Planning

“Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it you can never get it back.” - Harvey Mackay

When one of my mentors let me know that I was already at the halfway point, I thought I was having a mild stroke. I cannot believe how quickly time is slipping through my fingers! Time goes by so very quickly! Especially when you're having fun... and also when you have to build trust before any real progression occurs. I felt that gaining the trust of the community was truly the most difficult task of them all. I planned, and re-planned and am currently working on a new plan once again. Why do I keep re-planning? Without any trust, a plan is just a piece of paper in my hand. I needed people to listen to my plan, to trust me, and to let me in their homes, workplaces, and minds. The Puerto Hondo community have met many people, who gave them hope by beginning projects and initiatives, all to leave them unfinished and abandoned. Because of those people, building trust has become very difficult, and in the beginning my goal was to make one single friend that would let me in. 

It took a lot of patience, some frustrations,  and a whole lot of optimism, persistence and confidence. . .  but I was finally getting listened to. Last week, I met up with the leaders of the community who were already actively involved in the economic development of Puerto Hondo. It is a small group of women, that are part of the little farmers association, organized the Adult environmental learning center and are currently looking into tourism development, that's where I come in. This was my 3d time meeting them, and the first few times each of them asked me many personal questions, and didn't seem to trust me at all. Hours would go by, and we wouldn't get much accomplished, just conversations about life, family work, school and they would tell me about their kids. It started feeling like more of a social hour, than a meeting with a direction, a goal and a planned outcome.  It took a few meetings, and consistency on my part, for the ladies to finally warm up to my presence, and understand that I really do want to help them in any way that I can. Meetings used to happen, usually after several cancellations and many absences. However the last meeting, I was happy to see that everyone was present, and ready to listen to what I had to say.

Explaining, and hoping I am getting understood.

The purpose of my meeting was to find out what the community was currently working on, and how I could help contribute to their progress. I also took the opportunity to prepare a short presentation that included the following goals.

1. To help them understand and consider the concept of community Based Tourism. Tourism that strengthens the community’s identity through the avocation and consideration of the social and the environmental impact of tourism. 
2. Connect Puerto Hondo's community initiatives with the tourism initiatives. Their alignment throughout the whole process is crucial to the success of maintaining sustainability and achieving true community based tourism. 

Their reactions to my proposal were very positive ones, and the planning began right afterwards. It has already been 4 weeks since our first meeting, and I'm happy that we've been meeting on a regular basis, and staying in touch by phone and email as well. The ladies are sharing their ideas, and our meetings are usually quiet interactive.

The women are great, we're constantly smiling. I love their positive energy.

Similar to ecotourism, it is sustainable tourism that considers the environmental and social impact of tourism. What separates the two? The name gives it away, the “community” not only promotes sustainable tourism, it promotes and strengthens the cultural identification of a community through the promotion of sharing it's cultural traditions, practices, ancient stories and artifacts with visitors. Enriching others with awareness and historic information that will help tourists understood them on a much deeper level. Community based tourism  is also a form of economic development for the collective. It's managed and owned by the community, for the community, with the purpose of enabling visitors to increase their awareness and learn about the community and their local ways of life. All of the money collected through community based tourism, is spread out throughout the community, whether they work within the tourism sector or not, it is a reward and an incentive for the community to allow strangers within their walls, and showing the heart of their culture.

This link, describes the moment that I first learned about community based tourism, and began to research it further. The topic intrigued me so much that I decided to make it the subject of my research here in Ecuador, which is also a part of my internship program. Through my research, I learned that there are many communities across Ecuador have already began developing Community Based Tourism practices.

The ultimate goal, is not only to help promote the Community, but also to qualify them for funding. The NGOs that fund and develop small community projects, need a concrete plan written, as well as initiatives began. I am lucky to have many people on board with this project here in Ecuador. In this time crunch, I've been very fortunate and surrounded with great helping hands, that have already done far too much for me, and continue to help me everyday. Now my 12 week plan is complete, and running smoothly as of now. There is so much to do. . . But everything will workout. I know it will.