Welcome to the 21st Century

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I was only in Quito for 4 days, but by the time I got back to the Yanayacu Biological Station everything had changed.

Actually, I guess everything started changing when the student group showed up on January 5th. Before this group from Mesa State came everything at the station was normal--- no director, very little food (a couple kilos of potatoes and a bunch of plantains), very few people (I worked alone on New Years day), and of course no luxuries. But man, when those students came the station was filled with fruit, and yogurt (which I had never seen at the station) and bought bread and there were two cooks cooking every meal and there were people everywhere and the generator was running all the time. It was crazy... I spent most of that week locked in my room.

But these luxurious changes were nothing compared to what came next.

Like I said, I left for Quito on the 10th and when I came back a few days later Yanayacu had changed forever.

I thought I had gone deaf when I showed up at the station. The lights were on but the generator wasn't roaring and our dog wasn't barking.

I soon found out that Yanyacu miraculously had constant electricity and that Gusano, our neurotic and more-or-less loved dog, had died.

Harold, the station owner (The Evil Jungle Prince), had returned from the US bringing with him a group of hippy engineers. Within days these bearded liberals from Northern California had set up a beautiful hydro-electrical system for the station.

I expressed my disbelief and awe by constantly flipping on and off the light switches which only days before hadn't serve any purpose. Jay, the head engineer, finally came up to me and said, "Welcome to the 21st century".

It was terrible that this incredible news was marred by Gusano being run over in front of the station.
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So after 5 months of living without electricity, living with a dog that never stopped barking, living without a director, living without food, working in what used to be a chicken coup, everything, absolutely everything changed. Yanyacu now has electricity, our crazy dog is dead, Harold is back, the kitchen shelves are bursting with food, and the new laboratory is three times larger than our old chicken shack.

It was time for me to leave.

"Es el fin de la etapa de Aaron." I told my co-workers, "It's the end of the era of Aaron".

So I put on my 60 pound backpack yesterday at 5am and hiked down the mountain to catch the 7am bus to Quito. I'll be here to pick my parents up at the airport tomorrow and then on Wednesday the three of us are off for a Galapagos adventure.

Es el fin de la etapa de Yanayacu --- The era of my life at Yanyacu is over.

-Aaron

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Comments

[Joan Branch]

Aaron, I got your blog address from your Mom and I have enjoyed reading about your adventures in Ecuador. By the time you get to read this you will be with your Mom and Dad. Your Granny Freeman and I talk about you quite often. I know she is looking forward to your return to the US and coming to see her. She is such a fantastic lady and I enjoy caring for her very much. Take care and I hope to see you soon....Joan Branch

[Sebastien Talon]

food and lux
Dear aaron do not forget that the day u miss Europe ur welcomed back in Paris or somewhere else for a lunch or a diner as we had last time.... best wishes, Séb