Waitress heading for South America to help jungle tribe

GOING from serving tea and sausage rolls to drinking human spit and learning to shrink monkey heads doesn't exactly sound like an attractive swap.

• Ashley Glen will encounter the Shuar tribe in Ecuador

But waitress Ashley Glen, 23, is ready to give up her job at a local cafe to help an Amazonian jungle tribe develop their community in a remote part of Ecuador.

The Shuar tribe, once famous for shrinking human heads, has agreed to take Gilmerton-born graduate Ashley under their wing for five months.

And even though the ex-George Heriot's student is a vegetarian, she will have little choice but to hunt wild armadillos and eat barbecued Witchetty grub for breakfast.

Ashley, who currently works at Cafe Marina, on Cockburn Street, said: "I realise it all sounds a bit odd, but it's something I'm keen to do.

"The tribe used to shrink human heads, but now they only do monkey heads, so it doesn't seem quite so daunting. I don't know much about it, but I'm willing to give it a go. I'm pretty excited to be able to dig into their culture. It's certainly something different to the concrete jungles we have to deal with over here.

"It might seem a bit odd because I've never eaten meat in my life. I intend to stick to my diet, so it'll be a lot of boiled rice and vegetables for me. But I might give the Witchetty grub a go, if it's barbecued really well.

She added: "Even stranger, there is a local drink called Chicha, which is created after the women in the tribe chew on a special type of leaf all day and spit the residue into a cup for the tribe to drink. I think I might have to draw the line there. That sort of cultural difference is taking it just a bit too far."

Ashley, who studied fine art and photography at Sunderland University, refuses to let the fact she was almost kidnapped when she visited Peru earlier this year deter her from the trip.

She remembered: "I went with 30 others to build a new school in Ventilla.

"When we arrived at the airport there was a gang eyeing us up. We were later told that often happens because they think British people might have something worth taking. We got into the coach waiting for us when suddenly it became clear that the gang in the van behind us were looking to ambush the bus. We sped away and lost them, thankfully, but it could have been a very different story. I'm not worried this time round because the tribe is very remote and I'll be well looked after."

During her period in the jungle, Ashley will also have to sleep in a hammock in the open air and her toilet will be a drop-hole in the mud.

The graduate, who is also a keen photographer and documentary maker, said she felt the different way of life in Ecuador would be an excellent addition to the 12,000-picture collection she built up when she was in Peru.

She said: "I've travelled the world quite a lot and I've always enjoyed studying cultures. I'm also looking to build some arts and crafts, which helps to bring the money into their community.

"The thing I'm least looking forward to is the humidity, and I'm expecting to get a bit of attention because of my pale skin and blonde hair. The last time I was in South America people would run up and touch me because they'd never seen light hair before."