Otavalo

6/24:  Otavalo, Posada del Quinde 

After 24hrs. of solid travel, we finally made it through a fog delay that routed us through Guayaquil and a customs ordeal with Lizzie’s semi-expired visa to land comfortably into our bus, Otavalo bound.  We would arrive to our surprisingly swank accommodations at Posada del Quinde two hours later and crash like waves.  Five hours after that, we were “up & at them” receiving orientation from our partner organization, Tandana, comprised of Maggie (who met us at the airport and who was also running on empty), Na, Emma V., Emma R. & Sara.  The last 3 were fresh off the boat - brand new interns specifically brought in to help teach “coursos” (summer school).  They had been there for a week, but acted like they owned the place.  Ahh, to be 21 and know all once again.   

Na has been with the organization doing these programs for 1yr+ and Maggie for 9 months +/-.  Na was trained by Lizzie (one of my co-leaders); Maggie was trained by Na.  It’s a crazy little system of telephone that the founder, Anna Taft, has set up, but it seems to be working for them.  With this new cast, I’m not only the solo male in the leadership group, but I’m also the elder - crazy.  As far as my role goes, there seems potential for me to mentor these younger leaders and maybe offer some guidance.  I’ll daydream that I’m back at Islandwood, only this time as staff - it’s a daydream I have often and know well.   

Speaking of dream jobs, I randomly checked my email while the students were lesson planning to find a fresh one from Seattle Audubon - an invite to interview for a position I’d applied for at Seward Park.  I replied, offering to meet over skype.  If they agree, this will be my first actual skype, and that prospect makes me a little nervous.  In interviews past, I’ve relied on charisma and being able to read a room, but I suspect these attributes will be lost in cyberspace this time round.  Oh well, I’m a long-shot anyway, and maybe I’ll get brownie points for being in Ecuador.  

Coincidentally, I sat next to a guy on the plane who works for BirdLife International, a bird conservation group with an office in Quito.  His name was Voltar.  He’s Hungarian but married to an Ecuadorian woman.  He was an interesting guy and had a lot to say on the subject of bird conservation, especially in relation to forest preservation and carbon credit markets.  I can’t help but think our chance encounter was by design and bodes well for my future interview.  But then again, he also had a lot to say about how dangerous Quito has become and how just last month his mother in law was at dinner when the place was sprayed with bullets and the patrons robbed at gunpoint, so maybe our meeting forebodes disaster.  Only time will tell.  

I would feel more than just a little guilty/sad to leave the Arboretum, but it’s been a good run and I’ve done a good job.  If I am to leave them, I will be leaving them better off than when I found them.  So I hope Audubon agrees to interview me over skype, I hope I nail it, and I hope I get the job.  Clara would be ecstatic to not have to listen to me gripe and a fresh challenge with more responsibility and greater power would suit me well.  I could likely still work with UW students, still be able to garden in the little garden I’ve built up over the past few years, and still be able to ride my bike to work - three facets I love about my current job.  It probably wouldn’t be any less paperwork, and I would likely have to give up doing these GSL trips with Lakeside, but that too has been a good run.  

We leave for Agualongo tomorrow pm & will be in our homestays starting tomorrow night.  I’m mostly excited for this new experience/adventure and only a little nervous.  If this is to be my last GLS trip, I’m going to suck the marrow out of it.  As far as the kids go, they haven’t quite figured out how to feel comfortable yet, with each other, with Ecuador, with the leaders.  HQ did a good job of putting together 12 kids who are practically strangers.  Strangers in a strange land.  But then again to paraphrase RLS, there are no strange lands, it is the traveler only who is strange.  We’ll see about that.