Yaruquí

Some of us decided to add some excitement to our official beginning as Peace Corps Volunteers. What would be more exciting than our first Ecuadorian bullfight. Our experience at this event is described in the June 15 letter excerpt below.

 

 

 

Starting Work

 

In June 1966 there were four of us working with credit cooperatives in Quito. Beside myself, one was from New York City, one from Indiana, and the other (my roommate Bob Jensen) from Washington State. I had six cooperatives directly under my charge. However, we helped each other out, especially at this early stage when our Spanish was not the best. In the first week we analyzed the management and accounting of our coops. The second week we were supposed to make out a work plan until December. It didn’t get beyond July. 

 

Yaruquí Trip

 

The three Quito visitors to the Coop, starting second from left, are
Bob Jensen, Hugh Graham and Carlos Flores Romero

 

The above letter text written more than 50 years ago describes a Yaruquí that no longer exists. Yaruquí parish today includes a population of about 18,000 people. It has experienced major changes of great significance for Yaruquí, Quito and the country as a whole.  

 

Adjoining the northwest edge of the parish about 18 kilometers east of Quito a new airport has risen; Mariscal Sucre International Airport, the busiest airport in Ecuador. Beginning construction in 2006, it opened in February 2013 and replaced the old Mariscal Sucre International Airport. The new airport serves over 5 million passengers a year. 

 

The old airport posed enormous risks because it was located in the middle of a mountainous city with high wind currents. It could no longer be expanded to accommodate larger aircraft or increased air traffic.

Getting Acquainted

 

The 6-27-1966 letter excerpt below describes some of my contacts with Ecuadorians not involved with the credit cooperative movement. Regrettably, these acquaintances were fleeting and I lost contact over time.

 

Getting acquainted with some teenagers while on our first hike up Mt. Pichincha