On our way to Tarqui, Alex and I had one of our biggest arguments and I was about to walk away, when she said she had lost hope in our relationship. When emotions are high like this, it is very difficult to reach a resolution, or even think clearly. It was wise decision for us to take time off and reflect back before jumping to a conclusion.
The volunteer work at the Zoorefugio Tarqui gave us the opportunity to reassess our relationship and how we feel towards each other. We were also kept busy with hard work from early morning till late afternoon. We met other volunteers, Thomas, Marian Shelo and Thresa, who helped us to reduce the tension in our relationship. And of course, those beautiful animals with their unconditional love helped us to shift our focus from ongoing problems to compassion and love. This incredible week at this refuge centre was perfect for us to heal our wounds and re-evaluate our relationship.
Zoorefugio Tarqui is a centre that engages in animal welfare and environmental education. Most animals were brought in by the Ministry of Environment for rehabilitation after being rescued from animal traffickers.
The work at the centre was hard. Days started by preparing meals for animals, cleaning cages and feeding some amazing creatures. There were a wide variety of animals such as monkeys, tapirs, jaguars, pumas, parrots, cuchuchos, turtles and wild pigs. After the feed, we helped to clean the grounds. While we were there, the owners were building a bigger cage for pumas. So, we helped in the construction by mixing cement and carrying sand. It was tough work and we were exhausted at the end of the day.
Amazing puma |
One week at the centre had an amazing
impact on us and on our relationship. I definitely felt a positive shift and
was convinced that we could work out those relationship issues no matter how difficult they were.
Before departing to the capital, Quito, I wanted to
try the shamanic medicinal brew called Ayahuasca. Amazonian shamans have been
using this sacred wine as a window into the soul for centuries. An interesting
article published by Kira Salak of National Geographic provides valuable insights about this Amazonian tradition.
As stated in the earlier posts, one of my main
reasons in this journey was to find out my purpose in life and I was willing to try this shamanic brew to get some insights. We found a local shaman through one of
the workers at the zoo. After a strict diet (no sugar, salt, red meat and
spices) and fasting for a day, another volunteer and I arrived at the shaman’s
house in the evening. We drank the bitter brew half an hour later and started to wait
for the effects. I didn’t feel much apart from an upset stomach. 2 hours
later, the shaman offered me a second cup which I accepted. Soon after I started purging, which is a common side effect of Ayahuasca. We spent the
rest of the night at the shaman’s house. The next day, I felt much lighter. My
stomach problems were reduced. However, I had no visions or insights about my
purpose, which was disappointing. I will elaborate more about my shamanic experiences in the episodes of Peru.
In the afternoon, we said goodbye
to our human and animal friends and made our way towards the capital. The main
purpose of our visit to Quito was to learn Spanish. Alex lived in Spain for 2
years and she is fluent in Spanish but I needed more lessons to be able to
communicate effectively. One of the volunteers at the zoo, Marian, recommended
a good school in Quito, Christobal Colon. We also booked a home stay through them. When we arrived late
afternoon, our host Olga welcomed us with open arms. She is a wonderful lady
who became our Ecuadorian mother. She and her husband Marcelo have a big
apartment in the middle of Quito where they rent rooms, mostly to students. You
can contact her at +593 999 811 379 if you would like to experience this wonderful
Ecuadorian hospitality.
Our family at the refuge |
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThank you Annelies, I am glad you like it.
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