Middle of the Earth and Back!

Phew - there and back - I made it!

Last weekend I journeyed to the middle of the Earth. It was a treacherous endeavor, but it happened. I was first picked up outside of my apartment building by one of my buddies and his wife and child. We were ready, packed, and loaded. I brought some water just in case we ran into any obstacles. Ten minutes into the journey we had to stop for some food – fearful that this could be the last for a while. After enjoying some beers and seafood, we fired up the wheels and kept on moving. We had to go north - and fast! Finally, we arrived to the middle of the Earth ... 20 minutes later. There we were … in the middle. Yes, touching the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere at the same time.

A lot can happen in the middle of the Earth … watch out for that giant bird!

I can’t say that this was my only time to journey to the middle. There was once a time – literally, the time – when I made it to zero degrees longitude.

I’ve survived both. It’s been difficult and my equilibrium has been off since I came back from the middle – but this is the price I pay as a political scientist. Only if people could truly understood the price I pay for science, would I then be respected.

Back in Business

After a brief break in the U.S., I'm back in business in Latin America. This leg of my research trip starts in Quito, Ecuador. I'll be in Quito for no more than three months before heading off to Lima for about a month. Some of you maybe asking, "Hey, I thought you were going to go to Lima first?" Well, this is what you get for trying to figure out my schedule. I, a man of mystery, don't appreciate being weighed down by this crazy schedule. Although I was trying to get to Lima first, their April elections put a little damper in my program - they always do, these elections! Democracy! I first thought I could spend February doing interviews and collecting data, but that was pushing things a little close and the availability of legislators was questionable. Nonetheless, I'm here in Quito.

After arriving last week, I immediately got settled in my apartment and started working at the local university, which focuses specifically on the social sciences. I was given the position of Visiting Researcher and they are interested in me presenting some of my research while there. One of the professors at the university has already helped me a lot with getting access to the archive and he's currently helping me get interviews with legislators. They have a really nice intellectual community and I generally work from there when I'm not in the archive.

Thankfully, I live about a 12 minute walk from the university and a ten minute bus ride to the legislative assembly and archive. The city is surrounded by some really beautiful green mountains. Unlike La Paz, the mountains aren't closing in on the city and the city isn't built on top of one another.


However, La Paz did spoil me with my apartment expectations, nothing beats living in an apartment on the 9th floor overlooking a major plaza with a clear view of all of the surrounding mountains. I'm back down to the first floor with really no view (but, there are windows!). I'm happy with this apartment, but it was kind of a shock at first. Oh well.


I do have a clear view of a mountain right when I exit the building. This is no 9th floor view, but it does get me up and going in the morning. Of course, in this case, the clarity of the view depends on the clarity of the sky. The rain seems to come as quickly as it goes, forcing me to take an umbrella everywhere I go. I feel so prepared!