Introduction and Pre-Departure Preparation

Week Zero: Jitters and Excitement

Today was bittersweet as I concluded my experience at Canton City. I was not ready to say goodbye to the students. But now I must start preparing for the next adventure!

On Monday, I will make my journey to Ecuador, which is certainly a distance from where I grew up. My childhood was set amongst the Blue Ridge Mountain foothills in Ohio Appalachia country. I grew up in a village of 500 people where everyone knows everyone. Upon graduating high school, I moved to Ashland University where I lived for three and a half years. I started my educational journey by majoring in primary grades education, but found my passion for special education about half way through my experience.

Ever since I was a little girl, I always wondered about other places and experiences. During my time at Ashland, I was privileged to have two opportunities to go on short-term study abroad trips. I had amazing experiences on both trips, which helped to fuel my interest in completing half of my student teaching abroad. Combined with a love for teaching and other cultures, this seemed like the perfect fit.

I am uncertain of what to expect, which excites me! I am going into this with a completely open-mind and am willing to experience anything. I do know that my host family seems incredible already and that I will love any experiences that I am privileged to. This feels like a once in a lifetime opportunity.

As far as pre-departure preparation goes, I have not done too much of it! I plan to pack the day before and do some last minute shopping tomorrow. I'm sure everything will be okay since I will be there for such a long time. I'll likely need to figure out the shopping experience there anyway. I have studied some basic Spanish and continue to do so while I'm there. Additionally, I have tried to keep up with the country's news and read up on key cultural attributes.

Ecuador is my host country! I am beyond excited to get to experience such a magical place. Ecuador is located in the northwestern region of South America, bordering Columbia and Peru. It is known for its rich heritage, beautiful architecture, natural sights, and friendly people.

I will be visiting the city of Cuenca with another student teacher during the first week, where we will visit local sights. The following week I will get settled at Quito, the capital city and my placement location. Quito is a city nestled in a valley between the Andes mountains and is located about 10,000 feet above sea level. The weather is mild, but not humid. The weather can change rapidly within a day partially due to the city's high elevation. The historic city center was one of the first designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

But! Beyond the excitement of sightseeing, above all, I am most excited to meet and get to know my host family!

I will write again next week with pictures of beautiful Cuenca and exciting stories.