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!