Pros and Cons

I'm sitting here at the lodge tonight looking out at the sunset over the Napo River in the Amazon Rainforest and I'm feeling like the luckiest person in the world. This view is breathtaking. Truly one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen and I get to see it almost every day. It never gets old. At the same time, however, I'm here checking my email, my Facebook, and my Twitter feed as well as news reports from USA Today and CNN... All of my electronic connections to my life back in the states that I left behind a few weeks ago. And for the first time tonight it hit me that there a lot of things that I'm missing. It got me thinking about the pros and cons of the life I have chosen to live out here in the jungle. Here is what I came up with:

PROS:
1) The views - Whether it is the sunset at the lodge, Sumaco Volcano towering in the distance on a clear day, or the unbelievable number of stars that I can see every night from the high school, the sights in the rainforest are some of the most beautiful that I have ever seen. 
2) My students - Imagine the most difficult day of work you've ever done in the most hot and humid conditions... Then double it. No one that I know can match the effort or enthusiasm that these kids put forth every day. Not to mention that most of them speak multiple languages (Spanish, Shuar, Kichwa, Huaorani, etc.) and have an immense knowledge of their native land. I learn so much from them every day, which leads to my next point...
3) Learning opportunities - I feel like I'm soaking in information every second of the day. I'm constantly learning from everyone around me. The students, the faculty, my fellow volunteers, tourists at the lodge, and even from myself in my down time. Everyone that knows me knows that my brain needs constant stimulation and I'm always getting that here. 
4) Lack of structure - I know what you're thinking. You're confused about this one. Everyone knows that if I don't have every minute of my life planned and written down I tend to FREAK OUT! That's why I listed this as a pro. Pros do not have to be comfortable; they just need to be something that I'm benefitting from. I'm learning to relax, to be flexible, to be creative, and most importantly to enjoy the little things. Sometimes the tiniest successes here are the highlight of my day. 

CONS:
1) Communication - I miss people. I realize this a little more every day. Each time I look at Twitter or Facebook or my email, I'm reminded of someone else that I am not in contact with. From my family to my closest friends to my casual acquaintances, there are countless people that I miss and unfortunately there is not enough time to send every person that I know an email every day. So if you think of it, send me an email or a Facebook message when you have the time. Even if you just say "Hi!" I will get back to you and it will be appreciated. Trust me. 
2) Logistics - I miss easy access. We have lots of ideas about great things to do here but the logistics of getting them done in the rainforest are more complicated than you can imagine. Coordinating canoes, busses, weather, and electricity are just a few of the obstacles and everything has to line up at just the right time. Although it does make the successes that much sweeter, it would be nice to jump in my car and drive five minutes to get something done once in a while. 
3) Humidity - I'm in the rainforest. Everything is wet. Nothing will dry. Enough said. 
4) Clarity - Communicating everything that I want can be a challenge. It is frustrating when I want to express something and language is a barrier. My Spanish is getting me by just fine in most cases, but I look forward to the day when I can say everything that I want to say. I'll get there. I know I will. But as for now, a lot goes unsaid...

Obviously this is not a comprehensive list; these are just a few things that have been on my mind. Every day I feel lucky to be here and at the same time every day my mind goes somewhere else. What I realize though is that no place is perfect. Life is not perfect. You can, however, ALWAYS make the best of your situation. With that mindset I feel like I can enjoy every situation that I find myself in here. I take the time to enjoy the good things and learn something from the bad things. These experiences (with the right outlook) are priceless. I'm learning about myself and about the world around me. That seems to be the biggest pro of all. I guess that's five pros and four cons on my list. If I look at things the right way, the pros always seem to outweigh the cons.