El fin, por fin
So here we are, my friends. The end of what I think has been the greatest adventure of my life thus far, and as my friend Sally says, the last bite of a truly delicious slice of pizza (8 semesters of college = one slice of college pizza per semester). I swam with the sharks, [...]
Su país (Your country)
I’m putting off finishing my final Ecuadorian paper, the only thing standing between me and reaching senior status. Writing twelve pages is a trying task in the silent libraries of Cornell, but when it’s assigned in Spanish, during your last days in a bustling capital city in the middle of the South American sunshine, it [...]
The Ecua Hour
I am approaching the end, my friends. In my final days and last few posts, I can’t help but keep sharing those little Ecua anomalies that make studying abroad a constant culture lesson.
When I first got to this country, I was warned about and prepped for something called “La hora ecuatoriana” or the [...]
El Apagón
As I approach the last several days of my adventures, I’ve decided that there’s no better time than now to reminisce and remind myself of some of the strangely wonderful moments I’ve experienced. I keep meaning to write a post about the blackout that occurred here about 10 days after I arrived. However, I didn’t [...]
The Homestretch
As the days wind down here on the equator line, I’ve been spending most of my time compiling final projects, practicing for presentations, and studying for my final exams. As much as my patience is wearing thin and my mind and body are exhausted from these months so far from home, I am consciously soaking [...]
Iguanas and Penguins and Turtles…Oh My!
I’m back from my Semana Santa adventures and ready for the home stretch here in Ecuador. I have tons of papers, tests and final projects in the last couple weeks and I am looking forward to enjoying the rest of my time here. As many of you may have heard, I had an unfortunate experience [...]
Pass the Papas, Por Favor
The improvements I’ve made with my Spanish since I’ve been away are really remarkable. If you’re studying a language, I strongly encourage you to study abroad in a non-English speaking country, because as much as I learned at Cornell in a classroom, there’s nothing quite like complete language emersion to develop skills. I’ve switched my [...]
Bumps and Bruises
I’m about to head out of the city on Thursday for Semana Santa. I’m off to the Galapagos, Guayaquil (the largest city in Ecuador), a small colonial city called Cuenca, and then several nights in a surfer town on the beach called Montanita. I am living the good life. I’ve had some extra time and better internet [...]
Keep the Change
Moving to a new country undoubtedly changes one’s perceptions about many things. I am slowly training myself to tolerate spicy foods, my music tastes are evolving and my concept of money has been completely altered by the months I’ve spent here in Ecuador. Being a student and a traveler, I try to live my life [...]
Sweet Dreams
Just several days and a couple more Ecua-tests to go before I’m off to the Galapagos Islands for a five day cruise with my program. I won’t have internet access for about 12 days, so hang tight until I come back to share what I am sure will be some incredible stories and photos. Until [...]
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