Krysta's MPI life!: The end has sadly come...

Can you believe it has been 14 months, and I am back in the states?! I certainly can’t.

My last month in Ecuador was filled with traveling, goodbyes, smiles, and tears. We *reluctantly* handed over all of our programs to the new Program Directors. I was like a parent learning how to let go and send my child off to college. It was hard to see our programs, our babies, being taken over by other people, but I am confident that the new PDs will have a great year.

Other than the emotional parental struggles, my year couldn’t have ended better. My 6^th grade Nutrition Education Program proved to be a successful program with a 22% increase in the students’ nutrition knowledge and almost a 100% positive response to the students’ self-evaluation on whether or not they have the knowledge and confidence to make their own healthy nutrition choices. The bottom line is the pilot Nutrition Program was successful and will be continuing next year! Though the program definitely had its struggles and perhaps the impact we made this year was small, I know we started an amazing project that has the potential to grow and permanently change the health of the entire community.

Even though in my last few weeks in Ecuador I was fortunate enough to travel, I was also working up until the end. For the entire year, I was working with Dr. Escobar, an internal medicine doctor at the local hospital who manages a diabetes club for his patients to unite in their struggles against the disease and learn about new treatment options. Working with him, we decided to start an exercise program for the club to help jumpstart tackling the disease. We got everything set up and under way but I was unfortunately not able to see the program begin in September. It will be an amazing program and luckily I am getting updates from Dr. Escobar. J

This past year has been one of the most amazing of my life. I learned so much about international health and communities, as well as so much about myself. It was a year filled with frustrations, tears, laughter, and love. I will never forget the people I met and friends I made.

I will also never forget your support for me over the past year. Because of you, I was able to live a dream and come away a better person. Whenever I look back on my year in Ecuador, I will think of you and have a feeling of gratitude. Thank you so much!