Buen Vivir

I am in love with Ecuador, and perhaps it was even at first sight. A great sense of hope, of progress and change seems to flow throughout this picturesque country, something I have not known in the USA since I was a child. Indeed, the picture being painted of Ecuador both inside and outside the classroom is of an up-and-coming nation, rich in diversity of culture and environment, among many others. At the same time, Ecuador is not without the myriad problems and challenges of a developing Latin American country reeling from more than 400 years of colonial rule and the ever-present forces of globalization.

Quito - Old City

Catholic Basilica - Quito

Visit to 19th-century Hacienda

Over the past two weeks, the six of us have been exposed in equal parts to the themes of development, diversity and sustainability as Ecuador solidifies its common identity, values, and direction as a “pluri-national” state.

More often than not, the current Ecuadorean government’s theme of “Buen Vivir” (“good life”) illustrates a common desire for a future state that is not defined by American or European ideals of what a “developed” country looks like, but an ideal defined by Ecuadoreans themselves. From the American perspective, this makes perfect sense—you craft your own destiny (when you have the chance), but in a country dominated by others for so long, the prospect of establishing a common identity and destiny is a major step forward. Of course, Buen Vivir is open for interpretation—in Ecuador as anywhere, political wrangling and disagreement abounds.

The idea of Buen Vivir attempts to balance economic development with equally valuable necessities for a productive and rich life such as ensuring public health, protecting the environment, and maintaining the priceless, diverse elements of Ecuadorean culture and environment.

Of course, all of these things cost money, and one of the most poignant reminders of Ecuador’s forceful commitment to economic development as a central pillar for achieving Buen Vivir is the infrastructure and road-building frenzy taking place from the traffic-choked capital of Quito, to the Pan American highway and the twisty mountain roads that snake across the Andes. Indeed, on our way to Salinas de Bolivar, a rural indigenous community high up in the mountains (~13,000ft), we had to wait while construction crews dynamited part of the mountainside for a new road! Boom!

Blasting for a new road high above the tree line, near Mt. Chimborazo.

To demonstrate some of the “diversity, development and sustainability,” we have encountered so far, here are some photos from our trips to windy, cold Salinas de Bolivar (known for its famous micro-enterprises of cheese and chocolates), and our most recent trip to the sweltering but beautiful Ecuadorean Amazon rainforest.

Salinas de Bolivar

Above Salinas de Bolivar on a hike, looking west.

Taking the boat along the Amazonian Napo River, to the eco-lodge.

The destination of a 7-hour-total rainforest hike! Phew!

At this point, I am inclined to think that even though we have learned an enormous amount from Professor Clark and all of the excellent speakers and locals we have encountered, I find myself often thinking back to what “buen vivir” means to me personally and in the USA more broadly. Certainly, I have learned that development, sustainability, and diversity are concepts that are very relative, and open to interpretation.