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In March of 2016 I had the opportunity to travel to Ecuador with a group of students from my high school. The group was called Common Bonds, and aimed to give back to the community at home and abroad. A handful of us flew to Ecuador from Thunder Bay, Ontario with the aim of helping to build a school in a small community called Kanambu. Kanambu can be found several hours outside of Quito, eventually the nice winding road becomes bumpier and you find yourself in the rainforest, completely secluded from any major populations. For a week us Canadians acclimated to the sticky climate and delved into a world completely unlike our own. One of the highlights was what happened at night. Lying in bed, you can hear various animals throughout the night. It reminded you how far away from home you were but in the best way. Waking up to the sound of monkeys was a unique experience, then again so was seeing far too many tarantulas for my liking. A slightly nerve wracking adventure for any arachnophobe. The people of Kanambu were extremely welcoming and kind, showing us the preparation of their food and including us in their dances. A moment that struck me was towards the end of our volunteer work when they explained to us the future plans for the school. There was a sense of excitement and belief that I saw in them, they were grateful that eventually several new classes would be open to host young students. Our volunteer work included heavy wheelbarrow trips, stacking materials to form the walls, and plenty of chiseling. As well, I can't forget the soccer games played with the kids. To conclude the trip we were surprised by a visit from Craig Kielburger, the founder of Free the Children and Me to We. He spoke with us about the importance of giving back and what our contributions mean. Overall this trip was beautiful, exciting, and completely unique. I have never been in a place quite like it, and even though I left with some rather unpleasant sunburns I would do it all again. It became the running joke that people would point out patches of shade for me, and I absolutely obliged to standing in those areas. Going somewhere new is invigorating. I think one of the reasons why I love to travel is that so often our world is so condensed in our minds to where we currently live. When we go somewhere so different it broadens our perspective, we remember how vastly different we all live our lives. It is a great way to escape from our routine, and seeing it in person leaves an imprint on you for the rest of your life. You will always remember that exciting trip you took, and often times you remember the odd, small moments. I can remember the dining rooms on a cruise in Norway, the outside of the Olympic stadiums in Beijing, and quiet hat cafes in Australia. I am thankful for every moment I have spent abroad, for the opportunity to see how much is out there. It only makes me more curious as to where I'll go next.