Written by Caroline Skinner, GapBreak Ecuador September - December 2010
Well, three months has indeed flown by, and for the Ecuador group, Antipodeans is now in its final two days. We are lucky enough that The Quito festival is being held in our last week and the streets have certainly come alive with music, dancing and of course the ever loved Chiva Bus (which has a band on the roof and dancing in the back of the truck!) In fact as I am writing this, the street next to our apartment is getting blocked off in preparation for a giant parade with all of the school bands performing (we would know, with the marching band practicing incessantly every afternoon...)
Over the last month, the Amazon has been visited again, two more groups have visited the Galapagos Islands and the Ecuadorian coast has been visited once again. When asking people what their highlight of Ecuador has been, no one has really been able to choose, with just too many amazing experiences to choose from! However, those that seemed to come out on top were the Galapagos Islands, where we felt like we were swimming in an aquarium, with sea lions, sharks, sting rays and giant sea turtles and saw lava fields. Other highlights included the Amazon (of course) with its huge array of monkeys, alligators and birds and visiting Old Town during the
fiestas.
As well as the travelling, it was the children that made Ecuador particularly special for all of us. Everyone I have asked has said that the unconditional love that they received from the children was amazing and so heart warming. Their many hugs and constant want for attention from you made getting up for placement each day more than worth it. In particular, at times like recess when there were constant pile ups of children, generally on you or always having someone trying to squish you by sitting on your lap has been something very special for a lot of the volunteers. The end of placement was sad for everyone, with teachers, volunteers and children all tearing up. Giving the children just a little something after three months made them so happy and also let us realize how lucky we are! The kids certainly have shown us what unconditional love is.
We have also started saying our goodbyes, with a farewell dinner for Klara, Katelyn, Chloe and Sam being held at the amazing crepes and waffles and lots of promises to see each the back in Sydney being made. After placement, the majority of people are traveling onwards, with many people starting off in Peru to visit the famous Macchu Picchu and then continuing to Europe or other South American countries. We certainly are becoming worldly travellers!
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