It has started to sink in for us on the trip that our time in Ecuador is coming to an end. While we are excited to get home to see family and friends most of us if given the chance would extend our
trip for a few more days. So today for our blog we have decided to write a short reflection about a memory that we want to always remember about our time here in Ecuador. Enjoy!
~Adam
Megan
Steinheimer: The one thing I hope I never forget is the night that some of us played soccer with a couple of local kids in the middle of the street.
Malinda Malsch: The one thing that I don't want to forget is the Pacific Ocean and the dolphins that swam by us.
Jordan Heydon: A awesome thing that I never want to forget in my life is when we got to eat llama and see what you can make from the hide of a llama.
Aleah Utterson: One thing I hope I never forget is the culture of Ecuador and the gorgeous scenery.
Caitlynn Doyle: One thing that I learned that I hope I will never forget is the way the people around us acted, they didn't have much, but they were always happy and smiling.
Maggie Hicks: One thing I hope to never forget is going to the market and the people that were there.
Abbie Smith: One awesome thing that I will never forget is going to the school to watch the kids dance and paint one of the classrooms.
Michael Darnell : The one thing that I hope I never forget on this trip would be the endless amount of views of the ocean and cities.
David Velazquez : The one thing that I hope that I will never forget is the beauty of Ecuador.
Kyle Matthews : One thing that I hope I'll never forget is how great of an experience this has been and how much we take for granted and seeing blue footed boobies.
Mitch Diederichs: One thing I hope I never forget for the rest of my life, is understanding how others lives are very different than ours and that we should be very grateful for what we
have.
Connor Williams: One thing I hope I never forget is all the good times I have had with old and new friends.
Morgan Ervin : The one new experience I hope to never forget is the overall beauty of Ecuador.
Tristan Cano: One of the things I hope I never forget is the beauty of Ecuador.
Victor Padilla: One thing I will never forget is "seeing the country/world through a new set of eyes" -Mr. Sheffield.
Mike B: My favorite thing about Ecuador was the Andes mountains from Quito the highest capitol in the world.
Kayla Marsh: My favorite thing about Ecuador was the new and different smells in villages and towns, sometimes good sometimes bad.
Paige Wiebelhaus: My favorite thing about the trip and the one thing I will never forget is Terra and I getting married and adopting our baby llama named Augustina.
Terra Koontz: Something I hope I never forget is (what Paige said) and experiencing being the minority and seeing how different our lives are from those of developing countries.
Grace Huber: One of my favorite things about this whole trip was being able to experience the unique, amazing, and very different culture. I loved meeting all the new, kind people in this
country.
Bryce Bitsky: The one part I will never forget is the part when we were playing soccer with the village kids and seeing them smile and laugh at us when we made a mistake.
Joey Reynolds: My favorite part of this trip was being able to be immersed in the Ecuadorian culture.
Miranda Klinger: My favorite part of the trip was traveling with and meeting new people. Also getting to see a new culture and have this experience with them.
Meghan Blake: I really enjoyed learning more about the history of Ecuador and really getting to see and learn more than whats on the surface for people in a country thats new to me, and seeing
that happen for the kids as well.
Paul (Alex) Blake: My favorite experience in Ecuador was being able to experience two of the three different macro ecosystems that are on the country's mainland (costal, highlands) and eight
micro climates within those two; not to mention eating both guinea pig and llama :)
Adam Thornton: There was so much that stood out on the trip. I really enjoyed all of the fruits and juices we had with every meal...amazing. As a teacher I will remember what a great group of
students we had and how eager they were to experience the country of Ecuador. They were like sponges soaking it all in.
Brent Sheffield: I hope I always remember how I feel right now about each one of the students on this trip. I have seen every one of them smile with new knowledge, heard them laugh with joy, and
seen them sleep from pure exhaustion. Each one has their own struggles and challenges but they all have their own skills and abilities. They are all wonderful and capable of much more
than we (and they) give them credit for. Thanks for sending them with us.
Luis Cruzatty: My favorite part of our trip were the tropical areas, as well as taking the group to local communities, to let them realize how the style of life of people from the country side
is... Moreover I really enjoyed that this was, for many of the people, the first time in a South American country, so the enthusiasm and the energy of the students was definitely the highlight of
this trip.
Write a comment
Missy Matthews (Saturday, 28 March 2015 00:21)
Reading your reflections gives me goosebumps. I'm so happy that you all have had this amazing experience and that you'll take these memories on with you forever. I'm so appreciative of the chaperones who made this trip possible. Many thanks! Can't wait to see you all on Sunday.
Steve M (Saturday, 28 March 2015 00:22)
We are thankful for the great teachers and people that have shared this opportunity with our son. You truly are amazing!
Kevin Diederichs (Saturday, 28 March 2015 01:05)
Hey there Eagles!!! First let me say you all look a week older, and definitely years wiser. I hope I can speak for all of your loved ones in saying how proud we are of you all, and that we couldn't have sent a better group of Ambassadors as Eagle and Parker Colorado Representatives. Our hope is that this adventure abroad will be the first of many in your futures. I heard scuttlebutt that a backpacking trip across Europe was being planned for after High School Graduation... Ha Ha Ha jk... Many thanks to Misters S.,T., & B. and Mrs. B., you all look wiser too. LOL!! Safe travels home, we can't wait to see you...
Tonya Williams (Saturday, 28 March 2015 10:12)
Words cannot describe how I am feeling after reading everyone's reflections about their experiences in Ecuador. I'm sure I can speak for all us parents on how proud we are of all of you. Thank you so much to our teachers/chaperones for making this an unforgettable experience for our kiddos :-) I'm ready to do it again next year!! And I'm sure Connor would agree!
Jennifer Reynolds (Saturday, 28 March 2015 10:32)
It has been so wonderful to watch through the blogs all about the trip. It really sounds like these kids have just experienced an amazing trip and have been able to learn so much about another culture. Thank you so much to the chaperones and to Luis for guiding the kids.
Rita Malsch (Saturday, 28 March 2015 12:55)
A big thank you to each and everyone who made this trip possible, and a big thank you to those who guided our kids, watched over them, and helped them. This trip was an experience they will never forget. It was an experience of a life time, even for us who had to stay home and watched this from the distance. It was so great to see them on a daily basis, reading about and seeing places and people the students have never imagined to see, as well as the beautiful scenery of Ecuador.
Again, a big THANK YOU to all who made this trip for our students possible and those who helped and watched over our kids. We appreciate all of you. Have a safe trip back to Colorado.
Scot & Juli Huber (Saturday, 28 March 2015 13:07)
So enjoyed reading what the kids are taking back with them from the amazing opportunity! Thank you again for being apart of this memory our kids will remember for a life time!! Ready to
See my Grace and put my arms around her!! Be ready Grace I will most likely cry when I see you!