Dear Ecuador,
You have taught me more than I even thought you would. I can not thank you
enough for showing me the people and places that I now love. You have
provided the space that I needed this year to develop into the person I am
today. With each new day I wake up I feel myself changing into the person
that you and I want myself to be. You have used people to teach me thing
whether its Marcelo to teaching me the importance of friendship or it’s my
host mum to show me the importance of family. You continually confound and
challenge me. Every week you throw a new challenge my way. I don’t think I
will ever be fully able to comprehend everything that has happened this
year. However, I know when I get to Quito and head home, I will always
remember the lessons you have taught me. More importantly, I will miss you.
I will miss the mountains above my head. I will miss the late night dinners
with my host mum before my host siblings get back from University. Thank
you Ecuador. My experience at Lawrence may have taught me how to think.
However, my experience with you has taught me how to feel. I can’t thank
you enough for that. Through all of the ups and downs, you have sent my way
you have prepared me for a modern and complicated world.
Thank You,
A picture of me with my host family back in September.
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A picture of my host family as well as my family from the United States
from last week.
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