Hello all!

I cannot believe it is already time for the second blog post!  We have now been in Ecuador for almost three months and we are still loving every second.  

My last post came just as we were just finishing TEFL and beginning our month break.  In that time, we worked on our VISA applications (it is quite a process, let us tell you), and got more acquainted with our city and surroundings in a more meaningful way. We went on many walks just to get lost and tried more than a few new restaurants. Now it’s fun to see how much better we know Cuenca!  In our first month, we got lost with the slightest deviation from paths we knew well, and now we can get an idea for where something is based on other landmarks that we are familiar with. It is definitely a beautiful thing to see your idea of a place change as it becomes layered with experiences and memories over time. We are still as enamored with Cuenca as we were the day we arrived, but it has shifted from a curiosity about the unknown to a sense of the city colored by the everyday experiences we have here.  As we continue to meet people and make new friends, we are always astounded by the amazing spirit of Ecuadorians and Ecuadorian culture. 

A beautiful day in Cuenca

Sunset in Cuenca

Though for most of our break we stayed in Cuenca, which we really enjoyed, we also had the incredible experience of going to Baños de Ambato for 5 days.  For a girl who thought the beach was the end all be all for her, living in the mountains has been an entirely new experience. Though I never pictured myself appreciating the thin air and brisk climate as much as warm sand between my toes, I have begun to see the magic in the mountains.  And, if Cuenca is mountain life, Baños was even more so. Everywhere you look you are surrounded by picturesque mountain views that seem to go on forever; if there is anything that can make you acutely aware of how small you are in this awesome world, this will do it for you. We got to do some super fun activities and see some super cool sights there, like riding bikes for 18 kilometers (although I’m fatal at bike riding- thankfully the group didn’t leave me behind), ziplining, as well as Pailón del Diablo (a gorgeous waterfall) and Casa del Arbol (a swing over the mountains).  I forgot how much I love swinging until we went to Casa del Arbol, so I was swinging my heart out having the time of my life! The views there are so breathtaking, and for a moment on the swing, you are totally suspended in the midst of it all. This was definitely one of my favorite things I have ever done! The best part of the trip was the company- we were fortunate enough to go with a friend who has family in the area, and fortunate is an understatement. There are few better pleasures in life than being surrounded by wonderful people in a wonderful place. This trip included some of our best times yet in Ecuador!

In town- Baños de Ambato

The swing at Casa del Arbol!

Best day ever!

The zipline!

Triumphant smiles after ziplining!

Pailón del Diablo 

Bike riding- I barely made it!

The whole group! Amazing people make the world turn 

Upon returning to Cuenca, it was time to get started with the cycle! We are now in the full swing of classes and volunteering.  In the afternoon, I teach English classes with CEDEI. I have two classes of niños (kids), and a Saturday class with mostly young adults. All of the students have been great! It has definitely been fun to learn together with the students as we begin to gain a footing in our class.  I am grateful for the stroke of luck to get such wonderful students for my first cycle- although the schedule has been a bit grueling, I know that the time in the classroom is a time when everything else stops, and we can all learn from each other for an hour (or four on Saturdays)! Sometimes I sit back and look at myself as a teacher and laugh, because it is not what I would have ever dreamed that I would be doing after graduation, but I couldn’t have planned it any better for myself.  Now, I can call my mom (also a teacher) and we can compare notes about everything from hectic lesson planning to helpful youtube videos. 

Us with the other CEDEI teachers!

In the mornings, I volunteer at San Jose de Calazans, a school for students with disabilities.  I was nervous to begin volunteering, as I just hoped that I could be helpful in any way. After the first day, any anxieties I had totally vanished.  The students and teachers are some of the most wonderful people I have ever had the pleasure of working with, and a unique kind of love and community emanates from the school and those who spend the day there.  I feel so divinely lucky to have been placed at Calazans as a volunteer. I still hope that I am able to be helpful in some way, but I mostly just feel so grateful to spend time with the students. Everyday I get a bit emotional as I come and go, showered with “good morning Emily!” or “Ciao Emily!” from the students.  Although we are constantly tired from long days and lots of work, waking up in the morning isn’t so hard knowing I get to go see all of their lovely faces again. We have felt very grateful to experience both teaching at CEDEI and having volunteer hours at our respective locations, because it allows us to interact with different parts of the Ecuadorian population, therefore expanding further our perspective and understanding of this country, culture, and these people.  It is very important for us not to live in any kind of “bubble," and that might have been easy to do if we did not have our volunteer hours additional to our teaching hours.

A note I received from a student- I'm still crying!

As always, things are wonderful with Jhoseline! We continue to tackle the world together- whether that means ziplining over a waterfall or just finishing the lesson planning before 1am.  We definitely miss our families (thank goodness for FaceTime) but we are building more of a life here everyday. As always, we are beyond grateful for this opportunity and for Mark and Linda’s support.  We look forward to Mark visiting soon! Thanks for reading!

Amigas para siempre!

Photo from September 9th- Celebrating two months in a new country and two months of friendship!