Visions Service Adventures

Mitad del Mundo is a land of extraordinary contrasts where wood-burning stoves, thatched roof dwellings and cell phones co-exist. Where the planet's rarest species live on an isolate of islands 600 miles off the coast, drawing scientists and tourists from around the globe. Where the fishing and farming activities of growing numbers of Ecuadorians living on the Galapagos threaten the very existence of this extraordinary eco-system.

In VISIONS Ecuador we experience two dramatically different environs - a traditional Andean village where we live in a community hall, and the Galapagos Islands where our home base is a family-run hostel. In both host communities your service engages you in agricultural, environmental, sustainable, economic, artistic and social fronts. For the first three weeks we live in Patate, an intimate farming village situated on one of many agricultural hillsides of the Andes. Like so many Andean villages, Patate is a tranquil, magical place whose residents are kind and welcoming. Patate is in the province of Tungurahua, a region of rich soils and diverse crops, known as the “dinner plate of Ecuador”. The views are breathtaking, with splendid cloud formations that seem to dance over the mountains.

Projects in the Andes have included constructing a preschool and community cisterns, building dry toilets, teaching English to school children, preparing greenhouse space for a communal garden, assisting reforestation, helping families milk their cows, feed their coy and rabbits and harvest crops. In the spirit of minga our hosts work side-by-side with us. We take many of our meals with the villagers, join their festivals and games, play soccer, have informal spontaneous lessons in traditional weaving and embroidery, music and dance.

Andean recreation and exploration takes us to the markets of Ambato, Banos Hot Springs, and sweeping mountain vistas that leave you breathless. There will be ample time to tour historic Quito at the end of our time in Patate.

In the final week of the program we are based on San Cristobal, the first of the Galapagos Islands that Darwin studied. Galapagos service ranges from renovating schools and volunteering in the classrooms to organizing campamento activities. For our partners, the Ministerio de Agricultura and the Parque Nacional, we clear invasive plant species and assist in approved coffee planting.

Exploration is a top priority in the Galapagos, of course, with an all-day boat trip when we snorkel and hike the surrounding areas, daily wildlife viewing of blue footed boobies, sea turtles and finches, swimming with sea lions, trekking and more.

Participants in this language immersion program must have minimum two years of classroom Spanish or equivalent proficiency.