Predeparture

Well, I think I'm ready... 

After packing over the course of 5 days (procrastinator, I know) my suitcase weight is just under the 50 lb. limit, my backpack is about to burst, and my mind is running wild. 

Tomorrow afternoon, I will be leaving to spend a month in Ecuador through Penn State's Teaching English as a Second Language certification program. We will be staying in Quito for the first few days, then will spend the remainder of our stay in a town called Otavalo. There, I will be staying with a host family and teaching English to 9- and 10-year-old students in the community - all of whom have little to no knowledge of the language! 

Our first stop, Quito (Ecuador's capital)
Majority of our time will be in the town of Otavalo (North of Quito)

While I am excited beyond words, I am also nervous! How do I walk into a classroom and start teaching...to students who don't speak English? Will my host family and I get along? What if I don't like the food? (Ecuador does not have American peanut butter. I'm a little concerned.) Will everything I learned in high school Spanish classes come back to me? I sure hope so!

Though I have some minor anxieties, I cannot wait to be on my way and begin this trip of a lifetime! I'll try to blog here frequently to keep you updated on my travels and experiences. Can't wait to share my stories and pictures with you!

Hasta la próxima...

To learn more about this Ecuador experience program, visit: Penn State Outreach.