Fellow Stories

Universal Language

Bridget Wickiser

2018-12-24

When I moved to Ecuador for seven months my Spanish language skills involved some numbers, colors, and saying, “Hi, my name is Bridget”. . I knew it would be challenging, but I had no idea about how challenging life it would be for a non-speaker. Not being able to communicate my feelings to my host...

Only a Foreigner That I Know

Adriana Martinez-Smiley

2018-12-20

In the Otavalo market, other Americans couldn’t easily identify me as their own. For some reason, I make desperate gazes at tourists, hoping that I would spark some form of fraternity in this foreign land. But alas, they may shoot me a brisk stare, then continue their banter about how interesting the indigenous market was....

A Day in the Life, Sort of…

Barbara Peck

2018-12-20

As I write this blog, I have been away from home over three months, 110 days to be exact. It has been 110 days since I’ve been in my house, felt the comfort of my own bed, or enjoyed the company of my family and neighborhood friends. It’s crazy to think that I have been...

Golden Earth

Avry Richter

2018-12-20

Hello! It has been some time! Some time to feel, to live, to breathe in the sweet air of this country. With this I will be doing a series of blog posts that address the elements that aid in our existence and that define my surroundings! Earth, wind, water, and fire! Each holding meaning and...

Arts in the Andes

Selena Harris

2018-12-19

Time sure does fly here like it’s nobody’s business. While I wish I possessed the sheer motivation to blog all that I have been writing, unfortunately life moves just a little too fast for me to keep up. So I am here with this quick blog to share what I have been pouring a lot...

A Christmas Wishlist

Sophie Meltzer

2018-12-17

For the past month, my little host sister Rafaela has been counting down the days until Christmas. Each day she comes into my room, asks me what the date is, and proceeds to tell me how many days until Papa Noel (Santa Claus) is going to come, and what she wants him, and me, to...

La Lluvia

Sarah Jane Jimenez

2018-12-15

It is the beginning of December, which means I have been here in Ecuador for about 3 months. To accurately express how my time here has been, I have found, is very difficult. However, what I have found is that la lluvia (the rain) has an interesting way of explaining my story. In Ecuador, there...

I’ve Moved!

Macy Lipkin

2018-12-13

Hi everyone! Due to technical difficulties with the GCY site, I’ve moved all of my posts to my personal blog, *https://wordsofstargirl.wordpress.com *. There, you can find my old posts, plus the one I sent in on November 14 that never went up. Check it out! Subscribe to my WordPress by clicking the “Follow” button in...

Que chevere: first weeks in Ecuador on video

Ivana Filipovic

2018-12-03

Talking Out the Trash

Maddi Schink

2018-12-03

Exciting news folks … I have a new apprenticeship! After three weeks of unsuccessfully searching for a new opportunity I was interested in pursuing in the nearby city of Cañar, I was feeling frustrated, a little defeated and anxious to have a purpose once again. As someone who is goal-oriented and finds contentment in busy...

Las Cascadas

Maria Bossert

2018-11-29

One of the highlights of my time in Ecuador has been the multitude and proximity of waterfalls. This fact still often surprises me given that I live in the Sierra, in the country’s Imbabura Province, named for just one of the several massive volcanoes always in the horizon, since my community is nestled amid in...

Shorts and a tee

Tiarnan Ferry

2018-11-28

A year ago today, I was bundled from head to toe freezing my toes off in the Pennsylvania winds of a late November night. I never thought a year later I’d be in shorts and a tee and walking to school, not to learn but to teach. It’s pretty amazing so far. No homework, and...