Donna Schneider's Diary
2008
Monday, May 5, 2008
Only slightly more than two months to the start of my expedition. I will be hunting for caterpillars in the Andes.
I was very surprised to get the acceptance email on the last day of January. I had been sitting at my computer when I got an unexpected email titled “2008 Alcoa Earthwatch Fellowship Program.” My heart was racing as I opened it. This was the second year I had applied for a fellowship, and last year’s email told me that I was not one of the selected. What a wonderful surprise when this year’s email said “Congratulations.” As I read further, I found out that I was going to hunt for caterpillars in Ecuador in July. I couldn’t wait to tell my family, but no one was home. Then it was immediately to the Internet to see what I could find about Ecuador. I knew it was on the equator but not much more.
I was expecting that the weather would be hot—wouldn’t you expect that in July on the equator? But no. Where we will be working is in the cloud forest at 2,000 meters (6,600 feet) in altitude. The weather will most likely be wet, and daily temperatures will range from 10° to 30° Celsius (50° to 85° Fahrenheit). We are supposed to bring warm clothes for the cool evenings.
We will be working at the Yanayacu Biological Station on the eastern slopes of the Andes. I learned that Ecuador has such biodiversity that it is one of few countries labeled “mega-diverse.”
Ecuador is a country of many diverse regions. We will be flying into the capital, Quito, which sits at 2,830 meters (9,300 feet) above sea level. Travel books caution about the possibility of altitude
sickness.
The eastern region of Ecuador is known as El Oriente and is a vast area of lowland tropical rainforests and jungle rivers. It is considered part of the Amazon basin. Probably the most famous part of Ecuador is the Galapagos Islands, which are located about 965 kilometers (600 miles) offshore.
My husband will be joining me on the expedition as a private contributor, along with the other Alcoa fellow, Pascal Rochette. My husband and I are going to Ecuador on July 5 so we can visit the Amazon basin and the Galapagos before we join up with the Earthwatch team on July 18.
I got my first set of vaccinations last week in preparation for the trip. It will be here before I know it.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Only slightly more than two weeks until the start of my Earthwatch expedition.
My husband and I are actually leaving on Saturday, July 5 to explore some of the natural wonders of Ecuador before the expedition. I am really excited and a little nervous—feelings I usually experience before a new adventure.
I have been practicing my Spanish in preparation for the visit. Last weekend was filled with gathering items to pack, checking lists, and generating new lists of things to do for work before we leave and to take on the trip.
I checked the weather for Quito (capital of Ecuador), where we land, and saw that the forecast is for a temperature between 17° and 19° Celsius (62° to 68° Fahrenheit). It is forecasted to be partly sunny during the day with a chance of rain in the evenings. The guidebooks say that Quito weather is “forever spring,” although the city is located about 24 kilometers (15 miles) south of the equator. Quito’s altitude of 2,830 meters (9,300 feet) is the reason for the cool temperatures.
We start our adventure in Quito, which is located in north central Ecuador on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active volcano. Quito was established in 1534 after it was founded by the Spaniard Francisco Pizarro. The official name is San Francisco de Quito. The Old Town in Quito is very well preserved and was the first named UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.
Recently, we received the list of volunteers for our expedition. Besides me, my husband (Richard), and Pascal (my fellow Alcoan volunteer), there are eight other team members from the United Kingdom and various parts of the United States. I look forward to meeting everyone and hearing why they chose this expedition.
The guidebooks say there are many Internet cafes in Quito, so I will be updating my diary whenever I get a chance prior to the start of the Earthwatch expedition.
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Earthwatch Institute
Learn more about this international nonprofit, which supports scientific field research worldwide.
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Hunting for Caterpillars in the Andes
Learn more about the expedition and its scientists.
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