Bella Vista -Caitlin

    Bella Vista blew my mind with it's beauty. The entire forest is intricate and full of life. Each turn led us to a different layer of the pure nature that Ecuador has. Slowing down and looking closely at things really showed me the importance and beauty of each piece of the forest. Seeing the big intricate tree that Richard showed us near the beginning really helped me appreciate the forest. The size alone was incredible, but the different things that had clung to it and started a new piece of life made it more spectacular. Looking at that tree I knew that the forests and trees have a life of their own.

    The hike took me way out of my element. I haven't hiked or done a lot of strenuous activity like that for months before this trip. I have been so challenged by the physical requirements that at times I feel like I can't breathe and can't go on. Climbing up the waterfall was a different story. I'm out of shape and don't have a lot of muscles, and I'm really short so it made getting across harder than I imagined. The second waterfall was so much easier because I knew I had climbed a bigger one and it was smaller so it was less difficult anyway. Walking up the super steep pathway at the end exhausted me, so I had to take things slow and remember to breathe. The best part of taking it slow is that I saw so many incredible things and just stopped to appreciate them. I wasn't rushing to get out of the beautiful place, I stopped and smelled the orchids.

  Over the past week I have become less ethnocentric and have started to judge others less. I know I still have a lot of improving to go, but I have made progress and realized that my ideals are not the only ones. My Spanish speaking skills have improved a bit. I am starting to feel a bit more comfortable speaking Spanish with others. By the end of this week, I intend to be able to communicate freely without doubts and fear.

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