After a relaxing for a couple of days in Mindo, we got back to Las Tolas ready to start our homestays. Our students were super excited to get immersed in the Ecuadorian family life.

We went back to working on our community projects, which included:

1. Construction of a bathroom for the volunteers’ hotel. Some community members taught our students how to mix cement, build a foundation, and properly set up piping and walls! It was exhausting but really rewarding work, and we couldn’t have done it without working as a team.

2. Education and in school: our students have been teaching English to local students. It was an amazing and challenging cultural exchange experience. We also painted a lot of games on the basketball court for the students to use during their recess. And wrapped up with what we like to call a masterpiece at the school’s dining hall!

To celebrate the foundation of Las Tolas in the ’60s, we participated in a parade as part of the tourism center. We got the honor of receiving a recognition for all the work we have put in the town since Putney started its connections with Las Tolas.

Afterward, we enjoyed local culture dances as well as a Latin music party! We had so much fun!

On Sunday we got together with Reneé, a local builder, farmer, and artisan who thought us how to make basic ecological crafts with local seeds and resources!

It has been a long week of emotions, human and cultural connections, and lots of laughter. Yesterday, Monday, the community prepared a farewell party for our group, full of music and games that got us all in tears. Here are some images of each one of the family groups that we stayed with and the games and celebration with the kids at school!

This morning we got on the bus to head to Cotopaxi with our hearts and minds full of memories of this beautiful and generous community that we’ll always cherish!

Hasta la próxima!

Alvaro y Leah