I had gone to Ecuador two years ago with our Global Community Lens: Visualizing Peace and Justice class. It was an amazing and eye opening experience that I wanted to go back. However, I was not sure when I would have the opportunity to return. I thought my next chance was going to be after college. I did not know that it was going to be two years later. But, I am glad that it happened so soon!!
I have always known that art was everywhere around us. However, it was not until I went to Ecuador that I fully understood what it really meant to be living with art. I found beauty and grace among the people of Ecuador. I found harmony and serenity in the landscape of Ecuador. Another amazing thing that I learned, probably about myself as well, was that language is not the only means of communication. I previously thought that if there was no mutually spoken language, then all means of communication was lost. Well, I was proven wrong. Art was presented to me in a way that I never perceived it to be. It was a method of communicating, a bridge between cultures.
Our professors: Dr. Jeffrey Pugh (Assistant Professor of Political Science and Executive Director of Center for Mediation, Peace, and Resolution of Conflict [CEMPROC]) and Professor Eric Sung (Associate Professor of Photography) are co-teaching the class. My partner in crime in leading the trip is Kiley Leduc, who had also gone on the previous trip to Ecuador. We went during our Spring Break two years ago. Our trip: one week, each day filled to the max with activities. But that week was extended by a few more hours, hours that eventually became two days because the flight was cancelled. The night before our departure, the entire group stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, reminiscing the wonderful memories that would last an eternity. The next morning, our hearts heavy because we were leaving the people who had become family, but also light because we knew we could always return, we went to the airport. We hit a small bump with a delay. Then, when we were in the airport waiting for almost 20 hours, transforming slowly into zombies, the officials said the flight was indeed cancelled. One week was too short; therefore this time the trip is for two weeks!! It is going to be exciting and great to see many familiar faces.
I have always known that art was everywhere around us. However, it was not until I went to Ecuador that I fully understood what it really meant to be living with art. I found beauty and grace among the people of Ecuador. I found harmony and serenity in the landscape of Ecuador. Another amazing thing that I learned, probably about myself as well, was that language is not the only means of communication. I previously thought that if there was no mutually spoken language, then all means of communication was lost. Well, I was proven wrong. Art was presented to me in a way that I never perceived it to be. It was a method of communicating, a bridge between cultures.
Our professors: Dr. Jeffrey Pugh (Assistant Professor of Political Science and Executive Director of Center for Mediation, Peace, and Resolution of Conflict [CEMPROC]) and Professor Eric Sung (Associate Professor of Photography) are co-teaching the class. My partner in crime in leading the trip is Kiley Leduc, who had also gone on the previous trip to Ecuador. We went during our Spring Break two years ago. Our trip: one week, each day filled to the max with activities. But that week was extended by a few more hours, hours that eventually became two days because the flight was cancelled. The night before our departure, the entire group stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, reminiscing the wonderful memories that would last an eternity. The next morning, our hearts heavy because we were leaving the people who had become family, but also light because we knew we could always return, we went to the airport. We hit a small bump with a delay. Then, when we were in the airport waiting for almost 20 hours, transforming slowly into zombies, the officials said the flight was indeed cancelled. One week was too short; therefore this time the trip is for two weeks!! It is going to be exciting and great to see many familiar faces.