The Adventure Begins!

Well here I am. Waiting for my plane to Miami where I will hop on a plane to Quito. If people do this every day then why am I so nervous? Is it because of the family and friends that have repeatedly said “You are brave, or crazy.” Or because I am wondering how far one community ed class & 3 cd's of Spanish will get me? Or because of reading about taxi cab kidnappings?

Many people over the last week have asked why Ecuador? My answer may seem frivolous, but isn’t that the very essence of adventure? I was watching a film series at my local outdoor adventure store and saw an 8 minute film clip on an amazing eco-lodge and research center in the cloud forest of the Andes. This area is one of the most bio diverse places on earth and has more species of orchids than anywhere else. The lodge sits on 50,000 acres which include an organic farm and shade grown coffee plantation. They work to educate the indigenous peoples in the area about sustainable livelihoods and ways to protect the forest from degradation. After watching this film I knew that I wanted to volunteer there. And so my adventure begins. I seek to explore life in as many corners of the earth as possible and after Ireland last year the door has been opened, I have to walk through it to see what is on the other side.

Following one month at the eco-lodge I will be volunteering at an animal rescue center. This center receives animals that have been illegally trafficked and rehabilitates them for return to the wild. They are able to take in a wide range of animals but primarily there are monkeys and birds. SO looking forward to hangin’ with monkeys.

Currently the airport soundtrack is playing “Walking on broken glass” by Annie Lennox. That song fits my feelings at this very moment. I am so nervous. SO NERVOUS. When I gave my Dad a hug goodbye my parting words were “People do this every day right?”