Dear Friends,
Sorry we've been incognito for the past few months. Our training here in Tumbaco, Ecuador, has been rigorous and time-consuming, but it's been preparing us for next week when...
...we move here!
Tomorrow we will be swearing in as fully-fledged Peace Corps volunteers and heading out to our new life in the AMAZON JUNGLE!
We'll be living in the province of Pastaza, in a town of about 3,000 people. The town is beautiful, with the selva (jungle) crouched all around it, and with several rivers running through (one right behind our house!)
As Natural Resources Conservation volunteers, we'll be working with the local high school and a bilingual (Spanish and Kichwa) school, as well as the rest of the community.
Kirstie hopes to teach students in the schools general environmental education and possibly work with youth groups. Isaac hopes to assist in creating research agroforestry plots in the schools and encourage agroforestry and reforestation projects in the community.
Here's a list of some of the other things we'll get to do:
-Excel in Spanish-speaking abilities
-Learn Kichwa (one of the indigenous languages spoken in Ecuador)
-Eat really good food
-Make new friends
-Learn how to butcher chickens!
-Learn about permaculture (a philosophy of land use kind of like landscape architecture + ecology).
And we get to work with this guy:
Thanks to everyone who has followed our adventures thus far. Please stay tuned, because the adventures are about to become way more awesomer!
..Kirstie and Isaac..
Sorry we've been incognito for the past few months. Our training here in Tumbaco, Ecuador, has been rigorous and time-consuming, but it's been preparing us for next week when...
...we move here!
 |
| Our new home! Photo by Kirstie Bickford |
We'll be living in the province of Pastaza, in a town of about 3,000 people. The town is beautiful, with the selva (jungle) crouched all around it, and with several rivers running through (one right behind our house!)
 |
| Isaac crossing the river. Photo by Kirstie Bickford |
 |
| Students at the high school preparing sugar cane. Photo by Kirstie Bickford |
Kirstie hopes to teach students in the schools general environmental education and possibly work with youth groups. Isaac hopes to assist in creating research agroforestry plots in the schools and encourage agroforestry and reforestation projects in the community.
 |
| Maito (food grilled in leaves), a traditional food. This kind is made of chicken tripe. Mmmm! Photo by Kirstie Bickford |
Here's a list of some of the other things we'll get to do:
-Excel in Spanish-speaking abilities
-Learn Kichwa (one of the indigenous languages spoken in Ecuador)
-Eat really good food
-Make new friends
-Learn how to butcher chickens!
-Learn about permaculture (a philosophy of land use kind of like landscape architecture + ecology).
 |
| Chancho!! Photo by Kirstie Bickford |
 |
| A caiman eating chicken guts. Photo by Kirstie Bickford |
..Kirstie and Isaac..
Looking forward to hearing more!
ReplyDeleteLovin' the selva!
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone! As for the caiman, he lives in a cage and is little. And he's almost too lazy to eat the chicken guts that get thrown in right next to his head. We'll maybe do a Spotlight on him sometime since we've gotten quite a few email comments about him.
ReplyDelete