The Best Field Trip

When I was young and growing up, my family went through a wide variety of tough circumstances and maladies, as any and every family does. I say this not to get into past circumstances, but instead to frame the context of a personal and professional interest of mine. Depending on the context, the degree program or school your in, or your criminal record, it goes by many names. Service learning, community service, court ordered service, and the like. Past family experience, my own mom's career as a social worker, and trips as a child to local soup kitchens and the like instilled a strong desire to help others within me.

 When I was in college, I was typical kid vacillating between mature budding adult and immature poor decision making teenager. I found myself in a class that provided a community service opportunity teaching and tutoring people who lived in a local homeless shelter. It is something I jumped at the chance to join and it was a program that I was involved with throughout all four years of my college experience. It was an experience that I consider to be profoundly formative in my life, and the bonus, ten years later my love of teaching and service that was born in that homeless shelter still lives on today.

My first teaching job was at a public school in Orlando. My first order of business after figuring out how to lesson plan and establish rules in my class was to establish a community service based after school club. Thus, Freedom Films was born. The idea of the club was that on Friday we would meet and watch a movie. The following week, we would pick a community service job related to the movie we watched. For example, watching Iron Man would lead to a discussion focused on heroism within our community and we would write thank you letters to military members stationed in the Middle East. We had a variety of activities and it changed every week. I paid for snacks out of pocket and enjoyed my small group of 3-5 kids and one adult. Then something happened and the group grew to 10 then 20 then 50. By my last year at that school, our club had more than 110 members and we were biting off chunks of larger projects. The club later spawned other branches at local schools around Central Florida.

In my second year at my current school, I was approached by my principal about leading a service learning initiative at our middle school. The idea behind it was we would start at a very base level and hopefully build a program from the ground up. We would require students to complete a very modest number of hours doing service work in the community. I jumped at the chance, made a website, and immediately began reaching out to the local community.

While doing this work I began to research similar programs around the world. I found some truly inspiring programs around the world but a nagging question kept popping into my head as I dove deeper and deeper. Do requirement programs do anything? Does a requirement kill natural initiative and the desire to do this sort of work? My main goals were to help the community and instill within my students a love and desire to participate in sustainable projects that could benefit their own development and programs that inspire them. I read a few articles arguing that requiring service hours had the same impact as overloading kids with homework, it killed the love to help. Others suggested that exposing students to new opportunities they wouldn't have come across anyway can spark interest in service projects.

I was torn on the issue. Creating and fostering a sustainable program designed to help the community was something I was deeply passionate about but I wanted to avoid the creation of a requirement to be checked off or trivialization of such programs. So I did what made the most sense to me, I asked the kids. For one of our writing prompt assignments, I gave students the opportunity to sound off on the topic. Should schools require service learning? The results were yet again split. Many students wrote about the very things I was wrestling with. The idea of requiring service and the benefit of potentially sparking a natural interest remained.

Let's jump ahead a bit. Throughout this introspective period our school and our students continued with the program as is. With the help of my school's CAS Coordinator, we set up a trip to a local orphanage. Specifically, we visited an orphanage that houses students with special needs. Within a day of posting a sign up sheet for the optional trip, I had maxed out my total amount of students I could bring and I had a wait list ten students long. The results were the same with the CAS program. Regardless of whether it was due to requirement or simply student interest, we had our trip filled.

The morning of the trip, all 26 students met on campus at 7:00am (on a Saturday!) and we set off for the trip. Our work was simple. We played with the kids and took them for a walk. With many of the kids living at the orphanage struggling with wheelchairs and needs that made it impossible for them to walk without support, they didn't get out a lot. We had middle and high school students carrying infants, pushing wheelchairs, and walking arm and arm with kids with muscular dystrophy. The afternoon was full of laughter and smiles from all those involved. When we returned, our kids helped the orphanage feed the kids lunch. For many of the orphans with severe needs, our students had the opportunity to help feed them and wipe their mouths. After lunch was served they cleaned the kitchens and continued to play with them until it was time to leave. The maturity, leadership, and willingness to do whatever was required on the part of my students was remarkable. I left the field trip inspired and hoped that it had a similar impact on our students.

For many of those students, they were simply fulfilling their required hours. For others, it was an eye-opening experience. The trip only took place a little over a week ago. Since then, I have had students ask me to set up another trip to the orphanage. Some have already reached out to local affiliate orphanages closer to our school and scheduled trips on their own. I've had kids propose fund raisers designed to help raise money for supplies needed at the shelter. I've had students begin putting toy drives together for Christmas and others do the same for school supplies and books. It all filled my heart and truly inspired me. But as with most things, I realize that sometimes the initial momentum of a recent trip can fade. However I am full of hope that these programs will be sustainable and inspired by the initiative that my students have shown.

However, amid the chaos of 26 students or more getting involved, the thing that made the most impact on me came from one student who came on the trip. The day after the trip, this student's mom came up to me and told me that the trip impacted him deeply. She told me how this student went home after the trip, sat down with his parents, and described what he had seen, what he had done, and how he wanted to continue to help. She told me that her son, herself, and her husband spent the better part of the evening talking about it all while crying. The next Monday, we started our creative writing assignment in my language arts class. The  protagonist of his story was a kid with Down's Syndrome. He wrote from the perspective of one of the kids he had met on the trip. Perhaps this trip was a moment that will resonate with him and his family. Perhaps it becomes formative for him moving forward. But even if it's not, it was reassuring and impactful for me. It helped lend clarity to the service learning debate raging in my own head.

I am not telling this story to simply talk about cool stuff I've had the opportunity to do, or highlight the work of my students. But rather, I am sharing it to frame the context of this my own reflection. I think all professionals should be reflective in their work, whether that be teaching, construction, or providing medical care. There were 25 pre-service teachers who were a part of that first program at the homeless shelter. It was required for many of them and voluntary for others. I have no idea how many later became teachers or social workers, or folks who regularly contributed to the community. Maybe all of them. Maybe only me. But what I do know is that one experience, shaped my perception of the world. Since that first day at the homeless shelter, I have led or participated in programs focused on engaging students to participate in the same opportunities. By my count I have been in organizations with, and worked alongside more than 600 students doing community service projects so far. I deeply hope that if even 1% of those kids find a love doing service work, maybe they grow up to be adults who have their own 500 students and doing projects. More would be better, but if that can be achieved, it seems like the program as it stands is enough.

Voting Overseas

Prior to moving to Ecuador, I was a social studies teacher in Florida. Specifically, the course I taught was civics. I have always had a special place in my heart for the political process and democracy as a whole. In addition to a personal interest, our time living in Ecuador (also a democracy but a bit...different) I have developed a stronger affinity for a country's governmental system that theoretically allows all citizens to have a voice. While clearly not perfect, I think the fact that the U.S. has a democratic system of government is something that, while I always appreciated, I now appreciate more.

That brings us to this year's...election cycle. We have had an interesting and quite unique experience with this election. We still read the same online articles and keep up with the issues, the opinion pieces, and the general...tomfoolery that this election has brought forth. However we have been spared the undoubtedly vicious and ridiculous commercial cyclone of ineptitude and negativity that usually goes hand in hand with election season. I will say...it's kind of nice. We have been able to focus on the issues while insulating ourselves from a lot of the propaganda and hate spewing.

One thing we were worried about when we moved abroad was whether we'd be able to participate in this election. We knew of absentee voting but didn't know of the regulations. We didn't really have an address and mail isn't a thing that Ecuador does so we didn't know how to go about having our voices heard from afar.

After a bit of research we found out that we were able to participate in the election from Ecuador. After registering as absentee voters in our home of record in Florida, we were sent our ballots online via email. We found out from some other friends that the process for each state is vastly different and quite difficult in some states. (I'm looking at you Minnesota)

We happily filled out our ballots and tried to fax them in as per the Florida Voter Registration instructions. That didn't work; mostly because it is 2016 and no one uses a fax anymore. I was quite frankly surprised they didn't let us vote via carrier pigeon but that's neither here nor there. We printed out our security envelopes and got our ballots to the embassy via our school courier. It was nice to see that voter participation at our school is close to 90% even though we live far away. It was refreshing to see that these issues and the future of OUR country matters to our friends and colleagues even if it isn't the country we are all living in.

So, there you have it. We voted. From another continent. Without hassle. While I have no certainty that our vote made it there successfully and will be counted, I do have faith. I have faith and appreciation in our electoral process. I have tremendous kudos to bestow upon the Overseas Voter Registration. We've officially and successfully navigated yet another step in the sometimes difficult process of living overseas.

Time to Search for What's Next

Over the summer, Shannon and I were faced with a tough decision (among all of the other stuff we had going on this summer. Our decision was whether to stay in Ecuador or to explore other options in another country. It's a little strange to think about, because in the U.S. you aren't required to decide whether to stay in your school or move to the next school until April or May of the school year. In international teaching, due to the demand for early information, and scheduling for job fairs, you are required to give your answer in the fall of the year before.

It was an incredibly tough decision. Our school had given us incredible opportunities over the course of two years. We have build curriculum, explored new work, and been valued as contributing members to quite a few meaningful changes at our school. Not to mention the country which has been our home for two years. We've explored the beaches, mountains, the jungle, and everything in between. Ecuador has become our home and a place that will be forever dear to us. Ecuador was the first place I ever traveled to out of the country. It's the place where I proposed to Shannon. This summer it was the place we were joined by our family and were married. However, after a lot of deliberation, we came to the conclusion that we're ready for the next adventure.

We made an appointment with our Head of School and had a really nice meeting with her. We expressed our appreciation for the opportunities she, and the school offered us over the previous two years and she expressed her appreciation and admiration for some of the work we did at our school. During our last job finding process, we ended up with a broken car in 1 degree weather in the middle of Iowa. We interviewed with countless schools in 30 seconds or less, and if we were successful, we were granted the esteemed honor of awkwardly interviewing for a half hour in their hotel room. We hope the process is a bit different for us than it was the first time. However despite the head start, our result is the same. We're stuck in a weird and exciting limbo where we have no idea what country we will be living in next.

The process this time around is to sign up for one of the many online international school job headhunter services. If we are a fit with a school that has matching needs and interests us, we'll reach out to them and hopefully be granted a Skype interview. This time, unlike the first, I promise to wear pants with my shirt and tie during the interview.

No matter what, our next few weeks to months are going to be tremendously exciting. We might end up back in North America. We might go to Europe, or the Middle East, or Southeast Asia. We're open to anything that seems to be a solid fit for us professionally and personally. In the meantime, we'll keep looking. We'll keep reaching out to friends who have gone back out into the international school world and we'll be excited and patient as we search for whatever comes next for us.

Weekend Trip: Cotopaxi Volcano

To celebrate finishing our first month of school, Justin and I booked a weekend trip to Cotopaxi National Park. This time, we were going to try staying at a different place - Hacienda Los Mortinos. (Mortinos are the wild blueberries that grow in the area, and that Justin always yells at me for trying to eat on our hikes). We loaded up the car Friday morning so that we could leave right after school let out. Luckily, it's a short drive to Cotopaxi, and even in the rainy Friday afternoon traffic, we arrived at our destination in under two hours.

Hacienda Los Mortinos

The last 20 kilometers ride up into Cotopaxi park is along a cobblestone road that winds around farmlands and ranch houses. You have to take this part of the drive quite slowly, to prevent against jarring something loose in the suspension, as well as anticipation of the random cow, dog, donkey or horse that may wander across your path.

When we finally made the last turn into the hacienda property, we found ourselves on a wide dirt driveway, framed on both sides by rows of paper trees. These trees, identifiable by their reddish brown peeling park and delicate dark green leaves only grow at high, misty altitude, and are also found in the paramo surrounding Papallacta. The driveway led us past a horse pasture where several white horses were grazing and watched us pass with mild interest.

The sun had set and with rain still drizzling, the climate was wet and cold and foggy. But I had come prepared with my knit wool leg warmers from Cusco, fleece leggings, and ½ a bottle of something perfect for warming one's bones next to a crackling fireplace.

We were greeted by Pablo, the owner of the hacienda, who served us steaming hot cinnamon drinks while he checked us in. Although the famous Cotopaxi volcano was located directly in front of the hacienda’s dining room windows, any views were completely obstructed by the sheets of fog that had settled around us.

She Peaked Out Eventually

Our room had an enormous picture window on each of the exterior walls, and we immediately noticed three small grey rabbits hopping around in the dusk. And the shower! Hands down the best shower I’ve had at any hotel or hacienda in Ecuador. Scalding hot water that filled the whole bathroom up with steam, and strong water pressure that blasted away all the week’s stress. After happily roasting my skin pink in the hot shower, I snuggled into all my soft fleece and wool and sweatshirt and settled myself in front of the log burning fireplace with my book for the weekend, The Poisonwood Bible. I decided that even if the rain didn’t let up all weekend, and were were never even able to see Cotopaxi, I would be quite content spending the next two days in front of this fireplace, reading my book, and sipping intermittently on my smoky drink.

It was right at this moment that Justin got the unfortunate news that some of our friends who were also on their way up were having car troubles and were broken down about 40 minutes back down the cobblestone road. Justin and I spoke with Pablo who was able to contact a mechanic in the nearby town of Machachi and had him dispatched within 30 minutes. Justin bundled back up into his jacket and boots and left to go pick up our friends while their car was towed back into town.

Finally, at about 9:30 he had returned with our four friends, and the six of us ate a sleepy warm meal together in the quiet dining room before bidding one another goodnight.

The next day, I woke up early at about 6:30 and peeked out the window to see a wonderful crisp view of Cotopaxi in the dawn. I smiled and then went back to sleep for a couple of hours. By the time we joined our friends for breakfast, the clouds had rolled back in and Cotopaxi was almost invisible. Nonetheless, we headed out for a hike into the national park. We were joined by the owners happy little puppy, whom Justin named “Ralph” but we later learned was actually named Joe. Joe followed us all the way into the park, about a 45 minute walk until he was apprehended by the park ranger (as dogs are not permitted in the park, and Joe refused to go home) and the ranger put Joe into a holding cell until we could return to retrieve him. Sorry about that, Joe.

Good Morning Cotopaxi

After about another hour of walking a thunderstorm rolled in and we were caught in the rain. Luckily this happened just as we came upon a backpackers hacienda and we ducked inside for cover, and as it turned out, a delicious lunch of grilled trout and chicken. At this point, our group split in two and half of us returned to the hacienda since it was clear the weather would not be cooperating today. The other half continued to hike into the park to check out a nearby lake. Then we retrieved Joe from the park ranger. Luckily he wasn’t too upset with us and he cheerfully escorted us back to the hacienda.

When we finally reached the property I stopped at the fence where the horses were grazing. Much to my delight, one the grey-white horses walked right up to the fence and allowed me to scratch his neck and stroke his main. For a good 15 minutes I stood there, petting the horse, marveling how he was equal parts serene and beautiful yet also slightly terrifying in his size and strength. It was a peaceful and joyous encounter, and as I left I promised him to return tomorrow with the extra apple I had in my lunchbox.

Justin and Joe Ralph

The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent reading by the fireplace, and playing card games with the rest of our friends who had arrived that morning. We shared a meal and wine together and played cards into the night until we were all too sleepy to stay up. The rain continued through the evening.

But just as I had given up all hope of ever getting a decent view of Cotopaxi, Sunday morning came. The rain had stopped, the clouds had evaporated, and there she was in all her glory. Cotopaxi, the marvelous volcano, right outside our breakfast window - huge and covered ⅔ of the way in gleaming white snow. We were giddy with excitement, all of us adults, and we dashed outside to take pictures and get closer to the marvelous giant. And were gifted for the rest of the morning and early afternoon with a clear view and crisp air.

Cotopaxi, the Neck of the Moon

When it was finally time to head back to Quito, we loaded up the car and I shoved the apple in my pocket for the horse. We drove back out the driveway, up to the horse pasture where I jumped out and bit the apple into pieces to share with all the horses that met me expectantly at the fence. Feeding a horse by hand - also slightly terrifying but deeply satisfying. I gave the grey horse one last stroke along his broad, silky nose, wiped by sticky apple hands on my jeans, and hopped back in the car. It was a well deserved, relaxing weekend, capped by a long awaited view of Cotopaxi. Definitely, we will come back for one more visit before leaving Ecuador, and next time, I would come prepared with a whole bag full of apples - one for each horse.

Day 6-13 Cusco and Machu Picchu Adventure

Guest Writer-Meg

Baby llamas

Hello, I’m your guest blogger Meg, here to talk about our trip to Cusco and Machu Picchu. I will admit that most of what I knew about this city was based on the animated Disney classic, The Emperor’s New Groove. I was slightly disappointed to find no talking llamas with David Spade’s voice, but it was still a pretty interesting city full of street meats, markets, stray dogs, and a healthy dose of history and culture.

Downtown Cusco

On our first afternoon in the city, we did some sightseeing and finally discovered that South America can actually make a decent pizza, thanks to La Bodega 138.

On our full day in the city before heading to Machu Picchu, groups split up for different activities. Bethany and I explored the city, touring the Cusco Cathedral and Museo Inka. Our more adventurous group ventured to Sacsayhuaman - also spelled Saqsaywaman, Sasawaman, Saksawaman, Sacsahuayman, Sasaywaman or Saksaq Waman- a citadel on the northern outskirts of the city. Their tour of ruins there prepared them for the big show coming up.

Llama selfie

We traveled on Peru Rail to Aguas Calientes, the city at the base of Machu Picchu. Most everyone wandered the city, some exploring the hot springs and market. Note to any future travelers - choose your restaurants in Aguas Calientes carefully. We had some absolutely terrible food at more than one location there. Cat food does not equal tacos, let’s leave it at that.

Photo Bombs!

Our fearless tour guide, Sol, suggested we arrive in the Machu Picchu bus line at the ungodly hour of 4am, which we did. Even at that hour, we were still a few hundred people back. We waited patiently and slowly awoke as we found breakfast treats and coffee. Then we were off on our bus ride to Machu Picchu, one of the new seven wonders of the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Crew at Machu Picchu

Upon arrival, we started the hike up the cloudy ruins. Sol lead us to a secluded spot and told us the story of Machu Picchu and shared her passion with us. As she finished up her story, the clouds started to lift off the site and we got to see the full glory of Machu Picchu. It was a breathtaking sight and almost seemed unreal. We had some fantastic views, then followed Sol on a close up tour of the ruins. It is truly amazing to see all that remains there from the 15th century.

I'm not quite sure what's happening here.

After bidding farewell to Sol, most grabbed a bite to eat then wandered the site a bit more. Bethany and I took the leisurely route, relaxing on the grounds, napping and taking llama selfies. Our adventure group took a hike up to the Sun Gate to get some beautiful views of Machu Picchu.

The Ruins

By the time it was time for our train ride back to Cusco, we’d all had a full day of fun. Little did we know we were in for a FASHION SHOW on the train ride back. The crew showed off their alpaca ensembles to try and tempt us all to purchase them. There was also a terrifying clown that danced around the train car and successfully inserted himself into most of our nightmares. Who knew a train ride could involve so much entertainment?

Overall, Cusco and Machu Picchu did not disappoint. Huge thanks to Justin and Shannon for doing their homework and booking our tour and hotel. It was an amazing time!

Day 5- Mitad del Mundo

Guest Writer-Jessie

It is impossible for me to describe my experience at Mitad del Mundo without giving somewhat of a background of who I am and how I relate to the epic saga that is Justin and Shannon’s wedding.   First, allow me to properly introduce myself  (being that this little tale will be written in the first person narrative) my name is Jessie and I have the sole privilege of being Justin’s only sibling.  Many people are inclined to believe that he is my older brother however this is a popular misconception which I am sure has to do with Justin’s natural leadership and delegation skills, which consequently is also a major factor in most of our childhood physical altercations.  I digress.

To be perfectly honest, geography was not my best subject in school so when I first heard that Shannon and Justin were moving to Ecuador, I was not even sure what continent that country was on. I remember thinking “well that sounds extra foreign” and also like a once in a lifetime adventure that I was extraordinarily grateful that I was not a part of it (I’m not a fan of foreign foods; this single factor accounts for much of my hesitance with travelling outside the US).   I inquired with Justin and Shannon about where the country was, its economic standing, we touched upon the cultural a minuscule amount; however the one thing that really put the entire experience in perspective was that the Equator runs right through Ecuador.

The invitation to the Wedding came after I was already informed on the basic particulars (i.e. that they were getting married and that the ceremony would take place in South America).  I knew that although on paper it didn’t appear to work out; there was absolutely no way I was missing this wedding. Even though I was somewhat fearful of being kidnapped and forced into various forms of slavery (clearly an indication of my ignorance but hey I’m trying to be honest. Please don’t let it reflect too negatively on me).  After all, this was my YOUNGER (emphasis is for your benefit Justin) brother’s wedding and also because I really like Shannon as well.  So I began my travel experience from New York, NY to Quito, Ecuador- alone.  Which, as an aside, I think was tremendously brave on my part.

I could continue into great detail on the various adventures and tours that were planned, with great detail, on our behalf by Justin and Shannon. However, I was instructed that this could be as short or as long as desired but since I know that typically people get discouraged when looking at something rather long; I’ll do my best to keep it to a minimum from here on out.

Upon our arrival in Quito, we were given a breakdown of what the group would be doing every day and my initial reaction was that I could not wait to visit the Equator, i.e. Mitad del Mundo for those Gringos that don’t know.  I thought that while this entire trip is a once in a lifetime opportunity; that the visit to the Equator is something that truly not many people will ever get to experience.

Heather and Berto on the Equator

We departed from our lovely accommodations at the Hacienda Cusin in Otavalo, Ecuador on a brisk Saturday morning.  We took the several hour trip to the Equator and although I was beyond excited to visit this worldly monument, it was bittersweet as some of our group had either already left or were shortly departing to start their journey home.  I really did not know what to expect from the Mitad del Mundo.  Ecuador is a strange place of profound beauty and extreme poverty, this mix is what I find so fascinating about Ecuador.  I was not sure if it was simply going to be a simplistic giant line in a field or if it was going to be some extreme display of cultural pride.  I was just really excited to take pictures of me standing on the Equator and to be able to say that I truly was in two places at one time.
When we pulled up I saw that the Mitad del Mundo was indeed grandiose and clearly something much more than I expected.  It seemed to be situated at the top of a slight incline within the Andes Mountains.  The Mitad del Mundo had a walk way with a bright yellow line down the center that was the famous Equator.  The line ran straight up to the actual monument.  Running alongside the walkway were various tourist shops as well as a few restaurants (this is important, it will be incorporated later) and a museum that from what we understood housed various exhibits about the indigenous people of the area and there was a rumor that it also contained shrunken human heads.  This seemed to be a huge selling point for many people, but as someone who has seen human heads (the Mutter Museum in Philly, if anyone is interested) they really aren’t that interesting. After some moderate research I can tell you that this was done by “removing the skull, sewing the eyes and mouth shut, then cooking the skin for an hour or so and filling it with hot rocks” and it looks exactly the way you imagine- like a freeze dry Verizon of a head. (Here's an example).

Meg and her new boyfriend

There were large glass (or at least it appeared to be glass) statutes that also worked as a sitting spot for visitors that were made to look like giant hummingbirds resting on a solitary leaf.  They are beautiful; the artist uniquely utilized the natural colors that one seems to see solely in Ecuador. The curvatures of the glass are intricate; it makes you a little hesitant to want to sit in them.  They are a beautiful ornament that enhance the over-all feeling that one has when visiting the monument and are worthy of notation.

The Mitad del Mundo was also aligned with various little statutes that acknowledged that you were now at 0 degrees Latitude.  Most interesting were a variety of exhibits that show you the significance of the Equator; how it differs from pretty much every other area of the world.  A few notable examples worth mentioning are the fact that there are always 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night on the Equator.  There are also examples of the Coriolis Effect which is a natural phenomenon in which various elements react in the different hemispheres.  For example: water tides, hurricanes and wind patterns rotate one direction in the northern hemisphere and another direction in the southern hemisphere.  Interestingly, however, when a sink plug is pulled on the equator, the water does not swirl into the drain, it gets pulled straight down.  There were also demonstration tables in which one could test the infamous egg of a nail experiment.  Although I was eager to participate in this experiment, I wasn’t able to do so as another group of tourists, hell bent on accomplishing this task, tried for quite some time with little success however they were undaunted and continued, unfazed, to try despite the long line of people waiting about.  After witnessing their lack of success and growing impatient I decided to abandon ship.  Besides, I really did not want to be the one responsible for cracking the solitary egg that was provided for the exhibit- which would have surely been inevitable.

Bethany and Baby Bro

After wandering and exploring the monument I decided it was time to hunker down and get my requisite pictures- after all when afforded with the opportunity of a great selfie, it is almost a crime to let the moment pass. The Mitad del Mundo provides from some fantastic selfies as well as an opportunity to pose for some silly tourist photos.  With the assistance of Justin and Shannon we took some photos with either foot in each hemisphere and general silliness that is entirely too predictable but also great fun.  It was around this time that Justin informed me that as tourist trap, several of the stores would stamp your passport with the Mitad del Mundo stamp.  I had my mission.  Of all the well-seasoned travelers I have met in my lifetime, not a single one of them could claim that they had a passport stamp from the center of the world.  A few of my constituents and myself must of stopped in about 5 stores and consequently received about 5 confused looks along with some under the breath mutters about being Gringos before finally being able to locate someone who had the said passport stamp.  Ironically it was in one of the restaurants and it was not advertised as a service they provide however their kindness in providing it to us was rewarded when we decided to eat there.  I ordered French fries.

CUY!!!

Our time at Mitad del Mundo was limited but there had been whispers or flat out declarations throughout the entire trip (I’m referring to you, Tim) of excitement and precipitation; several people were not planning on leaving the country without trying the native delicacy of Cuy.   To save you a trip from Google I’ll just tell you what it is- it is guinea pig.  Yes the furry little creatures that resemble enlarged hamsters. Mostly of pleasant demeanor and primarily used as pets for small children in the United States. These animals appear to be prepared by skinning them and roasting them over a grill.  Although I had absolutely no intention of diverting from my already pre-assigned diet of French fries; I decided I really need to bear witness to several people from our group trying this delicacy for the first time.  When the dish was placed in front of us, it is not how I expected it to look.  I thought perhaps it was cut or garnished in a way that would not remind you that it was once an animal such as popularly prepared in America.  Clearly I was mistaken.  It was placed on our table with a stick through its body and skinned other than that it still resembled a small animal, albeit one in extreme agony.  It was at this point that I decided that no matter how much I was pressured, I would not succumb to eating the Cuy.  It was rather humorous to watch everyone else eat it. Some seemed to struggle through eating it; others seemed to revel in the foreignness of it.  Although I believe the consensus was that it tasted like dark meat chicken but that the skin had a “weird taste” and although I could be wrong I do not think anyone was looking forward to eating again.

Yum

The departure from Mitad del Mundo was bittersweet as I knew it would be the last time, or at least for a very long time, that I would see many of these people including my brother and new sister in law.  I felt very much like a stranger when I first came to Ecuador.  Most of the people I had never met before but by the time I left they felt more like family.  I think that overall we all came to Ecuador to celebrate the wedding of Justin and Shannon.  All of us travelling many miles to support them, be there to watch them get married and start their new lives as husband and wife and as an testiment of the love that we all possess for them both- individually and as a couple.  However ultimately I think that Justin and Shannon gave each of us a much greater gift.  They took the most significant event in their respective lives and turned it into such a great adventures for all of us. They planned things so that many of us, who were strangers to each other, felt like family by the end of it.   It was truly such a selfless thing to do.  The wedding week was probably the largest testament of love that I have ever seen, not just for Justin and Shannon to each other but for all of us who came to their wedding and got to partake in the incredible adventures they planned for everyone.  I feel so incredibly grateful and blessed to have been a part of it.  It was truly the trip of a lifetime that I will never forget.

Day 4-Cuicocha Hike

The Corky Campuzano trail hike. July 22 0700 hrs

Guest Writer-Justin K.

Cuicocha Lake

So there we were. We had just finished up with quite probably the most awesome wedding any of us will ever attend in our life time. Barely 4 hours had passed since we layed our heads down and tried to recoup from the festivities of the night before when the alarm woke us up. But it didn't take long to realize that the early wake up was going to be well worth it.

Justin and Shannon having successfully navigated the hike in an earlier recon mission knew the trick would be to start the hike at the "back" and work our way toward the "front". This allowed for a more gradual introduction to the hills and would render the steepest grade a nice decent right at the end of the hike, in stead of an abrupt uphill start.

Some sort of foolishness

After some persuasive bilingual convincing, the bus driver (insert name) agreed to Justin's reverse start plan and drove us to the end of the hike. The terrain seemed gentile enough to start. The first half mile or so brought us through a field of grass where cows were grazing.  Some beautiful scenery for sure, but it wasn't until about 10 minutes in that the beauty of the mountain and the lake below revealed itself. Any lingering grogginess from the early morning start were all but dissipated by that panoramic view. The first glimpse of the lake and mountain range were breathtaking, and it wasn't just the 10,000 + feet in elevation talking.

After several rounds of picture taking that will inevitably fail to do justice in the sharing of this experience, we bagan to chip away at the 14 kilometer trek that lay before us (8.4 miles, but it sounds more impressive in klicks). The first few miles consisted mostly of relatively easy uphills and gradual downhills. The temperature, as it was for most of the entire trip, was perfect for hiking. Justin hung toward the back of the pack and let the gringos, with their questionable altitude acclimation drive the pace. Clearly Heather, a personal trainer by trade and likely the most fit among us was the natural choice to take point. She drove the pace hard and only 4 of 10 of us would make it off of the mountain that day. Actually we all made it, but you get the point.

Group Shot

Everyone was cruising along and we were making excellent time, even with frequent stops to capture the scenery...look for my entry on the next "shot on an iPhone" commercial btw. The grade was beginning to steepen quite a bit about 1/3 of the way through. You know you are starting to climb some serious hills when Ecuadorians feel the need to put steps on the trail. Back to back flights of stairs slowed the pace considerably. Alberto treated us to an epic retelling of the exploits of "Chad", aspiring Air Force drone operator and everyone's spirits were sufficiently lifted for another flight of stairs.

At the highest point in the hike we were approximately  10,350 feet above sea level, and 10,349 feet above the Eastern shoreline of the U.S. where most of this group normally resides if you were keeping score. At what appeared to be about the summit of the hike we stopped for a well deserved break and bagged lunch from the hacienda. The food was great and the view from under the pavilion at the top was even better.

As promised by resident expert and tour guide Justin, the second half of the hike was kinder on the hamstrings than the first. The back side of the mountain provided a different and equally beautiful view of the landscape, along with the stiff breeze that inspired the  "condoring" that ensued. We couldn't help but tap our inner Joe Namith by attempting to the throw rocks what we will call thousands of feet to the crater lake below. The success rate was questionable but no one fell down the mountain so we will call it a win.

We made short work of the last few miles and pulled into the finish with an impressive total time of 3:45. In an absolutely uncanny display of planning and time management, we walked up to the visitor center literally within 5 seconds of the bus ferrying the second half of the wedding group. At this point in the trip, I don't know why any of us were surprised. The level of detailed planning and forethought by Justin and Shannon and all those that help plan the entire wedding week was incredible. The hike was an experience of a lifetime that none of us will soon forget.

Editor's Note: One other group did a short hike to the beautiful Peguche Waterfalls while we were hiking Cuicocha. There is no narrative for that trip, but some pictures are below.

Day 3- Wedding Day

Guest Writer-Jamie M.

Officially Married!

As we headed to breakfast, the morning sun and crisp air pushed out the fog of the previous night’s open bar. Familiar faces, new friends and old, wandered the lush gardens of the monastery. We added about a thousand more pictures of lamas and exotic plants to our camera roll before playing a quick pick-up game of basketball. Since it was the wedding day, I decided not to completely humiliate Justin and the other groomsmen. I kept the dunking to a minimum… they might refute these facts, but probably just to save face.

Groomsmen and Groom

It was still quite early, but at this point the women had already retreated to their makeup fortress. Brandishing curling irons and mascara, they began the secretive process of “getting ready” for the wedding. The men also began preparations, mostly Cuban cigars and fine whiskey.

The bride's beautiful sisters

We reconvened not long after lunch, headed to the rooftop, and cracked the bottle of Blue. With our Panama hats and Cubans, we looked like men from a different era (or at least we would have if I didn’t wear my Spiderman t-shirt). After a couple hours of manly silence, a meaningful nod from the groom dispersed the group. It was time.

Justin, Megan, Jen, Jessie, Jamie, Brian, and Suzy

 As previously planned, the guests were allowed a generous amount of time to take in the picturesque garden venue where Justin and Shannon would soon be exchanging vows. The bridesmaids emerged, looking beautiful of course, and we began our march down the rose petal aisle. Escorted by her father, Shannon made her way down the stone steps to meet her groom. Thankfully her radiant beauty took the spotlight, so not many got to see the stupid grin on Justin’s face. (Editor's Note: Fact) Their family and closest friends watched with smiles as Justin and Shannon joined hands and, with their heartfelt (and hilarious) vows, joined their lives together.

Shannon and Uncle Richard

Ashley, Delaney, and Mark

After the usual post-wedding pictures and some rose petal frolicking, it was time to celebrate. We rejoined the rest for a cocktail hour in the garden. There was rum, humitas, and an excellent guitarist. Tim also cemented his blossoming friendship with a lama. The food and festivities were just beginning. The staff herded us inside for dinner, which was quite delicious. Speeches were made. Some brought laughter and others brought tears, but all were delivered with love. The rest of the night was a blur of dancing, partying, and some unforgettable dance moves (that some people would probably like to forget).

No explanation needed

David, Jen, and Kevin

Day 2- Arriving in Otavalo

Guest Writer-Bethany C.

At the Hacienda

The day started quite the same as the ones before…rise early, get in a good breakfast (we enjoyed the buffet spread at Hotel Quito), and be ready in the lobby for an early call time.  Today was different because we also had to checkout and have all of our belongings ready to go.  Upon our arrival in the lobby, it was startling to see the amount of luggage our wedding party brought with them.  To be honest, some of the biggest offenders were me and Meg, but in our defense we had 18 days worth of travel to plan for.  Luckily, Justin and Shannon thought of everything…including a second travel vehicle just for our luggage.  So once we said no for the twentieth time to the old man selling bracelets and scarves in the parking lot, we loaded up and prepared for our next adventure.

Rose Plantation Showroom

On the docket for today’s adventure – a rose plantation, Condor Park, and the much anticipated arrival at our hacienda.  Though many of us were exhausted from our Chiva extravaganza the night before, we managed to enjoy the pleasant ride to the rose plantation.  I’m sure it has a name…but honestly, I don’t remember it.  (Editor's Note: Hacienda La Compania de Jesus) Our first stop at the plantation was of course, the bathroom.  Oddly enough, many of their restrooms had a sign above them that said “SS.HH Turistas”.  We of course took it to mean that we must quietly pee and should participate in no revelry whatsoever.

The...Growing Tent?

After the pit stop, we were taken to the growing tent (bear with me as I make up the names of the places we visited).  In the growing tent, or greenhouse as some of you might call it, we saw rows and rows of incredibly tall rose bushes.  We learned that since the sun shines directly down on Ecuador, it makes it the most optimal conditions for growing roses straight up!  Our tour guide gave us information on how they know what to grow, what they specifications are depending on who is buying, and we were able to see some of the locals cutting and bunching the flowers together.  It was neat to see their methods for transporting the bushels of roses (on a pulley system using racks and wheels) to the packaging plant.  Each set of roses is shipped in sets of 25 to their destination – tightly packed into square shaped bouquets.  We watched an assembly line of workers moving at the speed of light to trim, wrap, and pack the flowers for distribution.  Walking around, looking at the myriad of colors was unlike anything I have ever seen before.  We learned that around 90% of the roses that Publix sells comes from that plantation.

Hacienda Entrance

After the tour of the growing tent and the packaging plant, we were invited to tour the show room and gardens…which were, of course, beautiful.  We all registered for free flowers (don’t know if anyone won) and took pictures next to blooms that were bigger than our hands!  We wandered the grounds, took more photos, and then were invited inside to dine at the family home.  Our guide (the son of the owners?) had his staff prepare a wonderful meal of sandwiches, treats, cheeses, fruits, and juices.  We were allowed to wander the old house (this gal was excited to see old timey phones and typewriters) and then, after a small amount of time, we gathered once more on the bus to head to our next destination.

I’m going to be honest…I was nervous when we pulled up to Condor Park.  It looked closed.  Like no one in the parking lot closed.  But, miracles upon miracles – it was open!  There was a light rain that greeted us as we walked around the park.  It wasn’t at all what I expected.  Around the park there were various enclosures with different types of birds in them.  Each bird had a name and its own personality (cue individual bird voices and independent story lines) and we learned a little about each species as we walked around.  I, of course, was incredibly excited to see the condor.  I mean, who wouldn’t be?  Big wings.  Angry, ugly face.  The stuff of dreams AND nightmares!  When we finally got to the enclosure, there were no condors.  None.  Zip. Zilch.  Nothing.  I called to them.  I pleaded.  I begged.  I heckled.  Still nothing.  We went down to visit the show birds (the birds in the show) and I tried not to let the despair overwhelm me.  I mean, who cares about a hawk?  Or an owl?  Or even a bald eagle?  (Okay…I cared about that because ‘merica, but I’ve seen them before.)  Finally, a young boy who worked there (yes…young boy) came by and I asked him if the Condors were going to come out.  Honestly, I was prepared to start a sit-it in if it came to that.  The boy ran off and then came back with a dead baby chicken in his hand.  YES!!!  Now we’re talking.  He began calling out to the birds in Spanish and then he threw the dead baby bird into their enclosure.  Then, lo and behold, the famed beasts of the sky popped out of their cave and came down to eat the chicken!!!  Oh happy day!  One of the coolest and most awe inspiring sights you will ever see is a Condor sunning himself, wings spread open, face lifted to the sun.  You think – this is a dinosaur.  This creature is a dinosaur and I am getting to see it in person!  I was good to go.

Gringo

Yet, this was not to be the end of our Condor Park adventure.  The culminating part of the visit was an open air bird show.   When most people think of bird shows, they think of a small series of benches, usually with a canopy overhead, and sad looking birds who fly from Point A to Point B for the measly applause of tolerant guests.  Not the case for us.  A bird show in the open air meant that specifically...a coliseum like structure, on a mountain, that had one area that dropped off like a cliff.  Bad ass.  An Ecuadorian man brought out the birds one by one and told us all about them (in Spanish).  At the end of each presentation some of the people in our party would translate basic information about the birds to the rest of us gringos.  Speaking of gringos...there was a bald eagle named Gringo who got his ass kicked by a stray bird.  Wait...what?  Yeah, you heard me.  First they brought out this big brown hawk named Susan.  When they brought the birds out...not only did they talk about them...they basically threw the birds up in the air and the birds got to soar freely in the air over the city for minutes at a time...then they would eventually return.  Honestly, there were a few times I thought Susan would not return.  She was enjoying her free flying...exploring the city down below us.  I mean...the birds came back, but my guess is because they were incredibly well trained and well fed.  So Susan had her show and she was magnificent to behold in the air.  In fact...she didn’t return.  She flew far away.  She was taking her dear sweet time.  Then...they bring out Gringo.  America’s symbol of hope.  The bald eagle.  <Cue patriotic music here>  Gringo was stately and proud...just how you would imagine a bald eagle should look.  He soared high up into the sky!  And then...from out of nowhere...America was under attack!  Some random wild bird started dive bombing Gringo!  The bird was scared and immediately came back to the keeper.  But, the keeper didn’t play.  He tossed the bird right back into the air.  Gringo would fly and then that rando bird would come back from wherever it was hiding and start attacking the bald eagle!  Needless to say, this was nature in action!  This went on a for awhile.  Gringo would return in agitation from being attacked and then the keeper would throw him back to the wind wolves (my metaphor).  Then, lo and behold, here comes Susan!  Returning from her sojourn in the skies to save Gringo.  She goes on full attack, dive bombing the random aggressive sky bird!  It was like something from National Geographic!  Eventually, both Susan and Gringo returned from their sky adventure and we were treated to the rest of the birds (though nothing could top the sky chase).

Susan!

After the bird show, we boarded the bus once more and headed to the hacienda.  Upon arrival we were greeted by friendly workers and then escorted to our rooms.  I can honestly say that our room was baller!  Two beds, a living room with a fire place, a small office, and a bathroom.  We were lucky enough to be close to front office so we even had wifi!  The place had a cozy and homey feel that made the long day of travel feel nice!  We explored the grounds in the remaining daylight and tried to make friends with the llamas (basically - llamas do not care about humans...they could give two flying flips...unless they are a mama llama.  Then, WATCH OUT.  Mama llama don’t play.)  The grounds were beautifully manicured.  We saw tons of flora and fauna that we had never seen before.  Then we headed to the dining room for dinner and later in the day stopped by the gathering area for happy hour.  I’m going to be honest, we didn’t stay very long because we were super tired.  But who doesn’t love fireplaces, beer, wine, and friendly conversation?  So I imagine they had a lovely time!  Then it was time for bed...and when we got back to our room we found out that they had lit the fireplace and put hot water bottles in our beds!  Talk about service.  Needless to say that after such an exciting day, it was a perfect night for rest.

Night One-CHIVA!!

Guest Writer-Jamie M

Our Chariot

When Justin gave us the option to join them for a “surprise cultural experience,”the first evening, none of us were sure what to think. I don’t think anyone had in mind dancing on the back of a truck with cups full of hot jungle juice. It was exactly as fun as it sounds. The DJ blasted through downtown Quito varying speeds, safety, and sanity with a deadly mix of late 90’s hip-hop and Spanish dance music. The locals were surprisingly receptive to our party whistles and sweet dance moves. At some point in the night we stopped at a public park to crown our Chiva King and Queen…and pee. In a video that will make their children cringe, (Editor's note: This video does not exist...) Justin and Shannon showed off their moves at the center of our park-side dance circle. But the night wasn’t over. More drinks and a short bumpy ride found us back at the hotel. We finished up the night at the Beatles themed bar across the street where, I believe, there were flaming drinks involved. We went to bed with the satisfaction of knowing that we were now more culturally aware.

Awkward Dance Circle for the King and Queen

 

Day 1-City Tour

Guest Writer- Megan K.

All together in Quito

    The day after we arrived in Quito we were all welcomed with a planned tour! That morning we all piled on a charter bus; driven by a friend of the bride and groom named Paul (who was so accommodating and kind). We were then given a brief overview of where we were heading by the bride herself, followed by introductions from everyone by passing a toilet paper roll (which come to find out is like gold in South American). We had the pleasure and privilege to meet people in Justin and Shannon's lives who have supported them, grown with them, taught with them, and love them. The group of individuals we met and spent time with on our trip not only brought smiles to our faces, laughter to our lips, and encouragement and support into every day while traveling, they also made such an impact on our lives during this incredible experience that we will never forget!

The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round

        Our first taste of old city Quito was a tour of Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus (The society of Jesus Church). Built by Jesuit priests between 1605 and 1765, the beauty of the architecture on the outside of the structure paled in comparison to the art and craftsmanship found inside the archway doors. No pictures were allowed inside so you need to take this one on faith, but the ornate detail was breathtaking. (Editor's note: Or through the contraband photo taken by an unnamed guest below...) Gold leaf covers nearly every square inch of the worship hall. Detailed wood carvings created by artists from the Quito school are scattered throughout. There was so much to see, the nearly hour long tour was simply not long enough to take it all in. For a whole 2 dollars more we were able to walk up to the roof of the facility and see the view from atop the 26 meter high steeple...worth all 200 hundred pennies. We could have spent all day at the church and not have had enough time to fully appreciate the art that went into its creation. The tour was a crash course in the rich culture of Ecuadorian architecture as well as the history of religious persecution in the region.

View inside the Iglesia

        From the church we took a tour of the Virgin of Quito statue. A 147 foot high aluminum statue of a winged virgin standing atop a globe stepping on a snake. It is said that this massive statue is the only one of its kind to represent Madonna with wings like an angel. The statue looks over a beautiful panoramic view of the city below. We were treated to lunch at Pim's Restaurant just below the statue, but not too low to enjoy the beautiful view of the city.

Panecillo

           Following lunch we traveled to the home and gallery of famous Ecuadorian artist, Oswaldo Guayasamin. The grounds include Guayasamin's home and art studio as well the Chapel of Man, an art gallery finished in 2002, three years after his death. The art studio within his home displayed many of his original works, most of which depict the cruelty of the treatment of the indigenous people of Latin America. The art reflected his intolerance for the injustice and suffering in our world . His personal residence was also an impressive collection of pre-Columbian and Colonial art and artifacts from around the world.

Touring the City

        This first day of touring the City of Quito was jam packed with culture, but it was an eye opening experience to the richness and the history of the region. Thank you for the incredible experience and the warmest welcome and introduction to your beautiful home Justin and Shannon!