Serena in the Galapagos Islands: Part 3
They say that food unites people. I find this adage to be very true, and I experienced it firsthand at the hacienda in the Galapagos Islands.
It was nearing the Fourth of July, and I and the other Americans at the farm thought that it would only be proper to have a good, old-fashioned, all-American barbecue and campfire.
Since we had a farm to table “Pizza Party” the week before, the French volunteers innocently called our Fourth of July celebration the “Burger Party,” and compiled a list of ingredients to purchase during their next trip into town.
As we all piled into the kitchen to construct our burgers, one of the French college students asked me about the American Fourth of July tradition. We launched into a 30-minute conversation about everything from Spam to foie gras, ending with my shock that he had never tried a marshmallow or s’mores before.
As we enjoyed our meal together, I laughed at the absurdity of our celebration. French, German, American, Ecuadorian, and I, Chinese American, all gathered around a table enjoying an aggressively American Fourth of July meal of burgers, chips, and watermelon. In the middle of our table stood a wooden stick with a sagging, striped plastic bag tied on horizontally–our makeshift American flag. Although numerous barriers, cultural and geographical, stood between each of the volunteers, we were all united by our shared enjoyment of learning about each other through the food that we brought.
Our night ended with the group sitting around the campfire, roasting marshmallows, talking about our lives at home, and cuddling with the farm cat and dog, Nugget and Pirata.
On the last night of my stay at the farm, I created a huge soup out of all of my leftover vegetables from the past weeks. Together, the other volunteers, the farmer, and I, dined on this hearty soup that I would usually enjoy at home.
My experience of living and working at a small farm in the Galapagos Islands is one of the most unforgettable two weeks in my life. During this journey, I learned about the hard work needed to produce food, and about the farm manager Giovanni’s struggle to implement environmentally sustainable practices across family farms in the Galapagos Islands. I met interesting people, experienced the beauty of the islands, and grew further inspired to protect biodiversity and the environment. I hope to take the lessons I learned at this farm with me in the future.
Written by Serena Chen, United Planet Volunteer in Ecuador & NSHSS Merit Scholarship Winner
Don’t forget to read the first and second installment from Serena’s series.
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