I’d like to talk about maternal health and the vertical birth center recently created here at Hambi Wasi. This center was created primarily to prevent maternal deaths at childbirth, which unfortunately happen all too often among the indigenous population. Majorities of indigenous women give birth in their homes, without doctors or medical attention, and often…

14 April, 2011

These are a group of photos that I took of Hambi Wasi’s grand promotion and inauguration of the vertical birth clinic on March 12th in Otavalo. The event was an overall success and many people and groups attended, including officials from the Ministry of Public Health, the municipal authorities of Otavalo, university presidents, and indigenous…

04 April, 2011

This is a video I made for my high school because they were interested in knowing about my apprenticeship. In this clip, I explain a little bit about the clinic’s history and what services they offer. I hope you like it!

29 March, 2011

Hey there! Here is a video I recorded of one of the community visits Hambi Wasi and I did during February. I hope you enjoy the video!

24 March, 2011

This blog is about my commute to work. I thought it would be interesting to present this as a photo slideshow so that you can accompany me along the way. I hope you enjoy the trip! [slidepress gallery=’my-commute-to-work’] Please scroll over the images for captions. Well, thanks for accompanying me along the way! I hope…

12 March, 2011

“So, are you from China?” That’s a question I get a lot here. Many Ecuadorians who see me assume I’m “Chino” (Chinese), since the majority of Asians in Ecuador are from China. It’s something I’ve gotten used to and just laugh off now. I can’t blame them for their naiveté though; there aren’t many Asians…

09 March, 2011

From one of previous blogs, I mentioned that I asked for and got the approval from my supervisor at the medical clinic to craft an outreach program. We were lacking customers so I thought of ways of letting folks know about our services. So far, I’ve made progress in my apprenticeship project in the last…

22 February, 2011

I wake to a knock on my bedroom door. My host dad says, “Son las seis y media, ¡Vamos!” (It´s six thirty, let´s go!)  At that moment I am recalling that I promised to help him gather “leña” (firewood) for several elderly neighbors. I was supposed to be up and ready at 6:30 A.M., so…

02 January, 2011

For my GCY assignment in Ecuador I feel very honored to serve as a volunteer at a health clinic here in Otavalo. The place is called Jambi Huasi that means Health House in Quichua, an indigenous language of Ecuador. Jambi Huasi was created in 1984 by a private organization called Federación Indígena e Campesina de…

30 December, 2010

Warning: The videos below may be disturbing for some people. Refrain if you think that will be the case! “Here’s the cuy, I hope you enjoy it!” says my host-dad as he puts plates down in front of Joe, Liza, and me. The plates of just-broiled meat and vegetables steamed in front of us. At…

29 December, 2010

Saturday morning in Otavalo, the downtown is flooded with locals and tourists alike. People from all over Ecuador and the world come here on Saturdays to buy souvenirs in the famous market. Starting with the nucleus in the Plaza de los Ponchos, the market sprawls down several blocks in the city of Otavalo. Some of…

21 December, 2010

As I am walking to work in the morning, I am mesmerized by the dominant view of wispy clouds floating past the beautiful visage of the Imbabura volcano. One week has passed since I have moved-in to La Calera, an indigenous community near the market town of Otavalo. It’s an interesting and important change from…

15 November, 2010

Within these past three weeks, I’ve been enjoying my time here in Quito. But sometimes, this experience feels limited with the language barrier I have. It’s left me voiceless at times, which has been a major obstacle for me so far. There are days where I feel frustrated because I don’t know the language enough…

21 October, 2010

With the GCY training coming to an end, I’ve been reflecting a lot on what I experienced so far. My mind is cluttered with so many memories, but one has really impacted to me these past two weeks. It was last Tuesday, when the Fellows and I ventured into San Francisco’s Tenderloin district. The assignment…

01 October, 2010

Hi there! I’ve spent the past few days here at the GCY training and it’s been amazing. It’s only been a couple of days in the program and I’ve already learned an overwhelming amount of information. It was a lot to take in, but it has definitely gotten me excited for Ecuador. It’s something I’m…

21 September, 2010