Don't think I've been ignoring you for a whole month, it's not like that... there has simply been no time, honest! Well, we decided to come a few weeks early, and squeeze in some intensive Spanish lessons in Quito before heading down to Guayaquil to set up camp at CMAP Ecuador.
Five hours a day of Spanish lessons is exactly what it claims to be - intensive! Brains frazzled, lungs a little shocked by the altitude, 8pm bedtimes, it took us two weeks to have our first beer. Quito is surrounded by beautiful mountains that taunted me something terrible, I think I have finally conceeded, thanks to Ecuadors great metropolises, i'm not much of a city girl! We did make it to the mountains though, 5000 metres up one particular mountain to be precise. Cotopaxi, a live volcano, and at 5000 metres is the first glacier. I WILL make it to the summit of a mountain before I leave Ecuador, that I promise you (myself).
Chloe, Cotopaxi and I
Now we are here! Well and truly enveloped in CMAP and JUCONI and Guayaquil. Back at sea level, breathing normally, but sweating a considerable amount more. We have spent a week here now, shadowing the current CMAP Art Educators, Helen and Ericka, and, most excitingly, planning what's next to come - when we hold the reigns in January!!!
Thankfully Chloe (my partner CMAPer) and I get along well. With similar ideas, similar work ethics, the same endearing, youthful naivity. You won't stop us! Chloe has a degree in Community Arts from LIPA - meaning she has 3 years training and experience in how to be a facilitator, which is superb, and I can learn a lot from her!
To be continued.....
