.
Ecuador is a small country (about the size of Wyoming) located between Columbia and Peru on the northern Pacific coast of South America. The country consists of four distinct geographic zones; Coast, Sierra, Oriente (Amazon Rainforest), and the Galapagos Islands of Charles Darwin fame. Due to it´s position straddling the Equator and it´s high Andean mountains, Ecuador has some of the most diverse ecosystems in the World. There are more bird species in tiny Ecuador than in the entire continent of North America. Ecuador has always been the source of all authentic Panama Hats and is the world´s leading exporter of bananas. Also, Ecuador is home to some of the finest coffee and cacao growing regions in the world. Unfortunately these resources and the countries petroleum production have traditionally been held in the hands of the privileged few and depending on the source, between 40 and 60% of the population is considered below the poverty line.
To help improve the lives of the average Ecuadorian, the Peace Corps has been working in Ecuador since 1962 performing the three objectives assigned to it in the 1961 establishing legislation; 1) To provide technical assistance to countries that request it 2) To promote better understanding of Americans by the citizens of these countries 3)To promote better understanding of foreign cultures on the part of Americans. By living in my pueblo, La Libertad, for two years and integrating and interacting with the community, I am for better or worse taking care of goal number two (Most people in my site think that all American are 6´2" like me, about 8" taller than the tallest guy in town). By writing articles like this and posting weekly in my blog http://jayinecuador.blogspot.com/ , I´m fulfilling goal number three. For the technical assistance aspect, I am working with the local community bank that was founded with funds from the US Government. I help with computer issues, data processing, and we are currently looking for additional funds to expand the amount and number of loans that can be given to local farmers. I also help out with classes at the town´s agricultural high school and we are planning on building a Cuyeria or Guinea Pig house for teaching the kids small animal production. To fill up the rest of my time, I teach English at the local grade school four days a week and have computer, cooking, etc. classes. Also, I am experimenting with Lithic Mulch practices in my garden to see if crop yields can be improved in our poor soil. I´ve had to use the problem solving skills that I learned at Rolla in ways that I never would have imagined, and the experience of moving to Rolla´s small town lifestyle has helped me in my transition here. Although having to live with buying everything at Wal-Mart is a little different than learning to enjoy boiled rodent for breakfast.
The results of my work so far have been minimal, but with Peace Corps having been working here for 45 years, I didn't expect overnight success. That has to be the most frustrating part of being here. Part of the job is frustration, lonliness, and a nightly helping of boredom. After dark everyone in town is usually home watching bad TV. Since I don´t have a TV myself, I spend most nights reading (34 books and counting!). Thanks to the support and encouragement of family and friends, I´ve been able to adjust to life so far from home.
What I haven´t been able to adjust to is living at the top of the longest mountain range in the World. La Libertad is located two hours south of Ecuador´s capital, Quito, on the Pan-American Highway. The elevation is over 11,200 feet, so breathing even when walking can be difficult. My front door is higher than the peak of Mt. Hood, but because of the the intense sun, the climate is like a constant crisp fall day. This climate prohibits the growth of plants that flourish at slightly lower elevations, so the local crops are restricted mostly to potatoes and onions. The view though is amazing. From my backyard I can see around ten peaks that are higher than any in the Continental US.
I have another 17 months to enjoy that view and see how much help I can provide the community that has welcomed me with so graciously. After my service is over, I plan to head back to the States with a greater understanding of the world outside our borders, the ability to spek fantastic gringo Spanish, and most likely the desire never to see another Guinea Pig again.
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