Andi Reeves
From EcuadorWiki
Contents |
Background
Who am I?
I am a fun loving person who was born and raised in Alma, Michigan. I love the small town atmosphere Alma offers, but cannot wait to spread my wings a little!
My high school sweetheart and love of my life is Garrett Whitmore...you will probably hear me tell a few stories about him! He now lives in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to attend Optometry school at Nova Southeastern University. I have traveled to Florida so often now that it is no longer a vacation spot!! :)
What am I doing at Alma College?
I am a part of the Class of 2007 from Alma College, which just recently celebrated graduation. I worked very hard to earn my Elementary Education degree with areas of emphasis in English and (newly appointed) Integrated Science. I am a transfer student from CMU, which explains my need for an "S" course AFTER graduation! Yet, I wouldn't go back and change anything--I am proud to say that I am a Scot!
After Ecuador, I will be working at SpringHill Camps as a Camp Administrator (a "higher up," if you will!) and then it's Student Teaching in the fall at the Saginaw Chippewa Academy located on the Reservation in Mt. Pleasant. I will be answering to many Kindergarteners calling out, "Miss Reeves!"
Why am I going to Ecuador?
I love to travel and have made it to many places in and outside of the continental U.S., such as Colorado, Florida, California, and Hawaii to name a few, but never have made it out of the country (Canada does not count!).
I am going to Ecuador because I desire to see and experience something completely different than what I am used to. I want to go to a place that is not a usual "hot spot" for tourists, but is widely visited for other reasons. I am really excited to be living with a host family and being able to experience the culture in the most authentic way possible. I also really wanted a passport. :)
Expectations
I expect to really get to know my roommates Lyndsey Piesko and Kelley Halverson throughout our next couple of weeks. (YEAH!!) I expect to witness others eating guinea pig while I sit and watch (No gracias). I expect to find myself in moments where I cannot explain in Spanish what I mean and have Ecuadorians laugh at my attempts. (And I too will laugh, but will keep trying!)
But, in a more serious way, I also expect to embrace differences and learn from this experience. I believe that from this trip, I will be able to better reach and understand my students that I will be teaching when I (hopefully) get a job in Florida (Michigan doesn't look promising for a while; therefore, I will be relocating to Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area after Student Teaching, which is predominantly influenced by the Hispanic culture). I know that from this trip, I will be able to better appreciate what I have (materialistically and non-materialistically) as well as become influenced by the great joy these people have.
Ecuador Trip: Random Items
- My travelogue day is Sunday, May 13! Check it out!
- I have a home remedy for sunburn...2 ibuprofen, lots of water, and aloe vera gel that has been cooled. (OK, so Reader's Digest is the actual owner of this recipe, but it WORKS!)
Preview of My Final Project
I have hopes of using pictures, stories, and other resources of the Galapagos Islands to create a Service Learning Project for my students in raising awareness of protecting and saving the Galapagos Islands. Within this project, students will revisit with me my trip to the Islands as well as hear stories and see pictures. They will also have a chance to "visit" by researching the Islands by Internet and other media. I also have the hopes of having my students get involved with an "Adopt-a-____" which is Island related. The idea would be that students would have a read-a-thon to raise money in support of adopting something from the Islands. From this, I hope to have my students realize that they can make a difference and can become connected to a world completely different than their own.
