Feliz Navidad!

Christmas is one of the most confusing times as an exchange student. You are expected to miss home a little extra, but also to be excited, as you are going to experience new holiday traditions with new people. Overall, it was a bit of a weird feeling, although I missed the Christmas traditions from home, I also felt incredibly blessed and joyful to be here in Quito for Christmas. Now, to share a bit about how my Christmas went!

First of all, most families here celebrate on what we know as Christmas Eve, and my family is no different. So, on December 24th we headed to Tumbaco (a town near Quito) to spend Christmas with my host brother and his wife's family. We had Turkey, as is tradition in many parts of the world, but the big "turkey dinner" with green beans, sweet potatoes and rolls is a thing of the US. We arrived at about 1:30, and were there until 10:30, and what we did I can't really say. It was a relaxed day of eating, talking, and there was of course a trip to the grocery store. Overall, I enjoyed the food, but most of all the company.

My host parents enjoying their stockings

Most families also open presents on the 24th, but we didn't take them with us to Tumbaco, so we were able to wake up and see the decorative bags filled with candy scattered between the presents under the glowing lights of the Christmas tree. "Candy bags?" you might be thinking, but here they give bags filled with candy, cookies, chocolate, and just about any other kind of sweet you could imagine around Christmas time. I say around Christmas time because it isn't only your family that gives you these, but friends, relatives, and even the school. So, Christmas morning consisted of our normal breakfast, opening presents, going out for coffee (not a normal thing with my host family) and a leftover turkey lunch. It might not sound like much, but it was a good Christmas, and one I'll remember forever!


Even though I had gotten my host family presents, I was missing some of the traditions from the US, so I decided to share one with my host family... Stockings! I bought snacks and candies and a few little gifts to stuff inside, and found cute handmade stockings for cheap. So, I was able to be the parent stuffing the stocking for once, and my host family loved them! In fact, they want to do stockings every year from now on, and it makes me so happy that I was able to be the one to share the tradition with them.

I hope you all had a very merry Christmas, and enjoyed reading about mine! Until next time, where I will share about New years and my upcoming trip!

Day 100!!!

Over the last 100 days, so much has happened and time has passed a million times faster than I expected. The Christmas season started about a month ago here and my host family (and just about every other family) has their Christmas tree and lights up to begin the celebration! This post will be about 3 of the top things I found completely different or even strange at the beginning of exchange, and now have become completely normal to me.

This is my class at our Christmas dinner <3

1. Public transportation: I've never lived in a city anywhere near the size of Quito; 1.6 million people! That's 400 times the size of Coquille! Not only is this city huge, but there is always a cheap way to get around, so while the majority of people own a car, it's generally one car per household unless they are upper class, but many people choose to ride the bus to and from work, as it is cheaper than buying gas. When riding the bus at 3 in the afternoon, you can find a seat withing minutes of hopping on, but at 5 or 6 in the evening, you'd better be ready to be sandwiched! riding the bus in rush hour is one of my least favorite things, but it is also something that has become an every other day normality. A little tip, buses her cost a mere 25 cents, or 12 for students and seniors, so you see why they are tempting and fill up so quickly.

2. Speaking Spanish: When I first arrived, I thought there would be this huge learning curve and that I wouldn't understand anything for the first month or two... That is just about the opposite of what happened. The night I arrived, I had a bit of difficulty speaking and my brain was definitely still working in English. But, as soon as I started, I couldn't stop, and now I can speak at a normal speed. which here is pretty fast, and about almost any topic. Although my Spanish wasn't perfect when I arrived, it was much better than expected and has improved rapidly... I would say with all this practice and a bit of work, I will be fluent by the time I get back to the US!

I also had the chance to see the running of the bulls! 

3. The fact that everyone here says thank you, or gracias, but rarely receives you're welcome, or de nada, in return: This, once again is nothing rude or bad about the culture, it's just different than in the US. for example, when you ask someone to pass the potatoes at dinner, you would say thank you after, and they would say you're welcome. Here, you would still say thank you, for everything, but don't expect an answer. This got my for about the first month, I was always saying de nada, until I realized I was the only one. It's just a normal part of life now, and I will probably forget to say you're welcome when I return, but for now, I'm just fitting into the culture.

This was a bit different than a normal post, but I hope you enjoyed! I will keep the blog updated much more frequently through the Christmas season with updated, pictures and stories. Thank you for reading!

Daily Life

Wow... It's been way to long since I posted! It's mostly been daily life around here, so I'll share a bit of what that's like with you. Now, I've been going out with friends, going for walks, and even trip with Xplorer (my organization), but that's all part of my life here!

So, a normal day for me her is this: I wake up at 6:30 when my alarm goes off, and get up about 10 minutes later after checking my Instagram and Snapchat. Then I get dressed, make my bed, blah blah blah.. then I eat as much as possible (my host mom thinks I'm skinny and is trying to fatten me up) and leave my group of condominiums to buy water and wait for the school bus, which normally passes at about 7:40. I always enjoy the ride to school, in the warm bus, watching the world pass by. Then I sit through 8 classes a day, with 2 recesses, one is 10 minutes and the other is 30, and it's a fun time to talk with friends and eat snacks. Then I head home in the school bus at about 2:30 and eat lunch, once again as much as I can handle, and usually talk with my host mom a bit. Then it's the time of day that I can relax, go for a walk, do homework, work on college scholarships, or just sleep. in the evening, we drink coffee, chocolate or tea, with bread, and then it's off to watch TV and go to bed!

This is a cheap little cafe I found with great coffee and atmosphere!

The fact that I have a routine like this makes me so happy, but I am also ready to get involved in new things! I am planning on starting salsa lessons in a week or two, volunteering, and joining a youth group this weekend! Don't be fooled by this strict routine, I often cook, go to a cafe to read and journal, or spend time with friends as well. I already saw Thor and Justice league with friends and I'm enjoying my time here as I should. I have also been dealing with a bit of homesickness, especially around Thanksgiving, but my host family prepared a healthy hamburger for me with homemade french fries that gave me a taste of home. My friends also invited me to their house for a "thanksgiving dinner" of chicken, rice, potatoes, and pasta. The thought behind it was what made me happy, and most of all, thankful.

The market in Otavalo ( the picture doesn't do it justice)

We also went on a trip to Otavalo and Cuicocha this past weekend with Xplorer! Otavalo is an indigenous town with a huge market full of hand made Ecuadorian souvenirs including alpaca scarfs, blankets and hoodies, key chains, bracelets, hand carved knives and wallets, Jewelry, and countless other beautiful things to negotiate for. We also went to Cuicocha, which is a lake that was formed by an erupted volcano! There are no fish because of the volcanic chemicals in the water, and because the edges are like craters or walls, there are no beaches on which to reproduce. But it was an awesome experience, we went on a boat around the lake, ate some amazing food, and bought some great souvenirs for friends, family, and of course, a few for ourselves.

Of course, Cuicocha!

 Thanks again for reading, and sorry for the lag! Hope you enjoy staying updated and I will keep posting!

Longer than before

As many of you know, this exchange is my second chance after the Philippines last year... And now I've been here longer than I was in the Philippines! This is a pretty big deal, and I'm excited to say that although the first two months have had their difficult moments, I'm still loving it here! More importantly, this is really starting to feel like home. So, what have I been up to this past week? Well, more than usual, that's for sure! Last Thursday and Friday, we had vacation from classes, and while I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't go to the beach like all of my friends were, it turned out to be just perfect. So, I'll give you a run through of the days, starting Wednesday after school. Here we go!

Just some bananas I found on a trip I took this week.

Wednesday after school I headed over to a friend's house and we got dressed up and ready for a costume party. I was a reindeer, she was a princess, her sister was a cat, and her cousin was a tiger. It was a going away party for her cousins, who are moving to Colombia, and who I had become good friends with as well. But the night was full of dancing, eating, and talking. Afterwords, we headed to my friend's house again, and I spent the night there.

Thursday wasn't quite as exciting, but it was relaxing and I had time to take a nap, drink hot chocolate, and watch a bit of Netflix. In the evening, my host brother's family came over and we all ate together and talked for a while. In the middle of the conversation, his wife mentioned that she was going to Mindo, a little town in the rain forest part of the mountains, to visit her dad, and invited me, and of course I accepted!

So, Friday we took off bright and early to catch the bus to Mindo; a 2 hour ride for $3. We had snacks, they played a movie on the bus, and the view was breathtaking, so the ride went by quick. We got there and I couldn't help but soak it in; the heat, the trees with bananas growing everywhere, and the all the little shops with everything you could imagine. We went Nati's (my host brother's wife) dad's house, the river, and ate a delicious meal of smoked chicken, pork, some salad, tostados (an Ecuadorian snack) and yucca. It was almost perfect, that is until we tried to catch the bus home... The last bus of the day was at 6, and at 3:30, we went to double check the time and buy tickets, but they were all sold out. They did however have seats on the 4:00 bus. We got the tickets, ran home, grabbed Nati's son, and hurried back to the bus station as fast as we could. We ended up even having enough time to get snacks! And so continued, and ended, the almost perfect day.

I didn't get too many good pictures of Mindo, but I like this one.

Saturday was another unexpected journey! At 9:00am my host mom came in my room and said after breakfast, the two of us were going to a swimming pool. I figured it would just be for an hour or two, but after about 40 minuted in the metro, and another hour on a bus, I realized we were not in Quito anymore. We had gone to another town! we swam, talked, ate traditional Ecuadorian food, and of course after swimming on a hot day, ice cream. When we got home, it was only about 4:30, so I decided to by the stuff I needed and make Dutch babies. (it's a food, like pancakes) As my host mom showered and my host dad rested, I made dinner, and it turned out even better than I imagined! I made syrup too, and since they don't have maple here, I used cinnamon, and it was delicious!

The awesome pool my host mom took me to!

My dutch baby dinner

Since then, I went to church, school, and have been doing homework on a regular basis. If you are wondering how you can pray for me, there are a few things I could use help with. Scholarships; I've already been accepted to Cedarville University and earned a $10,500 scholarship from SAT scores (YAY!) but will need much more to attend, and I know God will provide if that's in his plan. Your prayers are appreciated!

Thank you for all your support, interest, and prayers. Until next week!

There's Always a Window

When God closes a door, he opens a window, right? Well, my job lately has consisted of finding the windows, lots of them. Although that might sound discouraging, and has been at times, it's also been so eye-opening to see and do things that I wouldn't normally think of trying. You also may be wondering why I've had to find windows? Aren't all the doors open to try new things on exchange? Well, yes, normally, but I am still having a bit of problems with my knees being swollen, so I've been coming up with alternatives for dance lessons or randomly walking all around.

My proud creation!

One of the first things I've been doing, I already mentioned in my other blog post; cooking! Well, last week I decided to make one of my family's favorite dishes in the US; Thai chicken stir fry. At first, it looked like it was going to be completely different because I couldn't find anything for the sauce. But as it unfolded, my host brother and his wife helped me with the ingredients I needed. It was a bit of a process that took lots of time and help, but it turned out much better than I expected, and a healthy meal at that!

Riding on the mountain... before the rain

Our organization has activities at the end of every month, and this month we went up a mountain in a cable car. It was pretty amazing, and I found another window; I can ride horses! We rode for an hour, as the sky opened up and let us have it, rain, wind, hail. You name it, and we were riding in it on the top of a mountain. On top of all of that, I had the prettiest horse, and the spunkiest. He would take off running, bite the other horses, or just stop in his tracks and start eating. After the hour was done, we were all soaking wet, just about frozen to the bone, not to mention sore from using every muscle we didn't know existed, plus we had to hike to the cable car to go down. But there was a little grass hut with a fire and they had hot chocolate for sale, so of course we stopped to warm up, chat, and wait out the weather. That might not sound like a very good day to the average person, but I already know it will be one of my favorite memories, because it was one of my best days yet.

Sorry I haven't been able to keep the blog updated exactly every week, but I've been a bit busy. Hopefully I'll get back in the groove of writing every week, but until then, my random stories will have to do. Thank you for reading and don't forget to follow in the upper right hand corner! As they say here in Ecuador, Chow!

Cooking... Not what I expected?

So, one of the only parts of exchange that you can expect is that it never goes as expected. That said, my exchange has been no different. Even though I've wanted to play a sport or take dancing lessons, I've had a couple of problems with my knees, so I've been struggling to find ways to spend the hours after school. After a particularly difficult day, a wise woman told me that although having knee problems isn't a normal part of exchange, not knowing how to get involved is very normal. That piece of advice made me think, and made me realize that there is no "normal exchange," but that it's up to me to make this the best experience possible. (Thanks mom)

This is a bit random, but the rain here is huge! those marks are from individual raindrops!

Since I realized that, I decided there are still so many things that I can do to immerse myself in the culture and stay busy. The first thing I decided to do was cook! I knew I wanted to make my family's famous homemade pizza from the US here, so that's what I did. Trying to find all the ingredients in Spanish was hard enough, let alone the same as in the US. Then came trying to make the dough and get it to rise and bake until it was a perfect balance of fluffy and crispy. After all the worrying and hoping that it would turn out alright, I peeked my head over the oven door as I prepared to pull it out of the oven and... It was perfect! The crust was golden brown and the cheese had melted perfectly, with just a bit burned around the edges. It was as perfect as could be, ad surprisingly delicious!

The entire family enjoying their homemade "American" pizza 

The entire family enjoyed it, and I'm sure they will be more than happy if I make it again. I'm excited to cook Ecuadorian food, and also to find new things to help me immerse myself in the culture! Thank you for reading, and I hope this is encouraging! If you want to stay updated, press the button in the top right to follow. Until next time!

Being a tourist on exchange!

Hi guys, sorry I forgot to update you all at the one month mark a week ago, but it's been pretty busy. It's easy to realize that it's been busy because I've already been here for 5 weeks! Anyways, daily life has remained the same, which I will write about one day. For now, I will share about my experience at the center of the world! (the equator) It was so surreal to be able to stand in both hemispheres at once, and that's not something many people can say they've done. Now I'll get on with it and share some pictures!

This is what cuye looks like!

First off, I tried cuye yesterday! For those of you who don't know, that is that name of the Ecuadorian dish of Guinea Pig. That's right, I ate Guinea pig! It tasted like meat with a lot of salt on it, but it wasn't bad, I wouldn't make a habit of it, but I definitely enjoyed the experience of tasting it.

We actually went two different places yesterday; the real equator where they do experiments to show you differences between the hemispheres, and then the big statue that was built about 240 meters away from the real equator before they knew it was wrong. Now, you may be wondering why we would go to both? Well, the real equator is a little museum that tells about other parts of Ecuadorian history in the Amazon, Andes, and coast. They also perform experiments, like draining a tub of water on both sides of the equator, and the suction spins clockwise in the southern hemisphere, counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere, and straight down without spinning on the equator. It was pretty cool!


And now, why did we go to the big monument if it isn't really the middle of the world? Well, it's actually called the city of the middle of the world for a reason. There is traditional Ecuadorian dancing, shops, museums, and it's famous! Even though some people say there's no reason to go there, I enjoyed it just as much as the museum. More than anything, it was just a good day of memories and checking items off my bucket list.

Thanks for keeping up with what I've been doing, and I hope you enjoy reading about everything! If you would like to hear about a specific aspect of life as an exchange student in Ecuador, let me know and I'd be happy to write about it! Don't forget to follow in the upper right hand corner if you want to stay updated. Until next time!

The last week of September already!?!

Hola! As crazy as it is, I've already been here for over 3 weeks, and September is almost over! (sorry to burst your bubble) I guess I've done quite a bit this past week, but it's been good. This post will be a day by day run through of life here so far.

THURSDAY: Jordan (The other exchange student from the US) and I went to do some visa things with our local coordinator, only to find you we couldn't. Because we are both under 18 years old, we need even more documents with permission from our parents... Fun! (not) But, we didn't have to go to school and we had fun wandering and speaking Spanish.

FRIDAY: Friday, we had school as usual, which was good, but of course it gets a bit boring since everything is in Spanish. Afterwords, I came home and decided to watch an American movie in Spanish... That was a bit interesting, but I'm happy to say I understood most of it!

The amazing feeling when I understand Spanish

SATURDAY: Saturday was a bit of a roller coaster. At the beginning of the day, I was worried to the point of crying because I had been sick for almost a week, and couldn't help but remember the Philippines. Too make a long story short, my host mom and I prayed, and then we all went to a park that is HUGE and oh so beautiful. After that, we ate at a traditional Ecuadorian restaurant, and then headed home. I'm happy to say that my sickness has continued to improve since my last post, and even though I'm still not at 100%, I'm headed in that direction.

The park we went to seems more like a forest when you're wandering through it.

SUNDAY: So, since me and Jordan hadn't been able to see much of the city yet, we decided to get some advice about buses and head into the touristy parts for ourselves! We made it there safe and sound, and started walking... boy did we walk. we walked up a countless amount of stairs headed up the side of a mountain to take pictures, then walked back to eat, then to the president's house, a cathedral, a park, and then the bus stop. That may not sounds like much, but it took about 5 and a half hours, and it was one of the best things I've done here.

Jordan and I touring the city on Sunday

The prom poster process!

MONDAY: Well, Mondays have never been my favorite, and here, I like them even less, because I have all of the classes that are most difficult; history, Emp. y Gestion (I've been in school for 3 weeks and still don't even know what this class is), Physics, and math. But yesterday we did something fun! Even though prom here is in July, we've already started making posters, and we painted out hands and the whole class put their hand prints on it. We spent like an hour doing it and missed  bit of physics, so I was happy!

TUESDAY: Today! Today was national flag day, and here they have a big ceremony with marching for the students and the senior class doesn't have to go to classes after the ceremony, that means I didn't have classes today! But we were marching and standing in the sun for over an hour in sweaters, tights and gloves. I think if it had taken place in a gym like graduation, it would have smelled like something died. But, all in all, it was a good day, and everything is going as it should be!

Thanks for reading. As usual, don't forget to click the button in the top right corner to follow my adventures!

The First Day of the Rest of the Year

The "bus stop"

Now that I have been here over two weeks, I've got some tall tales to tell. First off, this past weekend was one of fun and a bit of normality. That might sound strange, but once things begin to feel normal, and not unbelievable or exciting, that's when your exchange is beginning to become your life, and not just a trip. But of course, there are always some new and exciting things, like learning to take public transportation all alone in a foreign country... That's right, I have gone out and taken the bus multiple times in the past week. (Even though the first time I had a hard time finding the bus stop.)

Us girls out on Friday afternoon

Anyways, this past weekend began with my first outing with friends from school! On Friday, We went to the mall and took pictures and ate lunch. On Saturday, I finally got a cell phone that works here, and am now able to keep in contact with my host family when I go out. I also had a sleepover with the other exchange student from the U.S. that goes to my school, and we made cookies! On Sunday, we all went to church together, and ate lunch at the church, then me and some friends from church all went to the mall and just killed time all afternoon, which was surprisingly fun. Like I said, nothing spectacular, but the beginning of a normal life here. 

Jordan and I baking cookies!

Let me just start this paragraph saying that I have not drank any water that hasn't been boiled or bottled, and have only eaten clean food. So, even though everything has been going pretty great, I also got sick over the course of the past few days. It was just a cold and sore throat with a bit of a fever.. I know, it's always a little scary to be sick in a foreign country, especially with my history. But don't worry too much, because I am feeling much better now and will most likely go back to school in the morning. 

Surprisingly, the first bit of palm trees I've seen here were at the mall!

Well, I think that's all for now. Thank you for reading, and don't forget to follow (top right corner) if you want to get notifications when I post!

1 WEEK: The milestone... Or inchstone

Well, I've officially been in Quito, Ecuador for over a week... And I realize that as much as I want to,  I won't be able to share every detail of all my stories with you, so I will pick my favorites and give you the full scoop. My mind has already begun working in Spanish on a daily basis, so bear with me folks.

My Schedule... Yes, it's all in Spanish, just like the classes

In this post, I have to tell you about my interesting time at school on Monday. So, there are two exchange students at our school, me and another girl from the United States. When I got registered for school last week (the other girl had not yet arrived), I was put in the equivalent of Junior year in the US, even though this is my senior year. I just assumed it was because I was an exchange student.

On Monday, my bus was late to school, so as I frantically scurried to my class, the school director asked me to go to her office with her. Being a new student and late to class, PLUS being called to the principle's office, naturally I was a bit nervous. But when she began asking me about my age and grade level, I became less and less nervous, and as I peaked the top of the stairs and saw another gringa with blue eyes and blond hair, I realized us exchange students had been mixed up. We ended up sitting there for an hour, speaking a mix of English, Spanish, and, "Como sé dice ___ en espaṅol?"


Once everything was figured out, I ended up being thrown into a new class, with new people and new subjects. Of course this in itself was overwhelming, but what was hardest for me was the fact that I had made friends in my other class, and worked pretty hard to do so. But as soon as we had our first recces, I realized that I hadn't lot my friends at all by moving classes, I had just made new friends in addition to my friends in the other class. Today I had my second day in my new class, and I continue to thrive and make new friends in school.

My friends, even though I had to change classes 

Sooo, That's my story of the day! I've had a bit of homesickness, but only because I haven't done much yet, but that will change soon, and I love it here! Thanks and follow for updates! (Top right corner)

Estoy en Ecuador!

After all that's been happening in the last year, I've made it to Quito, Ecuador! My first flight was cancelled, so I arrived at about midnight Saturday night to be greeted by one of the the sweetest host families ever. I don't have much to say considering I've only been here for what, two days? I am no expert on Ecuadorian culture (yet) and I am definitely still in the honeymoon phase. Having stated the obvious, I can talk about what has happened already!

After my flight on Friday was cancelled, I had an extra day to get excited (and nervous) about my exchange!

First of all, my Spanish isn't nearly as bad as I thought. My host family tries to speak slow and they are very helpful. I have to think quite a bit, but I have enjoyed speaking in Spanish and my host family is impressed. (which makes me feel pretty good) Looks like if you pay attention in Mr. Donato's class, it can pay off!

The beautiful view from my bedroom... It's way better in real life 

Now, about school! I start on Wednesday because I still need to buy all the materials and my uniform. I am full of emotions about beginning school, mostly excited... and nervous. I am in the science track which means I have Chemistry, Physics, Biology, math, languages, (Spanish and French I think) P.E., and history. I know, I know, that's a pretty crazy schedule, but I think I can do it, because I wont have all of those classes every day and I generally enjoy science. And... I'm on exchange, I can do anything!

My bedroom here!

My host family... I could write an entire blog post about them already, and maybe I will some day. They are wonderful in many ways. I live with my host mom, dad, and brother. I talk more with my host mom and brother, but my host dad is just as nice. I know this was a bit of a vague post, but I will have a million details later.

Hope you enjoy hearing about my crazy, scary, exciting, unexpected, amazing adventures here in Ecuador! Follow my blog for more updates!

The final Countdown

When the decision is made to go on exchange, it's always something thought of as way off in the distance. It's easy to be ready for an exchange when you don't have to be. As the months turn into weeks, and the weeks turn into days, I am realizing that this is going to be a life changing yet challenging year. I am also realizing something much more important... I AM READY!!! Now, let me tell you a little secret: being ready doesn't mean I think it will be easy or that I have perfect Spanish. Being ready for exchange means that I am ready to face the challenges that arise, and to put my Spanish to work, even though I know I will make mistakes.

This picture was taken in the Philippines, but it shows the joy and excitement I feel going on exchange to Ecuador.

A huge part of this summer for me has been fundraising, so I guess I should let you all know that that's been going amazing! I have been able to babysit, house sit, collect cans and bottles, have a yard sale, and sell home school curriculum. Even though I was unable to get a job like I had originally hoped, God has provided the money I need for my flight and over $1,000 of spending money! Thank you to everyone who has helped me! I am more than excited to be able to raise money doing things I love, like working with children. 

This is just one of the groups of kids I have been privileged enough to help out with. 

Last but certainly NOT least... When am I leaving?! Those of you who talk to me much, or at all within the last few weeks, know that I have had a few problems booking flights and didn't know when I would be able to fly. Well, with the help of my parents, I finally booked a flight to Quito, Ecuador on the 1st of September. Saying that I am excited to have a date is an understatement. If you are curious about exchange or just want to hang out before I leave, let me know, I'd love to see you!

I hope you enjoy reading about my life, and let me know if you have and feedback or suggestions. I may have one last post before I leave, but for now, that's a wrap folks! 

Home Again

It's been a while since I've given an update, but I guess that would be because I have been waiting on information about my host family... And now I have it! I will be living in the Capital city of Quito, which is at 10,000 ft elevation and has a population of about 1.6 million people. This city is different than what I am used to in just about every way, but that's what exchange is all about! I am extremely excited to learn about the culture of the country and city.

The beautiful city of which I will soon be a part!

My host family is in their late 60s and have no kids left at home. That being said, I am sure I will get to know their grand kids who visit most weekends. Many exchange students might be disappointed about living in a home without host siblings, and I was a bit surprised at first, but as time goes on, I only continue to grow more and more excited. I know that this experience will not only help me learn about the culture, but about a completely different lifestyle than my own.

The center of the world, just outside of the city of Quito

I have been able to contact my family through email and continue to learn about them (and my real Spanish level). They have hosted six times, all from Europe, and I am excited to be the first to represent the US in their home. The worry can end about who I will live with in the coming year, and the preparation to go can begin! My Ecuadorian family is almost as excited to have me as I am to live with them!

Quito is full of beautiful churches like the compania de Jesus

I will soon be posting about my school and flight date, plus the food and culture, so stay tuned! 

Why Ecuador?

One of the most common questions that I have been asked about my upcoming exchange is, "Why did you choose Ecuador?" Well, it has been a long process of deciding if I was ready to face exchange again, and where would be the best place for me to thrive while learning about a brand new culture.

This is the flag of my new home to be!

Once I had decided that exchange was what God had planned for me, then came the task of deciding on a country, and so began more late nights of prayer. This, as you may have guessed, was a major reason that I chose the country of Ecuador; I felt God leading me there. The more I prayed and trusted that God would show me where to go, the more obvious the choice became, until finally, I turned in the paperwork.

Here is Ecuador on the World map, it is just a bit bigger than Oregon.

Another huge reason I chose Ecuador is because of the language. I have taken three years of Spanish at Coquille high school and am eager to become fluent in the language. The more that I researched the countries that I was considering, from Chile, to Spain, the more I saw that Ecuador was a country that is welcoming and willing to help you learn, not to mention that they speak something similar to Mexican Spanish, which is what I have learned over the course of high school.

Although Ecuador is a small country, it has three diverse regions, plus the Galapagos islands!

The third and final major reason for choosing Ecuador is that it is not a completely developed country. When I was in the Philippines, I loved that ordinary people had less than most Americans, yet they were even happier than many of us. I'm not saying that people in the USA are bad, just that we often take our positions and opportunities for granted. That's one of my favorite parts of a less developed culture; the focus on family instead of money, friends instead of stuff, and learning instead of wasting time. The ever present joy in the lives of those I have been able to spend time with has effected my life in a way that I didn't even realize until I got home, and it made me want to go to another underdeveloped nation.

Hopefully, my next blog post will include information about my host family and community. Thanks for reading, until next time!

Second Chances

Within the past year, I have applied, been accepted, and returned home early from an exchange to the Philippines because of a health issue. After everything that happened, I was upset that I hadn't been able to complete my year abroad, and wondered if I would ever have another chance to experience exchange. Well, I am very excited to say yes, I will have another shot at exchange, Thanks to John Crist and International Cultural Exchange Services. I will be spending my senior year abroad in Ecuador, speaking Spanish and learning about Latin American culture.

It has been a long journey since coming home from the Philippines and the island of Bohol. This voyage has consisted of many tearful discussions, unforgettable memories, and countless prayers. I am thankful for all the people God has placed in my life to help me through, and who have prepared me to leave once again and discover the world. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to live in Ecuador for ten months!

If you want to read more about what happened in the Philippines, check out my other blog; http://6758miles.blogspot.com/

Over the course of the last months, my body has healed completely, and I have been busy with other adventures! I have become a bit of a nerd, studying for SAT's and school, but I have also been involved in two plays with my drama class, spent time with the local group of exchange students, and have been hosting an exchange student from Italy. It has been a good yet difficult nine months since I returned, but it has prepared me to face any challenge life throws at me, and I truly believe that I am ready to face whatever my year in Ecuador holds.

Follow my blog to stay updated, and I will share all of my exciting, hilarious, unfortunate, and surprising stories with you!