I am an American, from New Mexico, but came to Ecuador about half a century ago, and am right at home in the "dry forest" of southern Ecuador. I learned about Permaculture, among other places, from Zia Parker's Vilcabamba Permaculture Design Certificate Course, including these additional teachers for 2014: Andrea Espinosa, Phil Larstone, Kitzia Kokopelmama, and Pedro Alvarez.