Fellow Stories

Introducing Gabriela Faican

Natalia Fischl-Lanzoni

2018-04-03

Gaby was my incredible spanish teacher. She works in the Amauta Spanish School. Although she is from Cuenca, instead of Sigsig I wanted to include her story here as well. —————————————————————————————————————- My father went to the United States when I was 3, in 1991. He went to Manhattan, while I stayed with my mother and...

Introducing Jose Sanchez and Ivonne Segovia

Natalia Fischl-Lanzoni

2018-04-03

Jose and Ivonne work in the gym that I would go to often during the week. Jose is an exercise instructor and Ivonne is the secretary for the gym. —————————————————————————————————————- Life in the United States wasn’t for me like it is for you. We were illegal immigrants — we couldn’t drive a car, go to...

Introducing Esteban Sanchez

Natalia Fischl-Lanzoni

2018-04-03

Esteban Alexis Salinas Sanchez was my host brother. He is 13 years old, and is a student in the high school next to our house. —————————————————————————————————————- My dad moved to the United States when I was 4 months old, and my mother when I was two. They left me and my older sister here in...

Introducing Nubeluz Sanchez

Natalia Fischl-Lanzoni

2018-04-03

I had the pleasure of having Nube as my host mom during my time here. I lived with her, her husband and two children. She does not work right now, instead caring for her two kids Lisseth, aged 17 and Esteban, aged 12, and her nephew Mathew, aged 2. ——————————————————————————————————————– I was 19 when I...

Introducing Maria Brito

Natalia Fischl-Lanzoni

2018-04-03

Maria Brito was my coworker at El Centro Gernontologico. We worked in an elderly home together in the center of Sigsig. ——————————————————————————————- . When I was 22, I decided to move to the United States. I had two children already, aged 4 and 5. I tried to get a visa, but they just told me...

Introducing Diego Calle

Natalia Fischl-Lanzoni

2018-04-03

Diego Calle works in the government offices of Sigsig. He is also one of the supervisors for my project, and will be putting the stories and photos of my interviewees in a gallery to hang in Sigsig.  ———————————————————————————————- My father immigrated to the United States when I was 9 years old. He moved to New...

De Sigsig, Azuay a Sigsigito, Connecticut: An Introduction to My Final Project

Natalia Fischl-Lanzoni

2018-04-03

  As a requirement for Global Citizen Year, all fellows must complete a Final Community Project. The purpose of this project is to give something back to the community that you have lived in for the past 7 months. When I first began to consider what I could do for my project, I was at...

How Do I Say Goodbye?

Jordan Kendall

2018-04-03

The question that has been circling my mind for the last three weeks. How do I say goodbye? How do I say goodbye to the family that opened their hearts and homes to let me in? My sisters that are so incredibly obnoxious, extra, and occasionally bratty that it feels like I’m in an episode...

Nuestro Choclo

Olivia Dutra

2018-04-03

Papi Pollo

Olivia Dutra

2018-04-03

Spending the last seven months here in Ecuador with my family they have come to learn what a picky eater I am. In a country that sometimes enjoys eating cow liver, chicken feet, and guinea pig (its actually delicious) I often found myself pleading for an uncle, dad, or anyone near me to take the...

I Don’t Know How to Say Goodbye

Elizabeth Ollila

2018-04-03

And now I’m here–in a place I have only dreamed of often wondered if it would actually arrive. I have 1 day left with my host family. After 193 days with these incredible people, and after making the town of Girón my home, it will all come to an end. When I first sat down...

From Then Until Now- A Year in Photos

Jordan Kendall

2018-04-02

Quito, September 15. The moment I realized that the friends I would make during this year would become some of the people I cherish most in the world. Sigsig, September 29. My first day at my apprenticeship. A day full of confusion and fear of the unknown. Cuenca, October 28. Finding out one of my...