I’m not sure what my expectations were before our trip to Ecuador, but I can say the stress of our coursework, coupled with our work schedules, didn’t give us enough breathing room to really anticipate what the experience would really bring. But I can truly say that leaving Ecuador was harder that I expected it to be.
For one, the warmth with which each of our teams were welcomed by not only our clients, but everyone we met on our journey, left a lasting impression on me. On many occasions we were all told, “Ecuador is your country” and were welcomed back with open arms. The stark contrast of these sentiments and the immigration debate going on in the US was humbling to say the least. It also solidified for all of us the depth of our contributions to each of our projects.
While there may have been tensions and stresses amongst all of the teams heading to Ecuador, our journey allowed us to connect in a way that I had not expected. We laughed. A lot. We celebrated. We came together with our clients and delivered something meaningful and of value.
The sights and sounds around Quito also will stay with us for a long time. The towering protective angel is in the background of almost all of my photos. The independence day celebrations a part of our memories forever.
Returning home in the early hours of Sunday morning was like the end of a long sleep-over party. We were definitely happy to be home, but for me, the connectedness I found with my team was certainly missing. That feeling lasted a few hours–maybe until Monday morning–when I remembered there was still work to do! Our clients, happy with our presentation, were waiting for our final recommendations. And so, the week began where it left off before the trip but with a refocused purpose. We are committed to not only delivering something of value to our Clinica Latino partners, but also to staying connected with them to ensure they have the resources to pull through our recommendations. I have personally started researching real estate in Cuenca in case a job opens up at the Clinic!
Barowskly School of Business: Clinica Latino 