Thanks to everyone who helped make Ec3 — Ecological Economics in Ecuador — a great course! Thanks to our guides for taking us to deep into the rain forest … getting us out there and back again safely. Thanks to all the experts we encountered during our travels, people with knowledge both formal and informal … Keep reading »
Lydia
The students’ final blog entry: Lydia Miller describes the adventure she found on the return trip to Quito: Pulling in to the city of Banos, we knew we were in for something very different from our previous week of roughing it in the depths of the jungle. Banos is in the mountains, and it´s a … Keep reading »
Peter S
We are reminded that eco-tourism is not a panacea for all the world’s problems. Here is a parody written by Peter Schrock: As their air-conditioned bus pulled away from the lodge, the tourists celebrated their near-impossible victory over a multitude of humanity’s greatest challenges. Their heroic four-night trip to first class facilities in the heart … Keep reading »
Viren
Viren Wadhwa writes about traveling up the Zabalo River to go fishing with our Cofan guides: Our next activity while camping was fishing. Soon enough, we loaded our canoe with about twelve students and fishing rods and set out up the river. Little did we know that it was going to be a while until … Keep reading »
Sarah
Sarah Hofkamp reflects on her time on the Zabalo River: Camping in the jungle with the Cofans included a lot of canoeing up and down the small Zabalo River. In one specific instance, some of us traveled in large motorized canoes, others were floating down-river in small canoes, about 2/3rds the size of canoes that … Keep reading »
Christian
This is Christian Bechler’s account on a canoe ride down the river, set in the context of “ecological economics”: One morning an economics class convened unexpectedly. It taught about Human Capital, but also that economics lessons can happen at any time. Then in the afternoon the lesson was repeated. Natural Capital: the river Zabalo, … Keep reading »
Jon
Jon Kaase reports on what he considered “the wildest night yet”: I found our rafting experience quite wild and very fun, but as my childhood dream had always been to see the wildlife of the Amazon I was still longing for more. It was during our two days camping I had the “wildest” experience so … Keep reading »
Brian
Brian Charles reflects on our time with the Cofan people: Over the last week of the term, we had the pleasure of spending time in the community of Zabalo, a Cofan village. We took a three hour boat ride to this community from the nearest town. So we were really “out there”. Part of our … Keep reading »
Helena
Here is Helena Neufeld’s contribution: Instead of describing one definite, finite, event, I’ll describe an on-going struggle in all of our experiences: that of not itching your skin off. Yesterday on the bus, I lazily counted up the bites on my legs, careful not to touch them, and ended up with a solid 150—between 70 … Keep reading »
Gloria
Here is Gloria Showalter’s account of chicha making with the women at San Juan de Agua Rico: It was 4:30 am. A handful of GC women huddled around a large wooden basin. We watched Silvia, our hostess, empty a pot of steaming yuca into the basin in front of us. We were making chicha, a … Keep reading »