Shops

Today was "Shops" with Marco Polo. In CMT#2, (where we are staying) there are 6 different vocational training programs. In Ecuador, elementary school is now 10 years (prior to two years ago, it was 6 years) and then High School is 3 years. As an option to High School, the kids can choose a vocational training program which they do for 3 years (they enter vocational training at between 12-13 years). So, by the time they are 15, they can be gainfully employed either here or in the community.

We each had the opportunity to choose one of the shops to work in today. There is Cosura (sewing), Automotriz (automechanics), Belleza (beauty salon), Panadería (bakery), Metal Mechanica (metal mechanics), Carpintaría (carpentry). Ryan, Mark and Coby went to auto mechanics, Travis went to carpentry, Siena and Claire went to the bakery, and Laurel, Ella, Maya, and Carrie went to the beauty shop. And finally, Maria and I went to the sewing shop. Not sure yet how it went with the kids, but Maria and I were given an embrodiery project. We were each given a rectangle, a needle and thread and shown an example cloth. We were told to copy the design, but that we could use any color we wanted. My outside outline was red. Inside was orange, then I had chosen other colors for the inner designs. Maria had chosen purple for the outer, then orange, then teal for the inner design. I had assumed (wrongly) that we were going to be able to keep our fabrics, but at the end of our time there, the profesora collected ours! I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed, both that our time was over, and that we didn't get to keep what we had made! 

Travis got to make and bench - he will be bringing it home, and the girls took advantage of the services offered in the beauty shop. Mark, Coby and Ryan got to learn about the fluids in an engine, how to take off and change a tire, and about the difference between disc and drum brakes. Oh, and Claire and Siena got to make bread! 

This afternoon, we're going to El Mercado (an open air market, similiar to a farmer's market) down the street. More later...