Article written by Carlos Jonay Suárez , co -founder and responsible for digital strategy in remote villages.

last post I wrote here began

Only eleven days had passed and it was not, at all, aware of everything that would bring us the remaining ten days. If I told you at that time that the feeling of what I had lived had been magical, now I can only reaffirm it. 

The 'hangover' that has left us remote peoples Fuencaliente will be something that lasts for a while, time to assimilate and to digest all those experiences, and those connections, and especially to give value to those days in which we have rediscovered ourselves .

This is a sum of everything 

Before I start talking about everything I left in the inkwell and what we live in the last days in Fuencaliente, I want to make a very important paragraph, to highlight that everything experienced is the result of a global accumulation of contributions and feedback received .

If Fuencaliente has marked, at least for me, a before and after in what we do from remote villages, it is thanks to all the people who went through Icod and Ancient. All the feedback they gave us is what has helped us improve in terms of management, the number of activities, communication, transport or even how we should live the program as a team.

Remote peoples Fuencaliente would not be possible without our pioneers (above those remote Icod!) And without our antiweers , and in one way or another, each and every one of them were present in Fuencaliente.

Union with Earth 

After having lived incredible moments in our first eleven days through palm trees, I think that what best describes much of recent days is reflected in the subtitle that you have a little higher. 

If we learned something for a large part of the last days in Fuencaliente, it was what the union with the Earth is.

We could live that moment of union with our second teambuilding , through which we had the opportunity to know how one of the most characteristic crops of La Palma : banana. To this, a unique moment was joined, giving us a bathroom in an incredible puddles area, sharing that moment as children and enjoying after a tasting of local beers, while enjoying another dream sunset (how are we going to miss those sunsets! 🌅) This activity was commanded by our local leader: Diego Barrera .

During that week, we also had the second part of the activity with Juan José, one of our local actors, in which we could enjoy a visit to the oil mill from which they produce oil under the Olive Palma . There, we were able to know how a oil mill works, the importance of it in the production of olive oil 'extra' and, of course, taste it with a delicious bread made by Juan José himself. To all this, a different dinner was added, elaborating a 'borral' on volcanic land, the result? Some 'potatoes' and sweet potatoes cooked with a brutal flavor, accompanied by a fantastic environment and stories of Juan José, another time to remember in our retinas.

With all this, we close the week, to enter a very intense weekend, in which we continue with our connection with the Earth.

The first activity of the weekend was also one of the most anticipated: the cleaning of ash with the Land Ponita Association . In this regard I can say: 'One thing is what you see on television (or internet) and a very different one that you see on the terrain' the devastation that it has meant, in many neighborhoods of La Palma , the volcanic eruption, has left an indescribable land.

The action itself, filling six volcanic ash buckets, is simply a symbolic act, a small grain of sand (or ash) with which to feel useful for a day and with which to help a family, and an association, to continue making visible a problem that is present and is very real. 

In addition, after the collaboration we could be direct witnesses from the devastation caused by the volcano and to know, by the hand of Jennifer, president of the Neighborhood Association of the Las Manchas neighborhood , what is the reality of the actions, and aids, which are being carried out by institutions, and initiatives, in La Palma , to which we can only say, that acting is urgent, many families of the island are urgent. Everything moves with greater agility.

The connection with the Earth also had other versions. One of them was the afternoon activity of the senses , through which we could connect with ourselves, and with the environment, in a different way. Without a doubt, a more than necessary battery recharge. But, we also had a fun way to connect with the environment, as it was to be able to enjoy, a long time, a town verbena, at the Mazo parties.

This union put the culmination the activity of lighthouse and cauldron , through which we could know the story behind the salinas de Fuencaliente , to taste a cauldron (vegetable kitchen, potatoes and fried fish, freshly taken) between Friends, knowing more stories and anecdotes of Fuencaliente.

The final 'icing' was put by the observation of stars with which we closed the day, thus enjoying the best of the earth and the best of the sky of La Palma .

To conclude with this section, which has been lengthened a bit, we have to go to one of the latest activities that we live in remote villages Fuencaliente: the ethnographic day and folklore performance . From the hand of Juan José and Manolo (Juan José's companion in Echentive) we could learn more about the Echentive Cultural Association , through which many testimonies on the culture, costumes and folklore of the island of La Palma . A luxury see the piece of work they have done, see Juan José Tejer in a loom with more than 200 years of history and, of course, see them act with the Echentive live group.

The last days

The last week is always the most beautiful and the toughest, just when we are at that point of connection, of trust generation, to meet all the classmates more depth, it is just at that time when it is time to think about the suitcase. But, that is also the #Rurality with, planting the seed of a path that does not end after twenty -one days, if not a path that will continue to connect forever. 

All that was reflected in the feedback session, at the foot of the Roque Teneguía, a time when we could all share what has been lived, sincere with the experiences we share and try to be aware of everything that happened. I know that I am going to repeat, but it was a magical moment, of those that are recorded for a long time in memory.

Here I can only add one thanks! Jessi, Rayco, Vera, Dany, Ana, Juan, Mª Jesús, Kang, Marta, Gon, Magda, Diego and Elsa, for all that authenticity and for everything shared.

But ... that was not the end, that we still have, a little, but we have left. The 'icing' at that time put a surprise that Diego had prepared us, to celebrate Vera and Gon . Under the 'Ambrose Palmera', (which will now be a reference point for all of us), we could enjoy a different San Juan night, as a family, providing, celebrating and enjoying the fullest, under a starry sky, which Once again, we will take ourselves in the retina for a long time.

See you soon

This cannot, nor could, end up with goodbye, if not with a see you soon. 

The farewell, with 'anecdote' included, was a moment of closing in which trying to summarize everything we lived during those twenty -one days. A space in which teleworkors (what's wrong to call them that right now) were able to share everything they did with local actors. A time when Gustavo, Jordan, Vicky, Juan José and Diego , for their time and for being part of their stories and projects.

Although in the act itself, we could not be all (Jessi, Vera and Mª Jesús, they know that they were there) if we could be during dinner, with a very special moment, which I think we will all remember: the 'official anthem 'of Pueblos Remotos Fuencaliente (we recorded it if we manage to refine among all 😜) a song with which to gracefully honor all local actors, a time to provide and above all, a moment to say 'see you soon'.

Thanks

We want to take advantage of this post to thank the institutions that caused Pueblos Remotos to be a reality and allow us to live everything I have told you: 

• Tourism Ministry of the Cabildo de La Palma 

• Tourism and Fuencaliente area 

• Ader La Palma 

• FYDE CAJA FUNDACIÓN 

• Disa Foundation Chair of Young Entrepreneurs