Trying new things

I am sitting in the sun, overlooking the city of Otovalo and Imbabura (a mountain).  We are arrived at the Rose Cottage cabanas today and now everyone is either chilling in hammocks, reading their summer reading (so responsible) or playing table tennis.  Life is good….

Hard to believe that we have been in Ecuador for a little over two weeks (and have a little less than two weeks to go!!!).  So far we have hiked near the Quilotoa crater, sampled a lot of rice, potatoes and chicken, gone white water rafting, done a jungle trek, been freaked out about spiders and bugs, seen some awesomemariposas, and laughed a lot.

Tomorrow we are going to head into Otovalo for the saturday market — which is a huge market (s0me of the kids are REALLY excited to go shopping).  Some of us will also go to the animal market earlier in the morning.  Then on Sunday we will be spending the day getting ready for a project — which will be at a school outisde of Cayambe — where we will be for close to a week.

It is great to hear the students expand their boundaries – to go from freaked out about bugs and buses and food to being able to navigate their way through bus terminals, speak to locals and get their needs met.  Everyone has pushed their boundaries in a good way – and we are reaping the benefits of thoughtful reflection and growth!  It is awesome to see folks trying new things — I even got cookies out of it (I bet a student that she would like white water rafting — she was convinced that she wouldn’t.  Guess who won?!)

Will post pictures when my internet connection allows for it…..