Day 10 - Riobamba & Chimborazo - an indigenous community visit

Today we slept in a little later than normal, then began our trip toward Chimborazo to visit a small indigenous community where we learned a lot about how people in the community live from day to day. Because we are wyomingites, our students (for the most part) found themselves feeling right at home in the community. On the way, we stopped at an authentic Saturday local market where the people were selling their livestock, as well as their various goods and foods. It reminded us quite a bit of fair time back home...

Our local guide for the day, named Trinidad, was a sweet, hardworking, welcoming woman. She shared stories from her life, information about alpacas and llamas, and we trekked with her to the top of a hill that offered panoramic views of the surrounding landscapes and homes. We ate dinner with her today - trying llama for our first time!

All afternoon, we spent our time working in the indigenous community - cutting alfalfa fields, moving animals for grazing, feeding cows agave leaves, and moving produce... Our students dug right in, got their hands dirty and enjoyed the experience!

we ended our day with another stroll along the Main Streets of Riobamba. Some students found doughnuts and coffee, while others window shopped or mingled with locals. Several locals actually asked our group to stop and take pictures with them. Tourists are far and few between in Riobamba, which only added to its romantic allure and quaint street views.