A Valentine's Day Gift

I spoke with Rhea in Ecuador last night and she happily shared many of the adventures the girls have had during their first two weeks in Ecuador – from the experiences at the rose plantations, from their self-defense lessons as part of the student orientation, and from soaking in hot springs in a local village during their first overnight camping trip. The energy of the group is strong and supportive. The girls have gone through a huge transition from Miami to now – and they have formed a solid team through academic classes, leadership challenges, and outdoor skills.

Each girl has a teacher as a mentor who will work with your daughters for the first half of the semester. They do the mentoring through a combination of small group “mentor meetings” where they discuss issues to help the girls develop self-awareness, confidence and an understanding of themselves. They also have a weekly one-on-one check-ins with their mentors, which is a time for the girls to individually share any additional personal concerns and triumphs within the mentor relationship. It is a powerful bond and a source of support for the girls throughout the semester. And now, with their combined experiences and new-found confidence in themselves in their new surroundings, they will be leaving the quiet hacienda tomorrow.

After lunch on Valentine’s Day, they will bid adieu to their kind hosts and head for the bustling market town. Which leads to the news you’ve all been waiting for – if all goes according to plan (and, with the laws of travel, that means that we always have to be flexible and be open for a change) – the girls will be able to call home on Valentine’s Day for their first telephone call. They will be calling sometime in the afternoon/ evening. And, after this call, they have unlimited access to the phone and email for the rest of the semester. The new variable in calling home comes with whether the computer at the Internet café is working, whether the market selling earrings is more appealing during “town time” than updating Facebook, whether there is a history paper to write… and all of the wonderful distractions that guide the girls’ experience in Ecuador from today.

One note, when the girls call home for the first time, it isn’t uncommon to have them cry. When they hear your voice, the emotion might bubble over the rim, and they might be a little teary. Countless times, I have seen them call home with tears in their eyes, and then hang up the phone and skip into the market with their friends – a huge smile on their faces at having reconnected and shared their emotions. If they are teary, please know that the teachers and the other girls are with them when they make this first call, and they have lots of hugs and support as they reach into the outside world for the first time.

Enjoy hearing their voices as the best Valentine’s Day gifts of all – and please don’t hesitate to contact us in the office if we can do anything for you.

All the best, Gennifre