But how can someone be or become adaptable? Well I blame most of my adaptability on my surroundings. I spent a year abroad as a Rotary Youth Exchange student in Quito Ecuador and before we were alowed to leave the country the Rotarians prepared us for our journey. They advised that we should look at our situations with open eyes and not compare things to what we are use to in the States. This of course makes perfect sense since I was about to embark to the Middle of The World and find myself surronded by a foreign culture.

One Rotarian stood up after a formal dinner and explained to us that we are now in a foreign country and after dinner the custom is to eat the center piece. In this case a potted plant that was in the middle of every table. The Rotarian picked up a serving spoon, dipped it into the dirt and pulled out leaping mound with jiggling worms plopping it on my plate. I was not adaptable at that moment as I heard moans, gulps and some vulgar whispers. Yes, the mound of dirt on my plate didn’t please me and I wished for canolie, but the Rotarian insisted that we try new things and put away what we think we know. With my spoon I gathered up enough courage to take a taste, the worms were no longer moving and the dirt seemed to smell more like chocolate. After a tiny dime sized bit i realized that the center piece was chocolate moose and the worms were Jelly worms. This of course was more of a test, then a formal desert but taught me well.

During my senior year of high school in Quito Ecuador I experienced many different things. My first bull fight, first hang over, first time dreaming in a foreign language and in all it was my first time on my own. Each time an event came up that I did not know I wouldn’t try to compare it to anything that I’ve experienced before. To be truly adaptable is to take in your surroundings and do as the natives do. If I did think and compare things before I tried them, then I would of missed out of bull fighting with a baby bull or spending a week in the Amazon Basin. When we are faced with uncertainty our instinct is to run, however, if you stick in and realize that someone else has accomplished this task you will see how adaptable you really are.

On my recent trip to Ecuador I visited the north side of Cotopaxi which was about a two hour drive from Quito. We hiked around the foot hills of the mountain and at times were slightly above 14,000 feet above sea level. The picture above was taken from about that altitude. The following is a poem I wrote about this mountain and Quito.

Cotopaxi
{Terry Culkin}

Standing in the middle of the world

looking toward the mountain base

the wind takes my fears

the clouds fall around me

and slowly take me in

I close my eyes, I am back there tonight

hiking towards Cotopaxi

white with mixtures of grey

nothing but soaring birds, nothing but pouring rain

pouring

I do not make it to the top

each breath will no longer take me

but those visions

like looking down from a star, forever

and so I find the air too thin,

descend

10,000 feet above sea level

the face of god carved into a mountain

Quito spreads like a fountain

an addiction the altitude bleeds

and I am free

flying, flying from the heart of the city

I close my eyes, landing on Cotopaxi

During my adventure in Quito, Ecuador I went to the TeleferiQo which is close to 14,000 feet high over looking Quito. Well Quito is only in the 9,000 range so I didn’t start from sea level. Inside the lobby there was this sign, which, I can understand everything but the top guy. No Dynamite!!! This is the first time I have seen that, and I’ve seen some pretty interesting signs. The question is will this sign make it to the USA or Europe??? Will we have to put up the obvious? No guns, Knives or Dynamite allowed inside. Sometimes we need to stat the obvious and at other times no one should be carrying around an extra stick of Dynamite!

Friday I went to the teleferiqo – which is a ride up the side of the pinchincha mountain. http://www.teleferiqo.com/teleferico2005/mapa.htm – I took a lot of pictures here… It was great but got a little cold at 10,200 feet above sea level.

Saturday was the wedding – Eli – And it was great… More photos in my photos page – more to come from the Middle of The World.

Their is a lot I can say about Quito, but since its been so long since my last adventure I will let my memories get jolted when I return. For now I am still at my desk, writing code and saving the IT world from viruses, hard drive failures and plan stupidity.