It’s been a week since I got back from Ecuador, and I’m glad to be back but there’s also a lot that I miss. Overall, my experience in Ecuador was great. Working with the kids every day was nice because even though we were there teaching them serious subjects, we were able to connect with them and form friendships with them. There were definitely some times where it was frustrating working with some of the faculty at the schools we were teaching at because they didn’t understand the importance of what we were doing, it was still really nice to be able to feel like you’re there for the kids and helping them through situations that hopefully they never have to encounter. I’ve gained a new perspective that I’m very grateful for and I’m appreciative for everything I’ve learned from being in Ecuador. I miss the people that I worked with, but am overall so appreciative of the fact that I had the opportunity to go over there to help others.
After taking the time after to reflect on my experience in Ecuador, I honestly really enjoyed it. I was able to learn so much about the culture as well as connect with so many different people over there It was definitely something that took some getting used to at the beginning, especially adjusting to the work that we were doing over there. In Ecuador, I had to teach young children how to set up boundaries for themselves as well as what was considered appropriate and inappropriate behaviors. As fun as it was to be able to talk to the kids and do activities with them to help them grasp the concepts, there were also various instances where we were confronted with instances of abuse in which we would then go on to help the child in need and provide them with all the resources and support possible. Working at Fundación Azulado was really rewarding work but it also had its difficulties, again due to the subject matter we were dealing with.
Aside from work, I loved the views and culture of Ecuador. The food was amazing and the country was full of beautiful mountain ranges, rivers/lakes, ravines, and more. During my time there I was able to visit many different tourist spots and nature spots that were unforgettable. I think my absolute favorite place that I visited was Quilotoa, which is a lake located in the crater of an inactive volcano. Here we were able to hike down into the crater itself and see the lake up close as well as visit small attractions alongside the lake. Again, I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to go to Ecuador and it’s an experience that I will never forget.