Sumak Kawsay
I have found my biggest weakness. Helado de Maracuya. That is, Parchita ice cream. That is, passionfruit on a cone. Everyday, on my walk to school. I should probably alter my route in order to not torture myself. I´ve just never tasted anything that so closely resembles heaven. Anyhow.
School is going well. I can feel my Spanish improving everyday. Yesterday I participated in a heated political debate. I never imagined that. First of all because I never really get heated about anything, secondly, because it´s hard to argue when you are working with a limited vocabulary! Debate is all about pretty wording. I´d say I stood my ground. I didn´t win or anything, but I stood. That´s something.
I am still in awe of Ecuadorian culture, especially the peoples´ relationship with the earth. We have classes twice a week at the bioparque; a zoo that was opened just three weeks ago in the mountains just outside of the city. You may have noticed the photo of the Andean Bear in my previous post. They are the only surviving species in their family. They are pretty small as far as bears go, omnivores. Incredible animals. There are three at the bioparque, and three others have been raised there and then reintroduced to the wild with satellite collars. Guess what? They have all since become parents! The owner of the zoo, Ernesto, is our biology professor, and full of great ideas. It is incredibly refreshing to visit a zoo that is full of pure intentions. This park is not about making money. It is about caring for rescued plants and animals and educating the public about our connectedness to all living things. That is what it´s all about.
Not only have I been learning Spanish here in Cuenca, but an indigenous language as well: Quichua. Some of my favorite words so far are (not spelled correctly, claro, but phonetically)- wa-wa means baby. My mom refers to me as her wa-wa gringa. Profesors refer to us as their wa-was. It´s great. Another good one: Coya. Means princess. One of the female Andean Bears is named Coya. And one more: Sumak Kawsay. This means beautiful life. Ecuadorian people use it in the same way that we might say environmental conservation. Only they are actually different. Conservation implies us, humans, conserving something, say natural resources, so that we don´t kick ourselves later. Sumak Kawsay is all about harmony. Everything is connected. We give to the earth, the earth gives to us, we exist in equilibrium with all of the beautiful life in the universe. Once again, I love this.
The last photo is of a critical mass, Cuenca style. Super cool. Although I think I would be terrified riding a bicycle here.
Farewell friends, I hope that wherever you are in the world you appreciate all of the beautiful life around you. Hug a tree or something. Or a pseudoscorpion if they are more your style.
School is going well. I can feel my Spanish improving everyday. Yesterday I participated in a heated political debate. I never imagined that. First of all because I never really get heated about anything, secondly, because it´s hard to argue when you are working with a limited vocabulary! Debate is all about pretty wording. I´d say I stood my ground. I didn´t win or anything, but I stood. That´s something.
I am still in awe of Ecuadorian culture, especially the peoples´ relationship with the earth. We have classes twice a week at the bioparque; a zoo that was opened just three weeks ago in the mountains just outside of the city. You may have noticed the photo of the Andean Bear in my previous post. They are the only surviving species in their family. They are pretty small as far as bears go, omnivores. Incredible animals. There are three at the bioparque, and three others have been raised there and then reintroduced to the wild with satellite collars. Guess what? They have all since become parents! The owner of the zoo, Ernesto, is our biology professor, and full of great ideas. It is incredibly refreshing to visit a zoo that is full of pure intentions. This park is not about making money. It is about caring for rescued plants and animals and educating the public about our connectedness to all living things. That is what it´s all about.
Not only have I been learning Spanish here in Cuenca, but an indigenous language as well: Quichua. Some of my favorite words so far are (not spelled correctly, claro, but phonetically)- wa-wa means baby. My mom refers to me as her wa-wa gringa. Profesors refer to us as their wa-was. It´s great. Another good one: Coya. Means princess. One of the female Andean Bears is named Coya. And one more: Sumak Kawsay. This means beautiful life. Ecuadorian people use it in the same way that we might say environmental conservation. Only they are actually different. Conservation implies us, humans, conserving something, say natural resources, so that we don´t kick ourselves later. Sumak Kawsay is all about harmony. Everything is connected. We give to the earth, the earth gives to us, we exist in equilibrium with all of the beautiful life in the universe. Once again, I love this.
The last photo is of a critical mass, Cuenca style. Super cool. Although I think I would be terrified riding a bicycle here.
Farewell friends, I hope that wherever you are in the world you appreciate all of the beautiful life around you. Hug a tree or something. Or a pseudoscorpion if they are more your style.
Comments
Post a Comment