Day 15: Adios, Muchachos

Regis in Alpaca:
Brandon Baldovin, Frank Aguilar, Joe Caparelli, Will Lajes, Mike Flood, Jared D'Sa, Elliot Sanchez, David Boak, and JQ.

by David Boak ‘15

It was our last day in Ecuador, and we were feeling sore: saddle-sore, heart-sore, and the kind of sore you get from being almost home. We began the day in the bakery for a sort of “last breakfast,” and over french toast and coffee discussed our battle plan: cleaning the pig-sties (AKA our rooms)and bidding farewell to Madre, Padre, and all the people we had met on this wild and crazy trip.

In these endeavors we succeeded: our rooms were newly habitable, we bid our adioses, and we made sure to give a hug to kids we were surprised to find we’d miss a lot. In a gesture perhaps to be repeated in his storied sports career, Mike Flood left little Juan his baseball cap, sorry that he could not make good on his promise to take him to America.

Amigos para siempre.

In this and other ways a few loose ends were left untied: we never won the match that proved the gringos had the upper foot in futbol; we never got to meet alpacas; and we never dined on the scrumptious flesh of the cuy (guinea pig).

But what are these to matter much with all we saw, and did, and felt? We did survive -- mostly unharmed -- our bags now filled with gifts, our hearts now filled with love, and our minds filled with memories of an unforgettable experience.

Hasta la vista, Ecuador.

Days 13 & 14: The Banos Adventure

by Frank Aguilar '15

Although our Ecuador trip was primarily for service, our two weeks of hard work earned us a well-deserved vacation at the popular tourist destination of Banos, Ecuador.

In case you Spanish students are wondering, this name does not refer to an elaborate restroom, but in fact describes the Baths of the Holy Waters (Banos de las Aguas Santas) attributed to the Virgin Mary, who protects the inhabitants of this village from the mighty Tungurahua volcano above. It lies four hours to the east of Quito, much closer to the jungle, but Mr. Quinn assured us its relaxations and attractions would be well worth it.

It was a long journey indeed, requiring us to wake up very early to catch our 6:00 AM shuttle to the bus terminal in downtown Quito. There, the next phase of the voyage began, when we boarded a “Greyhound-esque” bus to hurtle us across the Ecuadorian land. Some of us were lucky to get a few hours of sleep, ignoring the loud music that blared incessantly.

We managed to come to Banos before lunchtime, and many of us were dying to sample the local cuisine. But first, we had to find the hostal, La Posada del Arte, a wonderful place run by Chicagoans Jim Redd and his wife Marshia. Apparently we arrived a little early, as only a few of the rooms were ready, but that didn’t prove to be a problem on our empty stomachs. We ventured into the street for food and were greeted in turn by similar stories: that we were just a bit too early for lunch. So we circled back to enjoy La Posada’s comida, fueling for a big bike ride ahead.

Down the Valley of the Waterfalls

We next set out to acquire bikes for the ride to El Pailon del Diablo waterfall, a much-heralded local attraction. Unfortunately, David and Will were unable to join on for the ride, but JQ sweet-talked the outfitters into getting a chiva “party bus” to carry them to our destination.

While Will and David were intrepidly sightseeing on river-spanning cable cars, the rest of us took to the roadways down a valley of waterfalls. We had to keep our heads down as trucks barreled by, but when we looked up we saw beautiful mountain views that never seemed to end. Before we knew it, we were at the entrance to the waterfall -- and played a waiting game for our chiva pals. The game turned out to last about two hours, but the joy in seeing Will and David was proportional when they did arrive! With all of us together we made our way down a trail through thick Ecuadorian forest until at last we reached the waterfall.

"Dios Existe!"

Words do not do justice to the immense beauty and power of God’s creation, which captivated us all. To say the least it gave us great backdrops for photos. Perhaps the best part was crawling through a tunnel right beside the falls that brought us to an observation deck right behind the cascade itself. We got a little cold and wet, but no one regretted it after witnessing the miraculous water roar right over our heads.

After sharing this incredible moment together, we struck back for the hostal. As it was nightfall, though, we forewent the cycling in favor of a ride in the bed of a military truck, making us all feel like a combination of Indiana Jones and Che Guevara. Having returned our bikes we changed into our trunks and made straight for the much-discussed hot springs. The waters were warmed by the volcano and were the perfect thing for aching muscles after a very long day, with the clear sky above and the cool night air around.

Guerillas in training.

Yet the day was not done there, as we still had burgers in store at the “Stray Dog Pub.” These were delicious, and evoked both awesome conversations and reminders of home. The food was so substantial that some of us couldn't even finish, but you may rest assured we all walked home satisfied and ready for bed.

Brandon, Mike, and David sally forth.

Luckily we got to sleep in, and after a last-minute rearrangement substituted for our white-water rafts some stalwart steeds. Horseback riding turned out to be a great experience; while few of us had ridden horses before, some took to it naturally -- and some not so naturally! -- with gorgeous views and a feeling of freedom coming readily to all. Once after a hike we were surprised to discover our horses had gone! The stallions got loose and roamed back to the corral as the handlers dashed after to get them. Luckily we were reunited with our mounts before too late, and made our checkout in a timely manner. Catching the bus turned out to be a less timely affair and we caught a ride an hour later than we planned. Nevertheless, we did make it back all in one piece -- restored after our adventure, relieved to see our rooms, but suddenly aware that this was, in fact, our last night in Ecuador.

Mounting the trail.

Jared D'Sa, Lone Ranger

We treated ourselves to American fare at KFC in the nearby mall. We ate mostly in silence, perhaps aware of this concession to consumerism, but perhaps all the more anxious to go home and share memories of our incredible Banos adventure.

Day 12: Working is Persisting

by Brandon Baldovin ‘15

As our time in Ecuador nears its close, we can’t help but reflect on our work thus far. Have we really made an impact?

Last mass at La Marin

We feel we have, but the degree is harder to determine, especially when we find ourselves laboring to complete projects whose ends we cannot see. One example was our scrubbing the cafeteria’s rainbow-colored walls, which are stained by permanent grime and dirt. They’d just be dirty again; how long would momentary cleanliness last? It was a kind of work we expected to be satisfying, but whose satisfactions were less visible. Then again, many of us have forged bonds with the kids we’ve met that only blossomed over the course of our stay, and in repeated, unexpected meetings. These are also less visible, but we know will count for something.

How to clean a carpet Quito style: you slap the enchilada.

Today we returned to a familiar place: Center #1 at La Marin, where the inner-city Quiteno ninos come. However, instead of working with the muchachos, who were celebrating their last day of classes, team Regis washed carpets and wiped down benches. We learned the art forms necessary for doing good jobs. We were tired -- as if it weren’t obvious to JQ, who caught us all napping in unison -- but despite this we soldiered on. Perhaps the task was one we weren’t to see concluded, just continued.

Sleeping the sleep of the just.

We left enough in the tank to challenge Fordham Prep to a quick soccer match. When JQ pulled us off the cancha (yes, in Ecuador the balling is so hard, any time, anywhere) we held a 2-0 lead.

We boarded the bus, napped, helped cook mac and cheese, and slept some more for the amazing adventure waiting for us at dawn. Banos, here we come!

Don't say we never set a benchmark.

Day 11: Full of Surprises

by William Lajes the Third! ‘15 and Elliot Sanchez ‘15

After two days of relaxation and tourism it was time to get back to work. We spend the entire day at Cotocollao and tackled our projects with a vengeance.

David Boak and Manuel doing some heaving lifting.

We first had to move the tables and benches back into the cafeteria after the VP visited during Ecuador’s well-fought match against France. Since we are such a strong group of men, the benches got moved in no time. 

Will Lajes and Brandon Baldovin get some touch-up tips.

Next on the agenda was to re-paint the faded red and yellow columns holding up the comedor. With artistic talent and graceful brush strokes, we finished the first coating of paint while singing along to the U.S. Army song, "Hard Work."

Feeling light-headed from inhaling a little too much turpentine, we decided to get some churrascos and apanandos for lunch at the local restaurant. To JQ’s surprise, an apple pie was waiting for him to devour after lunch. He thought we wouldn't remember his birthday! 

"I'll take 23," quipped JQ, in fact some five years older.

Once we enjoyed the deliciousness pie made by the wonderful ladies at the bakery, we went back to painting the second coating. One hour later, the columns were wearing a fresh coat of red and yellow designed by the regis crew. So we earned some free time. We worked up an appetite by playing soccer with the kids and the U.S.A. beating Ecuador for the second time, making the official standings 2 to 10. 

But another surprise was in store before dinner. JQ had been talking with Mike and Maggie, two older volunteers with an incredible story he'll share with you later... They arranged for some college-age Ecuadorian students to meet with us for a special English-language conversation class. Of course, dancing lessons might have been a better name for it!

Getting, how-you-say, low?

After an eventful day and well-prepared dinner by the expert chefs, Maria and Antonia, we had another surprise for the birthday boy during reflection with a hidden cake. We picked his favorite kind of cake: banana. Happy "23"rd birthday Mr. Quinn!