The best made plans?

Is it the best "made" or "laid" plans? I can't ever get those catchy sayings correct. In either case one of my hugest accomplishments over the past couple of years has been learning how to take eveything that hits you in stride (isn't that how you say that?) Living in 3rd world countries has done several things for me, but one of the most significant is that when shit happens, I can adjust much more quickly than ever before in my life.

You are ready for an example, huh? Ok, you know that I've been planning my conservation center trip since October, when a coworker gave me an article from the Outside magazine and I did a little research. I found what appeared to be a well run conservation center south of Quito in Ecuador. So I started emailing and applied for a $1500 professional development grant and the plans were in the works.

In January I got an email that said that the center would be closing and therefore my volunteer work in June would not happen. Ok, I thought, well that sucks, but let me start looking for other things. In my searches I found Lead Adventures and added a 3 week Galapagos volunteer trip to my plans and while I was still looking for something for the other 5 weeks of my summer I got a surprise email that the center was not actually closing and that they would love to still have me. Wow, ok, that is cool. So the plans were back on and now my summer was packed full. I bought my plane ticket from Bolivia to Ecuador and sat back to focus on finishing the school year.

Two weeks before I was supposed to get on my flight (two weeks ago from today) I got one of those impersonal emails where the font is in all caps as if the person on the other end of the line is yelling at you. This time with no explanation the email said that the center is not closing, however they are not accepting any more volunteers... ok, well I'm leaving in two weeks for your center and I've paid for the flight. Their website mysteriously disappeared and after contacting a few people on facebook I discovered that it was indeed true - that I would not be going to the center after all...

Here's where the "OMG I am so proud of myself" moment appeared... Instead of freaking out and wanting to rip someone's face off, I thought, well, hey, now I can find something else. So with two weeks to leave I started doing some more reserach and I've come up with a fantastic plan. A plan better than the original - who says things don't happen for a reason?

I'm headed to Quito, today, to attend a Spanish language school for 5 weeks. I'll be in classes for 6 hours a day for 5 weeks. I've found a little place to stay and I still am going on the Galapagos trip.

One of the other big events that is about to happen is that for the first time in my life I am truely traveling alone. I don't know anyone in the city, I have no plans for dinners. This is another HUGE event for me. I know most of you think I'm the type to pick up and go anywhere at anytime and you'd be right, howver one of my weaknesses is eating alone in restaurants. Well I'm about to have lots of practice.

I should have internet and I'm brought along my little mini computer, so I'll keep you posted on my adventures!