Quilotoa

My New York manicure has long since chipped into funny shapes, artfully replaced by cracks and dirt, scrapes and bruises. My body is beginning to bear ¨war wounds¨: marks where that giant black sheep rammed into me on our epic hike on Friday, my peeling sunburn, and of course my appitite still alludes me. As most travelers fear, my stomach has also been transformed into a disgruntled, picky teenager, leaving me in a constant flux between insatiable cravings (usually of New York cuisine) and utter nausea. Lately my daydreams tend to focus on the unattainables such as waffles, cereal, grits, salad, hot showers, relief from my Esmereldan sunburn, saunas and of course a really great massage for my stiff ass body. Yes, the freezing foggy nights and digestive culprits are set apart from my otherwise glorious, profoundly rewarding, breathtaking week in Quilatoa. Again I find myself at Playanet in Quito after a long chugging busride from high altitude. For the past week I have been quietly tucked away in Quilatoa, a village of 125 Quechuan peoples at the top of volcanic crater lake. It is in fact one of the most prosperous indigenous communities in Ecuador but internet, working phones, heating units and even a functional mailbox are nonexsistant.

This of course was a perfect backdrop for our group to get a taste for high Andean, Quechuan lifestyle. As per request, we spent the week teaching English and Theatre workshops for sixth graders at two local schools.

The most striking discovery? Sixth graders are the same everywhere... well almost. The boys were for the most part wild, loud and silly and the girls were above all else, rediculously shy and quiet, a sharp contrast to the women in our group!

Most rewarding moment? walking down the long dirt road back to our hostal and hearing a tiny voice yell, ¨Gracias Lydia!¨ That and hearing the five girls who stayed after school sing the newly learned ABC´s -- oh a tearjerker for sure.

Most difficult moment? Struggling to start the fire in our tiny woodburning stove.... and barely lukewarm showers on muddy freezing tiles.

Most exhausting moment? arriving at Chugchalan, a tiny town seven mile trecherous awe-inspiring grueling mountain expedition and sitting at a little cafe to eat lunch... then being sick after one bite. ugn.

Most exhaustingly upsetting moment? That damn ram that knocked me down the trail and I was too tired to fight back. Just enough to whine and cry a little... the jerk.

Funniest moment? Singing head, shoulders, knees, and toes ... in Quetchuan.

Cutest kitten? Josè

Cutest little student that I wanted to pack in my suitcase and take home and keep forever? Franklin.

Greatest acomplished in Ecuador thus far? Starting plans to work on a community arts center in Quilatoa, a ongoing Dramatic Adventure investment and endeavor! We´ll be returning to Quilatoa in future projects to further develop this incredible community project to support the enrichment of local arts, education, dance, music, storytelling, theatre and more!

Thus my time at Playanet has consumed my brief changeover day in Quito. We leave bright and early tomorrow for a 13hour bus ride to Coca- 2hour canoe ride into La Salva, the Amazon. From there we fly to Galapagos until the 6th of June... Until then- Kayakama!