Jan 17 2017
January 17
With alarms going off at 5:30 am, this morning was another early rise to watch the sunrise with a hot cup of coffee. After a delicious 6:00 am breakfast, the majority of the group headed off on the day’s hike.
The Hike
While this hike was physically demanding on everyone, it was also extremely eye opening. Along the way to the main point of interest, the town’s school, we hiked along many beautiful beaches and through challenging trails. The school was a single roomed building consisting of only a few desks, chairs, cubbies and a chalkboard. On average, a school year will consist of just five students of multiple grades, ranging from first to sixth grade, with just one teacher. Behind the school Freiner, our hike guide, pointed out a relatively new constructed road and powerline. While this has had positive advantages, such as an easier ability for students to travel to school, an increase in tourism, and helping a small local restaurant (which has amazing pineapple smoothies) continue to run, it has also had negative aspects as well. The main concerns are with the increase in tourism, there has thus been an increase in the trash and waste; additionally, there has been great deforestation and hindering of local wildlife. During the hike home we found ourselves in silence walking through the national park. In doing so we were taking in all of natures beauty… and on the search for sloths.
[If anyone has a good picture add here:)]
Back At Campanario
Until the group returned around 12:00 Pm, the day was filled with being camped out at the table on the porch with cups of coffee, white face monkeys climbing in nearby trees, journaling and reading Life Entrepreneur. Around 9:30 many a rafts, from a near by anchored cruise ship, brought in tourists to the Campanario for short hikes up the trails, a tour of the lodge, and interviews with Nancy.
Once everyone was back we had a few hours of down time after lunch to rest up in Eno hammocks and work on our tans on the beach. At 4:00 we had a great student based discussion on the Myth of Progress. The conversations were focused around the ideas of: How do you define progress? In what ways have your ideas been adjusted since the start of this trip? To truly make a difference does it take small changes from a lot of people, or big changes from a few people? All of which connecting to the reading and focusings around the concept of sustainability.
After a delicious dinner we had a brief discussion about bats. This class time further enhanced our experience from last night at the bat cave. With an early morning rise and busy day a head of, we all started to settle in bed by 8:30.
Meghan
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