1/9/2020 Today we took a 5 hour bus ride from Cuenca to Zamora with a few stops along the way, including Lojas for lunch, arriving in Zamora around 3:30. Driving through the Andes, the progressive change from more flat, agricultural areas to dense, lush vegetation was clearly visible. Flatter topography is prominent in Southern Cuenca which make it ideal for agriculture. Cattle was originally brought by conquistadors forcing them to introduce grass to suit dietary needs of animals, which can be seen across the land. Beautiful waterfalls were scattered along the drive up. On our way to our hotel, we decided to drop our laundry off in town since we hadn't gotten the chance to do it earlier. We then checked into the Jocoto Foundation Copalinga Lodge located in the Amazon Basin. Stepping out of the van, it was evident we were in the rainforest. It was hot and humid but when everyone was silent, you could hear a world of noise from the birds calling to the river flowing to gentle rain on the leaves.
Stepping into the dining area, hummingbirds were immediately zooming past and let me speechless. We decided to hike around the lodge and after about a half hour, a group of use were able to see the grey tinamou (only found in 2 small areas of Ecuador), which was incredible and worth the wait. After our hike, we had dinner and discussed Paul’s presentation. 'Expatriates' is a term that is used by westerners who live in other countries, often with special skills. We talked about how Ecuadorians will often work in the United States for 10-20 years make money and go back to Ecuador and be able to live well off. This is a common trend with many countries. Similarly, 10 million Americans live abroad, likely for the low cost of living and more affordable healthcare. Florida is often used as a base for expatriates since it’s so close to South and Central America and allows them to spend the time in the United States to keep their citizenship.