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)