We finally made it to Rio Muchacho farms! We arrived this morning after eating breakfast on the beach. The farm is very large and, like Yachana, they have a school associated with it. After we chatted with the hosts and dropped off our bags in our rooms, we walked down to the school.
The school was about a 20 minute walk from the organic farm. While we were there, we were able to assist the children in another craft project. We had two different types of art projects. There was one for the younger children and one for the older children. The school has students ranging from 4 - 12 years old.
It was great to meet the children and we're excited to go back tomorrow and do more activities with them. After we walked back from the school, we ate lunch. We ate soup, rice, salad, beans and more! Even the bowls and spoons were made by the farm!
We're excited to make rings and chocolate tomorrow!
Here are some thoughts from Laura about her experiences in Yachana and the people there:
"It all started with a Gecko named Harold. There's a gecko in our room under Kasie's bed. His name is Harold. We've also found three cockroaches, a couple moths, scary looking ants and miscellaneous other bugs that really seem to want to spend the night with us. Needless to say I wasn't quite sure about living with the animal kingdom here at Yachana lodge. Looking back at the experience however, it is definitely one that I will never forget, as it really helped me learn about sustainability. Being sustainable isn't just recycling the occasional water bottle. it's about having a relationship with the environment.
Speaking of relationships, we haven't just been bonding with the environment here in the Amazon; we have also had the chance to work with many of the natives, including the students at the technical high school. It's amazing how quickly you can become friends without every having met before or even speaking the same language. It was also cool to be able to exchange cultures -- at our makeshift diskotek the Ecuadorians showed us how to salsa and we taught them to wobble and shuffle to Party Rock Anthem. Definitely something I'll never forget.
To finish up, I think I'll take a quote from Angie and say that none of us go to bed as the same person we woke up as. The experiences and relationships we are building here in Ecuador are helping us to see an entirely different way of life."
Ang - It's great to see you in the picture! Looks like you are having a great time with the kids. I hope it has been a wonderful experience for you so far! Safe travels to all of you. Our first record snow fall today. By tomorrow, 6-8 inches. We might have near blizzard conditions this afternoon (windy). Of course, it's the talk on the radio and tv. Enjoy your weather while you can. :D Monica
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