Monkey Business
This week, I was supposed to be volunteering at a monkey refuge in Ecuador. I’m afraid, it didn’t quite turn out how I thought.
Have you ever trusted someone implicitly? I have a friend that is, the coolest person I know. Five years ago, she volunteered at the same refuge, and called it the experience of a life time. She stayed in a small cabin in the jungle. The monkeys were free in the jungle. The refuge flourished with volunteers. And, each day was spent playing with, feeding and interacting with the monkeys. I signed up for a week.
<insert sad trombone sound effect>
I arrive in a pounding, jungle rain. I walk into the refuge, and walk down a narrow path made of slippery boulders. On either side of me, cages loom high above. The monkeys begin to jump against the cages and scream loudly.
Just like Andy Dufrain, I push forward. I stumble into the house and am overwhelmed by filth and odor. I introduce myself and am shown to my room. A pit of mildew and bunk beds. Only 1 bed has a mosquito net, it’s not the one that’s set. I set my stuff down and repress my warning sensors. In the back of my mind, this is how horror movies start.
I begin to trace back my steps. My chance encounters en route to the refuge. The bus ride down was OK. The place I got lunch was a little weird. They had a few giant snakes out. The cab on the way to the refuge drove incredibly fast. And..
A brief walk-through of the refuge and it was confirmed. All animals are in cages and not to be interacted with. Volunteer duties would consist of:
- Preparing monkey meals (counting bananas)
- Throwing bananas over the cage
- Gathering and cleaning monkey bowls
In addition to all of that animal interaction, the volunteer must also:
- Cook for owner
- Clean kitchen
- Clean bathrooms
- Mop floors
I did feed all of the animals, and cleaned their bowls. Soon after it began to downpour again. I sat on a bench, considering my options. I could just leave. But, the rain was unrelenting and there was no way, I could walk all the way to town. I could spend the night there and leave quietly in the morning. I could say I want to go into town and never return. And, I sat. I watched the rain and thought.
In the end, I decided sincerity is the best policy. I approached the owner and explained my predicament. He was very understanding, and I had the feeling I am not the first one to extracate myself. He explained that a few years ago, the monkeys all had to be moved to cages because they were violent with each other and with humans. I suspected the growth of the refuge was more of an influence.
And so I return to Banos. A little deflated. But, I am proud of myself for speaking my mind and leaving. I’m going to spend two more nights in Banos and plan my next move.
One Response to “Monkey Business”
You did the right thing, and it’s good you had the presence of mind to do so. It sounds rather dreadful.
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