Hola from Las Delicias, Ecuador!
Weāve had an amazing jam packed week down here in Ecuador! Leaving Quito, we took our first long haul bus toward the small town of Santo Domingo, watching Spanish-dubbed Hollywood movies played on the bus and ogling at all the snacks offered by the local vendors each time we stopped.
We ended our journey in the small town of Las Delicias where we met up with Juan Carlos and Chari, who would become our hosts for the week at Las Delicias Banana Farm!
Staying at Las Delicias was an almost constant mix of learning and fun. With 4 hours of daily Spanish classes testing our attention spans every morning, we received a crash course of grammar and vocabulary that will certainly prove useful in the weeks to come.
After a lunch of delicious food (rice, beans, yuka, fish, and of course an endless supply of bananas) we explored different parts of the farm and learned about what it means to be a ābananeroā (banana farmer) here in Ecuador. Juan Carlos told us all about the whyās and whatās about going organic (which him and his family are currently in the process of implementing throughout the entirety of their 47 acres) as well as some practical info about the environment and the impact of chemicals used in plantations on the surrounding nature. We took a day to help the family harvest and pack some bananas, (all the while practicing our new Spanish vocabulary) and saw just how much work goes in to getting bananas from the farm to the table.
We spent an afternoon down at the river, played plenty of soccer with the locals, and did loads of fun activities organized by our amazing Carpe Diem Guides! In our down time we lounged on hammocks, stumbled through conversations, and even had a few bonfires in the evenings!
This week weāll be transferring to a smaller farm on the Ecuadorian coast, to continue utilizing our language skills and learn even more about sustainable living, friendship, and la vida ecuatoriana!
Until next time,
Adam
