Coffee & fireworks

This week included a couple of field trips and a total of two extremely close-up fireworks shows. Also multiple parades.
San Cristobal is celebrating its independence day as well as a few other things I'm not 100% sure about. There have been lots of parties these two weeks, and I went to a parade last week when the queen of San Cristobal was being crowned.

The contestant from my neighborhood.

After the parade, there was a concert and fireworks. There were dancers from town that performed, food, and lots of people. It was really cool.
Last week, we went on a field trip to El Cafetal, the farm that produces Galapagos Coffee, and another farm in the highlands. We saw coffee growing in the understory of the forest, a more environmentally-friendly way to grow coffee as it protects the species who live in the forest habitat and is not a monoculture. We took the coffee berries right off the bushes and sucked on them. They definitely did not taste like coffee. We also went to El Junco, a freshwater lake. We volunteered on the farm and helped the owner do a month of work in a few hours. I'm glad that this was part of our class because farming reminds me of home and it felt good to be among a forest of tomato plants for a little while to help a local farmer.

Working in the tomato forest.

We went to multiple parties in town this week. One night, I went down with my family to watch the second fireworks display. Both displays involved a massive tower lined with fireworks that simultaneously were lit up, followed by extremely close up-in-the-air type fireworks. It was super impressive and dangerous, and one of my friends was hit on the head with a firework rock! We definitely learned our lesson to stay farther away from these over-the-top shows.

My sisters Dayana and Analia in front of our house.

Last week, I finished up my open water diver's certification! We went on a total of 4 dives in the ocean and 1 in the pool. It was such a surreal experience to be able to breathe underwater, and I've already seen some awesome things on our dives, including a shipwreck! The Galapagos are one of the best places to dive in the world, so I decided that this certification would definitely be worth it. Soon, I'm going to plan a night dive and a trip to Kicker Rock, a place a boat ride away from the island where you can see hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, giant schools of fish, and lots of other amazing things. I feel so lucky that the first place I get to dive is the Galapagos. It's also a lot cheaper than a diver certification in the States, so I don't feel bad about spending all of the extra money. 

Next week marks the beginning of Carnaval. So the parties in San Cristobal will continue. I'll make sure I document that here.

I think I'm beginning to assimilate here. It's a lot different than Quito because Quito was fairly westernized and felt a little closer to the US. Here, there's more of a culture shock. It's a unique feeling to be on an island in the middle of the ocean with nowhere else to go but here. There is definitely that relaxed, easy-going islander attitude that is rubbing off on everyone. People who tended to be very organized and type-A at home have said that they are changing. I think my personality fits with this lifestyle; I've never been one to micromanage everything. However, it's still a big change to be restricted to one 558 square kilometer piece of land. I guess I've never before realized my continental privilege. 

Chao!

First week in Galapagos

So now I am writing from San Cristóbal, Galapagos. San Cristóbal is the island closest to mainland Ecuador, and we flew in on a one and a half hour flight from Guayaquil on Sunday. I wasn't really sure what to expect, and I haven't even seen that much of the island, but I will tell of the experiences I have had so far.

This is the town I live in, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. This picture was not retouched in any way, the water is actually that blue. What I do with most of my time here, when I'm not in class, is go to the beach. There are some amazing beaches on the island, most of which I haven't even seen yet. I also have gone snorkeling tons of times, and every time I see the most amazing marine life. I've seen tons of fishes, sea turtles, sea lions, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, pelicans, frigate birds, Darwin finches, the list goes on. Since the wildlife here has no natural predators, nothing is scared of you. That's one of the reasons Galapagos is one of the biggest tourist destinations (besides being the birthplace of evolution and modern Biology and all), is because you can easily see wildlife that you might never see otherwise. I'm sure I will post plenty of pictures of sea lions and such (because sea lions are EVERYWHERE), but for now I've been taking it easy with the pictures.

My backyard, with my family's two puppies.

Annaliya, my four year old host sister.

Playa Mann, the beach in front of my university.

My host family consists of my mom, dad, and twelve year old and four year old host sisters. They are really nice and easy to get along with, even though I don't speak much Spanish. I feel comfortable practicing my Spanish with them, and I think they will really help me learn. We live in a small, orange house that I need to climb a hill to get to, and I wasn't lucky enough to get internet in my house, but I was lucky enough to get air conditioning in my room, which I definitely prefer. It is so hot here. I know I can't really complain with Ohio and Michigan covered by multiple feet of snow, but still. 

A look-out point near Tijeretas, an awesome snorkeling spot.

The path to Tijeretas.

I am liking living here so far. It's a lot different from Quito because I no longer have to be constantly worrying about being robbed and getting places. Here, I walk everywhere, feel totally safe at night, and no matter where I go I will find some friends. I am planning on starting diving classes soon to get certified which I am really excited for, Galapagos is supposed to be one of the best places in the world for diving. The night life here is also fun. I will keep updating on what it's like to live in Galapagos, and post more pictures. Hasta luego!

Las montañas

Two weeks ago (I know it's been too long) I spent time in the paramo, at Chimborazo, and in the cloud forest. The paramo is a grassland that exists at a certain elevation, and only a few plants and animals are able to thrive there. One of those animals is the vicuna, a relative of the alpaca, PICTURED HERE:

The paramo has really harsh conditions, spanning from desert-like rocky areas to lower elevations with lots of grasses, shrubs, and hummingbirds. The weather changes really rapidly there; it can go from summer to winter in just a few hours. While we were hiking, it hailed on us and then an hour later became sunny and warm. And the views from up there were amazing. 

Valerian, which can be used as a relaxant.

Paramo

Hiking this high was pretty difficult. After just a few steps, my heart was beating really fast and I felt like I had just been running. It was really rewarding to get to our top spot, which was called the ear of Chimborazo, a cave where indigenous people went to pray to the mountain. When we reached the cave, our guide said a prayer in Quechua to help us have a safe and happy journey in Ecuador. It was really beautiful.

Our professor, Esteban, in the ear of Chimborazo.

Next stop was the cloud forest. This might have been my favorite field trip so far. Unfortunately I was not able to take any pictures there, so I will paint a picture with my words. The cloud forest is typically how you imagine a jungle, with plants living literally everywhere, to the point that epiphytes, or plants that grow on trees branches, cover up to 135% of branches there. When we went, it was incredibly muddy and we sank into the mud with almost every step, making the hike pretty difficult, which some people didn't like. However, I thought it was awesome and I stayed behind our guide, who wielded a machete through the forest to clear the way for us. After we finally made it to our halfway point, we swam in an ice-cold waterfall, which felt way too cold but really great at the same time. The cloud forest got its name from its higher elevation unlike that of a tropical rainforest like Tiputini; clouds roll through the forest, water condenses on the trees and flows downward, making it super wet and plant-y. I really loved all of the biodiversity and abundance of plants there, and I thought even though it was hard to hike through, it was incredibly beautiful.

On our way to the cloud forest, we saw Banos, a really cool town boasting a huge active volcano, Tungurahua. The crazy thing is, two weeks after we left Banos and the cloud forest, Tungurahua had a lot of activity and a huge ash storm resulted. Here's a picture I took of the volcano: 

Here's a video of it erupting: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/ecuadors-tungurahua-volcano-erupts-spews-ash/

This is terrible for the residents of Banos because it can contaminate water, kill animals, and be an all-around nuisance for people to clean up and such. But you have to admit, it's still really awesome. Ecuador is just so awesome. 

P.S. I am in Galapagos now! I will post soon about that, I just found a reliable internet connection to use!

La selva

Last week I got to do something I have always dreamed of: going to the Amazon rainforest. The first day we traveled there by plane, boat, bus, and then boat. It's that isolated. We first went down the Napo River, into indigenous as well as oil company territory, and then down the Tiputini River. We stayed at Tiputini Biodiversity Station which is owned by USFQ.

On the way there, we saw river dolphins coming up for air. We had to stop the boat repeatedly to look at all of the amazing wildlife we were already seeing. Once we got to the station, we went swimming because the station is incredibly hot and humid. We all stayed in cabins that were supplied with treated water from the river and electricity 2 times per day. I felt very isolated from the rest of the world and I loved it.

On the second day, we met our guide Myer, and he took us on several hikes throughout Tiputini's land. First, we went to the tower, a structure with lots of stairs and a platform sitting on top of a giant seba tree. From there, we could see above the canopy of the rainforest in every direction. We stood up there for about an hour looking for wildlife and enjoying the view. From here, there was nothing but trees in every direction.

 

The stairs up to the tower.

From the tower, we saw woolly monkeys, toucans, parrots, lots of other birds, and lots of epiphytes, or plants that live on the branches of trees. After the tower, we went over to the bridges, which are Indiana Jones-style rope bridges that span the canopy. We had to wear harnesses while we walked the bridges and connect them to cables in case the bridges collapsed which was scary but reallllly cool. It was so fun and gave us a great view of the forest, even though I was repeatedly bitten by ants.

After lunch, we went to a lagoon and took a canoe around to see the wildlife living there. The vegetation there was so beautiful, with small islands of palms and vines throughout the muddy water. We saw some amazing birds like the Hoatzin and Oropendola, which makes really cool nests that hang from trees and has an awesome call.

Oropendola nests

Everyday I spent at Tiputini I swam in the river. It felt great to get in the cold water after being in the heat and humidity all day. The rainforest is so humid that we had to keep our electronics in a "dry box" or else they would stop working after a day. The river had a strong current that we would float in, and after we got out, our skin and hair would be really soft due to the minerals in the river.

One day, we had a class discussion about the issues that the oil companies have brought to the indigenous communities and the rainforest. It was eye-opening to learn about how the social dynamics of indigenous people have changed since the oil companies have introduced Western industry and economics into the lives of these people. Since the indigenous people now have the need for money, they have created an industry of killing wild game and using the oil company's transportation to sell it at a market. This is causing "empty forest syndrome" in this area because the forest is still intact, but the indigenous people are taking animals out at a fast rate. Coming up with a solution for this problem in our class discussion was very difficult.

The last day we floated down the river in life jackets which was really fun. At night, we rode a boat down the river to see some caimans, which are relatives of alligators and crocodiles. When we were returning, we saw the full moon over the river, which was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen and will always stay with me as an image of the Amazon. It's hard to describe one of the most biodiverse places on earth, but the rainforest was a place that felt more alive than anywhere I've been. I really hope I can go back one day and maybe do something to help this amazing place.

Now, here are some more pictures of the Amazon. Since I only had a smartphone that didn't work very well for pictures, most of these are taken from Meg Sullivan and April Woerner because they had awesome cameras and are great photographers.

Spider monkeys

Caiman

Next to a huge fig tree

Dung beetle

My hand after it was dyed by a fruit

Week 1

I've now been living in Ecuador for a week. I had a tough time getting here because I realized that my plane was arriving a day earlier than everyone else's, so I had to change my flight. So my first lesson has been to always check dates.
My host family met me at the airport on Saturday night. I have a host father, Raul, and mother, Cati. They are really great and interesting people, and their three children are studying at schools in Germany and America. My roommate Ashley and I live in the rooms of their two girls. They also have a chihuahua named Picasso and a husky named Luc.
We had orientation on Monday and Tuesday. The university talked to us about how dangerous the city of Quito is and how we can stay safe while living here. We went on a bus tour of Quito through the university and my host dad also drove my roommate and I through the city. It's very old and very beautiful, with lots of colors, amazing views, and lots of churches. This is San Francisco church, the oldest in Quito.

Ecuadorians are some of the most friendly people I've ever met. Although the university kept warning us to watch out for criminals preying on gringos, I feel at home here. The other night, Cati made cookies and tea for her friends and neighbors, and we sat around the table and talked--I mostly listened because they were speaking Spanish. Whenever you meet someone new or see a friend, it's customary to kiss them on the cheek. I really like how open and inviting the people are, though I do get stared at quite a bit because I am an outsider. A couple of neighbors took us out for drinks that night and we talked about Ecuadorian culture and Spanish phrases that we should know, and it was really fun.

I started class on Wednesday. I'm taking Tropical Ecology and Beginner's Spanish. Our campus is SO beautiful, but extremely confusing because the buildings are all connected which makes it kind of like a labry

The main hall at USFQ, Maxwell.

nth.
Next week, I will be traveling to Tiputini Biodiversity Station in the Amazon. I am so excited for this trip! We are going to stay in cabins all week in the rainforest and see so many plants and animals that we have never seen before. The week after that, we have a trip to Chimborazo, the tallest mountain in Ecuador and closest place on earth to the sun, as well as Mindo, where a cloud forest is located. The trips we get to take in this program are amazing.

Chimborazo

I love living in the mountains. The view is gorgeous everywhere you look. Today we went to a place called Papallactas, a small Andean town with lots of hot springs. We went swimming in these super hot pools with views of the mountains on all sides. It was so high up that for the first time, I was having trouble breathing. Still, it was really beautiful and I saw what a small Andean community looks like.

I've gone out a few times as well, every time with Ecuadorian people. The night life is really fun; last night we went to a club and I learned to dance the merengue and salsa. Dancing here is so much different than it is in the U.S., it's faster and actually requires some skill. I had a lot of fun this week and as excited I am to go to the Galapagos, I wish we had a little more time in Quito. I've met some great people so far and there are so many opportunities to make friends and experience Ecuadorian culture. Though the first few days I was having some trouble adjusting, I think I am beginning to get comfortable here. The most difficult part of living here is not being able to speak Spanish, but I think I will become better eventually.

I will be gone next week, but my next post will be about my trip to the Amazon!

T-minus 5 days

Hello! My name is Sam and I'm spending my last semester of college in Ecuador. The first month of my study abroad experience will be in Quito, the capital city, and Tiputini Biological Station, which is deep inside the Amazon rainforest. Then, I will spend the next three months in the Galapagos Islands! I'm taking a total of 5 Biology classes while in Ecuador. I will be on my plane to Quito in t-minus 5 days.

When I first heard about this opportunity, I thought it would be a bad idea to spend my very last semester of college in another country when I could be spending it with my friends at CMU. It was a really hard decision to make--to leave everyone and everything I know behind and adapt to a new way of life for 4 months. However, I know I'm doing the right thing by taking a risk and seeing a part of the world I might never otherwise be able to see. I've always loved traveling, but I've never been gone for so long, and they never tell you how hard it is to say goodbye to your life.

Still, I know when I get there I will be so immersed in the incredible things I'll see that I won't have much time to miss home. I am an equal parts mixture of excited and nervous, and I feel completely unprepared for what's ahead but totally ready to experience it. I will try to post often to share my trip and let you in on what it's like to live in Ecuador!