Hante Ecuador: A Self-Evolution
By Andy Lester-Niles
In 1831, Charles Darwin, at 20 years old, set sail on the HMS Beagle for a journey around the world as the expedition’s naturalist. On September 16, 1835, the adventurers landed on the Galapagos Islands, now recognized as part of Ecuador. Darwin spent the next five weeks exploring the archipelago, gathering data and planting the seeds in his mind later to become the theory of evolution. In fact, it was thirty years before his ideas could fully germinate culminating in his book “The Origin of Species”, and forever changing the face of science.
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Fast forward 175 years or so to the summer of 2007. A group of teens embarked on a journey far from home on Hante Ecuador. Like Darwin, these campers were young and willing to venture into the unknown. It is in the unknown where discoveries are made. At Eagle’s Nest Camp and on Hante Adventures we provide opportunities for kids (and adults) to get out of their comfort zones, knowing that is where real growth occurs. It may happen while climbing on a rock face, paddling in whitewater, acting on stage, or cleaning your cabin. The beauty of Hantes abroad is that participants are outside of their comfort zone all day, every day. Interacting with a different culture in and of itself compels them to be in their optimal learning zone. When we added to that summiting Mt. Corozon (15,600 feet), hiking and rafting through the cloud forest, and then following Darwin’s footsteps while exploring the Galapagos, we found our participants’ minds and bodies were far from their comfort zones. As instructors, McNeill and I were not there to help guide campers out of their comfort zones as much as create a safe space to be able to withstand such a steep learning curve. As a community, we worked to support one another process and the experience. Like Darwin, though, it may be thirty years before the benefits of their journey are fully appreciated.
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I am always impressed by the strength and courage our participants possess. By design, Hantes provide participants with a chance to push themselves beyond what they previously thought possible. Often the challenges begin as physical but ultimately rely on tapping into mental strength. Until they try it, participants never really know how their minds and bodies will react when hiking in the thin air upon a glacier or snorkeling within feet of a sea lion. From my experience leading campers over the last 15 years, I have seen that when students are put into these challenging situations surrounded by a trustful community, their minds and bodies come through. They then own that experience and can draw from it over and over again. It makes trying out for the school play, taking the SATs, training to be a top athlete, or dealing with a difficult family situation a lot more doable. I draw from my Hante experiences almost daily.
Though Darwin’s theory of evolution explains changes in species over millions of years, in Ecuador last summer our group evolved as individuals in a much shorter time span. It is adventures like Hante Ecuador that change a person’s life. You are no longer the same. You have evolved into the new you, ready to take on bigger and better challenges and continue to grow.
Andy Lester-Niles is a school administrator. He and McNeill Mann led Hante Ecuador in the Summer 2007. They were expertly supported by Cary Kanoy, longtime guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos.
