FIRST DAY

We Saw Whales and Dolphins  

We arrived at Nuqui by plane. Our adventure began by seeing beautiful, iconic whales on our way to the hotel via boat. These giants of the ocean impressed us with their ability to leap in and out of the sea, the water coming out of their spiracles, their large size, their whalesong, and the stories that surround them. Admiring them in their natural habitat is an inspiring moment through which we can marvel at their beauty and raise awareness for their conservation. We also enjoyed seeing the dolphins.   

1. Cutouts

A must have for girls who love a classic black look a bit spiced up. If you like showing off your curves, these styles make them look amazing. 

We went Surfing  

After receiving a warm welcome at hotel LA KUKA, we then went to a beach called TERMALES where we visited a surf academy! We met with the leader of the surf school and did some surfing with the children. We donated rashguards to the kids, and we were glad to hear the story of how this academy has contributed to the region’s development.

The community members were amazed to see the “famous” people and were happy that we had found time to come and share Maajic with them!   

SECOND DAY  

We released Baby Turtles   

The alarm went off at the early time of 6AM so the Maaji team could have a yoga class together! Our teacher was amazing. The class took place in in the open air, surrounded by nature.

After having breakfast, we took a short boat ride in order to meet a man in charge of sea turtles. We joined him and other people in releasing some baby turtles to the sea.  We were humbled to understand the importance of that process and how much it means to the local community.

These turtles are a source of income for the communities through ecotourism programs that take care of their reproduction. Before then, it was common for the people to kill and eat turtles. We are grateful the tide has turned on that practice, and that ecotourism is helping the local environment.  

We visited the Mangroves  

Motivated by the beauty of the region, we then went to visit the mangroves in a place called COQUI. These mangroves are an important part of the coastal ecosystem and supply several benefits to both people and the environment. They help to protect against coastal erosion and storm damage, supply habitat for many species of fish and other animals, and serve as a nursery for young fish. Mangroves are truly wonderful for our earth, and we were so happy to learn more about their benefits. 

We were involved in some Community activities  

We went to visit a local vanilla plantation and visited the local museum which has historical knowledge of the region. We enjoyed their traditional foods and then were treated to a program of dance and stories.

We also attended a ceremony led by the locals where we learned about the traditional mixtures made of various medicinal plants from the region. Then it was time to enjoy a time of meditation.  

We enjoyed Music at Sunset  

The moment we arrived back at the hotel, we saw a group of local women in their amazing traditional dance costumes ready to welcome us at sunset! We felt so special! They were eager to share their traditions with us through songs and dance. They wore printed dresses and very colorful headpieces.

We danced and enjoyed the music. After that, we had dinner of all local cuisine, and a time of sharing between members of our team to share stories of their experiences so far.