Packing up the mobile classroom

Packing up field camp and heading into Cuenca for the next week for other classes, replenishing supplies, and catching up on life. Though this first trip has only been a week it feels like a month out here, but in the best of ways even with the rain. This is a truly magical place providing food for the mind, body, and soul full of peace. I have slept better here timed by the natural rhythms and the peepers at night than I have for a long long while. Just in time to leave as we?re down to just left over lentils and rice and I exhausted the last of the coffee this morning too?God forbid.

We met Rual at 9:00 and since he could only get one horse we had to manually haul the coolers and bins of books, compass, left over food, and miscellaneous supplies to the other camp before he loaded them for the two mile hike to the truck. Our mobile classroom was able to fit all on one horse. Not bad! The sun was shining and golden across the ridgetops, finally just as we have to leave the weather is gorgeous. In the vanguard of our little posse with Elizabeth to pick up the chains beside the road further up we passed a Kichwa family crossing the stream. A cute little girl on a horse shy and smiling at us in wonder and amazement. A group of gringos out here is no doubt a spectacle I would agree, though as I always seem to find out the world is smaller than we realize. The young guy on the horse in the family, a little older than myself, stopped and started a conversation. Turns out he had lived in New York for a while in the past and even knew some English. His name was Fernando and he hails from the small village in the valley to the West. Before we parted we were friends and I hope I see him again. I?m sure I will.

Eventually we all made it up and packed Big Blue ready for the journey back to Cuenca. We even devised a great scheme to sell Big Blue as an amusement park ride in exchange for a new truck on the way out. The road so bumpy and the handling so rough at times we jumped full into the air and splattered the car in bursts of muddy deluge. This would be a great carnival ride! I give myself points each time I can make a student squeal or moan in fright as we spin and slide in the mud. Driving this truck, no power steering either, is more like riding an animal. The steering wheel is always trying to rip out of your hand and by the end of the day my shoulders are so sore! Believe it or not though we made it back to Cuenca without a hitch. Aside from a following a green light down a one way street and a close encounter with a bus in Azogues it was rather uneventful and we even made it back earlier than expected. Alright Blue, that?s 1 of 3 now, it?s a start.

Picking up some groceries for dinner and Cuenca is packed. Saturday night and a soccer match in the city. The sidewalks lined with small gangs of adolescent teenage boys trying to look cool and opposing huddles of shy giggling teenage girls dressed up for the evening. The Latin American version of the Wonder Years playing out in front of my eyes. Dinner and a movie with the students and I?m out for the night. Exhuasted.