Day 2

Yesterday was another full day . . .

We visited to elementary schools (primarias) and the coffee processing plant for the co-op in San Luis. There was a great deal of walking, and that always means fantastic sights along the way.

Here's Gilber again (the coffee farmer we visited at Finca la Bella yesterday). Today he is volunteering at his children's school, painting a mural. He laughs because he says right now he is a conflicted man. He is painting caterpillars, which he doesn't love because they eat the coffee plant leaves. We passed Gilber later on today on our way to our homestays. He was running up the mountain (as we were all huffing and puffing just trying to walk). Yes, on top of everything else, he runs marathons and trains for them by running UP the mountain.

The coffee processing plant . . . .











I spent the night with my homestay family in San Luis, and they were so kind and patient with my Spanish. Eugeno, the father, works at the Ecolodge. One of his sons will be attending Georgetown University this fall on a full scholarship.

We are leaving in a minute to visit a high school and the public health facility in Santa Elena, so I have to keep this one short . . . More later!