Hey! This is Sabrina and Hazel from Northampton, MA, and we were the first Leaders Del Día with the focus of the day centering Culture.

First of all, a big happy birthday to Neissa (yippee!!)! Be sure to check out the newly uploaded pictures on the blog post from yesterday- sorry for the tech difficulties!!

This morning, we visited an indigenous community called Palacio Real, and while driving in we saw lambs, dogs, cows, alpacas, and llamas- and one of the cows had a heart on its forehead (so cute!). When we arrived, we were welcomed by a delicious potato and cheese soup, a bright orange spicy sauce, and we were served llama for our main course! It was everyone’s first time trying llama, and though it was very tough to chew, it was super tasty! The llama is actually a huge staple of this community’s life, with their food, cultural clothing, and just for companions. We met an incredible woman named Trinidad, who has a very sweet llama named Manuelita (after her mother, Manuela). Trinidad walked us through their land with Manuelita, showing us the plants that feed the animals and possess medicinal properties consumed by the people. As we hiked the trails, the clouds cleared momentarily and we saw the snow and beautiful curvature of the dormant volcano Chimborazo. Later on during our hike, we observed tile murals painted by the artist Pablo Sanagauno. His stunning illustrations depicted the Spanish colonization of the indigenous people with heartbreaking scenes and by using the vibrant colors of their history. We had discussions about the power of knowing one’s past and how the indigenous people’s knowledge of their culture can empower them to reclaim their story and life after the generational trauma of colonization. This inspired us to continue asking questions and to keep our curious energy throughout this trip!

Please say hi to Lola, Moby, and Zoe for me! LOL (lots of love), Hazel

Hi fam! I miss you so, so much – sending virtual hugs! Give Evey a pet for me 🙂 Love you, Sabrina

Stay tuned for the next episode of Global Glimpse; Riobamba Edition!