another week in and around Cuenca

Research has been going well in Cuenca, and it´s looking quite possible that I will try to base myself here for a longer period in the future (pending funding!). I have been talking to a lot of community leaders who work with migration in and out of Cuenca. One day I went to Azogues, a city of around 20,000 about 45 minutes away, and then another day to the small town of San Marcos, just outside Azogues. In these places, literally everyone I talked to knows many people in the US. There are government campaigns feebly trying to fight human smuggling (coyoterismo). I am including a poster that says "You can do it, Ecuador needs you. Say no to coyoterismo." I think I will be focusing on how coyoterismo works in Ecuador and beyond. This week there was also a celebration and parade for the Virgin of Carmen, photos included here too.

This may be my last posting from Ecuador this visit. Tomorrow I will be back in Quito for a few more days of meetings, and back to the US on Friday. Thanks for reading!