Summary and Write-Up!

Hello all! In the hope of communicating to students well past the hour when I'm going to see any of them - today, at least - I'm making another post here, thinking that those of you who were following the blog will be alerted, and may in turn alert the students you know who came on the trip. To this piece of news:

The school newsletter, which is going to press soon, would like a write-up of our trip to Ecuador!

I think it would be best if this write-up came from students. It would be much more relevant to other potential students that way, and would reflect the students' experience more than my perception of the students' experience. So if any of your students are feeling creative and gushy about our wonderful experience, please let them know that they can tell the world about it through the newsletter!

(Also, I don't want to do it.)

But I do want to say this about our last day in Quito: It was free, open, and very, very productive. I turned the students loose until 2:00, at which time I wanted them to be back at the hotel, in plenty of time to pack and be ready to go by the time our bus was set to depart (3:30). But JUST at the moment when it would be impossible to gather everyone up because of a change of plans, around 10:00 AM, there was a change of plans. The hotel concierge told me that check out time was 12:00, and that his bed-changer only worked until 4:00. If students didn't come back and clear rooms until 2:00, he'd never get enough rooms cleared out in time for new clients!

Ms Getzen and I sprang into action, cartwheeling and backspringing through the crowds to the Plaza Grande, where we found a large contingent of students who were shopping. We asked them to rush back to the hotel and clear their rooms, after which they would be free to do more shopping and exploring. They spread the word to everyone they found on the way, and between that and a few others that we managed to bump into, the management of the hotel were smiling broadly when I next saw them. They had gotten all the rooms cleared and were extremely pleased with us. Which is just how we like to leave 'em.

I took a lot of footage that last day, wandering by myself, doing some shopping for my kids, for a few of their friends, for my wife. Buying my last few churros and glasses of coconut juice (not the same thing as coconut water at all). A group of students took the Trolley to Parque Carolina, a huuuuge public park in the North of Quito, where they played soccer with Guillermo and his friends. They spoke of the morning spent this way in almost reverent terms when they were done - this was transformative for some of them, I think. Using mass transit, with which they were very familiar, to go with Ecuadorian friends from the medieval center of town out to the most modern suburban reaches, to play a game they all love under the Equatorial high-altitude sky. I wished I could have gone with them - just like I wished I could have gone downstairs and gotten in on the card game in Mindo. But these experiences are not about me. I've had my share.

Long goodbyes at the hotel, and then onto the bus. And every single juncture went pretty much perfectly, if slowly - a three-hour wait before we could board our plane in Quito, another of equal length in Bogota, followed by the long and itchy flight home, the long and bothersome trip through customs in the US, the long bus ride home to Lenox...And the longish wait for someone to come let us in the front door of the high school in the sub-freezing wind. But we all survived it, and from what I see and hear at school these past few days, we did so in good spirits and with a lot to think about for a long time to come.

Quito, How we Love Thee

Ah, a restful day. Mostly.

Hannah was up and about and enjoying the day with us all today, which was great to see. Our first scheduled event was at 10:00 AM, when we met to determine who would be staying in the Old Town, be it to rest or to shop or to explore, and who would be accompanying most of the chaperones to the Santa Clara market. Turns out, all but a few wanted to come to the market, so 22 of our 27-member contingent headed out to do some culinary exploration.

We were in the market for an hour and a half, and nearly everybody had lunch there at the little stands and kiosks that offered pork, fried fish, mote, chicharron, morocho...And then there were all the fruits, which people were sampling freely. Everyone showed up at the doors again at the appointed time with a much deeper appreciation for how middle-class Quito gets its victuals, and what those victuals are.

Then we were to head north, to the mall, to see how upper-class Quito lives. But the trolley was so jammed with people that after waiting for twenty minutes, hoping for a less full unit, we gave up and walked to the stop on the other side of the street to head back to the hotel. We tried.

Everyone showed up again at 4:45, so that they could walk to Mass at the San Francisco church, the backbone of the San Francisco monastery. And honestly, I can´t say how it went, because I was off paying for our bus transportation during that hour. But they told me the place was jam-packed, that they had to sit way in the back, and that it was lovely. (Last time, we sat in the back and got scolded for not participating. Of course, the church then was practically empty.)

Thereafter we met up again at La Papita, the restaurant where we´ve befriended Guillermo, the owner. We had a very nice final supper together, and Guillermo made us all a dessert on the house. (He also prepared all the food. And while he did it with a full heart, we did pay him.)

The scuedule for the rest of our stay: The kids are freee to move about in groups of no fewer than three until 10:00, when they check in to the hotel for the night. They each have to find their passport person (the person to whom they turn over their passports when we´re traveling) to make sure we know they´re in. Tomorrow, they´re free to wander and explore and shop (again, in groups) within a defined area, and the first we must see of them is two o´clock, when everyone has to be in the hotel again. Because at 3:30, we head for the airport on the transport I spent part of the afternoon finalizing.

As they said on our mountain hike yesterday, ¨The summit is the bus.¨ Meaning, until we are done with the trip completely, we are not out of the woods, and I am hereby not counting my chickens. But it´s been great so far, and I look forward to another good day tomorrow.

Sweet dreams!

Over the Mountains and Under the Weather

Big, fun, tiring day of firsts, ending with a whimper. Here´s how it went down:

H.S. was still feeling ill today, so she decided to stay back and not participate in the hike in the mountains. Two other girls (Miranda and Megan) decided not to go because the hiking in Mindo had left them feeling so depleted, and they were uneasy about the idea of altitude and strenuous walking. So Ms Getzen stayed behind to be with them, and the rest of us loaded on the bus around 7:15 and headed out to Pasochoa.

The day was quite clear and sunny when we got to the Pasochoa area, and a lot of students immediately put on sunscreen and broad-brimmed hats. Another, distinct group did not, and some of them actually literally shrugged and said ´Nah´at the suggestion that they might want to. Can´t say they weren´t warned. Weekly. For the last year. ´Strongest sun on Earth´, I would say to them. ´On the equator, over a mile in the air. Only place in the world where that happens.´ That is just what I would say, and just what many of you parents remember me saying. Remember?

A number of students charged up the hill as fast as the foremost guide would allow. There was one guide in front, and one in the back, and two in the middle. They were all young - three women and a man, all of them extremely professional and well-trained. The students seemed, really, remarkably enthusiastic about going, despite the early start.

A few students, though, had trouble from the start. The long and the short of it is that all of them improved dramatically once they started taking the guides´ advice to heart: Breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth; take tiny steps, go slowly. I tried my hand at coaching as well - ´If you´re breathing hard, you´re going too fast. Slow down.´ After a number of starts and stops, we got a good rhythm going and all of those who started out got to the end game of the hike.


Which was a fairly vertical bit of hill, with step-like spots carved out in the grass by the cattle. (We saw some of them, too.) That scramble was a little too much for the rear group, and they went no further. Of the rest, all made it to the lip of the crater, from where we got an unbelievable view. The crater is huge and tree-covered, and three kurikinguis, Ecuadorian eagles, were circling it majesitcally. It was great.

Then came the last dash to the summit, and lunch. The guide charged ahead, followed by the first group of students, and then by me...and there was one spot where my fear of heights took over. I sat down, looking at a very dramatic fall that I couldn´t stop fixating on, and called out to Chris, who was at the top, and whom I could see, that I didn´t think I would make it all the way. I don´t think there was any real danger - I would have had to have jumped a good six feet to either side, hitting nothing, to get to the point where I would have fallen. But as any of you know who have hiked to the top of a mountain thats worth hiking to the top of, there are some pretty hairy vistas much of the time. This was one. And I walked back down to the lip of the crater to tell the ones coming from behind that if they aren´t completely comfortable with heights, which I am not, the stretch to the summit was going to be hard.

One heeded the advice and went no further; the others charged ahead with their guide, and made the summit. I told the student who had stayed at the edge of the crater I would be back, took off my backpack (which made me feel unbalanced), and decided to try again, this time crawling if need be. I didn´t quite crawl, but I did make it, and it was glorious. An incredible view all around. Of the 23 of us who started out, something like 17 made the very top, and all made it to within 100 vertical meters of the top. A great experience.

Back down the mountain, where it started to become clear that some of the students had gotten sunburned. And some of those students - R.Mecz. and Shaun F. - have pretty much gone to bed, having arrived back from the hike extremely tired. As most of us are - but the sunburn may have contributed. We´ll see how they feel in the morning and how their faces look; if they need any attention, we´ll be sure they get it. Others are sunburned, but appear to be much more chipper. People are saying things like ´I never knew I could do anything like that´or ´I pushed through it and I´m so glad I did´. It was a big success. But a few kids are pretty droopy - we´ll keep you posted.

Miranda and Megan, meanwhile, went to the Guayasamin museum and loved it, and then spent the afternoon being shown around the old town by Guillermo Jr., the son of the restaurant owner Guillermo, who has become such a good friend of our students over the last two trips. They may even have made it onto Ecuadorian TV - someone was filming a new spot for a channel that is about to debut on the 24th of this month! Both of them said a line for the camera, once each apart and then together. Big, big fun - Guillermo says he´ll tape it when it airs and put it on Youtube. I will definitely keep you posted.

Nothing scheduled tomorrow until 10:00, though we´ll look in on the kids who aren´t feeling well long before then. And we will either have an unscheduled, ´explore old Quito / rest´day, or a ´Come to the market and the mall´day, depending on how people are feeling. We have a tired bunch on our hands.

And not just the kids.

Thanks for reading!

Birds, Buses, and Bailarinas

Long day, good day, once again. Here are the highlights:

>Up at the crack of dawn (6:00) and onto trucks and vans for a ride to the top of the same hill where we had been ziplining the day before, this time with three birding guides. I contracted them through a little office on the main street in Mindo. All were charismatic and extremely knowledgeable - I overheard one fo the kdis saying that they were so passionate about what they did for a living that it was inspiring. I hav a list of birds that we saw, but not on me at the moment - suffice it to say that there were quite a few. A flycatcher, a tanager, a hawk, a swallowtail kite, two toucans (my group), one the smallest there is and the other, a big yellow-baked one, a hawk...The whole walk was downhill, too, which made it all much easier.

But we hadn´t had breakfast, and I hadn´t thought to tell the kids to go buy food to bring along with them the day before. So we had a bunch of hungry campers on our hands when we got to the botton of the hill around 10:00. We had to wait a while for the bus, and then pay more than I thought we would, but it was no big deal; the bus took us to the Mariposario, the butterfly hatchery, where we spent a pleasant half-hour taking pictures and looking at the butterflies. And then back to Mindo, for lunch and packing.

Our guide had let me use his cell phone to call the head of the transportation company back in Quito and ask if it would be alright for our driver to take us out early. 4:00 had been the scheduled time, but we were eager to get back to Quito. He said sure, and right at 2:00 our driver pulled up in front of the hotel. (He had actually left the bus in Mindo and taken public transportation back to Quito, then come back on another bus to get us.) Another happy development was that the one ATM in Mindo (one more than there was last time), which had had a sign stuck to it over the last 2 days saying ¨There Is No Money¨, was filled when we got back from luhc. Everyone was able to get money, and we left paid up and in good spirits. Everyone piled aboard like clockwork right at 2:00.

I slept on the bus, and I think a lot of others did, too. We´re tired. We came into Quito and to the hotel thanks to some amazing maneuvers by Leonardo, our driver, which elicited spontaneous applause a couple of times. And then we had two hours before heading out to the dance performance, Jacchigua. The kids went to eat, and to buy some snacks to bring along on the hike (learned my lesson there, I did) (AND: A couple of them got film of the vice president driving past in his motorcade!!), and around 6:50 we walked to the Trolley and - somewhat miraculously - climbed immediately aboard one that was all but empty.

We arrived in time for the danc performance, 2/3 of which was spectacular, just like last year. The other 1/3 consisted of two loooong choreographies starring the director, by now in his 70s and pretty much unable to do anything dance-wise but stand there, emoting cadaverously, while female dancers swirl around him, sometimes dressed as nuns. I´ve never heard the phrase ¨Dance of the nuns¨before, I don´t think, and now I know why: It really looks silly. But: The music was in, credible, and the students appreciated that, as a whole. And the costuming in the traditional portions, as well as the choreography, in all the parts that didn´t feature a nearly-immobile, Al Davis-like lead dancer, were great. There was, though, lots of yawning.

We had to wait through five or six trolleys before one came along that ws acceptably empty, and then we came back to the hotel on the last one, and all turned in immediately.

Now I sit here at 6:35, kind of wishing we had tomorrow´s unprogrammed schedule today rather than the other way around. But the kids I´ve seen so far seem chipper enough. It´s going to be a big day, after which there will be a lot of chill time. They have definitely earned it.

Ziplining and Line-Crossing

Soooo sorry about the late post! The day got away from us yesterday - and here´s how:

Up at the crack of 8:30 for breakfast, and by 9:30 we were on our way to do the ziplining. It was a hike of about a mile and a half to two miles, and a few people had some trouble. We´re not at altitude anymore, but the change can still be rough. But we all made it up the long, muddy road (no off-road trails, but the boots were necessary). When we arrived, 22 of the 27 decided to zipline.

The facility is very, very professional. Clean, well-maintained, and drop-dead gorgeous. Ziplining is astonishingly safe-feeling - the cable feels rock steady, if a bit bouncy (contradictory, I know, but true), and you zoom along at ridiculous speeds while the canyon careens beneath you. Still, you have a lot of control - you pull down on this reinforced glove, and by golly, down you slow. The whole group was thrilled with the experience, and plum tuckered by the time we got back to the hotel.

We set the kids free until 6:45, when we were going to take them to a karaoke place we had agreed to rent for an hour. But the carnaval thing, as it happens, becomes much more intense on Fat Tuesday, and a couple of people had somewhat bad experiences with the water-throwing - which had devolved to flour-throwing (it sticks in your hair when it´s wet, you see) and mud-throwing and even, on one particularly bad occasion, grabbing and carrying of people to the water for a soaking. It happened to Natalie, who was furious, and Megan, who took it in stride. Both reactions are completely legitimate. I hadn´t foreseen the escalation of things, and once I heard about that, I looked at the town with a somewhat more jaundiced eye, and agreed with the other chaperones that people in town were getting drunker and drunker, and more and more out of control, so we would not be going out any more that night.

The kids took the news in stride, and weren´t too upset about it - probably because we finally settled in around a looooong table in the hotel´s common area to tally up the points from the scavenger hunt. Once every group´s total was determined, I broke any possible ties (I didn´t know the current totals) by listening as one person from each group told the best story from the day. I awarded points based on this formula: Half the percentage of the story that I think they´ll still be telling in 20 years. There was one about chasing a TV cameraman down the street, another about sweet-talking an Indian woman into letting the kids hold her baby, only to then be asked to become the baby´s godmother, and being mocked and teased mercilessly in front of hundreds of people by street comedians. Once the points were awarded, the totals were tallied and the prizes unveiled. I´ll let the winners (or the non-winners) tell you what they were, but I will give you this hint: They were brilliant.

Off to the pizza joint for a communal dinner (it´s so close by as to be out of range of drunken revelers), and then we settled in to stand guard at the door in case anybody got the wild hare to venture downtown by themselves. ¨Downtown¨- The place has one street.) But nobody did. Even so, by the time I slapped my forehead and said ¨¨Dóh! The blog!!¨, everything was closed. And I mean everything.

Beddy-by, and up this morning for bird watching...but you´ll get that story later on. Our bus leaves in 20 minutes, and we´re squaring away el dinero. Until soon!!!

Mindo - Day 1: Detours, Detours, Detours

Up for breakfast at 7:00 (mostly), breakfast over ith around 8:15, and into the chartered bus and down the road. Our driver made several stops at AtMs to see if the people who have had trouble could get money; many were successful, a few weren´t. But we are sorting it out. And then down the road to Mindo.

there was a detour partway to Mindo, so we went up on a dirt road for a long while before rejoining the highway. (Apparently this keyboard won´t do capital t´s.) the detour was interesting and adventurous, and we came out of it fine. So all is well.

Rolled into Mindo around 11:15, and turned the kids loose until 3:00. they found lunch and had adventures that I´m sure they´ll tell you about - Ms sears (capital s´s are out too, apparently) said that she kept hearing from students as she bumped into them around town, ´I´m so happy!´the town is jumping with people, almost all of them vacationers from Quito. Veeeery few gringos.

At three oclock we all marched to a hostel that has hummingbird feeders, and then we turned them loose again until 8:00. they were having so much fun exploring the town that we didn´t want to try to sneak in any organized activities. good thing, too, because the kids organied pick-up soccer and had any number of adventures - including catching on to the fact that restauranteurs will take as long as they possibly can to give the check to a group of pretty young Americans who are attracting business to the restaurant. (Kudos to Maddie A for catching on to that.) At 8:00, we met up in order to do the points for the scavenger hunt, but a group of girls came down with Marco, their new friend, a twelve-year-old boy who was staying at the hotel and was giving them a hard time about their spanish. his sister (no h, either) had a pet hampster that rode around in her pocket, and we all cooed and awwed over them. turns out, their parents and grandmother, and sister, were sitting behind us in the cafeteria, and before you knew it, they were playing cuarenta with Ryan c, Shaun F and ryan M, and were very impressed with their prowess. the howls of laughter coming from that room had me grinning ear to ear, and i just didnt have the heart to break them up so we could tally points. tomorrow is another day. As often happens when learning is taking place, the teachers all stepped slowly away and just let things happen. it has been tremendous.

the kids are now strolling the street in Mindo, having a blast, as the streets are still filled with revelers, and even a long train-thing that rides up and down the street hauling children (including Marco, who mercilessly nailed our guys with foam spray as he rode past), glowing green with fluorescent lights.

the meals are amazing here. lots of ecuadorian cuisine - and a strolling musician who seemed to make it to every one of the kids´restaurants. he played a guitar, a cowbell, and a pan flute all at the same time, and this guy could sing. he was really, really good - as was the food, the company, the weather (softly rainy - just enough to be interesting and fun, and warm), the welcome...It´s been a great day.

tomorrow we do the ziplining, and the next day, bird watching and hiking before heading back to Quito. glory be!

On we go for another day. It´s been a fantastic ride so far.

Happy Hunting

Wow! Long day, but great day, top to bottom. The top:

Breakfast at 8:00, on the road at 9:00 or so to the Trole (trolley), which we rode like pros. The kids got a big kick out of it - it´s fast, efficient, and filled with the sort of people that fill up every city: hipsters, grandmothers, businessmen, students, people in love. But all Ecuadorian, being those things in the particuar way Ecuadorians are. It was great.

Piled off the Trole and were met immediately in the old city with drums, drums drums! School bands were marching, parading in their uniforms, on the Plaza Grande; people were teeming, dancing in clown outfits as part of the Carnaval spectacle...Just wonderful. We had to go to our second hotel so we could leave our passports in their safe (the hotel we are in has none, turns out), but then we were turned loose in groups of nine (two adults, seven students) for the scavenger hunt.

Which the kids had a lot of fun with. The adventures included rooftop lunches (three-course meal and drink for $1.80), being included in street comedy, being sprayed with squirted foam from spray bottles that are sold during carnaval for the purpose...Lots and lots of fun. Some of you got phone calls during this part of the day - they were required. You have me to thank. Although I only managed to leeave a message at my own home, so I didnt get any messages you might have left for me, and wont until tomorrow. Sorry about that - though if there were a problem, I would think I would have gotten an email. And I didn´t.

Back to the hotel for a bit of rest, then out again for supper, where we ate at a fantastic Colombian place for about $7 each. They made us wait an hour - maybe more - for the food, which had me steaming, but honest to goodness, the food made up for it. Eliza had soup with brain in it, and didn´t eat the brain, but valiantly ate the soup around it. I was very proud of her. And it was delicious, as she´ll be the first to tell you. So was the brain!, as Frannie will be the first to tell you - and Sarah, the second! By the time the meal was over I had forgotten everything bad I had thought about them for making us wait. In fact, I wanted to hug them.

Back to the hotel where we were too tired to tally up the points form the scavenger hunt. The kids were off to bed (with some socializing thrown in beforehand, doubtless), and I came here to do this. Well, I came here to look for a phone to call my wife, but everyplace is closed - and the one that isn´t, the international calls aren´t working. Drat. Sorry, sweetie - I was trying.

Tomorrow at 8:00 on the dot we´re off to Mindo! On our own chartered bus! Once again, I feel so IMPORTANT!

And tired. And dirty. Off to find a taxi back to the hotel - Hasta mañana!

Day One!

Arrived in Quito slightly early, about 6:05. Passed through customs with no hitches; our luggage came off the carousel as fast as I have ever seen luggage come off. I walked out to the lobby and found a smiling Ecuadorian man with a sign that read JOE JOHNSON. I felt very important.

He led us to where our little bus - 30 seats, and there are 27 of us - came to pick us up. Some Ecuadorian men jumped in and volunteered to load our bags for us, and we wound up having to tip them. No big deal, just a minor annoyance I had forgotten about. We drove straight to the hotel, where a few key-doesnt-work-type snafus were quickly resolved. The students seem very excited by the hotel - it is modern, but modest, and has a very nice little vibe. We gave them until 8:30 to get themselves cleaned up and then we would be off to forage for victuals.

Russ and I scouted out eateries within walking distance, and found a cluster of three similar places about a 15-minute walk away. Scurried back to the hotel, got ourselves cleaned up, met up with the students in the lobby, and marched. They reveled in the warmth of the Quito night, giggling spontaneously at what it was like to be out in the open air in shirtsleeves again. Wait til they see Mindo.

We divided into two groups and ate at a chain restaurant, which was fine, if a bit predictable (lots of fried chicken and pork and potatoes), while another group ate at a nearby mom-and-pop restaurant. Literally - the woman waiting tables was the daughter of the owner. I left them there to fend for themselves, and their eyes were a little wide when I leapt out the door. But when I came back to check on them later, their food was arriving and they appeared to have survived the ordeal.

Post-meal, we trooped back up the almost empty Quito street and found a little mom-and-pop grocery store, where lots of people went in to buy water. (Some are feeling a bit headachy and such from the altitude.) While certain of our number were inside, and others waited on the sidewalk, someone going by in a van sprayed bubbles out the window, a sort of soapy foam, and nailed Russ in the neck. Carnaval! First victim!

Home again, and to bed. We meet at 8:00 for breakfast, and then to Old Quito, where we will begin the scavenger hunt. Mwa ha ha ha haaaaaaa!!

I am definitely over-tired...

Landed in COLOMBIA!!!

And this Spanish keyboard is a bear! But we arrived here right on time, at 1 oclock, and have been having a grand old time relaxing in this cozy airport in Bogota. Uneventful - our bus driver on the way down was a guy named Ashley, with whom I had a three-hour conversation, and the guy I sat next to on the plane from NYC was from Peru, and I had a two-hour conversation with him. Big fun. Our plane was BRAND-new, and the landing very smooth.

Kevin, Britney, Aaron and I played hacky-sack, and I rocked the house. The rest of them were really not very good. Just being honest.

Several foods tried already - and Frannie has been delighted with being spoken to automatically in Spanish. They take dollars in the airport here, which makes this airline all the more convenient.

We are scheduled to take off at 4:40PM, and all are in great spirits. We had a BRAND new plane on the way down. Wahaa!

Fifteen minutes of internet cost me a dollar thirty, so Im going to quick publish this before Im cut off. We are all well!

BANZAI!

New Item for Packing List!

JUST remembered this one:

FLASHLIGHT!

Bring one! There will be at least one early-morning birdwatching expedition, and it'll be dark. If you don't have one, you can stumble along in the dark well enough - a lot of us did it last year. But a flashlight would help a lot.

They can also be purchased in Mindo, but as long as you've got the suitcase open, and the flashlight is lying right there...

OK! Off to sleep!

(Yeah, right...)

Mindo Possibilities!

Hello all! Well, as we approach the zero hour, there have been some minor snags on the Ecuador-side, specifically in Mindo. The guide we used on our previous trip, Luis Narváez, turned out to be booked for the days we're going to be there, but he had another guide he wanted to recommend to me, if I would call him back around 7:00 that evening. And that was the last I've been able to speak with Luis. So as of right now, we have officially not booked a guide for Mindo.

But as I told the students in class on Tuesday, that doesn't necessarily mean too much. Mindo is very small, and many attractions are within walking distance. Including this one:

Mindo Canopy Tours!

This was recommended to me the last time we were there. On an afternoon when the students were relaxing, I took a walk to see if I could scope out other good hotels. I found a fantastic one right in town, but unfortunately it only takes about 13 people. But I met the owner, an American woman who was married to an Ecuadorian and who had recently opened the place. (Her place is called Caskaffesu, and it's one of the most professionally-run in town.) I told her about a bit of a misadventure we'd had on a tubing expedition, and that I hadn't felt safe, and so was not eager to try the ziplines through the canopy. But she told me that the folks who run the zip lines are not at all like the tubing folks: It was exactly the reverse. The tubing is unsafe, and the canopy tour is safe. They're an international company with outlets in Costa Rica and other countries, with years of experience, quality people, and quality materials. I told her I would consider it for the next tour, but with all the hiking and birdwatching that seems a lot more authentic and overall-educational, it didn't seem like we would have time. (Much to Ms. Gernat's dismay.)

And now that I'm at home researching things that can be done in Mindo within walking distance of town, this same adventure tour company came up. 2.5 kilometers from the center of town, $15 per person, 1.5 miles of zip lines.

My question to you parents would be: Is there any objection? Their reviews online have been stellar, and the talk on the ground in Mindo was that a lot of people were jealous of them for their professionalism and reputation. But, because it does involve helmets, I did not want to simply throw it out once we're on the ground. Please send me an email if you have any doubts or concerns!

Back to trip prep - have a great "snow" day!

Carnival, and Carnnival-Related Last-Minute Packing!

Well, as has been pointed out to me before, we are flying straight into the teeth of the Carnival season in Quito. This is, in many ways, incredibly lucky - we're going to see celebrating and festival-ing at a fever pitch. On the other hand, it's a bit of a drag - a lot of places might be closed for the week. We'll have to play it by ear. I'm hoping that, especially on our first Sunday in Quito, there will be a lot of Masses to go to, parades, outdoor performances, things of that nature. But I'm not sure - it may also be quite dead. Hard to say - the online editions of the newspapers don't show a lot of detail about what's in store for the capital city. We'll buy some papers and ask the staff and the locals when we arrive, and arrange our day accordingly. Whatever the conditions are on the ground, we'll make that particular sort of hay!

What I am certain of is that Saturday night, there will be a lot of noise around. I'm guessing cars with loud music driving past, laughing and singing people, and the occasional blast of fireworks. If your students are earplugs-wearers, I'd suggest throwing some into the carry-on.

One of the traditions of this time of year to keep in mind is "playing Carnival". Here's a description I just found online:

"Be warned: Carnival in Quito and in Ecuador consists of a lot of throwing water – so be prepared for a good-natured drenching, and take a spare set of clothes with you on excursions!!"

I have been the victim of some good-natured Carnival soakings in my day. And, as one would expect, I have been the victim of some less-than-good-natured soakings. You sigh, smile, say "Ohm", and move on. But keep in mind: Cameras don't like water. A ziploc baggie for the camera might be another thing to toss into the suitcase.

The above quote is from this page, which also has a picture. Now, if you look at that picture, you'll see a lot of people in jeans. But look carefully at the jeans: None are ripped, none are tight, none are especially faded. What's acceptable for Ecuadorian jeans-wearing and what's acceptable in Lenox jeans-wearing are not the same thing at all. That's why I don't want kids to wear jeans: Too much room for interpretation. Be conservative and comfortable.

More updates as necessary!

Flight Information!

Hello! We've had a recent request for the actual flight information, so I'm posting it below. (I've bolded the flight numbers and arrival times.) And today, as I had some time at home sans children (I had a dentist's appointment today and didn't go in to work), I re-re-re-confirmed our bus pick-up at LMMHS on Friday, and at the airport in Quito when we arrive. As the AP students who were in school today will know, I also found a review of the play we're hopefully going to see in Quito - this past Friday was their opening night.

ISSUING AIRLINE : AVIANCA

BOOKING REF : AMADEUS: 3NJMJA, AIRLINE: AV/3NJMJA
FROM /TO FLIGHT CL DATE DEP FARE BASIS NVB NVA BAG ST

NEW YORK JFK AV 21 K 13FEB 0700 KEEP01FL/DISC 13FEB 13FEB 2PC OK
TERMINAL:4
BOGOTA ARRIVAL TIME: 1300
TERMINAL:1


BOGOTA AV 67 K 13FEB 1640 KEEP01FL/DISC 13FEB 13FEB 2PC OK
TERMINAL:1
QUITO ARRIVAL TIME: 1811


QUITO AV 78 K 20FEB 1910 KEEP01FL/DISC 20FEB 20FEB 2PC OK
BOGOTA ARRIVAL TIME: 2035
TERMINAL:1


BOGOTA AV 20 K 20FEB 2325 KEEP01FL/DISC 20FEB 20FEB 2PC OK
TERMINAL:1
NEW YORK JFK ARRIVAL TIME: 0500
TERMINAL:4

Rain Pants Update!

Hello! Panic appears to be setting in over the rain paints issue. Having been to the mall myself now in search of cheap rain pants, I can tell you: they are few and far between. If they're not to be had (Eastern Mountain Sports has some for $70, to which I say "Thank you, no"), then I suggest that students go the "poncho" route rather than the "rain coat" route. Perhaps a bit late to be switching much of anything up, but I know that, while cheap rain pants appear to have gone extinct, every CVS in all the land has inexpensive ponchos. And they tend to drip the moisture off you in a much wider circle than a rain coat will.

To sum up: Ponchos! I managed to get out of EMS without buying their $30 ponchos, knowing as I did that the drug store has a much cheaper option.

But I did buy some pants. I am not completely immune to their charms.

Please contact me with any questions!

Theater Possibilities

Hello! Teatro Malayerba, the theater group we'll (hopefully) be going to see perform in Quito in a couple of weeks, has just put out the name of the show that will be running in their small (60-seat) theater while we're there. It's "Aqui es confortable", which means "Here, it's comfortable". No word yet on what it's about, but the last show we saw there was phenomoenal. So I'm pretty confident this one will be, too.

They're a little hard to contact, so whether they're performing the night I would like to have us go is still a question. But we'll try to make it work.

Students are currently working on memorizing the addresses and telephone numbers of our hotels in Quito - other than that, no new updates. I'll post more news as it happens!

Confirmations!

Hello! Just thought I'd put out an update - I have confirmed with the tour company that's taking us to Pasochoa, as well as the bus company that is coming to pick us up at the airport, via email. As it was the 1st of February, they must have started the process of getting the month's reservations in order, because I received the emails both yesterday. So we are confirmed to be picked up at the airport in Quito, and on Thursday the 18th at 7:00 AM for our trip to the volcano.

(Which is extinct.)

I find myself slightly concerned about students staying warm for the trip to the volcano, so again I stress the need for rainproof outerwear and at least two layers of insulating fleece-type garments. I'm bringing a fleece vest, a long-sleeved fleece, and a sweater to wear under my rain coat. (Wait - Who am I kidding? I'll buy one there. I could always use another Ecuadorian sweater.)

And, having consulted the site run by the tour company one more time, they do mention gloves, which I do not mention in my list of things to pack. So bring along a pair of winter gloves as well! Preferably waterproof!

And, who knows, I may also throw in some rain pants. I have found that if it's raining, and you have a rain coat, but no rain pants, the coat just funnels the water to your legs. Which get cold a lot less quickly than your torso, but even so: better not to even get cold. Rain pants are often sold in a rain coat-pants combination, usually in a variety of ridiculously bright colors. I'm certain they're available in any large drugstore for under $20. (I was going to say under $10, but wanted to be sure of the price.)

No other news - the zero hour approaches! Ask your students what the phone number is of our hotel in Quito - they're working on memorizing both in our classes these days.

Itinerary!

Hello! Here's our tentative itinerary - Be sure to follow the hyperlinks to get a better idea of the things we'll be seeing and doing!

Friday, Feb 12
TRAVEL: Leave LMMHS @ midnight
MORNING: Bags brought to LMMHS for inspection. Leave in the nurse’s office.
LUNCH: School.
AFTERNOON: At home.
DINNER: At home.
EVENING ACTIVITY: Be at LMMHS by 11:00.
LODGING: None.

Saturday, Feb 13
TRAVEL: NY-Quito. Arrive Quito 18:11.
MORNING: Travel.
LUNCH: On plane.
AFTERNOON: Travel
DINNER: Group, near Hostal Andalucía.
EVENING ACTIVITY: Walking tour?
LODGING: Hostal Andalucía.

Sunday, Feb 14
TRAVEL: No.
MORNING: Scavenger hunt, colonial Quito
LUNCH: Part of scavenger hunt
AFTERNOON: Free time / tour of (…?...)
DINNER: Restaurant, near Andalucia.
EVENING ACTIVITY: Take in a play at Teatro Malayerba.
LODGING: Hostal Andalucía.

Monday, Feb 15
TRAVEL: Travel to Mindo, morning.
MORNING: Settle into accommodations in Mindo.
LUNCH: Restaurants, Mindo.
AFTERNOON: Sightseeing with guide.
DINNER: Mindo, restaurant
EVENING ACTIVITY: Sightseeing; pick-up soccer.
LODGING: Hotel Gallo de la Peña

Tuesday, Feb 16
TRAVEL: No.
MORNING: Birdwatching with guide. (Up early – plan on it. Required excursion.)
LUNCH: Restaurants, Mindo.
AFTERNOON: Sightseeing with guide.
DINNER: Mindo, restaurant
EVENING ACTIVITY: Sightseeing; pick-up soccer.
LODGING: Hotel Gallo de la Peña

Wednesday, Feb 17
TRAVEL: To Quito in the morning.
MORNING: Travel.
LUNCH: Restaurants, Quito
AFTERNOON: San Francisco monastery
DINNER: Quito, group, restaurant
EVENING ACTIVITY: Jacchigua, traditional Ecuadorian dance ensemble
LODGING: Hotel San Francisco de Quito

Thursday, Feb 18
TRAVEL: Pasochoa, Ruta Cero Tours
MORNING: Pasochoa
LUNCH: Provided by tour group at Pasochoa
AFTERNOON: Pasochoa
DINNER: Quito, restaurants
EVENING ACTIVITY: Open – possibilities: Movie, rest, concert
LODGING: Hotel San Francisco de Quito

Friday, Feb. 19
TRAVEL: No.
MORNING: Presidential palace tour / exploration of vegetable and fruit market at Mercado Santa Clara in Quito.
LUNCH: Mercado Santa Clara, central Quito.
AFTERNOON: Malls, Quito.
DINNER: Malls, food court.
EVENING ACTIVITY: Packing, downtime.
LODGING: Hotel San Francisco de Quito

Saturday, Feb. 20
TRAVEL: Quito-NYC, arrive 21st, 5:00 AM;
MORNING: Central Quito, downtime
LUNCH: Local restaurants
AFTERNOON: Central Quito, downtime; in hotel with bags presented 2 hours before scheduled bus departure.
EVENING: Airport.
EVENING ACTIVITY: The miracle of human flight.
LODGING: None.

Questions Arising!

Hello to Ecuador-trip parents! Some questions are coming up – and rightly so. We’re nearing the big day! Here are some answers to the ones I’m hearing about:

What is the emergency phone number (or way to get a hold of you) if we need to get a message to you or our child?

There are several routes for these communications. First, however, a short list of Key Things to Know regarding electronic- and tele-communications in Ecuador, in general and as they relate to the trip:

1. There are public phone booths everywhere. These are businesses set up by private citizens: They get ten phone lines put in, install some soundproof cabins and electronic meters, and start making a living. I call my wife every day from one of these when I travel to Ecuador, and talk to her for 20 minutes or so and pay about $2.00. They’re literally on every block in downtown Quito, and there are two in Mindo, a town that’s at most four hundred yards square. These are the only two places we’ll ever stay. If they don’t call, it’s not because they can’t.

2. There are Internet cafes everywhere. Some of the most rewarding and fruitful cultural exchanges I’ve ever seen on these trips have come between our students and the generally young, hip staff people in these cafes. I will update the blog daily from one, and every day will have chill time in it for students to make their way there. And make their way there they do. If they don’t write, it’s not because they can’t.

3. Cell phones, iPods, Blackberries, etc., are fine fodder for pickpockets and purse snatchers. Foreigners are already conspicuous enough in any big city without flashing their expensive electronics. There’s plenty to see and do, and to worry about, without throwing these pricey, easily-lost / stolen items into the mix.

Again, for these reasons, I do not recommend that students bring along their cell phones on the trip. I won’t keep them from bringing one, but neither will I alter the schedule or the pace if one is lost / stolen. My view is that they shouldn’t have had it on them to lose in the first place.

If students do not bring their phones, and even if they do, the channels for families to reach students, should the need arise, are these:

Families can call us at one of the hotels where we are staying, and the staff will get a message to us as soon as they can. However, they do not all speak English. The hotels where we will be staying are:

Feb. 13-14: Hostal Andalucía, Queseras del Medio E11-269 y
Andalucía, Quito, Ecuador. Phone number: DIAL THIS: (Number being found! Check back soon!)

Feb 15-16: Hotel Gallo de la Peña, Mindo, Ecuador.
Phone number: DIAL THIS: 011 593 9 3494 740

Feb 17-19: Hotel San Francisco de Quito, Sucre y Guayaquil, Quito, Ecuador.
Phone number: DIAL THIS: 011 593 02/2287-758
(Web site: www.sanfranciscodequito.com.ec)

Another possible route for emergencies (and I stress: emergencies) is through my wife, Janneke (pronounced “ya-nuh-kuh”, rhymes with “Hannukah”) van de Stadt. I will be talking to her at least once a day by phone, usually in the evening, and she can relay a message to me quickly should the above methods fail. She also speaks Spanish; if need be, she can make a call for you to our hotels.

Janneke van de Stadt
Business hours: 413-597-2268
Evenings, and mornings until about 8:00 AM: 413-458-1985

But I will be checking my email much more often than I will be speaking with my wife – at least twice a day, before we set out on the day’s adventures and once we’re home. Again, this is at the very least. The quickest way to get information to me might be to send me an email. My email address is jjohnson@lenoxps.org.

There is a philosophical debate to be had about cell phones on these trips, I suppose. I come down on the Fuddy-Duddy side of things. Class excursions to other countries happened long before the days of cell phones and instant access. Immediate twenty-four-hour-a-day accessibility is convenient, but it can get in the way, too. Students on these trips should, ideally, feel at least a twinge of “Oh my goodness, I am really far from home.” Cutting themselves off from their phones and their iPods would enhance that. There is some sacrifice of accessibility with this, but I would ask parents to please keep in mind that, while contacting us will not be a matter of minutes, if will still be only a matter of hours.

What shots do the kids need to get before they go off to Ecuador?

These decisions are best made by the students’ families in consultation with their doctor. But a great place to go to have that consultation is this:

Hillcrest International Travel Health Services
CHT (Certificate in Travel Health)
Hillcrest Family Health
165 Tor Court
Pittsfield, MA01201
413-499-2051

Make an appointment and go! They’re the experts, and different families decide on different levels of protection in terms of shots. But when I went, I can tell you that they gave me shots for typhoid and hepatitis. WE DO NOT NEED ANY SHOTS AGAINST TROPICAL DISEASES! We are not going below the “tropical diseases” elevation line.

Do we have the kids pack their own medicines (Tylenol, Midol, Tums, Stomach Medications, etc.) or will they be available to them through you?

School rules require that any medicines they bring be handled by me. They should be put in sealed, clear plastic bags with the students’ names on them and given to me.

How much cash do you think each child should bring with them at the start of the trip?

I learned a few things from students on these trips about how to spend money. Holy cow, some of them had holes in their pockets the size of soccer goals. But even they would have had a hard time getting rid of $100 between climbing aboard the bus and arriving at our hotel in Quito. We’ll be in airports, and will be given meals on our flights. There’s just not that much to spend it on, and there is no fee to be paid upon entering the country. I can’t see a good reason to have north of $100 on them, and even that makes my eyebrows go up a little. I’d think they’d be fine with $40. And once morning comes in Quito, there are ATMs popping up like mushrooms all over the city. Cash on hand for the trip should not need to be much.

Packing List

Here's our packing list again:

ECUADOR 2010: PACKING LIST!!

Each student is allowed one checked bag and one carry-on. Not by the airline, but by me. We want to keep things as simple as possible, and nobody needs two bags for eight days.


A. 2 pairs of pants.
NOT:
* Jeans. Jeans get wet, and heavy, too fast in the forest around Mindo (where you do not want to be in shorts, because of scratches and bugs). They also get wet, and cold, too fast in the mountains. And they’re not considered good form for going out to performances and such. Khaki-colored, semi-formal is best.
* Form-fitting or low-cut. This is a more formal country than the US, and we will be entering churches, Presidential palaces, monasteries, and museums at a moment’s notice. When you leave the hotel on any given day, you should look nice enough to do any of these things.
* Skirts / dresses. I’m not entirely banning them, but I do not want to be asked to decide which length of skirt is too short, which dress is too plunging, etc. I can’t stress this enough: Dress conservatively and bring as little as possible. If we get there and you need more clothes, they are widely available and inexpensive, and buying some will give you an excuse to go interact with Ecuadorians.


B. 3 collared shirts, or their equivalent, formality-wise, for girls.
Short-sleeved (it gets hot in Quito during the day), but button-down, nice shirts. Polo shirts would be fine.

C. 3 T-shirts.
In Mindo, we will be walking in the heat and the mud. You will get dirty – if you don’t, you’re doing something wrong. We will probably also be playing pick-up soccer in the park in Mindo, so some athletic-type torso-wear is great to have.

Why not more shirts? Why not more pants…? Because they’re bulky, you’ve only got one suitcase to work with, and each of our hotels will do your laundry for something like 25 cents per piece. They return it to you pressed and folded the next day. You don’t need to be lugging around wet, dirty clothes, so re-use!

D. 1 set of long underwear, top and bottom.
This is pretty much just for the mountain hike, but it’s going to be very important there. It could get cold and wet up there, and you’ll regret it if you don’t bring this little item along. They can also double as pajamas.

E. Pajamas.

F. Strong, durable, tough walking-style street shoes. Good treads, good ankle support, good for a whole day of walking. Not flashy, not over-high (running shoes, for example).

G. Rubber boots, calf-high. Indispensible for the Mindo walking, and I plan to bring them on the mountain hike as well. They can be bought in Ecuador easily for $7.00.

H. One set, sturdy formal shoes. All occasions are thus covered.

I. Socks – 8-10 pairs, at least 2 of them hiking-style, insulated socks.
It can get cold in the mountains, and it can get wet; similarly, the jungle can get wet. Socks are one place where splurging by bringing more than you need can really pay off. Dry socks are one of the greatest boons to mankind. They’re like good offensive linemen: You don’t worry about them or appreciate them until you don’t have them.

J. Belt. Wear a belt on your semi-formal, khaki-style pants, and tuck your shirt in, and you’ll be formal enough for just about anything in Ecuador. And you’ll be comfortable, too.

K. Watch, with an alarm. We need to be able to meet up at the hotel at a particular time, either in the morning or later on during the day.

L. Fleece vest. Warm, can be opened, can be easily removed and wadded into a pocket of your bag once the day gets too hot.

M. Fleece jacket. This, plus the vest, and you should be warm enough in any situation in Ecuador.

N. Except wind and rain or fog on the mountain, where a plastic raincoat will help. A raincoat or a poncho – I plan to bring both. The poncho can be difficult in the wind, but is great for stuffing in a bag for a trip in the city, where it will rain every day. Besides, the belt you’re bringing can come in handy for keeping the poncho down.

O. Hat against the cold. Again, on the mountain hike, it may get cold, and so I plan to bring a stocking cap. I may never need it, but if I need it and don’t have it, I’ll regret it.

P. Hat against the rain. I plan on having both with me in the mountains, and the rain one, certainly, in the forest in Mindo.

P. Hat against the sun. Baseball caps are OK for the nose and the eyes, but they leave the neck and the ears exposed, and this is arguably the strongest sun on Earth. You need to be protected from it. A rim all the way around is the best way to go. There are great hats that double as both.

Q. Sunblock. Self-explanatory.

R. Insect repellent. “Hey, aren’t they different insects down there from up here? How do we know mosquito repellent will work?” Well, because mosquito repellents don’t really repel. They block the mosquito from being able to smell you. They’re really more of a cloaking device. And if a mosquito can’t smell you, neither can other insects. That’s the theory I’m working on, anyway.

S. Umbrella. For carrying around with you on our jaunts through Quito, and possibly in- town in Mindo. (But not on the hikes. They won’t work well there.)

T. A day-bag. School-style bookbags will work well – for the hike to the mountains, and for the road trip to Mindo. We will be leaving our big luggage in Quito, under lock and key at the hotel, for those trips, and will need to bring along 2-3 days’ worth of clothing to Mindo and our gear for the all-day hike on the other trip. But for walking around in Quito, I recommend…

U. A shoulder-style, one-strap bag, like a computer bag. It can easily be swung around in front of you on the trolley, is comfortable and flexible, and holds enough stuff for your strolls in the city. Backpacks are far too easy to pick-pocket.

V. A camera – but a cheap one. You risk the loss of gi-mungo cameras. (The one camera we’ve lost, by the way, was not stolen. It was left in the back of a taxi.)

W. Toiletries. Bring enough for your own needs while there – you don’t want to trust the vicissitudes of culture and economics when your own health and comfort is at stake. Bring plenty.

X. Hand sanitizer. I will be bringing a lot, but you should have some on you at all times. It’s a big country, with lots of people, and you don’t want to be getting sick.

Y. Shower flip-flops.

Z. Swim gear. There will be a pool at the Mindo hotel.

AA. Towel. The hotels provide them, but sometimes it’s great to have one in the airport, or in case you really need it and the hotel’s are all in the wash. I’d carry it in the carry-on.

BB. Underwear. You should probably bring some of that, too, I guess.

Welcome to the blog!

Hello! This is going to be the blog that I will update daily from Ecuador with news items and status updates. I won't mention any students by their full names, and I'll try not to give away too much of anything so that your students can give you the details themselves. Feel free to comment on the blog, send me messages, etc.

Again, welcome!