May Term Class: Ecological Economics in Ecuador

Peter Wise shares his perspective on our visit to Kallari:   Tuesday, our sixth day in Ecuador. It is getting hard to remember which day of the week it is. The group is bonding ever closer and the stress of traditional school is not present. Days are no longer Wednesday, Thursday, Friday etc., but the … Keep reading »

Here is the first of several descriptions of our visit to an impressive organization — Kallari Cacao Cooperative.  This one is writen by Kara Hostetter: We participated in a simulated Minga, a collective community harvest on a cacao farm. For about an hour we twisted yellow cacao fruit off, tossed the fruit down assembly lines, … Keep reading »

Laura Hochstetler is the first student to write about our experience at Yachana Lodge and Foundation.  Here is her description of a night out in the jungle: Upon hearing that we had the option to either go to bed or explore the rain forest in the dark, Lydia, my roommate, and I were faced with … Keep reading »

Megan Strock writes about our rafting trip on the Jondachi and Hollin rivers — these were Class III and Class IV rapids and our guides at River People Rafting gave us the time of our lives while teaching us all about white water: I can officially cross rafting in the Amazon off my bucket list! … Keep reading »

Here is a post from David Zehr:   Ecuador is a fascinating Country filled with jungles, mountains, beaches and Urban cities. Our trip began with a jaunt over the Andes, followed by several exciting days in the sometimes Damp, sometimes hot area near Tena. Often our time has been filled with incredible sights, great learning … Keep reading »

This is the first of many student perspectives we’ll be sharing this term.  This first post is written by Marcos Castillo:   After a long, informative ethnobotanical tour in the jungle bordering the town of Puyo, I took advantage of the free time to explore the town’s market as well as climb a sightseeing tower. … Keep reading »

The Amazon River gets filled by tributaries like the Lupi, a clear creek that runs next to our home for this first week in the rain forest.    We arrived here just in time for a quick swim — then dinner and some well-deserved rest.  The women in the group are staying in Barbasco Cabin, … Keep reading »

Ecuador is rich in biological, economic and cultural diversity. Its rain forest is home to countless species of native flora and fauna. The nation exports petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp, cacao, coffee, lumber and fish. And more than a dozen distinct indigenous groups still reside in the mountains and jungles, seeking the benefits of economic … Keep reading »