Germany, Evangelical-Catholic
Must be a mother with her children?
On the peaks of the Andes in Ecuador discussions about it start suddenly, like a mother to life. Jan Schaefer told for the Evangelical Church of the Differences between the cultures.
By the magnificent Andes
Three days with a backpack and tent through the Andes in Ecuador. My travel partner and I and two native companions. A local Guide and a farmer with horses for the equipment. So we booked it. A day before the start of the hike, we will get an Email. Whether we are with an additional Wanderin agree. Of course. We are curious and excited.
The group meets in the vicinity of the city of Riobamba. Our Guide is an experienced mountain guide, around forty years old, as well as the Co-leader with the horses, a farmer from the village. And our With-hiker turns out to be a European. A teacher in his late thirties, lives in Ecuador and works she speaks German. From the first moment the three of us are hikers likeable to us.
Breathtaking Views
Our route in the high mountains is an old narrow path. Even before the Spanish conquerors have used the native American inhabitants. It rises steeply. Hundreds of miles of volcanic peaks lined up on the volcano summit. The silence is unusual and simply fantastic. But the air is thin in 4000 meters height. We, as Europeans, come to the Limit of our forces. Our Guides understanding. You will build up our camp for the night and take care of dinner, while we can rest on our laurels. The first Cup of tea, our life is the return of the forces. For the first Time, we sit together, all five and talk.
“Where are your children?”
In our lively conversation, our Mitwanderin told that she was a mother of four. Our Ecuadorian companions to look up in surprise.
One of them asks: “Where are the children now?”
“At home, with my husband.”
“Who’s going to watch for now on the children?”
“My Husband.”
Our companion to hear the answers of our Mitwanderin, but you don’t understand. A mother of four, who wanders through the mountains, without your children, but with two unknown men, and a husband to take care of in this time, on a voluntary basis with the children? Incredible. As our wall girlfriend shows pictures of your family on the phone, not the disappearance of this doubt.
What are the responsibilities of women and men?
In the next few days, the conversations turn to the different responsibilities of women and men. It becomes clear also that our companion, and we three Europeans will achieve no consensus. We don’t have to. We all experience the limits of our mutual ideas. Nevertheless, have made the trek together to the destination. It was a great experience, and I’ve seen a lot of new. But exciting for me the realization of how privileged I am to live in a society in which all of life and family models are accepted. In a society in which women and men have the same rights. In a society in which, of course, men take Parental leave and women go to work in this time, or Hiking.