ECUADOR - My June/July 2003 Trip Journal -- by Donna R. Carter
Page Three
~^~ Old Friendships Renewed ~^~ Friday ~^~ June 27, 2003
Another fantastic day. It was supposed to rain, but it didn't at all. This trip went so perfectly...
Early in the morning, Uncle Glen and Esther and the kids and I went over to the office at the mission and asked for an update on the grave site... {grumble} nothing new. So we mentioned that it was more urgent than just letting it go. Hopefully next Tuesday.
Then we all went back to the guest house and just talked - for about 4 hours! It was great!
I got a call from Anne-Marie, who asked if I'd go to lunch with them at BonCafe again. Sure! Why not. So I walked over to BonCafe and sat down at a table in the back.
I saw two other foreigners sitting at another table and I thought they looked German. The waiter brought me a bottle of mineral water and then one of the men at the other table said, "I know her! That's Donna!" and I looked again and realized that one of those "Germans" was Tim Stuck - one of my classmates I haven't seen in 23 years! He and his (teenage) son came over and sat down and said they were waiting for Anne-Marie and Michio. Anne-Marie came in with her kids and soon after, then Michio, and then who walks in but Matthew Hess! I haven't seen him since 85, in New Mexico. We had a terrific time at lunch, everybody snitching food off of each other's plates, throwing jokes (not food) around, sitting there talking until 3:30 in the afternoon - totally like old times - but actually even better. None of the teen angst to hang us up.
We all made plans for the next week together and I ended up getting home around 4:30. I headed over to the GMU Guest house across the street, to wait for my uncle and go to Esther's house for supper. Dale (Esther's husband) was there and when everybody was ready, he drove us to their house. We had grilled chicken and salad (they had barbecue, but I was trying to sort of stick to my diet anyway, so they were quite accommodating and skipped the sauce on a couple of pieces for me.) We sat and laughed and talked and shared stories catching up (and getting to know each other. I hadn't met Dale until this trip.) We were swapping tales until about 9:30 p.m. when I started getting really tired, and Dale brought my uncle and me back into town. They were leaving on Sunday out to the jungle, so I wouldn't see them until next time I came down, or if/when they came up to the States. I'd still see Esther & Dale before that, but not my uncle.
After getting back to the Guest house, I chatted with Jeff on MSN Messenger again, and it got to be quite late. Although I could sleep in the next day, I had a long afternoon to look forward to with the Moncayo artist family. I was nervous, but excited to meet them.
(Check it out! Their art is so cool!)
I hoped I wouldn't make an idiot of myself, but after talking with Sonya Moncayo that afternoon to confirm, I figured things would go just fine. But yes, I was still nervous.
Current Temperature: 54 ° F Wind Speed: N/R 3 mph
Feels Like: 54° F Visibility: N/R mi
Current Conditions: Clear PM Barometer: 30.30 in. F
Humidity: 82% Sunrise: 6:13 am
Sunset: 6:20 pm
The stars were out that night, twinkling by the thousands in the clear black sky. Goodnight world, from Ecuador! I thought as I climbed into bed.
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