Around Puyo

People have asked a few questions about the area around Puyo. We will attempt to answer these questions in a list

1. Rural "farming" consists of very small plots of land. Fowl, pigs, cows ,etc. are kept in very small numbers. These farms tend to be family run operations and are basically subsistence farming. Something such as sugar cane, bananas, extra chickens or truck farming will provide a little cash for the family.

2. The land immediately around Puyo tends to be a larger flood plain of two rivers which meet and flow through Puyo. Just behind the flood plain, the mountains rise in increasingly higher ranges until way off in the distance you can see the snow-capped peaks. the forest around Puyo has been cleared a number of times. However, not far away the dense jungle begins. This dense jungle is only for those who know what they are doing and not for the casual hiker.

3. Most people in Puyo have been born and raised here. While there is some tendency to migrate to town, it is nothing like the huge migrations to a city like Quito. We do NOT seem to have the "squatter neighborhoods". The indigenous Indian population begins about 20 miles (this varies a lot) outside Puyo.

4. Climate changes a lot in a few miles here. Although we get about 200 inches of rain a year, ten miles away at Mera it is said they have another 20 inches per year. One hour away by mountain highway, it gets much drier very quickly. Of course, one can see the rapid change in vegetation as one travels down the highway.

We were back in a regular day of school today. Kids and teachers haven't seen this schedule since last Tuesday. Tonight we will be doing some statistical analysis of the first grading period. I KNOW we are going to have some questions after this report is done.