Blog Post – Gabriel Ortiz – 7/21/09

Today is Tuesday July 21, 2009 I’ve been in Ecuador for approximately 1 month and so far my time here has been amazing. Honestly I’m really an anthropology student with a focus on culture not archaeology however, so far this is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had in my life. This is the first field school I have been on and I feel like I’ve been able to experience so much in 5 weeks being in another country. First off the actual archaeology and digging in the field has for the most part been a very exciting experience, finding material culture i.e. (pottery, idols, living structures) from the past and discussing a range of insightful theories about what might have happened or who inhabited the sites we’re excavating. This archaeology field experience has allowed me as a student to place myself in the past and really time travel mentally so to speak which helped me gain some understating of how indigenous people of this region whether Inca Caranqui or others lived.

Another experience that has really struck me well in the field school in Northern Ecuador is working with local members of the community. I think that by hiring workers from these neighboring communities the Pambamarca Archaeology project builds stronger relationships with the descendents of the people we’re studying. In this the program in my opinion reaches out to show the people of the valley of Cayambe that we are not hear to deceive them in any way but are hear because we respect their culture and the culture of their ancestors.

By far for me interacting with the communities of Buen Esperanza, San Pedro, Canguahua, and Cayambe and the many others has been a blessing. I feel that many times we as people find ways to separate our selves, based on skin color, culture, religion, political beliefs etc, but being here in a country where the living environment is completely different than the U.S I’ve been able to really witness similarities which connect us as people. Whether it’s a father playing with his child on the bus, a family grocery shopping, a group of teens making jokes or two women working side by side in unison to survive I’ve been able to see the real life stories in Ecuador and for that I’m grateful.

So my advice is if you have a chance to travel please give the Northern Ecuadorian highlands a chance if not please step out of the world that we are all so accustomed to living in and travel some where. I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed, you’ll come back to your life, your world with a little more perspective, and a little more gratitude, and a little more understanding of how we, humans nationally or internationally are all the same.

Gracias

CHOW!

Gabriel Ortiz