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An Immediate Response, A Triumphant Community

As I was calmly finishing up my 50 cent lunch at school the other day, which consisted of a small bowl of rice with potatoes, I glanced down to my cellphone to see what time it was.

10:39 They ring the school bell, signaling what I thought was the end of recess.  Surprised at their punctuality, I rise to throw my trash away.  As I am heading over to the nearest trash can, I hear the gym teacher yell out that there is a fire nearby.  Alarmed, I look to where he was pointing and see the smoke rising.  He calls for all of the Juniors to follow him to put out the fire.  The school is in a momentary frenzy as the momentum of something unusually exciting grows.  Surprised, I ask if there is anyway I could help. I was told that everything was fine and that I should probably just stay, and all of the other students were asked to go to class.

10:40 They head out. Coincidentally, the Juniors had English class right after recess.  Because the English teacher was out, I was supposed to be in charge.  Not knowing what to do, I ask a nearby teacher if they will be alright, or if I should go help them.  They reassured me that they would be back soon, that everything was OK.  In my mind, I didn’t know what she was talking about. I was sure this would take up their entire English class time, at least.

10:45  The smoke was billowing in the air, engulfing the nearby trees.  I was convinced that the fire was getting out of control.  How could a single gym teacher and a group of students put out a raging forest fire?   And how come nobody was calling the authorities to help out? Concerned and confused, all I could do was take some pictures.  I didn’t know how this would end, but I did know that it would make an interesting blog post.

10:50 If anything, the smoke had increased within the last five minutes.  I was still patiently waiting at school, thinking of what I would do for the next two hours, since clearly the Juniors were gone.  By this point I was fairly alone, sitting outside and occasionally looking up at the smoke.  I regretted having stayed at the school.  I’ve never put out a forest fire in my life, and this was my chance.  But I was comforted by the thought of living in Zuleta; chances are, I will help put out a forest fire by the time my 6 months is up.

10:55 My thoughts continued to wander, and instead of going to find something productive to do I was still sitting in the same spot I had been sitting at since recess.  I looked up once more and realized that there was hardly any smoke in the sky.  Wait, what?  Just five minutes ago it was everywhere.  At this point I also realize that I have been checking the time every five minutes and decide to jot down the time and notes on what had happened.

10:58 I started seeing the first of the heroes return.  I look down at the time.  Wow.  Did they seriously just put out that fire in under 20 minutes? It really wasn’t that big of a deal? This to me was news worthy, though to Zuleta and it’s students it was just a little twist to spice up the day.

11:00 The last of my students return back safely and triumphantly.  Though we already got along well, I now have a new-found respect for them.  I remember way back when, only 20 minutes ago, they were asked to go put out a fire.  They didn’t even flinch and just headed out in unison.

Every time I see acts of community like this I am impressed.  I think this is one of the reasons why my little town is one of the most progressive and advanced in the group of indigenous communities in this area.  They have a history of social organization that has allowed for this now picturesque little town to grow and become a center for international environmental investigation and studies, and it’s even a bit of a tourist hub.  Everyone has access to clean running water, electricity, and there are “eco-friendly” (cobblestone) roads throughout.  This is much more than what can be said for some of the surrounding indigenous communities.

I don’t know if the sense of community and teamwork that I have seen is what drives the social organization that exists here, and if this is what in turn creates a flourishing community.  But I do know that whenever there is a problem here, like a forest fire, there is an immediate response.  I also know that Zuleta has the success story that makes it a triumphant community.  So, are the two related?  I guess only time will tell.  Time, and a great deal of analysis of what makes indigenous communities in Ecuador successful and what doesn’t.  But for now, I will just continue to marvel at the lifestyle here in Zuleta, and enjoy it while I can.

Kimberly Nerea Tellez

About Kimberly Nerea Tellez


Born in Mexico and raised in New England, Kimberly has always harbored an interest in global issues. During her first two years of high school she lived and studied in Mexico, and during her senior year she was president of her school's Model UN team. Recently, she has been volunteering with President Barack Obama's reelection campaign as the head of the local Latino team, helping to promote voting among Latinos. She enjoys reading, drawing, and taking long walks while exploring the neighborhoods of her town.

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