2014-05-23
I would not have done it. Had I known what the last year of my life had in store for me, I would not have gotten on the plane at the end of August. Had I known that I would live in a city made of cement, I would not have gone. Had I known...
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2014-03-07
(Note: I talk about culture in this blog, and my personal observations of it. Please keep in mind that I draw my observations from generalizations and patterns of behavior, and that there is a great amount of personal variety in every country and in every culture, and that not all individuals will fit into the generalizations.)...
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2014-01-11
Four months ago, I said goodbye to my family and friends with tears running down my cheeks. I walked away from the traditional high school-to-college track and I walked away from the comforts of home in search of adventure in Ecuador. When I got on the plane, I expected to trek through the rainforest, live in a small hut...
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2013-12-16
I had a wonderful Thanksgiving. A group of Fellows met up in the absolutely stunning town of Baños, Ecuador to celebrate and participate in a training seminar. The food was delicious, the music loud and the laughter over-flowing. A few hours after dinner though, I started to feel like something wasn’t quite right with my...
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2013-11-21
“Talking about our problems is our greatest addiction. Break the habit. Talk about your joys.” -Rita Schiano Homesickness is an interesting beast. It makes you realize how much you appreciate where you are from, your family and friends, and how comfortable you feel in your home. Sometimes you can be happy just checking in with those...
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2013-11-16
I live in a relatively small house, made up of three bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a living/dining room. Four people live here, including me, and my aunt and my grandma share a bed. We live in a neighborhood where many of the houses are still being constructed, so they are currently empty shells...
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2013-11-13
One day, I traveled to a small community in the countryside with a woman from Spain, and two sisters from Italy. They were conducting an investigation into the water systems of rural Ecuador, and I went along with them to learn and observe. We talked with the farmers about how they have to walk an...
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2013-10-18
My vision for my Global Citizen Year in 3 words is Celebration, Equanimity and Connection. Right now I feel like I’m undercooked. I want to learn to be the best version of self. To be graceful, and to expect the unexpected. To not always have an idea in my head about how things should be,...
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2013-09-18
I sit here at the Office of Immigration early in the morning, surrounded by people with blue envelopes filled with their legal documents. I am waiting for a man named Carlos. I barely know him, but he is carrying around my passport and other legal identification. He told me to meet him here at 7...
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2013-08-05
As my adventure grows closer, I begin to think more and more about how to prepare myself. I’ve made my packing and shopping lists- batteries, toothpaste, a medical kit, peanut butter to hide away and eat when I need to taste America- and my to do list of all the tasks I have yet to...
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2013-07-15
About a week ago, I was telling a family friend about the wonderful journey I am about to take to Ecuador. She was looking at me with bright and excited eyes while I was speaking, and when I finished, she turned to my mom and asked “Are you nervous that your girl is going away...
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