SOLIDARITY TRIP TO ECUADOR

It all started with a flyer. I have always been very keen on signing up for all the competitions and draws I see. One day I received an advertisement in my mailbox from Laboral Kutxa (that's the page they created to summarise the trip) and the Mundukide Foundation.

Fue mi madre quien me lo mostró y me dijo: «Mira, sortean un viaje a Ecuador». Me llamó la atención pero lo dejé para luego. A los pocos días volví a mirar el tríptico: «10 jóvenes, 20 días, Ecuador, ¿te apuntas?». ¡Y así lo hice! Te daré un consejo: ante la duda inténtalo siempre, el no ya lo tienes.

Selection process

The thing was to fill in a simple form with some personal details and answer a couple of open questions: "Why do you want to participate" and "What could you bring to the experience? I sent it in and forgot all about it.

Two or three weeks later I received a call: "Are you Ana? We're calling you about the Laboral Kutxa and Mundukide competition". They called me two days later for a personal interview in Arrasate. There I answered more questions and they told me that what had most caught their attention about my profile was that I had studies in communication and this project "Huellas de Gaviota".

A week later I received the confirmation: I had been selected among more than 1400 people to be part of a solidarity trip to Ecuador together with 10 other young people! We met again in Arrasate and there I met those who have been my travelling companions: Ioar, June, Maddi, Ander, Josu, Ainara, Aritz, Nahia, Joanes and Nekane.

Photo: June Prieto

Preparations for Ecuador

First of all, we received some instructions on travel arrangements. We had to go to a International Vaccination Centre and get vaccinated. I got the Yellow Fever, Typhoid Fever and Hepatitis A. Some other things needed were: mosquito repellent, cap, sunscreen, sunglasses, sun sheet, passport, long and short clothes.

Despite the heat, there were several times we had to wear long clothes. Not only to protect us from the sun (in Ecuador the UV index is extreme), but also to reduce, as much as possible, the mosquitoes from riddling us with bites (spoiler: they riddled us anyway).

The journey begins

A 50-litre backpack on my back and another 50 litres of luggage on top, I arrived at Bilbao Airport to begin what, until today, was to be the adventure of my life.

I spent the night at the Pil Pil Hostel in Bilbao, where my nerves had not let me sleep much. Despite all this, I felt full of energy. And yes, I was also nervous, and that's where it all started! As every time someone asked me: "How was your trip", I don't even know where to start, so I'll start at the beginning.

Diary-summary of the trip to Ecuador

In the following, I will recount, in a very, very small way, my experience in Ecuador so that anyone who wishes can get a general idea of the trip. My plan is to add more posts to the blog in which I detail in greater depth and reflection the experiences I had. But for now here is a summary:

Days 1 and 2: Quito

On arrival we were welcomed by our Ecuadorian companions: Adrián, Washo, Carmen, Johnny and Rober, together with Yon and Asier, part of Mundukide. Together with them we explored Quito, the capital of Ecuador. Together with the journalist Milagros Aguirre and the collector Iván Cruz, we delve into the pre-colonial era.

In turn, we visited the Museo Casa del Alabado and the Biblioteca Abya Yala, where we discover facts about indigenous people and reflect on the current oil situation in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Days 3 and 4: El Coca (Francisco de Orellana)

Leaving Quito behind, we cross the Andes (reaching almost 4000 metres) and see the Sumaco Volcano, to enter the Ecuadorian Amazon.

In addition to discovering the typical flavours (rice, cassava and green are the most popular as well as tasty fruit juices) and the changes in climate, we also saw that the pace of life is much calmer than what we are used to. We were stuck in a traffic jam for almost 3 hours and we didn't see anyone stressed, people were taking the opportunity to relax. And that's what we did too, we had to integrate!

Once settled in Coca, we collaborated in a working day at the CocaZoo (animal recovery centre) where we were amazed by the data on the country's biodiversity. We also got to know a family business called "Aromas del Yasuní", where motivation is not lacking and success is assured.

Photo: June Prieto

Days 5, 6, 7 and 8: Sacha Ñampi (Kichwa community)

Four hours of fast canoeing and we arrived at Sacha Ñampi, next to the Yasuni National Park. There we met Fernando, our guide, who told us many things about the Kichwa community.

There we did things that many of us had never done before: spotting numerous exotic plants, tucans and pink dolphins; trying to net fishing (if it had been up to us we would have run out of dinner); sucking cocoa nibs and picking yucca; trying chicha (a drink made from fermented yucca); bathing in a tributary of the Amazon River (the Napo River) and enjoying breathtaking sunsets...

In addition, we had our first encounter with a shaman. After having been in the jungle (trying to hug a giant Ceibo tree, among other things) it is normal to do a cleanse to avoid the "bad air".

Day 9: Community work - Minga (La Belleza)

There, the teamwork of a community is called "Minga". We spent Community Water Management Day in the company of members of the La Belleza community. That afternoon, we participated in a minga planting trees in the area.

Photo: June Prieto

Day 10: Toxitour - Oil Reality of the Ecuadorian Amazon

This day was one of the most interesting, as we discovered several facts about the oil reality in the Amazon. To begin with, we found it incredible that such hot pipes can be in such direct contact with nature.

That's not all, as this activity brings with it corruption, pollution, damage to families (illnesses, deaths...). But it is not the only day that we receive information about this and with all the information gathered I would like to write a post later on.

Days 11, 12, 13 and 14: Bameno (Waorani community)

To get to Bameno requires many hours of canoeing (in our case 14 hours to get there and 22 hours to get back). However, it is well worth the effort. The people of the community manage to make you feel at home despite the tarantulas. They tried to teach us how to hunt, we saw macaws closer than ever and immersed ourselves in their culture.

Once there, Penti, leader of the Waorani community of Bameno, presented his point of view on the oil situation in the surrounding area. Here he gives a brief presentation of the Huaorani Baihuaeri people:

Days 15 and 16: Wiñak company (Archidona and Tena).

Passing the Tiger Bridge we arrive at the Wiñak company (which means development and progress in the Kichwa language). It is a company based on a Chakra Kichwa system seeking to protect biodiversity and culture through respectful planting. They don't waste anything and their main products are chocolate, wayusa and bananas - we had the opportunity to make our own chocolate!

Photo: June Prieto

Days 17 and 18: Mitad del Mundo and Papallacta Hot Springs

One of our last experiences in Ecuador was visiting the city Mitad del Mundo. There, by conducting some experiments, we discovered curious facts related to latitude and gravity.

To finish, they had a surprise in store: to enjoy the Termas de Papallacta. We stayed there for the last night before returning to the airport.

So much for my summary of my trip to Ecuador. From now on I will get down to work to explain the experiences in more detail in different posts. Before I forget, I leave here a video summary which also aims to briefly summarise what has been the trip of the year.

**UPDATED 2022** New edition, 11 young people will travel to Ecuador again this year!