Día 99 | Miércoles, el 8 de Abril | 2009

Paja toquilla...

It has been mostly rainy today.  There has been only about an hour's break in which it hasn't rained.  There have been a few showers here and there since we have been in Ecuador, but it has been mostly sunny -- so this is a change.  

Today has been kind of discouraging.  It is only two weeks in but being here, the classes, my family -- everything -- is not near what I had expected it to be.  I appreciate my experience so far and I deeply appreciate the opportunity I have to come here, but there are some things that I just cannot accept.  I wish that the classes would be a little smoother and that everyone could be in the right mindset -- not talk in English, incorporate a positive attitude and use positive re-enforcement when working in groups -- but some things just cannot be avoided.  This really frustrates me a good deal when people's attitudes are negative or their perspective is centered on just getting the class over with as to move on to something else.  It seems like such a waste of time and energy (like what's the point??) if we can't all focus on optimizing our time here?  I hope things will get better (and not get worse).

My family and I are going to Las Playas -- beaches just past Guayaquil -- for this weekend.  I am glad that I will get some time away from class and the program and just be able to relax.  It's neat that we are going to be near Guayaquil (largest city population in Ecuador) but I have heard that inside the city of Guayaquil is pretty dangerous.  My family and I won't be going near the city though and I'll be sure to be safe and careful (thanks Dale and everyone else who are looking out for me).

Later:  I just finished watching a demonstration of the paja toquilla process.  Toquilla straws are the raw material that make up "Panama" Hats (even though they are exclusively made in Ecuador) and they are also used to make other accessories (coasters, baskets, small containers, etc.)  The presentation was really interesting -- this group was made up of about 21 women (three were here to present) and they explained the process of harvesting the trees, making the straw, the process of applying color to the straw, the process in which they weave the straw, and then finally the point of sale of the products.  What really blew me away was the intricate patterns on each of the baskets, hats, etc.  I am not sure how well you can make out the details in the picture above, but there are hundreds (if not thousands) of little straws that go into the construction of each item.  Each of the straws are about 1/16 of an inch wide and the weaving is all very tight.  One of the weavers told me that it only takes about 1 day for a weaver to weave a large hat.  Unbelievable!