On top of the Mountains

Beautiful. That is the first word I thought of when I entered the street market with the UBECI staff on my first day. The markets are dirty, the hands of the kids are dirty, people are barely making it by, but the lives of each person in that market are so beautiful. They work so hard to take care of their families. The UBECI staff have beautiful hearts and care for the children as if they were their own. Most of the UBECI staff work all day and attend the university at night. When I asked them how they did it, they told me that they love doing it. That was so impactful for me to know that their dedication was for nothing else but how much they care for the children. The kids live simple lives and are fascinated by each and every person. The work that UBECI does to improve the lives of each child is amazing. I have blonde hair and blue eyes and while I may stand out, I never felt out of place. Each staff member made me feel like I belong there. I took a solo trip to Quito and it was even my first time on an airplane. I recently graduated from college with a teaching degree and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do next. I speak Spanish and so I decided to take a chance and travel abroad to do something impactful for others, but I did not realize how much it would impact me. My heart hurt for children who don't get to go to school, but I had such hope in knowing that UBECI has a goal of getting them there. After just two weeks, I felt like I had been there for half of my life and I did not want to leave. I can take my experiences from UBECI and apply them to my classroom. A little piece of my heart bleeds Ecuador, and I will definitely be back! Chao, for now, Brooke