Blog 5

My greatest challenge here in Ecuador is just becoming accustomed to things. I need to figure people out first and have a set schedule in order to feel comfortable and that is something that has definitely taken me a couple of days. After these past couple days of being very unsure and uncomfortable most of the time, I feel more used to the people and the culture. I knew no one coming into this class, so that was difficult to get used to. I've met this challenge; however, by being open to lots of new opportunities and saying yes when asked to do something. Being welcomed into the culture and into the class/group has definitely made me feel more comfortable, despite being in a completely different country. Saying yes to everything has been very helpful.
My favorite part of my Spanish class is partially that it did not feel like four hours, but also that it is so personalized. I find it helpful when the teacher corrects me while I'm talking, so that I know where I should use the proper grammar. I also enjoy being able to know her as a person and I feel comfortable practicing my Spanish with her, which is something that I struggle with when speaking to native Spanish speakers. The teacher, Vivi makes me feel comfortable with the language and the school, which is one of my favorite parts.
There are a few really awesome things I'll remember about taking the cable car up to Pichincha and then hiking up Pichincha. The hike was very difficult, but I had a lot of memorable fun walking up the mountain and having conversations with my classmates. We were all struggling to make it up, but we encouraged each other and had a great time doing so. I also feel that, for the few minutes that the clouds cleared, the view made everything worth it. Seeing the different parts of the mountain and of the city in the distance took my breath away. It was something I couldn't capture the beauty of through a camera but is a mental image I can remember. There were lots of laughs and good conversations during the ride in the cable car as well that made the trip exciting.

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