Manna Retreat!

This past weekend all our whole group headed to SierrAzul, an extensively protected chunk Cloud Forest.  It's located about 45 minutes from Baeza in a unique location between the sierra and the rain forest and is home to the spotted bear, tapir, and the puma.  We began our journey by leaving the house at 6:30a.m., catching a bus to Baeza, hopping on a camioneta and then hiking about a mile to the secluded lodge (we were literally the only guests there). 

In the back of the camioneta (at 60m.p.h.) 

The hut dining room where we ate our meals

Mid-phase 10 (wonder woman cape totally necessary) 

The girls spent Friday afternoon doing a short hike with Fernando and his adorable German Shepard, while the boys refused to awaken from their naps.  Little did we know this was only 1/8th of the hike we would embark on the next morning...  All of us headed out at 9:30 the next morning after a breakfast of mini hot dogs (a little weird, but I'm not going to complain).  We packed our bags full with cho-chos (little soy beans.. think cream colored edimame), cereal, bread, galapagitos (cookies), crackers and more as we knew we wouldn't return back to the lodge until close to sun down.  Most of the 14 kilometer hike consisted of us being knee deep in mud and/or horse poop, so almost all of us wore knee high boots (except two big-footed boys who couldn't fit and braved the trail in sneakers). 

Everyone in the river

Haley taking a breather on the trail

The hike was great, giving us time to talk to each other, learn about wildlife in the area and take in the beautiful scenery.   We also crossed and walked along a creek/small river for most of the trip, giving me an opportunity to collect a ton of rocks (currently on my windowsill) and drink straight from the crystal clear water.  

I couldn't have asked for a better first retiro and I'm so glad we get to have 3 more throughout the next year! 

- Jackie 

Into Thin Air

One of my favorite/sometimes least favorite things about living here in Ecuador is that there are rarely times when I find myself walking on a flat surface.  Considering that I basically come from sea level, both in NJ and DE, battling the altitude has become a new hobby of mine.  Past PDs have successfully climbed Mount Cotopaxi, the tallest volcano in Ecuador, whose gleaming glacial peak can be seen from our rooftop on a clear day.  Though I my mountain climbing portfolio only really consists of Smuggler's Notch, VT and the Catskills of upstate NY (let's face it, Delaware barely has hills), I've become pretty determined to attempt a guided journey to the top of Cotopaxi. 

In order to mix "training" with sightseeing during our weekends off, myself and some of the other PDs have mastered two different types of climbing: the jagged Mount Pichincha, immediately west of downtown Quito, and the Basilica Cathedral, in the heart of the Quito's historical downtown.   It might seem like the Basilica isn't a very daunting task, but the climb to both bell towers via spiral staircases and about a dozen sketchy ladders is pretty exhilarating.  Especially for a pretty serious ladder-a-phobe (ie: I waited a month for the apartment door to be install in the apartment before I moved in, in order to avoid the previous ladder laden entrance).  See for yourself! 

Me being really happy about all of the ladders

Sonia (or Soña as the library kids like to write) in the bell tower

Krysta's shoes & the city below

The girls (Sonia, Krysta, Sarah, me and Haley) at the top

Mt. Pichincha

Me and Krysta take a breather (one out of about 100) 

View of the trail ahead

Trying to hold our own against gusting wind

Until next time, 

Jackie

Hello Donors and Friends!

Welcome to my personal blog page!  Although I will be posting on the MPI Ecuador's daily life blog, Open Hands and Dirty Feet, I wanted to start one more specific to my projects so that you can read about where your much appreciated donations are going! 

When I first arrived in Conocoto, my days were filled with orienting myself with our community and helping run an Environmental Camp for kids, which was organized by an Ecuadorian couple, Cristian and Laura, who live close to our library.  The camp was filled with lessons about Ecuadorian ecology, environmental responsibility (the juvenile version), games and art projects.  My favorite lesson was when we took the kids to the farm in the backyard and taught them how to plant onions, celery, and lettuce.  Another reason why I loved camp so much was because Cristian has two dogs that look like a blown-up version of my dog, Desmond at home!  (see resemblance below)

Me and the kids from Enviro Camp

Me holding my dog, Desmond

Cristian's dog, Tommy ... so similar!

Camp was great especially because I will be teaching environmental science classes with another PD, Krysta Peterson, starting next week.  We decided to add it on as an extension of the children's English classes, whose theme is environmental awareness, holding an additional class during the week for science lessons and experiments.  I think this will be very positive since the most direct use for English here is for the eco-tourism industry. It's also easier to learn a language when there is a theme involved (first-hand experience of trying to learn the entire Spanish language in a month has certainly taught me that!) 

Me and my co-teacher, Krysta hiking waterfalls in Sangloqui

Another project I am working on include attacking the litter problem in our community; the president of the town council expressed interest in putting out public trash bins and educating people about why they shouldn't litter.  I am also planning to help the city of Sangloqui start up their recycling programs in the school district.  

Besides my environmental programs, I am working with another PD, Mike Gabrys, to run our library.  Our library is open Monday through Friday, from 2:30-6:30p.m.  We have about 2,000 books, a collection of games, art supplies, and a teen center that is open to the public and available for Socios to take out books.  Our biggest issues to tackle now that the space has been developed, are raising awareness to gain more members, getting local schools involved, and  making it more of a community space rather than a library run by a bunch of Americans. 

Some of our newly organized book shelves

One of the Niñas investigates the Children's section 

All of the PDs and the kids from our Niños camp, post-face paint day

I will update this site often, most likely weekly, with how my programs are going and what my life is like in Ecuador.  Please feel free to e-mail me with any specific questions or leave comments that I will be sure to respond to!  And, thank you again for your continued support and interest in my work here in Ecuador. 

Sarah, Mike, Erik, Me and Chet get ready for a field trip at the pool (bathing caps are required...)

Having a moment with Haley at the open health clinic last weekend

Me and all of the PDs, plus Bibi our Country Director, at my birthday brunch in Quito

Stay tuned early next week for pictures of our Manna house and the area that I live in!

Until Next Time, 

Jackie