Follow the Journey

Hello from Baños. After an early leaving from Las Delicias and Santo Domingo (which was at 4 A.M) and a five hour bus ride, we finally arrived in Baños. On our first day we meet our host family and our partners for the week. This gave us the chance to get to know a person from the group really well and to get to know our host family as well. After getting a chance to settle in with our homestays, we had the chance to go exploring Baños with our partner and eventually met up with the rest of the group.
We had our second round of Spanish class in Baños and after Spanish class, we had lunch with our host family, we were given the opportunity to teach students English at an English school. The student’s levels in English varied from knowing nothing to being able to hold a conversation with one of us. After each English class we often played a game with the students before heading out and enjoying the rest of our free time before heading home to eat dinner with our host family.
While some of us were more adventurous and explored the mountainous ravines that encases Baños, most of stayed within the city limits and tour around the streets of Baños and figuring out where the Spanish school was, the internet cafes and which restaurant was good to eat at.
Friday was a day full of adventure for many of the students. Some students including their Spanish professor climbed the stair way of the virgin to see a beautiful view of the city and to get in some great leg day exercise while other students travel around with their professor to different parts of Baños. Then at 2pm we all went to the end of the world to swing our life away but not literally. In Baños, is where the famous swing at the end of the world is located and we got the chance to go and swing on the swing. Although we all did it, some including myself were screaming and yelling on the swing, while others braved it strong and swing like they had wings.
Saturday we got the chance to go rafting down a river in Baños and boy was it an experience. The water came in waves which moved the boat up and down and gave me mini heart attacks since I sat at the head of the boat for quite some time. The water crashed into us like ocean waves and we held strong and survived. Soaking wet we were but it was worth every moment. We were given the chance to jump into the river, everyone in my boat went and I being mischievous pulled one of my teammate in with me only to have her save me. These are experiences that we will not forget in our life time.
At last our time in Baños is quite over; our journey through Ecuador is still long and ominous. Our next stop: Puyo, Ecuador, until then, wish us well.