- Jordan Hauenschild reveals how she was scrolling Instagram at home in Australia when a man’s photo in South America caught her eye
- With nothing to lose, she immediately sent him a message
- Despite the pair not being able to speak each other’s language, sparks flew
- Throwing caution to the wind, Jordan travelled to the Amazon rainforest to be with her man and the pair fell in love
- Here, Jordan, 26, from the Sunshine Coast, Qld, tells her amazing story…
Snuggled up under the covers in bed, I pulled out my phone.
Five minutes on Instagram then lights out, I told myself.
It was 2023, and I’d been daydreaming about a hiking adventure in South America for the past year and loved nothing better than scrolling through my Explore feed to discover exciting new places to visit one day.
Pictures of the Amazon rainforest always made my heart skip a beat.
So much natural beauty, I marvelled.
Just as I was about to put my phone away for the night, I clocked a pic that left my mouth gaping open.
Standing shirtless in front of a waterfall, surrounded by lush jungle, was the most handsome guy I’d ever seen.
I was single, so on a whim, I typed a message to him.
You’re gorgeous.
Hitting send, I didn’t expect a reply.
But moments later there was a new message.
I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.
Hola, saludos, soy Pitiuruk, he wrote.
It translated as Hi, greetings, I’m Pitiuruk.
Within moments, Pitiuruk and I were chatting away.
I asked him questions like his age, where he lived and what his life was like.
We continued to message over the next week and discovered we were both single and lived at home with our families.
I wanted to see what his life in the jungle looked like, so I suggested a video call.
It was tricky, given that we spoke different languages.
Still, we managed using a combination of texts and Google Translate.
Pitiuruk, 24, showed me his home, which was a traditional structure, and the animals he cared for, including a rescue parrot and a monkey.
He also showed me the plantations his family worked on to grow food.
Pitiuruk was curious about my life, too, and was surprised by how big my home was and how it was filled with gadgets!
A couple of months later, my office job ended. I took it as a sign…
“I’m coming to South America,” I told Pitiuruk.
He was just as excited about it as me.
I booked a two-month Contiki trip to Peru, Argentina and Brazil.
Then, at the end, I’d fly to Quito, Ecuador, where I’d meet with Pitiuruk.
“I’m going to meet up with that guy I met online in South America,” I announced to my mum, Natalie, and my dad, Lutz.
“Go and enjoy yourself,” Mum said. “You’re well due for a holiday!”
Setting off just five weeks later on a 30-hour flight, I wondered if I’d gone mad.
But I realised it was an adventure, regardless of whether it worked out with Pitiuruk or not.
I hiked to Machu Picchu in Peru, visited the Iguazu Falls in Brazil, and explored the city of Buenos Aires in Argentina.
How big is the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador?
Source: Thesouthamericaspecialists.com
Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest, also known as el Oriente (the East), covers almost half of the country and spans nearly the entire Andean border with Peru and Colombia. The sheer scale is unfathomable – it covers an area greater than India and Mexico combined.
When the time finally came to fly to Quito, I was shaking like a leaf, but when I came through arrivals and saw Pitiuruk standing waiting for me with a huge smile, I instantly felt at ease.
As we hugged, I felt a surge of electricity between us.
There was definitely a spark straight away.
For the next two weeks, I had the time of my life.
Pitiuruk had planned an amazing itinerary.
After spending four days in Quito checking out the city and the mountains, we drove for five hours to his family home in Pastaza.
Meeting his mum, dad, and eight siblings made me feel at home.
“Bienvenida,” his mum said, wrapping me in a hug.
She told me their jungle was my jungle, which moved me to tears.
When it came time for me to leave Ecuador and the beautiful Amazon rainforest, my heart was torn in two.
“I’ll miss you so much,” I told Pitiuruk, sobbing.
I vowed to return again.
Back in Australia, I threw myself into finding a job.
When I told my mate Sacha, a travel agent, about my adventure, she shook her head in disbelief.
“You need to get this on TikTok,” she said.
Thinking it was a great idea, I got Pitiuruk’s permission before posting a video.
When half a million people watched it, I was stunned.
A week later, I posted my third clip and with 6.9 million views it went viral.
Then, I received an unexpected email which made me burst with joy.
Flight Centre had seen my viral TikTok and wanted to offer me a free return flight to visit Pitiuruk.
I couldn’t believe my good luck, so I called Pitiuruk as soon as I could to tell him.
“Lucky you barely unpacked,” Pitiuruk joked.
Although I was broke from travelling, I begged Mum and Dad for a loan and promised to repay them.
“You’ll never get an opportunity like this again,” Mum smiled.
Their blessing meant the world to me.
Six weeks after the first time, I stepped off the plane in Quito again to find Pitiuruk waiting with open arms.
Running straight into them, I said, “I love you!”
I knew it was quick and brash but it was also completely true.
While I’ve only got a visa for three months, I’m learning about Pitiuruk’s culture and helping his family run their business, which organises eco-tourism jungle experiences.
I’m also learning Spanish and he’s learning English.
The best part is we now have our own bedroom, built by Pitiuruk, so we can have some time to ourselves.
I go back to Australia this month, and I’m still trying to figure out what will happen.
We’ll probably be apart for a while. I need to pay back Mum and Dad and save up money to travel again.
What I do know is Pitiuruk is the love of my life, and I’ll find a way to get back to him.
He’s Tarzan, and I’m Jane.
To follow Jordan’s adventures, visit @guayusaruna on Instagram
