Living My Best Life In Ecuador

 ¡Hola desde Quito!

It is crazy to think that this blog will be one of my last before I leave Ecuador! It’s even crazier to think that it is already May and that four whole months in a foreign country have passed. In one sense, I’m happy that my departure day is coming soon (only 20 more days!) as I do miss my family, friends, and Oregon. The other part of me, however, feels a bit bittersweet as I’ve made so many friends here and have experienced many one-in-a-lifetime activities. For now, though, I’ll just focus on persevering through finals and exploring Ecuador just a little bit more!

As I have mentioned, finals season is approaching, which means I have been wrapping up my final assignments for each of my classes. For my History of Baroque class, I recently completed my final presentation, which was to analyze any Baroque artwork of my choice. I was very nervous about this, as I, the only international student in the class, was the first to present. However, I think that my presentation went really well, as my professor really enjoyed my content and only provided feedback that would further enhance my argument. As for my other classes, there has been a recent focus on just being present and enjoying the space that we exist in, which has been a very fun shift in the regular class schedules.

Pictured are a group of students sitting at desks in a classroom. In this photo, one of the students is spinning a wooden toy with a pointed top on the desk.
College kids playing with traditional Ecuadorian toys!
Pictured here are two college students sitting on the floor playing a game of jacks.
A serious game of Jacks
Pictured here are marbles and a wooden toy spinning on the floor. both the marbles and wooden toy and within a square, which was made by white tape.
Marbles and wooden tops

Besides focusing on my coursework, I’ve also taken some opportunities to just spend time with my exchange friends. A few weekends ago, some of the international students celebrated our friend Ellie’s 21st birthday, which was both casual and fun! Throughout the night, we just relaxed, talked about life, and played uno until very late in the night; I don’t think I arrived home until two in the morning! My favorite part of this experience was being able to directly spend time with my friends without having any external pressures affecting our get-togethers, such as school and travel.

A week or two after Ellie’s party, a few friends and I went to get our nails painted at one of the many local peluquerías. If anyone ever ends up in Ecuador, I strongly recommend getting nails done, as they are so much cheaper here than in the United States; the current nail design that I have, which would normally cost $50 in the U.S., only cost me $13 here in Ecuador!  

Pictured here is a selfie of myself with many of my international friends. All of us are sitting in a circle enjoying Ellie's birthday party.
The photo quality may not be great, but our experience was!
Pictured here is another selfie of myself and a few friends. In the photo, we are sitting in a Mexican restaurant, waiting for our lunch.
Girls day!
Pictured here is a close-up view of my friend and I's nails that we just got painted. Both of our nails are very colorful with shape designs.
Our painted nails!

This past month was full of adventures and exploration! Besides going to the Galapagos (which has a blog all to itself), I took trips to Otavalo and Cuenca, which both did not disappoint! Even though my group only spent one day in Otavalo, I really had a blast there! Our trip started out with a hike around Cuicocha, which is an earth-made lake just outside of Otavalo’s city limits.

The hike was a bit challenging, as it had a lot of uphill action, but it was so cool to see the varying angles of the lake in pure sunlight! After this hike (and an unexpected boat ride on the lake itself), we visited a very large artisanal market. For me, it was a bit difficult to enjoy the market, as I hadn’t had dinner and was a bit tired from the hike; I was both hungry and not in a shopping mood.  

Pictured is me at the front of a speed boat posing for the camera. In the background, there is grey colored water, green mountains, and a cloudy sky. I am also wearing a life jacket too.
My boat ride on Cuicocha
Pictured is the Cuicocha lake. The greyish-blue lake centers the photo, with green mountains surrounding the lake.
Lake Cuicocha

As for Cuenca, I absolutely loved that city and wish I had more time to explore there! Cuenca is known for its historical, elegant, and catholic town set-up. While there, my group and I visited Cajas, which is a national park outside of Cuenca, and Museo Pumapungo, which is a museum that shares indigenous artifacts and the past indigenous history of Cuenca’s land. The museum even had authentic past ruins, but sadly that part was closed off and we weren’t able to visit it.

Throughout our trip, we also visited a few artisanal markets (which I did end up buying stuff this time!), chocolate shops, and older buildings/churches. I really wish that I had time to go back to Cuenca, as this town is filled with so much, but I don’t think it’ll be possible due to my sudden departure back home.

Pictured here is three friends and I eating dinner in Cuenca. We went to Negroni, which has rooftop sitting. In the photo, older buildings can be seen in the background.
Us eating at Negroni in Cuenca
Pictured here is a parade in Cuenca. The dancers pictured are wearing traditional clothing and dancing traditionally down the streets of Cuenca.
A parade that we ran into!
Pictured is part of the city of Cuenca. Present in the picture is a road, which is surrounded by hills and greenery, topped with a cloudy, but somewhat blue, sky.
Rural Cuenca
Pictured is a white wall that has black and white photographs depicting the indigenous lifestyle.
One section of Museo Pumapungo
Pictured is me on the side of a road in Cajas. Pictured behind me are alpacas, which is why I look so happy in the photo.
Me posing with wild alpacas.
Pictured are my friends and I taking a selfie. Behind us in a lake in cajas, which is surrounded by mountainous rock and green shrubbery.
A lake in Cajas

My last update for this blog is on the sadder side. Santiago Gangotena, who was the founder of USFQ, recently passed away due to a brutal bus accident. To many in Ecuador, he was a father figure to many and someone heavily involved in the community. Due to his passing, everyone associated with USFQ got a day off from school to recover and remember the legacy that was Santiago. Last week on campus, staff members had created a memorial for him, which included many flower displays and words of gratitude. Even though I really didn’t know him, it’s been heartwarming to see the local community band together in hopes of retaining the memory of their beloved.  

Pictured is a memorial for Santiago. In the picture, there are many flower wreaths and crosses propped together to create a closed-off section for viewing.
Santiago’s memorial on campus

¡Chao!

Cassie Klagge

Spending A Week With Charles Darwin

¡Hola desde Quito!

One of my absolute favorite things about Ecuador is its diversity of landscape! Here, I have the opportunity to explore the mountain range of the Andes, the rainforest of the Amazon, the wide-spread coastal range, and, most excitingly, the tropicality of the Galapagos!

Since the first week of April was Semana Santa, all USFQ students got a full week break from anything academic-related. With this break, I decided that there wouldn’t be any better way to celebrate it than to go to the Galapagos. I initially started planning this trip in early March, so I was beyond excited when the time finally came to experience this long-awaited trip!

For me, my journey began at 3:00 A.M. since I had to get dressed, get a taxi, pick up my friend Leena (who I spent the entire trip with), and complete our airport flight check-in. This part I didn’t mind too much since our early flight would allow us to arrive in Santa Cruz by 8:30, giving us the whole day to explore and adjust to the new environment. Another part I found really exciting was running into the various groups of international students waiting in the airport; a majority of the USFQ international student cohort decided to do the exact same thing and spend Semana Santa in the Galapagos. Upon boarding the plane, I learned that I got an emergency-exit seat, which meant that I had extra room during the plane ride; this trip was so far going great! 

Pictured is me waiting in the airport to board my flight. In the photo, I am smiling, holding up my passport and a much-needed coffee.
Me waiting to board my flight
Pictured is my friend Leena and I. We are both smiling, as we just got off the plane and are in the Galapagos.
Leena and I very excited to explore the Galapagos

After landing in the Santa Cruz airport, the moment we stepped off the plane, we immediately felt the humidity and warmth of the climate; this was so nice, especially considering that Ecuador is colder due to its high elevation. Since the Galapagos is environmentally protected land, check-in at the airport was a bit tedious due to the required taxes, forms, and security protocols. Eventually, we made it through the TSA and were able to get to Puerto Ayora by 12:00, which is Santa Cruz’s main town center. In Puerto Ayora, we took it a bit easy since we were feeling a bit jet lagged. To revive our spirits, we spent the remainder of the day on a beach, where we swam in the ocean, sunbathed, and just had the opportunity to relax. I left the beach with some very fun memories, a scar from tripping over a rock, 20 bug-bites, and without my pair of $10 Walmart sunglasses.

Pictured is a beach in Santa Cruz. On this beach, there is sand with larger rocks within the sand. In the further background are island trees and light waves coming towards the sand.
Beach in Santa Cruz
Pictured is the early morning in a Santa Cruz port. The picture looks towards the boardwalk, with grey water and a greyish-pink cloudy sky in the background.
Early morning in Santa Cruz
Pictured is a bench in Santa Cruz with two sea lions on the bench. It is a mama and her baby sleeping on the bench.
A mama and her baby

The next morning, Leena and I woke up at 5:00 A.M to take our ferry to San Cristobal. When arriving there, I automatically fell in love with the island; it was a good mix of nature, nightlife, and animals. My absolute favorite part of San Cristobal was the immense population of sea lions! Throughout my three days there, I saw sea lions everywhere, including on boardwalk benches, kayaks, and rocks! They also sound very similar to sheep, which was a very interesting surprise. While in San Cristobal, we visited the Interpretation Center, which provides the environmental history of San Cristobal and Charles Darwin theology. Additionally, Leena and I had many opportunities to snorkel, where we swam with sea lions, turtles, sharks, and rays. This was very surreal, as I hadn’t seen any of these animals before, especially this close in their natural environment. Other sites while on this island include Kicker Rock (which appears as a boot or a sleeping sea lion, depending on the particular angle), fresh-water lake El Junco, Puerto Chino, and a tortoise sanctuary. Since the daytime could be uncomfortably hot, nighttime was our time to freely (and safely) venture around San Cristobal. Here, we even reunited with quite a few international students, which was very fun to see!

Pictured is a part of the Pacific Ocean and land that is covered in greenery.
Snorkeling center in San Cristobal
Pictured is a sea lion sitting on a grouping of rocks. In the phot, the sea lion has its neck completely extended back towards its back.
That looks uncomfortable!
Pictured is my friend Leena and I posing with three statues: one of Charles Darwin, one of a sea lion, and one of a tortoise. We are both smiling with a nice blue sky above us.
Leena and I with Charles Darwin himself
Pictured is part of Kicker Rock. From this viewpoint, it appears as two giant rocks in the pacific ocean. Both rocks are right next to each other with a small passageway in-between them.
Kicker Rock
Pictured is me in a boat next to Kicker Rock. In the photo, I am wearing a wet suit, as I had just got snorkeling next to Kicker Rock.
I had just finished snorkeling next to Kicker Rock
Pictured is the beach at night. The background sky is a dark purple with lights from buildings shining through. On the beach itself are a ton of sea lions laying down for the night.
A congregation of sea lions!
Pictured is me looking at El Junco, which is the fresh-water lake. The lake itself is a grey color, but with a cloudy sky above it.
El Junco
Pictured is a line of tortoises eating greenery. They are in a wooded sanctuary.
Tortoises having lunch
Pictured is me feeding a giant leaf to a tortoise. In the photo, the tortoise has the leaf in its mouth while I'm holding the stem and smiling at it.
Me feeding a tortoise!
Pictured is a turtle crawling out of a dirty pond.
He just took a bath

After our time was up at San Cristobal, we traveled to Isabela and stayed there for two days. I was very excited to reach land, as not only was it late at night and I was tired, but our boat got a little too tipsy for my liking. Overall, I very much enjoyed the quietness of Isabela, as it is mostly just nature with some localized buildings. Since Leena and I only had one full day here, we tried to make the absolute most out of it. All in the same day, we went kayaking, snorkeling, and bikes to El Muro de las Lágrimas. I was a little disappointed on the kayaking tour, as I really wanted to see penguins (which the Galapagos does have!), but didn’t see any since the climate is currently too hot for them. However, there was a very playful sea lion that kept everyone entertained. As for snorkeling, it was very cool to see the smaller fish that belonged in the Pacific, but I was a little confused since there was this one fish that kept biting my leg; maybe it was hungry? I found El Muro de las Lágrimas, which translates to wall of tears in English, very interesting. This wall was originally constructed about 70 years ago due to the wishes of the Galapagos government. This project forced many criminals into physical labor, which served the purpose of keeping them busy/draining all of their energy from committing crimes. Nowadays, the Galapagos utilizes this wall to represent/reflect on past abuses; the wall resulted in pointless injuries and death since it was never intended to have a functional use once completed – just to occupy the criminals.     

Pictured is Leena and I in a kayak. We are taking a selfie while out in the Pacific Ocean.
Leena and I kayaking
Pictured are two sea lizards on a wooden walkway putting their arms on each other's backs. Behind them is a pond and greenery.
How Cute!
Pictured are 5 flamingos in a pond. They are looking for food and clean themselves. Surrounding the pond is a lot of greenery and trees.
Flamingos in a pond
Pictured is me on a dirt pathway with my bike. On the other side of the dirt path is a wild tortoise that I am admiring.
I found a wild tortoise!
Pictured is El Muro de las Lágrimas. The wall is made out of grey-black stone and continues horizontally until exceeding past the photo limitations.
El Muro de las Lágrimas
Pictured is a more-arial view of El Muro de las Lágrimas. From this view, the wall looks very narrow, but continues further back into the photo. Surrounding it are green trees and cloudy skies.
Another viewpoint of El Muro de las Lágrimas

After we said goodbye to Isabella, we spent one more night in Santa Cruz, which was very calm! The next morning, we went to our favorite gelato shop to eat breakfast, then headed back to the airport to catch our flight back into Quito. The flight back was very nice; once again, I was sat at the emergency exit, with the addition of having a window seat this time! Upon getting back to Quito, I went home, ate dinner, unpacked my luggage, and went to bed because I was so tired by the end of the trip. Overall, I am so grateful that I was able to have this experience! Plus, now I have a nice tan!

¡Chao!

Cassie Klagge   

 

Mindo y Baños

¡Hola desde Quito

After two very long weeks of studying, projects, and exams, I was definitely ready for some fun! As a way to reward myself, I decided to take two weekend-long trips to some of Ecuador’s most beloved towns: Mindo and Baños.  

I have to say, I think that Mindo is my favorite place so far that I’ve traveled to! The best way to describe Mindo is a small-forest town that has a huge emphasis on nature and tourism. Not only did I enjoy the quiet serenity at all times (but especially at night), but also the comfortably warm weather. When planning this trip, I had a lot of guidance from friends and locals, as everyone had great insight and lessons to share from their experiences; with this knowledge, I knew exactly what I wanted to do and how to do it! 

My friends and I kicked off this trip by first visiting a mariposario, which acts as a sanctuary for the varying species of Ecuadorian butterflies. Here, visitors are able to put a banana paste on their hands to attract and hold butterflies (of course with their consent and well-being in mind). This was both a cool, but terrifying experience, as I don’t like insects and the only butterflies I could attract were gigantic and moth-appearing. However, I felt very accomplished afterwards, which was the important part! 

Pictured is an aerial view a butterfly sitting on shrub. The butterfly has blue, white, and black coloring while the shrub has green leaves and orange/yellow flowers.
My favorite butterfly
Pictured is me holding a butterfly on my finger tips. In the photo, I am smiling and looking down at the butterfly. This butterfly is big with brown/beige coloring, slightly resembling a big moth.
My butterfly and I
Pictured is my friend Dalton with two moth-like butterflies. One butterfly is sitting on his finger tips while the other is sitting on his face near his lips.
I still don’t know how Dalton did this

After spending some much-needed time with the butterflies, we did a Yumbos chocolate tour, which depicted both the fermentation and production process of chocolate. Since Ecuador has a well-adapted climate for cocoa growth, they have become one of the world’s leading producers in quality chocolate; one of these being the Lindt chocolate company. Throughout the tour, we were given varying samples of chocolate products, which was very much appreciated! Some of my personal favorites included their brownies, hot cocoa, and chocolate-mint squares. 

pictured is a cocoa bean with big white seeds inside. Also pictured is a white coffee cup with Yumbos hot chocolate inside.
Yumbos Chocolate tour
Pictured is my friends and I sitting at a wooden table enjoying our Yumbos hot chocolate and cocoa beans. We are all smiling in the photo and looking at the camera.
Us enjoying Yumbos

Our next (and final) day in Mindo consisted of doing horseback trails and hiking waterfalls! I was extremely excited about riding horses, since I hadn’t been on a horse in at least 6 years. My horse, who was named Moro, was one of the most passive animals I think I’ve ever met; he just sat back and let the other horses, who were all dominant and wanted to be the “leader”, take the lead. Even though I did enjoy horseback riding, I think my favorite part of the experience was the drive up to the horse ranch. We were taken up by a truck, which allowed us all to ride in the cargo bed. The 20-minute drive was very carefree, as we were just having simple conversations while enjoying the surreal scenery and light breeze of the wind. I can confidently say that this experience has made it into my core memories abroad! My only regret from this trip is not staying longer in Mindo!  

Pictured is me sitting on a brown horse. In the photo, I am looking very happy on my horse friend.
My new horse friend “Moro”
Pictured are my friends and I sitting in the back compartment of a pick-up truck enjoying life.
Taxis, but Mindo style
Pictured is a large waterfall that is slightly enclosed by rock walls and shrubbery.
Mindo waterfall
Pictured is another waterfall at Mindo. This waterfall isn't a direct drop, but instead appears more stream like with both flat and drop-off parts. This waterfall is also surrounded by rocks and shrubbery.
Another Mindo Waterfall

Now, onto Baños! The one thing I can say about this trip was that it was Chaotic! Thinking back, I definitely should’ve done more research on how to travel there (like I did for Mindo), but I do think my group and I still made the best of our experience. One thing I wish I had known before traveling was how spread out all of the activities are from the town-center of Baños. Due to the very long travel times, my group and I were only able to do two activities during our weekend getaway. In addition to the tourist system that is very potent in Baños, many of the activities had short time limits, which meant we had to be very strategic (and sometimes even pushy) about how we spent our time at each attraction.  

When arriving at Baños, we decided our first task of the day would be to take a bus up to Casada El Pailón, which is a smaller hike that leads to a very popular waterfall. I absolutely loved this hike, as it was simple, but also contained some unique aspects. In order to get up close to the waterfall, we had to cross two wooden sky bridges, which looked over the tops of forest trees; I felt very close to nature during this whole process! Sadly, however, due to the time constraint we had on completing the hike and returning (40 minutes), we weren’t able to finish it entirely, but we did get some awesome photos! 

Pictured is a selfie of my friends and I on the "party" transportation bus in Banos. In the picture, we are smiling, ready to take on Banos.
Us on the Baños “party” bus
Pictured is me sitting in the Banos party bus eating my first ever sugar cane. In the picture, I am in mid-bite
Me trying my first ever pure sugar cane!
Pictured is me on a hiking path. Behind me is a bunch of shrubbery, including a giant valley.
Hiking Casada El Pailón
Pictured is the side view of a waterfall. Surrounding the waterfall is various greenery, naturally-carved rocks. and a below water outlet for the waterfall.
Cascada El Pailón
Pictured is a nature scene from Baños. Pictured are two very close mountains with lots of greenery. There is also some fog present, along with a cloudy grey sky.
Some landscape of Baños

The next day, we decided that we wanted to see Las Manos de Dios, which is a mountain ledge that is “supported” by the two hands of God. As we were traveling to this site, we also had the opportunity to see similar ledge sites, which had some very good photo opportunities! Along the way, I also had the opportunity to try rambutan, which is a traditional Asian fruit that has become very beloved in Ecuador; Originally, I was going to buy this fruit, but the vendor actually gave it to me for free, which made me very happy! Once arriving at Las manos de Dios, we actually didn’t end up going onto the ledge. Instead, we waited to go on this swing that rests near a canyon (for photographic reasons, of course!). However, we didn’t end up going on this either because a group of 4 people cut in front, and because of this, we ran out of time. 

Pictured is me sitting on a swing with colorful angel wings. Behind me is a far-away background of Baños, as I am near a mountain ledge.
one of many popular swings in Baños
Pictured is me with a giant structure of Fiona from Shrek. In the photo, we both have our arms around each other posing for the camera.
Ecuador REALLY loves Shrek lol

Pictured is me petting a large structure of Donkey from Shrek.

Pictured is me next to a gaint structure of Shrek. in the photo, shrek is standing with his arms extended while I am crouching underneath his hands looking scared.

Getting ready to head back to Quito was eventful and a bit interesting. As my friends and I were walking, a random Ecuadorian guy first comes up to tell me that I smell like blue cheese, and then proceeds to ask if I’m from France, which was such a weird conversation (In case anyone was wondering, I do not, in fact, smell like blue cheese). Then, for the entire duration of the bus ride home (which was 3 hours), these two Ecuadorian kids kept staring at my friend Ryland and I. It even got to a point where they would talk about us and take photos of us, which made the bus ride a bit unsettling. After getting through this bus ride, we were happy to get an Uber and head back to our host houses. This happiness didn’t last long though as we were scammed by our Uber driver, who said that we only imputed one stop and that we needed to pay more in order to all get home. Once I managed to get home, I was so physically and mentally tired that I just went to bed.

Although I had some very questionable moments in Mindo and Baños, I don’t regret going to either place and also do plan to revisit Banos just to spend a little more time there!

¡Chao!

Cassie Klagge

Midterms (And Some Fun)

¡Hola desde Quito!

Wow! I will definitely say that these past few weeks have been a lot of work with very limited enjoyment. When committing to studying abroad, I knew that exam season would probably be the worst part of the experience. However, now that I have gotten past all of my mid-term assignments, I can say that I feel pretty content with my progress in each of my classes!

This midterm season, I had three presentations and an exam, which wouldn’t have been too challenging if they were all in English. Even though the Spanish aspect of the midterms made me continuously stressed for two solid weeks, I now feel a lot prouder of my abilities, both academically and inter-relationally. One aspect that I did find enjoyable was the broad range of topics that my presentations covered: the history/evolution of Ecuador once becoming an independent republic, the impact of mystification and reproduction in art, and (my personal favorite) Taylor Swift. For five whole minutes, I got to show off my inner-swiftie conjointly with my Spanish speaking abilities, which I haven’t had an opportunity to do so until now! In regard to my one exam on Baroque art, I think it went really well considering that there was a large percentage of lecture content present; my Spanish comprehension skills really worked in my favor here! 

Pictured is me sitting on the grass and writing in a notebook. As I am doing this, a green apple is falling from a tree and appears to hit my head. This was a photographic class project for my Language and Cinema class.
A photographic project for my Language and Cinema class
Pictured is a small wooden building with many windows. This building, which is the on-campus meditation center, is surrounded by trees and a pond.
The on-campus meditation center
Pictured is me smiling and pointing at a slide show presentation that I made. On this slide is every one of Taylor Swift's albums covers in a timeline of their release dates
Me and my Taylor Swift presentation
Pictured are a group of international students (including myself) in our Ecuadorian culture class. On the professor's desk are two cakes, as we celebrated her birthday.
We love celebrating Profe Karla’s birthday!

Between study sessions and practicing presentations, I was able to find some enjoyment in exploring Ecuador! For one day, my friend Leena and I took a very impromptu trip to Papallacta to enjoy some hot springs. I absolutely love rural Ecuador; there are so many hills and trees, which give off so much tranquility! It definitely resembles a bit of Southern Oregon, but with a lot more greenery; I felt very at home on this trip! Overall, it was nice to just slow down the fast-paced student lifestyle and catch up with a good friend.        

Pictured here is a walkway surrounded by many trees! These trees are also making an archway, which my friend Leena is walking under. This is at the Papallacta hot springs
Entry way of the Papallacta hot springs
Pictured are the Papallacta hot springs, which resemble in-ground pools. In these pools are a large group of people enjoying themselves and the water. Surrounding this pools are mountains, trees, and other greenery.
Hot springs of Papallacta
Pictures is a nature scene. Close up is wild grass, which barely hides a blue lake that exists behind it. In the background are tall rock mountains and a sky full of clouds and light.
Lake-scene in rural Ecuador
Pictured is another lake that is present in rural Ecuador. This is a far-away picture, which shows the small green hills leading to the lake itself, which is surrounded by nearby rock mountains.
I (safely) jumped a guard-rail to take this photo

Besides Papallacta, I also had the chance to visit La Carolina’s botanical garden, which was so cool! In general, when most people enter La Carolina, they forget (at least a little bit) that they’re surrounded by city-life. However, when entering the garden itself, all thoughts regarding the “outside” world become nonexistent and the focus is directed towards what is visually present.

Since Ecuador has a large variety of orchid species, they were scattered throughout the entire garden, which was nice to experience. There was also a section of the garden dedicated to the senses, which grouped together herbs and other potently smelling plants. For the first time, I smelled pure lemongrass, which has now become my new favorite smell!

After this excursion, Oliver, Blue, and I sat near a lagoon in La Carolina, where we ended up buying pies from a few Ecuadorian Scouts (which are very similar to the U.S. Boy/Girl Scouts). From them, I ended up getting an apple pie, which had some abnormally great crust!

Pictured is a webbed pink flower that is hanging from above vines. The flow is surrounded by small branches and tree leaves with the sun peaking through the branch gaps.
Just one (of many) plants in the Botanical Garden
Pictured is a pond surrounded by neatly-lined rocks and green shrubbery. On the pond itself are gleams from the sun.
A beautiful pond in the Botanical Garden
Pictured is a white Ecuadorian flower. The whole flower is round, but is made up of smaller white flowers with pointed petals. On top of the flower is a bee who wants to pollenate.
Another Ecuadorian flower (with a bee)
Pictured are some local ducks resting near a rain puddle. These ducks a very huge and have different colorings; I duck is white and brown, another is mostly white with smaller red details, and the third is dark brown with a little black.
These are the biggest ducks I’ve ever seen!

For the past few weeks, I’ve also been trying to put extra effort towards improving my Spanish comprehension skills. With this goal in mind, I have so far watched three-of-the-four Shrek movies with Spanish sound/subtitles. A lot of the international students agree that Shrek in Spanish is a lot better than Shrek in English. I, however, can’t really add anything to this argument, as I (fun fact) had never actually watched Shrek until a few weeks ago, and therefore have never seen the English version. I will say though, that Spanish Shrek is really funny, and I 100 percent recommend it!  

Pictured is a scene from Shrek. In this scene, Shrek looks very angry while Donkey is supporting his friend. On the screen are Spanish subtitles, which translate to: Your swamp? Yes, my swamp!
Yes, this is Shrek’s swamp!

¡Chao!

Cassie Klagge 

 

Navigating San Valentín and Carnaval

¡Hola desde Quito!

Man! It is crazy to think that I’ve been navigating student life in Ecuador for almost two months now! Each day, I become more in awe with what this country has to offer, especially with its cultural practices, social norms, and naturalistic attractions!

Experiencing El Día de San Valentín (Valentine’s Day) in Ecuador was definitely an unfamiliar, but heartwarming experience. Since Valentine’s Day was on a Tuesday this year, I spent a majority of the holiday on campus, where I got to celebrate with my exchange friends and witness many pure interactions between couples. On campus, there was a very potent atmosphere of affection! Throughout the day, I probably saw close to ninety percent of students carrying at least one flower, let alone giant bouquets. It was very easy to get into the San Valentín spirit, as there were booths throughout campus selling goodies/treats and doing seasonal activities. Of course, my friends and I took advantage of the cotton candy machine, which was so worth it after spending three solid hours in classes! I also saw two couples get “fake married” and one couple become “fake engaged” using paper engagement rings, which was so pure!

Besides spending the holiday with my friends, I also went to Dunkin’ Donuts and treated myself to a long-awaited coffee and donut. Witnessing the transparent love on this Valentine’s Day was very joyful for me, as Valentine’s Day can sometimes be overlooked in the US. However, since the students at USFQ are relatively affectionate towards one another, I knew that Valentine’s Day was going to be flamboyant!   

Pictured is me with a group of my exchange student friends smiling. We are posing behind a backdrop that shows our university's logo. In the photo, some of us are holding flowers while others are holding cotton candy, as this was on Valentine's Day.
My friends and I on Valentine’s Day
Pictured is an outdoor tent and many Valentine's Day booths. Also pictured are some students looking at the booths
One (of many) outdoor Valentine’s Day booths
Pictured is a facetime call between my dog and I. My dog, who is a hound dog, is sitting on the couch looking away from the camera.
Valentine’s Day facetime with my dog

I have also had the wonderful opportunity to celebrate Carnaval, which is celebrated nationwide. Although each place has its own significance of Carnaval, most places in Ecuador consider it a holiday for celebrating water, prosperity, and life itself. Leena, who is an exchange student from Finland, and I spent four days in Ambato, which has one of the largest Carnaval celebrations in Ecuador. While in Ambato, we watched two parades, which were filled with floats made from local flowers and fruits, lots of dancing, and cultural representation of various neighboring countries. I even got invited to dance with a performer in the parade, which was a bit scary just because I’m not a dancer, but it was both fun and memorable! We also got to experience traditional markets and Salsa concerts, all while being sprayed with a lot of foam (this is very traditional to Carnaval). With as much fun as I was having, I just had to take it down a notch by getting food poisoning. Sunday night and the following Monday morning were extremely rough, but it didn’t ruin my experience and I was back to exploring by Monday night!       

Pictured is a bowl of Ceviche, which is a traditional soup in Ecuador. This soup appears very dark in color with vegetables and fish.
Ceviche
Pictured is a part of the Ambato parade. There are women wearing traditional clothing, walking down the street, and carrying flowerpots on their heads.
Part of the Ambato Parade
Pictured is part of an Ambato parade float. This float is a giant head that is made of brown, red, white, and yellow flowers.
Flower decor on Ambato parade floats
Pictured is a women walking the parade route in Ambato. In the photo, she is wearing a costume with many blue and green feathers. She looks very happy and proud.
More from the Ambato parade
Pictured is a group of people walking the Ambato parade rout. This people are dressed in traditional clothing and are wearing special face masks that resemble the human face. This is a tradition when celebrating Carnaval.
A tradition of Carnaval; wearing a face mask that resembles another human face.
Pictured is a group of people. Many of the people pictured are covered in white foam for Carnaval.
The foam attacks in Ambato

In general, student life is going well! I now feel adjusted to all of my classes; I’m even feeling a bit “confused”, as my schoolwork has slowed down a bit and I don’t know what all to do with my newly gained free time. I have also been talking more to local students, which has definitely helped me feel a bit more at-home. I even ride the bus home now with a local student after our History of Baroque Art class. She even has offered to teach me “Cuarenta”, which is a national Ecuadorian card game.

Alongside talking to my classmates, I have also begun to speak during classes, which has probably been the hardest part of my academic experience here. However, the encouragement that I’ve received through my classmates has been astronomical; there was even one time where a group of students verbally cheered me on while I was presenting a summarized interpretation of an artwork. 

Pictured is a section of my university. Here, I am on a second story terrace, where additional buildings and flowerpots are visible.
The mall-portion of campus
Pictured here is the on-campus pond. Visible is the pond, rocks surrounding the pond outline, and a blue sky.
My favorite part of campus
Pictured is me and another exchange student giving an impromptu presentation for our conversation class. In the photo, both of us are reacting to something that another classmate said.
Two exchange students giving a verbal presentation on “automotivación”

I am also really happy with how far my Spanish proficiency has progressed! Although it isn’t exactly perfect, it is a lot better since arriving in Ecuador, which is the important part! One thing that I have learned though, which has been a bit of a challenge, is that locals sometimes will be very blunt about their methods of encouragement. My host mom does a really great job of taking care of me, but she has made some comments about my speaking abilities, which between language barriers and cultural differences, has come off a bit hurtful. Approaching this has been a bit difficult, but knowing that she has my best interest at heart has really helped shift my perspective. 

¡Chao!

Cassie Klagge        

Breaking Past Boundaries

!Hola Desde Quito!

I am back and more enthusiastic than ever! During these past few weeks away from the blog, I’ve been able to find a good balance between university life and exploration, which has been a huge stress relief!  Sometimes, it can be very challenging trying to prioritize travel, especially when there are other obligations, but so far, I don’t have a single regret. Not only have I been able to explore more of Ecuador’s natural beauty, but I have also had the opportunity to push myself outside of my comfort zone while showing my adventurous side.

One of my first adventures since my last blog was taking a spontaneous trip with a group of exchange friends to visit the Historical Center of Quito. This was a very fun experience, as we were able to go at our own pace and choose how to go about our exploration. Our first stop of the day was to “Centro de arte contemporaneo”, which is a museum that showcases various forms of contemporary art. Overall, I really enjoyed this museum and what it had to offer, especially the exhibits portraying climate preservation and Indigenous artwork. In the museum, there was also an option to travel to the top level, where there was an amazing view of the residential area of the Historical Center. I, along with my friend Nati, also probably had a bit too much fun in the kid center, where we made a colorful piece of art; try to guess which side belongs to which artist!         

This is an artwork found in a contemporary art museum. It is of a giant face that is made of other smaller faces. The material used for this artwork is metal
One of many artworks found in the “Centro de arte contemporaneo”
This is another artwork found in the contemporary art museum. It is of a wire person attached to leaves, birds, the sun, and the moon. This artwork is an Indigenous piece.
An Indigenous artwork
This picture shows a sky view from the contemporary art building. It is composed of many buildings, bright blue skies, and puffy clouds
Sky View from the art museum
This is a photo drawn by Nati and I. It depicts the sea, but with birds, a ship, Ariel, and an airplane.
Nati’s and I’s masterpiece    

After our time at the “Centro de arte contemporaneo”, we traveled to the nearby church “Basílica del voto nacional”. This church was outstanding! Not only is the architecture gorgeous, but it also has a unique feature of letting the public climb to the top of its towers. This was a bit scary for me, as the main method of climbing is using a single staircase that exists on the outside of the building. However, after some self-convincing (along with friendly support from my friends), I was able to climb to the top and have never felt more proud! From this position, I had a great viewpoint of both the residential area and the nearby mountains. It is also interesting to hear how loudly some residents play their music, as I was being serenaded to “Funky Town” almost 400 feet above ground level. 

Pictured is the front of “Basílica del voto nacional”. This church is grey, has many towers and is surrounded by blue sky.
The front of the Basílica
Pictured is the inside of “Basílica del voto nacional”. In the church is very tall stained glass and lots of gold decor.
The inside of the Basílica

Pictured is another stained glass window as light is shining through. This light is brightening up the colored portions of the stained glass

Light going through a stained glass window

Pictured is a sky view from one of the “Basílica del voto nacional” towers. Here, there are many buildings, a green mountain, blue sky, and white clouds.
Viewpoint of Historical center from Basílica’s tower
Pictured is me smiling in one of the towers. Behind me are the two tower clocks of “Basílica del voto nacional”. Both towers appear grey and have giant clocks that read different times. The behind sky is blue with some clouds
Me after climbing the Basílica tower

On another separate day in February, another group of friends and I took a trip to “Museo de cera ‘Alberto Mena Caamaño’” for our Ecuadorian culture class. Here, we learned about the history of Ecuador’s independence, leading up to its formation as a singular republic. This museum illustrated the history through information boards and wax figures, which I thought was very intriguing! However, there was one part of the museum that mimicked a graphic war scene in a dungeon, which was a little too gory for my taste. My favorite fun fact from this exhibit centers around the resemblance that Ecuador’s flag shares with Columbia and Venezuela. At one point, these countries made up the republic of Gran Colombia; when this republic disbanded, that led to the formation of each country, resulting in similar flag patterns to that of Gran Colombia. 

Pictured are wax figures depicting the early history of Ecuador's fight towards independence. Here, there are four wax figured men in an office thinking about their next strategical move
Wax figures depicting Ecuador’s early fight for independence
Pictures are glass figurines of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. Jesus is laying on the ground while Mary and Joseph are in awe of him.
Glass figurines of Mary and Joseph
Pictured is a wooden carving of Ecuador's shape. The photo has a few historical figures painted onto the sign
Cool carving of Ecuador
Pictured is me smiling with three of my friends. We are all outside of the Wax museum's courtyard
My friends and I after visiting the wax museum

Probably my favorite excursion in Ecuador thus far has been hiking mount Pichincha! This mountain trail takes about 4 hours to hike up (as it is very uphill), and about 1.5 hours to hike down. In order to get to this trail, I had to take a teleférico, which resembles a cable car traveling above ground. I will not lie; this part was a bit scary, as heights are something that I try to avoid. This trip, however, is about pushing my boundaries, which has now given me a very memorable experience. On the car ride up, I realized that I had forgotten to pack snacks (silly me), so I ended up buying a sandwich at a nearby cafe. The hike itself was very interesting, as it transitioned from a mountain path to a form of safe rock climbing to a giant sand hill (which was my least favorite part). Even though doing this hike in white Nike running shoes was a very bad idea, it was definitely worth it, as the viewpoint was outstanding! I also enjoyed the quality bonding time I had with the group I went with, as I definitely made new friendships on this trip! 

Pictured is view of Quito from the Pichincha trail. All of the buildings are very faint, as it is a very far away pciture.
View of Quito from early parts of Pichincha trail
Pictured is part of the Pichincha trail. It is a dirt path with wild grass growing along it. Further parts of the trail are visible on the terrain with bright blue sky and clouds
Trail of Pichincha
Pictured is me smiling as I am near the top of the Pichincha trail. Beyond me are a lot of rocks and far away mountains with a cloudy sky
Me close to the top of Pichincha trail
Pictured is my friends and I after hiking the Pichincha trail. In the photo, we are all smiling with the trail, mountains, and sky in the background
Us ready to take on Pichincha

!Chao!

Cassie Klagge

Exploring The Depths of Ecuador (And University Life Too)

Hola desde Quito!

In my last blog, I mentioned something about “fun surprises”. Well, I was in for probably the “most fun” of these surprises when I learned that the start of classes was pushed back a week due to a university-wide cyberattack. Upon hearing this news, I felt super relieved, as this meant that I had an additional week to become adjusted to Ecuadorian lifestyle and to improve my Spanish before heading onto campus. This additional week would also serve as a great opportunity to become acquainted with other international students and to explore the natural beauty of Ecuador without having the pressure to focus on academic obligations. Us international students were very blessed as USFQ had arranged a full week of fun activities, such as paying soccer/volleyball, learning traditional Hispanic dances, watching a preservation documentary about the Amazon, and visiting geographically unique locations.

Pictured is me smiling and looking eager, as I am ready to take on Ecuador!
My eager face as I enter my first        full week of being in Ecuador.
Pictured are two of my international friends, who are holding hands and rhythmically stepping, are trying to learn the steps to Salsa dancing.
Two of my international friends learning Salsa.
Pictured are about thirty international students that are grouped together to take a group photo.
Just a small portion of the USFQ international students.

Of these activities, my personal favorite was traveling to Mitad Del Mundo, which translates to “middle of the world”. Its name is a direct translation of its geography, as it is located exactly on the equator. Although there are other locations that also lay on the equator, Ecuador’s elevation is significantly higher, making it the closest landmark to the center of Earth. As a science major, it was extremely interesting learning how physical forces behave differently at the center of the equator vs. other locations! To “prove” this behavior, we did many interactive activities that dealt with gravity and balance. My personal favorite was trying to balance an egg on a nail, even though I was very much not successful. I was very ambitious to be successful, however, as I wanted both bragging rights and the “egg master” certificate. I may have not gotten the certificate, but I did get my passport stamped there, which was both an unsuspected and pleasant surprise.

Pictured is me holding an egg. In this photo I am trying to balance this egg on a lone-standing nail.
My trying to balance my precious egg.
Pictured is one of my friends who was able to balance an egg on a lone-standing nail. In the picture, she is giving a thumbs up as her egg is supporting itself on the nail.
What it looks like to actually balance the egg and become an egg master.
Pictured is a very tall museum building that is made of stone. On top of this museum is a big circular ball, which is one of the most popular attractions at Mitad del Mundo
One of many learning centers present at Mitad del Mundo.

While visiting Mitad del Mundo, my friends and I also visited Museo Iniñan, which is an interactive museum meant to illustrate the traditional lifestyle of Amazonian and Andean indigenous tribes. My favorite part of this museum was being able to tour previously inhabited indigenous houses, which were present many years prior to the exhibit’s construction. I also found it very interesting how guinea pigs were commonly relied on to determine personal health and spiritual energy.

Prior to knowing this, my tour group was asked to walk into one of the traditional houses, where, to none of our knowledge, there were guinea pigs present. Since they didn’t make any noise throughout our duration in the house, it meant that we had good energy, which I will definitely take as a compliment! Lastly, I found the animal species of the Amazon really interesting, but a bit scary. At this museum, they had a replica BABY tarantula, which is by far the biggest spider that I have ever seen; I don’t know if I ever want to see a grown Amazonian tarantula!     

Pictured is a replica of an Ecuadorian indigenous tribe member. The statue is wearing a long white skirt and holding a shrunken head.
Replica of an Ecuadorian                      indigenous tribe member
Pictures is an exhibit showing the diverse wildlife that is native to the Amazon. Some notable animals include a very large baby tarantula, and extremely narrow fish, and an anaconda.
Some of the Amazon’s diverse             wildlife (including the baby                                  tarantula).

These past few weeks I have really enjoyed getting to know my international peers! On Sundays, a group of us get together to play soccer in La Carolina. This has been a very enjoyable experience, as I’ve never really played soccer before, even at the recreational level. One of the guys (Jack), has been helping me learn, which has been so beneficial! After about two weeks of practicing, I think I have improved so much! I even scored my first goal this past Sunday, which felt so good! My personal favorite thing to do on the field is play defense, as I just really like stealing the ball. Hopefully I can take these new soccer skills back to the U.S! I will say, however, the thought of leaving my friends behind in May is already so sad to me!

Pictured is me and 6 of my international friends. We are sitting in a mall and enjoying some bubble tea and ice cream
My friends and I enjoying some                                 sweets

As it is the end of January, I have completed my first week of classes! I have never felt so overwhelmed, proud, and content in one week. The main thing that I struggled with was determining whether my classes were too easy or too linguistically challenging for me, as all of my classes are in Spanish. Due to this, I have switched most of my schedule around to accommodate for each of these areas.

For the most part, I am now content with my schedule, but I am still a little stressed, as I haven’t yet attended three of the four classes that are currently on my schedule. It has also been a little intimidating trying to talk in classes that have native Ecuadorian students, as they are very linguistically advanced in Spanish! However, all of my encounters with native students have been very positive and I plan to talk to more natives/try to form friendships within the next coming weeks! Heading into February, I feel a little uneasy, but very hopeful that everything academically will work out!

Pictured is me taking a mirror pic in my bathroom. I am showing off my first day of school outfit, which is just a black top and white pants.
First day of school fit!
Pictured is my university's on-campus pond. In the photo, there is the pond itself that is surrounded by many palm trees.
The on-campus pond at                      USFQ

Chao,
Cassie Klagge

Growing Pains

¡Hola desde Quito! 

Wow! Reflecting on this past week has been such an emotional rollercoaster. Since beginning my departure process into Ecuador, I have had the wonderful opportunity to learn a few things about myself, specifically within the realms of adaptability, vulnerability, and patience. From navigating various international airports and becoming exposed to a culture that is foreign to my own, I have (for the most part) experienced pure enjoyment, with a little bit of “fun surprise” thrown in the mix. 

Morning Skyline View of Oregon

I give myself a gold star for getting through the transportation process to Ecuador! The flights themselves weren’t too troublesome, but they more or less represented a monumental milestone within my self-development. I knew that saying goodbye to my friends, family, and Oregon would be hard, as they are my entire support system. However, I didn’t expect myself to be overcome with so much emotion when looking at Oregon’s overhead view from my seat. So far in my journey, that has been the hardest part. This, for me, was my reality check that I was leaving. 

Once reaching Los Angeles for my second flight, my mindset had switched and I was now very excited to first reach Miami, then board onto my third flight into Ecuador. In Miami, I was finally able to board my plane, where I met three other students who happened to also be studying abroad at USFQ. This part of my flight was really reassuring, as I now had some familiar faces for when school began. Once I had finally arrived in Quito, I met up with my host mom (who is so sweet!). I toured my new home for the next four months, took a very much needed shower, and went to bed as I had been functioning on almost two days’ worth of no sleep.

City lights of Quito at night as seen from a hill.
Nighttime view of Quito

 

 

 

 

Police on horseback patrolling tree-lined streets.
Police Patrol In La Carolina

Although I am now secure within my new home, there have been some challenges with adjusting to the Ecuadorian lifestyle. As I am not entirely fluent in Spanish and still have so much to learn, communicating with my host family and locals has been a bit of a struggle, resulting in a lot of frustration. However, as I have been in Ecuador for about a week now, I have already seen a massive improvement with my verbal comprehension skills! Some things that have really helped within this realm have been making small talk with locals/other international students, asking clarifying questions so that I know I heard the right thing, and watching shows/movies in Spanish. Right now, my host mom and I are watching “los Cien”, which is a very intense show! 

For the most part, I think that I am adjusting to the everyday Ecuadorian lifestyle pretty well! I have really enjoyed using the Ecuadorian bus system and becoming familiar with Quito’s geography! One of my favorite places to explore is “Parque La Carolina”, which is said to be the equivalent to New York’s “Central Park”. Another place that I would love to visit again is the historic center of Quito, which has a rich history of churches, government buildings, and private vendors. I have also enjoyed trying the different types of traditional Ecuadorian cuisine! Some of the dishes that I’ve tried including pan de yuca, choclo con huevos (which has been my favorite so far), and humita. Another thing to note is that the coffee down here is absolutely amazing! I have even had the ability to try chocolate-covered coffee beans from the Amazon, which were so enjoyable! Overall, Ecuadorian food is simple, but very tasty! I will definitely not go hungry while abroad!

A life-size nativity scene at a historical center in Quito, Ecuador.
(A small portion of) a huge nativity scene in the historic center of Quito
Food court in Historic center of Quito
Food court in Historic center of Quito
A plate of Choclo con huevos in Quito, Ecuador.
Choclo con huevos

 

Chao,

Cassie Klagge

Semana Santa en Ecuador

Semana Santa or “Holy Week” is a time of religious practices but also cultural festivities. During the days leading up to Easter, it’s custom for families to gather this week to eat Fanesca which is a traditional soup served in this season. Fanesca is made with 12 different types of beans to represent the 12 apostles, and it’s considered a very complex dish. It’s a whole ordeal to make and not everyone makes it well, so it’s custom that the same person makes it each year. I had the opportunity to eat it twice this year since every family eats it on a different day and I was invited by two classmates. A lot of people don’t like fanesca and sometimes it’s even a debate among Ecuadorians if it’s good or not. I personally really liked it and I’m sad I likely won’t eat it again. 

For Easter break, we only had one day off which was surprising to me since in other Catholic countries it’s a bigger deal and they get more than a week off. For the weekend I had plans to go to the coast with some friends, however, plans fell through 5 days before and I was left with nothing to do.

Thankfully, my best friend Sofia is very adventurous and we agreed we would take a spontaneous trip. Sofia is from New Jersey and she’s the international student I spend most of my time with. For this trip, we flew to Cuenca which is a beautiful colonial city to the south of Quito. While here, we spent our days going to museums, eating traditional food and simply walking around. I loved this break and it was super relaxing since Cuenca isn’t as busy and hectic as Quito and there’s not much going on. Although we flew in alone, while there, we found a group of students from our University in Ecuador and we became a little group. Overall, I think Cuenca is the most beautiful city I’ve visited in Ecuador and I’m super thankful that I was able to make good plans so quickly. 

Un abrazo,

Salma Galvan

 

 

Pictured is a bowl of soup that is a creamy texture and yellow color with boiled eggs on top
Fanesca
a picture of Cuenca, a colonial town from above, you can see trees and white buildings with copper toned roofs
Cuenca from above
An Ecuadorian meal which included pasta, fries, a salad and an appetizer of mote (maiz)
Eating good in Cuenca
picture of ingredients and a molcajete used for making a spicy salsa
Making Aji (hot salsa) in Cuenca
a Building that appears European in architecture, with Ecuadorian flags on it
The streets of Cuenca
a white building that looks like European architecture
Buildings in Cuenca
A picture of me ( a girl in a yellow patterned dress) with buildings in the background
Me at the Cathedral

 

Exams and Educational Events at Uni

These last few weeks have been very stressful since we are preparing for exam season to commence. During midterms, every class had an exam, and there weren’t projects or essays. However, for the end of the semester, it’s more essays and final projects such as group presentations or videos. We are currently seeing less content in classes as we prepare to turn in our finals.

If you take classes with Ecuadorians it’s a much different experience than taking classes with international students. Not only is the difficulty level higher, but it’s already hard enough to focus and do everything completely in Spanish. I generally like my classes with Ecuadorians much more than my classes with international students. The cons are that they are harder and there’s more homework. On the other hand, I feel that I learn more and that it’s more engaging and interesting than classes with international students. This is definitely something that depends on the level though and I’m a native speaker so I need more challenging classes as far as language goes. 

An amazing part of USFQ is that they have themed weeks with corresponding events. For example, one week was diversity week and they had several activities, performances, and events that were hosted by diverse individuals including but not limited to race, sexual orientation, country, etc. During this week, I went to the book release event of an Ecuadorian activist and author. The activist was Purita, a trans woman who was one of the most influential figures in passing the law to decriminalize being LGBTQ in Ecuador. This was an amazing individual to listen to, and this is just one example of the way USFQ hosts interesting and educational events outside of the classroom. 

It’s super exciting to be nearing the end of the semester and being done with school but it’s also stressful because it means the end of my experience is coming. It’s disappointing that classes and leaving are so closely correlated because it’s impossible to be carefree and enjoy the end because there is so much to do.

To be honest, I feel that I haven’t explored all the places I want to, but I also think I’ve had a very authentic Ecuadorian experience. I study, I go out, I hang out with Ecuadorians, and I love the life I’m currently living. I haven’t seen all the cool things a tourist might, but I’m very happy with my choices. As the next few weeks approach, I will definitely work hard to manage my time to ensure that I’m able to maintain good grades while enjoying my last days here. 

Until next time,
Salma Galvan

Pictured is a green organized courtyard
Views at Uni
pictured are desks in a classroom
Classrooms at Uni
pictured is a lake that is at the University with lots of vegetation around it
The Lagoon at USFQ
pictured is Quito at night, you can see lights and buildings
The view from my host family’s apartment
Pictured is an event with students sitting in rows hearing a speaker
Purita’s presentation
pictured is a rainy dark street with cars driving by
The rainy and busy streets of Quito