La Mama Negra: Why are those Gringos in the Parade?

La Mama Negra

This weekend the fiestas of Latacunga have officially drawn to a close. La Mama Negra is a festival that begins on September 23rd with the parade of the pueblo and basically continues until the 11^th of November with the celebration of the Independence Day of Latacunga. I quickly got my fill of endless fireworks.

Fresh

The festival is a blend of every culture that exists in Ecuador. Afro-Ecuadorian, Spanish and Indigenous aspects are all represented in the parade. The melting pot of culture makes it virtually impossible to understand what is going on. At one point in the parade people are giving praise to the Virgen de la Mercedes (Catholic), at another a people are being rubbed down with live guinea pigs and get alcohol spit on them to cleanse their bodies (Indigenous), and a man dressed as a woman with a painted black face rides a horse through the streets. It is all a little bit confusing. The main point, as far as I could tell, was to give thanks to the Virgin of the Mercedes for protecting us yet another year from Cotopaxi a mildly active volcano situated right outside our city.

Gettin' our march on

But where does Todd “Pepe” Hemelstrand come into the picture you might ask? 

The principal of my school was asked last year to one of the 5 principal characters in the festival. He, as the Captain, invited me and 3 other Gringos that live here to a part of his entourage. We all happily accepted. The last 2 months have been spent preparing for La Mama Negra at my school. To say that the school has been consumed by the preparations for this parade would be an understatement. Almost every day we would have either a meeting or a 2 hour practice at which times school would be invariably cancelled. I wish I could say that all that practice led to a flawless march but there were still mistakes made by the goofy Gringo…

Found this on the internet. We famous!

When the day finally arrived we met up at 6:30 in the morning. We marched to the houses of each character and the parade grew from there. By 12:30 we were ready to officially start the parade. The sun was beating and my ornate, cumbersome costume did little to keep me cool. Luckily it cooled off about an hour into the parade. 

The festival is known for the liquor that is guzzled in the streets from dawn ‘til dusk. We, as a part of the parade, were instructed to not take any drink from anyone. This had less to do with sobriety of our group and more to do with staying alive. Every year people are drugged and foreigners are at an even higher risk. 

As the parade progressed I noticed the police presence intensifying. At certain spots in the parade our security detail would have to beat back the crowds to allow us room to march. At the end of the parade we simply filtered into the crowd. At this point the national police were dressed in full swat gear apparently ready for action. I had heard from many sources that last year was “tame” because only 2 people came to enjoy their last Mama Negra…

The parade ended and we loaded buses to head to the city where my boss lives. There he threw a party for 4000 people. He hired bands of traditional Ecuadorian music and pop music alike. We danced late into the night. 

Today, the 11^th of November, is the Independence Day of Latacunga. This morning we had another parade but this was much tamer than La Mama Negra. Each high school in the city was involved and marching bands played. This holiday coincides with Memorial Day so it was nice to get to enjoy a parade. 

La Mama Negra was quite an experience. I am glad that school allowed me to be a part of something so important to them. Going from “that Gringo” to feeling like you are “one of the guys” is great. I am integrating slowly but surely. I now have a greater understanding of what it means to be from Latacunga. Even better than that though, I know what I am going to be for Halloween for the foreseeable future.

Colegio Vicente Leon

Ecuadorian Mlitary

Little Ecuas!

Seeing my world through a 1st world lens

At a lookout point in Cuenca

My mother recently came to Ecuador to visit her favorite son. She and a friend were here for 12 days. We were able to travel a little bit around Ecuador and take in some sights and absorb a bit of the culture. I could write an entire post about the things we did and where we traveled but instead I would prefer to write about the impression that Ecuador left on my visitors. 

I have been in country for about 10 months now and have pretty well settled in. Things that seemed strange or difficult to deal with have now become the norm. I am no longer surprised by things that shocked me upon arrival. The reactions that my mom had to my day to day world were intriguing to say the least.

There were many things that I knew would surprise her here such as lack of air conditioning and heating, non-potable water, and bus transportation. These were to be expected. However there were far more “unknown unknowns” that popped up along the way. For example, I had forgotten the dependency that my mother has on Diet Coke. Seemingly every half hour I would have to venture out and search for the rare drink. “Diet” anything is not in high demand here. Lack of refrigeration and ice were a major issue when it came to this sacred drink as well. By the end of the trip mom had sworn off Diet Coke until she reached American soil where she could get a proper fountain Diet Coke. I can only imagine the trumpets that played in her head during that first sip of DC she had in Miami!

Mom even tried Cuy! (Guinea Pig)

Another comical example would be the lack of toilet paper in this country. I cannot tell you how many times my mom asked if there was a paper shortage here in Ecuador after returning from the bathroom. The bathrooms here largely do not have toilet paper. It is necessary to carry extra “important papers” most everywhere you go. I might have failed to mention this to my mother and her friend upon their arrival. After each trip to the bathroom they would report back whether or not it was acceptable and would rejoice if they were lucky enough to encounter both toilet paper and a toilet seat. It is the little things in life.

This pretty accurately describes the energy level after 8:00 in the evening

There were also other, less humorous, differences that my visitors noticed. We spent a considerable amount of time in my site, Latacunga, meeting my friends, seeing my work and where I live. When I took them to the school where I worked last year I thought little of the state of disrepair it was in. We walked around some of the classrooms and I explained a few of the difficulties that my teachers face. Having close to 50 high school students in a cramped room with open windows is not the most conducive learning environment but it is what we deal with here. I explained that I no longer think about my old American classroom. It is not that I don’t miss it; I simply have accepted this job and it’s restrictions as my reality. This, I told them, is now my life. 

As we walked around the school I noticed my mom and her friend were in a state of disbelief. At one point one of them said something to the effect how the school was in such bad shape and how it would be impossible to hold classes in such a place. This caught me off guard. Like I said, the school and its teachers are my reality and I have a sense of pride about the place. I wanted to make a stand for my school and defend it. Then I remembered back to when I arrived and the way I viewed everything here. It all was so backward and things seemed pretty hopeless. Now that I have been here for a considerable amount of time and know the people, I don’t constantly think about how rough life is. Granted, there are many days that are tough and lonesome but on the whole I am happy working and living here. The people here make it all worth it. 

For me it is wild to think about how much my thinking and my life has changed since moving here. I don’t constantly think about the lack of American commodities and luxuries. I no longer walk by the men peeing on the street and make a disgusted look and think how primal they are. I do not find it odd that 5 year olds are on almost every bus selling gum or asking for money. When I see drunken zombies walking around at 10 in the morning I do not cross the street and avert my gaze to avoid being near them. My desensitization is not fully complete but has come a long way. I am not sure that it is positive or negative change but it is a necessary one to live in a developing country. 

My boss and her family took us to Quilatoa

My mother was able to meet most of my Ecuadorian friends at a local market the following day. Despite the travel and beautiful sites we saw, she told me this was the best day of the trip. My mom likes to worry about me but she said she felt much better about me living here after meeting such great people that were in my life. It was great seeing the interactions between my mom, who speak NO Spanish, and my Ecuadorian best friends and co-workers. My English teachers threw a little party my guests when they visited the school. They all said very nice things about me and our work together. While they probably would have said nice things about anyone who brought their mother to school, it was still very nice to hear. 

Having my mom here was great. I was happy to host her and allow her to see a glimpse of my life. It taught me several very valuable lessons. My life here is much different than my previous life in the States, I am even more adaptable than I thought, and I have the best, toughest momma in the world. Oh and the most important lesson, if you are having two American women visit you, remind them to bring toilet paper everywhere you go or you are liable to have two very upset Gringas on your hands…

I found DP!!! 3 bucks though....

Mitad Del Mundo

Ladder to the top of a church. Like I said, tough momma

Hot dogs for everyone!

After climbing Putzalahua last weekend I was very tired and not quite ready to start the work week. On Monday it was difficult to walk. Every part of my body was sore but work started none the less. This week was rather productive at my high school. I was able to work with several of my teachers in and out of their classrooms. This had been elusive due to time constraints and cancelled classes. A fellow volunteer and I held our English club where close to 70 kids showed up. We made small planters out of orange peels. The kids really enjoyed making them. After they finished them we planted them in the school garden. We will see if any of them actually grow. Due to dryer weather and general lack of concern on the part of 13 year olds I am guessing we won’t see too many buds.

Orange Peel Planters

This weekend I went to a birthday party for my boss’s son that was turning 9 years old. When we walked in I knew we were in for a treat. Cake, party favors, all kinds of food, a bouncy house and a DJ all sat waiting. The party was to begin at 2:30 so we arrived around then. The other Ecuadorian guests arrived between 3:00 and 4:00. How American of us to show up so “early”. 

Birthday time. Each of those baskets are party favors.

Ecuadorian parties are all about food. I think I ate more food that day than I ate all week. There was a continuous stream of plates placed in front of me. Not wanting to be rude, I ate everything. Plus, I am a volunteer so free food is the best. My boss came up to me early in the party and asked that I cook hot dogs and serve them at some point in the party. I happily accepted my new role as hot dog vender. I even got to use a sweet hot dog cart.

Awesome right?

Ecuadorian Tug 'o War. No rope necessary

We played many games and watched on as the kids enjoyed themselves. Everyone at the party was genuinely nice and didn’t seem to find it odd that Gringos had invaded the party. We were accepted into the group just as anyone else would have been. 

Just today a group of us went to the Ilinizas. These are two large, very high snow-capped mountains about an hour outside my city. We signed up to go on a short hiking trip with the local gym. Our destination was not the summit but to hot springs that were high on the slopes of Iliniza Norte.  We traveled by bus over very bumpy dirt roads before we had to get out because the bus could go no further. We had hiked about 2 hours when we reached a mineral water fall that was about 40 feet high. The water was warm and steam was coming off of it. The mineral rich water had stained the rock to a burnt orange color. We took photos and then continued on our way. 

Mineral Waterfall near Los Ilinizas

A short but very steep hike led us to the springs. The weather was very cold due to the high altitude (roughly 14,000 feet) and the steam from the springs could be seen from a great distance. We were some of the first to arrive at the springs. I quickly stripped down and threw on my bathing suit. The water was warm and felt nice considering the bitter cold and wind. I stayed in the springs for about 30 minutes and then made the decision it was time to get out. That was about the coldest I have been here in Ecuador. Trying to dry off and put on pants and tie my boots in the very cold air about turned my fingers to icicles. We spent some more time around the springs and then headed down late in the afternoon taking in the majestic views of the Andes. 

As I re-read this post I can’t help but think about how busy I have been. I can only hope that writing these posts will help me remember all the experiences I have been lucky enough to have.

Eye on the Prize

Ok, this is somewhat disjointed but stick with me.

Well school is in full swing. Teachers and students are settling into normal schedules and the Gringo is still trying to figure it all out. A weaker person would have given up trying to understand everything and just go with the flow. Wait, did I say weaker? I meant wiser. However, I do enjoy getting surprised on a daily basis so life is good. 

This year my high school has been given the honor to march in a parade as the Captain and his entourage. The parade is called the Mama Negra and consists of 6 main characters, the Captain being one of them. The principle of my school will be the Captain and I was asked to march behind him. The Mama Negra is a very popular festival here in Ecuador and apparently known around the world. I am not sure how true that is but have been told it over and over again. I will say that all the photos I have seen of the festival include ample of amounts of foreigners. I am anxious to see their reaction as they see a white guy walking in a very traditional parade. 

My costume is rather elegant, complete with a sword and handmade shoes. I have to learn the choreography for the march and the men at my school are very serious about this. So serious in fact that we have cancelled classes 3 times already so that we can work on our moves with many more practices to follow. (I really don’t want to stab anyone around me so this might be a necessary evil.)

The festival “officially” begins November 9^th. I put officially in quotation marks because the party has already started. The Mama Negra of the pueblo started last week and I have been told that each neighborhood holds their own mini-Negras from now until November. It is not uncommon to hear fireworks at night here but now that the festival season is upon us I hear them constantly. No rooster to wake me at 6 am, just flying fireworks. 

I recently attended a fiesta at my high school that the whole city was invited to. I was told to wear a poncho and a hat. I only had a hat that was from the coast and did not have a poncho. My host friend told me I could wear his. He had a dark one and a bright one. Which did I pick? Of course the yellow and orange one! My coworkers wore dark ponchos at the beginning of the fiesta but then shed them to make dancing easier. I, on the other hand, wore mine all night. I stood out like a sore thumb as I danced in my bright attire but had a great time. 

I blend in right?

After a recent training in Quito a few friends and I decided to go camping in a nearby national park. The place we camped was called Boliche. This is a campsite and recreational area in Cotopaxi National Park. We took a bus and were dropped off in basically they middle of nowhere and began our hike into the park. A 45 minute hike through the woods brought us to the entrance. We paid a small fee for our tents and then we ushered into the park by an overzealous park ranger. Maybe overzealous isn’t the word. EXTREMELY happy to see tourists come to his park is maybe a better description. He explained many things about the park and how great it was. After we paid our way in he asked to take a photo with us. We obliged and then hoped to be on our way. He then took a photo with a friend’s large backpack and even took an action shot as he slung my friend’s backpack on his shoulder. All of this was highly entertaining if not a bit strange.

Our Campsite

I cannot say nice enough things about Boliche. This park was small enough to day hike and had beautiful views of the surrounding snowcapped volcanoes, especially Cotopaxi. The park staff was professional and courteous. The campsite was clean and accommodating. We had a great time there. I might have also just missed camping.  One thing I will say is I was glad I brought plenty of clothing. The weather became rather frigid after the sun went down. We had a campfire but being at such a high elevation in the Andes always lends itself to very low temperatures. 

...And Boliche Had Llamas!

I am currently preparing myself to climb Cotopaxi, the enormous mountain outside my city. It promises to be very difficult and the guides in town recommend training before attempting it. I do not feel that I am out of shape but I am working really hard at preparing myself physically for the upcoming challenge. Just today some friends and I climbed a nearby mountain. Putzalahua has great views of Latacunga and other surrounding cities. The weather cleared nicely as we neared the top and afforded a nice panoramic view of the place we call home. 

Cotopaxi

On the way back to Latacunga this afternoon I had yet another very awkward moment. I had to stand as we caught a bus on the Pan-American Highway. After 10 minutes of standing I noticed a small baby sitting on her mother’s lap. The chubby little kid smiled up at me and I did my best to keep her attention and smiled back at her. After a good 10 seconds of staring at the kid I realized that the mother was looking at me as well. Her face seemed to say, “Like the show?” As it turned out, the mother had been breastfeeding when the baby turned and looked up at me. What I affectionately call, “the milk show”, had just been interrupted and I seemed to be staring directly at the… uh… the woman, though in reality I was just looking at the kid. The woman smiled and I tried to act as though I saw nothing, though the opposite is true. Luckily it was only a short 5 minutes more until we reached the terminal where I hurried off the bus and avoided eye contact.

Word to the wise, keep your eyes forward and don’t look at the babies on the bus, they might be eating…

School's back in, BYO fresh produce.

After a very busy summer I was looking forward to getting back to normal school so I could rest. In cruel irony this came full force.

Teachers here, similar to the US, are mandated to return to school a week prior to the students arrival. This period is to plan and prepare. I came in each day of this period in order to get an idea of what the next year would be like. After an initial meeting where the new Rector, principal, explained a few plans for the school year and then we were all dismissed. I then asked around about what we would do for the following 5 work days. My English teachers have been told that we will be using a new English textbook this year. However, we did not and still do not have them so planning was almost impossible. We spent the week playing cards, chatting about vacation, and watching some of the male teachers gamble. (I literally watched one man run out of money and use avocados as a currency substitute.) This is not to say that the week was not productive. I did get pretty good at spider solitaire.

On the Friday before the students returned I asked for each English teacher's schedule. This would prove impossible because not one my teachers had been given a schedule from the authorities. Coming from the American world of education this astounded me. The entire weekend I stressed about what would happen when the students showed up on Monday. Even the students schedules were not prepared. Thoughts of complete and utter chaos filled my head. Of course this did not happen. Monday came around and everyone milled about chatting about their weekend and the crazy weather we were having. Students played soccer and basketball to pass the time as their parents watched.

Around noon we had a school wide meeting where the Rector welcomed everyone and officially kicked off the new school year. Teachers received their schedules and everyone moseyed on to class. Classes went on with relatively few hitches. Teachers vamped and created interesting assignments for their new students on the spot. After school was over all the teachers met in the library and went on about their milling.

After some introspection I realized that those two weeks taught me a few things:

1. I am a planner. I never realized that order and structure were so important to me. It takes losing something to realize how much you miss it.

2. My worrying is of no help. The week leading up to school I was stressing due to the fact that we had no schedules or books with which to plan. However, things are running as smoothly as they were when I arrived. My stress only affects me and is not productive.

3. Productivity is relative. Coming from the American way of life I have a mentality of go-go-go. I remember as a boy hearing that, "If you hands ever go into your pockets it should be a reminder that you could be doing something, be productive". This logic does not apply here. It is neither good nor bad, simply not applicable. In order for me to be productive here I need to have my hands in my pockets from time to time and chat away with my co-workers and the administrators of the school. Coming into school with a go-go-go attitude quickly bogs one down.

4. I need to take a step back. Many times when I see things that I think I can do better I need to distance myself from the situation and ask questions about it rather than immediately try to change the way things are. While I have made some changes and suggestions, there are many things here that I simply need to cope with even if I do not understand the method to the "madness".

5. This is what I am here for. Despite some impatience that I experience from time to time I remind myself that this is what I signed up for. I am an incredibly blessed and lucky individual because I am  living a dream of mine. I am in a magnificent country surrounded by people that accept me for all my American "oddities" and I am going to make the most of my time in wild Ecua-land.

Now, a positive note:

In the last school year my school was divided into two campuses. This year the administration decided to combine the two campuses. Now, all levels are packed into one high school. The ages range from 11 to 18. What a mix... Anyway, there were many teachers that I had never met from the other campus. I had been told it was a bit of a boys club there and I wasn't too sure how well they would accept the new Gringo. To my surprise I was warmly greeted by all of the faculty and especially so by the men. I am greeted daily by each the guys with high fives and even bear hugs from a few, especially jovial, individuals. This is something I know I will miss when I return to the States.

And now for a funny story about sarcasm:

Over the break I attended a conference with some of my English teachers. We were walking back from a coffee break and I spotted a tall Gringo backpacker walking far ahead of us on the other side of the road. I pointed at him and asked aloud what my brother was doing in Latacunga. I have a very sarcastic sense of humor and this was yet another instance that I was reminded that sarcasm is not used or understood here.

The ladies looked at me and then looked at him. No one laughed and they then started telling others in the group that my brother was in Latacunga and had the audacity to not tell me. It took me a second to realize that they did not understand I was joking. One of the ladies even called out to the guy. I had to act quickly in order to stop the confusion and potentially embarrassing situation. I explained that I was joking and my brother was actually back in Amarillo and they should not to be alarmed. A few awkward laughs and we moved on. Yet another lesson learned.



Oh, care packages full of avocadoes are appreciated, I may want to get into gambling.




 I have attached a few photos from a recent adventure. Hope you enjoy, we sure did.


Have a friend milk a cow...

...then drink warm the goodness as the momma's calf watches on.



Rode in the back of a truck half the day with this kiddo.

Life is good my friends.