Day 11 Today was definitely more laid-back after all the adventures from the past few days. We still woke up at our usual time, and right after breakfast, we painted the ceramic pots we made earlier in the trip. Our instructor actually cut a piece of Maddie’s hair so we could use it to make…
Tag: Ava Snyder
Airplane Mode, Amazon Life
Our journey deeper into the Amazon began on Day 8 with an early wake-up call at 6:30 a.m. After a quick breakfast at the lodge, we boarded a bus that took us to the river where our next adventure awaited. We made a brief stop at a gas station to grab snacks before hopping into…
Sweet from the Source
Day 6We started the morning with breakfast followed by a presentation from Todd Swanson, the owner of the lodge. He shared the history of the land and talked about the Waorani tribe, who we’ll be staying with later this week. Next, we joined two local women who showed us how to make pots from clay….
Taking the Scenic Route
The morning started like most others, with eggs and bread (there’s definitely a pattern forming, lol). After breakfast, we boarded the bus and began our long travel day to the Iyarina Lodge. While most of the day was spent driving, we made several stops along the way to break it up. Our first stop was…
Finding Family in Otavalo
Hola! We woke up in Otavalo to the unmistakable sound of a rooster’s morning call. It was only 6:30 AM, which meant that I still had another hour to sleep in! Once we got up and ready for the day, we sat down to our usual breakfast of eggs and a roll. After breakfast, we…
Days of Discovery
Our second and third days in Ecuador were packed with incredible experiences! We started Monday with a tour of Yumbos Chocolate, where we sampled eight unique flavors. They ranged from chili and salt to coffee to mint! We also tried a rich brownie and hot chocolate made with 100% cacao. My personal favorite was the tangerine chocolate—it…
First Impressions of Ecuador
Our first full day in Ecuador kicked off with a 7:30 a.m. wake-up call! We had breakfast at the hotel and got ready for a packed day ahead. One surprise that made my morning even better was being given a pair of Snapchat glasses to record moments throughout the day! Our first stop was the Iglesia Católica…
Next Stop, Ecuador!
Hi!! My name is Ava Snyder, and I’m thrilled to be heading to Ecuador in just a couple of weeks! I recently completed my first year at the University of Pittsburgh’s College of Business Administration, where I’m pursuing a double major in Supply Chain and Marketing, along with a certificate in International Business. I’m originally from Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, a small town in central PA….