The end of the beginning

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." A special thanks to oft quoted Winston Churchill for help starting off this Monday afternoon blog. These words really capture what is happening in the lives of St. Michael's seniors right now. We are not ending anything, but beginning another phase of our lives.

Confession time-I have a HUGE mental block around graduating. I half believe that it isn't going to happen, maybe the apocalypse will occur before I walk across the stage and get my diploma. Maybe I will find a wormhole and be transported back to my freshman year dorm. This sense of disbelief isn't helped by my Peace Corps medical forms. Completing them may turn out to be my life's vocation. I am also going to India four days after graduation, so my SMC activities aren't going to end until mid-June.

However, I went on my last trip to the Lund Family Center, which has been an important part of my time here. I presented my political science thesis at the school's Student Research Symposium. My friends and I are looking for apartments (with a year lease!) so that we can stay in the Burlington area after graduation. All signs point to me graduating, leaving the comforts of campus, and finding my way in the world outside. I can only hope that the weeks to come will be filled with friends and fun, and that we will all be ready to leave our cocoon when the time comes.

What's going on

Hello friends, I have not blogged for the longest time and I think that Billy Joel would agree. In these past few weeks I have gone on spring break to Aruba with my friends. Here we are posing on a Catamaran in the Caribbean:



My friend, Kelsey, parents were very kind and allowed us use of their timeshare. We had six lovely days of lounging around the beach and adventuring.

Lately we have also been working tirelessly on India preparations. The departure date is getting closer and closer, which is exciting but also nerve-wracking. Our group has to fundraise for the charities that we will be working with. Here are some of us at the spring concert, selling concessions to benefit the organizations:



I am really luck to be going with such a great group of people. Since St. Mike's is such a small school, many of us were fortunate to know each other already. We have biweekly meetings and other events more regularly, and it has been nice to get to know each other before the plane takes off.

I hope that everyone is having a nice post-Easter week and still has some candy to enjoy!

And the winner is...

Happy first week of March and almost spring! Can you feel the warm winds and promise of sunshine? I don't know about you but I cannot wait for these warmer months to come.

This Tuesday was SUPER TUESDAY, and doesn't that sound exciting? Super Tuesday is the Tuesday during the presidential election year when the greatest number of states have primaries to assign delegates to the national convention. This past Tuesday, March 6, 410 delegates from 10 states were to be assigned to the Republican presidential candidates.

I worked on exit polling with Edison Research at some polling locations in Vermont. The results from these surveys are sent to NBC, CNN, ABC and Fox news to show during election coverage. I spent the day driving around the beautiful state and "roving," which means assisting the people who were stationed at the same polls all day. I went to Burlington, Barre and Northfield with my backpack filled with extra tally sheets, surveys and even a foldable ballot box. Very official.

No surprises here, Mitt Romney won the primary in Vermont with Ron Paul coming in second place. After my day of work I can say with certainty that there is a definite age difference between most Vermont Republicans and Democrats. If a person was under the age of 40 and with children on election day, chances are they would ask to fill out the questionnaire for Dems. The older folks tended to be Republicans and generally more unhappy about doing paperwork, even though it was voluntary.

Overall it was a good day and another form of political participation. Yay democracy!

Eat good food!

Hey everyone...you know what are cool? Farm shares, or CSAs (Community supported agriculture). My roommates and I have a hybrid CSA that is run by the Intervale Food Hub. Every Wednesday afternoon I walk to Klein, the student resource center, to pick up our basket of vegetables for the week. Depending on the week we get potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, carrots, parsnips, mushrooms, lettuce, chard, and some kind of squash. Because it is a hybrid, we also get either yogurt, eggs, syrup, or cheese every week.

Here is our CSA basket:



Look at those fresh and locally raised veggies!! Getting a farm share is one of the best decisions I have made this year and I have saved A TON of money on groceries. Also, I feel good about where my food is coming from. This nice because I am in a class about the politics of food and I have begun to question pretty much everything about our country's food system.

My lovely roommate and fellow blogger, Michaela, with some delicious maple yogurt:



MAGIC EGGS. Seriously.



And last but not least, what is going to make my pumpkin pancakes especially delicious on Saturday:



Let's eat!

Weekend activities

Hello everyone, I hope that your semester is off to a good start. I don't have class until 1 o'clock most days and I work some mornings but productivity is always a struggle. I get up, have my coffee and lazy walk around my house for while when I should be starting my day. Alas, struggles of a second semester senior.

It's no secret that college students anxiously await the weekend, but I am going to let you all in on some things that we do during our blessed two days of rest.

Friday night:
-Go climbing with my roommate, Susan, at Petra Cliffs, where St. Mike's students are offered a pass to climb for the YEAR for 35 dollars. An incredible deal. Friday nights are my favorite time to go because there aren't too many people there.
-Celebrate my friend, Ashley's 22nd birthday by going to downtown Burlington for a lovely dinner at Sweetwaters. The food and company was wonderful.



Saturday
-Saturday mornings are bright and full of possibility. My roommates and I always take a long and leisurely time to eat our breakfast and talk. This Saturday I did my long run of 5 miles in training for my third half marathon in April.
-Superbowl snack shopping. I didn't root for a team, but I think that our snacks won. Artichoke dip, 7 layer dip, smiley fries and homemade carmel covered popcorn were my personal favorites.

Sunday
-Snowshoeing in Underhill, VT with my good friend Greta and the SMC Wilderness program. We walked on a trail called Nebraska Notch and it was an invigorating 4.5 roundtrip hike. Even though snow in Burlington has been scarce, the trails were covered, making it a beautiful walk.



We were back on campus by 1 o'clock, a great time for a Sunday nap before the Super bowl madness began. I hope that everyone had a lovely weekend as well!

6 Habits of Highly Ineffective College Students

Back to classes, homework, independent living and slushing around campus. Sometimes it seems as if there are so many obstacles in the way of productivity (at least for me). Here of some of the things that can inhibit collegiate greatness.

1. Not doing outside of class programs, otherwise referred to as extracurriculars. Everyone knows that people who do more tend to get more done. This is very true on the St. Mike's campus. Small groups of extremely productive people run the show, and do it with grace. Get involved on campus with volunteer work, clubs and sports, the good television doesn't come until at least 8 o'clock anyways...

2. Netflix accounts, get rid of them. Immediately. It hurts, but is worth it. You can stream Dexter and Grey's Anatomy all you want during the summer.

3. Sleeping until noon everyday. Get up and get going. Being done with work by 3 feels much better than beginning your day at 1:20. My lack of morning classes this semester is really hurting my morning ambitions. It really shouldn't take me an hour to eat my breakfast...

4. Not paying enough attention to your physical/mental state. If you are tired, take a nap or go to bed earlier. Eat well, your food is your fuel and running off Diet Coke and macaroni and cheese will take a toll. Go to the gym, after an aggravating day a nice sweat will do you good. Trust me.

5. Putting off your required courses until senior year. A good friend, roommate and unnamed fellow blogger has said she resents saving her math and science courses until now. Nothing says fun like astronomy homework until midnight. Learn from this and save the classes you are actually excited to take for the end.

6. Speaking of the best for last, highly ineffective students do their work all day and don't have any fun. Get off campus and do something adventurous, something that you and your friends will remember for years. As heartwarming as an assigned article is to read, it can be put off in the spirit of fun.

My geographic coordinates, the 2011 edition

Hello, I hope that everyone's 2012 is off to a good start! I saw a list of all the places my friend, Mia, went in 2011 in her fantastic blog. I always find it amusing how much more accomplished I feel after making a list. They are a great way to get organized and actually think about what you've done. Here is my list from 2011, a pretty incredible year.

The greater Burlington area, VT
Cambridge, MA
Santiago de Compostela, Spain (where I visited my friend in March)


Washington D.C.
Ecuador


Cape Cod, MA
Plattsburgh and the Adirondacks, NY


Montreal, Canada
Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island, ME
Nashua, NH. (Hey Mitt!)


Montpelier, VT
Lake Placid, NY
Long Island, NY

This list is a reflection of the memories I have made this year with the help of wonderful people. Going to an AIDS conference at Harvard, traveling to Europe, protesting in D.C., researching in Ecuador, 4th of July festivities on the Cape, a trip to Acadia, and the Republican Debate at Dartmoth have all been highly rewarding experiences. I feel so very fortunate and I encourage everyone to make 2011 lists. I will leave you with this, a picture I took today on a walk with my dad through the woods.

A very merry

I hope that everyone is enjoying their holiday season and is excited for 2012 to begin. My Christmas was filled with family, gingerbread, Love Actually, and beautiful decorations. On Christmas Eve we engaged in the typical Italian tradition of eating seven kinds of fish (my mom tells me that this is for the seven sacraments) and watched It's a Wonderful Life, one of my favorite movies. I made a special holiday dispensation to my vegetarianism in order to eat the shrimp, calamari, crab dip flounder, baked clams, scallops and lobster tail. So much fish.

Here I am with my sister, Lauren, before mass on Christmas Eve:



On Christmas day, my family from Burlington came over. My cousins and I had a day of Harry Potter and endless snacking before the feast. After this we left for Long Island to visit both sides of my family. While on Long Island, Lauren and I went running on the beach. This is a change of atmosphere from the snowy mountains of New York and Vermont:



We used to live here! With my sister, Lauren:



Now, everyone should see this. My grandma made my mom drive in crazy Long Island traffic to observe the decorations on this house. They even rented out a radio station that makes the lights dance (I still don't understand how this works).



It was great to see so many members of my family (and the bagels and eggplant parmesan were great too!). I wish everyone a happy and healthy 2012!

Esta es la tesis

The first semester of my senior year has come and gone. I have researched, written, and presented both of my theses. When I go back to Saint Mike's in January I will be a second semester senior. Can someone please tell me what that is about?

Last Monday I presented my Spanish thesis called, Los marginados y sus papeles en el narcotráfico (the marginalized and their roles in the drug trade) to my class and a few other professors. I tried not to be nervous in the days preceding my presentation but in the moments leading up to it my heart was beating furiously. However, when I stood up to speak I was overtaken by how far we had all come together and I was not nervous anymore. Spanish is not a big major at St. Mike's, so it is entirely likely that the same 5 people may be in all of your classes. Here we are and please take note of how much female Spanish majors enjoy scarves:



My friends Sunny and Ari, after presenting. Elated is the word I would use to describe how we felt.



As a class we were allowed to choose our topics based on our outside interests. People presented on literature, music, political economy and culture shock, just to mention a few. Another professor said how interesting it was that our passions were able to come through into our topics. That is how I view my Spanish major, as an additional lens that will allow me to better understand the world, and especially political culture.

Although I researched and wrote a lot this semester, none of it ever seemed too tedious because I enjoyed what I was doing. I hope that everyone can find a field of study that allows for this, because hating what you do definitely seems more exhausting and less rewarding. Here's to finding our passions and being able to live them!!

Namaste...

is how people greet each other in India. In May I am going to Kolkata with ten other great members of the Saint Michael's College community on a service trip to work with the Missionaries of Charity at Mother Teresa's homes, New Hope, New Life Orphanage and the Sabera Foundation. This service trip is one of two international trips run by MOVE, the volunteer organization on campus.

India has been in my head for as long as I can remember. Before freshman seminar when I wrote my Peace and Justice paper on the Indian-Pakistani conflict, before I watched Slumdog Millionaire, and even before I came to Saint Michael’s College I have wanted to go on this service trip. The idea of going on a service India has been in my head for as long as I can remember and I feel as though this is something that I am meant to do.

I am so excited, but it seems so far away. We have to do a lot of fundraising, and the first official event was the international market this week in Alliot, the student center. Along with the group that is going to the Dominican Republic, we sold gifts like scarfs, jewelry and clothing to raise money for the trips. Here are some of the items that we sold:



I strongly believe that every person on this earth deserves dignity and compassion, especially the poor. Mother Teresa based her charities on this idea from Matthew 25:40 “Whatsoever you do for the least of My brothers, that you do unto me.” If I have the ability to help someone else, it is my duty to do so. I am very excited about the prospect of an international service trip. To be able to see a new place through volunteer work seems wonderful. And to be able to share the experience with people dedicated to service is incredible. I am so grateful that I was afforded this opportunity. Happy Friday!

P.S. This is my friend Sunny, who is going to India with me. Her face says, please buy my wares to help the poor, don't you think?

Progress is possible!

Last fall I studied abroad in Peru and this summer I researched the Millennium Development Goals in Ecuador, so Latin American poverty is a topic that I am very interested in.The United Nations released a study showing that poverty levels in Latin America are falling as a result of government run social programs. The gap between classes is still incredibly large, but there is potential for change and evidence of success. Take two minutes and watch this video that I found on one of my favorite alternative news sources:

Poverty levels fall in Latin America - Americas - Al Jazeera English

Have a great day!

6 Ways to Relieve Pre-finals Week Stress

1. Rent a movie from the library. They have tons and tons of movies and if the one that you want isn't there, you can put in a request. I recommend this activity with ice cream or popcorn. Very relaxing.

2. Taking a scenic run or going to the gym. The chances are that even if you are completely bogged down by work, you have 40 minutes to exercise and not think about the world of academia. My ten-plus years of magazine reading has taught me that exercising produces endorphins, and endorphins make you happy (thanks Elle Woods).

3. Song break. Singing and dancing to one or two songs can be very inspirational. I recommend anything by Florence and the Machine, Mumford and Sons or Adele. Bonus points if you run around the room that you are in.

4. Hot chocolate with extra whipped cream from the Knight Stand. Tis' the season and the cold weather is an excuse to delight in this scrumptious beverage. Yum.

5. Watch a television show online. Do it,I know that you want to.

6. Take a nap. Really, I cannot emphasize how important it is to SLEEP when you are tired. If you don't it is all you can think about and you will wake up in a better mood. No one likes a crank, so catch a few zzz's please.

The moral of all of these tips is that resting and taking breaks are important and necessary to your mental well being. Relax! Or as my friend often says: "Keep calm and carry on."

Political theater

Herman Cain, the potential future president of the United States:



Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Here is the Huntsman family's response:

Come gather around people wherever you roam...

This week I had the unusual pleasure of attending the Republican Economics debate in New Hampshire at Dartmouth College on Tuesday. But first let me back up. This story starts with 7 AIDS activists, a bus of journalism students and many bagels. On Monday morning all 60 of us (yikes) drove to New Hampshire to go to some of the pre-debate town hall events that the Republican presidential candidates were hosting. To completely understand this story I am going to have to explain an activism tactic called birddogging.

Birddogging is the tactic that activists use to put pressure on politicians to form a policy on a certain issue (in our case, HIV/AIDS). It involves repeatedly questioning the aforementioned politician in varying ways to either illicit a response or to gather media attention. It can end in either a relationship of understanding, or simply mutual annoyance.

First on our agenda was a Jon Huntsman event at a train station in Tilton, NH. We started by having a non-SGACer (Student Global AIDS Campaign) ask Huntsman a question about funding PEPFAR (the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) at the same level as under the Bush administration. After two more questions Huntsman admitted that he did not know very much about the issue and promised to look in on it. And here is the best part- HE ACTUALLY DID! After the debate he came to speak to the students and mentioned how important fighting AIDS was. Jon Huntsman- SUCCESS!!

Moving on to Mitt Romney, a more heated albeit less happy tale. We went to a Romney event at a quaint New Hampshire general store along with 5 students that we managed to convince to come with us from the journalism class. Here is Mitt with Mrs. Romney:



Romney did not offer an opportunity to answer questions, so we went to his next event in Hopkinton, a town-hall style gathering. It was here that we met up with the rest of the St. Mikes group and sat down to enjoy watching and participating in the democratic process.

If you want a true picture of how the event went, I suggest watching this video:



Romney did not provide us the responses on HIV/AIDS policies that we would have liked, but the media attention that the issue gathered was well worth it. Check them out:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/11/mitt-romney-gay-marriage_n_1004831.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/10/romney-badgered-on-same-sex-marriage-questions-at-n-h-town-hall/

This trip was great for two reasons- one, SGAC was able to meet and discuss HIV/AIDS with our potential president. But what was even greater was that we could share this experience with people that may not have normally called themselves activists. Until next time, peace and power to the people!

"If you don't do politics, politics will do you."

...is what the French and Joan Mandle, executive director of Democracy Matters say. This past Tuesday I attended a dinner with the executive director of Democracy Matters, Joan Mandle and a few other student activists. We talked about student movements, St. Michael's and how we can make a difference in the political arena of the United States. Joan is an extremely intelligent person who teaches sociology at Colgate University in New York. She has experienced things that politically engaged students today only dream today. Joan has marched on Washington with Dr. King and participated with other students during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. Incredible stuff.

I just love when Joan said this quote about politics. In the United States, politics can be a dirty word. People don't want to talk about politics at risk of being too controversial. But as this quote suggests, it is such an important part of participating in society. At the most obvious level politics control taxes, the military and social security. But to dig deeper than that is to realize that everything from the food you we eat to the shoes on our feet is political. So, it is only natural that we care about these things.

After dinner we had a meeting with more students about how to organize and attract students to political events on campus. You have to be able to convince your friends to agree with you before you are able to reach out to more people. St. Michael's is an incredibly caring campus with organizations like the Student Labor Action Movement (SLAM), the Peace & Justice Club, the Food Justice Club, Common Ground (an LGBT alliance group), the Student Global AIDS Campaign (SLAM) and our giant volunteer organization, MOVE. I believe that these excellent groups could work together more to more effectively achieve or goals. The saying, "the more the merrier," holds some truth, especially in this circumstance.

This weekend we are planning an event that will hopefully utilize all of these excellent resources on campus (more to come!).
But for now know that the world is changing fast. Sometimes you can forget that there are people that have some very similar views that you do. In fact, these people may be all around just waiting to be a part of something bigger than yourselves. Peace!!

It's a wild world

After spending Saturday night in a tent, I can say with good authority that fall is on its way. This weekend I went on an overnight hike with the wonderful wilderness program here at SMC. The offer programs to go on day hikes, rock climbing, sea kayaking and other great activities. During our hike we followed two different trails making a loop that brought us to the summit of Belvidere Mountain. Look at this view:



I had hiked this mountain this summer with my friend and wilderness instructor, Susan, but I wanted the chance to do an overnight before the season is over. Here Susan and I are when we hiked Belvidere in May:



This time I had a much heavier pack on my back, muddier trails because of Irene, and a few great people that I hadn't met before the hike. Our group consisted of six people--two instructors and four participants. For just a few dollars we were provided with the gear we needed but may not have had (sleeping pad, down jacket etc.), three delicious meals (pita pizzas, pancakes and oreos galore) and a great way to take advantage of all that Vermont has to offer.

Part of my group surveying the scene when we reached the peak:



I can't think of a better way to spend a beautiful weekend. Can't you tell we were so excited?



After reading this get outside and enjoy the sun!

Come on Irene

I hope that everyone's school year is off to a wonderful start! Last year this time I was settling into my life in Peru and now I am getting accustomed to calling myself a senior. This means living in a townhouse, no longer eating three meals a day in Alliot, and enjoying everything St. Mike's has to offer. Four of my friends and I are living in a fantastic townhouse on campus and I must admit we are all enjoying ourselves very much.

I love the beginning of the school year. Brand new notebooks, brightly colored pens and the promise of fall make me so happy. This semester I am only taking 12 credits (my two senior seminars and a politics class) because I have started interning in Senator Bernie Sander's office in downtown Burlington. I take the CCTA bus there and back three days a week. With your St. Mike's ID the bus is free and the often chaotic parking situation is not an issue.

Anyways, I work 13 hours a week at the office where I read through Vermont newspapers, file papers and learn what government in action really looks like. I think people forget that government is more than just Washington politics and CNN coverage, it is about trying to help as many people as possible with the resources available.

As you all probably know, Tropical storm Irene has sent Vermont into a state of disaster. Besides heavy rain the Burlington area was largely spared. However, most of Vermont was hit hard and there are people all over the state in need of food, shelter and other necessities. The senator's office has been hectic since I've started working and I was even sent to volunteer answering phones for FEMA one day. FEMA is the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and they coordinate widespread disaster relief. I was surprised to learn that they run out of two Winnebagos near the Burlington waterfront. Just another example of government functioning outside of the capitol.

Through my readings of VT newspapers I have become aware of people helping each other out all over the state. Women making solidarity T-shirts, Shaw's made a grocery store out of a tent, Phish is hosting a benefit concert and high schools all over are raising money to help those in need. The generosity of the human spirit can be truly impressive.

I have to get ready to go to class, but I just wanted to relay some of what has been happening here in Colchester, VT at the beginning of a new year. Be well and finish up those summer peaches, it's almost apple time!!

You are what you eat

The elementary school saying is true. For me, this summer has been very educational on the food front. I finally watched Food Inc, I read The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, bought great vegetarian cookbooks and I am going to be the proud owner of a farmshare in the fall. Many people that I have interacted with lately could probably tell you two things about me:

One: I LOVE food blogs. Seriously. Since I don't discriminate, cooking and baking have been equally enchanting for me this summer. But foodgawker.com is the fuel to my obsession's fire.

Two: I have recently (a few months ago) stopped eating meat. I will not call myself a vegetarian because it is a very political term and many omnivores have alarmingly picky views about what can be considered a truly meat free person. Not that this annoys me at all (does sarcasm translate on blogs).

With all this being said, I decided to share one of my sans meat meals with you all in an attempt to emulate my idols:

Zucchini Patty Sandwiches (adapted from Whole Living magazine)
1 15.5 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 small summer squashes, grated
1 small red onion, diced
1 egg, lightly whisked
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 whole wheat pitas
1 cup low-fat Greak yogurt
8 leaves of lettuce



1. Mash garbanzo beans in a bowl until smooth. Stir in breadcrumbs, summer squash, onion, egg and salt. Form into eight patties.


2. Sauté patties in oil until golden, 3 minutes per side.


3. Halve pitas and stuff with patties, yogurt and lettuce. 4. Enjoy!!

I'll be fine once I get it

Before I write about our grand conclusions or where to go with my research, I thought that I would take a brief digression into happiness. When I was in Ecuador I wrote about the things I that made me happy there. The Pursuit of Happiness, Ecuadorian style included: banana milkshakes, bus rides that are long but actually feel short, speaking Spanish, bathrooms with toilet paper, being so dirty that you forget clean, conversations with strangers about politics, dangling my feet off a canoe, well maintained parks, only using the internet once a day, the rainforest, fried eggs and the list goes for two pages.

A few weeks ago I finished reading a great book lent to me by a a great friend, The Geography of Bliss, by Eric Weiner. Weiner, a former foreign correspondent, visits ten countries in order to observe what does and does not make people happy. His travels take him from Switzerland, where orderliness is happiness, to Bhutan where happiness is a domestic policy, to Moldova where unhappiness is rampant. Weiner's observations tend to be a bit general because of the brevity of his visits, but he raises important points about the real impact of culture on all of our lives. He very aptly states that "Culture is the sea we swim in- so pervasive, so all-consuming that we fail to notice its existence until we step out of it."

Thinking about culture and happiness, I am trying to decide what it is that makes people in this country happy. Do the things we want make us as happy as we think? According to mainstream American culture, food, shopping, professional sports, resort vacations and good reality television make us happy. Is this true? Do these things really make us happy? The list I made on a park bench in Ecuador does not look anything like this, and I have a feeling that there are many others out there whose lists would correlate. So here is a challenge, start taking note of the things that make you happy, however silly and insignificant they sound. Coffee in the morning, running at night, or calling a friend. Anything.

Thank you for indulging me in this detour. I am going to make blueberry pie, which I want and will coincidentally make me happy (I think).

The perfect space

It is so hot outside right now that I can't help but be reminded of a month ago, when I was in the Amazon. To continue from where I left off, we were in Nuevo Rocafuerte, ready to embark on our three day camping trip in Yasuni National Park. Following the beautiful sunset and a dinner of rice and beans, our bags were packed and spirits were high. Jerry, Drisk and I loaded up Juan Carlos' motorized canoe and set off for a two and a half hour ride even further into the Amazon. Here were are on the boat:



Along the way we spotted a rare species of pink freshwater dolphins and saw the border of Peru at an even closer range. After studying there during the fall semester it was strange to see Peru from the other side.

After a gloriously breezy ride we arrived at our first encampment. We set our tents up beneath a canopy of leaves and readied ourselves for some adventure. And let me say that adventure, it came and took us by force. We hiked, canoed, and swam our way through the some of the most exciting few days that I can recall.

Recreational activities aside, we came to Yasuni with a research objective. In 2008, Ecuador was the first country to declare the unalienable rights of nature. Therefore, maintaining the preservation of Yasuni National Park is a crucial part of meeting the Millennium Development Goals. The ecological diversity within the park is unparalleled and because of it Yasuni was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1989. Inside this area live many indigenous groups, some whom have never contacted the outside world.

However, this sacred place is threatened by the natural resources that lie beneath its surfaces, namely oil. In 2007 the Ecuadorian government created the ITT Initiative, which claims to leave Ishpingo-Tiputini-Tambococha oil fields untapped in exchange for compensation from the international community for lost revenue. If exploited, the indigenous rights and the unalienable rights of nature will be seriously jeopardized.

With this knowledge, the ever-fearless team Ecuador wanted to see what the effects of the oil exploration process were on this piece of jungle. So after our two canoe rides we hiked an hour and trekked through waist-deep water to find the oil reservoirs. Look at us go:



And after our exploring, this is what we found on the other side (its the Ishpingo of ITT):



I am still not completely sure what to call this structure, but I think oil valve is the most accurate. I am still in awe of how it came out of nowhere, distracting us from the incredible greenery around it. Poking at its base with a stick released the oil fumes. So it was easy to imagine how building a pipeline from it would be extremely dangerous for the surrounding communities. If used, Ecuador would benefit economically, but not for long. Definitely not long enough to make up for the damage it would cause to the environment. Many people we met, even our guide, believe the current administration of Ecuador WILL break the ITT initiative and drill for oil. Only time will tell, but for the sake of Ecuador and the importance of biodiversity everywhere I sincerely hope that they do not.