By Andrea Ballinger

Nature’s hero theme consistently repeats itself throughout the summer of 2014 Project Dragonfly‘s Earth Expeditions Guyana, South America experience in the city of Georgetown, the Iwokrama Forest, and the Villages of Surama. Parallel to the experience, I realized the logistics and mindset that it might take to develop and implement the ground and air transportation, outfitter amenities, as well as the knowledge and experiences shared by the Makushi Amerindians. Indians and superheroes seemed to resonate in reality and mind throughout the journey, and I can only just begin to describe it in this first blog post on this site.

Chartered flight to Guyana’s northern Rupununi interior.

Northern Rupununi Guyana interior air strip.

Landing strip in the northern Rupununi interior. Chartered plane during arrival, welcoming logistics crew, and ground transportation.

At the motel in Georgetown, Mrs. Thomas would ensure we all had a place to stay before and after our journey and discoveries in the Iwokrama Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development and the Surama’s Villages, forests and savannahs. The pilots chartered us to a remote landing strip near to the Iwokrama Forest and Preserve, circled and landed near the majestic falls at the Kaieteur National Park.

Frank, Aunty Paulette’s son, would see to it lunch was delivered in time.  Brought to us off the back of his motorcycle from a milk crate while we were at the Surama Village, his mother’s farm, or with the Children’s Wildlife Club. He’d also ensure we had a straight-as-an-arrow wood fire seared grass shaft to craft an arrow at Milner’s place in a savannah. Milner would have the plant and synthetic materials we needed to complete the arrow and try a shot using one of the Makushi community hand crafted bows.

Guided Inquiry: Are there more bugs in the burned or unburned areas? Surama Village Children’s Wildlife Club. Photograph and inquiry by Earth Expeditions Guyana 2014 Instructor  Ricardo Stanoss .

Paulette would welcome us into her farm, her kitchen, and among her family. She’d tell stories of long ago while her grandchildren sat on her lap and stood by her side. From her open air kitchen she cuts us oranges as a snack and handed them to us outside her window. Raquel and her administrative staff, would help ensure our travels back into Georgetown, hotel stay, farewell dinner, and ground transportation would be more at ease than if we tried to coordinate it all ourselves.