I had been living in Quito, Ecuador for about 8 months when I decided to join the Arajuno Road Project as the Project Coordinator. My time in Quito was spent teaching English at a university. I enjoyed my time there, but I needed a change and the Arajuno Road Project was exactly what I needed. Having previously worked in recently formed non-profit-organizations, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But upon arriving, I was immediately impressed with the Project and the progress it had made in just one year of existence.

I am walking through this little village at kilometer 35 on the road from Puyo to Arajuno. It is this tiny community without a name and undiscoverable in Google Earth, which allows me to be part of the Ecuadorian life.

Although there are probably more differences than similarities between the jungle-culture and the European lifestyle I feel really welcome and at home here in the middle of the jungle.

About five min before the town El Triunfo is the Escula Angel Manzano. The dirty yellow and blue buildings, accompanied by a rough sandy football pitch and cement basket ball court, are brought to life by 30 bright faced, enthusiastic, smiling children from ages 2 to 10. Every day when we arrived we were greeted by children screaming, "Good morning teacher!" (in English) and running to give us a hug and hand shake.

On my first week here I was invited to make chicha (a local drink) with another volunteer and a local family, as at the weekend we were having a leaving party for a volunteer. All I knew about chicha at this time was that it is a traditional drink the women have to make whenever there is a celebration or a party..... I had no idea how it was made.