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Rachel in Ecuador
Hello all! Well it was really rainy here the other day but the last two days have been very hot, which has made the cold showers a bit more pleasant!!!
On Tuesday I was in the organic garden for the first time and we had an induction about it. Pedro was telling us how it works. They are experimenting with different growing conditions - comparing traditional and more modern uses etc. - and they are hoping to be able to produce tomatoes and passionfruits and other things that you don't normally find in this part of Ecuador. The aim is to show the local people what they can grow in a small amount of land cos at the moment it seems that each generation will destroy a new bit of the forest in order to grow the same things as their fathers did. However, this place doesn't have the funding to have someone permanantely there and many of the volunteers don't have enough knowledge to always know what to do if a plant gets sick so it's a rather slow process. A big problem is with the soil because it's a very clay-like substance and the plants set their roots through it looking for water and never reach any so they shrivel and die, or they find water but because it sits there it drowns the plants and they die as well. So they are experimenting with layering techniques on top of this clay to see if that helps the plants grow more. Then they will be able to go to the communities and help the people.
Yesterday it was sooooooo hot we didn't get too much work done. I was in the nursery section of the botanical garden in the afternoon and we were getting rid of the weds and dead leaves around the seedlings. However, I got bitten lots and lots and now my legs are really itchy! So we asked the Shaman what we could do and he showed us a plant that you can use the fruits of and rub them on yourself and it's a natural insect repellant. I don't know if it worked though because it was already too late! It looked funny though cos it made me go orange and I looked like I had a really bad fake tan!
Last night I had a really bad fright. I was lying on my bed under my mosquito net when something started scrabbling at it trying to get in at me!! I ran outside to get help cos I'm too weak to deal with that sort of thing on my own. I was shaking so much. It turned out it was a big moth! One of the other volunteers had to go in with a big broom to get it out cos i refused to go back in until it had gone!!!
Today I went into the forest again and it was sooooo much hard work. We had to climb up a really steep hill and cos of all the rain it was really muddy! Then we didn't see any animals :( However, I did get to speak lots of Spanish - I was telling the guide about the royal family! Then I had my lunch but passed on the soup cos it had chicken feet in it!
In the bar the other day there was a massive grasshopper or something - it was about 6" long. It was horrible. One of the other volunters was carrying it around on his back and even put it on his face! It gave me the creeps. I feel I ought to tell you about the toilet there - it's not plumber in so in order to flush it you have to fill a jug with water and pour it down! Anyways, on that note I'm gonna leave you. Rachel xxx
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