Saying Goodbye

I'm a fairly nostalgic person, and I truly believe that each person that I've met in my life has affected who I am in some way, even if that effect is tiny. Sometimes, I even get sad at the idea that's I'll never see a waitress at a restaurant again if she was a particularly good waitress. Life is all about relationships.

The last day of school was really fun, but saying goodbye to the community of Cahuazhun Grande was a little hard for me. Because of the different perception of time and structure in the community, many children left at random times of the day, especially if they weren't participating in the soccer games that were planned for the last day. I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to my four-year-old friend Mateo because he left right away while I was still in class with the older kids, and it was rather heartbreaking. Luckily, I got to spend time and take photos with the kids in my class and watch a few good games of fútbol. I even found out that the oldest kids really did like Sam, Deirdre and I, despite their adolescent attitudes throughout the two weeks. One girl, Mercy, even said she would miss us. I'll never forget how the students would excitedly wait for each day when we arrived. We were all showered with hugs and beckons to play games; the children will filled with so much love.

I appreciate my time at Cahuazhun Grande so much. I got to spend so much time with nature, learn about the Andean way of life, and share little pieces of home when my class asked me about myself. Not only did it teach me so many beautiful things about rural Ecuadorian culture, but it also made me realize that I enjoy spending time and working with children. Furthermore, I got to exercise my knowledge of the Spanish language, something that always makes me feel like I've grown academically and personally. My days in Cahuazhun Grande at El Centro Educativo Miguel Ignacio Cordero are an experience that I'll always carry with me.