The Journey of a Friendly Giant

I remember hearing the word "6 months" during my pre-departure training and feeling a bit scared everytime thinking " wow thats a very long time ". Now here I am 6 months later wondering where the time went! I'm wishing I had more time to continue contributing to projects within Puerto Hondo, to keep working with the kids from the environmental club, and simply keep enjoying this beautiful's country's music, food, language and people. But alas, tomorrow is the day I hop on a plane and head back to Canada. My last month has been a bit crazy because I moved from my apartment, which made internet a rare thing to come by. Today is my official "despedida" Which means official farewell , and is usually associated with a goodbye party. It will be a sad day full of tears, at least on my end, but I'll be prepared with a full roll of toilet paper. I also plan to hand out goodbye letters that I spent last night writing for the people I've go...

Cerro Blanco is a part of Bird Life international and is considered an important area because of its several bird species that are critically endangered and rely on its environment.  For those that do not know him, Eric Horstman, my boss, is extremely passionate about nature and its protection.   “I have personally noticed his love for birds. He often attends international conferences, and has developed quiet a name for himself through several different international networking events.” -Tania Rios, supervisor at Cerro Blanco Yellow tailed Oriole  Two years ago, Eric received a message from a woman named Jane Johnson. She was in the process of completing a children’s book about a Grey Cheeked Parakeet that they owned named Tangerine. He was happy to help Jane Johnson with anything that she needed to know about the bird. After a few months of emailing back and forth, Jane and her husband Clifford Johnson finally decided to visit Cerro Blanco to see the colorf...

I've been sick for the past 5 days, and haven't been able to eat a solid meal for a  while. I never knew my stomach was so sensitive until I came to Ecuador. It was bound to happen, I was warned about this before my arrival. I will write a proper blog once I'm fully recovered. For now, my health is the most important thing. Send positive thoughts my way!