Outdoor adventures in the Pacific Northwest and beyond, with some occasional reflective storytelling.
Home. What is home? Living in Quito has made me question the definition of home, reworking it to encompass my experiences abroad. I have often wondered how long it must one be in a place to be able to say one lived there. For it to feel like home. Is three months enough? Is 10.5?…
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Having been teaching since October, it dawned on me yesterday that somehow, I still haven’t written about what it’s like to be an ESL teacher here. For a blog about my experiences living and teaching abroad, this seems like quite the oversight. I suppose I’ve been focusing a lot more on my personal experiences and…
Read MoreI hated reading as a child. My parents, both English teachers, did their best to coax me into a reading habit. They were people who, when my six-year-old self came downstairs in the mornings on the weekend suggesting we watch TV or play a game, told me to grab a book and join everyone under…
Read MoreSo when you’re accepted to serve with the Peace Corps, you might think that all the work is done. WRONG. Accepting an invitation actually begins a whirlwind process of tasks that the invitee must complete–applying for a diplomatic passport, getting finger printed/background checked, a bunch of medical/dental tasks, etc. One of the earlier tasks that…
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In light of the barrage of recent somewhat depressing or downright depressing blog posts, I wanted to bring some humor to the blog again. Back in December, I authored my first “Things Ecuadorians Like” post, and I figured since it’s been over a month, it’s high time for part 2 in the series. Enjoy! Being…
Read MoreAs a child, I grew up in a farming town of about 15-20,000 people. For years, I dreamt of leaving my small town and exploring the world. Living in a big city, learning more about new people and places, and having greater opportunities available seemed like the ultimate lifestyle. This isn’t to say I didn’t…
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Sometimes I forget I’m in Ecuador. Most days are pretty standard. I eat oatmeal for breakfast, just like I did back in the States. I still drink coffee twice a day (but it’s instant. I have come to accept this sadness.) I go to school every day just like I did back in Berkeley, though…
Read MoreI prefer deep conversations. I like conversations that stimulate your senses and make you reconsider what you thought you knew. Discussions that leave you hungry for more knowledge and a greater understanding of the world around you, that you vividly recall months and years later. Even as a child, I preferred serious conversations to surface level chats. I still…
Read MoreQuito is no longer new. I’ve been here almost a month and a half, and I am beginning to feel like life here is my new normal. Our training with WorldTeach ended, and along with it the camp-y feeling of spending all my time with 24 other volunteers, visiting tourist spots in the city on the weekends,…
Read MoreBut first, a timeline: 7: number of days until I finish my last exam of my undergraduate career at Cal 9: number of days until graduation 10: number of days until my second summer job begins 2+: number of months until my sister’s wedding 4: number of months until I leave for WorldTeach Ecuador With all…
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Elizabeth Seeks 