Hello everyone! Today your Líderes del Día are none other than Cammy and Bekah! We had an incredible experience today that was truly breathtaking, we hope you feel the same way.
Today, we faced the most physically tiring day of our whole trip, taking place at the quintessence of Riobamba. We trekked Chimborazo and el Bosque de Polylepis. If you didn’t already know, Chimborazo is a dormant volcano reaching above the clouds and covered in nieve (snow).
The crazy day began with a 6:30 am wake up call and breakfast at 7. We then took an hour and a half bus ride to the volcano, where we played a bonding game called “Most Likely To.” We then arrived to the first of our 3 stops at Chimborazo, where we used the loo (as Diego calls it) and purchased cozy items such as hats and gloves.
At the second of our three stops, we hiked for about 15 minutes to reach a historical pyramid, and this was the highest above sea level we had been throughout our whole trip (4800 m, or 15,700 feet up!) This hike, although short, was extremely tiring for our lungs, and upon arrival we were all out of breath. At this stop we learned about the story of Chimborazo and the influential people that form its history. Not to mention an amazing view, painful snowball fight and dynamic photo sesh brought to you in part by Jason.
The third and final stop was the most physically demanding, consisting of a 45 minute hike through the Polylepis forest. When we reached the top of our hike, we had an expansive view of the volcano and the surrounding flora (also a few vicuñas). Getting to the top was a surreal feeling. Filling our exhausted lungs with fresh air and taking in the gorgeous scenery was a great culmination of this whole journey we have been on. Although we were all exhausted, by implementing GG’s philosophy of courage, compassion, and commitment, we were able to overcome the challenge at hand and I was so proud of my fellow delegates.
To sum up Cammy’s description of the trip, I feel a quote from one of my favorite documentaries, 180° South, was my personal quote of the day. In this film, one of the men says, “I saw people putting themselves into places they weren’t supposed to be, and I thought to myself, I want to be there too.” To me, this quote shows the adventurous spirit that we were all able to partake in together, allowing ourselves to accomplish something wonderful and physically demanding as a group.
After summiting our own Chimborazo for the day (a gorgeous spot marking the point of our hike), we piled back into the bus for another half hour ride to a town called San Juan. It was here, at a restaurant called La Tertulia, where we enjoyed our lunch. It was a meal of quinoa and potato soup, beef, cheesy potatoes, and a side salad with cantaloupe for dessert. Once we finished, we hopped back on the bus, returning to our hostel for the day.
Upon arrival, the English tutoring groups immediately broke up to finish the lesson plans for our final class tomorrow evening. These plans consist of games and encouragement, as well as learning in a fun and interactive way. I am so proud of this delegation for the experiences we are bringing to the classroom and the memories we have made within them.
However, I know there is one thing many of us have been waiting for, and today, it happened. After sitting everyone down for dinner, I pulled out my speaker as Joselin pulled up our dramatic song of choice, the “Imperial March” from Star Wars. As dinner was being served, we dashed behind the kitchen wall, pulled ourselves together, and started the music. The entire room exploded into sound as we revealed the prize of the night, Ecuadorian cuisine known as Cuy, or Guinea Pig. While some were more eager than others, everyone who wanted to try it, did. I am continuously proud to be a part of a delegation so willing to try new things every single day. After all, it was a very interesting experience, and while it may not have “tasted (exactly) like chicken,” it was still one success to go down in our delegation’s history.
Overall, our day was filled with opportunities that were both physically and mentally challenging. By supporting each other, we have had one more amazing day in Ecuador filled with many memories and sights. As we look forward to our last two days here, it is certain that our time here will forever be a part of who we are.
Until tomorrow,
Bekah and Cammy
P.S. Happy Father’s Day and Happy (early) Birthday, Dad!! I love you so much and I cannot wait to tell you about everything!! ~Bekah
Bekah, you finally got to try the guinea pig dish you would tell me about months ago! It’s exciting to see your adventures, and I can’t wait to see the things you do next. Sending lots of love from home! – Mindy 🙂 <3
Sounds like an adventure of a life time. Who thought there would be snow??????
Enjoy your last day!
What fantastic experiences! We had guinea pig at a restaurant that also served homemade corn beer. There were guinea pigs running around the house. Luckily we didn’t have to pick out the pig we wanted to eat. Hiking at that altitude must have been quite a challenge. Kudos to all of you.
Bekahbug!!! So proud of you and can’t wait to hear about your adventures!!! I love you!!! So glad you are having fun xoxo
Increíble experiencia Sam! I love seeing you in the pictures, keep smiling! Abrazos mi amor ❤️
CAM! This looks so amazing!! Can’t wait to hear all of your stories when you get home, I miss you so much!!
Dear Bekah,
Well, this is your last night in Riobamba. I’m so glad you had this opportunity to experience a culture so different from your own.
The lessons, sights, smells, touches and friendships of Ecuador will stay with you your whole life. 🙂
I can’t wait to sit down with you and hear all about your adventures!
Just between you and I, I’ve been listening to Ecuadorian radio on the internet haha! Ask mom she’ll tell you lol.
Enjoy your last day there, I miss you and can’t wait to see you.
Godspeed to you my little ladybug ? see you soon.
I love you always,
Dad
It’s true he has been listening to Ecuadorian music. Haha!
I was wondering when or if you had eaten Cuy yet! I figure it’s no different then eating rabbit, which I’ve done here in the states. Yum!
How fun it must have been to go to the snow! It actually snowed in Tahoe last Monday… white out conditions! Crazy weather!
*Bekah.. Can’t wait to see you at the airport and to hear about your trip! You’ll laugh but I’ve got the countdown app going. 1 Day 7 hours 21 min and 45 sec until your flight lands! I love you!
Dear GG Moderator: thank-you for the opportunity to tone it down. I hope this post passes the audition!
We wrote:
We knew the Cuy was coming. We just didn’t expect the picture to be so…startling. The agonized expression on its face and the body position on the baking sheet…looking like a medium-well road kill. Lol. Let me guess, in the fine dining establishments they stage the Cuy to look as though it sun bathed in a rotisserie while eating a small apple. At this point, Keilana usually tells me to stop but only after adding to the image a small Cuy swimsuit made of parsley and a miniature bottle of olive oil in his paw. lol.
In all of your writings your camaraderie shined brightly…You wrote:
“Highlights of the day had been to get to explore the city, see people dress in their traditional outfits, and have time to get to know each other and nicely bond as a group.”
“Everybody did great and we had lots of fun, it was definitely a popular favorite amongst our group.”
“And it was so nice to see others care. Gracias to everyone for making it awesome!”
“Happy birthday Mari!”
“All of us have been working collaboratively on scheduling and making posters for Colegio Miguel Angel León school.”
“We are all very passionate and dedicated to this project and have been working very hard.”
“We all got completely soaked, which just added to the fun!”
“I always enjoy our meals because they give us a chance to talk to each other and become an even closer family.”
“By supporting each other, we have had one more amazing day in Ecuador.”
“With its slightly run-down buildings and bumpy cobblestone streets, Riobamba feels more intriguing and, in a way, more real. (We just liked this quote by Tatyana.)”
“Her warm heart, open arms, and touching story moving many of us to tears.”
“In our nicest clothes, and everyone speaking in Spanish, we presented our plans to build a Glorieta for the students at the school’s farm.”
“There was a lightness in the air that carried into the classrooms…It was hard to tell if the majority of the excitement in the air was from them or from us!”
“It was go-time. We only had an hour to complete our English plans, which meant an hour of sheer resilience and manpower to complete the plan as well as the materials that we needed for the day.”
“It was an extremely heartwarming and eye opening part of the experience because the enthusiastic students allowed us to see the true benefits of our CAP project. Their fervor and energy motivated us to work even harder!”
“At times we found the work strenuous and tiresome, but we always kept our spirits high.”
“Our takeaway was that while it was a challenge to complete all the days’ tasks and stay motivated and energized in building the glorieta, it would all be worth it in the end for us, the students, and the community!”
“Today, the world changed, because we’ve all changed ourselves for the better. By immersing ourselves in a different culture in a different country, we have all become more compassionate, committed, and courageous.”
“Gradually everyone was on their feet, swaying to the music and sharing a moment dedicated to gratitude.”
“The moments we shared with everyone at the school created a sense of family that made the work we put in these few days not seem like work at all.”
“After breakfast, we played a get-to-know-you game in the dewy grass.”
“To distract ourselves from the enormous weight, we sang songs from Mulan and Moana.”
“On the mountain, we sang songs from the Sound of Music and took lots of crazy pictures in remembrance of our last themed day.”
“Overall, the day was very powerful and we learned a lot about the luxuries that we are accustomed to at home.”
“We played a bonding game called ‘Most Likely To.’”
“We were able to overcome the challenge at hand and I was so proud of my fellow delegates.”
“Shows the adventurous spirit that we were all able to partake in together, allowing ourselves to accomplish something wonderful and physically demanding as a group.”
“I am so proud of this delegation for the experiences we are bringing to the classroom and the memories we have made within them.”
“I am continuously proud to be a part of a delegation so willing to try new things every single day.”
“I can say one thing is that I love my delegation and would not trade them for anyone else, as the times that we were together are special and belonged only to us.”
Nellie and I postulated on the question of what makes this group so cohesive. Was it the San Mateo Park meeting Lauren and Jason hosted? Did GG filter groups according to their social development? Do Lowell students really get it somehow? Lol. Was it just plain Luck?
The immediate answer is that each of you in this group are uniquely intelligent, open and most importantly, caring individuals. We think you bonded together while transcending to a higher level of understanding. You’ve changed together. It’s inevitable once you’ve experienced the feeling of believing in a common goal outside of yourselves as individuals. It’s as if you’ve glimpsed a higher truth, discovered it for yourselves and together.
After you come home, you may ask yourself, “Was it real?” Remember the nightly reflection sessions, the mealtime joy, the walks through town, the moments of silent reflection and you will have no doubts.
Reach out on Facebook, Instagram, Snap Chat, Twitter, Tumbler, text, etc. lol and you will find, as if by psychic connection, that you’re fellow delegates also feel different and see things in a different light.
This comes from your shared experience of rapture at the beauty of the world, at the joy for the noble possibilities in human nature and for the discovery of the simple and obvious necessities for a good and better world…
Well done, Global Glimpsers. Safe travels on your journey home.