Live! from Ecuador
The title of this post will be a bit ironic because most of this entry is not going to be a live story on what I’ve been doing, but how it has affected me and began to shape me in ways I could’ve never imagined.
Of course the truth behind the content of this blog post is because this week I didn’t do anything all that exciting and thus decided it may be a good time to reflect on the last 6 weeks and two days of my life.
I arrived to Ecuador on August 17th, 2016 and immediately began to put myself into a routine in Ecuadorian life. School began few days later on Monday and I entered into a new life, a new school, a new city, and new language. For those who don’t know, this is my first time outside of the United States. Similarly, the plane ride to Perú was my first time on a plane. It was quite a piece to bite off, deciding to leave the country for close to 5 months for my first time.
This first time out of the country has taught me more than I could have ever thought. I learned in Perú how to travel without plans and with a language barrier. In Ecuador, I’ve begun to learn how to balance a tranquil and safe life with a little bit of excitement and risk-taking (still in a safe way of course)! Another thing to learn has been budgeting. I’ve had to keep a close eye on the money I have available, careful to not get carried away because the money I have is the only money I will have for the next 3 months.
Although I have found in some instances, things have stayed the same as they were in the States! The importance of relationships has meant even more here than it does for me back in the States. Developing relationships with different groups of people has presented many different opportunities to go out, to go hiking, to spend afternoons with different people at the mall, or just talk with people about the experience of traveling abroad. Making friends has been one of the most important parts of this trip, because when we look back on our life we won’t remember those nights spent partying or those people we kissed or that homework we forgot, but we will remember the important people, the experiences we were able to share with them and the sights we saw.
I want to thank International Connections Scholarship and GTI CENet for providing the funding they have for this trip. I’m also thankful they asked me to keep up a blog as part of the requirement, it has given me the opportunity to look back on my experiences and reflect. This blog will be a keepsake for years to come.
Don’t worry, I’m going hiking this weekend, so there will be more exciting experiences and pictures to share for next time!
Best Wishes,
Sam
