Mi Corazón, Mi Amor, My Home, Ecuador

​By Nia Nelson, Junior

In the spirit of Hispanic Heritage month, I wanted to share a piece of my Ecuadorian heritage. To introduce myself, I am a first born Ecuadorian-American and Bahamian-American. My mother is from Ecuador and her family is as well. I don’t know much about my family because our family still resides in Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. I have never visited Ecuador. I have never met my family members in person, but we do communicate through Skype or social media. I do have plans to visit Ecuador during the summer to unite with my family. From the family I do have in the United States that are Ecuadorian, there are a few of us: my grandmother, her sister, her two daughters, and her nephew whom all lives in the same household. ​

My Grandmother, who I am very close with, has taught me about my Ecuadorian Heritage. She teaches me Spanish by speaking only Spanish in her household. She also teaches me how to cook Ecuadorian dishes, even though she doesn’t like cooking. In general, she teaches what it means to be from Ecuador, show my pride, and claim my heritage and culture. On numerous occasions, my grandmother shares her experience and memories from Ecuador. The following excerpt is stories from my grandmother, Lorenza Carmen:

My Grandmother with her daughter, Kelly, in her hand. My grandmother’s nephew and daughter, Maria (left to right).

My Grandmother’s pregnancy with my aunt, Maria.

"My time living in Ecuador it was a time in my life I didn’t want to miss out. I love my country, not to be bias or anything but it was better than living over here when I first came; but I like it over here too. You know Ecuador is known for the Galapagos, Islands because you know Charles Darwin and etcetera etcetera.

The fact we lived closed to the ocean, my father would always go fishing and we would eat fresh fish and seafood every other night. Like Lobster and calamari. It’s funny because there is hardly any fresh seafood in local markets like back at home in Ecuador. I loved the seafood and I love eating ceviche. Ceviche is like fish with lemon, onion, chili pepper chopped that it looks like soup, I can taste it as I’m talking to you.
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Ceviche is common in the Hispanic South America countries. And there was more freedom and festivities that occurs in my country. Like on holidays such as new year’s we celebrate by having large parties that you celebrated with your family and pretty much everybody. For the most part, everyone is equal like there is no discrimination, nothing major like here.

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I come from a large family. I have six sisters and we are very close, taking care of each other.  Then I have three kids and I used to take them to la Carnaval in February for three days where streets would close down and be blocked off and everyone has a good time. Your mom used to love it.

I do say we lived differently than we do here than back in Ecuador. A long time ago we lived in big shacks and bathed in huge metal buckets. And there is so much more life to Ecuador from the Galapagos Islands, with the turtles that you can play with in person and the people that are close and much more stories that you wouldn’t believe if you could only go to Ecuador and live it.

Another thing that you don’t hear about is the Indians that lived in Ecuador. Once my daughter played with a Ouija board and there were spirits that lived in our home and we had to see the Indians so they could remove the spirits and bless her again."

My Grandmother and her eldest daughter, Maria.

The Ecuadorian flag.

My grandmother and her youngest daughter, Kelly.