There Once Was A Boy Named Gimmesome Roy

July 27, 2014
Harry F.

Just came from the talent show and I feel so warm and fuzzy inside - I don't even want to be mean to Maddie.  Some shout outs are in order - DK for style...and a very cool "hey, what's up?" -- Precious and Elana for organizing and harmonizing...

and Kelsey Du for throwing caution to the wind and giving a performance more out there than I ever

expected from her (Kelsey Dan was pretty good, too).  I don't wanna stop thinking about the show, but arrrgh, I  have to.

This morning we went on a long boat ride and saw the forest go from black to grey to vibrant green against beautiful blue skies.  I got bored at the salt lick, so I laid on a lot of people. Sorry guys.  After the bario-beach, the mood improved and we all got our tans on and saw some dope birds of various colors and sizes.

After lunch we all did our own things.  I, for instance, floated downriver with Marjai, Juliana, Jorge, and Tomas.  I really value the relationships we've built with the staff, the other group from Columbia, and some of the researchers.  Hearing about life from such vastly different perspectives (or even just watching/experiencing small interactions over fishing and futbol) teaches everyone something about life or Ecuador or la selva Amazon or human nature.  Each of us gets a different take away based on our perspective.  Perspective is something I keep coming back to here.  One hike can be seen in so many different ways depending on who's experiencing it.  The guides see so much more detail than we do, for instance, and Tony's knowledge of spider monkeys must set off a more intricate string of thoughts/emotions/brain chemicals when he sees them as compared to us.  Moreover, each person in our group attributes value to different trails, plants, animals, and experiences because of our separate belief structures, distinct lives, and unique set of coincidences that lead up to these moments.

There is no objective explanation for what is happening here - chaos, social experimentation, laughter, research, conservation - nothing can truly capture the richness and breadth of each individual life trying to survive these 3 weeks.

A picture can't capture the unfolding forest landscape across the river just as this journal provides only a muted snapshot of this group as a whole.  What is lasting and all-encompassing though, from my perspective, is the knowledge that this experience will continue to shape each of our lives even after we have separated and returned home.

This pseudo-shared perspective of the rainforest and how it will collectively shape our lives is the most valuable part of this trip.  Right.  Hopefully, that made sense.

Dinner was prime today.

We killed the talent show, folks!

I'll be sad to see Sebastian, Juliana, Jose and Ramiro leave tomorrow.  Such a short period of shared experience and such a total/final goodbye.

Last dinner that we're all together -- the Columbian students, researchers, TBS staff and our group. 

Harry reciting There Once Was A Boy Names Gimmesome Roy... for the talent show, from memory!

Taaaaaaaaaang,

Harry F.