Off to Peru...

(I still can't believe we're leaving in an hour to go to Peru...)

I just said my last goodbyes to my host family here, and it didn't hit me until I got inside school that I won't be seeing them again every day like I have for the past three and a half months--for almuerzo, for watching the Latin American version of family feud, for going to the valley and spending the day at my family's quinta... They were such a big part of my life here in Cuenca, and they really made me feel like a true hija.  Beautiful people with warm hearts...

Last night, we had the CEDEI despedida dinner for the students and program coordinators.  The food was muyyyy rico (THERE WAS STEAK), and it was really cool to see the videos of our crazy times that Flo and Arielle put together.  It might be even crazier to think that these people I've met, that I've shared so much with, will be going off to different states and different lives in just a week.

More than anything, I'm so thankful for my experience.  Though it was hard not being at home at times, I made it through and pushed myself to learn a lot about another culture and even myself.  God definitely worked through all of this, all of the times we had here, and for that, I'm so grateful.  I encourage anyone and everyone to go abroad if they can.  This has truly been the best experience of my life yet!

(Now... vamos a Peru!)