After many hours of flights and even more hours of training, I’ve arrived in the lovely city of Cuenca in the province of Azuay in Ecuador! Its cool weather and friendly locals have left a positive first impression, and I’m excited to be able to call this place my home for the next few months.

As I prepare for this upcoming journey, it’s important to highlight the importance of visiting other cultures in order to learn, rather than to “help” or “save”. In the past week of training, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about the idea of “apoyar” vs. “ayudar” — or, in English, “supporting” rather than “helping”. I’m living in Cuenca not to change the world, or improve an impovershed country — in fact, Cuenca is a rather developed city, and doesn’t need an abundance of outside volunteers. However, there are many valuable things that come from living in a culture far different than your own — I’d like to share a few things I’m excited to be able to do in the next few months!

• To learn what it means to be a part of another culture. I’ve lived in the United States for my whole life — this is an opportunity for me to see the world from a different point of view: the view of a Cuencano.

• To gain work experience in another language. To have another language is to possess a second soul — Charlemagne. Living and working in a Spanish-speaking country will allow me the unique opportunity to practice and adjust my language skills, espeically in a workplace environment.

• To be an extra pair of hands and an extra thinking mind for the internship placement (soon to be determined) that I’ll be volunteering with and running a project for — to support the agency in any way that I can.

• To represent American culture to Cuencanos that I meet. I’m here as sort of an ambassador for American teenagers!

• To gain a new perspectives about the world as a whole. I’ll be meeting a variety of new people, and incorporating many new things into my daily life. Hopefully, I’ll be able to see the world in a new way as well.

I’m very excited for everything new that is coming! I’ll be meeting my host family tomorrow, and I’m excited to continue sharing this story and all of these exciting changes with all of you.