Nine Grade 8 students and two teachers spent a very memorable week in the Amazon Rainforest in early March. We left Toronto and arrived in Quito, Ecuador very late that same night. Very early the next morning we began an epic 11-hour bus ride into the Amazon, watching our surroundings and the ecosystem change as we descended in altitude. The fresh air during our motorized canoe ride to the Minga Lodge felt so good after being on the bus. Minga was our home base for the rest of our week. Each day we had a schedule of activities, some of which had us travelling by motorized canoe to a local community, while others were on site at the lodge.

A highlight, for sure, was our building project. We were tasked with helping to build a new classroom for a school in the community of Kanambu. In partnership with WE, a new school has been built in this community and our job was to begin adding a wall to a second storey classroom. It was hard work, in the heat and humidity, but it made for some of our longest lasting memories. For three days we were very much part of the school day along with the students there.

We also learned a lot about chocolate!  It is very important to many communities in Ecuador. We had the opportunity to experience, first hand, the process of chocolate making, from harvesting the cacao beans, through to scraping out the seeds, the fermentation, roasting, grinding, stirring and, finally, actually making our own chocolate bar. YUM!

The people we met have left a lasting impression on everyone in our group. We were able to connect with local community members and learn from them. The TCS habits of the heart and mind came alive in their stories.

The group looks forward to sharing more details of their experiences with you and the Junior School students. Stay tuned for their thoughts and reflections!

- By Ms. Sarah Torrible and Mr. Steve Murray, chaperones