Ecuador Meeting #4

Yesterday marks the 2 week count-down for the trip I have coined, my “Amazon Adventure”.   There are so many interesting and exciting components to the trip, I can’t tell which part I am most excited about… visiting a school in the jungle, interacting with students, observing the traditions and ways of living of a different culture, or seeing the beautiful creatures that roam the Galapagos Islands.  Each time I read the itinerary or talk with someone about my upcoming travel plans, I get even more energy about the experience. 

I can hardly hide my smiling face when talking about the last leg of our trip.  Three days in the Galapagos Islands which are a remarkable landform (a chain of islands formed by volcanoes).  Throughout our meetings and my own research I leaned the Galapagos has many unique traits and even an ecosystem of its own.  There are many animals that live on these islands.  Some of the more famous animals are the giant tortoises, finches, marine iguanas, blue footed boobys, and Galapagos penguins. Click here to watch the blue footed booby mating dance.

Lava rock on the Galapagos Islands

  

Santa Cruz Island

Many of these animals have learned to quickly adapt to their environment, a critical component to survival called natural selection.  For example, some tortoises live for over 100 years and each species of tortoise has different traits depending on which island they live on.

Finches are very similar because through natural selection, they have developed traits to help them find food and survive on different islands.  Look at the difference between these finches.

So, stay posted on more knowledge and fun facts about the animals of the Galapagos Islands because in less than two weeks I will be blogging from Ecuador and sharing my wonderful experiences with all of you! 

Ecuador Meeting #3

David Ljungberg, the Principal of Elmwood School was this week’s guest speaker.  The pictures, anecdotes and knowledge he shared with us about Ecuador was impressive.  David shared insights on the culture, weather and traveling tips.   

During David’s talk, I learned in Ecuador the primary language spoken is Spanish along with Quechua but many people speak English.  The people in Ecuador usually don’t eat dinner 8:00PM and usually serve locro (soup) with every meal.  The people of the country appear to utilize the organically grown foods that grow in their region to supplement each meal.  Vegetables such as potato and avocados appear to be popular along with meats such as chicken, goat, lamb and guinea pig. 

As for a traditional drink, chicha is a traditional libation found throughout the region.  It is made from fermented corn, or rice.  In some rural parts of Ecuador the fermentation process is augmented by human saliva, usually women who chew the ingredients then spit it back into the brew. 

The weather in Ecuador can change dramatically depending on where you are in the country.  Ecuador’s capital Quito, is approximately 9,350 feet above sea level and 15 miles from the equator, however the this location can be deceiving.  The weather in Quito during the winter months is usually wet and cool.  Traveling southeast to the Amazon region, during the winter months it is typically warmer but humid and rainy.  In the last leg of our trip we will be traveling to the Galapagos where the weather is typically dry, sunny and warm. 

Along with experiencing the vibrant culture of Ecuador, our study trip will offer the opportunity to see interesting wildlife such as giant butterflies, hummingbirds, blue-footed boobys, marine iguanas, and giant tortoises.  David’s advice was to buy multiple memory cards for your camera, because the pictures you take of the wildlife are stunning.

(blue footed boobys)

(giant owl butterfly)