Our last few days in Turuco were full of memorable moments as we treasured our time with our host family. During our time with them, Patty and Rumi opened their home to us, drawing us in as part of their family, along with all of their own children. Turuco has become our home, and we were sad to say goodbye!

Saturday morning, our team joined local men, women, and children to complete a community minga. Mingas have been an Ecuadorian tradition for years. People of all ages gather early on Saturday mornings to work together to improve the community. After work, they share a traditional meal together, eating from a communal tablecloth spread out on the floor. We woke up early Saturday morning and set to work with the locals, weeding the cobblestone roads, filling bottles to be used for construction in the playground, painting the tires surrounding the new park we constructed, sanding and painting the playground equipment, and painting the entire volleyball court. We completed a tremendous amount of work while also bonding with local children and families.

After a sudden downpour of rain, the sun peeked out to greet us for the afternoon. We joined Don Alberto, the president of the community, as he blessed the food that all the families had provided and thanked us for all of our work. We then ate a well-deserved meal — some of us scooped food onto our plates, while others joined in with locals and ate with our hands! Several locals expressed their gratitude for our work, and it was a truly memorable experience.

After quick showers, we changed for the despidida, or farewell party. A local musical group played various instruments as we danced under the stars, and various members of the community gave speeches. Our students also expressed their gratitude (in Spanish!) to the community. Both Turuco and Santa Barbara presented us with gifts: traditional potatoes and cuy (guinea pig that Roger helped prepare for his independent project!), an assortment of local fruits, and scarves and bracelets made by the artisans in Ecuador.

We are excited to explore the Galapagos throughout this week, though sad to leave our family. Turuco has truly become our home, and we are so thankful for our time with Patty and her family. Stay tuned for updates about our adventures in the Galapagos!

– Sarah Marie & Charlie