“Voy a dormir, bendición María” “Dios te bendiga, que descanses Isaías” “Padre, Hijo, Espíritu Santo” I am going to bed, Blessing. May God bless you and that you rest, Isaiah. Father, Son, Holy Spirit. While speaking in her soft murmur, my host mother makes the motion of the crucifix across her chest and wishes me…

23 February, 2014

When I’m not with my host family or in Spanish class, the majority of my time during the week is spent as a public health volunteer through the Tandana Foundation*. This foundation coordinates a variety of local service projects, hosts groups of American volunteers, and also provides scholarships to rural Ecuadorian students to continue their…

24 January, 2014

Spending three weeks in Quito getting to know my country cohort was a much-needed introduction to the Ecuadorian lifestyle. We received excessive security briefings about how not to get mugged, pick pocketed, and even kidnapped, then despite our language barrier and little knowledge of the public transportation system, were let loose to enjoy everything the city had to offer. We…

21 November, 2013

Today, rather than unpacking in my dorm, I am packing for my year in Ecuador. Tomorrow is not my first day of class, but the day I leave for Fall Training in California, and the start of my Global Citizen Year. After helping my friends move in to college, I initially felt left out, like…

29 August, 2013