Name: Lauren
Acker
Graduation Year: 2012
Position: Defense
Major/ minor:
Sociology/ Anthropology
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| Lauren balancing on the equator! |
1. Where do you live
now?
For the last 2 months I've had the amazing opportunity of calling Cuenca, Ecuador my home. However, this is my last week here and I'll return to the states mid-December. I don't exactly have a home in the US at the moment, but before the New Year I'll be moving to Portland, OR!! Where I'll be returning to school for about 2 more years to earn a Certificate in Holistic Nutrition and a Masters in Food Systems and Society.
For the last 2 months I've had the amazing opportunity of calling Cuenca, Ecuador my home. However, this is my last week here and I'll return to the states mid-December. I don't exactly have a home in the US at the moment, but before the New Year I'll be moving to Portland, OR!! Where I'll be returning to school for about 2 more years to earn a Certificate in Holistic Nutrition and a Masters in Food Systems and Society.
2. What have you been up to since graduating?
I have to admit, I've had a pretty killer time since graduation! I really can't complain at all! I spent a few weeks shortly after graduation traveling in Europe with my mom. Then spent the remainder of the summer between Michigan, Maine for my brother's wedding, and Oregon. I've been in Ecuador since early October for Spanish language school. My Spanish, while far from fluent, has improved tremendously! I've made some truly wonderful friends and had some amazing experiences traveling this country! I spent a weekend in the Amazon, a weekend on the coast, and even spent a week in the Galapagos!! I've blogged a bit if you want to read more about it or see some photos you can check out my blog:www.ljaecuador.wordpress.com
I have to admit, I've had a pretty killer time since graduation! I really can't complain at all! I spent a few weeks shortly after graduation traveling in Europe with my mom. Then spent the remainder of the summer between Michigan, Maine for my brother's wedding, and Oregon. I've been in Ecuador since early October for Spanish language school. My Spanish, while far from fluent, has improved tremendously! I've made some truly wonderful friends and had some amazing experiences traveling this country! I spent a weekend in the Amazon, a weekend on the coast, and even spent a week in the Galapagos!! I've blogged a bit if you want to read more about it or see some photos you can check out my blog:www.ljaecuador.wordpress.com
3. Favorite lax memory from W&L?
Wow, there are so many to choose from! Naturally, winning ODACs my sophomore, junior, and senior years are highlights! But I miss all the shared laughter in the locker room, training room, and bus trips!
Wow, there are so many to choose from! Naturally, winning ODACs my sophomore, junior, and senior years are highlights! But I miss all the shared laughter in the locker room, training room, and bus trips!
4. What do you miss most about Lexington?
Currently, I'm quite sick of the terrible exhaust that spews from the busses here. So my immediate answer is the fresh, mountain air and small-town living! But, I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the colonnade and the view from Alston Parker Watt Field! My friends, teammates, and professors/mentors are all extremely high on that list too!
Currently, I'm quite sick of the terrible exhaust that spews from the busses here. So my immediate answer is the fresh, mountain air and small-town living! But, I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the colonnade and the view from Alston Parker Watt Field! My friends, teammates, and professors/mentors are all extremely high on that list too!
5. How did W&L or your lacrosse experience help prepare you
for life after college/ what you are doing now?
My 4 years at W&L were, by far, the most formative years of my life thus far and lacrosse obviously played an unimaginably huge role. Life in Ecuador is quite different from my life in Lexington as a General, I'm enjoying the slightly slower, more relaxed pace of life. But that won't last much longer. The coming two years will be a challenging balancing act between a certificate program, a masters program, a part-time job, and finding time for exercise and fun. It seems a bit daunting, but I'm not too worried...my life as a General taught me how to manage rigorous academics, athletics, extra curriculars, and a personal life!
My 4 years at W&L were, by far, the most formative years of my life thus far and lacrosse obviously played an unimaginably huge role. Life in Ecuador is quite different from my life in Lexington as a General, I'm enjoying the slightly slower, more relaxed pace of life. But that won't last much longer. The coming two years will be a challenging balancing act between a certificate program, a masters program, a part-time job, and finding time for exercise and fun. It seems a bit daunting, but I'm not too worried...my life as a General taught me how to manage rigorous academics, athletics, extra curriculars, and a personal life!
6. Any other fun tales or travel stories from Ecuador?
The jungle was amazing, no doubt. But touring the Galapagos Islands on a 12-passenger catamaran was unreal. The wildlife is absolutely incredible: giant land tortoises, seals, birds, sea turtles, sharks, sting rays, fish, iguanas, penguins...of which many species are endemic! The islands are gorgeous and the interactions with the wildlife were otherworldly! Though the craziest part of the trip was probably the return travel home to Cuenca: it was a long 14 hours, beginning at 5:45am with a dinghy ride, then a 2 hour high-speed inter-island water taxi from Isabela to Santa Cruz, a water taxi ride, then a pick up truck, a ferry, a bus, a plane to Guayaquil, a taxi, a microbus from Guayaquil to Cuenca, and a final taxi to my apartment. Phew! But the Galapagos are definitely worth the effort!!
The jungle was amazing, no doubt. But touring the Galapagos Islands on a 12-passenger catamaran was unreal. The wildlife is absolutely incredible: giant land tortoises, seals, birds, sea turtles, sharks, sting rays, fish, iguanas, penguins...of which many species are endemic! The islands are gorgeous and the interactions with the wildlife were otherworldly! Though the craziest part of the trip was probably the return travel home to Cuenca: it was a long 14 hours, beginning at 5:45am with a dinghy ride, then a 2 hour high-speed inter-island water taxi from Isabela to Santa Cruz, a water taxi ride, then a pick up truck, a ferry, a bus, a plane to Guayaquil, a taxi, a microbus from Guayaquil to Cuenca, and a final taxi to my apartment. Phew! But the Galapagos are definitely worth the effort!!
- Ashley Barnes and Katie Barnes
