Blog 6: Final Travel Days
As the conclusion of Ecuador Summer 2019 quickly approaches, the group is enjoying their final travel days filled with Amazon explorations, rafting the Jatunyacu River, and camping. They are soaking up all of their experiences and continuing to learn and gain perspective on their journey.
Tomorrow, the group will travel back to Quito where they’ll be staying at the Masaya Hostel, which is located in the heart of the historical center of Quito (declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1978). Preparations will be made for a celebratory final banquet and closing ceremony as an entire group! The students will also be able to take advantage of these final moments in Quito to rest, relax, and enjoy each other’s company.Â
[Student-written blog post begins below]Â
“We are in the Amazon and stayed in a lodge called Arajuno Lodge. We planted 35 cinnamon trees and visited an animal rescue center and went to an indigenous community center called Kichua. We saw how the indigenous people live, eat, dance, make clothes, eat bugs (some ate live ones), and we tried blow darts. The community showed us how they made chocolate by using cacao beans and grinding them up! We also got to touch a wild snake and had a bonfire with smores.
The owner of the lodge, Jan, was a Peace Corps volunteer and bought 200 acres of the land in Ecuador to teach people about the Amazon. We also went on a nature hike with Miguel. Miguel is an Ecuadorian who studies in America and now teaches online courses about natural / practical science.
On the nature hike, Miguel taught us about the different elements of the Amazon. It surprised us how much Miguel knew about the Amazon, and we learned a lot. It allowed us to gain a greater perspective. Yesterday and today, we will be rafting and then sleeping in tents, which is very exciting! Tune in for our next and final update!”
