Es posible enamorarse de un lugar. Lo sé. Me ha pasado.

En la Reserva Natural Palmarí he vivido cosas que jamás quisiera olvidar; cosas de las que sentiría envidia si fuera otra persona: Compartí baño con un puercoespín, el cuarto con algunos murciélagos, la hora de comer con tucanes, la torre de observación con la guacamaya Laura y las tardes de kayak con delfines. Me despertaban las cigarras cantando con las oropéndolas y los monos me observaban pasar mientras comían en las copas de los árboles. Asistí en asiento privilegiado conciertos de ranas, búhos y ratas arbóreas. Aprendí a sacar agua de un tronco y a crear fuego de la savia de un árbol. Cuando hubo luna nueva, viví la magia de caminar sobre una galaxia donde las estrellas son gusanos brillando. Dormí en la selva y los monos nocturnos sacudieron mi hamaca en busca de alimento. Avisté caimanes desde donde dormía y, en ocasiones, pude tomarlos en mis manos para aprender sobre ellos. Descubrí ranas que parecen hojas y, después de hoooooras caminando, me refresqué en lagos o corrientes, rodeada de sonidos relajantes y abejas que querían comerse mi sudor.

Aunque, ciertamente, no todos los días fueron envidiables ¿Eh? Vine a un voluntariado de 7 semanas que se convirtió en uno de 7 meses (Gracias, SARS-COV2 y COVID-19). A veces me ponía mimada y no quería lavar un trapo más a mano; hubo días donde no quería comer fríjoles sino pizza, noches donde extrañaba mi almohada, días en los que lloré porque, en seerio, quería irme. Vivir como extranjera en un lugar aislado con personas de países y lenguas diferentes, durante una estresante pandemia, puede ser conflictivo. Yo era la única de habla hispana y un par de veces me sentí fuera de lugar porque no entendía lo que mis compañeros voluntarios u otros miembros del staff decían. Sinceramente, no pude aprender absolutamente nada de francés, y el portugués resultó ser más diferente del español de lo que esperaba. La comunicación es clave, pero al principio fue muuuy difícil. Creo que se trata de ser paciente y tener la mente abierta. Al final terminé pensando en portugués y sintiéndome parte de una gran familia, de toda la comunidad. Todo lo vale. Las contadas cosas malas son opacadas por un montón de cosas buenas. Síiiiiip! Habrá un choque cultural, en lugar de perfume usarán repelente, estarán muy cansados y, probablemente, tendrán que ducharse unas 3 veces al día. Pero todo lo vale. Además, harán amigos y aprenderán del bosque y se enamorarán del paisaje y avistarán animales increíbles.

Vendría de nuevo sin dudarlo. Traería a mi sobrina o mis amigos o a quien quiera. Porque este lugar conecta, relaja y sorprende, y creo que todo el mundo merece vivir la experiencia Amazonas, pero no la que venden con selfies de animales, esa es mediocre y falsa. Lo bonito de esta aventura es sorprenderse con la propia suerte… Entonces, pooooorfa, vengan a la Reserva Natural Palmarí, como turista, voluntario, investigador o lo que sea, y “Vivan la Amazonía total y real. Yo la viví”  ¡Dos veces!

Maria Angélica Aguirre López

Luego de trabajar cuatro años en Bogotá, donde el contacto con la naturaleza es poco, la oportunidad de hacer un voluntariado durante dos meses en medio de la selva fue más que emocionante. Decidí aplicar, renuncié a mi trabajo y fui a Palmarí buscando una desconexión y un desapego de la vida que llevaba. También fui buscando ayudar por medio de mi trabajo a un sitio turístico responsable que busca preservar la naturaleza e impulsar el desarrollo de las comunidades al mismo tiempo que les muestra a turistas de todo el mundo las maravillas de la selva amazónica. Por último, me llamaba mucho la atención aprender de la selva, el pulmón del mundo, uno de los lugares con más biodiversidad del planeta.

Luego de dos meses en Palmarí puedo decir que todas mis expectativas se cumplieron, es un lugar mágico donde pude aprender mucho y conocer excelente personas, Camilo el otro voluntario se convirtió en un muy amigo. Las instalaciones de la reserva son excelentes y la comida completamente deliciosa. Las actividades que se ofrecen en Palmarí son muy entretenidas y se ajustan a los gustos de todas las personas. Entre las que más me gustaron está caminar y acampar en la selva, salir en los kayaks a ver delfines, visitar la gran Ceiba y las comunidades cercanas, ver y aprender sobre los caimanes, ver peces, insectos, aves, reptiles, mamíferos y muchos animales más.

Interactuar con turistas de muchas partes del mundo me sirvió para practicar inglés, conocer otras culturas e historias de personas que llegan a conocer este maravilloso lugar. Del mismo modo, conocí un poco de la cultura local a través de la interacción con todos los guías y el personal de la reserva, los cuales son alegres y siempre atentos a ayudar y enseñar. Fue de las mejores cosas que tuvo la experiencia del voluntariado.

La experiencia del voluntariado también fue un tiempo de reflexión, pude tener tiempo libre para hacer mis cosas y logré recargarme de la mejor energía para el futuro próximo. Recomiendo inmensamente esta experiencia a todas las personas que deseen tener un contacto directo con la naturaleza y aportar con su trabajo a un lugar que demuestra que el turismo responsable si es posible. 

Reserva Natural Palmarí – entre agua y selva se expande un paraíso. Llegué con nervios, con ansias y con los ojos brillando por el paisaje que me regaló el trayecto de Tabatinga hasta la Reserva Natural Palmarí.

Mi tiempo en la Reserva tuvo lugar en la temporada de lluvias, que significa una hermorsura de bosques inundados, noches acompañadas por el sonido de la lluvia y el río gigantesco que llega hasta la entrada del sitio. Pero no solamente el alrededor es increíble y único sino también el alma de la Reserva – el equipo.

Yo llegué con dos maletas llena de cosas pero lo que no traje fue mucho conocimiento sobre qué me iba a esperar por allá. Me costó unos días de encontrar mi espacio, mi posición en el equipo y después empezó un tiempo increíble. Entre traducir para los grupos que no hablaban español, estar pendiente de los visitantes y ayudar en las horas de la comida, me involucré en un equipo maravilloso. Por la razón que estábamos viviendo y trabajando juntos había un vínculo muy fuerte aunque de vez en cuando con retos y momentos en los cuales se quería estar solo pero siempre con un objetivo en conjunto: La Reserva Natural Palmarí es nuestra casa y cada uno quiere que en ella todo esté bien, que los visitantes se sientan bien y también los mismos habitantes.

Cada uno de ellos tiene sus características individuales las cuales se reflejan en el día a día. Uno que está riendo siempre y otro que está la mayoría del tiempo callado así como serio pero también con un corazón muy grande. Y así se forma la familia de la  Reserva Natural Palmarí con la importancia de cada personaje. Yo era parte de esto, me dejaron entrar y vivir un tiempo pequeño esta vida. Aquella vida me fascinó y me enseñó tanto, desde como armo una hamaca, como tengo que actuar en la selva y como se trabaja con turistas, hasta como se forma una convivencia buena bajo de estas circunstancias y como se encuentra el compromiso entre dar todo lo posible para el proceso así como buscar su espacio personal para el equilibrio necesario.

Estoy consciente que cada uno tiene una diferente experiencia en la “Reserva Natural Palmarí”, con diferentes retos, logros y objetivos. Esta es una pequeña presentación de mi vida por allá y que yo al final empaqué en mi maleta del aprendizaje para mi futuro. Que puedo decir generalmente es que la Reserva Natural Palmarí deja en cada uno una huella, en los turistas, los voluntarios y en cada uno que está viviendo en aquel sitio.

Una vez en una conversación con la jefa de la cocina me dijo: “Cada día aprendo algo nuevo en la Reserva Natural Palmarí”. Y así es: si uno está atento, respetuoso con las personas y con la naturaleza así como abre su corazón para esta experiencia, la Reserva Natural Palmarí le regala a uno una variedad de herramientas y sabiduría para el futuro.

Fui a Palmari por primera vez en julio del año2017. Pasé 9 días como huésped haciendo todas las actividades ofrecidas por la reserva natural y me enamoré de ese lugar de inmediato, decidiéndo volver a trabajar como voluntario tan pronto como fuese possible.

Llegué como voluntario el 20 de diciembre y me quedé hasta el 31 de enero. Realmente no soy capaz de explicar todo lo que sentí allí. Es un lugar tan diferente de todos los lugares en los que he estado y apuesto a que también lo será para ti. 

Trabajé como traductor para los turistas, acompañándolos durante las actividades, cuidando a los animals silvesteres en proceso de rehabilitación con miras a ser liberados, plantando arbustos y árboles, así como ayudando en la cocina a la hora de cocinar. 

Trabajé a tiempo completo con una pareja de Islandia, otra de Estados Unidos y Australia y dos amigos de Inglaterra. Al principio fue un poco difícil porque era un poco tímida cuando tenía que hablar en inglés, pero cuando menos me lo esperaba, estaba hablando con naturalidad. 

Aprendí mucho. Nuevas palabras en inglés, alemán, francés y español, sobre la cultura de muchos países, también juegos de Colombia, Países Bajos e Inglaterra y sobre nuestra selva neo-tropical.Hice todas las actividades posibles y si tuviera que elegir entre una de ellas sería la "Travesía extrema". Fue la más difícil pero también la más asombrosa y no tengo palabras para describir cómo fue explorar la selva durante varios días seguidos. Experimentando todo lo que experimenté allí y lo hice dos veces, inclusive deseándo que los visitants decidieran hacerlo más vez porque realmente quería seguir repitiéndolo. Valió la pena todo el esfuerzo. 

Fue una experiencia que me ayudó a crecer como persona. Conocí a personas de más de 10 países diferentes y de todas las edades. Así que me gustaría agradecer a todos en la Reserva Natural Palmari por darme esta oportunidad. Era un lugar tan especial que hasta ahora me había estado perdiendo en mi vida.También me gustaría agradecer a todos los que estuvieron allí durante ese tiempo porque cada uno de ellos me enseñó algo, me hizo reír y disfrutar cada día. Una cosa que puedo decir con seguridad es que volveré por más. 

Desearía que mis palabras pudieran describirlo mejor, pero realmente es algo que tienes que experimentar tú mismo para comprenderlo.

My name is Nicolas Schuetze Lagos, I am 18 years old and as a volunteer at the visitor centre of the Reserva Natural Palmari I had the chance to experience the amazon rainforest in the best way there is. With the experience of the guides and the equipment available at the visitors centre, every day was an adventure: watching dolphins from a kayak, hiking through the jungle, climbing 50 meters from the ground and watching the jungle from above are experiences I will never forget, all in the company of groups of visitors, which I served as a translating assistant in respect to the appointed local guide. Meeting new people was one of the best parts of the experience: it was a different experience with each group of visitors but all of the work was made easy with the help of the staff of the visitors centre. The time I spent at the Reserva Natural Palmari gave me the opportunity to bond with the staff, the people from the neighbouring communities and to feel closer to all of them every next day. My tasks as a volunteer where simple: I helped as a translator for the tourists and helped in the kitchen when it was meal’s time. The time I spent in the Reserva Natural Palmari was a time of learning, an opportunity to grow as a person and to have fun while doing all described before - it is without doubt an experience I would repeat - I thank the Grupo Travesías agency as well as the Reserva Natural Palmari for this opportunity and the the staff at the visitors centre for making my stay very comfortable and helping me to fit in smoothly.

The time I spend at the Reserva Natural Palmari was definitely the best decision I could have taken in respect to picking my first destination for my trip to my country of origin, Colombia. The task of helping during breakfast, lunch and supper was not even to be considered as work by me, as I had already worked in the catering sector prior to travelling to Colombia. Not to mention, that the food was very, very delicious and the personnel from the kitchen, including all the other from the general team all the way up to the main administrator of the visitors centre always were very friendly to me, thus it was nice for me to work, assist and support them. A special experience was climbing to 48 meters above the ground and spending the night in the canopy of a tree, enjoying relaxed the sun-set and sun-rise if the climate and weather allowed it. Another undeletable moment was tracking and observing at close distance a bunch of otters. This opportunity was given to me in the vicinity of the Benjamin Constant village, where the Reserva Natural Palmari in a joint effort with the non-governmental organization Instituto de Desenvolvimento Socioambiental do Vale do Javari manages a project dealing with the study, monitoring and protection of these animals, plus in the near future adding to the project rehabilitation and release of otters seized from illegal trade and captivity as well as individuals found neglected or in bad state. As it is not easy to spot and observe wildlife in the jungle, I was able to see aside the otters also monkeys, bats, catfish, dolphins, piranhas, parrots and toucans as well as a lot of other birds; it remains impressive, that most of the animals produce sounds, songs and other noises which you would never associate with the one´s producing them, but you would think that they are of different origin or related to other animals. I herewith wish to thank the agency “Grupo Travesias SAS”, the destination “Reserva Natural Palmari” and the non-governmental organization Instituto de Desenvolvimento Socioambiental do Vale do Javari for giving me the chance to undertake this internship, also for the help, assistance, friendship and cooperation received from the very kind work-team of the visitors centre, specially Jaime, Mires, Joel, Pinduca, Cunha and Ilke, as well as all others that through the rotational work personnel process served, guided, drove and assisted the various visitors; not to forget my two fellow internship mates that volunteered together with me in the Reserva Natural Palmari, Maria José Posse and Nicolás Schuetze. Regarding the activities in the canopy of the forests I want to thank Franciney “Manéu” very much, who heads, offers, operates and organizes these activities on behalf of the SelvAventura out-sourced firm. In advance I promise that I will return to the Reserva Natural Palmari also to confirm changes in respect to my initial stay, further to live the internship in presence of guests visiting during a peak season at the beginning of the year. Clearly I state to other people interested in an internship: It is an experience I definitely recommend, further it values and deserves the effort.

As a volunteer at the visitors center of the Reserva Natural Palmari, located somewhere in the middle of the Yavarí river, on brazilian territory, you get to know the depths of the amazon rainforest in the best possible way. For me, the opportunity of sharing with people from other cultures, such as the staff-crew and the visitors that travel all around the world to get there, is an amazing way of learning more about the surroundings. One of the best things I did during my volunteering, was to explore the mighty jungle while hiking during days and camping around the fire several nights while in the company of a group of visitors on a multiple day “trekk” , adapting myself to the sometimes scary environment that this wilderness can sometimes manifest. That was probably what I liked the most, aside of all the different activities that the unique amazon experience can offer at the Reserva Natural Palmari: kayaking on the river and through the flooded varzea forest, admire the nature and observe wildlife, climbing to the triple platform system high above the forest canopy and enjoy the incredible view, amongst many others. All of these unforgettable activities were part of my day-to-day routine, sharing them with beautiful people: travelers that became amazed with the beauties of the rainforest and locals who surprised and shared with us their close knowledge about the mysteries that this place hides. Volunteering at the Reserva Natural Palmari gave me a much wider perspective about the ways of living (and surviving) this adventure. It is not only about having fun and making good relations with people, but also with the homeland to millions of living things that receive us as visitors and deserve our respect.

My name is Maria José Arrieta, I am 19 years young and I stayed at the Reserva Natural Palmarí for 6 weeks, 42 days in which I had the opportunity to get closer to the jungle and it´s mysteries. As a volunteer my work covered accompanying the visiting guests, specially the one´s interested in observing birds, further in the search for and identifying of animals in respect to herpethology - frogs, toads, lizards and snakes - in the vicinity of the visitors centre. Having the opportunity to participate in the daily activities of the visitors centre did not only allow me to be close to the main staff, but also to the people of the neighbouring villages and comunities which work, provide to and complement the work team of the Reserva Natural Palmari, this in particular making the feeling of “being far from home” fade until vanishing, as I felt like being at home. Work is a communal groupe thing, where other volunteers, the guides, the chief of catering, the chief of rooming, the main administrator, his assistant and all other are basic and needed, thus I never felt anything missing and all persons were always ready to help and become a part of the experience. Not to forget, the volunteer time in the Reserva Natural Palmarí gave me the opportunity to learn basic portuguese and to meet persons from all over the world, thus creating new bonds of friendship. I truly believe, that persons which not only want to help the Reserva Natural Palmari, but also want to learn in respect to issues related to nature should definitely go to the Reserva Natural Palmari since it is the correct answer and decision, as I can assure that it is easier to learn all about it if you are living it in the jungle, then sitting in a classroom. For me, staying in the Reserva Natural Palmari meant to shake-off and learn; shaking-off the need for technology in which I lived immersed in a city like Bogotá and learning by all possible means, as learning to run from the rain and not due to a lack of time, as recognizing the song from birds and not the sound of cars, as paying respect to the jungle and not the streets. I learned, that hiding is not always the same as fleeing, that sometimes it is necessary to hide if you want to be able to find. Having changed my life during 6 weeks, honestly I now think, that being able to both see the glimmer of the funghee on the forest floor as well as the glimmer of the stars in the night-sky, hearing the breathing of the dolphins taking-in the air from the lung of the world should be a “must” on the list of everybody.

It´s hard to describe how great is the change I underwent while I was a volunteer at the Reserva Natural Palmari. It was an unforgettable experience, which taught me a lot of good things. My work at the visitors center was very gratifying, especially because of the members of the work-team were by my side. The staff is everything you can expect of the people with whom you are going to live for six weeks. Some of my tasks as a volunteer were translating for tourists, accompanying them during the activities and lend a hand in the kitchen when it was meal’s time. I also helped in the expansion of a terrace and the construction of a new roof for the visitors center, thus I left having given something from me to Palmari. I think, that the Palmari experience is enhanced much more, when you live it as a volunteer. You do not only enjoy most of the tourist’s privileges, but you also learn a lot more. I’d like to thank every single person that is part of the Reserva Natural Palmari for giving me this opportunity as to meeting such a special place which up to now I had been missing. Definitely, this is an experience I’d be happy to repeat.

I spent 6 weeks as a trainee/volonteer at the visitor center of the Reserva Natural Palmarí which is located in the middle of the brazilian jungle and from where tourists can experience the jungle nearby. During this internship I worked in the areas of administration, food-preparation and accompanying of visiting tourists. Furthermore I was able to improve my spanish and portuguese skills, while speaking and doing an exchange with the staff members. As a volonteer I was responsible for maintaining the tidiness and cleanliness within the visitors center, keeping in contact with the offices in Bogotá and Leticia as well as keeping base with the management and learning the logistics of the business. I also was in charge for the day to day running of the business such as shopping and picking up supplies from the local providing villages. Besides that, I welcomed the tourists, accompanied them from the airport or river-port to the Reserva Natural Palmari as well as during their excursions and their overall stay in order to support them in cases of language difficulties, questions or just to help them with information. I was also supporting the staff from the kitchen as to the distribution and presentation of the food, further helping to cook and getting a better comprehension about the local habits and stock of food. As I mentioned before, the Reserva Natural Palmari is the perfect place to practize and improve all of my language skills: spanish and portuguese I had to speak with the staff and other volunteers, as well as english with the tourists. The life in the Reserva Natural Palmarí is quite different from my habitual modern life. Almost without electricity, transportation by boat, going to bed early while you could see the sky full of stars which were reflected in the river and sleeping peacefully while only hearing the noises from the birds, frogs and crickets. A stunning and perfect place to take a break from the usual life. The team-work and living with the staff went well too, because they were always helpful and warm. I learned a lot during this time and had a great experience which I will never forget. I am very thankful for this great opportunity I was given and can warmly recommend to everybody to go to the Reserva Natural Palmari to experience and live their own adventure.

Julia Ittrich, a young, beautifull, highly responsible german hotelier girl, who has worked with various hotel chains in the United States of North America, Grand Cayman Islands and Australia, decided to give it a try, move to the Reserva Natural Palmari from June to August 2.009 and teach basic english to a groupe of guides, girls working in the kitchen and in the housekeeping area, “canopying activity” personell and various other interested members of both the Palmari and Sao Pedro do Norte neighbouring communities. Lessons took place in two shifts, one for the male students from 06:30° to 08:00° and one for the female students from 15:00° to 16:30° and, after Julia had developed a criteria regarding the best and most interested students, she gave personalized lessons to 2 male and 2 female students during different half-hour blocks during the day, whenever these 4 hand-picked students could take some time out from work, home responsabilities or other. Each student was given a photocopied english book, a note book and a pencil and classes took place at the “enramada” being equiped with a blackboard with seating and writing facilities for each student. Besides these “fixed class lessons” she also decided to follow these 4 students on their work routine (the girls in the kitchen and/or during room cleaning, linnen washing or other; the boys during jungle guidance, “canopying” activities, fishing or else) and teach them the relevant vocabulary and conversation in english language specifically needed for and during these activities. We might also conclude from the experience that not only the local community members learned basic english, but Julia improoved on her spanish and after this experience now also considers herself as a basic portuguese speaking girl. Making new friends, meeting new people, interacting with tourists and the activities during the “Yanawara 2009” summer camps held during the whole month of July, learning a lot about neo-tropical rain forests and understanding today quite a good deal regarding the amazonian modus vivendi convinced her of wanting to return for another teacher´s shift hopefully next year and we, both the Reserva Natural Palmari and the Instituto de Desenvolvimento Socioambiental do Vale do Rio Javari look forward to it = Thank you, Julia, and immer, jederzeit, herzlichst willkommen!

Johanna Knaack, a young, beautifull, highly responsible german girl, who was visiting the Reserva Natural Palmari as a tourist in May, 2.008, decided to give it a try, move to the Reserva Natural Palmari from August to September 2.008 and work with children between 4 to 15 years of age from both the Palmari and Sao Pedro do Norte neighbouring communities. The programme created by Johanna included improoving their skills when working with their hands by using new materials like papier-mache, carpenter tools, “origami” and similar; developing art creativity with crayons, water-colours, pencils, sissors and glue; enhancing responsibility and ownership by planting, caring, nurseing and re-planting in the surrounding forests trees belonging to each child; giving them new routines regarding tidyness, ecological waste-management, self-cleanliness and caring for their cloths by instructing certain rules that had to be obeyed and followed day-by-day; decorating white T-shirts, which they could keep as presents; competing in games and sport events designed for improoving their environmentally protective conciousness with rewards like small tokens, toys and sweets for the winning team or child; undertaking of collective garbage picking and similar throughout the entire village areas and various other activities which always combined learning, ecology, sustainable living scenarios with fun and games. In return Johanna learned a lot from these children as to their modus vivendi, was impressed on how happy these kids were eventhough living on basic conditions and with very few toys or other related items rich, modern children these days are provided; besides improoving on her spanish and learning portugues she was taught indirectly important live-lessons as to how different but still rich and colourfull amazonian life in poor and basic colonist villages can be. Johanna impressed not only the children but her families in a deep and positive way; not one eye was dry when she parted, all the kids wanted her to stay and her leaving was dramatic with children crying heartbreakingly, mothers in silence looking to the ground, our staff overwhelmed in sorrow and various of our guides still suffering when remembering her: Johanna had to promise her soon return. The Reserva Natural Palmari and the Instituto de Desenvolvimento Socioambiental do Vale do Rio Javari look forward to it = Thank you, Johanna, and immer, jederzeit, herzlichst willkommen!

In order to provide the below depicted school we initiated the search for funding and optained it through “ARYSTA LIFESCIENCE CORPORATION” which, up to now has donated the money needed to build, paint and put into good use of a school and its sanitary installation at 4 “caboclo” communities of San Pedro do Norte, Pirapitinga, Jaburu and Asaizal in the middle and upper Javari valley; logistics regarding transport of construction material, tools, feeding of the involved carpenters and masons, as well as lodging equipment for the institute´s personell stationed at the job-sites was provided free of charge by the “RESERVA NATURAL PALMARI” and each and every step from scratch until final “turn key” delivery was managed, controlled and exceptionally well administrated by the institute´s operational manager, Mr. Jaime Gonzalves Cunha.

In order to provide the below depicted aqueduct we initiated the search for funding and optained it through a private school “COLEGIO NUEVA GRANADA” which, up to now, has donated the money needed to buy all necessary materials such as the motor-pump, the tubing, the water tanks and all relevant accessories to build and put into good use of an aqueduct for the “caboclo” communitie of San Pedro do Norte; the man-hour work and requiered tools to perforate the deep-well, as well as the wood, nails, screws, bolts and other accessories to built the water-tower holding the water-tanks were donated by the “RESERVA NATURAL PALMARI” together with the logistics regarding transport of construction material, tools, feeding of the involved carpenters and masons, as well as lodging equipment for the institute´s personell stationed at the job-site; then, during 2 month, three groups of students from the “COLEGIO NUEVA GRANADA”, “COLEGIO TRINIDAD DEL MONTE” and “CIEDI” visiting the Reserva Natural Palmari as part of their annual educational pensum in respect to their excursions curriculum, took to the taks of building the full infrastructure with help and orientation by the community members and the whole proyect managed, controlled and exceptionally well administrated by the institute´s operational manager, Mr. Jaime Gonzalves Cunha assisted by the british volontaire Mr. Peter Richards; also we find important to mention that the requiered lobbying to promote and sell the proyect to the involved private schools was professionally-well taken care of by the summer-camp & school class excursion operating agency “ZAMBO – OBA”