Post #1: Pre-Departure

As I am sitting here, three weeks out, I am getting more and more anxious to leave the country! I am not sure what to expect in relation to Ecuador, but I expect to learn a lot about the culture from the country itself, the people, and the students that I will be getting the privilege to work with. I am looking forward to interacting with people around Ecuador, the teachers in the school I will be placed, and working/teaching a number of students. I am eager to see how the students learn in this diverse environment, and I look forward to gaining knowledge that I can take and use in my future classroom! I have reached out to several peers that participated in a WKU Study Abroad program that visited Ecuador, and I have been told nothing but wonderful things relating to the culture. The most important outcome that I strive to receive is becoming aware of cultural differences, and learning how to become flexible in the classroom like students do with ours in America. 
Some things that I have researched about the country is that the altitude can sometimes cause your body to act out of whack, so I read to drink plenty of fluids as I fly in and venture around Ecuador. I have also learned that we are not the only titled "American's" in Ecuador, and some individuals take it offensive when visitors from America consider themselves US American's. Therefore, I am continuing to learn and research proper terminology to use in Ecuador! I have also researched the school I will be at, which is Colegio Menor, and I have learned that it is a biligingual school; this leads me to expect working with students that know English, as well as Spanish. I also expect that the students will be using higher order thinking skills, creative approaches, and leadership skills due to their school mission.