Spring Break Plans and Zoo Fun!

okay..
So..
I did it!

I had been toying with the idea for a while.. and I finaly decided to stop toying with the idea and JUMP SHIP.
I did it.
I am going to Ecuador for my spring break!
I get to help out in the Amazon jungle, at the Wayra Urku Animal Rescue Centre.

http://www.youvolunteer.org/ecuador/animals/index.html

I am soo nervous and excited and happy and proud and scared all at once.

I have not traveled outside of the country alone by myself (except to Canada).
I have always wanted to do something drastic. I figured.. it not now, when? Robert is my little cheerleader. Robert and Sarah too, actually. they both feed me healthy doses of encouragement and EXACTLY what i needed to push me to do it.

I had told many people that I was going to do it... now I actually am.

I always have such dreams and expectations and ideas.. but I never follow through with them. I communicate with the people in charge. I research the organizations or places I would visit. I make sure I have the money.. but i never do anything.
Now I have.

The scariest part will be getting taxis and buses from the airport to the hostel in Quito.. and then finding the bus to take me to Puyo and then the 5 hour bus ride...

Other exciting news,
Satruday, I took the animal handling class at the zoo.
NOW I CAN HOLD THE ANIMALS!
I held..
1. Madagascar Hissing Cockroach.. had silly little prickly feet as he crawled around on my hand.

2. Hermann;s Tortoise... LILY! holding lightly on either side of the shell.. it was amusing to watch as he slowly swung his feet in the air trying to kick me.. they looked like miniature elephant feet...

3. a Norway Rat.. RINGO!! He was a very curious little rat friend! sniffling all over the place..

4. Milk Snake... GOODYEAR!! ooo he slithered up and down my arms and through my fingers.. I am definitely going to do a LOT more of that.. letting it slither up and down and all around and watch his little tongue flicker in and out..

5. Guinea Pig.. not all that exciting to me... but he did squeak in delight as I held him :)

6. White's Tree Frog... BUDDHA!! soo slimy! He had a smooth little belly that rested right on my palm.. with his little webbed fingers wrapped around my fingers..

7. a desert lizard that stored fat in his tail.. so that if an animal was hungry they would try to eat the tail (it truly does look like its head) and the lizard would detach its tail and run away.. Once again.. smooth underbelly.. he was way too calm.. just sat there in my hand..

8. CHICKEN!! CORONAL!! (as in Coronal sanders) Soo funnY! I loved him!! I want to hold him again! I hugged him to my side.. the "football hold" as we called it.. he clucked in delight...

I love animals.
I love kids.
I love life.
I love this quote..
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”