This past year was the first time in my life that I didn't spend Thanksgiving, Christmas and other holidays with my family. While this is a reality of being abroad in the Peace Corps, I was surprised at how little I missed being home for these important dates. That's because, well, Ecuadorian celebrations are like no other! They are filled with music, culture, color, food and parties. It's hard to feel homesick when I am experiencing such vibrant, lively occasions here! Today, I want to share a bit about three unique Ecuadorian holidays.
Starting off with a "bang", we have the holiday of Corpus Christi, which usually falls in June. It is a religious holiday (most of them are, as Ecuador is over 90% Christian) that celebrates the body and blood of Christ. Cuenca has one of the main Corpus Christi celebrations in Ecuador, and people come from all over the country to participate. While there are definitely religous traditions that accompany this holiday, the more obvious celebrations are the fireworks and dulces tradicionales. During this week long holiday (and for several weeks afterwards), dozens of white tents line the streets, selling an astonishing quantity of traditional sweets and candies... but be careful! After the first few days the sugar attracts more than a few bees and wasps.
