Last Work Days at Merazonia and a Zoo in Shell

The kitchen building at Merazonia, with a wooden picnic table outside.

Work’s been pretty relaxed this week during my last work days at Merazonia, so I really can’t understand why I’ve got this blasted cold. Well, in any case, I now know that I’d rather paint three coats in a whole room with drywall than paint one coat on a small cement holding tank. For toilets, no less! I […]

More Merazonia Projects and A Bit of Village Life in Shell

One of the views from the volunteer house at Merazonia shows a forested mountain rising behind the jungle.

This week, we continued with some more Merazonia projects. Jen and I built some drawers to put beneath the future volunteers’ beds. I measured, sawed, planed, and sanded the wood, nailed it all together to make a box, screwed some wheels into the bottom, and voilà! Drawers! I also hauled rocks in a neat contraption we put on […]

“Camping” and Hiking at Merazonia

Hiking at Merazonia and admiring the beautiful scenery.

Thursday evening, David and I decided to stay at the refuge overnight instead of returning to Mera. We had discussed it with Jen and Frank ahead of time, and together we planned some “camping” and jungle hiking at Merazonia (smiley face). We hiked out to the road with Frank, Jen, and Guido because to the right of the […]

Volunteering at Merazonia Animal Reserve

Hacienda-style volunteer house at Merazonia Animal Reserve, Ecuador.

After only a few days here, volunteering at Merazonia Animal Reserve, I now have grease monkey fingernails! Wednesday, which was Day Two for me volunteering at Merazonia, was spent building scaffolding for the construction of the aviary. More sawing, searching for wood, planting poles into the mud to brace our scaffold, climbing the scaffolding to secure the braces, […]

Arriving in Mera and My First Day at Merazonia

This house in Mera is where you spend your first day at Merazonia.

Imagine zooming along winding mountain roads in a rickety old bus, listening to Bedouin Soundclash, chilling, feasting your eyes, insatiable. Imagine chatting away with an amicable Ecuadorian who points out sights: a famous waterfall, a deep ravine, a bridge off which to bungee jump, a good discoteca, his own restaurant… Imagine being dropped off the bus in an […]

Letter to David Ramsay, Minister of Natural Resources: Please Help Us Keep Halton Recycling Out of French River!

Municipality of French River logo.

Dear Minister Ramsay, I am a resident of Noëlville. I would like to draw your attention to a matter of great concern to the citizens of the Municipality of French River. Bylaw 2007-41 rezones a parcel of land from a Rural area to a Waste Disposal area. Halton Recycling Ltd. has entered into negotiations with the owners of […]

Open Letter to the Council of the Municipality of French River: Respect Your Citizens!

Municipality of French River logo.

The Municipality of French River is currently experiencing major upheaval due to Bylaw 2007-41, which rezones a Rural area to a Waste Disposal area. On Wednesday, September 5, at 7 p.m., a Council meeting was held at which a petition with approximately 1,800 signatures asking to rescind Bylaw 2007-41 was presented to Council. Residents were allowed 30 minutes […]

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