http://www.livingroutes.org/weblogs/weblogs/ecoversidade/2008_summer/ecoversidade_2008_su.xml en-us Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:34:50 GMT Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:34:50 GMT http://www.livingroutes.org/weblogs/weblogs/ecoversidade/2008_summer/ecoversidade_2008_su.xml http://www.livingroutes.org/weblogs/weblogs/ecoversidade/2008_summer/ecoversidade_2008_su.php?id=P1269 Wednesday morning was dedicated to presentations. First, people working on the sustainable school project presented and then got feedback from all of the facilitators as well as the clients. Then all of the ecovillage groups went, mine being the last. I have to say that I am really proud of what my group produced. We paid attention to the permaculture principles and incorporated so much of what we learned in the past three weeks; I think it was a great reflection of what I learned. It... http://www.livingroutes.org/weblogs/weblogs/ecoversidade/2008_summer/ecoversidade_2008_su.php?id=P1268 Monday morning we had class with Cris, one of the residents of the IPEC. We talked about appropriate architecture, building styles and techniques. We also discussed the importance of using non-toxic materials in the home and got some recipes for natural paint! Our next steps were to finish construction on the cob oven at Lucimarie“s house, which inevitably ended up in a mud fight. It has been really wonderful to see everything come together out there and to know that I have had a hand in... http://www.livingroutes.org/weblogs/weblogs/ecoversidade/2008_summer/ecoversidade_2008_su.php?id=P1267 That our Permaculture Design Course is almost complete hardly feels possible! Every moment filled with something new and beautiful has left us all exhausted and somehow hungry for more! We are a contagiously energetic gathering of people at IPEC, always providing another invitation for adventure. After a week of intensive study and play, the weekend offered even more opportunities. As participants have begun to speak Portuguese and feel more at home on site as well as in the... http://www.livingroutes.org/weblogs/weblogs/ecoversidade/2008_summer/ecoversidade_2008_su.php?id=P1260 Shocking that time has flown by so quickly! The first week here went by so slowly but since then, its been a blur. Thursday was all about food with courses talking about permaculture on the table. Luciana talked to us about nutrition and local foods, and taught us how to make rice milk, peanut milk, oat milk - apparently you can make milk out of more than I ever would have imagined! We did some tasting activities, and in the evening got ready for our wood oven pizza night. We split into... http://www.livingroutes.org/weblogs/weblogs/ecoversidade/2008_summer/ecoversidade_2008_su.php?id=P1258 A week and a half in, we are settling into a steady pace of life. It“s the pattern of work, class, and times of reflection to process the massive amounts of information we are receiving. Some of us have been going to the sauna on the property in the evenings to unwind as well. The past couple of days have been spent exhausting ourselves working on Lucimarieś house in the morning, then learning about aquaculture and the energy transactions in systems in the afternoons. This... http://www.livingroutes.org/weblogs/weblogs/ecoversidade/2008_summer/ecoversidade_2008_su.php?id=P1257 The weekend came and went just as quickly. I love it here because there is never any down time, but that just means we are moving too quickly to the end! On Friday evening, we celebrated a birthday in the group and got some much-needed relaxation time. Saturday morning, some of us miraculously woke up early to help Luciana (one of the women that lives on IPEC) add to her cob house, which was a lot of stomping on mud and straw and letting the mud squish between our toes. Really wonderful... http://www.livingroutes.org/weblogs/weblogs/ecoversidade/2008_summer/ecoversidade_2008_su.php?id=P1256 Living Routes Brazil has kicked off to a great start with 27 participants settling in to the beautiful dorms that nestle amongst the green surrounds of the Ecocentre. The weather at this time of year is clear and mild and the days have been filled with a wide range of learning experiences that take full advantage of the learnscape in which we are situated. Students participate in both lectures and experiential learning sessions and have coped well with long days that can be... http://www.livingroutes.org/weblogs/weblogs/ecoversidade/2008_summer/ecoversidade_2008_su.php?id=P1253 This morning was an early start on the more physical aspects of the course. A woman named Lucimarie lives with her two children right outside of IPEC, and the center decided to take on the job of building her a house and yard using permaculture principles so that she could move out of her parentś house. It is definitely hard work! The house has already been built, so we were working on the yard this morning. Some of us were digging swales for proper water dispersal to avoid... http://www.livingroutes.org/weblogs/weblogs/ecoversidade/2008_summer/ecoversidade_2008_su.php?id=P1252 Thursday morning began with meetings in our small groups, or guilds. It was a relaxing time to check in with our groups and an instructor about what we were enjoying and any complaints. All of the guilds did different activities; one had a discussion and meditation period by a waterfall, another made cookies, and so on. Then we got together and reported back to the entire group. I think that these exercises were helpful, especially living communally like we are. Communication is... http://www.livingroutes.org/weblogs/weblogs/ecoversidade/2008_summer/ecoversidade_2008_su.php?id=P1251 After an intensive Friday of orientations, we got to spend a peaceful Saturday afternoon at a beautiful waterfall. In the evening, most of the group went and explored the small town of Pirenopolis. The area surrounding IPEC is quaint, with cobblestone streets, small shops, and restaurants. In the center there is an artisan market in the evenings with all sorts of handmade jewelry, dreamcatchers, and clothing. Sunday was much more individualized, with people splitting off into smaller groups... http://www.livingroutes.org/weblogs/weblogs/ecoversidade/2008_summer/ecoversidade_2008_su.php?id=P1250 Just wanted to write and introduce myself. My name is Emily, and I am a senior environmental studies major from Asheville, North Carolina. I have joined this program because it will be contributing to my concentration in strategies for sustainability, and IĀ“m really excited! So far IĀ“ve been meeting tons of new people and being amazed by my surroundings. The stimulus out here is amazing - beautiful structures, plants, and delicious food. This morning we all set intentions and got...