Ricketts Glenn

In the heart of the semester when the workload is beginning to become insufferable, and

when it seemed that my ability to function began to diminish as I dealt with a horrible mixture of

anxiety, stress, and uncertainty, all while fighting the symptoms of sleep deprivation our class

went on a weekend trip to Ricketts Glenn. Needless to say, this was the best weekend of my fall

semester.

At Stockton University the Environmental Science program is one of the bigger

programs. From my experience, there is no guarantee of ever having multiple classes with the

same people. With that said, it really is not surprising that I did not know all of thirteen other

students attending the trip. Actually, I knew only two of them before the start of the fall

semester. One from a class in the fall of our freshman year, and the other by chance in a summer

class. It was for this reason the trip to Ricketts Glenn was meant to serve two purposes. The

first being to act as a way to measure our hiking abilities and the second to as a bonding

experience for us. Needless to say, with no cell phone service, questionable food, uncomfortable

sleeping conditions, and being in the middle of nature, it worked rather well.

The start to the weekend wasn’t without flaws as we left much later than intended and hit

Philadelphia traffic that added a total of two hours to the travel time. Luckily for us these events

weren’t foreshadowing the rest of the weekend. By the time we arrived at Ricketts Glenn the sun

had already set. Due to my time as a Boy Scout my group was still able to set up the tent with

ease. As I put my gear in the tent, I realized that I left my sleeping matt in the back of my car at

Stockton. Annoyed with my rookie mistake I focused on being productive by building the fire

for cooking.
 The plan for dinner was to make hamburgers and hot dogs as they were easy to transport

and easy to cook. The only thing is the hamburgers were, for lack of a better word, uncanny.

Let me explain. First off, there was the issue of the hamburgers defrosting in transportation. All

the ice melted and became water inside of the packages. The next issue was that the hamburgers

were completely falling apart and for some reason wouldn’t compress back together. But the

weirdest issue that we experienced was that the meat was the wrong color. The meat was an off

white gray color. I helped our professor buy the food and I swear we bought a normal brand.

Either way the gray meat still tasted like meat, so all’s well that ends well. I can honestly say

that was the first, and hopefully the last, time I will ever eat a gray hamburger.

Despite the first day hiccups there were no issues the rest of the trip. The rest of the trip

consisted of hiking at one of the nicest times in the year when trees start to turn that blend of

orange, yellow, and red. We got to see waterfalls and relax by stunning scenery. We even got to

witness our professor’s talent when it came to skipping rocks.

That night we enjoyed food that tasted amazing, the reason for this thinking more likely

not caused by our hunger. After satisfying our fill we told stories around the campfire that I

helped make. It truly was a great weekend. I was grateful to get to know everyone and this trip

got me excited for the trip yet to come.

 The Galapagos Islands

Day 1 January 1st

The trip started by the majority of students meeting at Stockton to take the shuttle to our

hotel at 3:00. We arrived at the hotel at 6:00 and got settled into our rooms. I roomed with three

other students one of which who was the TA. My room then helped our professor bring pizza up

stairs so that the group could have dinner. After dinner two presentations were given by

students.

The first was done by Greg, the TA, give a presentation about the seismic activity of

Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Seismology is the study of the vibrations and the

movement of the Earth (Cleveland & Morris). To do this Greg started by discussing how

Ecuador was located on top of the Nazca plate and the South American plate. These plates share

a convergent boundary where the Nazca plate subducts under the South American plate. It is for

this reason that Ecuador has such a high level of seismic activity. Greg concluded his

presentation by talking about talking about the different volcanic eruptions that happened in

Ecuador which are listed below. Greg finished his presentation stating that there is debate

amongst experts if earthquakes cause volcanic eruptions. Cases that are used as examples in

these debates are Cordon Caulle in Chile and Guagua Pinchina in Ecuador.
 Moment Other events in
Year Place
magnitude association
1979 Rio bamba 8.3 n/a
tsumani 5 meter high
1906 Esmeraldes 8.8
waves
tsumani 6 meter high
1979 Tumaco 8.2
waves
1987 Napo 3 within 6 hours 6.7, 7.0, 6.1 n/a
2016 Mania 7.8 n/a

The next presentation was about Biodiversity in the Amazon and the Galapagos which

done by Madison and Lauren. In this presentation Madison and Lauren discussed how there are

12 inhabited islands in the Galapagos. On the island there are five different distinct zones. The

name each zone describes the differences in weather patterns, elevation, and wildlife and

organisms that inhabit them. The marine zone is inhabited by animals like marine iguanas and

manta rays. The shore zone is inhabited by animals like flamingos, penguins, and seals. The

arid zone is inhabited by animals by finches, prickly pear cacti, and blue footed boobies. The

Transition zone is inhabited by the many different giant tortoise species. Finally, the Humid

zone is inhabited by orchids, the yellow warbler, and doves. Another thing that Madi and Lauren

discussed was the fact that there are three different ocean currents that converge on the

Galapagos islands. These currents directly impact the climate on islands.

Madison and Lauren also talked about three of the islands. The first one they talked

about is Isabela is the which is the largest of the islands and was visited by Charles Darwin. This

island also consists of 6 different volcanoes. Fernandina is the youngest of the islands and

currently sits on the hot spot that created the rest of the islands. This island is currently

uninhabited. The last island talked about was Santa Cruz. This island is the seconded largest of

the islands. The landscape of this island has been permanently changed by invasive species.
 The Amazon Rainforest makes up 10% of the world’s biodiversity and 40% of the South

Americas. In the rainforest there are 350 Indigenous tribes. The Amazon rainforest is extensive

and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, the Andes Mountains, the Brazilian Plateau, and Guiana

Highlands. Threats to the forest include oil, logging, mining, agriculture, and poaching.

Cleveland, C. J., & Morris, C. (2015). Dictionary of Energy (2nd ed.). Retrieved from

https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.stockton.edu/lib/stocktonnj-

ebooks/detail.action?docID=1821967
Day 2 January 2nd

The group woke up early to have a presentation before taking the flight to catch the flight

from JFK to Guayaquil. At the airport the group took the first of many group photos. At the

airport I met and talked to Drew who said he was from Honolulu. Drew was waiting for his

connecting flight to Seattle. Drew told me how he moved to Ecuador with a friend after getting

divorced in after the 2008 housing market crash. Drew was telling me what to expect from

different parts of Ecuador which got me more excited to see the places for myself. He also told

me to avoid parts of Guayaquil as in certain parts “it doesn’t matter what you look they’ll Quil

(kill) you”. For some people this might not have been information they wanted to hear right

before going to a new country but for some reason this didn’t really bother me. Once arriving at

the hotel, we went across the street and ate risotto for dinner. After dinner our tour guide Diego

gave a presentation.

The presentation in the morning was given by Hailey who talked about Tourism in the

Galapagos. The islands were founded in 1535 and was used by pirates for tortoises and

whaling. In 1835 Charles Darwin visited the islands and studied the wildlife. In 1934 cruise

ships started coming to the islands. The national park was created in 1956. In 1979 Hotels on

the islands increased. In 1991-2006 there were huge increases in profit generated from tourists.

Tourists can partake in activities that include but are not limited to hiking, snorkeling, and
biking. Tourism has had positive and negatives impacts on the islands. Tourism is currently is

more hotel based then cruise ships. This is a positive as ships crowd the water impact marine

life. Currently sustainability and wildlife management projects are under work to help make the

island more efficient and less environmentally detrimental.

Diego’s presentation was an overview of what to expect from the country. Diego talked

about the four different bioregions that make up Ecuador. These bioregions are the Galapagos

Islands, the Andes Mountains, The Amazon Rainforest, and the Coast. Each bioregion has

different climate, wildlife, and plants. Other interesting facts Diego shared about Ecuador is that

there 17 million people living in Ecuador, 21 unique cultures, and 3 national languages. Diego

also discussed how Ecuador has a very sad history as it used to be about twice its size but lost

territory due to wars with Brazil and Peru.

Day 3 January 3rd

Woke up early to catch the flight from Guayaquil airport to Baltra Island. The flight took

roughly an hour and forty minutes. The Baltra airport is really cool as you enter and exit the

plane right onto the runway. The airport is also completely powered by three giant windmills.

After going through the screening process to be accepted on to the island, we took a bus ride to

the other side of the island where we boarded a boat to get to Santa Cruz. Baltra island was a lot

a different that I expected as it looked more like a desert with a mostly barren landscape

composed red rock. The vegetation that appeared to be different type of cacti.

Once on Santa Cruz we met Johnathan who would be our tour guide throughout the trip.

On our way to Puerto Ayora we stopped two sink holes called at Los Gemelos, or The Twins,

and Reserva El Chato, which is a tortoise reservation. At Los Gemelos we learned about how

sinkholes form and how they will eventually impact the main road on the island. At El Chato we

ate lunch and were able to observe tortoises in their natural habitat. We also learned how farm

animals pose a threat to tortoises and about restoration projects done for the tortoises on Santa

Cruz. We traveled through different zones to get to Puerto Ayora and witnessed a change in

vegetation and weather in the different zones. After checking into our hotel we boarded explored

the island and took water taxis across an inlet where we went to a beach and went swimming.
 That night we the presentation was given by a scientist on the island. Her name was

Isabel Timpe. Isabel went to the University of Guayaquil where she studied marine science. In

2016 she helped to create the Galapagos Marine Research and Exploration (GMaRE). This

program is “A joint research program, GMaRE aims to conduct marine research and education

on the Galapagos Islands in order to support its long term preservation” (Galapagos Marine

Research and Exploration, 2016). GMaRE is a non-profit organization that works alongside The

Charles Darwin Foudation. GMaRE is currently studying microbes in the ocean around the

Galapagos and effects of the acidification of water. Isabel told us that the research and findings

of GMaRE are extremely important to other scientists. Isabel also informed us how fragile the

Galapagos ecosystem truly is as there is currently there is only one coral reef remaining on the

island of Santa Cruz. This remaining coral reef is extremely vulnerable as there is little to no

genetic variation.

Galapagos Marine Research and Exploration. (2016). What we do. Retrieved from

https://www.gmare.org/what-we-do
Day 4 January 4th

Woke up at 6:00 to have breakfast before catching a boat to the island of Isabela. The

boat ride was around two ours long and extremely nauseating within the last half hour. It

definitely didn’t help that I was in the cabin of the boat with limited air flow. When we finally

reached the Isabela, I was in awe of the beauty of the island.

We boarded a smaller ship to take us to the island. The island seemed protected by semi-

circle of rocks that surrounded the beach. On our short ride to the island we saw an abundance of

wildlife including sea lions, penguins, marine iguanas, and countless other flying bird species.

After reaching the dock we gathered our stuff and made and boarded a bus that brought us to our

hotel. After checking in we changed into swimsuits to go kayaking and snorkeling. While

snorkeling we saw sharks, sea turtles, and countless other fish species. The island was truly

beautiful.

After snorkeling we kayaked back to the island and went back to the hotel to have lunch.

After lunch we rented bikes and traveled to lagoon where flamingos normally gather.

Unfortunately, there were only two flamingos when we arrived. Next to this lagoon there was a

desalination plant. The desalination plant was supposed to provide water for the entire island but
was old and needed to be repaired. On our way back from the flamingos we stopped at a tortoise

breeding center where we again learned about the efforts to save the tortoises and the dangers

that they face in the wild.

That night Jess and Julie gave their presentation on Global Climate in the Galapagos.

Concerns caused by climate change are a shift in weather patterns, an increase in violent storms,

and changes in ocean currents that could cause upwelling events and deprive the islands of rich

nutrients that many species depend on.

Day 5 January 5th

After waking up and having breakfast at the hotel our group boarded a bus to travel to the

caldera Sierra Negra. On our way to the volcano we passed through the town and saw a ton of

construction as well as building that were decrepit and in need of repairs. This was something I

didn’t expect to see on the islands. We also passed lush forests and farms that were passed the

edge of town which was more along the lines of what I expected to see.

Once arriving at Sierra Negra, it was rainy and cloudy as we were in the highlands of the

island. Luckily the rain passed, and we made our way up the rocky trail. Along the way

Johnathan told us about the guava plant as it was an invasive species to the island. The guava is

also extremely hard to get rid of as animals who eat the guava fruit transport the seeds to new

places with natural fertilizers. The hike up the clouds parted, and we were able to see amazing

views of the island. Sierra Negra is the second largest caldera in the world and is 14km across.

Sierra Negra is still active with its last eruption occurring in 2018.

Later that day we took a bike ride to the Wall of Tears. The Wall of Tears was built over

the course of 100 years by prisoners when the island was used as a prison. The guards afraid of

the prisoners revolting made the prisoners carry large boulders up hill to build this wall. The
wall was never completed as tourists started visiting the island forcing the Ecuadorian

government to remove the prisoners back to mainland. Many people died while building the

wall.

That night I went to church with two other practicing Catholics in the group. This was

really cool to me as I was able to witness the differences in how Mass was celebrated. I admit I

was nervous when first entering the church as I did not speak the language, but the parishioners

were extremely friendly and welcoming and made me feel at home. This was one of my favorite

parts of the trip.

That night’s presentation was done by Taylor and Evan who discussed the impact of oil

extraction in Ecuador. The reason this was a problem is because Texaco did not use proper

methods to contain and dispose of toxic waste that is a biproduct of oil extraction. Oil causes

many different health risks that include cancer, pneumonia, increased levels of learning

disabilities, and respiratory issues. Texaco, he company that was extracted the oil, was bought

by Chevron. Taylor and Evan discussed how 8 of the indigenous tribes affected by these oil

practices filed a lawsuit against Chevron as means for them Chevron to take responsibility for

damages caused by the practices of Texaco. Chevron was able to move the court case from

America to Ecuador as they thought they’d have a better chance of winning. Ecuador’s court

declared Chevron to be guilty. Since then Chevron has not payed any reparations and has

appealed the case.

Day 6 January 6th

Had to get up extremely early to be ready to leave Isabela by 6:00. The boat ride back to

Santa Cruz was awful and the majority of the class was on the verge of throwing up. Once on

Santa Cruz we checked back into our hotel and began to hike to the Charles Research Center. At

the research center we learned about how there was once 15 tortoise species but now there are

only 11. This was due to the fact that pirates used the tortoises as a source of fresh meat during

their voyages. It is also for this reason that there are subspecies of the Galapagos tortoises that

can be found all around the world. We also learned about the sad story of Lonesome George

who was the last surviving male of his species. The researchers tried to get George to mate with

females from a subspecies, but it was to no avail. The tortoise Diego, from San Diego zoo, was

also from a subspecies and was able to bring back the population from the verge of extinction.

Due to people feeling ill and two students going to the hospital we did not go to the

Tortuga Bay. Thankfully everyone was ok. While I was sad about not going to Tortuga Bay, I

understand the reason our professor made the decision that he did.
 That night me and two other students went to the grocery store on the Island. This was a

really cool experience and it was surprising to see how cheap everything was. While in the USA

its cheaper to eat unhealthy food then it is to eat healthy food, it’s the opposite in Ecuador.

That night we our presentation was given by Sebastian who discussed Invasive Species in

the Galapagos. Sebastian started by talking about the island formation saying the oldest islands

formed over 1 million years ago. Sebastian also discussed that the islands are dependent on the

Humboldt, Panama, and Cromwell currents as they bring rich nutrients islands. Seabastian said

how there are currently over 7,000 invasive species on the island. Of that number 52% were

brought to the islands accidently, 46% were brought intentionally to the islands, and 2% are

unknown. “Nevertheless, native species have been seriously affected by land use change and

invasive species, particularly on the five human-inhabited islands of Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal,

Floreana, Isabela, and Baltra” (Galapagos Conservancy). This is field of research is extremely

important as the Islands are a very fragile ecosystem and these invasive species pose a threat to

the native and endemic species on the islands.

Galapagos Conservancy. (n.d.). Managing invasive plants and insects in the Galapagos

Islands. Retrieved from https://www.galapagos.org/conservation/our-

work/ecosystem-restoration/controlling-invasive-plants/
 Guayaquil

Day 7 January 7th

We left Puerto Ayora early in order to get to the airport to catch our flight back to

Guayaquil. At the airport going through customs taken aside and my bag was searched. The

security guard going through my bag took out and confiscated my duct tape saying that it was

contraband. This confused me as I had already gone through security three other times this trip.

Our group had wait to leave the Galapagos as our flight had was delayed for three hours. On our

flight I interacted with the gentleman sitting next to me. He told me that he was originally from

Portugal but now lives with his wife in Rhode Island. At the moment he and his wife were

traveling for six weeks all throughout South America with their next destination being Quito.

Due to the flight being delayed we were unable to do the walking city tour. Greg, our

TA, was actually rather relieved by this news as he said the city made him uneasy. That made

sense to me considering what I knew about Guayaquil. The group walked together following

Diego as he led us to where there were a bunch of restaurants. The majority of us went to an
Ecuadorian fast food chain called Menestras del Negro. I like this place as the food was very

tasty, cheap, and the quantities were large.

This night had two presentations the first presentation was given by Natalia who is a

professor at the University of Guayaquil. Natalia’s presentation was about shrimp farms and

how they impact the mangroves in the area. The mangroves are found all along the coast and are

extremely important as they provide environmental services that include protection from floods,

capturing carbon from the atmosphere, and a refuge for biodiversity. Mangroves are inhabited

by many species including bottle nosed dolphins, many different bird species, fish species, and

crocodiles. Current threats to the Mangroves include changes to the pH of the soil and

deforestation for agriculture and aquaculture. In 2019 a new law was passed to protect the

mangroves. The law did this by making 16,000 ha untouchable, making 72,000 ha on the coast

protected, and making 6,800 ha protected by locals.

The second presentation done By Valentina and Ryan who talked about the Economy of

Ecuador. During the time of the Incas and Spanish the country focused on cash crops due to the

perfect climate to for these crops to grow. This would change after Ecuador received its

independence in 1822. Unfortunately, wars and economic depression dictated much of the

1900s. In the 1960s Texaco began extracting oil in Ecuador and since then the economy has

been built on natural resources. It is important to note that there are other exports like flowers,

crustaceans, fish, and bananas that play a role in Ecuador’s economy. However natural resources

continue to be the driving force behind the economy.

 Cuenca

Day 8 January 8th

After eating breakfast, the group left the Hotel and boarded a bus to start our drive

leaving Guayaquil and heading to Cuenca. On our drive we saw different sections of the city of

Guayaquil. Diego talked to us about the different way people live as we saw people selling crabs

and other produce. We also past a bunch of different farms growing a wide range of produce.

On our trip we stopped and visited a mangrove swamp, a shrimp farm, a tropical dry forest, and

Cajas. During this part of the trip we got to see howler monkeys, a sloth, and many different

types of birds.

On the shrimp farm we learned that one plot of the farm can generate over 300,000

dollars a year. This makes this practice very profitable for the owners. Unfortunately, this is not

the case for the workers on these farms who get paid little to nothing. Other issues I have with

these shrimp farms is that they waste large amounts of water during harvests, and cause

destruction towards mangroves.

 Our final stop before entering Cuenca was at the Cajas National Park. This way my

favorite part of the trip. Being in the mountains with the fresh air and beautiful views was such

an extraordinary feeling. Cajas is extremely important as it provides freshwater to the highlands

of mainland Ecuador. The ground in Cajas is made up of lichen and mosses that act as a natural

filtration system for water. There are also many medicinal plants that grow in Cajas. Cajas is

home to a ton of wildlife which include several endemic Ecuadorian Mammals like Mountain

Mice, the Ecuadorian Cotton Rat, the Ecuadorian Porcupine, and the endemic El Cajas

Watermouse (Ecudaor National Parks, 2018). Other mammals in the park include Rabbits,

Mountain Wolves, White-tailed Deer and Pumas (Ecudaor National Parks, 2018).

That night we visited our professor’s friend, Paul, who lives in Cuenca. He as generous

enough to cook us dinner as well as tell us how he was able to retire before the age of 50 and

move to Ecuador. Paul said he got lucky with what happened to him. He went to the University

of Florida where he majored in economics. He then got a job at the University of Pennsylvania.

At the time that he was hired the University offered him a house at a cheap price as they were

trying to clean up the surrounding neighborhood. After 13 years Paul sold his house and

invested his money. It is for this reason that he was able to move to Ecuador for cheap. Paul

was a great person to talk to as he was able to talk about his experience of living in Ecuador. He

told us how living in Ecuador is cheap and how he didn’t have an issue with the language barrier.

He also said that he helps teach English online to make a little extra money. It would be really

cool to live in Ecuador, especially in the city of Cuenca. That said I don’t think I ever could as I

would miss my family, friends, and New Jersey.

Ecuador National Parks. THE CAJAS NATIONAL PARK. (2018, April 23). Retrieved

from http://www.ecuadornationalparks.com/the-cajas-national-park/
Day 9 January 9th

We left our hotel to go to the city of Zamora. I had no idea what to expect from this part

of the trip, but I was excited to go. The bus ride was extremely long, and we had to stop a couple

of times to use the bathroom and to get gas. On our way we passed a hydroelectric dam that

appeared to be built into the side of a mountain. Before going to the lodge, we stopped to hand

off our laundry at a laundromat. I was surprised at how cheap it was to do this.

I absolutely loved the lodge we stayed at. First off there were hummingbirds and other

birds everywhere. Another reason I loved this place was due to the sleeping arrangements that

were in log cabins. The whole place reminded me of camping, and I loved it.

After getting settled Diego brought the group of us down a trail where we waited in hopes

of spotting the Grey Tinamou. Most of the group didn’t feel like waiting and went back to the

campsite. In the end only me, Greg, and Diego saw the bird completely.
Day 10 January 10th

The next day at breakfast everyone who was up got to see a monkey eat bananas that

were left on a platform. The coolest part we were able to see the monkey approach from a

distance. At first, we saw just movement in the trees but as the money got closer, we were able

to see the monkey in action as it climbed on branches and leaped from tree to tree. It was really

cool to see the acrobatics of the monkey.

After breakfast the group split up as one student had to go to the hospital. I went with

two other kids, Ryan and Evan, on a hike through the rainforest. This was also one of my

highlights of the trip as the three of us were able to follow the trails and have a small adventure.

On our hike we saw a couple of waterfalls, many bird species, a fake coral snake, and great

views of the valley.

Later in the day after lunch, the entire group went on a hike through the rainforest. On

this hike Diego described the differences in vegetation as well as the different wildlife that can

be found within the rainforest. I will admit I never thought that Jaguars were terrifying.

However, my prospective of this changed while I was in the Amazon. Animals are a lot scarier

to learn about when there is potentially one within a couple miles of your location. This hike
was shorter than I hoped it would be so I, along with Ryan and Victoria, went on another short

hike.

This night’s presentation was done by Moira and John who talked about Life at High

Altitude. Life can be very different at higher altitudes. It takes less heat to boil water and

pressure cookers don’t work the same at STP. Living at high altitudes can be very dangerous as

people not used to the pressure changes can experience hypoxia, median arcuate ligament

syndrome, pins and needles, and in serous cases death. “Alveoli are an important part of the

respiratory system whose function it is to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide molecules to and

from the bloodstream” (Eldridge, 2019). The alveoli interact with hemoglobin in the blood

stream to create oxyhemoglobin which is transported through out the body. At higher elevations

the body is unable to do this as quickly which is why shortness of breath occurs. To be

completely adapted to these conditions it would take 2-3 months. Once a person is adapted to

these conditions, they will have more hemoglobin in their body and be less prone to heart

disease.

The majority of people living in the Andes are farmers. Most people use terrace farming

which was created by the Incas. Another interesting fact about this region is that temperature

fluctuates often as days are sunny and warm while nights are extremely cold. Threats to this

ecosystem include deforestation, cattle farms, erosion, and climate change.

Eldridge, L. (2019, October 7). What Are the Alveoli and How Do They Work?

Retrieved from https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-are-alveoli-2249043

Day 11 January 11th

After breakfast we left Zamora and drove to the town of Saraguro. In Saraguro we got

the chance to interact with a group of indigenous people and see how they combined ancient

traditions with tourism. This allows these people to hold onto the beliefs and customs of their

ancestors while still being able to make a living.

The first place we visited was a hat making factory that was inside a man’s house. He

told us how the hats he makes are very time consuming, but the end product is worth is as the

hats are extremely durable. It takes roughly 1 pound of wool and four weeks for the entire hat

making process to be completed.

The next place we visited was a farm next to the Inca trail. The view from the house was

beautiful as you could see everything. At the house the Saraguro people prepared a meal for us

that consisted of cuy, corn, beans, bread, and homemade cheese. I found it all to be very

delicious. After lunch they had us try a drink that was the tequila before the fermentation

process is completed. I also found it interesting to learning how while the Saraguro people were

Catholic they still prayed to nature.

 After lunch and before dinner we were given a presentation by one of the Saraguro

people. He told us how ecotourism was very important to his people as it allowed them to hold

on to traditions. He also that a lack of professionalism will be the downfall to ecotourism as

there are many people who try and manipulate and exploit tourist. This practice will only hurt

places that are actually set up for ecotourism.

That night we visited a textile mill where the Saraguro people showed us how they made

clothing. Like the process of making hats making clothing was also time consuming. After we

looked around the shop, they had set up the Saraguro people prepared dinner for us. After

dinner we then participating in singing and dancing in songs that their ancestors sang.

http://www.saraguro.org/
Day 12 January 12th

We drove back to the city of Cuenca early in the morning. We did this to make it to the

Panama hat factory in time. Luckily, we made it just in time. A misconception about Panama

Hats is that they were made in Panama. While the hats do get their name from President

Roosevelt buying a bunch of them for the construction of the Panama Canal, the hats are

completely made in Ecuador. In our factory tour we were able to see the long process it takes to

make the hats. Unlike the hats made by the Saraguro people Panama hats are light and made of

straw. This also means that they are not as durable as the ones made by the Saraguro people.

After the Panama hat tour was over, we took a Cuenca city tour where Diego explained

the history of the city to us. Cuenca is a very Catholic City and for that reason has over 52

churches in the city. Diego said this was so people could go to a different church every Sunday

of the year. We concluded our city tour by stopping at a ceramic shop that looked over the entire

city.

After our tours were over Diego friend Paul talked to us about expatriates who are

moving to Ecuador, specifically Cuenca. An expatriates or ex pats is “a person who lives outside
their native country” (Lexico). Paul said that ex pats from the US are attracted to the Cuenca due

to cheap cost of living, perfect weather, and the fact that Ecuador uses the same currency as the

United States. Expats are good for Ecuador as they help the economy by bringing new

businesses and money to spend.

Lexico. (n.d.). Expatriate: Meaning of Expatriate. Oxford. Retrieved from

https://www.lexico.com/definition/expatriate

Quito

Day 13 January 13th

We got up early to leave the city of Cuenca for the last time. We flew from the Cuenca

airport to the airport in Quito which took a little under an hour. We then headed to the cloud

forest of Mindo. On our way to Mindo we stopped at the Equator to learn about the different

indigenous tribes that used to live in Ecuador, the Coriolis effect, and to get our picture taken.

We also learned that when the French came to build a monument on the equator their

measurements disagreed with those done by the indigenous people. Years later it was proven

that the indigenous people were right, and the French were wrong. Once arriving in Mindo the

group decided to go ziplining. This was cool experience as we got to see the Cloud forest from

the tops of the canopies. While waiting to leave we were extremely lucky and got to see toucans

fly over our heads. We then went back to the lodge where we had some time to relax before

dinner. During this time, I saw an armadillo from the porch of my cabin.

There were two presentations on this night. The first was done by me and Cassandra.

We talked about the cloud forest of Mindo. The cloud forest is created due to unique conditions
that include a specific climate and changes in elevation to allow the rain shadow effect to take

place.

The second presentation was done by Victoria who talked about the Theory of

Production. This theory states deals with economics and involves some of the its most

fundamental principles (Dorfman, 2016). The theory describes how different aspects of the

economic world feed into one another. There three parts to this theory that each have different

goals that they work for. The three parts are the state, the citizen worker, and corporations. The

goal of the corporation is increase profits. The goal of the citizen worker is to hold the state

responsible for the actions of the corporation and to prevent environmental degradation and

social dislocation. The goal of the state is to maintain power and to have to encourage growth.

This theory ties into the situation between Ecuador’s government, Texaco, and Environmental

organizations that fought the environmental destruction in Ecuador.

I wish that we had more time to spend in Mindo as the lodge we were staying at remined

me a lot of the one that we stayed at in Saraguro. Unfortunately, this was not the case and our

time was very limited. If given the opportunity I would definitely go back to the lodge, we

stayed at.

Dorfman, R. (2016, April 1). Theory of production. Retrieved from

https://www.britannica.com/topic/theory-of-production
Day 14 January 14th

We left Mindo and made our way back to the Capital. Once back in Quito we took went

to the took a Gondala that “runs up the foothills of Pichincha Volcano and offers a crazy view of

Quito” (Haines, 2020). From the top of the Volcano we could see a majority to the city. The

City of Quito was built in a valley which limited its capacity to grow. According to Diego the

city is now 20 miles from North to South with the two ends of the city being practically

separated. Diego also said how the city is a couple of kilometers across.

After coming back down on the gondolas we went to eat lunch in the city. After lunch

we visited a park that had a garden with a variety of native plants to Ecuador as well as a bonsai

garden. Here I got to see a ant try and fail to climb its way out of a pitcher plant. After the park

we went to the Picari chocolate store where we learned about the way that chocolate was made.

The Picari chocolate is 100% organic and helps farmers within the region. The chocolate was a

lot darker than brands from the united states.

 Haines, B. (2020, January 27). Riding the Quito TelefériQo up Ecuador's Pichincha

Volcano (5 Tips / 5 Facts). Retrieved from https://gringosabroad.com/quito-

teleferiqo-ecuador-pichincha/

Day 15 January 15th

Woke up early to go to go to Quilotoa. Quilotoa is a caldera that has filled water and

looks crystal blue. On our way to the volcano we stopped at an indigenous farmers home where

he told us he lived just like his grandfather lived. He showed us around his clay house that had

that had little no electricity. The only electricity he had was from one light bulb. He showed us

the different crops that he grew which included corn and many types of beans. He also raised

guinea pigs that he said he sold in the market to help but things that he and his family could not

grow.

We also picked up a professor form the university of Quito who is an expert in volcanic

activity on our way out of the city. His name was Theofilos Toulkeridis. On the way to the

caldera we stopped at Carnegie Ridge which was very windy but a cool place to look across.

Once at Quilotoa Theofilos told us about volcanism in Ecuador. He told us how an experiment

in Japan in 2007 proved that not all of a plate would be melted during subduction. He also told
us that the caldera we were at is one four most dangerous volcanoes in Ecuador and has the

potential to erupt again in the near future. This would be bad as people have moved into this

area to live and work.

That night Theofilos gave a presentation that went over all of volcanic activity in

Ecuador. Ecuador has small volcanic eruptions that happen every day. Many large Volcanoes,

like Cotopaxi, have not erupted in a long time and are predicted to within a couple of years.

Day 16 January 16th

We left our hotel early to go to Volcano of Cotopaxi. When we arrived there, we learned

how the park is susceptible to invasive species. For instance, when driving down the road to get

to the volcano the left side of the road is a forest of pine trees. These trees are not native to

Ecuador and were brought in by a family. This family runs the farm and sells the timber that

they harvest. The majority of timber they produced is sold internationally while only a small

fraction is sold in Ecuador. These trees try to take root in other parts of the forest which is an

annoyance for management practices. Other invasive species include cows and horses which

were brought into the park with farmers but have since been released into the wild. Rangers in

the park kill these animals in hopes to provide food for vultures which have decreased in

sightings over the past decades. Other native wildlife that can be found in the park are rabbits,

deer, and foxes.

 Cotopaxi is the most dangerous volcano in Ecuador and one of the most dangerous in the

world. I want to go back to Cotopaxi to scale it. Diego said the hike is 7 hours up and 7 hours

down. The hike leaves at 11pm so that you can get to the top at sunrise. Diego says that this is

the only time that works because once it gets to warm the ice will start to melt making the climb

dangerous.

We then left Cotopaxi park and headed for the Quito airport. From there we boarded a

flight to Guayaquil. From Guayaquil we boarded a flight to JFK airport. The flight back to the

US was awful as we hit a lot of turbulence. We landed around 7 in the morning and made it back

to Stockton University at 10am. This was truly an amazing once in a live time trip and I thank

my professor so much for giving me the opportunity to go.