After our trip to Baños we spent one last night in Quito. We found a trendy and clean hostal that was a little removed from all of the city madness and with a great view of the house-choked hills of Quito. Memorable was our last snack in the city- giant inflated cheese empanadas and morocho de trigo (a creamy and sweet wheat-based drink). We tried not to stay away from the hostal past dark as Quito is a pretty dodgy place at night and we didn’t want to break our streak of not getting robbed (incredibly we made it all the way through the two months more or less intact- a combination of paranoid cautiousness and luck). I think I will always remember Ecuador for its rural beauty and the many simpatico campesinos we met, not really the sprawling expanse of Quito.
All in all I’m really glad we worked in Ecuador. It was undeniably a huge learning experience and I’ve grown and changed a lot because of it. It’s a strange sensation. I feel a little heavier hearted and internally weathered after seeing all of the hardship and social disarray that permeates this country. It’s hard to stay optimistic at times as you watch beautiful cultures and environments being destroyed by seemingly unstoppable global forces. It is enough to break you spirit and make you feel hopeless. However there is also another side of the story, a promising future led by people who retain their passions for their country and each other, who start grassroots resistance movements in the face of impossible odds. It is all about perspective and optimism, and I am learning both from the inspirational people I meet. I also feel like I have developed a deeper passion for anthropological-type work and am seriously considering pursuing anthropology in grad school. It’s intimidating to break into a whole new field but that seems to be where my heart’s leading me. It’s worth the chance!
4am the next morning we were on a plane from Quito headed back to the family, ceviche, and gray skies of Lima. ¡Nos vemos Peru!
