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Feedback from Ecuador Volunteers

Here are some of the emails we have received from volunteers about their experiences in Ecuador

Amazon
Bilsa
Congal
La Hesperia
Lalo Loor
San Cristobal

"I felt I was well-prepared, but I sensed that some volunteers coming in had a very narrow vision of conservation. It might help to prepare others by explaining that conservation is not just planting trees; rather, it can take on many forms and we need to be open to the work required at a given volunteer site. I think that volunteering is more enjoyable if you don't go into it with fixed expectations because inevitably the projects do not match all of these preconceptions."

Zoe

Amazon

"The Amazon rainforest is amazing, everything I thought it would be, although it is the dry season here, so it has not rained much. I wish it would. I am also learning lots as well about the native plants and people. It's so cool to hike through the forest with a native guide and just listen to what he has to say about the medicinal value and the cultural value etc. and even though it's in Spanish I think I get most of it. I think I'm getting married to one of the kitchen staff in a classic example of miscommunication. My duties include not only washing dishes, but working with composting, feeding the chickens, pigs and etc., etc.

I spent a lot of time this week helping with an ongoing experiment looking at regenerating rainforest. I was setting up nets to catch seeds, to see how it happens naturally, you know, like what seeds are there and how did they get there, etc. This is often tedious work because you have to carry everything into the forest with you. I also worked in the organic garden which is an experimental little farm to learn/develop/practice sustainable farming techniques to teach to the local people so they can use some of the land that they have already cleared to live off of instead of clear cutting more to try and support themselves. Another place I have worked is a place called CCPA, the center for plants and trees of the Amazon. This is the place where they study the plants and try and regrow them to be replanted and such. All I have really done there so far is help them make a bus stop (which although it sounds stupid will actually be helpful). And, of course, there are always lots of hikes in the forest which I love. They are interesting and help to maintain the trails."

Matt

"I am learning so much...from how to use a machete to the details of the oil invasion in the Amazon. We work Monday-Friday from 7:30am to 12pm, have lunch, then back to work from 1:30-3:30. So far I have gotten to participate in such projects as: seed collecting and analysis in primary and secondary forest with Ana Mariscal, a doctorate student doing research for her dissertation; tending the organic garden, which experiments with organic farming techniques, developing knowledge that then helps the community; and tending the botanical garden, a place for community and student education. One of the most memorable experiences here so far was visiting a remote community for 3 days with one of the reserve staff. The community, 10 de agusto, is centered around a high school, which is developing land sustainably in order to attract ecotourism to the area. We went on an amazing hike through cloud forest to see 4 waterfalls that were the most stunning I had ever seen.

The staff are wonderful, and this has definitely been a great experience for me. They are even happy to help you improve your Spanish. Thanks for all you help in getting us here :o)"

Rebecca

All I can say is that I had the most unbelievable experience. It was hard work but hugely rewarding and after 6 weeks I didn't want it to end. I met so many great people, learnt so much about the environment. By the end it felt like my home, an experience I will never forget and I recommend to everyone.

Catriona

The staff at Amazon are awesome and friendly. There's a bar down the road and the volunteers and staff had many fun nights down there.

Nick

Bilsa

"Bilsa was amazing - I saw so many different types of birds (hummingbirds, toucans, umbrellabirds..), wacky bugs & butterflies, agoutis, armadillos, groups of howler monkeys, and even had a boa constrictor sleep under the house! It was fascinating going out with the scientists & learning about their projects and going on hikes over hill & dale and through river & waterfall! Helping out with the reforestation effort (collecting seeds, planting and watering) as well as work around the station was a great experience too. It's great to be able to put something back in but also sad when you see how much is still being lost..."

Jasmin

"There are about 13 volunteers at the moment and I am settling in nicely. It is pretty wet and humid and all of my clothes have been wet from my load of washing I did two days ago!

I have been doing various duties from kitchen help to bashing leaves with rocks to make natural pesticide and yesterday I helped the researchers collect and label plants."

Kylie

"The staff at Bilsa were fantastic. Even with our limited Spanish Carlos managed to get loads of stuff through to us, although I wont pretend it wasn't a relief when Juliet came back from leave as she speaks fluent english. Becasue of the remoteness of Bilsa there is no real option during free time but to spend it together, staff and volunteers. They went out of their way to make us feel welcome, especially once it became apparent that Conor could play the guitar!

Bilsa isn't as remote as it sounds! Well, it is far from any town but there is a timy hamlet of houses - the most important of which sells beers and rum! It's a good 20 minute walk when it's dry but as we had been told we would be near nowhere it came as a welcome surprise. The locals up there were quite often up for a game of football with the staff and volunteers for anyone interested. We were also lucky to catch a fiesta in La Y which was a good laugh. The trip to the community was another brilliant experience that I will never forget."

Wendy

"I had a wonderful time at Bilsa. The reserve is beautiful and there are many research projects to become involved with, most to do with reforestation of hardwood tree species. I was also able to spend some time in the local school which I really enjoyed. We also did a lot of hiking, to learn about the forest and maintain our presence on the reserve. The hikes are amazing and over some difficult terrain. There are many rivers on the reserve and nearly every hike involved some swimming or wading, but none of the rivers are suitable for canoeing, too shallow and too many rocks and waterfalls."

Christy

"I got back from Bilsa last night. I had an amazing time, the staff were wonderful. Julietta and Carlos were totally professional and lots of fun, in fact all the staff were lovely and so helpful despite the poor Spanish they had to put up with!

I did a personal project on ferns and the insects on them. I recognised quite a few genera from New Zealand (I was suprised how many) so we collected 60 insect samples using beating sheets from three of the main trails there and I have all the data in my diary.

I told Julietta I would write it up properly in between volunteering stints and do some basic statistics on it as well. We took some digital photos of the ferns, in case anyone wants to check my plant IDs. Not having seen any of the species before was a little difficult when they had no spores but the overall characteristics for the genera were pretty recogniseable."

Charlotte

The Bilsa reserve is totally great and I am really enjoying my time there! (Even if it is the rainy season and conditions are "rigorous" - i.e. mud, mud and more mud). I'm working on a project to compare natural regeneration and reforestation of tree species in an area of secondary forest. This means I spend most of my time in the forest, which is nice.

Siobhan

As to the work at Bilsa, mostly in was reforestation work and individual projects, which is pretty much what is stated in the information. The individual projects would be of interest to any volunteers wanting to get some field practice for their university courses. This because they're varied (some people were studying birds, others trees, and I was catching and photographing butterflies), interesting and pretty autonomous. It's nice for an organisation to place trust in you to get something done, especially if it's something you've suggested.

Duncan

Bilsa was absolutely amazing - I learned so much, loved the people there - both staff and volunteers - and loved the area! I never felt separated between the Bilsa staff and volunteers; we were just a big community. I highly recommend Bilsa for more adventurous volunteers. To all volunteers: arrive with and open mind and no expectation, you have to be able to go with the flow!

Robin

If you arrive and show interest in one are of study or biology then you will be able to something in that area. Also, if you like one of the scientists studies you can follow then around for a few days, and that is a fun time. The food is amazing at this site, thanks to Menita and Rosa. So don't worry about starving or not getting great meals. This was the best thing I've ever done in my life. I would highly recommend going to Bilsa. I loved every moment there and the place with the staff just add up to something special that I think everyone should have the chance to experience. It was truly an amazing experience.

Will

Congal

"Coming from the USA I was expecting things to be faster paced and more organized. However when I got accustomed to the laidback nature of the area and started working with the people at the reserve I found myself falling in love with both the culture and the environment. I had a wonderful and enlightening experience and I did not want to leave. I met so many great people, both volunteers and locals, who gave me a new insight into life. I also learned how to relax and take life at a slower pace, while enjoying all its different aspects."

Nichole

"Things have been going very well [at Congal]. I've created a few puppets, a stage, activities and lesson plans to teach through puppeteering and a stage for the local preschool, and I'm working on a project to sell a local instrument (an Afro-Ecuadorian marimba) to a few buyers in the United States."

Amanda

The school in the nearest village, Bunche, about a 25 min walk from the Reserve. There are 5 classrooms set around a large yard, although one of the classrooms has no main wall- it just opens straight out onto the yard. There's four teachers and a headmistress, none of whom speak any English. The classrooms are very basic- each has a large black board, a table for the teacher and 10-20 desks which the children are constantly moving around, and most have some sort of decoration, like a map of the world or the alphabet written out. The kids wear a smart uniform, and all have a pencil and work book, but very little else- theres hardly any books and what they do have are very out of date- theres no reading books at all. Class size varies, from 5-25, but the average is probably 10-15. Theyre divided up by age- the youngest class are 5-6, and the oldest are i think 12-13, they then go to a high school in the larger town of Muisne, a 15min boat ride away (which could also probably do with some English teachers)

The kids pay attention to some extent, and most are keen to learn, but its very difficult to teach them when you cant speak their langauge and have had no training in how to teach in a foreign language. We very much relied on flash cards (colours, food, drink, animals, basic greetings, numbers etc) and getting the children to repeat the English words over and over. I don't think learning this basic vocabulary without any means of progressing their understanding is doing any one any good- the volunteers who tried it got frustrated that we were going round in circles, and the kids arent really learning anything useful. Previous volunteers have started to form a curriculum, but with people coming and going so often, its very broken and mainly redundant. Ideally the school needs one experienced person prepared to go there for a long time and sort out a proper programme.

Claire

"Even though your information packet was detailed, there is no way to fully explain working in an unknown environment. Andres took about 2 hours to explain the goals, ownership and work Congal was trying to achieve.

The living conditions were adequate, the food was prepared always on time by Nuri or Myra and was tasty and nourishing.

But, honestly for the first week or so I wanted to return home. Yes, the work was as hard as the information said it was, yes, I missed my family, yes, I wondered if I was accomplishing anything at all. However, I am so thankful I did not cave in to the desire to leave too soon. As the days went by I realized that it takes time, energy and resources to keep the Biological Station working. The longer I was there the more I began to see the small accomplishments taking hold-- all adding to the bigger picture. Living in the USA, one becomes accustomed to seeing progress happen almost overnight. Whereas at the reserve life is slower, the work hard and it takes longer to see the results. But, when one does see the results, there are no words to express how gratifying that feels.

Andres kept us organized, the volunteers always knew what jobs were needed to be done. I learned to admire his patience, he never refused a volunteer who did not wish to perform a certain task, he tried to accommodate everyone's needs and was constantly asking if we had any ideas for improvement for the reserve. One thing that stood out was the Congal Reserve is his passion.

When it was time for me to leave I did not want to go for I learned so much about Aqua culture, jungle fauna, the ongoing turtle dilemma and the Ecuadorian peoples and culture, and I loved the local workers as well.

In conclusion, my overall experience was rewarding and I can only hope to be able to return again to be a part of the continual growth to the community and the reserve."

Sue

Things are going great here... We've been working at the local school to help build a fence for the children's garden, and currently I'm trying to decide if there is another project that I could possibly design. Other than that, I've just been working for the maintenance of Congal with the other volunteers, and enjoying this very interesting country!

Nikki

So far everything is going really well. The station co-ordinator and his family are very helpful, and the work has gone well. I am personally working on a few of my own little projects that I am confident will be successful with the locals, and I have high hopes for the next 6 weeks. The place is really beautiful, and this past weekend's carnival has really enabled me and my fellow volunteers to get an appreciation for the coastal culture.

Andrew

La Hesperia

"All is well, the reserve is stunning, and Ecuador is a beautiful country. I'm getting on well with the work and the other volunteers, although, as expected, I'm the granny!"

Helen

"At the request of the reserve administrator, I have begun a research project and insect fauna survey of La Hesperia. I am setting it up for them as a permanent project for the volunteers to undertake. I think I am going to arrange to stay on at La Hesperia until November, so that I can make sure the project gets off on a good footing. Thanks again for everything."

Elias

"The trip was eventful in the sense that Ecuador is a totally new experience for me and everything I did while getting to the reserve was totally new. I am having an amazing time here, I really feel like I chose the perfect place for volunteering. La Hesperia is gorgeous and the people there are absolutely wonderful. Juan Pablo and Alexandra work so hard, and I feel so lucky that I get to be part of the efforts on the reserve. I have a month left and I am already thinking that I need to come back!!

My Spanish is improving immensely, Juan Pablo and Alexandra speak Spanish to me often, and I talk to all of the staff there in Spanish. Just getting a chance to speak Spanish helps, especially while traveling. I have gone down to help teach at the school in La Esperie twice, and I am hoping to do it more."

Zoe

"I'm having a great time, and as you mentioned this place is excellent for birdwatching. My journey here was indeed safe and without trouble.

The reserve is wonderful. I have made many new friends, and the owners of the reserve are lovely people. Comparing this to my other trips abroad to do environmental work, this is probably at the top!

I have been recruited to continue a project in which my aim is to increase the list of bird species that have been seen on the reserve.....so yes, I'm in heaven."

Joe

"The family at 'La Hesperia', a new reserve, privately owned, were absolutely fantastic. The personal nature of their commitment to the reserve, and their welcome to 'us' volunteers has not been matched by any other experience I've had. They treated volunteers as part of an extended family, and allowed us a very deep and strong insight into their culture, the problems involved in conservation, both for local communities and the personal costs involved for owners of land. They were very positive, hard-working, and effectively invited us into their homes and hearts. It is possibly the best experience I have ever had, and has given me real hope for the future. I will definitely be returning to visit them."

Emma

Lalo Loor

"I've really enjoyed the work, but my hand is mangled from barbed wire and I have blisters all over my hands from the work. But overall it's been good stuff. The food is rice and eggs and beans all the time, the beds are like foam, not the most comfortable, but I'm in bed at 8 every night and up at 7:30 every morning, I kind of like my routine. Everything is going pretty well since I've been working. The work is the most challenging physical stuff I've ever done. Machetteing, digging holes, lugging water. Very hard stuff, but fun. Our shower consists of walking a half a mile into the rainforest and pouring dirty creek water on us.

Jonathan

I'm the only volunteer at the Lalo Loor reserve right now, a great way to practice Spanish. The small towns around the reserve on the beach are beautiful, and everything is reasonably priced. The work is always different and the food is good. I'm excited to transfer to Guandera next week and see even more of the country.

Jonathan

San Cristobal

"I did indeed arrive home safely, though I wasn't too happy about it - I wanted to stay in Ecuador! :) I had a great time at the San Cristobal station - thanks for helping me make it happen and thanks for setting me up with such a fun volunteer project.

If you're looking for habitat restoration, food production, a bit of construction and all-around physical outdoor work with great people, you'll have a great time. That staff at the station are amazing and it's great to meet other volunteers as well."

Lacey

"The Islands and the reserve are absolutely beautiful. Experiencing the Galapagos from a volunteer perspective is amazing because you get to do and see things that regular tourists cannot."

Carmen

"The people [at the reserve] are exceptionally good people. Trying to make us all as comfortable as possible and having us welcome at the program, I felt at home at once."

Katharina

"I'm loving the reserve and San Cristobal! The people are great and the reserve is beautiful. I really like the organization and people. The work is hard, but very satisfying. And I'm definitely improving my Spanish."

Erin

"Things are going great here. We have electricity, running water and our own chef! The work is hard, but rewarding, and the days go by quickly. We also have the weekends off to go and relax at the town by the beach."

Megan

"The volunteers, staff and location are fantastic. The work is not always easy, but anyone is capable to excel. I enjoyed myself more than I ever imagined I would - go!"

Jana