Today was our first day of work in the beautiful village of Las Tolas, where we will be staying for the next two weeks. It’s a town located in the cloud forest of about 350 inhabitants, and probably twice that number of cows, chickens, and dogs. Most of our work will be done at the community center where they are building housing for future volunteers. We are also clearing a piece of land and planting medicinal plants.
The view of the cloud forest from our worksite.
On our way to the village we stopped at La Mitad del Mundo, a museum located on the equator, where the group got to balance eggs, learn about ancient indigenous groups, and taste locally grown cacao fruit.
Group photo at the equator on our way to Las Tolas.
Yesterday we all got to hike to a beautiful waterfall in a nearby town. We swam under the falls, chewed on sugar cane, and explored the beautiful surroundings. Ecuador keeps surprising us with its natural beauty and biodiversity, and we have only just begun to explore this country!
During the next few days we also will have the chance to work with the village school children, visit a coffee farm, milk cows, and participate in an artisan workshop. WiFi is very spotty here, so we apologize for any inconveniences that may be causing. Just know that everyone is working hard, speaking more Spanish than ever, and enjoying the company of both Putney-ers and villagers alike!
Till next time,
– Claire, Nicolas, & the Language Learning Ecuador crew 2017