Getting in the new grove of things

Now that we are about to embark on our 4th week of the Aliñambi Nutrition Program, and I have finally started working at the Selva Alegre Subcentro clinic, I am starting to get into a weekly grove of things. With things constantly changing and programs starting and finishing, a routine is something that is greatly valued down here, though doesn't happen too often for me. But with our nutrition program going strong and a great consistent English class, I can relax a little and get down to working on things I have put off these past few months.

I am currently working on a rather extensive grant from the Coca-Cola Foundation to fund the Aliñambi Nutrition Program for this year and future years (as we want it to be a yearly education program for the students at Aliñambi) as well as funding for our community cooking classes and nutrition charlas. All-in-all it will be taking up most of my free time, but fingers crossed it will all work out for the best as we really need funding for our Nutrition programs! Eek!

After 2 weeks of failed attempts at finding the subcentro (a small branch of the main Sangolqui Hospital in a small village), I finally found it and started working there last week. I am there for about 4 hours in the morning helping out the 1 nurse and 1 doctor in a small one room shack clinic giving vaccines, contraceptive shots, and other medical treatments to the people of Selva Alegre, a small barrio about 45 minutes away from my house. The people I am working with are awesome and so sweet and just plain excited to have the extra help. And in return I am stoked to be working so hands-on in a clinic and to be given opportunities to administer shots and other medical procedures that I wouldn't dream of doing in the states until after PA school. Slightly scary at times the amount of freedom I have in the clinic but the chances to learn are infinite.

So here is an example of my typical week:
Monday: Monday Morning Meeting, lunch, Adult English Class
Tuesday: Aliñambi, lunch, Women's Exercise
Wednesday: Working at the clinic, lunch, Library
Thursday: Working at the clinic, lunch, cooking dinner for the crew
Friday: Aliñambi, lunch, Library
*and throw in some grant writing and class preparation in there and you've got the daily life of Krysta!

Finally, starting tomorrow, Tuesday, I will be moving out of the Manna House for a week to live with family in our community. We are doing homestays with community members to take the opportunity to get to know them better outside the setting of our library and classes as well as to give them the chance to know us more intimately and understand who we are a little bit better as individuals rather than just part of a group of 9 gringos. So I will update you next week on how this adventure goes!

Until next post!
Krysta

Rumiñahui Women's Soccer Team lives on!

Though we finished our soccer league last year without a winning record, in fact, without winning a single game, we still will never regret playing. We had an amazing time and some of the funniest memories of our time here happened on that soccer field from Haley picking up the soccer ball in the middle of the game to our crazy coach Pati smoking as we are warming up to play. Our team has in fact decided to join another league, a harder league that doesn't restrict semi-professional women from playing (pray for us!).

We had our first game 2 weeks ago with our usual outcome of a tie, 1-1. To our benefit though, the team was really good and we were without some of our best players. As well as we played in our first game of this season, I can't say so much for our second in which we gravely lost 14-2. But, we had strangers in the stands rooting for us because the other team was well, nicely put very mean and unnecessarily rude....all because we were 'gringos'. Rough day to say the least. Usually sports is where we can find a common ground here in Ecuador and "fit in" but apparently not always. It was definitely a hard moment for all of us to really be discriminated against during a friendly sporting event, a place we have normally felt welcomed.

Well, now that I have loaded with you with not so happy stories, let me spill some more sad news. My Ecuadorian soccer career has sadly come to an end (well, maybe more like a little pause). During the first game 2 weeks ago, I kicked the ball apparently a little to aggressively and at an odd angel that I ended up hurting my knee. I found out this week that I have a partially torn ligament in my knee and have been banded from even walking places, let alone playing soccer. So I will forever be benched and the team cheerleader/heckler. It's upsetting news, yes, but against my mom's wishes, I will not be giving up physical sports. This is just a set back down here in Ecuador. Perhaps maybe I'll return for a league that is starting up in May, we shall see. But I won't be pushing it as being able to go hiking and explore Ecuador are more important to me than playing soccer. Vamos a ver!

Hope everything is going well with everyone and that no one has been sidelined like me!

And because blogs are boring without pictures, here is one of happier times in Tena exploring some sweet caves. Also because headlamps are the best thing since sliced bread....

Me, Haley and Sarah exploring some caves!

besitos!
Krysta

You Are What You Eat

Charlas! Portfolios! Cooking Classes! School Garden! Oh my! If you think those sound fun, just imagine the excitement and enthusiasm coming from our 6th graders each week as we walk in the gates at Aliñambi to do just those. After 7 months working with Aliñambi and nutrition with little physical evidence, I am thoroughly ecstatic to say the least about starting this Nutrition Program with the kids there.  I believe through these kids is where we will be able to really initiate a change towards healthy lifestyles for these communities.

Along with Profes Haley and Jackie we will be teaching nutrition through charlas (lectures), thought provoking portfolio work, and hands-on cooking classes and a class garden. Every Tuesday I will be leading the class through charlas and portfolio work based on topics from the food pyramid to macro and micronutrients to hygiene. And every Friday Chef Haley and Sous Chef Krysta will be leading the culinary trainees with watchful eyes as they learn to wash and cut vegetables and make healthy meals using all local goods. Farmer Jackie and Farmhand Bibi will be leading the apprentices in designing and building their own garden to include radishes, lettuce, broccoli, cilantro, and basil…can anyone else see delicious salads in our future?!  Yum!

            Today we finished our second full week of class and despite a few punishments after a dirt-throwing jaunt everything has gone great. I truly believe in these kids’ ability to succeed in this program and their capacity to realize they have control over their nutritional lives and can promote permanent change at home.

So we didn’t realize we were not allowed to take photos at the school, so these are a few and probably the only pictures we will have for evidence that this program actually took place. Enjoy them while they’re hot.

Me and a few of our students making 

recycled paper!

Hard at work flattening the newly made paper

Maria, Frida and Valeria

Digging up the plot for our future 6th

grade garden

  The garden starting to take shape

after 2 hours of work!

This coming week the students will be taking a field trip down the street to check out a local producers garden and get some tips for how to have a successful garden!

Until next post,

Krysta