Ivonne

I spend 4 weeks here and had a great time. Maryanne and her boyfriend Jo made me feel at home right away. Both are incredibly hard working towards building their little paradise. The work was very diverse and I could choose my own work schedule and work days.
I helped extending their organic garden, watering the existing garden, making organic insecticides from tabaco and organic compost out of grass. I also helped clearing a grassy hill and planting, corn, beans, papaya, Quinoa, yucca, cucumber, pumpkin, and melon. We also did some digging for new bathrooms.
Maryanne is a fantastic cook and treats you to Pizza and chocolate cake after a hard days work.
The beach is beautiful, uncrowded even on the weekends and there are perfect waves for body boarder and beginner surfer. I left my bodyboard so do have some fun.
The local museum displays interesting pottery found on the beach and the surrounding and the local people are very friendly. This region is very different from the rest of Ecuador. Over 90% of the population is negro/ black. They are the descendants of runaway slaves and have persevered their African roots. I celebrated carnival in the nearby town Esmeraldas which was a very interesting cultural experience.