I don’t have much to write. Actually, I have a lot to write and not much time.
But my first two weeks at Maquipucuna have been great. I have sorted fish from one of the fish ponds, been knee-deep in the mud in the pond (while we were draining it), got bitten by some flies that are about the size of a gnat but leave a bit that’s worse than a mosquito and itches for days. Also helped build a large wooden bridge by making bolts by hand… cutting the bolts to size, putting threads on them, etc. It’s harder than you think.
I also helped measure and catalog some giant bamboo that’s growing in the forest so we can determine the growth rate of different species. And I made some new bamboo steps for the orchid garden. And a new bamboo fence for the new medicinal herbs garden. Bamboo is great. I also got a tour of the research lab in Santa Marianita where they grow new orchids from tissue culture. Soon I will be going back and actually learning to do it myself.
For the next two weeks I will be at the Orongo banana, coffee, and lemon plantation. Not sure what I will be doing exactly. Most importantly though, I think it means I won’t be able to get phone calls from Jenna. Boooo. I miss my girl!
Oh yeah, in my free time I have read two books. “Everything Is Illuminated” by Jonathan Safran Foer (from Jenna) and “Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers” by Mary Roach (from another volunteer). Today I bought a spanish book called “La Cuidad de Las Bestias” by Isabel Allende (sounds french, but it was in the Latin American Authors section).
OK it’s time for dinner and such. Adios por dos semanas!
sounds exciting! glad you are having a good time!