Journeying

I always tend to believe that we are all journeying through life and
we have to g through certain rights of passage that are considered as
normal. However on the other hand I still decided to take a bridge
year that would bridge my past, my present experience and my future in
which in my case was college. My journey in Ecuador primarily began
on a bus. I took the bus everyday and also when I needed a breather and
some time to myself I took a bus. My journey on the bus taught me of
so many realities that I was aware of and have not lived yet. Drving
through those realities with a bus every time made them so real to me
and more importantlt taught me that I had a role to play in not only
my reality but I can understand another person’s reality.
My first journey took me to Chamanal where I met an impressive little
girl that was playing with her brother at the bus station. Chamanal is
a small village in the Valle de Carchi. This was the first community I
visited with my mother concerning her line of work and in this case
she works with an NGO that works with Indigenous people,
Afro-Ecuadorians and Refugees. At this point in my experience I was
highly mesmerized by Diaspora and for that I find myself gifted to
have had the opportunity to visit Chamanal that day. She taught me how
to be a better sibling.
Huaca the next community that I ever visited with my mother as she
worked with people concerning their projects and how to make them
effective. Here I learnt how to not follow but chase my dreams with
all energy that I have.
San Gabriel, this was the last community visiting with my mother that
I ever made. Here I got to learn the harsh realities of being a
refugee and looking for shelter. However this affected me I also
learned that all I could do and will continue to do is see I can be
useful regardless of my position in life wherever I may be.
La concepcion, was the most challenging of journeys for me. At that
point in time I was highly biased about the situation of the Diaspora.
This was in regards of them not knowing their origin. In all sincerity
I felt sorry for them. However after this trip, I learned that my pity
was not needed as the Afro-Ecuadorian community had created and also
had a culture of their own and therefore produced a new understanding
of Diaspora to me. This is due to the fact that I was educated that
the dream of the continent is the return of the Diaspora, however,
after this journey my view was changed.