Que sera sera

In an effort to keep up with my commitment to write 4 blogs per month, I'm going to attempt to write two more (including this one) before February rolls on in - is it really February already?!

Today is a pretty legitimate milestone for a few reasons: first, one of my very favorite friends, Dana Zichlin here is training with us for the week! She's heading to Guatemala on Thursday for her 7-week long feasibility study to determine whether Manna will start a brand new site there this summer! I'm so excited for her and who knows, maybe I'll be a PD there someday... (hey, a girl can dream of another $7,500 falling into her lap).

All of MPI Ecuador loves Dana!

And second, today marks the exact halfway point for my 13-month volunteer service here in Ecuador! The first 6.5 months have really flown and I can only imagine how much of a whirlwind the second half will be with spring break streaming in soon with summer trailing closely behind.

So, I figured I would take this time to let you know what I'll be up to for the next 6.5 months!

Agriculture: We'll be hosting monthly charlas in the library, all AG-focused, starting with a talk February 6th on raising pigs. I hope to incorporate organic farming methods into our monthly charla series, in collaboration with Fundacion Añamisi, an organization we work closely with. We also have recently purchased $200 worth of new agriculturally-focused books for adults to use in the library. I'm also planning two Saturday-morning workshops on composting and making rain barrels; composting helps families save money and use more organic methods, while rain barrels have become a popular topic because of the recent droughts.

Environment: In collaboration with the Mingas program, we have been working on installing public trash bins and promoting a cleaner, litter-free Rumiloma. We plan to kick-start the advertising campaign by working with local artists. We are also planning for one paseo (field trip) for kids in the library every month. Our Saturday destinations include local nature reserves, rivers, and organic farms all with the intention of exposing kids in our community to the great wonders of their natural world... because after all 'In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we're taught'

Other projects: I'm continuing to help run the library, mainly by applying to grants that will hopefully give us financial security for this space in the future, and helping run a reading contest for kids starting in the spring. I also teach advanced children's English and Estudios Mundiales, a new class that combines Geography, hands-on science, and environmental awareness.

Needless to say, it's very good to have another 6 months here to see these projects unfold, explore the valley, wander around weekend markets, travel on weekends, and enjoy everyday life with my 8 other compañeros.