“It’s all one big spaghetti noodle of a month,” I said.

My friend Laura Kate and I were sitting by the river, talking about how our independent study projects were going. At three weeks into the month-long project, we were at the point where it was time to start putting all the pieces together. As we did so, we were coming to terms with the ways our projects weren’t going exactly as we wanted. Laura Kate told me she was working to accept that her project isn’t going to result in a significant research finding. But, she said, she’s realizing that’s ok. She said that doing this project has got her thinking a lot about what she’ll be doing in the future. Although she still doesn’t have a clear answer to that question, here she’s learning more about herself and what kind of work she’s most suited to. 

I agreed. Being here in Villaflora had also been turning my mind to the future. Like my Laura Kate, part of that has been due to my project itself, which has sparked ponderings about what my work after college will look like. Added to that is the fact that, unlike in Quito, I actually have a lot of choice here about what my life outside of work/school looks like: where I go, what I do, and how I spend my time. Here, I’m no longer a student in a programmed group schedule, but live a life more similar to a young adult professional (with some notable exceptions, of course). Also likely contributing to my future-focused ponderings are text conversations with friends back home who are seniors who are graduating. I’m realizing that’s going to be me in a year. This “future” isn’t that far away. 

For all of these reasons, I’ve found myself holding up various aspects of my life here and wondering how they might compare to my future life. To organize my thoughts a bit, I made some lists 🙂

Probably won’t do:

Get my meals prepared and delivered to me every day

Be pulled across a river in a little pulley cart

See random dogs walk past my kitchen window

Hear the banging of rain on a tin roof

Ride on the back of a motorcycle

Sleep under a mosquito net

A meal on a table shows soup, boiled egg, cheese, chicken, rice, and a large container of liquid. The soup has a white bowl and appears to be made of broth with white beans. A clear bowl holds a halved boiled egg and cubes of cheese. Another clear bowl holds chicken pieces layered over rice. A large plastic container holding a light brown liquid stands to the left. A spoon rests on top of a white napkin on the right and is angled downward. All of the food sits on a light-colored tablecloth decorated with a floral print.
Fanesca, a tradition soup eaten during Holy Week
The landscape photograph captures a serene, dimly lit scene featuring a river cascading through a lush, tropical forest. The water is swift and frothy, rushing over rocks of varying sizes that line the riverbed. A dense collection of greenery, including tall grasses and verdant bushes, carpets the riverbanks, contrasting with the cooler tones of the water. In the background, suspended over the river, is a zip line structure, composed of a simple metal frame and cables stretched tautly across the water. The metal frame suggests a point of departure or arrival for those using the zip line. Above and beyond the river and forest, a few small buildings with warmly lit windows are visible, perched higher up on the hillside, adding a touch of human presence to the natural landscape. In the foreground, a wooden post and part of a fence, set slightly off-center, provide a sense of enclosure and perspective. Rocks are scattered around the base of the post, some partially submerged in a small pool of water. A single fern frond adds texture and detail to the bottom of the composition. The overall ambiance of the photograph is peaceful, suggesting a secluded and natural setting.
The terabita. When go visit my host family, I ride over the river on this seat!
An eye-level interior shot depicts a bed in a modest room, completely draped with a light blue mosquito net. The net is fixed to the wall at two points above the bed and falls dramatically, fully covering the mattress and bed frame. The bed, constructed of wood, features a mattress covered with fabric. A patterned sheet is partially visible beneath the mattress, adding a touch of color. Next to the bed, a small wooden side table holds a notebook and pen. The room itself is simple, with walls made of concrete blocks. The wall behind the bed is adorned with a small framed picture and a hook. A window, situated to the right of the bed, is framed by a patterned, reddish-orange curtain. The natural light streaming through the window illuminates the interior, and a glimpse of the outdoors is visible. The ceiling is made of corrugated metal sheets, suggesting a basic and functional structure. The floor is covered with a dark rug, adding a bit of contrast to the mostly light-colored room. The overall impression is one of practicality and simplicity, with a focus on functionality over aesthetics.
There’s no danger of malaria here, but lots of bugs you don’t want in your face as you sleep

Might do:

Wear field clothes every day

Unwind sitting next to a river

Listen to audiobooks while I work

Throw my fruit peels in the backyard

Live in a small house by myself

Play with my neighbors’ little kids

Eat massive amounts of rice

The landscape shot shows a lush, overgrown field marked by various elements, from a small wooden structure to rows of banana trees. In the forefront, a modest, weathered wooden shed with slats for walls and a rusted metal roof sits to the left. A weathered pole is planted to the right of the shed, and a blue canister sits on the corner of the structure. The foreground is also marked by a cluster of rocks at the bottom and a patch of damp earth covered with green moss and sparse grass. The midground teems with dense, tall grasses, obscuring the earth and creating a wild, unkempt feel. In the background, parallel rows of banana trees stand tall, their large, green leaves adding to the overall verdant atmosphere of the scene. Additional trees, stretching to the horizon, fill the gaps between the banana trees, and the scene is set under a clear blue sky, suggesting a sunny day. The angle of the overhead shot, combined with the variety of elements, gives the image depth and richness.
My backyard
A cheerful young woman stands at the edge of a rushing stream amidst a lush, verdant forest. She wears a light turquoise long-sleeved shirt and dark gray cargo pants, and brown rubber boots, suggesting she's prepared for outdoor exploration. On her head, she sports a gray baseball cap with a logo on the front. Her smiling face reflects the joy of being in nature. The stream, which takes up a large portion of the scene, is characterized by cascading water flowing over dark, mossy rocks, creating a dynamic texture of movement and sound. The water is turbulent, foamy white, and contrasts with the solid, dark rock bed. Behind the woman, a dense, healthy forest thrives. The canopy is thick, with layers of green foliage interspersed with white flowering plants, adding depth and visual complexity to the natural setting. The trees and plants are overgrown, seeming to spillover the edge of the waterway. The overcast sky contributes to the soft, diffuse lighting, which evenly illuminates the scene and minimizes harsh shadows.
Field clothes and rain boots everyday 🙂
A long shot of a shallow river rushing through a rocky, wooded, mountainous area provides a natural, scenic view. The water flows from the far background, through the rocks, and toward the viewer. The cold, churning water is white and grey. The rocks consist of a wide range of sizes, from small to quite large. The most prominent boulder is a large, rounded one in the mid-ground, almost the color of unbaked bread. Trees and smaller foliage grow alongside either bank, creating a canopy overhead. The leafy shrubbery is mostly differing shades of green. In the background, distant mountains are visible between the trees beneath a cloudy sky.
I still can’t get over how beautiful the river is!

Hope I do:

Spend minimal amount of time in shopping malls (here, zero!)

Travel mostly by walking

Hear birdsong out my window

Go to bed on time and get good sleep

Slow down to enjoy tasks like washing dishes

Eat food grown locally

Spend time in community centers

Have a good friend to debrief my day with

A detailed, eye-level, and wide shot captures a kitchen sink area in front of a window, filled with light and various objects. The stainless-steel sink is at the center, with a shiny faucet rising from it. On the left side of the sink, there is a brown wooden plate, a green container, and a dark red scrub pad. To the right, a blue container rests beside the sink. The sink itself has an orange towel slightly overlapping a blue towel on the lower side. Above the sink, the backsplash is decorated with a tiled pattern featuring kitchen-related images like teapots, cups, and bowls of food. The window above the splashback has a black metal grill frame with decorative swirling details. It looks outward to a lush, green outdoor scene consisting of trees and foliage. Cooking utensils, including a blue ladle and a grater, hang above the sink, adding a sense of domesticity to the setting.
Birdsong and passing dogs are my entertainment as I wash dishes
Captured under the glow of artificial lights, an outdoor soccer game unfolds on a dirt field enclosed by a corrugated metal roof that creates a cavernous space. Several participants are actively engaged in the game, their figures animated in motion against the backdrop of the arena. The field's perimeter is defined by a bamboo fence along one side and a high black mesh net along the other, acting as a barrier to contain the play. Two structural poles stand prominently in the foreground, bearing the signs of age and use, with a thick rope tied to one, adding a rustic touch to the scene. To the side, a makeshift bench constructed from concrete blocks offers seating for spectators, while a simple wooden table on a metal stand provides a place for equipment. The players wear casual attire, their clothing ranging from athletic shirts to shorts, indicating a relaxed and informal setting. Illuminating the scene are two bright lamps suspended from the roof, casting long shadows and accentuating the texture of the dirt field. The composition of the photograph, with its interplay of action and stillness, light and shadow, creates a dynamic sense of energy and camaraderie in this outdoor sports environment.
Indoor soccer in the cancha
A woman sits in a hammock holding kittens on a covered porch. She has a happy expression. Her red-brown hair is slightly damp. She wears a patterned, short-sleeved shirt. The hammock is striped with white and brown and covered by a gray blanket. Two fluffy gray and white kittens lie beside the woman on the hammock. The porch has a concrete floor. On the floor is a black electrical box with wires. A black plastic patio chair is to the right of the hammock. Behind the chair, a black motorcycle leans on its kickstand. Laundry hangs from the ceiling. A wooden building is behind the netting behind the chair, and plants with dark red blooms are on the far side of the building.
Laura Kate and Ralph the cat chilling on Laura Kate’s porch

Hope I do (that I don’t do here):

Be a part of a Jesus-following community (in-person)

Spend time with my friends and family (in-person)

Have coworkers/ don’t work completely alone (in-person…. do you sense a theme? 🙂

Do work that is more relevant for my neighbors 

Have access to a library (physical books!)

Cook

My guess is that you get a sense of the major themes. What I love most about Villa Flora is the beautiful nature, the peaceful pace of life, and the neat opportunities I do have to connect with the community. But, I’m also wishing for a life where I spend less time connecting with people through technology and have relationships with my neighbors in more long-term, meaningful ways.

(We’re calling that Ecuador lesson #9 by the way.)

“But Megan, what about the spaghetti noodle thing you were talking about?” 

Ah yes, I should probably explain that. 

At the end of our conversation by the river, after Laura Kate and I had each shared a bit of our reflections on our time in Villaflora so far, I tried to sum up how the month felt to me. I landed on “one big spaghetti noodle of a month,” which is to say, an experiment. My family uses the phrase “spaghetti noodle” to describe an idea that you’re testing out, drawing from the old adage about throwing spaghetti against the wall to see if it has been cooked enough to stick. Living in Villaflora has felt, in a way, like test-driving a life. Which noodles will actually stick? Who knows. But, the experience has certainly got me wondering what the future is going to look like! 

¡Hasta Luego!

-Megan

Published by megankamper

Class of 2026 Majors | Environmental Science & Environmental Studies Minor | Spanish Program | SIT Study Abroad Location | Quito, Ecuador

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