Earth Connection (see our page on Ecosystem Restoration Communities!)

 

Programs        10 Days

Programs                                      630 Euro

Ecosystem Community members      590 Euro

Ciudadanos mexicanos                   6750 Peso

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Research Opportunities

There is a lot to offer in the jungle, the experiences are vast and Mother Nature is our greatest teacher. Come live and work at Earth Connection Center to explore your ingenious self, use your skills and gain ones you never knew you had!

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This is an intense learning environment and we are offering a unique experience that will change how you live and work in this precious world. We work with the landscape and with the rhythm of the planet.

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Earth Connection is a beautiful place to work, Take your break in the beautiful blue cenote, and explore the jungle and Mayan ruins.

 

Please know that we work hard here!

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We will accommodate up to 6 people researching Restoration Ecology, Conservation and Regenerative Agriculture.

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As we restore the Tropical Dry Forest here an amazing diversity of wildlife is returning and this offers many research opportunities.

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       -Here is an example from 2 recent Environmental Engineering students from Mexico:

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       - Mexican student thesis on ant biodiversity:

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       -Here are the areas of research that we are focusing on:

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      - Reserve Biological Inventory work https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/cenote-tsunul

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In this remote location, you will have experience with:

Plant propagating techniques for food and ecological restoration

Restoration Ecology

Tropical Forest, Over 600 plant species, 

Permaculture

Food forests

Herbal, medicinal plants and wild foods

Carbon sequestration

Soil building, composting and biochar

Natural fertilizers and pest control

Eco-construction and building materials

Biofilters

Solar and wind energy

Compost Toilet

Rainwater collection, storage and water management

Mayan archeological sites

Learn some local Mexican recipes!

Cacao to chocolate!

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We work with our students and adapt our training to suit their abilities and interests. What we call teaching you into your wisdom. This will involve stretching your comfort zones and safely having you lean in.

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Longer Learning           Cost / Month

Short Term Campers (30-60d)         590 Euro

Long Term Campers (60d+)            530 Euro

Restoration Trainees (3-4m)           530 Euro

Researchers                                  530 Euro

Investigadores mexicanos              100 peso por día para la comida, sin coste de alojamiento, 5000 pesos al completar el papel y la copia enviada a nosotros.

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Costs include:

A bed in a shared bedroom with access to a bathroom and separate shower room

Three varied meals each day. Family-style vegetarian meals.

Collection and return from the bus terminal or airport in Merida to the accommodation, or the nearest town if you’re travelling to a field site, at the start and end of your stay

Unlimited water, tea/coffee 

Assistance with project development and execution

Access to all necessary scientific and educational equipment for use in your project

Free WiFi

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Tuition payments MUST be paid before arrival and may be done

through Paypal with the donation button on the website or etransfer to planethealer1@yahoo.ca

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Please confirm your travel plans quickly as we can only host a few students at a time and there are many international and local students applying that we have to turn away.

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Also included in your stay: 

• Your food: We eat a mostly vegetarian diet.  We occasionally eat locally sourced meat.

• Orientation and basic tour 

• An international community of talented, passionate people to connect with.

• Activities, events, and more as they’re available (we love to learn, connect, and play)

• Internet access throughout the day.

• Off-grid living - solar and wind power the center.

• A chance to get involved and learn at your own pace.  We're always happy to share about the farm, cooking with exotic foods, and how to ferment and make medicine.

• We ask for your help with community kitchen cleanup after meals a few times each week.

• A whole lot of jungle, wildlife, Mayan ruins and a cenote to connect with, learn and explore.

• Fresh sheets weekly. You can either hand-wash your clothes or pay for laundry service.

 

SHOWERS

Our community shared solar-heated fresh-water showers. Please bring only biodegradable products for bathing, as our water is recycled back into the Earth. At Earth Connection Center we keep our showers as brief as possible (and turn the water off while soaping up) to conserve our precious supply of water. Showering with a friend is another favourite eco-friendly, water-saving technique ;)  <photo>

 

SOLAR and WIND CHARGING

Our main community house is equipped with electrical outlets where you can charge your devices. Please be mindful and charge when the sun is out. <photo>

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FARM-FRESH ORGANIC MEALS

The food at Earth Connection Center is delicious. We prepare a community meal each day, packed with nutrient-rich fruits, roots, greens, and herbs. Learn more about our kitchen and our food <photo>

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COMPOSTING TOILETS

Our shared dry toilet is located near the guest housing and is cleaned and maintained regularly by our staff. Composting toilets is an amazing way to practice a closed-loop balanced eco-friendly lifestyle. Learn more about how we make Humanure here. <photo>

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WIFI

At Earth Connection Center we like to “disconnect to reconnect” - unplugging from our phones and social media as much as possible to deepen our presence and in-person relationships. That being said, we still like to make contact with the outside world from time to time, and we offer WiFi to our guests in the main community house during the breaks at breakfast, lunch and after dinner. <photo of someone on computer>

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DINING

There are many nooks around Earth Connection Center to enjoy your meals or afternoon tea… one of our favourites is by the cenote.

<kitchen> <bake oven/rocket stove>

 

SHARED SPACES

As our guests, you are part of our Earth Connection family, and we encourage you to enjoy all of our shared spaces throughout our home.

We have a Sacred fire pit created by a local shaman

Water ponds for wildlife

Cenote with clear blue water for swimming and diving

Large regenerative agriculture garden

Food forests

40 ha of tropical forest restoration

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Students at Earth Connection enjoy the gift of living close to the land and working with a skilled and lifelong learning team. We are open to your creativity as well as having you work with us in our ever-evolving vision as we further cultivate Earth Connection into a world-class education center, eco-reserve, botanical garden, food forest, permaculture farm and eco-lodge.

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You will enjoy seeing the fruits of your labour, the serene and sometimes intense ecosystem, cenote Tsunul, jungle living, close to the elements and connecting with your internal rhythm. You can swim, snorkel, hike in the jungle or into the local Mayan villages.

 

COVID protocols for Earth Connection Center

 

• We have a minimum of 1 month stay.

 

• In case you need to be in quarantine we will bring food to you. You are allowed to explore the reserve during that time and we suggest you use this time to plan your research. We suggest downloading papers to read before arrival. We will work with you during this period to help you design your research project in coordination with your supervisor.​

 

• We ask people to keep up with hygiene protocols and if any sign of sickness you report it and isolate yourself.

 

• For weekly trips to Merida or other sites, we will wear a mask and practice good hygiene.

 

• We trust that everyone will look after each other to keep us all healthy.

 

There will be weekly talks on relevant subjects and everyone will be asked to contribute and give updates on their findings.

 

Any data collected will need to be uploaded to the server for storage.

We must get a copy of your research paper when completed. We are very interested in your results and it will help further the research program of future students. 

 

The weather is ever-changing and can range from hot sunny days to very rainy and humid. Bugs also vary from mild or none at all. In the winter, temperatures can get close to 0 C at night and in summer over 40 C during the day. April-May is the hottest part of the year with temperatures in the 40s. The rainy season is from Late May to the end of October, dry season November to May. December to February are the best times to come if you prefer it cool. We can also talk about the best season for the creature you wish to study!

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Kitchen:

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At Earth Connection we are dedicated to the principles of Slow Food, field to the plate, creative cuisine that is nutritious, filled with love and as sustainably raised, grown and collected as possible.

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Our food is primarily vegetarian. We explore raw, vegan and various ethnic cuisines as well as our style of Mexican cooking…

Expect to participate in at least 2 meals per day, planning, preparing, cooking and cleaning. This duty will be shared with other people and occasionally you will be putting more hours in to support larger groups and workshops. We love to have our students cook meals from their regions to share!

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Students enjoy the family-style atmosphere here, sharing tasks, meals and recipes!

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Grounds & Housekeeping:

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At Earth Connection we are dedicated to providing a living experience that is close to the land, connecting our inner rhythms with that of Mother Nature.  Living in the jungle is never static and we are trying to improve the infrastructure through cleaning, constructing, deconstructing, repurposing and reconfiguring our living and workspace.

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Thanks so much and we look forward to hearing from you!!!

PLEASE BRING YOUR TOWEL, Gloves, clothing, footwear for the jungle and many thorns.

(top, bottom and pillowcase, recommended dark colours)

You are welcome to donate them at the end of your stay if you do not wish to continue to travel with them. What we do not use or offer to other students will go to local charities.

 

DO NOT bring any bug spray, sunscreen, soap, shampoo, or conditioner that is not biodegradable!!!

You will need to wash off any chemicals before swimming in the cenote. It is the groundwater where we get our water and home to many endangered creatures that do not tolerate these chemicals.

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If you smoke tobacco, bring only rolling tobacco, please avoid bringing cigarettes with filters!!

 

Be warned that the tropical jungle is not the kindest environment for material possessions. We recommend not bringing anything you are attached to (clothes, jewelry, books, etc.) as things might get wet/mouldy/stained / smelly (even things such as books).
 

Leather will especially be damaged.

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Contact us if you have any questions about what to bring and know that Merida, which we go for supplies weekly, is a colonial but modern city of 2 million with malls, pharmacies, grocery stores, Walmart, Costco... and you can find almost anything you need there.

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Q: Can I visit you? Visitor Info?

See our Ecotours that support the center financially and you learn something also!

Visitors are welcome but need to follow COVID protocols.

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Please contact us beforehand as we need to unlock the gate to let you in.

 

Donations of Money or Items are very appreciated and help us run these needed programs! Thank you for your Generosity!

 

Q: How do I get to Earth Connection?

 

People are welcome to find their way to the center. You can catch the local bus to Molas one block south of the Mercado de San Benito/Market in Merida. Look for Earth Connection Center on Google Maps.

 

You will need to confirm when you will arrive as we need to unlock the gate.

 

GPS Coordinates 20.960613 -89.621648 or 20°57′38.21″N 89°37′17.93″W

 

In Molas, the motor taxis will take you to the center. Ask to be taken to Tsunul / Cenote in local Mayan or show them the Google map.

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The casa is 0.5 km up the dirt road inside the gate.

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Finding us! Look for this Blue Gate at km 6.1 on Saskab Road. We live here, call us (999-328-7237) before arriving to unlock the blue gate as there is no service on Saskab Road. We are a half km inside the gate and then to the left is where the parking is. Most people bus to Molas and take a motor taxi to the center (the Movit app gives the local bus schedule ). Uber will take you to the center or we charge a taxi rate to pickup in Molas or Merida. Load Earth Connection Center on Google Maps before heading out to help explain directions and don't forget to tell us when you are coming!