Some Final Reflections on Yunguilla

As I now sit in the comfort of my Minnesota home next to the warm fire, sheltered from the unbearable cold, I find it fitting to close out my thoughts on my Yunguilla adventure. A week-and-a-half back in the United States following an amazing 2 week journey with my parents around Ecuador has given me time and space to properly evaluate not just Yunguilla, but my entire Ecuador experience and the transition back to the States (both of which will be covered in a later post, stay tuned). I applaud your patience and dedication for bearing with me through this long break, and I hope you enjoy!

I left Yunguilla more than a month ago now on December 7, feeling guilty more than anything that I had not become more attached to this community. On my last day, as I signed the ‘volunteer memories book,’ if you will, I couldn’t help but peek at what some of the past visitors to the community had wrote of their experience. Phrases of ‘greatest experience of my life’ and ‘can’t wait to return’ along with ‘I have formed lifelong friendships’ seemed to litter the page, putting a sour taste in my mouth. What had I missed about this place that made it so treasured in the minds of those who had passed through before me? Was the language barrier or perhaps the cultural barrier really the source of my frustration? I was starting to think of this more as just a convenient excuse.

One of the aspects of the community I struggled with the most was the value attached to nearly every service. While the local development projects of ecotourism, etc. were a great benefit to the community, they were also apparently coming at a cost that can only really be measured in kindness. In other words, the development initiatives were taking priceless favors- especially larger ones- out of the community. In our last week in the community, we went camping with one of our better friends who is also a trained guide. Even though we have worked as volunteers in the community for 5 weeks, we are still treated like tourists and have to pay him the full guiding fee for 2 days. Later in December, I revisit the community with my parents, asking perhaps for a discount for our stay, only to receive the $25/night national rate instead of the $30 foreigner rate. These examples tear me apart because on one side of my brain, I know this community could benefit from my money more than I can and I should be glad to support their services. On the other hand, though, in my culture I tend to feel disrespected when 5 weeks of my sweat and energy is not acknowledged by a more significant gesture from the community.

Almost as a joke, on my final journey out of the community in the car of director’s vehicle, we were once again faced with the challenge of the road under construction. I was wondering if I’d ever make it out of this place, yet as I did a wave of guilt and humility swept over me. Once again, my occidental way of thinking had kicked in ever so subtly. The ‘other’- a way of life I wasn’t accustomed to, this Ecuadorian mestizo campesino culture- had suddenly become the ‘bad.’ I was realizing that maybe this inner-struggle was for the best- that is if you choose to measure the ‘good’ by the ‘learning.’

In the end, even though this cloud forest paradise may not be on the top of my list marked ‘places to revisit in Ecuador,’ it may sit at the top of my list marked ‘experiences in Ecuador with the greatest impact on my life.’ I’m not exactly sure how this growth will manifest itself in my own life, but I can already start to feel it take hold. Therefore, in all of this lies a simple lesson. Sometimes our struggles in life have hidden within them some of our greatest opportunities for growth. More generally, in every gloomy situation can be found some sunshine. Have a sunny day!

With parts of both my Yunguilla host families