April 27, 2012
Hey! Looks like I´m sticking to the once a month blog posts...oops! Well since last time I wrote we have accomplished so much. We did what, in my opinion, was the hardest physical challenge of the trip : The Santa Cruz Trek. It was a six day backpacking trip that came with quite the amount of challenges. The greatest challenge that we all faced was the flooding in the Cordillera Blanca, where the path is. The floods and intense rains had washed out most of the path, forcing us to scale mountain sides and walk through flooded and muddy areas. Despite all the challenges, it was one of the most amazing things I have ever accomplished. When we summited the pass at above 15, 000 feet above sea level, we were all encompassed in the most amazing sense of accomplishment we had ever felt. After the Santa Cruz trek, we had only a few days to prepare for the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. We moved into Cusco, Peru, which is SUCH a beautiful place, to have classes and get ready for our 4 day trek. Machu Picchu was also the parent trip, so I got to see my MOMMY! It was so amazing to see her for the first time in 2 months, and it felt like a dream! It was also so incredible to hike Machu Picchu with her, and there was the most breathtaking sight at the Sungate. After the trek ended, my mom unfortunately had to go home, ): After all the parents left, we had some more classes in Cusco, and then headed off to Lake Titicaca! We visited the floating islands on this massive lake, and also did a homestay with a family for the night. We went to a fiesta all dressed up in indigenous dress and it was so fun. After that, we headed off to cross the border to Bolivia! We are now on the other side of Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, and the reality of the end of the semester is now scary! We are staying in another hostal and having a ton of classes and preparing for our finals. I come home in 2 and a half weeks and I could not be more excited to see everyone in Boulder. I love and miss you all and cannot wait to see you!!!
Lots of love,
Sarah
Friday, April 27, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
March 26, 2012
Wow. So much has happened in the last month. Once again I havent had much time on the internet, so this is unfortunately the only time i havr to write all the amazing things that have happened since february 24th. Right after I wrote my last blog, we went to our homestays in Agualongo, a tiny village in the mountains of Ecuador. It was the most amazing and life chaning experience for me to date. I lived with my host mother, lauram host father, felipe, and 9 brothers and sisters. I loved every single one of them. They really changed my perpesctive on things with how much they appreciate life. While we were there, we participated in something called a minga, which is a time where everyone in the community gets together for a work projet. Our project was roofing their community center. It was so awesome to see everyone get together and work on something all day. After the minga, they awarded us with a delicacy, cuy (guiniea pig). It was.....interesting tasting...but i am very glad i tried it! Even some of the vegetarian girls in my group tried it, it was so awesome. We left the community after a week, and it was really hard to say goodbye to everyone. I miss my host family a lot, they were such a sense of comfort to me when we were in such a hard situation. After that, we entered the Amazon rainforest! The rainforest was the coolest experience of my life. We stayed at a variety of lodges, including two right on the Napo River. We went on day hikes, night hikes, and everthing in between. We had two amazing guides, Jerson and Cesar, and they taught us so much about all the crazy animals and plants in the Amazon. At one point, to get to our new lodge, we tubed down the Napo! It was so crazy. We also went white water rafting which was also so scary but so much fun. I loved every minute in the Amazon, even after 6 days without washing our dirty clothes (: After our rainforest trek, we went to Guayaquil for our midterms.Our hostal in Guayaquil was right in the city and right by the ocean, and evern though it was hard to concentrate, we got through our mnidterms! We then set off to the Galapagos! The Galapagos Islands are impossible to fully describe. They are the most amazing, lush, interesting, diverse islands I have ever seen. We stayed on a boat for 8 days, moving from island to island every day with our amazing guide katty. We went on multiple hikes and snorkeled every single day. We swam with sharks, sea turtles, sea lions, eagle rays, manta rays, fish, and PENGUINS! The first time I saw a penguin in the water was the most amazing experience! They are so cute and I love them so much. Anyway, that trip was again so amazing and mindblowing. We then got to celebrate three birthdays in a row! A teacher, Allegra, my friend Emily, and then me! It was really fun having them all so close. On my birthday we unfortunately were on the bus all day on our way to peru, but its not every year you get to spend your birthday in two amazing countries. We made it to peru yesterday finally! Now we are staying at another hostal getting used to the 10,000 foot elevation and getting ready for our treks! Our first trek, the Santa Cruz Trek, is so soon and i am so excited for it. I hope to have internet afterwards so i can describe how amazing it was. I love you and miss you all!!!
Sarah
Wow. So much has happened in the last month. Once again I havent had much time on the internet, so this is unfortunately the only time i havr to write all the amazing things that have happened since february 24th. Right after I wrote my last blog, we went to our homestays in Agualongo, a tiny village in the mountains of Ecuador. It was the most amazing and life chaning experience for me to date. I lived with my host mother, lauram host father, felipe, and 9 brothers and sisters. I loved every single one of them. They really changed my perpesctive on things with how much they appreciate life. While we were there, we participated in something called a minga, which is a time where everyone in the community gets together for a work projet. Our project was roofing their community center. It was so awesome to see everyone get together and work on something all day. After the minga, they awarded us with a delicacy, cuy (guiniea pig). It was.....interesting tasting...but i am very glad i tried it! Even some of the vegetarian girls in my group tried it, it was so awesome. We left the community after a week, and it was really hard to say goodbye to everyone. I miss my host family a lot, they were such a sense of comfort to me when we were in such a hard situation. After that, we entered the Amazon rainforest! The rainforest was the coolest experience of my life. We stayed at a variety of lodges, including two right on the Napo River. We went on day hikes, night hikes, and everthing in between. We had two amazing guides, Jerson and Cesar, and they taught us so much about all the crazy animals and plants in the Amazon. At one point, to get to our new lodge, we tubed down the Napo! It was so crazy. We also went white water rafting which was also so scary but so much fun. I loved every minute in the Amazon, even after 6 days without washing our dirty clothes (: After our rainforest trek, we went to Guayaquil for our midterms.Our hostal in Guayaquil was right in the city and right by the ocean, and evern though it was hard to concentrate, we got through our mnidterms! We then set off to the Galapagos! The Galapagos Islands are impossible to fully describe. They are the most amazing, lush, interesting, diverse islands I have ever seen. We stayed on a boat for 8 days, moving from island to island every day with our amazing guide katty. We went on multiple hikes and snorkeled every single day. We swam with sharks, sea turtles, sea lions, eagle rays, manta rays, fish, and PENGUINS! The first time I saw a penguin in the water was the most amazing experience! They are so cute and I love them so much. Anyway, that trip was again so amazing and mindblowing. We then got to celebrate three birthdays in a row! A teacher, Allegra, my friend Emily, and then me! It was really fun having them all so close. On my birthday we unfortunately were on the bus all day on our way to peru, but its not every year you get to spend your birthday in two amazing countries. We made it to peru yesterday finally! Now we are staying at another hostal getting used to the 10,000 foot elevation and getting ready for our treks! Our first trek, the Santa Cruz Trek, is so soon and i am so excited for it. I hope to have internet afterwards so i can describe how amazing it was. I love you and miss you all!!!
Sarah
Friday, February 24, 2012
February 24
Hello all! So sorry I havent been ableto blog at all, things have been quite hectic and I havent had a lot of time on the internet. also please excuse the lack of punctuation, this keyboard is really weird. Anyway! this trip has already been such an experience. we started out at Hacienda Guachala, a hostel in Cayambe, Ecuador. There we got to know each other and get used to our lives for the next three and a hlaf months. We did so many cool things there as well,. such as day hikes, a visit to a rose plantation, a day in the capital city Quito (my favorite), and we also taught kids at the local elementary school spanish. Teaching the kids was SO fun. We played so many games and got to know all of them. They were so adorable. After the first two weeks, we packed up and headed to Otavalo, a beautiful city in Ecuador. We have also spent a lot of time in the could forest, the most breath taking views i have ever seen. One day we went on an 8 hour hike in the forest! It was so hard but so worth it in the end. I love all of the girls here and we are already so close. Im about to go to my homestay in another town, and i couldnt be mroe excited. hopefully i can blog about it later but for now i have to go! i love all of you and miss you bunches!
Hope to write soon!
Sarah (:
Hello all! So sorry I havent been ableto blog at all, things have been quite hectic and I havent had a lot of time on the internet. also please excuse the lack of punctuation, this keyboard is really weird. Anyway! this trip has already been such an experience. we started out at Hacienda Guachala, a hostel in Cayambe, Ecuador. There we got to know each other and get used to our lives for the next three and a hlaf months. We did so many cool things there as well,. such as day hikes, a visit to a rose plantation, a day in the capital city Quito (my favorite), and we also taught kids at the local elementary school spanish. Teaching the kids was SO fun. We played so many games and got to know all of them. They were so adorable. After the first two weeks, we packed up and headed to Otavalo, a beautiful city in Ecuador. We have also spent a lot of time in the could forest, the most breath taking views i have ever seen. One day we went on an 8 hour hike in the forest! It was so hard but so worth it in the end. I love all of the girls here and we are already so close. Im about to go to my homestay in another town, and i couldnt be mroe excited. hopefully i can blog about it later but for now i have to go! i love all of you and miss you bunches!
Hope to write soon!
Sarah (:
Monday, January 23, 2012
January 23
I am exactly one week away from leaving and my nerves can not be calmed down. I am so nervous yet so excited about so many things. Will the girls be nice? Will I be homesick? Overall I am so excited and nervous to see what I will encounter on this amazing trip. As of now I am trying to get the most out of this last week, spending as much time with friends and family as possible. I cannot wait.
I am exactly one week away from leaving and my nerves can not be calmed down. I am so nervous yet so excited about so many things. Will the girls be nice? Will I be homesick? Overall I am so excited and nervous to see what I will encounter on this amazing trip. As of now I am trying to get the most out of this last week, spending as much time with friends and family as possible. I cannot wait.
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