January 23, 2015
Rotary Report- December
December
in Ballston Spa I’d usually be busy tree decorating, ice skating and snowman
building- but this year I kicked off the month with a trip to the Amazon
Rainforest!
Ecuador
isn’t a very big country, but to devote more time to exploration and less to
traveling we took a thirty minute plane trip from Quito to Coca (a city in the
east on the edge of the rainforest.) From there we took a two hour canoe trip
up to Napo River to arrive at the Sacha Lodge- our authentic straw and board
abode for the next three days.
In
that short time we tramped through jungle brush, went swimming in caiman (the
cousins of crocodiles) infested waters, visited an indigenous village and climbed
a tree fifty meters into the forest canopy. This excursion was a dream come to
true. I am so grateful for my experience and all who made it possible.
The
rest of the month was spent in anticipation of Christmas. Although I did miss
the cold nip of Upstate New York and the cozy holiday environment there was no
lack of preparation for la navidad.
In addition to just a
tree, most Ecuadorians celebrate Christmas by setting up a nativity scene.
But not just your average three shepherds, three wise men, Mary,
Joseph and Jesus nativity! They set up the entire city of Bethlehem (Belén)
complete with hills, pastoral printed papers, fences, houses, a
million farm animals and lots of lights! Very similar to the miniature winter
villages that some families in the US set up for the holidays.
Ecuador is a
predominately Catholic country (97% of the population) and, for the most part,
very pious. I think that depicting this scene is a very lovely way that they
remain focused on the true meaning of the holiday.
Another custom that
they have is called the ‘Novena’. In the nine days leading up to Christmas
different groups will meet in front of their Belén to sing carols and to pray.
My mother told me that it is a way for them to prepare themselves spiritually
for the ‘birth of Christ’.
Something that
surprised me was how common these celebrations are. At school there is a Belén
in every classroom, and so far I’ve been to six different novenas! They include
the one held at my school, the one at my brother’s school, the ceremony for my
neighborhood, my family’s personal novena, our church’s novena and the
ceremony which was hosted by my Rotary Club. If you’re ever planning to attend
a private Novena come on an empty stomach for the evening always ends with lots
of sweets and tea!
Christmas Eve was ‘La
Noche Buena’, where we had a very nice family dinner at the house of my sister,
Cristina. We did not arrive at the dinner until eight o’clock- so I thought
that we were late and expected that we would get right down to eating. To my
surprise we were actually the first to arrive and they hadn’t even begun to
prepare the food! At nine o’clock the other guests arrived and we began to cook
as a family. At midnight we opened the gifts that Baby Jesus had brought, (it
was very simple. Everyone, including the children only received one or two
small, but thoughtful gifts) then we set the table. At one o’clock we finally
sat down for dinner (a four course meal).
La
día de la Navidad was very calm- just like any other Sunday. We slept in, had a
nice family breakfast and went on a bike ride.
Although
I missed my familiar Christmas carols and cookie swap parties it was a very
nice detox from our sometimes over- commercialized holiday.
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