I embarked on a sixteen-day journey to Riobamba, Ecuador with an organization aimed to cultivate leaders of tomorrow through expanding their worldview. Throughout my experience, I taught English, helped a local school with improvement projects, and immersed myself in the indigenous culture. Although difficult, teaching English to native Spanish speakers was one of the most memorable moments of the trip. Having English as my first language and Cantonese as my second, Spanish was completely foreign to me. Due to the language barrier, I would constantly receive blank stares and puzzled looks of confusion after finishing each sentence of instructions. Initially, I was aggravated as to why my students were not obtaining the information, but I realized they were merely beginners and were not able to readily comprehend the information. Extremely disheartened, I thought to myself, “How can I help them understand?” Turning the table around, I asked myself, “If I were learning Spanish right now, what would be running through my mind?” Exuding kindness through patience and understanding, I changed the lesson plan and approached the process of teaching in the most simplified way with the aid of body language. Working one on one with them, they started to retain the information. Seeing the excitement on their faces when they comprehended what was said made me extremely hopeful for their journey of learning. I know fixing world problems is easier said than done. I can’t change the world, but I can try to make a difference, no matter how small, by cultivating new ideas, understanding, and awareness locally or globally.
2023 Trips
- JA1A-BAY: Jarabacoa 6-2-2023
- RB1A-BAY: Riobamba 6-5-2023
- T1A-BAY: Turrialba 6-6-2023
- JA2A-BAY: Jarabacoa 6-7-2023
- C1A-CHI: Constanza 6-9-2023
- RB2A-CHI: Riobamba 6-12-2023
- T2A-BAY: Turrialba 6-12-2023
- RB3A-BAY: Riobamba 6-15-2023
- O1A-CHI: Orosi 6-16-2023
- JA1B-BAY: Jarabacoa 6-20-2023
- RB1B-LA: Riobamba 6-23-2023
- T1B-BAY: Turrialba 6-26-2023
- JA2B-CHI: Jarabacoa 6-26-2023
- C1B-WM: Constanza 6-28-2023
- RB2B-BAY: Riobamba 6-30-2023
- O1B2-NYC: Orosi 6-30-2023
- RB3B-NYC: Riobamba 7-6-2023
- T2B2-BAY: Turrialba 7-7-2023
- JA1C-BAY: Jarabacoa 7-10-2023
- RB1C-CHI: Riobamba 7-12-2023
- T1C-LA: Turrialba 7-14-2023
- JA2C-BAY: Jarabacoa 7-14-2023
- C1C-BAY: Constanza 7-17-2023
- RB2C-BAY: Riobamba 7-19-2023
- T2C-CHI: Turrialba 7-20-2023
- RB3C-NYC: Riobamba 7-25-2023
- T1D2-WM: Turrialba 7-26-2023
- JA1D-LA: Jarabacoa 7-28-2023
- RB1D-BAY: Riobamba 7-31-2023
- T2D2-BAY: Turrialba 8-1-2023
- JA2D-NYC: Jarabacoa 8-2-2023
- C1D-CHI: Constanza 8-4-2023
- RB2D-WM: Riobamba 8-7-2023
- T1E1-NYC: Turrialba 8-10-2023
- JA1E-NYC: Jarabacoa 8-10-2023
Previous Trips
- 2022 Trips
- 2019 Trips
1146 posts - 2018 Trips
772 posts - 2017 Trips
880 posts - 2016 Trips
940 posts - 2015 Trips
977 posts - 2014 Trips
625 posts - 2013 Trips
578 posts