How often do you take a moment and savor the beauty in the ordinary? I know in my day-to-day life, I do this very little. And when it comes to travel, FORGET ABOUT IT! When I travel I want to see the big and beautiful. I desire to experience the “must see” of the place.
But just like in our everyday lives, there is beauty in the mundane when you travel. When you experience, what appears to be an insignificant thing in a foreign place, you will soon discover that these tiny things and experiences actually have BIG stories to tell.
I guess that is how I would describe my first full day in Ecuador in the city of Latacunga. To a stranger these things didn’t look like anything important or interesting, but to me they were amazing because they told the story of my new family in the city.
Here is the journey of the beauty of the mundane in Latacunga.
Latacunga
My journey in Ecuador started in Latacunga, which is where my new extended family is from and based. Latacunga is a medium sized city that is around a 2 hour drive from Quito, the capital of Ecuador. It is in the Andes Mountains and has similar weather to San Francisco.
Food
My new family expresses their love and joy through food. I love to hear the passion in their voices when describing what we are eating and how it ties in with local traditions. I learned that Ecuador is actually known for soups and many regions in Ecuador have similar dishes, but each has their own twist on the dishes.
Anyone who knows me knows I am NOT a foodie, but it was special to learn more about local food than I normally do when I travel. I had so many delicious home cooked meals.
We started each morning together over breakfast laughing and telling stories. I learned so much about Latacunga and the family through these special mornings.
made fresh bread.
Feeling at Home
Usually when I travel, I stay at a hotel, but in Latacunga I stayed at the family home. It truly was a home- it felt so warm, cozy and welcoming. Each time we left the place for the day, my extended grandparents greeted us and sent us off with a blessing. I also always passed by the garden in the front yard of the home. There is a lemon tree, which is very beloved by grandma, and no one is allowed to touch it!
When you usually stay in hotels as you travel, you don’t get to see the everyday side of the city and places you are in. This is a picture of the street where the family house is located. I love seeing the architecture of the houses and the feel of the street.
This picture always reminds me of how similar humans are, no matter where they are from. A neighbor had an Arctic Monkeys’ posters, which happens to be my favorite band. The person right across the street had two barking dogs. I, too, hear barking dogs back home.
Family History
My favorite part of exploring Latacunga was learning about the ordinary places that held significance in the family. I love visiting places that have personal significances to others and listening to them tell their experiences at the place.
This door leads to the high school where my mother-in-law attended when she was a teenager. At the time it was an all-girls school and she lived on campus. She entertained us with stories of adventures she had during her high school years. Some of these stories may or may not have included some mischief.
This building is part of a military college in Latacunga. My mother-in-law worked as a secretary at the college when she was younger and this picture shows the general area of where her office was located. We visited when school was in session and the halls were filled with students. It was an interesting juxtaposition: hearing of stories of the past while seeing the students of the present, and future leaders, go about their days around us.
My mother-in-law is an entrepreneur! The picture shows a restaurant she started, and it is still open today! Though she is no longer associated with the place, she sowed the seeds of the success the restaurant has seen.
Local Government
When you travel can you say that you see and experience the local government in action directly? Well, before my time in Latacunga I would have answered no to that question.
What amazed me was the services that still required in-person interactions. I feel like back home if a service can be done online that is where it is done. In Latacunga, people have to pay their water and other bills in person; there is not an option to pay online. I can’t even imagine that happening where I lived. But something about these mundane errands seem to bring community together. At least once a month a person is seen out and about. Back home- a person can be hidden and never known. Where is the beauty in that?
The place where people come to pay their bills IN-PERSON. I learned that I have family members who work for the government in the city. In Latacunga people are interacting with others through various interactions. It appears they are less separated than people back home.
I was at this building for HOURS. My sister-in-law and her mother had business to do, so sitting and people watching was the highlight. One universal truth appears to be that government run things are not efficient. While waiting, I observed that a man’s sole job was to make copies. There was a line of people and all he did was make copies for those who came to do business at the building. Talk about a mundane job.
This post is part of the Ecuador Unfolds series
Caroline Evans 
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