Our first day in Quito was amazing. The city was magnificent, and our tour guide was wonderful. While walking around the city, we were exposed to everything: the good and the bad.  As someone who has lived in the United States for all my life, I’ve been privileged with all of America’s nice amenities; I have lived in some ways, in ignorance of the rest of the world. I’ve been to Mexico before and lived in pretty bad conditions, having to shower with buckets, and having no wifi, or service; so I knew a little of how privileged I am. But, even with that experience, going through Quito almost felt surreal. Seeing kids as young as five selling ice cream for extra cash, seeing all the stray dogs wandering around, and other sights that really made me think about what I have in the city of Newburgh. It just all hit me all at once and I found myself taking a step back, reflecting on what I have.  This experience is strengthening my believe and passion to help others, and be involved in my community, as well as learning about communities around the world, like Quito, and helping out in whatever ways I can.

-Alejandro Juarez