Ecuador Eco Volunteer

Archive pour la catégorie ‘Agua Blanca Manabi’

Here is James Mannix volunteer experience in the Andean Community of Agua Blanca Manabi, sounds like he had an amazing time.

James Mannix (USA)
I spent two weeks volunteering in the indigenous community of Agua Blanca working closely with the native Manteña people. Some of my daily responsibilities included translating Spanish for tourists in the Museum and also walking them through their beautiful village and national park.

Within the village there are several archeological dig sites with original burial casks. Other days I would work on the trails using machete trimming the overgrown paths and also fixing parts of the dry river so cars could easily pass.

This volunteering was the start of a 5 month backpacking adventure through Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. My original goal was not only to improve my Spanish, but also to immerse myself in a culture other than my own. Not only did I create strong bonds with the local family and community members but I learned something very important that will stay with me forever.

This beautiful community of people don’t have the material things that I am used to in the United States. They earn just enough to support themselves and their community. Without all these material possessions they still always had smiles on their faces. We spent everyday joking, laughing, and enjoying our beautiful surroundings and life in general. These material possessions that I am used to often blind people to the most important thing in life. Family. The amount of love and compassion in this community was overwhelming. These were some of the happiest people I have ever met, yet they had just enough to live and support their families.

Besides greatly improving my Spanish in just two weeks, I made very strong bonds with these people that I will never forget. If you are interested in immersing yourself in a beautiful indigenous culture and improving your Spanish, I would highly recommend Agua Blanca in Manabi.