Sunday, January 9, 2011

Paramo Field Trip (13,000 feet!)

On Wednesday of this week, a few other teachers and I took a 3 day, 2 night field trip with 44 of our 6th graders up to the Ecuadorian paramo (ecosystem), where we stayed at a camp that was 3,818 meters (12,526 feet) and hiked up to 4,100 meters (13,451 feet). Surrounded by volcanoes, we could even see into Colombia.

We also stopped and visited the small town of Maravilla, which was settled by Afro-Ecuadorians. They shared their history, pottery, and dances, while their children played with our students in the street. (The story goes that a slave ship traveling to Brazil crashed, and the surviving slaves made their way to Esmaraldas (northern Ecuadorian beach) and settled there. Though there is still quite a bit of prejudice today towards Black Ecuadorians, they are considered a valid part of the society and respected for their culture).
On the bus

With indigenous girls

Handmade Otavalan Tapestries

Otavalan Weaver




Sugar Cane Farm

Sugar Cane Hacienda
Making the "panela" sugar from sugar cane




Guinea Pigs, ripe for the cooking ("Cui)




Milking the cows


Maravilla

Maravilla - the flirting begins

Culture lessons
Handmade pottery

Cabins at Polylepis Lodge



Higher view of Polylepis Lodge





Mud!!!

Muddy boots






Milk at the cheese factory



2 comments:

Anonymous said...

mud!!

Lauren said...

by the way that was me...;)loved the pics...looks so beautiful.

Lauren