Alayna and the Wonders of Ecuador

Language barriers -Overwhelming sometimes -Speaking Spanish most parts of the day Previous expectations -Being tired after traveling -Unfamiliarity can be difficult sometimes when things aren’t what you expect them to be -Didn’t expect them to be so frugal Food -Trying something different every day -Lots of desserts (ice cream) -different fruits -different juices Greater significance of trip -Broaden horizons -new appreciation for life -appreciation for different cultures -trying to not automatically believe stereotypes -gained more sympathy for all people -opening doors for opportunities in the future Comparison to US -People aren’t in a rush -Crazy weather -different, colorful flowers -markets -Different foods -People in Cuenca don’t drink water Adapting/coping -Feel homesick when frustrated -Feeling more confident after experiencing new...

Meghan Othart Interview Transcription Alayna: Okay, today is Thursday, June 7 th , 2018 and I will be speaking with Meghan Othart about her experience so far in Ecuador. Thank you for talking with me. Meghan: No problem. Alayna: Um, how long have you been in Ecuador? Meghan: I arrived in Ecuador from New Mexico on May 24 th so it’s been about…I think…two weeks, more or less, um…yeah, two weeks. Alayna: And, so what parts of Ecuador have you visited so far? Meghan: So, we started out in Quito, which is the capital of Ecuador, which was really cool, um, now we’re in Cuenca, which is I think a totally different atmosphere in terms of like, the speed of…anything here. Like, a lot of people don’t seem to be in a rush, it’s a little more relaxed, um, Quito seemed a little bit more fast paced, um, possibly a little more dangerous at night. It seems like there were a little bit more people out and we were told definitely not to go out past 11. Um…I also visited with o...