After getting the room assignments and having 30 short minutes to take a "relaxing" cold shower, they finally got to sample the Amazon fish dinner and began the wildlife exploration! You'd think these kids would be tired...instead, their inner Steve Erwin came out and before I knew it, we had racked up a giant snail, a snake that could eat you,🐍 a toad as big as my Sasquatch sized foot, a pink toed tarantula (she's a lady) and a handful of frogs, butterflies and spiders...and that was before we got on the boat! Our first night boat ride was magical and can be summed up in one sentence, "It's only been one day and most of my fears have already been conquered," Lauren, a 2015 MP grad. Sorry Lauren, you sit next to me on the boat, you get quoted in the blog.😁 She was referring to her fear of the unknown and trying new things - a teacher's *dream come true* - I can retire now. How can it possibly be only Day 2?💓
Today, as I listened to their expectations and fears for the trip, I realized I was feeling so grateful. My trip to the Amazon last summer changed me - it opened my eyes wide to the magic in travel, the magic of the Amazon - my "happy!" (Please see the AmazonMerd blog 1.0.) I have the awesome opportunity to not only relive my adventure, but also help 16 students find their own eyes wide open to whatever it is they're looking for. Like I did, I hope everyone here leaves the Jungle with a new wide eyed perspective👀, a desire to see the world, and with a little bit more "happy." And I think we're off to a pretty good start! ✌🏻️
On the docket for tomorrow - a day of visits with many inspirational people in the Amazon. Speaking of inspirational, I was reunited today with Christa, the director of Amazon Workshops at EcoTeach. She's here with me in the Jungle and I am over the moon excited to be here with her again - who knows what she'll talk me into next!😍
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