"It's not moving on. It's not letting go. It's remembering the good .
It's cherishing those memories."

This past weekend was bittersweet. It was my last shift at work before leaving for 5 months. I absolutely LOVE my job. I don't think a lot of people can say that. I work as a caregiver for a man who has a developmental disability. He brings so much joy to my day that going to work actually makes me happier. I took him to visit his family this weekend which made it so much harder to quit. They were so nice, caring, and funny. They made me feel so welcome in their house that I almost felt like a part of their family.  It was such a good feeling to know that I was the one who brought them all together - I was happy that I could make everyone so happy. So when my shift ended Sunday night, I was a little sad. I even had to hold back tears. The trip was really good but made leaving that much harder. I don't know if I will ever have the opportunity to work with such an incredible guy! All in all, I am thankful for the experiences I had with him and the patience and laughter he has taught me to retain.

“A person needs at intervals to separate from family and companions
 and go to new places. One must go without
 familiars in order to be open to influences, to change.”

- Katharine Butler Hathaway

I have always been drawn to South America. The combination of the language, culture, geography, and the people, has deeply influenced my desire to travel there. I was thrilled when I found out I had the opportunity partake in a student exchange program in Ecuador. On January 2 I leave for Quito.

I feel like this experience will help me grow as a person; it will force my out of my comfort zone and push me to be more independent, trusting, and adaptable. It will give me a better understanding of different ways of life and how to deal with diversity.  

While in Ecuador, I will be completing a four month semester of studies at the university. Since classes are taught in the evening, I will be partaking in a volunteer program to help build houses for the poor or work in an orphanage during the morning. At the end of the four months I will be doing 3 weeks of volunteer work in the Galapagos.

I am getting more and more nervous about missing my family and friends, but at the same time, I cannot wait to be immersed in a completely new culture.