From the humid coasts of Ecuador to the high and chilly mountains of Peru, this semester was truly filled with adventure, laughs, and challenges for all of us. Talking about permaculture, practicing our Spanish, and navigating our way through complex topics like culture and politics, the learning was high, the fun was plentiful, and the memories will last a lifetime.

While the moments were too numerous to truly do justice to a summary, we would be amiss not to mention the final and culminating week that we had been looking forward to all semester: the hike to Machu Picchu. We laughed, we struggled, we overcame, in the end all of us made it through the grueling 4 day Salkantay trek and were rewarded with the amazingly rich history that surrounds one of the most iconic ruins in the world. With our terrific guide we explored Machu Picchu learning about the ancient Incan traditions and what became of this mighty empire. We all welcomed a warm shower and a nice meal afterwards, as we made our way back to Cusco for our final few days together!

In the end, we wish our students nothing but the best as they move forward with college, with traveling, with wherever there path takes them. We encourage everyone to remember the times spent with friends, the times they surprised themselves, the hard times and the amazing ones. We end this semester with a reminder to our students: to continue to step out of their comfort zones and continue to question themselves and their surroundings with a critical eye.

Hasta pronto!

Adam and Suzannah

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Our troop of 10 (plus a guide, cooks, mules and mule drivers) had a great experience. From high mountain peaks to the jungle, we traversed through an amazing array of ecosystems. It was an unforgettable experience! We met the final two, with bum ankles (Adam and Grace), at the hot springs in Santa Theresa and then continued onto Aguas Calientes and Macchu Picchu.

It was a great finish to and amazing journey.

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This past week was our student directed travel week. After spending the day in Cusco, we hopped on a very enjoyable ten hour overnight bus ride to Arequipa. We spent two days there relaxing at our hostel and exploring the beautiful city. At 3 am on Monday, we got on a bus that took us and the rest of the group that we would be hiking with to Colca Canyon. Colca Canyon is regarded as one of the most beautiful places to visit in Peru and is the second deepest canyon in the world. After breakfast we spent some time looking for the Andean Condor. Our first day hiking included descending to the bottom of the canyon. Most of us spent the rest of our Monday napping. On Tuesday we hike three and half hours to the oasis of canyon. We all went to bed early that night in order to be well rested for our 4:30 am start time the next and final day of the trek. Wednesday included about a 3 hour hike back up to the top of the canyon, which was followed by a visit to some nearby hot springs. When we arrived back in Arequipa later that day, we quickly ate dinner and packed our bags. Then we took another ten hour overnight bus ride back to Cusco, where we spent our final day of student directed travel.

– Tyler

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We also spent time working with our host families on various projects to fully engaged in the community. We helped prune strawberry plants in the various greenhouses, a few of us eating out way through the rows. (Best strawberries ever!) We learned, with the right care, strawberries thrive at the high elevation, becoming a lucrative form of income for locals. We also carried/dragged freshly cut logs to help build the foundation for two new greenhouses for Don Juan and Don Pedro, the two families we were staying with.

On our last full day, our families dressed us in traditional clothing as gesture of further sharing their culture. They found it quite amusing and many pictures were taken. We then struggled in our full, colorful, wool outfits up and down the mountains to farm potatoes. Even more respect for these amazing, generous people was gained as we experienced the hard work of hand turning the soil and planting hundred of seed potatoes.

To finish our experience, some of us had the guts to watch the killing and preparation of cuy (guinea pig). Cuy is a special dish and it was a great opportunity to share in the cultural tradition.

All in all, it was an awesome, albeit chilly experience that pushed us out of our comfort zone.

Tupanan chiskama (Quechua for until next time)

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In addition to having homestays, this week marked the final week of Spanish classes for our group. We spent the mornings with local Spanish teachers, learning not only grammar and vocabulary, but also about local culture, cooking, and even a little bit of the indigenous language, Quechua.

In the afternoons our group took advantage of the beautiful mountains and rich Incan history of Ollantaytambo by embarking on a number of short hikes to the ruins scattered around the area. We also took some time to learn about traditional weaving from some of the women partnered with Awamaki. We even traveled to the nearby town of Urubumba to attend a big carnival, which was the celebration of the town’s anniversary.

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We said “chao” to Ecuador and proceeded to miss our connecting flight from Lima to Cusco. The six hours of waiting in the Lima airport for the next flight to Cusco made our arrival to the inkan sun city all the more exciting. We have been in this bustling city for four days now. We arrived on halloween night and the streets were teeming with people, music and an assortment of food!

We woke up the next morning to a city of terracotta roofs, grand plazas and spanish colonial architecture. We have been exploring the narrow cobblestone streets, the lively central market, learning about inkan culture, spirituality, philosophy and astrology as well as indulging in Peru’s distinct cuisine.

We also had the pleasure of celebrating both Meredith and Daniels birthday this week making our first days in Peru all the more festive.

We visited two sacred sites, Casa del Sol y Sacsayhuaman. Tomorrow we head to the Sacred Valley for our final week of Spanish classes.

Hasta Pronto Cusco!

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After a stunning bus ride up and around and through the mountains, we found ourselves in the small town of Pucara at Finca La Fe. Pucara is located on the western slope of the Andes in the Intag/cloudy forest region. This region is known for ecological diversity and being suspended in cloud vapor the majority of time. During out time at Fina La Fe we slept in tents and had the pleasure of eating nourishing food from the farm. There, we continued exploring alternatives for a more sustainable future including organic agriculture, agro forestry, detriments of mono cropping and questioning where our food come from. We also had the opportunity to learn about the history of mining in the Intag region and relate it to the current political situation in Ecuador. We also explored the community’s alternative money making options (other than mining) such as Flora del Choco, a women’s collective that utilizes cabuya fiber from the native Pinka plant to make bags and other woven products for market. We visited a local coffee cooperative and learned how this crop serves as an important source of revenue for families.

We also partook in a day of volunteering where some of helped with a local construction project while others collected humus from the jungle. Another group fed pig poop to the biodiegester and harvested tilapia, tomatoes and bananas. On our final day, we embarked on a day hike into the forest. We passed waterfall, various swimming holes and enjoyed some volcanic thermal baths.

Our second location of the week was in Junín, at a slightly lower elevation, where we stayed in a bamboo treehouse. Here we examined further our role as consumers and ultimately discussed looking for ways to recalibrate our collective consciousness to a more sustainable long-term vision. We ventured on another day hike beginning at the Proyecto Llurimagua exploratory mining operation. While we hiked by numerous waterfalls and observed the beauty fo the region, we also learning about the harmful implications and potential long-term effects of the mining operation.

Finally, at our third location of the week, we stayed in luxurious bungalows at the Mindo Sacha Urco primary forest reserve in the Pinchincha province. We discussed the philosophy of permaculture and its designs and principles. Finally, we had a challenging hike up and down a mountain to work on a reforestation project in an effort to offset some of the carbon footprint of our trip.

All in all this week marked the halfway point of this journey; we have all learned so much!

Muchas gracias Ecuador y hasta pronto Peru!

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We finally made it out of Tena, the protests ended by some random miracle, as the government agreed to place subsidies back on gas prices. This week, we were more than eager to continue on our program and travel to the indigenous town of Peguche, outside of the city of Otavalo. The week has warmed our hearts, minds, and spirits as we did homestays with indigenous families, learned about traditional indigenous culture, and continued to practice and excel in Spanish. Peguche is a small, tranquil town that surrounds beautiful waterfalls, that we got to visit during Spanish class. We got a taste of living in a traditional household, that centers around music, weaving, family, and delicious food with similar staples to that of the rest of Ecuador.

Each day, we had intensive Spanish classes in the morning, and after three weeks of classes, it’s clear the entire group has greatly excelled at Spanish, including complex grammar in the past and future tenses. We even started to dream and think in Spanish. In the afternoons, we took part in an array of activities that included picking up trash around the waterfalls, learning how to weave and dye yarn to make beautiful scarfs, and dancing to traditional music. We also visited the art market in Otavalo on Saturday, and bargained for some unique items. Finally, on Sunday, we did an 8 and a half mile hike around Lake Cuicocha, which is the ancient remains of a dormant volcano. It was difficult but very rewarding and the view of the lake kept us going. We were lost in the clouds most of the day, covered in a mystical mist that made the hike feel fantastical and adventurous.

All is quiet on the western front and as the unbelievable Dan Quayle says, “We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur.”

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On Sunday we left Banos and travelled to the city of Tena in the Amazon. We arrived late in the afternoon and got settled into our beautiful new hostel, previously picked out by Ava and Joey.

The next day we met up with Stephanie from Amazon Learning and she taught us all about the Amazon and what they do as a company. Following her presentation, we were supposed to meet up Don Clemente for a tour of his chakra (small sustainable farm), and for a complete farm to table feast including various Amazonian plants and insects. Sadly, protests blocked the roads in and out of the city prevented us from doing so.

On Wednesday morning, we all hastily packed our bags and made an attempt to try to get out Tena. We shortly found out this would not be possible. We saw the protesters blocking the road. Since we could not leave Tena, we spent the rest of the week in our hostel. We found numerous ways to occupy our time: taking naps in hammocks, exploring the city during the mornings, mildly injuring our fingers playing competitive card games, trying to read books completely in German, dancing and playing with the little girl who lives at the hostel, taking shifts being chefs and preparing masterpieces for dinner in the hostel kitchen, holding tarantulas, eating grilled bananas and conversing with the other stranded travelers, and even venturing out into the 400 meter jungle walk directly next to the hostel.

A big part of this week was spent watching and waiting to see what our next move would be. Luckily, our hostel overlooked the city, and we could see whether the bridge to the city was opened or closed, and which parts of the city were active with protesters. It was difficult not having complete access to the news, but this in turn forced us to talk to the other travelers about their experiences and opinions on the current events. From what we are hearing, there is a lot of uncertainty about what is to come. The protests could continue on for months, and this could raise problems for business owners and everyone in the country.

We have heard that there is a chance that the roads will be opened soon. So we have been told to pack our bags and be ready to get on a bus to get closer to the airport.

In times like these, we have to listen to the advice of our dear friend former Vice President Dan Quayle. “The future will be better tomorrow” :/P

* Since writing this blog, there has been a peaceful resolution! Roads have re-opened, protests ended, and the group has been able to move forward with their itinerary as planned.

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Hello from the Highlands of Ecuador!

This past week we took an 8 hour bus ride from Tabuga to Baños in the mountain region of Ecuador. We had our first hot showers since arriving, as well as access to restaurants, nightlife, and as we are sure most of you know, the internet and telephones.

Baños is named after it’s thermal baths, natural hot springs that flow from the volcano at the the top of the city and we frequented them more than once (our Overseas Educators visited them almost every night).

We met our first home stay families, and learned how to live with an Ecuadorian family, where food and cooking is the pinnacle of the household. It was an interesting adjustment. We began our second week of Spanish classes, as well. We have all improved exponentially and if you didn’t already know us, you could possibly mistake us for a group of really light-skinned locals. Our teachers were patient and skilled, and taught us more about the country and kept us up to date on local news.

Part of this news included a nation-wide protest that led to just a slight militarization of the country. On Thursday, our Spanish classes took a field trip around Baños to see its famous waterfalls. They were breath-taking and exciting, with one where you could crawl on your hands and knees through a cavern to be directly behind the cascade itself. On our journey home in a double-decker bus, we suddenly hit a traffic standstill. Cars after cars had parked and completely blockaded most major roads in to the city. We ended up having to get off our bus and walk the rest of the way back to Baños, and along the way watching cars parked in the middle of the street as far as the eye could see. As we neared the end of the blockade we even saw a few people lighting tires on fire. The protests were in response to the President raising gas prices, which many Ecuadorians felt they could not afford. By that evening, martial law had been instated. Everything was calm and relaxed in the small town of Baños, with the major issues occurring in large cities like Quito.

On Friday night, we all danced through our first salsa class as a group. Almost everyone had a great time, and we have decided to continue classes as we make our way through South America.

On our last day here in Baños (Saturday), we made an exhausting hike to the Casa del Arboles, the swing at the end of the world! It was great Machu Picchu training, and the views were incredible from the swings that went out over the vast mountain vista.

All-in-all, we had an exciting and adventurous week. We still cannot find an area of this country without chickens (even at the very top of a mountain). Will keep you all updated on this imperative aspect of our journey.

Krysia and Tasha out!

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Bienvenidos a nuestro blog de Finca Mono Verde! Welcome to our blog from Finca Mono Verde! This week we lived together in a bamboo castle surrounded by coffee crops, chickens and three adorable dogs. While we continued to practice our newly learned Ecuadorian slang, we learned about environmental conservation, effectively utilizing natural resources, permaculture, coffee production, local businesses, indigenous culture, and remembering to close the lid when using compost toilets.

Our first morning set the tone for the rest of our busy week when we set up brocha beatle traps made of recycled plastic bottles containing a delicious and deadly coffee cocktail. The following day we hiked up into the Finca Martinez forest reserve where we spotted numerous monkeys up in the trees and had the chance to try some medicinal and thirst-quenching plants. While under a lush green canopy of trees we debated the impact of organizations such as REDD+ and Socio Bosque.

We visited Don Ernesto and learned about the ways he has integrated the ideals of permaculture on his farm, and how he still has so much spirit and energy at 84 years old. Perfecto Martínez payed us a visit and we had the amazing opportunity to take a close look at artifacts he’s discovered from the native Jama Coaque peoples from up to 2,000 years ago. We struggled to master the art of making traditional cookies, and helped to prepare a typical fish stew called encebollado. We lent a hand to Don Bigote and his family to level out the ground outside their house after it was damaged by the earthquake in 2016. We broke in our gloves and got to work picking up fallen coffee beans and pruning the coffee plants to minimize the negative effects of the brocha beatle which can easily infest and ruin the yield of the crops. As the final days on la finca came to a close we artfully constructed graywater filters, cleaned up trash on a local beach, and learned about the hardships of the local fishermen.

Each day our bellies were stuffed with heaping plates of delicious food, piping hot local coffee, and we were lulled to sleep by the sounds of barking dogs, the occasional sleep talker, and powerful snores after a long day of work.

Tomorrow brings a nine hour bus ride to Baños where we will excitedly begin our first homestays!

¡Hasta luego!

– Ava and Joey

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Hola from Las Delicias, Ecuador!

We’ve had an amazing jam packed week down here in Ecuador! Leaving Quito, we took our first long haul bus toward the small town of Santo Domingo, watching Spanish-dubbed Hollywood movies played on the bus and ogling at all the snacks offered by the local vendors each time we stopped.

We ended our journey in the small town of Las Delicias where we met up with Juan Carlos and Chari, who would become our hosts for the week at Las Delicias Banana Farm!

Staying at Las Delicias was an almost constant mix of learning and fun. With 4 hours of daily Spanish classes testing our attention spans every morning, we received a crash course of grammar and vocabulary that will certainly prove useful in the weeks to come.

After a lunch of delicious food (rice, beans, yuka, fish, and of course an endless supply of bananas) we explored different parts of the farm and learned about what it means to be a ‘bananero’ (banana farmer) here in Ecuador. Juan Carlos told us all about the why’s and what’s about going organic (which him and his family are currently in the process of implementing throughout the entirety of their 47 acres) as well as some practical info about the environment and the impact of chemicals used in plantations on the surrounding nature. We took a day to help the family harvest and pack some bananas, (all the while practicing our new Spanish vocabulary) and saw just how much work goes in to getting bananas from the farm to the table.

We spent an afternoon down at the river, played plenty of soccer with the locals, and did loads of fun activities organized by our amazing Carpe Diem Guides! In our down time we lounged on hammocks, stumbled through conversations, and even had a few bonfires in the evenings!

This week we’ll be transferring to a smaller farm on the Ecuadorian coast, to continue utilizing our language skills and learn even more about sustainable living, friendship, and la vida ecuatoriana!

Until next time,
Adam

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My time in Quito so far has been very interesting thus far. I love observing the architecture and the local’s behavior. I think we’ve all learned a lot everyday we’ve been here. This includes a lot about ourselves, the members of our group, and the city and culture here in Quito. My habits have really changed since we’ve been here. This includes what I do in the morning, what I’ve been eating, and how aware I’ve been of my surroundings.
-Tyler

When I first arrived, the bus ride towards the hostel gave me a great drive by of the city, and yet it was like coming home. Growing up in a Mexican house you the the similarities between the Mexicans, Ecuadorians, and all the others alike. It brings me closer and also expands my racial identity to include all. so if I can welcome this change, I can extend in farther to those across the sea. and possibly they can too.
-Daniel

Hola de Quito!
We are finishing up orientation in Quito. Tomorrow we head to the coast to explore Ecuadorian farm life. Quito is a bustling city and it has been such a great start to this journey. We have been able to get a taste, literally (of the food) and figuratively of the Ecuadorian culture in an urban environment. Architecturally, it is mostly a Spanish colonial style in the cities with narrow streets, many dogs, and endless amount of fruit and produce. The city is cradled by the mountains. We are mostly acquainting ourselves with the art of travelling and our group. Ecuadorian culture truly has my heart so far. the people, the food, the music, the pace of life etc. I look forward to all that is to come. Interactions with locals makes my day!
Cheers to new horizons !
-Saffron

Our first few days in Ecuador went very smoothly. Orientation was very thorough but necessary. We touched on some heavy topics but, it only brought us closer together as a group. We have all found a way to bond over at least a couple things. The group has great energy and our Overseas Educators have been so fantastic to work with. I can’t wait to see what the next few months has in store.
-Joey

We’ve been in Quito for a few days, and it is beautiful. I love getting into the mindset of being able to speak Spanish constantly. Our group orientation activities have been constant but very rewarding. I’ve already learned so much and feel prepared to take on the challenges the following months will bring with the support of my new found peers. Our group has already bonded so much and I am very excited to embark on this journey with them.
-Krystyna/Krysia

Our first few days in Quito have been quite the whirlwind. Quito is a beautiful city, built in the valley and onto the mountain in Ecuador. Over the past few days we have had the chance to practice and learn a few words in Spanish, walk up stairs, navigate the city, take the buses, and visit the parks and botanical gardens. Our group is just starting to bond through our orientation and introductory activities. I think it is safe to say that we are all super excited for the adventure we will share over the next few months.
-Tasha

When I first arrived in Quito, Ecuador, I was fascinated by the hills and mountains that make up Quito. The city is beautiful and so far, we´ve eaten delicious food at restaurants and at the hostel. I like the hostel we’re staying in and the owners are very friendly and welcoming. I’ve enjoyed going to the parks and the botanical gardens and doing activities with the group. I really like my group! Suzannah and Adam are fun and encouraging and I feel like I’m already learning with their help. The kids in my group are also great and we all get along really well, so far. There’s a positive energy that every person in the group embodies and I’m excited to get closer with them.
-Grace

It’s my fourth day in Ecuador, but it feels like I’ve been here for weeks, and only hours at the same time. Driving through the valleys and hillsides of Quito was when I first got that feeling of finally being in a place I’ve been waiting for for so long. There was almost this deep nostalgia while driving on the highway, catching glimpses of city life with the countryside on the outskirts. I remembered what it felt like to travel, to see the world outside of my New York bubble. The familiar sounds and sights were comfortable, and reminded me of how it feels to be a traveler, peering into a familiar but unfamiliar culture that’s stained my mind since my last excursion. The day after we arrived, we finally got to explore Quito and breath in all that entails. I was overwhelmed by the colorful houses, the bustling streets, and the sights that allowed us to take in the whole city in one glance. I felt a need to capture everything that was around me, especially the people, who all seemed to be out in the streets, carrying children and selling fruits. There is a vibrance to Quito that makes it so colorful and eclectic. We first climbed a steep set of stairs, panting from our lack of acclimatization to the altitude, and beaming as we reached the top and got to see the valley Quito is set in. The last couple of days has also included walking around a botanical garden, meeting the kids around me, and trying a lot of chicken and rice. I’m slowly learning new Spanish words each day, and getting more excited about the journey to come and getting closer with the people around me.
-Mira

The past few day in Quito have been amazing! I have really enjoyed being able to walk around the streets and observe what is going on around me. I like to look around at all of the stores and see the different types of fruits and foods that people are selling. I notice how different it is from where I live, a quiet suburban town. The streets can get pretty hectic, and the cars drive really fast. I have to be aware of my surroundings at all times. I like the food here, and the sauce that they put on the table really helps me enjoy it more. Ive been having a really good time and i cant wait to continue this trip!
-Meredith

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In the coming days, they will being to post updates here too, so stay tuned to follow along on their journey!

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We wish them safe and easy travels tonight and will post another blog here once we receive word that they have arrived in Quito and are settling into their hostel. They will continue to post updates throughout the semester and we look forward to following along on their adventures!

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We soon will be heading south to the land of beautiful mountains, fuzzy llamas and donkeys, and mouth watering foods. Together we hope to experience growth, transformation, and lots of laughs over the next few months. Enjoy your final days with friends and family before we embark on this epic adventure!

See you soon!

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As we read this we may be sitting back sharing stories of our time hiking to Machu Picchu, sleeping in later then we have for the last three months, eating delicious food we haven’t had the chance to eat for the last semester, or maybe we are still in Peru enjoying one last soda y segundo! Whatever it may be, the adventure that the 14 of us had in South America has come to a close. And with this closing comes the opening and beginning of a new chapter. It is our hope that all of you can start to bring the amazing lessons, ideas, stories, and experiences with you all as you start jobs, get ready for school, or spend time with loved ones. We feel like the luckiest Overseas Educators there ever was for having had the group we did together- and we mean that. Every single one of you was an integral part of our family, and we will cherish our time together, forever. Remember if there is ever a time you want to reach out to one another, share stories, or just talk in Spanish feel free to connect. We will miss you (we already do!)

With love,

Laura and Dan

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Three months is a very odd length of time. In the grand scheme of things, three months is a blink for mother Earth, Pachamama. Even for us mere humans, three months is 1/400th of our lives, considering we live 100 years. Yet, looking back on everything I did and learned with these thirteen strangers in the last three months, it’s hard to believe it hasn’t been three years since we met at the LATAM counter in the Miami airport on September 12th. Today, all of my new friends and I know things about the world and about ourselves that we never would have fathomed at the start of this experience. For instance, the Ecuadorian amazon rainforest holds life forms that were on the planet while the dinosaurs walked the Earth. Another thing is that here in South America, certain herbs such as cilantro grow under a different name in peoples backyards, but because the Spanish conquistadors told the indigenous people, hundreds of years ago, that those plants are weeds, people, today, still pay more for the same herb under a different name in markets so as not to be considered low class. We also learned about our chakras, what it may look like if one has too much or too little energy, and how to heal each one through mantras, different yoga poses, and just general ways of living. But one of the most important things we learned, before the language, culture, and history of the beautiful countries, is about ourselves. A lot of us have re-evaluated our needs of alone, self-care time after being with the same people everyday for so long. We all better understand our patience levels, what things make us angry, and how to deal with these trying moments. In three months, I was taught by 13 strangers how to love fully and openly, how to forgive and move on, how to put others before myself, and how to be an overall better person.
So now that our three months are coming to a close (yikes!), 2 blistering sunburns (sorry @ Kaela and Addy), 9 showers for Liam, countless game nights and family dinners, 5 haircuts, 16 hikes, 1 four-day trek, 5 different ruins (including Machu Picchu!), 24 beds and 1 sleeping bag, and so much more later, it’s time to bid farewell to the 13 strangers who became a second family. More so than anyone else, it’s this group of people I have to thank for the majority of what I learned. The girl from Boston who appears in trees at random times taught me what it means to prioritize another person’s needs before my own wants. The Wonder Woman from Minnesota showed me how to be a fierce woman without even trying. The girl from the Big City proved that not all New Yorkers are loud and rude. The boy from sad Seattle showed my that there is light and laughter everywhere. The little tank from Cleveland proved that Ohio might not actually be the butthole of the world. The man with no house taught me that the heart can be anywhere if your home is everywhere. The Georgia Peach showed me how to be strong and resilient in any situation while still maintaining poise and kindness. The boy from San Diego taught me how to have thoughtful conversations about anything with anyone while remaining respectful of differing views. The girl from down under proved that Australia is one of the brightest places on Earth, especially when she’s present there. The butterfly from Chicago taught me that all it takes is a giggle and jig to spread joy. The boy from San Fran showed me how to be calm and handle any situation life may throw at you. The Frenchie from Belgium proved that it’s possible to be both one of the kindest and strongest people on the planet, at the same time. Lastly, our queen taught us all how to be a ray of sunshine, even on days the sun wants to hide. Three months ago, I was worried for the sake of the planet and for my generation in the nest fifty years, but today I know that we’ll be okay so long as people like this exist in the world. So thank you to my new family for the love and faith you have restored in me.

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On the 17th, we took a 7 hour bus ride which consisted of a man preaching about mystery books and his hatred of people without shoes on (Oh Daniel). We ended up getting into our next location, Puno, with loads of time. In Puno we got prepared for our trip by going to this rad pizza place called Machu Pizza. We slept well that night… Next, we woke up and left around 8 AM on a van to a port in Puno off Lake Titicaca. From there we took an hour long boat ride to the man made islands on the lake. We learned different things about how the locals fled the mainland to build these different islands. From there, we took a 3 hour boat ride to Amantani Island. On Amantani Island, we hiked to the highest point and were able to see Bolivia. We also had a fiesta in the night that consisted of a Peruvian band and fun outfits. The next day, we woke up at 6:30 AM for breakfast, and then we boated over to Taquile island. We hiked through the island and ate a marvelous lunch at Wilson´s restuarant. We took another 3 hour boat ride back to the town of Puno where we picked up our bags from our hostel.

We then traveled 7 hours to Cuzco with no movies this time, mind you. We arrived at around 11:30 and with a long and luxurious 5 hour sleep, we were up at 4:30 AM to travel to the Rainbow Mountains. We traveled about 4 hours up with breakfast in between and hiked up and down for a couple of hours. It was so beautiful (10/10 I would recommend). We then proceeded to bus back another 4 hours. Finally finishing a long, travel filled, interesting experience: so it was STUDENT DIRECTED TRAVEL.

We have now had a day and a half of rest and movie marathoning. Some even went to McDonalds even though the icecream machine was broke (sorry America). Some of us decided to visit the same creperia 3 times in one day (@Ellen). Now, we are gearing up to start our Salcantay Machu Picchu Treck. We wake up bright and early at 5 AM tomorrow, and that is where I will leave you folks. Remember: don´t forget to leave the door open, this is a bias blog in support of our queen (Audrey), and finally… Stay classy, Estados Unidos.

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Patrick here. I am writing this from Cuzco, where the first night of student-directed travel starts. I will be writing about the previous 11 days. Nov. 5 to the 14.

This tale starts in Ollantaytambo, here the only set in stone activity was Spanish classes for 3 hours a day during the week. That being said it is hard to call it class when half the time we would go for walks to the local market, museums or the Incan ruins only a few blocks away. To further cement this image of how great the life we are living is, on the last day of classes my group of 4 including the teacher went to the market. We bought the necessary ingredients for us to make guac and chips to go along with banana pancakes/tortillas de platano. It was incredible as Kayla and Alex would surely attest to. We were mostly in groups of 3 which encouraged a lot of great learning and conversation in Spanish. We had every meal with our homestay families eating lots of good food and more talking in Spanish.

The group spent a lot of time researching, debating and booking Student Directed Travel. To do this and the fact that we haven’t had much internet service as of late, the group spent a lot of time at the internet cafe. On Saturday we went to a salt mine. It included a bus ride and a hike. It was not what anyone expected. The mountains were red with not much vegetation, it looked like we were in the Southwest. Honestly, I can’t describe what the salt mine looks like but it was cool and a great experience. I would recommend looking it up or going. On Sunday our last day in Ollantaytambo our great OE´s, Dan and Laura, gave a CDL on how to travel on a budget. The two of them combined shared a wealth of knowledge on the topic based of personal experience. Everyone gained a lot from it including an increased desire to want to travel more after this trip.

Monday we took a bus to Patacancha where we stayed for 2 nights and 3 days. As a town upward of 13,000 feet of altitude and of 900 people it had its similarities to Quenco (where we stayed the week before). Both were high up in the mountains, cold and our more rural homestays. Our first day was spent making a bracelet by hand and starting a headband. The headbands were very difficult to make and were very frustrating and time consuming. Lucky we had some of the local women to help and teach us, The second day we did a hike up in to the surrounding mountains. After lunch we finished our headband and after dinner we had bonfire. Today we went to a Alpaca ceremony which was concluded by the shearing of a baby alpaca and the marriage of another two alpacas. That concluded our stay in Patacancha. We said our goodbyes and thanks to our amazing hosts and to Awamaki. Awamaki is the organization that we have been working through in Ollantaytambo and Patacancha. I leave Liam with the daunting task next week of blogging about all we do for Student Directed Travel. To summarize everything is going well and we are all having way too much fun.

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Hello everyone!

We just finished our week in the Amazon, where we stayed at the Arajuno Jungle Lodge. It was started by Tom, our contact, as a eco-tourism and conservation project inspired by his Peace Corps service. It is on the Arajuno River, a tributary of the Amazon. It is only accessible by a fifteen-minute boat ride from the nearest bridge. Our days were all structured similarly, with service work in the morning, activities in the afternoon, and free time in the evening. Our free time was mostly spent playing games, both ones we had brought and ones that Tom had at the lodge. Another favorite past-time was swimming in the river, especially right after service work, when we would immediately run in fully clothed to wash ourselves and our clothes at the same time.
On Tuesday we worked on reforestation, planting cinnamon trees, then we had the whole afternoon free to get settled in our new location and relax a bit.

The next day we helped build nesting beaches for the river turtles that Tom is rehabilitating. It was exhuasting, just carrying bags of sand from one end of the farm to the other in the hot Ecuadorian sun, so we were all excited to jump in the river when we finished. That afternoon, we had our first CDL, which is when a student teaches the rest of the group a fun/useful skill. For the CDL, as if the morning wasn’t tiring enough, I taught Irish step dancing for an hour and half. Despite the heat and exhaustion, everyone loved it and had lots of fun.

On Thursday we learned about medicinal plants, so our project was to help build a structure for dragon fruit plants, which have many medicinal properties. That afternoon we had more CDLs; Addy taught knot-tying and self-defense, and Patrick and Daphne taught swing dance. Then, that night, because it was Patrick’s birthday, we had some delicious chocolate cake.
On Friday we worked with the bamboo plants, which help prevent river bank erosion, as well as providing a good source of firewood and building material. We dug up bamboo shoots from the nursery and prepared them to be planted as part of a community reforestation project on Sunday. Then, we replanted more bamboo in the nursery to be used in future reforestation projects. The final, and most difficult aspect was that day was harvesting and carrying 3-4 meters long bamboos to be cut up for firewood. In our afternoon activity we were rewarded for all our hard work with tubing down the Arajuno river. It was incredibly fun, relaxing and amazing experience for everyone, and I’m sure we all would’ve loved to spend all day floating lazily through the Amazon. That night, as well as several other nights during the week, it rained in the night, which made the river rise, but also got some of our things wet. However, on this night there was also a huge thunderstorm that woke everyone up around 2am. Lightning lit up the sky outside our windows, then was followed by deafening cracks of thunder, louder and closer than anyone in our group had experienced before. It was a terrifying and exhilarating experience.

On Saturday, it was still raining on and off in the morning, which some people chose to work through while others took a break and went inside. Nevertheless, we spent our morning finishing up the other projects from the week and doing other miscellaneous tasks for Tom.That afternoon, after the rain had cleared up, we went on a hike into the forest led by Miguel, a local who works for conservation through a partnership with the University of Kentucky in which he hosts and teaches groups of graduate students. He had a wealth of knowledge on local ecology, culture, and environmental problems, as well as many pertinent interesting opinions and anecdotes, which he was happy to share. As part of our hike, we walked through a river, which at times was almost up to our waste. Many were apprehensive at first, but by the end we all agreed that it was a very enjoyable experience, well worth being a bit wet and uncomfortable on the hike back.

On Sunday we had a work day in the community, planting the bamboo we had dug up on Friday, as well as some cinnamon trees. After that, we walked to the center of the indigenous community, where they presented different aspects of their culture to us. We got to experience their music and dance, witness a traditional cleansing ceremony done by a Shaman, and try some of their traditional foods, including fried grubs, which were actually delicious.

We were all sad to leave on Monday, but we will not miss the plethora of bugs that would barrage us all night long. Now we have our last two nights in Quito before we leave Ecuador behind to embark on the next part of our journey.

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Allllrriiggghhty then we got a lot to cover, so get comfy folks (and excuse the excessive use of parenthesis, there were a lot of plot holes that needed more details).
And here. we. go.

After our week in the Amazon, we headed back to where it all started in the city of Quito….and promptly splurged on all available snacks and chocolate. It did not take long for people to discover the ´Republica De Cacao´, only 2 blocks away from our hostel (Shoutout to Kaela for booking a bomb hostel for our couple nights in Quito). The brownies there were a veritable spiritual awakening and allowed us to transcend to a higher plane of existence. Many people also treated themselves to their first American food (Hamburgers, Fries, Chicken Fingers, etc) in over a month. We also took full advantage of the city´s resources to do laundry, call home, or restock on books to read. As a group, we reflected on the past month and our personal growth. After of short day of rest in Quito, we headed to the airport on Halloween to begin our adventure to Peru.

Halloween also marked the beginning of ´Peanuts´, a game introduced by Daphne (sorry I can´t find the accent on this keyboard) similar to secret Santa. We each were anonymously assigned another group member to uplift and surprise with gifts throughout the week.
We arrived in our Cuzco Hostal (shoutout to Liza, this hostel was dope) late in the evening, hungry and tired. Daphne (again, imagine there’s an accent on that é´) and Sarah were the brave souls who ventured out in search of Pizza. They returned hours later to feed the impatient and famished horde.

From Cuzco, we traveled by bus to the rural mountain village of Quenco. We found ourselves at the highest elevation, the most remote location, and the coldest temperatures of the trip. After our sweaty days in the Amazon, the brisk mountain air was a momentary shock to the system and many of us struggled to adjust to the altitude. As we worked to adapt, our Peanuts encouraged us and helped us power through (mostly in the form of much-needed snacks and treats), at which point we were able to appreciate the majestic mountain views all around, and more importantly the spectacular phenomenon that is a Llama´s facial expressions.

During our stay, we herded llamas and sheep up the mountains, taught local children English, tilled fields, and played soccer in the rain (all at unspecified and hardly consistent hours). On our last night, our hosts threw a bonfire sendoff where they dressed us in their traditional clothing and played music for dancing. To reciprocate in this cultural exchange, the group performed the “Cupid Shuffle” (oh look I finally found actual quotation marks on this keyboard). We also danced the Macarena (to Miley Cirus´ “Party in the USA) and sang the legendary anthem that is Queen´s “Bohemian Rhapsody” (yes we did that thing acapella….and yes it was mildly to severely awkward for our small audience of Quechua speaking locals).

The next morning we embarked to Ollataytambo (which is where the next blog post will pick up)

That’s all folks.

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Greetings everyone,

Picking up from where Audrey left off last week, we had one last day of fun in Morochos before heading to Peguche. In our last day with Pete as our contact, we hiked a slightly grueling trail around the mountains that encircle Lake Cotacachi, but thankfully the beautiful views gave us motivation to keep going. Later that night, we had the opportunity to purchase 100% alpaca products from Morochos´ local artisan cooperative which was established a few years ago to develop their economy. After that, we attended a night of traditional music, dance, and games that the community members of Morochos invited the group to earlier in the week.

A group of community members played multiple songs for us with classical guitars, mandolins, churangos, violins, flutes, and a rawhide drum, which are the typical instruments used to play music here. Then, we watched a group of girls perform a traditional Quechuan dance.

What came next was not expected by anyone, to say the least. When the community members told us that we’d be playing a traditional game, all of us were enthused. That enthusiasm quickly turned into confusion as two men laid down on woven mats and took turns rocking back and forth and slapping each other’s butts with long towel-like cloths. However, about half the group members tried it out and had a blast. While it looked painful because of the loud noise that resulted from the slap, it really wasn’t. We ended off the night by dancing around in a circle with kids from the community while the band played a few more songs.

Early the next morning, on Monday, we headed off to Peguche, a suburb of Otavalo. Once arrived, we met our homestay families and walked to our new homes for the next week. Everyone loved their homestay families as did I, as I had a grand, old time full of cosechas with Eliza, Addy, Dan, and Laura at Casaleman. We hung out until language classes that evening which we followed up with an herbal plant presentation and textile making demonstration from Liam, Audrey, and Ellen´s host family. The next day, we had 2 hour Spanish classes before heading to the local school, ¨Cascada de Peguche¨ (Waterfall of Peguche), to play with the kids there followed by a free afternoon.

For the rest of the week (Wednesday-Friday), we had language classes for 4 hours in the morning from 9 am – 1 pm. But don´t worry, there were breaks. On Wednesday, we attended a local music presentation by Tatum, Daphne, and Brynlee´s homestay family inside of their home. They showed us how they make the bamboo flutes that they sell and then proceeded to play 4 of their fantastic original songs. Before ending the presentation, everyone danced to the music in a big group circle similar to the one in Morochos.

Thursday afternoon following classes, we all went back to Liam, Audrey, and Brynlee´s homestay family for a bread making lesson. We all got to make our own different shaped dough and bake it in the stone oven. We all ate a lot while it was still wet, leading to some stomach aches afterward; a grand cosecha. However, that did not prevent some of us from eating even more. It was probably the best bread many of us have ever had, and that’s a FACT. Later in the evening, Patrick broke his water bottle throwing it at a dog who charged him, just proving as an example of the feistiness of these dogs at night. While they were aggressive at times, no one in the group was harmed.

The next day, after our final day of Spanish classes in Ecuador, we said our goodbyes to our teachers and now friends, Jimena, Alejandro, Marieli, and the Great Marcelo. Then, Patrick, Sarah, and Kaela´s host father, Diego, took our group to La Cascada de Peguche to pick up trash along the water banks. Some of us got the opportunity to wade in the water that feeds into the waterfall and explore the small rock structures surrounding it.

On Saturday, half of the group participated in a traditional ceremony at a local sweat lodge. A sickness kept some from coming and has been slowly making its way around the group, but thankfully most of us have recovered quickly. At the sweat lodge, we draped thermal blankets on top of a bamboo frame to create the space in which to sweat. Then, we added hot stones inside the structure and then poured hot water on top to create the immense heat in which we sat for the next 2 hours, leaving us feeling cleansed, mentally and physically.

On Sunday, our last day in Peguche, we hiked to the ¨Parque Condor¨ where we observed a variety of local and foreign birds, before watching an hour show with a bird handler telling us about different types of birds, bringing them out one at a time and letting them fly around, one of which was the Bald Eagle. Afterward, Sarah and Patrick attended a local wedding with their host family. Tonight we pack up, and tomorrow we head off to a town one hour outside of Tena in the Amazon.

Welp, that’s all for now. Please tune back in next week for more information about our wonderful trip. Seize the journey!

Host parents putting formed dough in the oven and taking out the delicious result: fresh bread.

Playing with the kids at the “Cascada de Peguche” school.

The finished construction of the sweat lodge.

A host father shows us how his family weaves textiles using this machine.

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We have been very busy this week. For our final night in Banos, a bunch of us went to karaoke. However, we didn’t stay out too late because we had to catch our bus to Otavalo at 4am.

Otavalo is known for the huge market with lots of crafty goods including alpaca ponchos and sweaters (which most of the group took advantage of while using our bargaining skills). At the hospital, we had access to a kitchen, so we went grocery shopping and cooked our own dinner and breakfast.

We left Otavalo and took a bus to Pucara to meet our next contact, Peter. Once we arrived and met Peter, we learned more about what we would do in the following days.

For our first day in Pucara, we went to Peter’s farm and got a tour of the whole farm. It was very cool to be at a farm that uses no chemical pesticides for the crops. Another neat thing at Peter’s farm was the biodigester. The biodigester collects all of the pig poop and captures the methane as well as transforms the solid poop into a liquid fertilizer. After lunch, we went and saw sugar being made from sugarcane (and got to taste a lot of samples). There were also hot springs within walking distance so many of us enjoyed the luxury. The following day we did a lot of manual labor on Peter’s farm specifically working to create fertilizer from cow manure. It was very tiring work but many of us enjoyed doing it.

The next day, for our last day in Pucara, we went to Carlos’ farm to hear more about mining from an anti-mining activist. After his talk, we took a small hike into the cloud forest and learned about many medicinal plants, including dragon’s blood (which when the tree is cut into leaves a blood clotting liquid that is known for healing).

After that, we hopped into a chevah (a truck with benches) and traveled to Junin. For our first day in Junin, we hiked a mountain in the community forest to see the damage mining has already done even in the testing phases of this area. One really cool image we saw was two waterfalls side by side. One was perfectly normal, while the other one was a rust color because of the contamination from the mines. The mining company at this site in Junin was breaking many regulations including forcing all visitors to sign in. Our group happily came up with the names including: Bettina Matteiney, Bobtrick Dingelberry, and more.

The nest day we hopped on the chevah and drove for about three and a half hours and we arrived in Morochos. First, we got a tour of the tree nursery and learned about many trees, including those we would plant the following day. It was interesting to learn that Carpe made sure our program would be carbon neutral by buying trees to ensure our flights didn’t cause a lot of damage. We met our homestay families and split up for the rest of the night. The next morning we woke up super early (6am), had breaky, and went to meet the group and members of the community to start planting trees. It was a really cool experience to work alongside community members. Another neat aspect of the community of Morochos is that Spanish is many of their second languages (Qechua being the first) which made it easier to try and use Spanish.

Like I said, we were very busy this week but it was all very interesting to learn about and experience. However, we did have some free time and practically every time we did, we would play a new game called “Werewolves.” It is very similar to mafia except a lot more fun. I think we are all looking forward to when we can play again.

That’s all for now, ciao!

We met with Carlos, a Cuban American activist who has lived in Ecuador for the majority of his adult life. Carlos is one of the front runners in the community fight against mining activities, which would destroy the local ecosystem.

Rio Intag is a community co-op which gives an alternative to mining as an income source for the community. We had the opportunity to try the local coffee, which was DELICIOUS!

This picture was taken at Finca la Fé, our host partners farm. We spent the day removing cow poop from the pasture and milking the cow, which was made into cheese we had with lunch the next day!

This shot was taken from the back of a chiva, our local transport during our week in the Intag region.

This man was happily responsible for an afternoon sugar rush. He demonstrated how to make panela, a local sugar alternative made from sugar cane.

The post From Banos to Morochos appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Hola!

After a week practicing our coffee picking skills at finca mono verde we hopped on our 8-hour bus ride to Banos. we were all sad to leave the hammocks and the constant healthy competition for them but when we got to Banos we were all peering out of the bus in awe. The landscape here is mountains covered in jungle that drops to rivers.

On arrival, we met all the host families at the language school and in pairs we went to our new homes for the week. There were was some apprehension in the air but on the whole, we were excited. Dan and Laura came and checked on all of us that night and then the next day the group met up to go canyoning. We repelled down multiple waterfalls in some super stylish wetsuits and not so gracefully but it was “RAW” (Zenko, 2018). We bused back to Banos and decided to have pizza in one of the many Italian restaurants called papardelle in Banos. After that, we got another bus to La Casa Del Arbol to try not to die on the swing at the end of the world. We took the same bus home and went straight to a Protestant/Jewish church where most of us sing along to lyrics we didn’t understand off a powerpoint but everyone there was really getting into it which was different to most churches I’ve been to. One of the Spanish teachers was performing the flute there and he had invited us to come to watch him so it was a unique experience that we wouldn’t usually have gotten.

The next day we started our week of Spanish classes. The classes go from 9 to 1pm and then we go home to our host families for lunch before starting our volunteering at 3pm. There are two volunteer sites, one is an after-school problem at a public school that consists of 53 kids aged 4 to 12 in one room where 7 f us go around helping them with their various types of homework. The other is a private after-school program with 10 kids aged 5 to 12 where the other 5 of us helped them to learn English. From what I’ve heard from everyone they’re both hard, however, the former is definitely more chaotic. We have all learned a lot including to be grateful for the education systems we have access to.

On Tuesday after our full day of learning and teaching the whole 14 of us went to the public baths that are supplied by natural hot springs. Hair caps are compulsory and we all bought ridiculously colored ones, we got a lot of looks from the locals unsure if it was the caps or us being gringos or both but overall it was super rejuvenating hopping in and out of the hot and cold pools.

On Wednesday we took a break from lessons in the morning and got a double-decker bus to Palion del Diablo. We trekked up a hill to see the spectacular waterfall and some of us also went the extra yards and crawled through a tunnel to a platform where we were behind the waterfall. We got drenched but it was well worth it. As gringo-y as the double-decker bus was it was super interesting to see the city and landscape from higher up, seeing over peoples fences revealed all sorts of things like small corn crops in front yards. In the afternoon it was back to miming English to small children at our respective schools. After dinner one of the host mothers ran a salsa lesson which we got a very small grasp of but had a ball.

Tomorrow is our last day of classes here and we are going to go to a discoteca en la noche for daphnes birthday which is actually on Sunday which will be interesting, the next bloggers may get back to you on how that goes but I can’t promise anything

We are leaving Banos at 4am the day after that (Saturday) on a bus bound for Otavalo.

Until next time
-The Gringos via Eliza

Swinging at La casa del Árbol near Baños.

Working with the kids at the after school program in Baños.

Exploring waterfalls near Baños.

On the bus in Baños.

Repelling in Baños!

The post Just Gringo Things appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Hello friends, relatives, and everyone else who is along for the ride. It’s crazy to think that two weeks have gone by since I met the 13 strangers that I’ll be living and traveling with for the next three months. It’s also unbelievable that in that short period of time we’ve become the opposite of strangers and are building relationships and creating memories.

After a week of eating bananas and plantains in every way, shape, and form, as well as daily Spanish classes with professors who only spoke Spanish, we made it to la Finca Mono Verde to learn more permaculture farming. Stepping out of the van that took us from Las Delicias to La Finca Mono Verde, all I could think about was how excited I was to learn in such an untraditional setting about an untraditional type of farming. Daniel, the amazing man who runs la fina, showed us to our rooms that were located in a part indoor part outdoor building that we would be staying in and using as our classroom for the next week. All I can say is that our living space is a hammock paradise and there’s no shortage of places to chill out and read a book.

Our first full day was spend being introduced to the farm and the methods used are sustainable for the land and the people. Along with learning about what a permaculture, as well as a sustainable farm, is, Daniel taught the group that introducing legumes and other microorganisms into the soil causes nitrogen-fixing bacteria to add nutrients to the soil. By focusing a large portion of time and effort to keep the soil healthy, La Finca Mono Verde implements the idea that in order to grow the crops you need to grow the soil. We also visited the farm of Don Ernesto who farms using ancient methods that correspond closely with the way permaculture farms are set up but without researching or being told about these techniques.

The next day was spent exploring the town of Tabuga and the local artisans. During this time we met Bigote who runs a business selling delicious twisted biscuits that we learned how to make and cookies with dulce de leche in between. Next, we visited a woman who, along with others from the community, create clothing bathing suits, school clothes, and government uniforms and other pieces using an embroidery machine. We also saw where the farming co-op stores and roasts the coffee as well as a business who screen prints indigenous tribal symbols onto bags and shirts. Later in the day the group who run the business came to La Finca and helped us screen print chosen designs on shirts of our own. Later that night we watched a film created by Martin, a man who was a relative of the family that started the community in Tabuga, about artifacts that have been found on farms and all around the area.

Because of la Finca’s close location to the beach, we spent a day doing a beach clean up and learning about sustainable fishing and the struggles they encounter due to a decline in shrimp and fish populations as well as the larger fishing companies ignoring regulation and fishing where only smaller fisheries are allowed.

Some more highlights from this week include helping Bigote with painting the fencing and a building on his property and spending time at a mostly abandoned farm on the outskirts of the community that is slowly gaining its diversity back. Leaving La Finca Mono Verde and the community that we have interacted with, along with the wonderful food prepared, will be a sad day. But there is more to come!

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Making chocolate at Las Delicias farm.

Alex grinding fresh cacao.

The Carpe Diem group with our hosts at Las Delicias right before departure—now on to the beach for the day!

View from Las Delicias.

Addy helping Clean up plastic used for banana production on Las Delicias.

Down time at Las Delicias with Alejandro, a Spanish instructor, and Alex and Patrick.

We celebrated Ellen’s birthday with a bonfire, singing our favorite songs, surprise birthday cake and an additional surprise cake in the face—an Ecuadorian birthday tradition!

La cosecha! This was a day spent learning and helping with banana production from banana plant to packaged box—these bananas are on their way to the states!

Foraging for our afternoon snack: mandarins!

Plant tattoos on pants while on a walk in la finca.

Patricio our guide, explains the history and importance of these trees to the ecosystem.

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Selfie during our second to last stop on a food tour in Quito, Ecuador. See all those happy smiles? That’s because we just tried placenta soup, called guagua mama!

Snapshot taken during a food tour in Quito- while this was picho, a simple snack of fried chicken, the group also tried placenta soup! Yum!

Group shot while checking out Plaza Grande while on a food tour in Quito, Ecuador.

Students reflecting in their journals during orientation in Quito, the capital of Ecuador.

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We found a very neat building. Unfortunately, the computer will not let us upload photos. We are incredibly excited to be here in Quito and very sad to be leaving tomorrow—yet, excited for Las Delicias! Everything is going well and we have been eating some very interesting cuisine ranging from cow placenta to sheep intestine. Very grateful to be here and excited for what is in store at Las Delicias!

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Hola familia y amigos! Though we’re mid scavenger hunt it’s like we’ve already won, pollitos for the win!!! Unsurprisingly no one understands, it’s an inside joke (we’re that close). It’s from a joke a guy told us on the street: ¿como se llama un pollito en uniforme? Un Pollitooooo!!! (Use google translate if you must). Anyway, we gotta get back to our upcoming victory, see y’all later!!!

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¡Hello! My name is Patrick. I am in a group with Ellen and Sarah. We are on a scavenger hunt. I am writing this from an internet cafe next to Parque de Carolina. Just to get here was an adventure. It took us about an hour and three different buses to get here. We were lost at times but we made it safe and sound with lots of help from locals. Everyone is a little on edge and worn down, especially because we now have to make the trek back. Adios.

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The Inti crew has arrived safe and sound in Quito, Ecuador!

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The Inti group is all together and ready to begin a phenomenal semester in South America! One of our students is already rocking a pair of classic elephant pants.

The post Let’s begin! appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Hey y’all!

Dan and Laura here. We are finishing up final preparations here in Portland, and super stoked to meet the Carpe South America 2018 students!

We hope with these final days leading up to the trip, students are finishing up final packing preparations, resting, and getting even more excited for a semester filled with learning, community, and awe-filled experience.

We can’t wait to meet the 12 students on our trip – can’t you tell by the smiles on our faces??

Until then, hasta luego!

Laura and Dan

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Hello friends and family, this week I have the wonderful opportunity to write the final blog for the Spring 2018 semester. For our final week in South America, we traveled to one of the Seven Wonders of the World: Machu Picchu. To start off the tale of our final journey we must start in Cusco, where we stayed in our lovely hostel Atawakama after our Yoga retreat in the beautiful Sacred Valley. We had a day of rest in Cusco we stayed a full day getting a brief orientation from our guide for the next 5 days Odelon, or as we got to know him as Ode. Ode gave us the rundown of the upcoming week and answered our many questions on the Salkantay trail. We then received duffel bags to pack all of our toiletries as well as rented sleeping bags for the upcoming days. Packed and ready to embark on the hike, we awoke the next day at 5 in the morning, hopped on a bus, and headed for the Salkantay trail. Along the way, we got a clear picture of the winding roads and valleys that we would be traversing over the next couple of days.

During day one we had received our trekking poles and begun our first hike of many to come. Starting in the base camp with seemingly hundreds of horses, we took our first steps up the small inclined hills and passed streams as we made our way upward. The incline steadily increased over the duration of the estimated three-hour hike. Being the strong, healthy, young adults that we are, we reduced the estimated hike duration by nearly an hour! We soon learned that the projected times would never hold true over the next 4 days. At our first encampment, we were located within the basin of 2 major glaciers in the Salkantay trail, where we had lunch and were introduced to the wonderful crew that would be accompanying us. To our surprise, the lunch was fantastic, especially compared to the basic accommodations we had experienced with other tour groups in the previous weeks of travel. After this we had the opportunity to hike an additional route to view the surrounding area and take in the beautiful Salkantay Mountain and glacier, to which many other landmarks in the area would be named after. By nightfall, the temperature of the basin had dipped below freezing and we all huddled in the tents provided by Apu Andino. Sipping hot cocoa in the company of our peers we told stories and jokes to pass time before our next meal arrived. After a nice warm dinner, we went to bed trying to maintain what little heat we could.

By morning, frost had encased our tents and the sight of the glaciers glowed in the distance. Our second day was beginning and was supposed to be the toughest day of the week. We braced ourselves for the freezing cold and hid away in the safety of the tents awaiting breakfast. After a stomach-warming meal, we prepared our bags and ventured out into the cold yet again for the hardest day of the week. To our surprise, we were accompanied by a horse to which we profoundly named ‘Happy Hour’. Along the hike we ventured up the mountainside, making our way back and forth on switchbacks while taking in the view of Salkantay Mountain.

Upon reaching the peak of our first checkpoint we rested while being able to view the valley that was beginning to form on the other side. We forked off from the obvious pathway to a less apparent trail which lead us to Salkantay Lake, an outstandingly gorgeous lake seemingly untouched by humankind and radiating a vast blue hue. Unable to reach the banks of the lake, we took photos and moved on into the valley for our second portion of the day’s walk. Trudging along we moved further and further into the valley making sure to photograph the sites along the way. To our surprise, all the surrounding geographical features were named after their surrounding mountain feature, for example along the valley floor flowed the Slakantay River.

Once in the center of the valley, we thought we were able to witness the endpoint of the day, which encouraged us to move on. Unfortunately, sights can be deceiving and it turned into another two-hour walk. After the arduous final push, we had lunch and begun to unwind within the tent. But we weren’t done for the day, of course, so we got back up and walked another hour to our actual resting site for the day. This was a much more linear path seeing as thousands of horses and mules had pounded the ground flat after much usage. Once at the encampment we crashed onto the ground as the sun poured onto our faces. The grounds in which we occupied was a coffee plantation, and we were given the option to go on a coffee processing tour yet again. After the tour, we witnessed the creation of another earth-oven containing chicken, potatoes and all things of the sort. From here we went to the local hot springs, taking a bus and meeting with the group members who had stayed behind due to illness. We basked in the springs while taking in the local mountain ranges. We returned after soothing our aching muscles, had dinner and turned in for bed.

Upon waking up, we rose to one of the rainiest days that we had ever witnessed in our three-month span of time in South America. Our original plan to hike the steep trails to witness a fantastic photographic site of both Salkantay Glacier and Machu Picchu was trashed; to many of the students’ dismay we wouldn’t be walking in the mud and we opted instead for a bus ride. Upon reaching our next meeting point the rain had cleared and we were able to continue our hike yet again. Here we walked along the train tracks for roughly 6km until we reached the town of Aguas Calientes, an extremely touristy town with prices to match. The group decided to wake up the next morning at 3 o’clock to make it onto the first bus to Machu Picchu. We waited from 4:00 am to 5:30 am along with hundreds of other tourists waiting for seats on buses. At the site, we were led by our guide through the famous and historic Machu Picchu. We spent hours walking through the unreal grandiose that was one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and by the end, we said goodbye to our guide Ode and returned back to Aguas Calientes.

The pictures we took were ones that will not only last on hard drives but through our memories as well, to our many supporters on this journey – we are more than thankful for all you have done for us. As we return home, we all hope that the connections, as well as the experiences, turn into lifelong memories that we are able to look back on after years go by.

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This week we journeyed back towards Ollantaytambo and deep into the Sacred Valley, where we pulled up to our gorgeous yoga spot and our home for the next five days. After getting off the bus and organizing into rooms, we had a vegetarian lunch and were given our schedule for the week. Next, we gathered outside to set our intentions and goals for the week along with what we thought would be most challenging for us personally that week. We then talked about what we thought yoga was and what the meaning behind it is. The night yoga class that followed the talk was one that set the base for what the week would have in store for use. We had a post-yoga soup and headed to bed.

The following morning we woke up at seven and had meditation and then yoga, all before our nine am breakfast. Our breakfasts generally consisted of fruits and quinoa oatmeal to fuel us for our daily “Seva” or service. This generally meant helping out in the garden or picking up trash outside the yoga retreat. The first day’s workshops were all about the seven chakras and how to improve them. That all lead up to our night yoga and Thai massage class. After dinner every night, some students would do their presentations for PSU classes which became a struggle as the week went on due to pure exhaustion from yoga and the previous week.

The week blew by following the same schedule of meditation and yoga, then breakfast, followed by Seva and a workshop, then lunch and another workshop, all leading to night yoga and dinner. Each workshop was completely different but we’re all about the yoga lifestyle.

The second day’s workshop was a Pranayama or breathing workshop, which opened up our channels to let more energy into our body. Our next workshop was one about Dosha’s, or the elements that our bodies are made of. Our ensuing workshops involved yoga diet, astrology, and a cooking class. Meanwhile, the rest of the yoga classes varied as well from normal yoga to restorative, and even acro yoga, where people got to fly. (Disclaimer: nobody on this program took part in any actually flying due to yoga). Now we are headed back to Cusco for the day to prepare for the infamous Machu Picchu, Salkantay Trail. With well-rested bodies and a week of healthy dieting hopefully, we are ready to take on our final week.

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This week we started in the small town of Patacancha located outside of Ollantaytambo. There we learned more about the organization Awamaki, which is a nonprofit that helps women in the area sell their textile work to a larger market. We got to work with the women and see the work that goes into making these crafts; starting from the dyeing of the wool to the finished product. We also got to try making textiles firsthand by learning how to make our own headbands and bracelets. Let’s just say it’s magic what these women can do.

Our three days there consisted of a morning hike to a nearby alpine, glacier-fed lagoon, textiles workshops, and learning more about the local government and culture, where we learned about their self-sufficient government and rules. On our last morning, we participated in an alpaca shearing ceremony. During the ceremony we had to thank Mother Earth and ask for permission to sheer the alpaca. We blessed the alpacas, married two baby ones, and danced in celebration of the completed ritual.

After saying goodbye to Patacancha, we headed off to Cusco—but not before making a pit stop to our favorite bakery in Ollantaytambo to stock up on brownies before our hectic week of Student Directed Travel (SDT). For those of you who don’t know, Student Directed Travel is a week where we, the students, decide what activities we should do during the week while sticking to a budget.

The first adventure of SDT was Rainbow Mountain. Five brave souls of the group woke up at 3:00 am to trek up to 19,000 feet above sea level to see the unglaciated glacier, while the rest of us slept in and toured around Cusco. That night we took a 10-hour night bus to the city of Arequipa. We stayed there for a day exploring the historical town before embarking on our three-day hike into Colca Canyon. We woke up at 3:00 am to take a three-hour bus ride to the canyon (but not before stopping to see the second largest bird in the world, the condor).

We then began our 3,300-meter drop into Colca Canyon. It was an epic experience with basic accommodations (as our tour stated), early morning wake-ups, a couple rolled ankles, and soccer games, but we all survived it in the end. After a rewarding hike up the canyon, we then headed to the hot springs to relax our muscles. Then off to an all-you-can-eat buffet which we all indulged in.

Finally, off to our last stop of SDT, we took a seven-hour bus ride to Puño. In Puno, we spent the day touring the floating islands of Lake Titicaca and were pressured into spending 10 soles to ride a traditional floating reed boat. Besides that, we enjoyed our time on the islands learning about the history and eating some delicious rainbow trout. After one more night bus, SDT is done and we can all say that we are excited to relax a little at the yoga retreat.

Rainbow Mountains.

Made it to Arequipa!

Hiking in Colca Canyon.

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We enjoyed our last week of Spanish classes in Ollantaytambo. It is fairly small but extremely touristy because it is very close to Machupichu. As of now we have all completed 70+ hours of Spanish classes and have the opportunity every day to practice with locals. Ollantaytambo is surrounded by mountains on all sides and the cliffs on the North and East sides of the town had Incan ruins near the top. During Spanish classes one day our teacher took us on a hike to the top of the Northern ruins. She there explained that these were the school, food storage, and defense forts for the Incan community. She also explained that much of what we were seeing had been destroyed by the Spaniards when they invaded. So much of these ruins had been recreated or added upon to restore them close to what they looked like when the Incans were still in power. Once we reached the top of the cliff our teacher pointed us to the East and explained that the mountain itself looked like a llama eating grass. This is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful places we’ve been so far in Peru.

Later in the week, we saw many other Incan creations throughout the town, as well as a chocolate museum. This had a step-by-step process laid out on the creation of chocolate and how it has changed with the progress of technology. Last week was also our last week of Internet, more or less, so on Saturday and Sunday when classes were over many of us went to the Internet cafes to start writing papers, contact home, or catch up on news. I have to say that many people enjoyed this week, especially because we were in homestays once again. From what I have heard the food was good for most except for a sparse breakfast consisting of bread and tea at one of the girl’s houses. Marco and I were lucky because our family cooked great food and also had a DVD player which has been rare thus far.

Two nights out of the week we got to have some of our friends over and enjoy some throwback movies from the states. I have to shout out Marco who made some amazing guacamole with the perfect amount of spice, some lemon zest, and some bacon flavored chips to top it off. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my brief recap of our time in Ollantaytambo and wish us luck at Machu Picchu.

Saludos,
Adetokunbo Haastrup

Spanish class while exploring Incan ruins overlooking Ollantaytambo.

Spontaneous Peruvian coordinated dance in main square.

Another beautiful view overlooking Ollantaytambo.

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Saludos de Peru!

Isabella here, to update you on our adventure from the past week. Our second to last day in Ecuador, we said a bittersweet farewell to Sarah Beth, and joined her and her family for dinner and shared our gratitude for having her as part of our Inti Family. As sad as it is that she will be leaving us, we are all holding out hope for a speedy recovery, which we know with her spirit of positivity will be no problem.

The next day we had mostly free time to contact family and friends, buy snacks for our long day of travel to Peru and explore a different side of Quito while staying at a comfy hostel and enjoying our final moments in the country. In addition to having free time, we discussed our potential itinerary for student-directed travel, which is fast approaching. That night, we packed up a tried to get some sleep before leaving at a very early 1 am in the morning. We all hopped into taxis and drove to the airport to catch flights to Lima and then on to Cuzco, Peru. Once we arrived, we were greeted by a basket of coca leaves and were encouraged to take some to help with the dramatic change in altitude. We found our bags and then were transported to a hostel where we would stay overnight before moving on to a much smaller indigenous community. That evening we rested, were given more coca leaves and prepared for the week ahead.

The next morning we left Cuzco, met Carmen and David, our local contacts and traveled together by van to the small town of Quenqo, a Quechua speaking village about 2 hours away. During the trip, we stopped and took some photos of a cliff that overlooked the Sacred Valley, before continuing on to Quenqo.

We finally arrived in the community and were greeted by our host families, who threw flower petals on our heads as a welcome and introduced themselves. This would be the first time that Carpe Diem has stayed with this community and to commemorate, they invited us to break a beer bottle over the doorway of one of the houses with a hammer. Alex had the privilege of doing the honors, and thus, the week of homestays and cultural exchange had commenced. We had lunch and then were shown our rooms and in our houses. We said goodbye to Carmen and welcomed David who would be staying with us for the week. We ended our first day with a beautiful hike overlooking the village and a delicious dinner and cake to celebrate our arrival.

The next morning we woke up early and began our first day of work by helping herd llamas and sheep alongside our host families and some children from the community. The hike took us out to a beautiful lake and a series of rolling hills and larger mountains behind us, which were breathtakingly beautiful. Some of us decide to brave the cold and take a polar plunge in the lake, which wa quite an experience as it was absolutely freezing. The rest of the day was spent helping to construct a house, mixing cement, loading bricks and working in small groups digging trenches for waterlines and preparing our families gardens for the planting season.

Our next day in Quenqo was another early morning, where we all participated in a planting project in the community. We had three different groups stationed at different places painting murals or depictions of Incan ruins and animals. In my group, Marco Sarah Lee and I, all hiked up to a cliff that overlooked the entire town and did a rough sketch of what we saw and then transferred our drawings onto a larger piece of paper which we then colored. Another group painted a landscape of the lake that we had visited the day before, and the mountains in the background. The rest of the day was spent in groups again, tilling the land in greenhouses to prepare for planting lettuce and helping with any other outside chores. We then transitioned to a weaving workshop where we learned how the people make a lot of the wool and alpaca products through tedious and complicated work all done by hand. After, we had the opportunity to purchase some of their products – hats, gloves, scarfs and more. We then joined some members of the community for a soccer match, which lasted until dinner. By that time it was dark and we were all exhausted cold and hungry. We had our last dinner in Quenqo as a group and then began to pack for the next day.

We had an early breakfast as usual, and bid farewell to our host families, the people that had cooked for us and all the others had made our stay in Quenqo one to remember. Before we left though, they dressed us all in traditional clothing and played music which we all danced to. We all had so much fun and the people really appreciated us embracing the culture in this way. Before we left, we all said another goodbye and shared some of our gratitude to those that had made our visit possible. It was a very emotional farewell, especially for the community, us being the first group to stay a week with them.

Stay tuned for more updates!

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Hi friends and family!

This past week, the group had the amazing opportunity to explore the Amazon! The week started with a boat ride down the Arajuno River, a tributary to the Amazon River, to our home for the week: the Arajuno Jungle Lodge. There, we met Tom Larson, AKA the coolest guy ever. Tom told us about all the work he has been doing to help preserve the rainforest and combat deforestation.

Every morning, the group helped Tom with the projects he needed to be done. After weeks of sickness and city life, it was a nice change to get our hands dirty and participate in service work, and doing it for Tom made it even better.

Our first project was weeding and replating bamboo. We also collected bamboo for firewood because, at the lodge, burning bamboo is a large source of energy. After work, we jumped into the river to wash off. That afternoon, we went downriver to Amazoonico, an animal rehabilitation center and sanctuary. At Amazoonico, we got a guided tour from a student from Alex’s Carpe Diem fall semester group, Eli. It was fun to meet a Carpe Diem alum and to see all the animals indigenous to the Amazon.

On Tuesday, the group went to an indigenous community to partake in a ¨minga¨, or work party. We helped plant cinnamon trees and were treated to a presentation on the local culture. We tried many interesting foods (one of the best being roasted grubbs), learned the traditional dance, and learned how to use a blowdart. Tuesday night, we had a good old bonfire complete with ghost stories, singalongs, and smores. The fun night took a turn for the worst after we all returned to our cabin, were telling stories as we went to bed, and then heard banging on the walls of our cabin. Long story short, Sarah Beth, Lauren, and I spent the night in Lauren{s bed to protect each other from whatever the mysterious noise was.
Wednesday, we planted 75 cinnamon trees to help reforestation in the area. On Thursday, we worked with one of the oldest projects of the foundation — conserving the yellow-spotted turtle. We spent the day carrying sand from a nearby beach to Tom{s lagoon where the turtles live and reproduce until they are ready for the wild. On our last day of service, we harvested fish from the pond for lunch and moved the rest of the fish to the lagoon.

That afternoon, we boated up river about 30 minutes, and then jumped into tubes and floated back down the river to home. On Saturday, our last day, we went on a jungle tour where our wonderful guide, Miguel, taught us all about the plants and animals of the Amazon.
Overall, the group learned many lessons this week. After 5-too-many incidents of people getting locked in and out of the cabin and a morning visit with a chicken in our room, we finally figured out how doors work! We are also all experts at scaring away rats and chickens (thanks, Maya!). Last but not least, we learned to never tell ghost stories before bed again.

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One of the most important things we did this week was say ‘ciao’ to our beloved Overseas Educator (OE), Avy. While it was very hard to lose someone we’ve all come to love so much, we also got to meet our new OE, Sarah Lee. We welcomed her into the group over highly desired hamburgers and immediately hit it off.

During weekdays we attended Spanish school and learned even more of the beautiful language. In the afternoons we would volunteer in schools, helping kids with their homework. During the weekend, the group would meet up for adventurous activities. One of these activities was a swing on a hill overlooking the city Banos – when you looked down all the buildings looked tiny in the distance.

We also got to go on a zip-lining course. We zip lined across a canyon and into a cave where we then walked across a suspension bridge while strapped into a safety harness. After crossing the bridge we scaled the side of a cliff and only to zip line once again, back to the beginning of the course.

As we arrived back home to Banos we all got ready and took advantage of the active nightlife. Our group met dressed to impress at the church and went dancing. At one location we learned to dance salsa while the other was reggaeton.

On our last full day in Banos (Saturday), we went whitewater rafting. In two separate boats, we were taught how to paddle followed by a safety debrief and then charged through class four rapids with our guides shouting commands. We avoided the rocks and rode the current. In the process, two people fell out of the boat but were quickly recovered within moments.

Later that day, we met Nacho, our guide who took us repelling in the middle of a dense tropical forest. We repelled down three waterfalls! Everyone thought descending a waterfall was hard in the beginning, but by the end of the excursion, we were confident in our abilities. At the end, we got to slide down two smaller waterfalls. There was a really fun one where people were lowered into a small pool and then slid down the rest of the rock.
Though our time in Banos seemed short, we have all come to love the town. Many members of the group took advantage of the seemingly never-ending coffee shops and spas. Where else can you find a full body massage for $20 or less? It’s difficult to say goodbye to our new families and Banos, but onward to the Amazon!

Final despedida from Baños party with a cake!

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]]> https://carpediemeducation.org/stay-finco-mono-verde/ Mon, 05 Mar 2018 22:58:49 +0000 https://www.carpediemeducation.org/?p=29528 By Desi Casanova
Hola from Baños, Ecuador! The group and I arrived here late last night after a long and tiring 10-hour van ride. Here we will spend a week learning more Spanish and diving deeper into the culture with our homestay families. I won’t give too much away; that’s for our next storyteller! I’m here to tell you all about our beautiful stay at Finco Mono Verde, a permaculture… Read More

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]]> By Desi Casanova

Hola from Baños, Ecuador! The group and I arrived here late last night after a long and tiring 10-hour van ride. Here we will spend a week learning more Spanish and diving deeper into the culture with our homestay families. I won’t give too much away; that’s for our next storyteller! I’m here to tell you all about our beautiful stay at Finco Mono Verde, a permaculture farm off the coast in Tabuga, Ecuador. There we learned all about sustainable living, farming, and fishing. So much knowledge was given to us by our wonderful hosts it’s hard to recall everything, but I do know sustainable living is not as hard as it may seem. It was very important for us to conserve all the water we could due to the many dry months in that region. During our stay, we participated in many wonderful community service projects, such as cutting the soccer field with machetes, creating a path for a very nice woman and her workers, and building a fire stove. Though we worked hard there was lots of downtime for everyone to have some much-needed relaxation, unfortunately, a cold is making its way through the group and back again. We are all working very hard to get back to 100% but the cold is very persistent. Luckily, no soccer was played in cow poo this last week, so at least we have that going for us!

As some of the group rested, many of us went on an incredible hike, climbing 800ft in elevation. On this hike we had the incredible opportunity to see a howler monkey up close and personal, pictures credited by yours truly. We also stumbled upon the biggest tarantula any of us have ever seen! Seriously, the thing was bigger than my head. But aside from silly monkeys and big spiders we also got to enjoy the beauty that surrounded us and really take in the diverse forest. After we emerged from the depths of the forest, we all enjoyed an incredible beach day. Here we took a much-needed soak, collected stones, and watched as the sun set behind the ocean. We also had the opportunity to visit a fisherman’s house, where we enjoyed freshly caught fish and shrimp, while also learning about sustainable fishing. It was truly an incredible week where we did our part and rested when needed. Definitely a place to visit again!

Tabuga beach sunset.

Learning to hand-grind coffee at a local coffee farm.

Howler monkey spotted on a nature hike.

Learning to make bracelets from a local artisan.

Screen printing t-shirts.

Rainy jungle hike to a local nature preserve.

Painting the outdoor over that the group helped construct.

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]]> https://carpediemeducation.org/a-photo-story/ Mon, 05 Mar 2018 20:10:27 +0000 https://www.carpediemeducation.org/?p=29468 Semester birthdays.

Working on the beach yoga thing.

Harvesting wild ginger.

Handmade birthday card for Audrey.

Jungle walk attire.

Bird watching.

Roasting coffee beans.

Roasting coffee beans.

Pounding coffee pre-roasting.

Out of the coastal humidity and back into the mountains. Wrapping up a nearly ten hour bus ride full of laughs, movies, and good music. Hola Baños!… Read More

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]]>
Semester birthdays.

Working on the beach yoga thing.

Harvesting wild ginger.

Handmade birthday card for Audrey.

Jungle walk attire.

Bird watching.

Roasting coffee beans.

Roasting coffee beans.

Pounding coffee pre-roasting.

Out of the coastal humidity and back into the mountains. Wrapping up a nearly ten hour bus ride full of laughs, movies, and good music. Hola Baños!

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]]> https://carpediemeducation.org/bananas-and-rice/ Wed, 28 Feb 2018 21:34:17 +0000 https://www.carpediemeducation.org/?p=29424 By Alex Combs
Hello Everybody,
My name is Alex Combs and I am from Washington State. I am currently 18 years old and also a part of Carpe Diem Education’s South American program. This week was full of memorable and extravagant adventures so I hope you are prepared for a decently-sized read.
Over the past week, we have been staying in the coastal region of Ecuador more commonly known to… Read More

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]]> By Alex Combs

Hello Everybody,

My name is Alex Combs and I am from Washington State. I am currently 18 years old and also a part of Carpe Diem Education’s South American program. This week was full of memorable and extravagant adventures so I hope you are prepared for a decently-sized read.

Over the past week, we have been staying in the coastal region of Ecuador more commonly known to the locals as Manabi. Our lovely hosts greeted us on Monday to a banana plantation known as Las Delicias approximately four hours away from the capital of Quito. Our first night was possibly the most humid of our trip; everyone toughed out the initial heat and unpacked for the days ahead. The second day of our stay in Las Delicias was when the real work had begun. We delved into the culture experiencing the food, which mostly consisted of rice and bananas in whatever form they could devise. Over the duration of our stay we began our classes in Spanish and divided our group into levels; it was the perfect location for people with no experience to begin and those more advanced to remember. On the second night, the forest surrounding us was decorated with fireflies and filled with the sound of nature. By morning, though, our arms and legs were covered by the bites of mosquitos teaching us the importance of using insect repellent. Regardless, Juan Carlos, the owner of the plantation, took us to view the harvest of the bananas. We were then given the opportunity to help them with the harvesting and shown the ways of each individual action. Needless to say, it was a day full of hard work so we were treated to a great meal of bananas and rice yet again. Nevertheless, it was still delicious and was served with peanut butter to change the texture. It was prepared by the students and presented with some of the native banana leaves as a symbol of our hard work.

On Thursday, we went through the regular routine of breakfast straight into Spanish classes. The group was then offered to learn how to make chocolate by the locals and everyone decided to participate. We were taken by Juan Carlos’ nephew to harvest cocoa fruit (for their beans) and brought them back to the farm after we gathered them. When we returned we were taken through a brand new process of cooking, grinding, and melting. When we finished we were given samples of the natural ‘Nutella’ that was fantastic, it was by far the most natural and pure chocolate anyone in the group had experienced.

Friday, we went about another day of classes followed by a trip to the local river. Since we only had one car available we had to divide the group in two – having one group travel on land for a short distance only to be picked up later. I was a part of this group and I definitely regret bringing my towel since everything we had brought got wet due to the tropical downpour. When the truck finally found our group along the dirt pathway we traveled the remaining 10 minutes to the river. Miraculously, the rain cleared in time for everyone to hop into the muddy river.
After our short time in the river, the group transitioned to playing soccer in a field we learned later to be made of cow excrement. We returned and organized the order of showers like civil human beings on a banana farm. The next day we took our last day of Spanish Classes followed by lunch, the only difference was we had to kill chickens. Two of the students were tasked to kill the chickens while others were offered to help pluck the feathers off of the bodies. Later we attended a church service provided by Juan Carlos as a sign of respect (as he is a pastor) and came back to go to bed.

After we woke up we had our last meal on the farm and said our goodbyes, some of the instructors had decided to come with us to the beach though. We drove approximately two and half hours with a small break in between to a picture perfect Ecuadorian beach. We stopped for a small lunch and dove straight for the beach. After our adventure on the beach, we said goodbye to the remaining instructors that came with us and ventured to our next location. An hour along the coast we arrived at another farm called “la Finca Mono Verde” which we currently reside. Our current location is an awesome example of permaculture that I will leave the next person in line to explain in more detail – until then, ‘hasta luego’.

Getting a tour of the banana farm with our friends at Las Delicias

Last morning of saying our goodbyes to the family and Spanish teachers at Las Delicias.

Taking a break from Spanish lessons by playing soccer at the river!

Our home for the week at Finca Mono Verde.

Trash cleanup at the beach in Manabi.

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]]> https://carpediemeducation.org/las-delicias-banana-farm/ Mon, 19 Feb 2018 03:50:39 +0000 https://www.carpediemeducation.org/?p=29362 Saludos de Quito! Today marks our final full day in the hostel, until we leave for the coast to stay at Las Delicias Banana Farm. Our journey began with landing in the magnificent city of Quito after several hours of traveling, and we were happy to finally be on the ground. After a quick nap we spent the rest of the day getting to know one another through various group… Read More

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]]> Saludos de Quito! Today marks our final full day in the hostel, until we leave for the coast to stay at Las Delicias Banana Farm. Our journey began with landing in the magnificent city of Quito after several hours of traveling, and we were happy to finally be on the ground. After a quick nap we spent the rest of the day getting to know one another through various group activities. The first adventure during our time in Quito was a trip to the market where we split into groups and got to know each other over a piquant seafood lunch.

As the days went on – so did orientation where we covered the exceedingly important Sacred Six and other rules and agreements. Over the past few days we got to know each other and explore the city together. Our first day exploring the city without Alex or Avy was structured around a group scavenger hunt. Although each group went their own way we all climbed to the top of Basilica Voto Nacional cathedral: one of the most astonishing sites to see in Quito. Along with the amazing sites around the city one of the most unbelievable qualities of staying here was the food. On our second-to-last day we got to go on a food tour around the city, tasting many of the country’s unique foods like cow placenta stew, cow stomach, guatita (cow innards), and Aloe Vera tea with honey.

After our food tour we went to experience a piece of the night life in La Ronda. This is a street where the party of the night is going out with family and enjoying tons of amazing food. The whole street is lined with shops and restaurants that are closed during the day. We went to a little hole-in-the-wall bar that served a hot Ecuadorian beverage consisting of cinnamon, brown sugar, orange juice, and cloves as a garnish. Es muy delicioso, and tastes a lot like apple cider.

We then went back to the hostel to relax and watch movies.

The next morning we woke up, had our last day of yoga, and got ready to go on a walking tour of Quito. For breakfast we had a protein-stacked egg and tomato meal with bread and many fruits. Then we left for the walking tour. We strolled around the city for a few hours with a guide and saw tons of amazing buildings around the city. We saw the Independence Plaza, where the president of the country and the Mayor of Quito reside. After that we went to The Church of la Compania de Jesus in where the whole interior was decorated with gold. We learned that the Quito version of the Virgin Mary was built with wings. The Virgin of Quito is completely unique and the artist that made it is the renowned Bernardo de Legarda. His work can be recognized for the detail that he put into the dress of the Virgin of Quito and his baroque style of art.

After the tour we split into groups of four and gathered snacks and shirts in the city to prepare for our trip to Las Delicias. We also got lunch because most of us were famished and exhausted after walking around for three and a half hours. Then we all met back up at the hostel, started packing, and did some final orientation activities.

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]]> https://carpediemeducation.org/arriving-quito-salsa-class-photo-story/ Fri, 16 Feb 2018 21:19:21 +0000 https://www.carpediemeducation.org/?p=29328 … Read More

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]]> https://carpediemeducation.org/group-scavenger-hunt-part-iii/ Fri, 16 Feb 2018 18:25:25 +0000 https://www.carpediemeducation.org/?p=29326 Week One:
We landed in Quito three days ago. Now, we started off pretty slow due to the intense travel. But the first day we were able to get to know each other decently well. After we checked into our hostel we got to go eat at the local market, where we tested our Spanish knowledge by ordering lunch. Day two was much more active; we started the day with… Read More

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]]> Week One:

We landed in Quito three days ago. Now, we started off pretty slow due to the intense travel. But the first day we were able to get to know each other decently well. After we checked into our hostel we got to go eat at the local market, where we tested our Spanish knowledge by ordering lunch. Day two was much more active; we started the day with a delicious breakfast cooked by the lovely chefs at the hostel. We then went to the park where we were able to continue orientation and getting to know everybody on this incredible adventure. After a short lunch and soccer break, we visited an amazing gorgeous cathedral near the hostel. The journey back to the hostel lead us to a quick siesta and then a fantastic chicken and mushrooom dinner followed up by hilarious games later that night. Today nearly everybody participated in morning yoga, while some enjoyed a cup of coffee while looking at the view. Now we are all involved in an intense three team scavenger hunt.

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]]> https://carpediemeducation.org/group-scavenger-hunt-part-ii/ Fri, 16 Feb 2018 18:23:35 +0000 https://www.carpediemeducation.org/?p=29324 Greetings from Quito! We are currently on the first leg of our scavenger hunt and have just found an internet cafe! It took a bit of searching with our Spanish skills, but for the most part, we are getting where we need to be. We are all safe and are having a good time. The food so far has been AMAZING and the hospitality of the hostel is great, too.… Read More

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]]> Greetings from Quito! We are currently on the first leg of our scavenger hunt and have just found an internet cafe! It took a bit of searching with our Spanish skills, but for the most part, we are getting where we need to be. We are all safe and are having a good time. The food so far has been AMAZING and the hospitality of the hostel is great, too. The city is beautiful and its a shame we are only in the Quito for a short time, cause there are just so many cool things to do. We still have a lot of other things to check off our list, like doing a random act of kindness to a stranger, and ask around to learn more about the culture and history of the city. We have yet to have lunch and that is our next priority plus buying some candy and offering it to some kids, which we think they´ll like.

We’ve stopped by some shops and tried on some cool sunglasses and walked through a bakery which we might stop by later for dessert, and maybe bring some back for the rest of the group.

Our next stop is finding a place to have lunch, and then maybe look at some cool architecture and points of interest. This scavenger hunt is also a competition, so wish us luck!

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