The Dean of Travel

A return to the Amazon rain forest of Ecuador- Achuar territory

Last spring I made a promise.

A promise to a remote village in the Amazon rain forest of Ecuador who made a specific request for some support.

Last April the Achuar village of Tiinkias teacher handed me a hand written note of materials the school needed. I shook has hand and promised to do my best to share their story with schools that trusted me.  

It was only one of the 70 villages across the 2 million acres of pristine rain forest in the Achuar territory, but we must start somewhere.  

 

All great ideas have a place where they are born.

Empowering the Achuar with school materials, so they can in turn stand powerful for the Amazon rain forest feels to me to be a honorable way to support a cause important to the world.  

I also knew it would be a powerful way to connect and education students to the Amazon rain forest.

So the Achuar Education Project was created. 

Several schools and individuals responded to the call for help and support by making signs and collecting money. ( A huge thank you to those who participated! )

Students at Highland Elementary in Littleton CO.

 

Ava, a kindergarten from Pittsburgh PA emptied her piggy bank for the Achuar EDU project. "Please tell the Achuar kids in the rain forest that we care about them," Ava said as she handed me the plastic bag.

 

So with the money collected, I purchased a stack of school materials and medical supplies outlined on the list the teacher had given me.

Purchasing school materials in Quito Ecuador.

 

With the help of my guide and friend Cristina Serrano, we transported the materials into the Amazon rain forest. 

Cristina Serrano has been going into the Amazon rain forest and working with the Achuar people for 15 years.

For one hour we flew over the Amazon rain forest of Ecuador.

A river runs through the Amazon rain forest as viewed from our small plane.

We had some many materials, we were required to fly in a larger plane.  To get to the village of Tiinkias, we first land in the village of Chichirat.  This is the location of the airport.  From here we travel for an hour by canoe to get to Tiinkias. 

We get some help unloading the materials at the village of Chichirat.

 

We had collected enough money to bring some school materials to the village of Chichirat.  And I brought with me laminated photos from a previous visit to give to them.

Curious students look through the stack of photos

After a brief visit, it was time to say good bye to the villagers at Chichirat. 

The students were very happy to receive school materials.

 

The mom's were very happy their children received some educational materials.

 Now it was time to get into the canoe and make our way to the Achuar village of Tiinkias.

Time to float!

Ecuador, a visit to the San Clemente Community

High in the Andes of Ecuador is a community of indigenous people who have made a commitment to their traditional ways of life, and a commitment to share it with others.

The community of San Clemente is a project is managed by Kichwa- Karanki indigenous families who live at the feet of the Imbabura Volcano.  These families are mostly dedicated to agriculture.

They live half an hour away from the province’s capital city, Ibarra, at an altitude of 2.800 m (aprox. 9.200 ft) above sea level.  These means new visitors need a little time to adjust to the thin air.

 

They maintain their traditional ways of life, grow all their own foods, use no chemicals and only natural fetilizers. 

Plowing the fields. Is this an old or new photo?

If you guessed new, you are correct.  I made it black and white, because this scene looks like it could have been 100 years ago.

My host family in the San Clemente community.

It's cool at night at this altitude, even in the day time.  So we generally dressed warm.

 

Lunch time.

The community also raises animals to eat.  Their are a couple of different types of animals living together in this pen. Have you ever tried one of these?

 

Domestic IIama in the Andes

Llamas are raised for their wool and meat.

 

After we visited San Clemente, our group made its way to the Amazon rain basin, but not before stopping to visit the Equator!

The center of the world!

Semester at Sea Enrichment Voyage on the Explorer- Dec. 2012

I am heading back to South America, this time by ship!

 

The SAS Explorer, a cruise ship converted into a floating campus with the University of Virginia.

 

Last spring I met the President for the Semester at Sea program for the Univ. of Virginia and he invited me to present on the December enrichment voyage from the Caribbean.  I accepted his invitation, on the condition I would be allowed to leave the ship in Ecuador.  While I was in the Explorer, it made stops in the Bahamas, Columbia, Panama, Ecuador and Peru.   The lectures would happen while the ship was at sea. When in port, excursions were organized for the passengers. 

 

The Explorer docked in the Bahamas.

 

During the voyage I did three lectures and one photography workshop. 

 

Lecturing in the Union Hall on the Explorer. These talks were also broadcast throughout the ship on TV.

 

Sometimes the best things to see were not on the schedule as the ship made its way.

 

A booby glides by the Explorer to say hello!

 

 

A pod of dolphins greet the Explorer in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Ecuador.

 

On the Explorer I made many new friends, which included the former Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O'Connor.

 

 

 

Justice O'Connor was one of the major Keynote presenters on the Explorer.

 

On one of the excursions I made a new friend in Peru.

It was bitter sweet to say goodbye to my new friends from the Explorer, and a new adventure awaits, a return to the rain forest of Ecuador.

Now I have returned to Ecuador.  The plan is to fly into the Amazon rain forest the week of Jan. 14th.  Before then, I have been invited to accompany some friends to visit some other indigenous people of the Andes.  Plus I will be organizing the school materials to take to the Achuar villages.  

Where ever this finds you, I hope it finds you with a smile on your face and joy in your heart.

Cheers,

Dean

Summer greetings

It seems so much easier to throw something up quick on Facebook then to make a posting on my blog these days.

But, I want to turn this concept around, maybe it would be easy to make a posting on my blog and to add something to Facebook for fun.

Since returning from South America I have been attempting to get grounded.  One of the things that grounds me is to spend time in the countryside, especially my brothers ranch in western Nebraska.

 

On the way to the ranch I drove through the beautiful Nebraska countryside.

SO Nebraska!

 

Farm pond of Dale's ranch

 

When the Ponca River is high, it eats away at the bank. This summer it is not even a thread of a concern.

 

Summer is a time to be outside, unless it is so bloody hot like now!

 

Cheers,

Dean

 

The end of the Amazon River and bonuses in Brazil.

The long journey down the Amazon River in Brazil has come to an end and marked by two special rituals. I have found over time, it is important for me to mark the end of journey with something special.  It allows me to reflect on what has been accomplished, and to feel a sense of satisfaction. 

First, I decided to take a boat across the mouth of the Amazon to deepen my appreciation for just how big the river is.  The journey from Belem to Macapa took 24 hours! 

My boat is the one of the right.  The captain even let me stear it for a short period of time as we crossed the river!

 

While in Macapa I visited a fort built by the Portugese 250 years ago to keep the French out, a key part of the Amazon history. 

 

 

Exploring the fort in Macapa was fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I stood on the Equator.  This was pretty cool!

 

Ocean going ships anchored at the mouth of the Amazon River.

 

Second, I dipped my feet into the Atlantic Ocean,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once this part of my mission was accomplished.  I decided to fulfill another dream, and that was to go see Iguazu Falls in southern Brazil.

This was a really cool place!  Wow!

 

And a unexpected bonus was exploring the Rio Prata, a very special river in Brazil.

 

Now I just completed a visit to the Amazon rain forest of Ecuador to visit with the Achaur people where I made some new friends.

 

 

A wonderful way to cap off a very special exploration of South America.

Cheers,

Dean

 

Floating down the Amazon River in Brazil

I have continued to make my way to the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil.

It takes many hours by boat, as the Amazon is a huge river now, several miles wide and averaging over 100 feet deep!  There are very few roads in the Amazon region of Brazil, the river is the main highway and how most people move in the area.

As my boat works its way east, I have had the privilege to meet local people.

These two young people passed the time on the boat playing games with each other.

 

 

These two young people, Diego and Wendy did their best to teach me Portuguese.  It is a very difficult language for me. We laughed often as I stumbled through the words. The brown hammock above my head is what I sleep in at night.  In the evening, even though we are in the tropics, it gets very cold and I sleep with a sheet to help keep me warm.  My hammock is also a great place to take a nap in the middle of the day. This guy below would agree!

 

 

Traveling by boat also provided many opportunities to see beautiful scenes like watching the sun set over the Amazon River.

Or like these storm clouds in the distance below.  This photo also gives you a sense just how big the Amazon River is now.

As I meet local people, often they greet me with a "thumbs up." This is one of the friendly gestures they do in Brazil.

Exploring the Amazon River is a slow process.  You can only move as fast as the boat will go.  Sometimes it's good to slow down the pace of life, I think it allows you to appreciate the simple things, like the smile of a new friend.

Where ever this finds you, sending you a hammock smile from the Amazon River in Brazil South America!

Cheers,

Dean

 

A day with pink dolphins in the Amazon of Brazil.

I was lucky to have the chance to see pink river dolphins up close and personal while exploring the Amazon rain forest here in Brazil.

 

I love this photo, the dolphin looks so happy to see people.  River dolphins though are almost blind, they navigate the dark and sometimes murky waters of the Amazon with sonar.

This river was the Rio Negro, it meets the Amazon River at Manaus Brazil.

What do you guess the dolphin is saying?

 

 

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Pink River Dolphins in the Amazon River of South America

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 Check this out!

 

Dolphins are mammals, which means they must breath air to live.  Can you find the blow hole on this dolphin? 

 

 I love it when you tickle me here!

 

Oh, you are so cute!

 

 

Pucker up baby, how about a little kiss??

 

 

I recently learned from my friends at INPA, or the Amazon research institute that the pink dolphin is in danger, apparently people are killing them and using them for fish bait...so sad.  They tell me if this practice continues the dolphin could become extinct in 10 years.

Let us hope this changes quickly.

Dean

 

 

 

Germany Highlights

I had a wonderful time visiting several schools in Germany.  I wish to express my gratitude to all the teachers and staff who helped organize my stay, without your help, this trip would not be possible. In particular, a special thank you to the Werner's of Obspringen, your hospitality of a true gift. 

 

Below you will find a collection of a few fun moments during my time.

 

Country road in Germany, near Heinsberg. 

 

Curious cows! 

Eifil National Park

 

Flowers in the countryside.

 

New friends in Braunsrath Germany.

 

On the way to the pub. 

Mime in front of the Cologne Cathedral.  

My new traveling companion. 

Amsterdam Holland central train station.

The end of a magical journey in Europe and the beginning of a new annual summer trip to Germany!

 

Day 4- German presentations, Otto Hahn Gymnasium Cologne, Germany

Today I spent a fun day at Otto Hahn Gymnasium in Cologne Germany.

The two English teachers who were very helpful during my day at Otto Hahn.

 

First group of students to go on a Wondrous Journey.

 

Second group is ready to go explore the world.

 

Answering questions at the end of the presentation.

 

A sincere thank you to the students and staff at Otto Hahn Gymnasium for a wonderful day!

Follow your hearts, aim with your minds and remember you're never alone!

 

Cheers,

Dean

 

 

Day 3- German presentations, Gangelt Realschule and St Leonhard Gymnasium Aachen

What a fun day!

The first stop in the morning was a visit to the Gangelt Realschule.  A big thank you to Mrs Nice for helping organize my visit to her school!

 

The headmaster introduces me to the students at the Gangelt school.

 

Visiting with students at Gangelt Realschule after the program. 

 

St. Leonhard Gymnasium in the heart of Aachen Germany. 

The St. Leonhard Gymnasium is an old school that has a lot of character. 

Ready to go!

St Leonhard students stayed after the presentation to continue asking questions about what it's like to travel around the world.

Filled with questions about exploring the world, these St. Leonhard students took advantage of every moment to satisfy their curiosity.

 

A sincere thank you to the students and staff at Gangelt Realschule and St. Leonhard Gymnasium for their kindness and generosity.

 Follow your hearts, aim with your minds and remember you're never alone!

Cheers,

Dean