Day 33

Today started out like any other… miscommunication about breakfast leaving us lost and confused.

We piled on the bus, shoveling bread and eggs down our throats mid-stride.

“We don’t need to leave until 9”

“But its 7:45….”

“Everybody off the bus!”

There was nothing left to do except breakfast..take 2…

Here Hannah enjoys a fruit salad at a much more palatable pace.

After returning to the hotel and once more piling onto the bus, we drove to FLACSO to prepare for the premiere!

*Picture*

Here Chase works studiously – my partner on the  Social Media team, and the man responsible for writing up a list of all the people we needed to thank tonight

*Picture*

Here we have the women responsible for preparing the title and artist cards to accompany the top 10 photos that will be displayed tonight

As the groups worked hard on their given assignments, the gallery started to come together.

Ana and Amber were the A-team.. measuring and designing the gallery space for all 10 photos on display. *pictures*

Other members of the group printed and designed the opening title display, with polaroid photos creating the Equator line throughout the gallery * pictures *

Also at the entrance were two TVs with slideshows of the best photos from each student on one, as well as photos of us students hard at work on the other. *pictures*

Entering the next room, a TV displayed the two longer film pieces students created about working with APAK. One was a documentary on the process, the other was a deconstruction of our groups presence as Americans working with indigenous people, and the importance of self representation. *pictures*

But wait.. theres more!!

Next to the TV was a table, with all of our sketch journals displayed around it, clipped to our favorite pages for viewing. Our sketch journals included daily drawings and written reflections about our time here in Ecuador. *picture*

Behind the table, was a large projection screen, looping video displays of the best videos from each student.  *picture –  Here Madisen poses with hers*

Finally, the last room was set up with chairs and a large screen for the projection of the (almost) completed documentary, Twazar El Penco: Sagrado en la Mitad del Mundo!

The gallery was not only aesthetic and beautiful – it synthesized our entire experience in an incredible and powerful display. From our first days in Quito, to Cayambe with APAK, and then the Galapagos – the exhibition carefully captured the range of experiences, emotions, lessons and reflections that took place this last month. It revealed the fantastic art produced during this journey and the expansive talent of our developing group. The gallery was a moment to celebrate ourselves, our work, our improvement – but also the efforts of our professors, our T.A Camile, our new friends Paula and Juan, and of course APAK, Edison, Lucy and the people of Cayambe.

At 6pm the doors opened and guests appeared in droves! It was so fun to reunite with all our friends from the journey and show them all that we had worked on. After an hour and a half of browsing and enjoying, we projected Twazar El Penco for all of the guests.

It was a beautiful night to wrap up an incredible journey. Thank you to all who helped make Latitud Zero such a success and a wonderful learning opportunity.