Southern Quito Neighborhood

I’ve been living this summer in a shared house with about twenty other students and doctors working with The Quito Project.  The house is located in the southern part of Quito, near “el Puente de Guajalo” in “la ciudad de Pleibol” which is all of the direction that I’m able to muster.  Fortunately, it’s sufficient for taking a taxi and once I’m in the area, I know my way around.  Life in this neighborhood has been a great experience thus far although it is markedly different than any of the neighborhoods that I’m used to.

What was most initially surprising to me is the lack of zoning in these neighborhoods.  As a result, on our block is a school, a health clinic, a warehouse, tons of little bodegas, a salon, and a mechanics workshop.  This is in addition the construction zone, plywood factory, and gas truck parking that one passes upon entering our neighborhood.  Needless to say, there’s a good deal of dust, noise, and stray dogs in our neighborhood that accompany the community of families that have their homes here.

An interesting note about the houses here is that they are all made of concrete, reinforcement rod and bricks.  Furthermore, they are constant works in progress as owners add on to their homes when they have the resources or need to do so.  As such, the reinforcement rod extends past the current concrete structure in order to add another floor on to the house later.  Even if it does not make for the most polished looking home, I appreciate the optimism it represents to build a better future.  I like to think this is the same optimism I see in workers’ faces as they go about their work whether it be at the hospital, repairing roads, driving buses, or cutting hair.