ECUADOR
2017
Back in 2017 I visited Ecuador as part of my master's program. We headed there on a field trip to assess the damages caused by an earthquake that had its epicenter off the coast from Chamanga, a fishing village along the northern coastal region. Visiting places so devastated and impoverished like Chamanga reminds you that you should never take anything for granted. Working with and for the local community was a blessing and balm for my soul. Before flying back we had some spare time to discover this beautiful country, the smallest gem of the Andes. Thanks to the Amazon rainforest, Ecuador is part of a select group of megadiverse countries, those that harbor the majority of Earth's species and a substantial amount of endemic ones. In recognition of its unique ecological heritage, the new constitution of 2008 is the first in the world to recognize legally enforceable rights of nature, an example to the world in such a crucial moment in the history of the human race.