Hi the carpe diem group has had a wonderful time in South America so far. There have been may challenges and exciting adventures. we hiked to the refugio of Cotapaxi, which is over 14,000 feet high. The altitude took a tool on the lungs. Huffing and puffing – finally each and every last one of us made it to the refugio. Then we finished up our orientation retreat and headed onwards to Baños.
After a scenic three hour bus ride, we finally arived in the very chill city called Banios. It is a big market town so there are lots of shops, clubs, and hangouts with tons of stuff to do. From hanging in the hot springs to playing baskeball, to learing spanish – this week was a blast!! For the first time on this trip people stayed with home stay families. I can´t speek for all of my fellow students and friends, but I can say my homestay familia was awesome and a wonderful experience. Look foward to sharing more great experences-Philip.