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Elizabeth Seeks

Outdoor adventures in the Pacific Northwest and beyond, with some occasional reflective storytelling.

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All articles filed in Ecuador

Video LogsJune 19, 2018June 19, 2018

Beach and Jungle Video Log

Momipche, Playa Negra, Isla Portete, Rafting, and Laguna Azul with a great friend ❤  

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EcuadorMay 28, 2018November 18, 2020

The Gringo’s Guide to Blending in in Ecuador

In under two months, my closest friends and family members will be visiting Ecuador for my church wedding and reception. For you all, and for any future visitors to my adopted country, I offer the following advice in order to help you blend in here in Ecuador: Don’t Wear Athleisure Any and Everywhere While socially…

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Ecuador ReflectionsApril 24, 2018November 18, 2020

Marriage Across Continents

On January 3, 2018, Gonza and I got married in a civil ceremony at the Civil Registry in Quito. Since then, it’s been happily ever after. Right? Not quite. While we are absolutely enjoying married life, marriage to a foreigner is a serious undertaking. It is not for the faint of heart. While all newlywed…

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EcuadorJanuary 25, 2018November 18, 2020

Quick write: How to Cancel a Visa

Or, a lesson in navigating Ecuadorian bureaucracy. Step One: print out the cancellation documents, including a copy of the ex-volunteer’s passport, a copy of their visa, a copy of our proof of having a legal presence in Ecuador, and two copies of a letter requesting the cancellation of the visa because you need one to…

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Ecuador Video LogsJanuary 18, 2018November 18, 2020

V-Log: Travels with Family in Ecuador

(*Scroll to bottom to just see the video*) It happened: my parents boarded a plane on Christmas morning and flew to Quito, Ecuador. For my dad, this was his first trip abroad. For my mom, her first to South America. I’d been waiting for this day for oh, 2+ years. When I first moved abroad…

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Ecuador ReflectionsDecember 14, 2017November 18, 2020

What the Heck-uador? Culture Shock Two Years In

Having co-facilitated an orientation for a group of volunteers arriving in country exactly two years after I arrived as a volunteer was a surreal experience. At this point, I like to think of myself as a Veteran Expat. Not much surprises me anymore about living in Quito after having spent almost two entire years of…

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Ecuador ReflectionsDecember 11, 2017November 18, 2020

From Volunteer to Field Staff, One Year In

I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook memories. Sometimes they drag up ugly photos from my braces-fille high school years, or pictures of people I was once close to but through time and space no longer see. Other times they remind me of amazing moments like rafting in the jungle or a date at the…

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ReflectionsAugust 15, 2017

A Trip to the Coast and a Lesson in Resilience

Saturday evening found me sweaty and in tears. We had just been told that our reservation, which I had made a month or so in advance, had been cancelled, because we had shown up after the 4 pm check-in cut-off. This was after I had called the day before to confirm my reservation, and had…

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Ecuador ReflectionsApril 21, 2017November 18, 2020

Enfermedades en Ecuador: How to Address Illness like an Ecuadorian

Have you ever gotten sick abroad? If you have, you might be aware that ideas about sickness are different from place to place. Read on for an Ecudaorian approach to enfermedades. Prevention is key! Ways to prevent sickness include keeping your windows shut against the cold air, not being a vegetarian and consuming plenty of…

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ReflectionsMarch 30, 2017

From Mandarin Oranges to Concepts of Time Across Culture

I was recently home for a week, having been gifted an airline ticket by a dear family friend to be here for my big sister’s baby shower. Being home after having lived abroad almost 1.5 years reminds me of all the little things I appreciate in the States and also of things that occasionally frustrate me…

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Pregnancy is a trip. Do you ever get a jarring reminder of the path you didn’t choose? 👣 (Pt 5/5) I'm learning early on that it's true what is said about parenthood — which is that all decisions shift in consideration of the child 💞 (Pt 4/5) Meanwhile, life continued on as usual. The world doesn't stop just because your life is in pieces 🧩 (Pt 3/5) I spent the next ~8 weeks feverishly applying for jobs 👩‍💻 Countless hours spent pouring over cover letters, thinking through relevant experiences and the stories I could tell about them, connecting with people through my networks, and preparing assignments and presenting them to interview panels. And all the while, not even knowing what types of parental leave might be available to me should I get a job offer 🤱 (Pt 2/5) We had planned out all the details: we were hoping for an early September baby so we could theoretically go to Ecuador for both early summer vacation and the winter holidays. We knew my job offered 12 weeks fully paid parental leave. We knew Gonza staying at his job meant he’d be eligible for 12 weeks partially paid paternity leave through Washington state. It was all working out. We began to plan for a house; at the start of the year, we dove into the loan pre-approval process and were one week out from being ready to make an offer when everything screeched to a halt.

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