Finally! A field visit!

Hope everyone is doing well. Last weekend I finally went on a trip to some communities! I went with Cipca, a local NGO that does agroforestry projects in communities. Thursday at 6 am we took a dirty, uncomfortable bus to Puerto Rico. We arrived at around noon. The whole way from Cobija to Puerto Rico there was deforestation along the road, we hardly saw any forest. And then some people still say that deforestation is not a problem in Pando! The next day we visited some communities, on a motorcycle, because many of these communities cant be reached by car. Unfortunately this motorcycle was not really built for two people, and the roads are horrible, so it was a very long trip. We left at 8 and came back around 3 pm... The next day the same... But it was really nice to finally visit some really rural communities and talk to the people. Got some great pictures, but unfortunately it is nearly impossible to upload them with the slow and unreliable internet they have here. Sorry! You will just have to wait till june 27 (that is when I will be arriving back in holland! I am now more than halfway into my research and it is really going well. I have interviewed almost all the mayors, tomorrow I have another appointment and then its only 4 to go! Hopefully there are more trips to the communities to come, it is still difficult to arrange them here. Some organisations here are really... Lets just say here in this public space... not very well organized. My thesis is going to be very interesting I think. Just have to find a way to turn my critisims into positive recommendations.
Of course, there is more going in my life here than just research. Still having fun here with the other dutch girls and our group of friends. Unfortunately, one of the dutch girls is leaving us earlier than planned because it turned out that the research she wanted to do here was totally not relevant for this area... But this does mean that I have found a new place to stay! May 8 I have to get out of the house I am now staying in, unfortunately, and then I am moving into the Holland House where the other dutch girls live. They have a really nice house near the river, I am so lucky, because of all the immigration it is really hard to find a place to live here. Thats it for now, take care everyone! Hugs and Kisses!