1. Ecuador Dreams

2. Courage/Embracing Change-
*Stepping outside the comfort of the things known to you to take on the unknown
*Being able to put away the wants of your own life to make an impact in someone else’s

3. Simplicity of Life- less equals more
~eliminate unnecessary “stuff”
~try to enjoy the life that has been given to you
~Complexity creates fog, simplicity clears it!

4. Service and Community-
~the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others
~volunteer, give back, and give emphasis to the value of community

5. Education/Nurturance-
~Education is the most powerful tool to use in order to change the world
~when educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget to educate their hearts
~When we left Cuenca the education and nurturance provided to those children remained with them. That made a difference in everyone lives!

6. Tradition/Culture/Food-
~the Ecuadorian people are full of culture and life
~they represent the things that they value through their food, their history, and especially through their religion
~the symbolism of what life is and means to them is integrated in all the things that they do

7. Family/Friends
~the first most important aspect to the people of the Ecuadorian culture
~they value the time spent with their families and they put family at the core of leading a successful life
~Aside from what changed and molded my perspective in Ecuador the friends I gained through the experience is at most one of the valuable pieces I brought back home.