Mike In Ecuador | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Follow the journey of US PCV Mike Dougherty in Ecuador, South America. Updated September 17, 1999 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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The latest from Mike: "Parasites and Volcanos" dated 9/14/99 via email. Be sure to drop Miguel an email. [email protected]++++ Well I've gotten my first parasite something called a nigua. I had a white blister on my foot and I sliced it open and a about a hundred little eggs came out.You can imagine the look on my face of shock.But as parasites go it's in the minor leagues, I guess? Last week I was working in a garden and I noticed some white flakes falling on the ground. I thought to myself boy I have to do something about that dandruff.But then I looked up and realized I was in the middle of a volcanic ashfall, AYE CARAMBA!! Luckily it only lasted about an hour and things are cool now.I just received a grant for 43 million, 43million sucres that is($3900).With that kind of money I'm pretty well set for the rest of my tour.All I need now is a girlfriend. Things are pretty low key in Nuevo Mundo. At sunset I sit on my porch and listen to the monkey calls as the brilliant orange orb descends , then the mountain side is enveloped in fireflies and in the quiet I can hear the rapids down below my house.This is the life. ======================Miguel=========================:) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Mike's Dispatch #2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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PCV Mike Dougherty Cuerpo de Paz Casilla 17-03-635 Quito Ecuador South America Greetings from Ecuador: April 23, 1999. I've just returned from a month in the coastal area and theres a lot to tell. Just imagine the hottest and most humid day EVER in DC and it was that for a whole month. Anti Malaria medication and a mosquito net are required equipment for all volunteers in the Costa (coastal region). I lived with a family in a town called Mocache. There are about 20,000 people in Mocache and I think I know everyone of them. Everybody is incredibly kind and the women are beautiful. I don't think the temp. in my room ever went below 85 degrees and I prayed for rain every minute I was there. When the sun came out it was like standing in furnace. Being a gringo in Mocache was like being an exotic animal at the zoo>>no ones ever seen one of you >>I've enjoyed every minute of it. Everything is green green green and there's a lot of nice corn and a tart tasting pear called maracuya and plantains. If I never eat another plantain in my life, I'd be pretty happy. Today is the first day I've seen a toilet seat IN A MONTH and I was overjoyed just to be able to sit on one. However I was the only pcv out of 8 with a shower and I was never so happy to take a cold shower, esp. after working a whole day in the fields planting plantain and cacao (the stuff they make chocolate out of). The people of Mocache spread out cacao over every square inch of sidewalk and street and let it dry in the sun. It's a difficult smell to describe. The smell of it drying will be with me the rest of my life. I've seen all kind of bugs, supersize roaches, iguanas, monkey, and a sloth. They say there used to be tigers around ! I'm well experienced in Ecuadorian bus travel and each ride is a new experience. I've got about 100 bus rides under my belt. There is no limit to the number of people that can fit on a bus and there seems to be always room to cram another in. It's better when the bus is packed because then you cant see where the bus is going and you cant tell if you're on the road or plowing through somebody's cornfield. I haven't figured out whether the driver is trying to avoid the potholes or aiming for them. The busdrivers have these little shrines mounted behind them with cigarettes, grain alcohol, and a statue of Jesus. They play this really funky Ecuadorian music on the bus and it feels like I'm stuck in a really strange movie. If you haven't noticed my English is getting worse but luckily my Spanish is getting better (that's what the locals tell me.) I keep waiting for the intensity level to drop off but its dawning on me that it wont happen for at least another 2 years!!! Today I found out where my permanent sight will be and let's say it will be kind of remote! I 'll be working with a group called FUARE (Foundation for Rainforest Rescue) in a real small town called Nuevo Mundo (in engl. New World). The town center consists of five houses and about 40 families scattered around in the woods surrounding. To get there >> go north from Quito for half-hour to Mitad del Mundo. Then go West about 1 hour to San Miguel delos Bancos. Then go half an hour south on a dirt road to a town of about 1000 people called La Orenses then start east. The road ends soon after. Then you walk for at least an hour and go over one mountain, through a river, and back over another mountain and that's when you wander into downtown Nuevo Mundo. I'm going for a week in early May and then I'll be living there for 2 years beginning May 20. Please continue to send mail to the Quito address until I get the mail situation straightened out. The nearest PO is 2 or 3 hours from Nuevo Mundo. Needless to say my site will not have running water, electricity, phone, cable TV>>EVER!! I couldn't tell if my supervisor was joking when he said they'd have to send a helicopter for me if I got in trouble. I wonder how they'd know as the nearest phone is in San Miguel de Los Bancos about 3 hours away. I can't think of a better place to be when Y2K hits the fan. My basic activities as a volunteer in Nuevo Mundo will be to create sources of income for families so they don't cut down the forest. There are a number of areas around Nuevo Mundo with primary forest (the trees have never been cut>>virgin forest) that's home to monkeys and all kinds of incredible wildlife. I have to get back to the action so I'll have to end this letter here. Siempre Listo (Always Ready) Mike (Miguel) Dougherty Mom, Dad and anyone else with a kind heart>> this is my wishlist. Don't make packages too heavy, I have to pay customs fee based on weight. Regardless of value NEVER put more than $5 on green sticker>>airmail only. An Airgram took 2 weeks. 1. Toe clips for bike pedals >> largest size possible 2. Straps for tow clips 3. Oldbay supersize 4. Powdered Gatorade 5. Waterproof sunscreen SPF-45 6. Vegetable seeds 7. Bungee cords in assorted sizes. Thanks. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Dispatch #3. (via email, August 10, 1999) | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Things are going pretty well except the part when I fell down the side of the mountain at 5 in the morning.I thought i would send some info to post on the site.Like the most frequently asked questions. 1) Where in the hell are you? Well to be exact I'm at these coordinates S 00^04'.745 W 78^57'.423. But just in case you decide to drop by for a beer here are the directions.First take a plane to Quito ,that's Quito Ecuador not Quito West Virginia.Take a cab to the bus terminal(Terminal terreste)and find a bus to Los Bancos(about 60 miles/100km west of Quito).When the bus stops in Los Bancos get off and catch the ranchera(It's kind of like a roller coaster car mounted on the back of flatbed truck) to LaOrense going south.The bus from Quito takes from 2 to 4 hours and the ranchera takes about 1 hour. You can't miss LaOrense it's the first significant town you come to.Right before the church there's a road that go off to the left(east)and oh I forgot this part where you start walking(HA!,HA!,HA!). Walk about 2-3 kms(30min.)to the first fork in the road and go left,walk another 2-3kms to the second fork in the road and go right(another30mins).Then proceed down the mountain to the river which a drop of about 600ft.Cross the foot bridge and climb 600ft up the other side of the river.After the second house there's kind of a intersection of paths and go right. From the you'll see a hill with some houses on it walk up there.When you up there you'll see a school on the left and my house is the glorified shack two doors over.And don't forget the beer!!You might want to talk to the volunteer in LaOrense to make sure I'm actually in my site so you you're not so disappointed when you go through all that trouble to get there and I'm off having fun somewhere.And there's no phone so don't try calling. 2) What the hell are you doing? Well the short answer is income generation. The long answer I haven't figured out yet but I've built a greenhouse and a garden,taught people how to make mermelade,and rightnow I'm helping two college students from Quito build a bio-gas generator(It uses human waste to produce gas for cooking). Thanks to everyone on the homefront and Peace!!!!! * Your Comrade Mike | |||||||||||||||||||
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