Playing Tour Guide

Given that I enjoyed diabetes camp so much in Bolivia, I thought I would rejoin AYUDA in Ecuador and continue their work on juvenile diabetes education there. This time the program is a month long and a group of 15 16-24 year olds came prepared to support AYUDA's efforts. Having been in Ecuador for the last 2 months, I thought I would show them around and be the social coordinator in usual fashion.

In the mornings, we received training on diabetes education and in the afternoons, I took the group of volunteers out on excursions. The first day, we went to Lagunas de Mojando and to the Otavalo market. Due to weather issues, I took them to another artesanal market the next afternoon instead of to the TeleferiQo.

When the skies cleared, I brought them up the TeleferiQo to view Quito from some 4100 meters.
Since I missed the Guayasamin museums the last time I was in Quito, I brought them there. Guayasamin is the most famous Ecuadorian artist who also created a memorial to the poor and the suffering of Latin America. Inside the memorial, one particular wall really drew in my attention. It says, "I cried because I had no shoes until I saw a child who had no feet." This really embraces the last year of my journey and all of that I have experienced, witnessed and newly appreciate as a result.
For the tour of Old Town, I hired the local police to show us around.
To properly appreciate Ecuador, I bussed them over to the Equator for the photo opps and the cool science tricks.In order to apprciate the nightlife, I had Maria provide salsa lessons and we hit the clubs to practice.
The night activities in general, I left up to Corey to coordinate. We pretty much went out to random clubs to dance although, I did miss a few nights since I think my age might be catching up with me. But everyone enjoyed watching my microwave dance move that I learned from Leah in Bolivia.
After a week of diabetes training, afternoon excursions, and late night clubbing, I think they wore themselves out. I found them napping in the diabetes foundation one afternoon after our outing to the equator.