Month: July 2013

Updates from the Amazon
Updates from the Amazon

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Greetings from Tena, the Ecuadorian Amazon’s most agreeable city. Actually, we’re about 4kms outside of Tena at a lovely lodge on the banks of a crystal clear stream. Tomorrow we’ll go rafting on the Rio Jatunyacu, enjoying one of Tena’s most popular activities for which whitewater enthusiasts from all over the world come. But first,… Read More

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Welcome to the Jungle
Welcome to the Jungle

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Day two at our jungle lodge on the Rio Napo in the Ecuadorian Amazon is drawing to a close. We just returned from a scenic innertube float down the river to escape the afternoon heat. The morning featured a hike with our guides through the primary growth forest to learn about the local flora and… Read More

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Waterfalls, Hydroprojects, and Volcanos
Waterfalls, Hydroprojects, and Volcanos

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Tomorrow, we’re heading to our jungle lodge on the Rio Napo in the Ecuadorian rainforest. We’ll be in a bit of an Internet blackout zone for the next 6 days so until then enjoy some pics from our time in Baeza and the cloud forest. We visited two dam sites: the 50MW Quijos-Papallacta Project and… Read More

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A Beautiful Morning in Tumbaco
A Beautiful Morning in Tumbaco

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The Amazon program has officially begun. This morning, after breakfast and a medical and health orientation, we spent some time getting to know each other and forming a group contract that will guide the interactions and experience of all Sustainable Summer participants for the next 2 weeks. Here’s a pic of the group engaged in… Read More

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Sustainable Summer Amazon Program En Route to Ecuador
Sustainable Summer Amazon Program En Route to Ecuador

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Here’s a photo taken at the airport of Sustainable Summer’s Amazon program participants (minus a few arriving from different departure points and our 7 brave students continuing on from our first 3-week program). We’re just under two hours from touchdown at the Quito Airport of our group flight. Karen and I are heading that way… Read More

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The Black Sheep Inn and Permaculture
The Black Sheep Inn and Permaculture

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Howdy from Tumbaco. We’re on lunch break from our session on permaculture design with sustainable agriculture expert Javier Carrera of the Seed Guardian Network. This morning we learned about design principles such as mapping land features and energy sources, and integrating elements, such as animals, gardens, and structures into the an efficient and sustainable design…. Read More

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Service Project at La Escuela, Horsebackriding, and Isla Plata
Service Project at La Escuela, Horsebackriding, and Isla Plata

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It’s been an action packed couple of days here in Ecuador. We wrapped up our time at Rio Muchacho with a service project at the local school, class sessions on permaculture and traditional agriculture practices, shrimping in the river, crafts, and horseback riding to the monkey forest. The latter included the traditional food tonga, which… Read More

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Ecuador Sustainable Summer Photos!
Ecuador Sustainable Summer Photos!

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Here are some photos from our first 2 weeks on the coast of Ecuador. I’m not one to shy away from the written word, but the combination of limited Internet access, lost luggage, and the prospect of typing out a few hundred words on a mobile device have conspired towards brevity. Fortunately, my camera was… Read More

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Surf’s Up in Canoa
Surf’s Up in Canoa

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Greetings from Canoa, one of Ecuador’s most likeable beach towns. We’re spending the day relaxing after a busy week studying sustainable agriculture at Rio Muchacho. This morning, everyone took a surfing lesson to great success. Most people were able to standup on the boards and catch some waves. Now the group is either hanging on the… Read More

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Chocolate, The ‘Big Tree,’ and 1001 Ways to Use Manure
Chocolate, The ‘Big Tree,’ and 1001 Ways to Use Manure

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What a week! It’s hard to believe that we’ve been in Ecuador for just over 7 days. Working on the farm at Rio Muchacho has been an eye-opening experience for all. We rise at dawn to help with farm routines such as caring for the pigs, horses, chickens, and guinea pigs and harvesting food for… Read More

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