EDIT, 2/24/13:
I responded to many of your comments individually - I am noticing some overlap among them. Please read all the answers and let me know if you think I haven't answered your question!
Students: Please leave a comment with something you are wondering about Ecuador, its climate, its wildlife, or its people. If there is a question I can answer for you, ask it in the comments below.
why are the climates so different in different areas of Ecuador? Why are some areas cold and some hot?
ReplyDeleteAmanda - it has to do with the Andes mountains. The highlands are cool, while the jungle is hot and humid, and the Galapagos islands, 620 miles offshore, are tropical.
DeleteNot a student, but wondering what the most common wildlife is there. Like, do you see monkeys like we see squirrels?
ReplyDeleteIt depends where. There were dogs, chickens, cows, horses everywhere in the countryside, and dogs in the city. In Galapagos, there were many iguanas and sea lions.
DeleteThis is a question about Ecuador that I had:
ReplyDeleteIn one of the videos (linked above) it said that Ecuador's capital, Quito, had a lot of earthquakes because of its location. I was wondering how many they usually had and what precautions the people take against the earthquakes.
Also, I love animals and want to know what fun facts you discover about the animals on the islands on your trip!
Hannah - I did not notice earthquake protections in place. They are certainly aware of the volcanoes, though; several provinces are named after volcanoes!
DeleteI hope that some of my posts have helped address your second question. I learned a lot about animals!
is it hot all year long
ReplyDeleteJack - it depends where you are. It was quite cool in Otavalo, which is high in the mountains, because it is winter. But it was hot in the jungle and in the Galapagos.
Deleteare the animals cute?
ReplyDeleteWhat do they use for currency? And what is their form of government?
ReplyDeleteEcuador uses the American dollar (seriously!!!!) for currency. They have a democracy - I hope you read a little bit about the elections that took place last Sunday.
DeleteHave you feasted on any local cuisine yet?
ReplyDeleteMs. Buffa, I included a whole post about food! My favorite foods were sweet plantain, fresh avocado, and tortilla de yucca.
DeleteHow is the weather?
ReplyDeleteHow is the culture in Ecuador different than ours?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the geography like where you are? Is it mountains or flat?
ReplyDeleteCarly, we were ALLLLL over the place! I will explain more by showing you a map.
DeleteWhat are the most popular kinds of food there? Are they much different from what we eat in America?
ReplyDeleteAbbie, there is some variety depending on the region you are in. There are 4 distinct regions in Ecuador: the Amazonia (jungle), the highlands, the coast, and Galapagos. All of them had a lot of carbs (rice, yucca, potatoes, bread, etc.) with variety in the proteins, vegetables, and fruits.
DeleteHave you been able to interact with a lot of locals? How are they different from us?
ReplyDeleteYes, very much! They are warm and friendly :)
DeleteI researched the languages of Ecuador and it said that 94% of the population speak Spanish, can you understand them well? Are they highly educated in the English language?
ReplyDeleteEmily, fortunately, I speak Spanish, so I got to make use of it on this trip! Some of the places we visited that cater to tourists--such as the Museo del Sitio Intinan (equator museum) and the Charles Darwin Research Station--had guides who spoke excellent English. We also had an Ecuadorian tour director aiding our group, so he did a lot of translation.
DeleteIs the primary language Spanish where you are staying? Or is there a variety of languages spoken? Are there any languages you've come across that are native to the land?
ReplyDeleteThe primary language is Spanish, but indigenous groups often speak Kichwa or even Shuar. Check out the photos I took inside the school we visited! :-)
DeleteHow do people get around the island, and go from island to island?
ReplyDeleteI assume you mean in Galapagos? There is a ferry to take people from Baltra, the site of the airport, to other islands. From island to island, people use boats.
DeleteDid you have to learn some spanish before you got there or would the guides help out as translators?
ReplyDeleteI speak Spanish very well, so I was set. But our guides were very helpful!
DeleteQuestion
ReplyDeleteThe links say that Ecuador was home of the Ica Empire, so are you going to any of the ruins?
There are more ruins to visit in Peru than in Ecuador, I think. We did not visit any ruins on this trip.
DeleteWhat is the economy like in Ecuador? What type of government are they currently operating with?
ReplyDeleteThe government is a democracy, and the economy is on a relative up-swing in recent years, especially since they changed their currency. This will be easier to explain in person.
DeleteI hope you're having fun on your trip! I read that the Galapagos is home to the only surviving giant Pinta tortoise, named Lonesome George. Have you seen George or any other tortoises on your jungle trip? What did you think of them?
ReplyDeleteLonesome George actually died last June :-(. They are working on embalming him, so future visitors will get to see him. We did see the place where he was living.
DeleteThe tortoises are big and they are really cool-looking!
How was the flight? Have you seen any tortoises yet?
ReplyDeleteThe flights were okay. Going down, we had a LONG layover in Houston that we hated. Coming back, we had a delay that was frustrating, but we made it!
DeleteI hope you saw my Day 6 post, where I talked about the turtles.
I'm curious about the effectiveness of the sneaker balls. I'm intrigued.
ReplyDeleteThey worked pretty well. There comes a point when no amount of dryer sheets or sneaker balls will help, though. I was pretty happy to get home and wear clean clothes!
DeleteIs it hot all year around? and is it much different than you expected?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what I expected. For the most part I was really happy with everything I learned about Ecuador and its people! It is not hot all year round, unless you are in the jungle or the Galapagos Islands.
DeleteWhat types of food have you tried? Any new, interesting animal body parts you got the chance to eat? Have you gone to a local market and tried different foods?
ReplyDeleteI hope you saw the food post I made, and the post about the grub...
DeleteDid you see an Alpaca? I here they spit a lot.
ReplyDeleteNope, no alpacas where we were. Just their wool, made into ponchos and scarves in the market!
DeleteHow civilized is the capital... built up and has the same luxuries as us? or more primitive?
ReplyDeleteThere's a wide range. There are neighborhoods that are clearly not built up. But our hotel in Quito was quite nice and could easily have been found anywhere in America.
DeleteHow big is the hotel?
ReplyDeleteWe stayed in 4 hotels total - they ranged in size. The jungle one was the smallest. It was just 2 sets of cabins. Apart from one small family, we were the only people staying there because there were so many of us!
Deletesince equador is so close to the equator what SPF sunblock do u plan to use?
ReplyDeleteI used SPF 50 and got a couple of spots of burns--even though I re-applied!
DeleteWhat is the most populated animal?
ReplyDeletewere some of the food gross ? and how is the veiw, is it pretty like other islands ?
ReplyDeleteI hope you can tell from the photos I took that the views were gorgeous! And yes, some of the foods were disgusting. I would not want to eat a grub again, or drink chicha.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIs it as nerve racking as you made it out to be?
ReplyDeleteNo! I relaxed as soon as I was on the first plane. :)
DeleteHello Ms. Meyer,
ReplyDeleteFor you to understand the stress of managing personal time and academic time. Please write a 5 paragraph essay on each of these topics.
1. Evolutionary Theory
2. Europeans culture effect on culture there.
This is due on Friday and you even have a vacation to complete it, 5 points will be docked for every late day.
Thanks!
Austin
Haha, very funny! :)
Delete1) Is ecuador a very diverse country?
ReplyDelete2) Is ecuador an independent country or does another country control their government?
Ben:
DeleteEcuador is very diverse in terms of geography and also population. People from Quito and people from Guayaquil have a rivalry between them. The indigenous people are fighting hard to maintain their traditions.
Ecuador is an independent country. It gained its independence in 1822.
what are all of the exotic animals that you have seen so far and which animals do you expect to see coming up?
ReplyDelete-christian
How has the weather been so far throughout your trip?
ReplyDeleteThere was a wide variety--cool in the highlands, HOT in the Galapagos!
DeleteWhat does your room look like? Do you have a beautiful view of outside?
ReplyDeleteWe had no view in Otavalo. In the jungle, Quito, and Galapago, we had nice views.
DeleteThe jungle room was strange--a set of bunk beds, plus an extra full bed, all with mosquito netting to deal with malaria.
In one hotel we had two sinks in the bathroom. I loved that!
Do you prefer the warmer weather (ecuador) better or the colder weather better (hopkinton)? I 100% prefer the colder weather!
ReplyDeletewhat are the natives like?
ReplyDeleteIs your hotel historical?
ReplyDeletewhat is the food like
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of animals did you see in the jungle?
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of currency do they use in Ecuador?
ReplyDeleteWhat does the flag of Equador look like?
what is the biggest rain forest ecudaor
ReplyDelete1) What are some animals that you see a lot of there that we don't see here in mass?
ReplyDelete2) Do you like the different foods there?
Do the people dress differently than we do back in Hopkinton?
ReplyDeleteWhat kinds of animals are in Ecuador ?
ReplyDelete1.) Do the natives have any unique traditions?
ReplyDelete2.)What is the most interesting animal you've seen there?
What is the climate like? Do you have tour guides? If so, are the native?
ReplyDelete1) Are there the same foods there as in Hopkinton?
ReplyDelete2) Do they communicate a lot differently than we do here?
Is there a variety of different foods in Ecuador?
ReplyDeleteare the people there welcoming and full of life?
ReplyDeleteDo the people there speak English too or just Spanish?
ReplyDeletei hear they have some cool animals there have fun
ReplyDeleteJack
P.S. dont catch malaria
P.S.S. i agree with austin essay time
Are there animals free roaming, do you see them often?
ReplyDeleteWhats the one dollar coin?
ReplyDeleteHow warm is it there?
ReplyDeleteWhy is there a difference in clothing styles between westerns and natives?
ReplyDeleteThe indigenous people are trying to preserve their traditions. But Ecuadorians are like any other people, too; they want to live in a modern world!
DeleteI personally love traveling and being immersed with new culture. I have to tell you that I'm quite jealous that you are in equador right now, I have always wanted to go to South America! Be sure to take every moment in because one day those moments will be memories! The culture shock is whats the most thrilling, do stuff you have never even thought about doing before because you are really only in Equador once! Have fun!Also, what are the people like? Are they welcoming and generous?
ReplyDelete