EcuadorSabbatical

I am missing Maya. She has just finished her ballet class and is goi ng home for dinner and violin practice. I wish I could call her and check on her. I think this is the first time I have been entirely out of contact with her. I am sure she is well, but it would be wonderful to hear her voice. It was the right decision not to bring her here. It was hot and miserable yesterday and wet and miserable today. She would struggle with the hours of waiting and inaction. Javier we telling us how when he worked in the United States, everything was according to the clock and he became accustomed to the race, but here in Ecuador he has settled in to the slow way of doing everything, and is liking it very much. It is still an adjustment for me . The rain has made the day grey and overcast, but suddenly it is truly dark and night has fallen. The insects have begun their chorus, and the frogs will start soon. Candles are alight, almost everyone has a flashlight on their forehead, there are plans for...

The journey is the destination. That was very clear today when our adventure began early this morning. After waking up Maya and sending her off to school (not to see her for five days which makes me anxious and worried), we met Pamela (or Wabita as she is called, not sure why) and piled into a taxi with all our bags (Eric was up all night preparing equipment, so we have five bags full of research related tools and two computers). I was amazed that we could all fit into one tiny little taxi. We stopped at Isabel's house to drop off Maya's music stand and instructions regarding her stay, as well as the unfinished cherry pie, which Maya requested. We met Thomas, a student at my Spanish school (Swiss, from Zurich), at the airport, and helped him get on a flight a little earlier than ours ( he was supposed to have a flight booked, but did not show up on the manifest). We saw Antisana volcano above the clouds as we flew north and east. Imbabura and Lago San Pablo were also visible....