JAYSWAN: “Elise was so excited that it was her birthday!!!! To start off the day, all of us gathered in the dining room to surprise her with flowers and a song.”

The ten minute ride up the Teleferico not only offers a beautiful view of Quito, but also gives passengers time to reflect on their experiences as travelers.

Maribel: “After the ride up the Teleferico, we were able to get at least one picture that everyone is in to capture this happy moment.”

Cindy:  “It was a long way to go for us to go up Pinchacha, but some of us decided to go on a horseback ride even though we were exhausted.”

Aidan: “Running up a steep hill at 13,000 feet with friends was hard at first, but got easier as we adjusted to the altitude.”

Aboya: “The sweet taste of victory when we reached our goal of making farther up the mountain than anyone else in our group.”

Colton:  “All my years of hiking, and yet this is the most beautiful view I have ever seen.”

Taina: “Looking out into the city and seeing the beautiful things we were surrounded by made the hike all worth it. Sharing this view with some of my best friends was and will be an unforgettable moment.”

Iggy and Nestor taking horses for a ride at 12,000 feet!

Iggy:  “Even with how insignificant we seem when we are looking down at the city, we still plan to make an impact by sharing individual expertise with each other and the kids at Casa Victoria.  I was thinking about this as we all wrote on top of the mountain.”

Alejandro: “Inka burger reminded me of home and was delicious. The food truck court had all of the choices anyone could want.  There was one truck that had a signature dish from every latin American country.”

Lili: “Four meats in one burger! I’m surprised Colton finished it… and then went back for more wings.”

Elise:  “Here we are looking down admiring Guayasamin’s artwork from above in the Chapel of Man.  We could see a huge circle of red, which represents the suffering of man, specifically the Latin American people.”

Nestor: “Outside of the Guayasamin art museum by the pool, we  sent our love to our friends back home who couldn’t be in Ecuador with us.”

Addison:  “The Virgin of Quito is a landmark that lets people know which direction they are facing wherever they are in the city.”

Gabby: “The beautiful view of Quito from the restaurant that we visited, Pim’s, reminded me of the stars at night.”

Brendin:  “We finally got to see the Virgin of Quito up close, after seeing it in the distance from Casa Victoria, and everywhere else we visited in the city.”