My mom is in Quito!

So, as I mentioned before, my mom has come to visit! She's been a trooper, going all the way to the town of Mindo, in the Cloud Forest just one day after getting in. She had to adjust to the travel, and to the elevation, as we went on an excursion. She was amazing. After a 2.5 hour taxi ride, we checked into our hostel and visited a butterfly conservatory.

All of those are butterfly chrysalis- even the shiny ones, and the leaf-looking ones! The blue-greens with the gold bands are monarchs!

We could even coax them on to our fingers using a little banana. (The way one might coax a bird, by pushing toward the feet, not the wings). These are "owl" butterflies:

There we other various species, which were all breath taking.

If you ever visit a place famous for butterflies, wear bright colors! My read shirt attracted one to my shoulder right away, and another later on.

How beautiful were the wings on this guy?

Straight from the butterflies, we went to Mindo Lindo to see some hummingbirds. The woman there was actually from Germany, so my mom got a chance to hear a language she knew, and I didn't, which must have been a welcome change after being surround by Spanish and having to rely on me to get us around. She kept trying to speak English, forgetting that no one could understand her, which must have been frustrating.
First, we were sent on a hike, which I'm sure would have been beautiful, but was poorly marked and we had to abandon for fear of being lost in the jungle. Maps were posted, but with no "you are here" labels (not the most helpful.) A tree was marked with a number..... The map had letters.

Mom was equally confused: 

We went back to the house to see the hummingbirds. An ornithologist ran the place! Check out all the cool birds:

We went to sleep, and spent the next day hiking to see amazing waterfalls in the jungle. We took a kind of off-putting cable car over a valley in the forest to get to the beginning of our hike.

Mom was excited about where we were going, if a bit nervous about how we were getting there.

The hike was a little strenuous, with some bridges that bounced under our feet and swayed. My mother is almost twice my age (do your own math, she has requested that I don't do it for you :D- love you mom!). She was still adjusting to the thinner air, and has been struggling with back issues. She still hiked up and down some interesting paths without complaint- what's your excuse for not getting out? Not good enough, is your excuse! It was well worth it. See for yourself:

Mom has dubbed Ecuador "the land where none of the stairs are the same." In town, on paths, even in my apartment, none of the stairs are of regulation size, something I have adjusted to, and didn't think about until my mom pointed out that she's always looking down here!

On the way home, we stopped at the equators. How could I let my mother come to Ecuador and not see what it was named for?

Today, she came to school with me. I wish everyone could take their parents to work. She has such appreciation for my choice in handling early adolescent children as my chosen profession, even though the kids here are wonderfully behaved. The kids were so excited to see a mom in class, and my new collaborating teacher was enormously welcoming. It was such a cool day at school.

Mom was in a little pain from the busy weekend. One of my roommates helped set her up with a chiropractor, who recommended a myofascial massage (which his wife provided). This required that mom take a taxi by herself -did I mention that she speaks no Spanish? from school to the chiropractor in the middle of the day. She also decided to go to a bookstore before heading back to the school. I knew she could do it, but I was a little nervous. My mother says this is the first time she's seen the mothering side of my personality first hand. I wrote everything she would need to say to the driver down in her notebook. (Name of the chiropractic office, name of the bookstore, name of the school, all of the intersections, ect.) I double and triple checked that she had the book and we didn't miss anything before sending her off. I also gave her my local phone, and reminded her to call the chiropractor (he's an American, and she has his card) if she got lost. I think I was more nervous than she was. It went smoothly. What an adventure for my mom!

After school, we asked a few teachers for suggestions about where to go for dinner. We were directed to the most perfect place ever, in the historic district. The food was delicious, and the view was like no other.

Stay tuned, those who follow my blog! We leave for the Galapagos on Thursday morning, by far the most anticipated part of my whole study abroad experience.

This blog has been light on the comments. What am I missing at home? Do you miss me? Are you jealous? Co-workers: how are things at the best animal hospital in the world?