I am saddened to say that this is my final blog post for Plus3 Ecuador. The last three days of our trip were more relaxed after the blur of activities and experiences we had with the Waorani, with whom we were all reluctant to part. On Wednesday morning, we polished our hardened pottery with rocks so that we had a smoother surface upon which to paint later after lunch. Though I could not find the exact bowl I had made before, I ended up polishing and painting an unclaimed one (which, honestly, probably looked nicer than mine). I was unsurprisingly indecisive when trying to figure out what to paint, but ultimately ended up creating a little zig zag pattern along the rim and adding a flower to the center and outside of my bowl. After painting, we made chocolate from scratch over the fire! We each took a turn using a special tool to grind cacao beans into a powder and melted it on a pan with water, sugar, and other flavorings, like lemongrass. Once it was ready, we ate the molten chocolate sauce by dipping bananas and strawberries into it. In the evening, we took taxis out to Tena with Eli, Cindy, and some of their cousins, and it ended up being one of my favorite nights of the trip. We all hung out, sang, and danced together, even in the rain! It felt like we had really bonded as a group.

The following morning, we ate our regular 8am breakfast before piling into a bus to our final company visit with local chocolate company, Wayta. Unfortunately, it was pouring rain and I was unaware we would be walking through their cacao plantation, so my shoes and socks got quite muddy and wet. However, aside from that, visiting Wayta turned out to be a very unique experience, as we had not yet gotten the chance to see every step of manufacturing — from the cacao pod growing on the tree to drying and processing — in one trip. I really enjoyed the tasting we had at the end, and, naturally, bought four more bars to take home. That evening, we all shared our videos promoting travel in Ecuador with the people at Iyarina and another university group that was staying there simultaneously. I loved seeing our trip through the different perspectives of my peers! After dinner, Todd organized for a live band to come play for us, so we spent another evening of laughing and dancing together to celebrate our final night in Ecuador.

Finally, Friday, our last full day before returning home, had arrived. For breakfast, we had oatmeal, fruit, and a fried pancake similar to a funnel cake. Knowing that it was our last meal not only at Iyarina, but also as a group, made me sad. I made sure to savor the moment before heading back to my room and finish packing the last of my things. Soon after, Nat and I brought all of our stuff back to the main area and walked up to the dining room, where we were to have our final discussion with Eli about potentially starting her own boutique chocolate bar for Iyarina. She explained that reflecting Kichwa culture, her family, and the Amazon was crucial to her vision and asked us to advise her on approaching the challenge. We spent about an hour exchanging ideas, suggestions, and strategies, aiming to keep her goals at the forefront of our conversation. We also had the opportunity to draw on ourselves with a special type of fruit used by the Kichwa as a body paint for traditional celebrations. I was fascinated to discover that the fruit’s ink may last up to two weeks! I tried to give myself a flower tattoo, but it ended up a bit messier than I anticipated, so I have quite a few splotches on my fingers, as well…

Our bus was supposed to pick us up soon after the discussion, however, it had been raining so much over the last couple of days that it got caught up by some landslides. As a result, we didn’t end up leaving Iyarina until about 3pm, but, in the meantime, we all sat around the fire and chatted to kill time. Once we were finally seated on the bus, I ended up listening to music and sleeping. Halfway through, we had a pit stop at a gas station we had visited a week before, and I was so hungry I bought an ice cream bar, two bags of plantain chips, and empanadas, which I was actively eating when the bus driver hurried over and told us we had to get moving, or we’d risk missing our flight. Though I suppose it’s better to be safe than sorry, I was a bit peeved to find we were too early to even check our bags when we actually got to the airport. It was no big deal though, as we bought some food and hung out together until we could head back in and get through the security and immigration processes, which ended up being super smooth. Both of my flights likewise passed easily, and we arrived just as scheduled to the Philadelphia airport, where I finally had to say goodbye to the remaining people in the group.

As I reflect on this trip, I increasingly realize that this has been an experience unlike any other in my life. I have come home feeling empowered, educated, and fulfilled by all that I have learned both from visiting different places in Ecuador, but especially from speaking to people, whether that be Gabi, Eli, Eduardo, the Waorani, or even the woman I asked for snack suggestions at a small market in Quito. I am so grateful to have seen and done all that I have, and I am particularly thankful for Skip and Rick, whose knowledge and enthusiasm heightened the trip exponentially. This program has awakened within me an even deeper hunger and excitement to travel and see the world, and I am already looking forward to my next destination, wherever that may be. Thank you Plus3!