Culture Day! (No. 4)

We started off the day with a tour of Riobamba. By taking a walking tour of the city, we learned more about its history and how it has evolved, along with its impact on the indigenous communities and residents. We then visited one of the indigenous communities, Palacio Real, and learned more about their cultural practices and their past. The area is similar to the reservations in the US, except for the key fact they own and are entirely in control of their land. At their restaurant, we ate traditional food that was all grown and sourced on their land. We learned about how Simón Bolívar stayed at one of the haciendas at Palacio Real, and how that led to the name of the community by taking a hike through the area and learning about the agricultural practices in the area. Our guide explained how the indigenous people gained their rights as recently as the 1980s. After the hike, we participated in an art class by painting representations of our brief experience in Ecuador on our choice of either a rock or a wooden spoon.

When we returned to our hotel in Riobamba, we debriefed and reflected on the day by discussing what we had seen and how that shaped our perception of the future. This was also when we finally met our last member Sibo, and our second GGL, Israde, arrived after being delayed in Houston. Afterwards, we had free time and bonded over card games and our new shared experiences. We finished the day with a delicious dinner with Isabel, passed on the torch to the next Líder del Día, and prepared for the next day.

Meghan and Jacob