After being back at home for 2 weeks, it's strange to get back into the swing of things. I am also finally starting to feel like I am actually done with college now that my friends are all in class and I am not. I definitely just finished unpacking (oops) and I still have little… Continue reading Home Sweet Home
First of, I apologize for waiting so long to write this post. It has been crazy and exciting being back home, so I've kind of put this off for too long. Here is to hoping I can still do the weekend justice two weeks later! The drive was about 3-4 hours, and we unfortunately left… Continue reading La Amazonia – The Rain Forest
It has definitely been a wild ride here in Ecuador. We have been here for 4 weeks now teaching in the school, getting used to life with our host families, and even exploring a little bit. The last week at school was definitely a great one. I have gotten to know most of my students… Continue reading The Final Countdown
Andrew and I were definitely excited for a little adventure after 4 weeks of teaching, so we happily packed our bags after school on Friday. We were making the drive to Guayaquil and Playas. As the name implies, we were headed to the beach! We spent Friday in the car, but even that was breathtaking.… Continue reading Life’s a Beach.
We have definitely been busy the past couple days, traveling to Cuenca and hiking Chimborazo, but I figure it's not too late to do a little check-in for week 2. Week two was definitely less stressful than the first week! It was also shorter (only 3 days because of our trip to Cuenca) so that's… Continue reading Teaching Abroad
Leave it to the Minnesotans to climb a volcano just to play in the snow! Chimborazo, the volcano, is definitely popular around here. All Ecuadorians, especially our friends here in Riobamba, boast that Chimborazo is the highest point on earth (if you measure from the Earth's center). This weekend, we FINALLY got to take a trip… Continue reading Climbing Chimborazo
Our school trip to see the beautiful, ancient city of Cuenca.
This weekend was fun, but definitely exhausting! My host family took me to Quito, the capital of Ecuador to see a few of the sites (and of course try some of the food). At 2,850 m high, the city is gorgeous, constructed in the Andes. It is absolutely breathtaking to see houses, like steps, built… Continue reading Tour of Quito
Pase del niño de Chimborazo "parade" Today after sleeping in until almost noon (our trip to Baños was exhausting), our host families took us out to experience a real Ecuadorian celebration! We started out at a beautiful park surrounded by beautiful buildings like the church and the Mayor's office. The church was rebuilt after an earthquake… Continue reading The First Weekend
Here is a peek into madness! While it was definitely a struggle to get here, I was surprisingly able to get everything organized and packed away (once I started). It's also easier to pack a little lighter when you realize that half of the shorts you packed don't fit anymore...that was a fun realization.… Continue reading Packing: the Ultimate Struggle
It's day one, and we were up early (or late depending on if you're normally asleep by 2:30 am) and ready to go! We're at the Miami airport now and are pretty nervous and excited about the next 5 weeks. We started the morning once we arrived in Miami with Starbucks for breakfast, and explored… Continue reading Onward! To Ecuador!
Watch Haley Wander 