Following a late arrival into Quito, our group of young explorers got a chance to get to know each other over a few delicious slices of pizza at our home away from home, Hostal Arupo.
Our first morning began with a much anticipated orientation. With a mixture of ice breakers, itinerary dissection, and health and safety discussions, everyone came out with a better sense of the expedition ahead.
Afterwards we broke into our On Assignment groups. Hannah's Wildlife and Conservation team discussed some of the many problems facing the country of Ecuador. From governmental corruption to oil pipelines, the students talked about possible ideas for their On Assignment projects. Colby and Rachel's Photography students had their first informational talks on travel photography. They learned everything from the basics of Photography to exposure to how to connect to their photos.
Next we had the opportunity to wander through a beautiful weekend artisan market. Held in one of the many public parks in Quito, the group took in the surrounding Ecuadorian culture as locals played soccer, sold handicrafts and strolled through the park.
After an early dinner the group headed into the "Old Town" of Quito (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) for a unique evening tour of the city. The students learned much about the history of the city through art, architecture and the undeniable influence of women.
We began our second day in Quito with an early desayuno (breakfast) and a walk through another open air weekend market. From Panama Hats to locally grown coffee beans and paintings to local handicrafts the students experienced the thrill of a Latin American market and many picked up a few memorable items.
That afternoon we boarded a pair of buses and took off for the tranquil town of Mindo, home to one of Ecuador's renowned cloud forests. When we arrived we were greeted by overcast skies and light rain; as you can imagine, this weather is quite typical for a cloudforest! After checking into our hotel, the students ventured out in groups of three to explore the forests of Mindo. National Geogrpahic Expert Dr. David Silverberg joined us that evening and gave an amazing lecture on the geographical diversity of Ecuador.
Our second day in Mindo began with a morning hike through a part of the Nambio Protected Reserve. Our guides Niki and Danny pointed out endemic flora and many birds as we made our way down to a spectacular waterfall. After swimming in the pools beneath the waterfall, we trekked out of the reserve and back into town. In the afternoon the students broke into their On Assignment teams where they brainstormed ideas for upcoming On Assignment projects.
Yesterday morning we woke up early to check out the famous butterfly sancuatary just outside of town. Students enjoyed learning about the butterflies and many students shot photos of fellow group members as butterflies landed on most everyone! Next we headed straight to the Mindo River where we boarded intertubes that were tied together for an intense ride down the river (see photos below!).
As you can tell from this update, all is well here. Enjoy the photos and until soon.
Saludos,
Colby, Hannah, and Rachel
