I just got back from my month in Bilsa. I had a great time there. The road to the reserve is pretty muddy but we made it in and out with out any problems except for being sore from the horses. Coming to Ecuador from Peru by bus was no problem at all. And all the rest of my travels have been going well. I am now headed to Bolivia for a month of travel.

Bilsa is a beautiful place and I really enjoyed the work that I did. For my individual project tried to identify the some of the orchids that are found in the area. They have a large collection but no one has ever tried to identify them. I did the best that I could, since only a handful of them were flowering during the time that I was there.

I had a wonderful time at the reserve. I think it is set up very well. The reserve benefits from the help of the volunteers on the work days but the volunteers have a lot of freedom to explore and work on projects that really interest them. I loved the hikes and talking to the staff about the plants and animals in the reserve. It is a nice break from travelling or working because it gave me a chance to get to see a part of Ecuador that most tourists don�t get to see. I also learned about the culture and environment.

It is a little intimidating to get to Bilsa on your own. I know Spanish very well, and have travelled a lot in Latin America, but I felt uncomfortable getting there on my own. Luckily I ran into 2 other girls who were going also. The only other disappointment was the lack of interaction with local communities. But I think that was due to the location of the Bilsa reserve.

Thanks to you for all the information, and for the wonderful experience.

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