On May 3, the driver for British Language Academy, Khalil, picked us up at the campus in Berrechid where we'd been volunteering, and drove us back to El Jadida to teach for another three days. Actually, he didn't take us all the way there, but dropped us off at the bus station, where we caught … Continue reading El Jadida take II
After teaching a few days at British Language Academy in Berrechid, Morocco, we were picked up, along with fellow volunteer Jason, and driven to Casablanca, where our van collected two more volunteers – these brand new, freshly arrived in town. From there we had a drive of about another 45 minutes to El Jadida, site … Continue reading Escape to El Jadida
On our second weekend in Chicaque Natural Park in Colombia, we really aimed high. First 105 feet, then 328 feet (or, to the locals, 32 meters and 100 meters respectively). We partook of a pair of airborne adventures offered by the park, at a substantial discount for volunteers. And they were definitely among the highlights, … Continue reading Hanging from Trees
photobombed by Alain who we met on the trail to Pico March 12 With our first week of volunteering concluded at UBHA school, we were free to spend a 3-day weekend hiking through the stupendous Chicaque Natural Park. On Saturday morning, we set out on a hike to visit one of its landmarks: Pico (the … Continue reading Exploring the Trails in Chicaque Natural Park
Although it's only half an hour from the buzzing metropolis of Bogota, Chicaque Natural Park is like a lost world, and parts of it seem far removed from any signs of civilization. It's 300 hectares (741 acres) of mountains, streams, thick vegetation, with a few but not too many tourist amenities like campgrounds, lodges, restaurants … Continue reading UBHA the One-Room Schoolhouse in a Colombian Cloud Forest
To the list of useful facilities and services that Villanueva, Colombia does not have, add bus terminal (nor train terminal, for that matter). Instead, it has a stretch of 3 or 4 blocks on the busiest street in town where buses and shuttles park (double-parking often would be a more accurate description) to discharge or … Continue reading Villanueva to Chicaque
During our third and final week in Villanueva, we were about to hit the panic button because Kimberly's phone suddenly stopped working. And her phone is the phone, the one we use to make calls and conduct other necessary business. Dennis' phone is mostly a door stop, though he can use it to get online, … Continue reading Final Week in Villanueva
Read about our first week in Villanueva Villanueva - Week 2 During our second week in Villanueva, our volunteering schedule was shuffled around a bit. The director decided that she wanted Dennis, the writing expert, to focus on teaching written English to the older students, who are only at the main campus. And she wanted … Continue reading Kicking Back in Villanueva
Dancing in the streets of Colombia, birds, sunsets and more - our first impressions of Villanueva.
Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito, Ecuador is a relatively new facility, having opened in 2013. It replaced the former airport of the same name, which became obsolete when it could not be expanded any further because of the surrounding mountainous terrain. But it was at least conveniently located, near the heart of town. This … Continue reading “Twenty Minutes”; and No Bathrooms on the Bus – Getting from Ecuador to Colombia
world travel with a theatrical flair 