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Frequently Asked Questions:  Ecuador Summer
 


These answers to frequently asked questions will help inform you about the program in Ecuador. If you have further questions, please call the WorldTeach office at 1-800-483-2240 or 617-495-5527. We can also put you in touch with a returned Ecuador volunteer.

General
 
Travel
 
Health & Safety
 
Logistics
 
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Q: When does the program start and end?

A: The Ecuador summer program departs in early June and returns in mid-August. The program begins with a week-long orientation, followed by approximately seven weeks of teaching.

More information on exact dates of departure will be available 2-3 months prior to departure.

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Q: Do I need to speak Spanish?

A: Spanish language facility is not required for application or participation in the program. Volunteers with many different levels of Spanish speaking ability have participated successfully in the program in the past. However, some prior exposure to the language will help you adjust to life in Ecuador more quickly. We recommend you start learning Spanish (or brush up if your Spanish is "rusty") before you leave, either through classes or practice with a Spanish speaker.

In Ecuador you will speak Spanish on a daily basis with your host family, colleagues, and in the community, although you will use mostly English in the classroom.
 
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Q: Where do volunteers live?

A: Wherever possible volunteers live with host families in Ecuador. Typically volunteers have their own bedroom and share the bathroom and living space with their host family. They eat meals with the family, and enjoy being a part of family life. Host families receive a stipend, provided by the host school, to cover the costs of hosting a volunteer.

Host families are eager to host a volunteer because they enjoy the cultural exchange, and they treat the volunteer like one of the family. Living with a host family may be a challenging experience, especially if you are used to living independently. You will notice a need to be sensitive to cultural differences. Your host parents may want to know where you are at all times, and worry about you going out at night. Ecuadorians tend to be family- and group-oriented, and your family may not have the same understanding of personal space and privacy as you do. Volunteers find living with a family requires a lot of patience and flexibility, but enables them to integrate into the community, learn a lot about the culture, and make lasting friendships.
 

Q: What are my chances of being placed on the Galapagos?

A: WorldTeach no longer has teaching placements available on the Galapagos Islands.

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Q: When do volunteers find out where they will be teaching?

A: Teaching placements are determined by the WorldTeach Summer Program Coordinator in consultation with the WorldTeach Field Director and the various host schools that have requested a volunteer teacher. Once accepted to the program, you may express general preferences with regard to your teaching or living situation. The field staff will take these preferences and your prior experience into account when matching you with a suitable school and host family. Since WorldTeach also has to take into account the needs of the host schools and communities, we cannot guarantee any particular placement.
 
This process of matching volunteers with placement sites is done once the field staff has received information on all the volunteers in the group. You will receive information about your placement site, teaching assignment and host family about one month prior to departure. Until then, please be flexible and keep an open mind. Most volunteers teach between 20-25 class hours per week, although contracts vary between host schools. Some volunteers choose to get involved in community projects or organizations in their free time.
 
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Q: Woud I need a visa?

A: Volunteers who are U.S. citizens do not need a visa as long as they will not be in Ecuador longer than 90 days.

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Q: Does WorldTeach arrange travel to Ecuador?

A: WorldTeach arranges travel for each group departing for Ecuador from a designated departure city in the USA. The group will meet at the departure city airport and then travel together to Quito, Ecuador. The international round-trip flight from the departure city to Quito is covered by the WorldTeach program fee. WorldTeach purchases round-trip tickets valid for one year at a discounted group rate. More details of the group flight arrangements will be available about 2 months prior to departure. You will then be asked to confirm your travel plans by a certain date so that WorldTeach can finalize the group air tickets.
 
Each volunteer is responsible for getting him/herself to the departure city (usually Miami, but this will be confirmed for your group). Many volunteers are able to find discounted or teacher/student fare domestic connections from the internet or student travel agencies such as www.studentuniverse.com or www.statravel.com.
 

Q: Can volunteers make their own travel arrangements?

A: You may opt out of the WorldTeach group flight. You should arrange your own flights if you plan to travel in Ecuador before the program starts, or if you do not plan to leave from the United States. (If you want to travel after the program you can still use the WorldTeach return ticket which is valid for one year from date of departure; you will be responsible for any fees resulting from changing your return date).

If you choose to travel independently to Ecuador you must plan to arrive in Quito on or before the date of the group flight's arrival, so that you do not miss any orientation activities. Be sure to buy a round-trip ticket that is valid for a full year and has a changeable return date, in case your travel plans should change. Volunteers traveling independently must inform the Program Manager in writing of their travel plans. If you purchase your own air ticket to Ecuador, WorldTeach will deduct from your program fee the cost of one ticket on our group flight.

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Q: Can volunteers come home during the summer?

A: As a WorldTeach volunteer in Ecuador you are under contract with your host school and are responsible for teaching full time for the duration of the summer. If you choose to travel home for a visit during the year this should be during school vacations. Vacation dates vary between different schools; you will need to ask your school director for the dates when you begin your teaching service.

If a family emergency or event requires you to go home during a term you must clear your absence with your school director and arrange coverage for your classes. Any trips home or other personal travel will be at your own expense. You might want to suggest your family or friends visit you in Ecuador, ideally during your school breaks so that you can spend more time with them or after the program has concluded.

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Q: Will there be a chance to travel to other places?

A: You will have opportunities to see different areas of Ecuador. You will spend the first week of orientation in Quito, the capital. After orientation you will travel to your individual teaching site. You will reconvene with the whole group for a Mid-Service Conference and again at the end of the year for an End of Service debriefing meeting and the flight home. These conferences may be in different locations as decided by the field staff. Your travel to attend these conferences meetings will be covered by WorldTeach.
 
Any travel you choose to do beyond these program activities will be at your own expense, and must be during weekends or school vacations. You may want to visit other volunteers at weekends, or explore another part of the country. You should bring your own spending money for personal travel.
 
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Q: What immunizations are required?

A: The most comprehensive source of information on immunizations and travel health is the Center for Disease Control's website at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/ . This site provides recommendations for travel to South America as well as detailed information on specific diseases. Also refer to the Healthy Travel guide that WorldTeach will send you when you confirm your participation in the program. You must consult your doctor or a travel health specialist about immunizations and other health needs. Please understand that WorldTeach staff are not qualified to give medical advice. All we can do is tell you what immunizations are usually recommended for travel to Ecuador - only your doctor can give you specific medical advice.


 There is risk of malaria in Ecuador's coastal and lowland regions. Malaria is a serious mosquito-borne disease that can be fatal. See the CDC website for the latest information. If you will be teaching in, or might want to travel to, the coastal regions of Ecuador you should discuss malaria medications with your doctor.  Some volunteers get a prescription in the U.S. but actually buy the drugs in Ecuador. Others get a limited supply (eg. one month's worth) of the medication before departure and then buy further pills as needed in Ecuador.

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Q: What if a volunteers gets sick? Are there doctors and hospitals?

A: Adjusting to a new environment, diet, and climate places demands on your body and health. Living in a new culture and taking on new professional responsibilities will be tiring. You will get sick at certain times; it is unavoidable. But you will also learn how to look after yourself, maintain your health, and seek treatment for sickness.

Ecuador has adequate medical facilities. In Quito there is a good hospital with specialist doctors. In other cities there are doctors, clinics, and, in larger cities, provincial hospitals. During orientation you will be introduced to an English-speaking doctor and shown where the hospital is in Quito. Your Field Director will also give advice on health and safety while living in Ecuador.

Medication is very available in Ecuador. No prescriptions are required for most medications; anti-depressants and sleeping pills are the exceptions. Birth control pills are available, although they may not be the exact same brands as in the U.S. If a brand of a drug is not sold in Ecuador, most pharmacies can match the percentage of each ingredient in the drug to come up with something compatible. It is wise to consult your doctor about your prescriptions well in advance of departure. If you require a specific brand of a drug it may be best to take a summer's supply with you.

As a WorldTeach volunteer you will have health insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation insurance. For medical expenses such as doctors' visits, prescribed medicines, etc. you pay up front, keep the receipt, and then file a claim to get reimbursed by the insurance company. All volunteers are covered under the WorldTeach group insurance policy; it is not optional. The policy has been designed specially with WorldTeach volunteers in mind. If you have a pre-existing health condition that may require further treatment you should consider maintaining your own health insurance coverage as well. You will be sent the health insurance policy description when you are accepted as a volunteer.
 

Q: Is it safe?

A: While there is always some level of risk involved in traveling and living in a developing country, WorldTeach pays close attention to US State Department and Embassy advice and does not place volunteers in any area considered dangerous. Many people visit Ecuador every year as tourists, students, or on business.

Ecuador is a developing country with severe economic difficulties that can give rise to social inequalities and tensions. Strikes and demonstrations are fairly common in Ecuador as groups of people express their political and economic demands. Volunteers are advised to avoid demonstrations. Risk of theft is present and rising in Ecuador (as it is everywhere, in your hometown too!) and you will need to take sensible precautions to look after your personal belongings. Do not take any belongings that you are not prepared to lose, and do not draw attention to expensive items. There are active volcanoes in Ecuador, but they are carefully monitored so that warnings can be given if activity might require evacuation from the vicinity. As in most countries, road accidents actually pose the greatest risk. You will need to use common sense, be responsible for yourself and aware of your surroundings, and travel with other people wherever possible. Your host family and community will know you and look out for your safety. Your Field Director will discuss safety and health during orientation. All volunteers will be registered with the appropriate Embassy in Quito in case of a national emergency. WorldTeach has a 24-hour communication system and an emergency evacuation plan for the country.
 
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Q: What would I need to take with me?

A: When you confirm your participation in the program you will be sent a booklet called Living & Teaching in Ecuador. This booklet will contain a suggested packing list. We do not recommend taking a lot of electronics, as they are easily broken or stolen.
 
Try to pack light; you will need to be able to move your bags easily, and you will find most things are available in Ecuador. In terms of teaching materials, the WorldTeach office in Ecuador has some teaching books and materials that you can borrow or copy. You might want to take your own books, activities, or other materials that you think will be of use to you during your year. Posters or pictures from magazines, popular songs, or videos are valuable teaching tools that are harder to come by in Ecuador! You can also speak with a returned volunteer for advice on packing.
 

Q: Are volunteers paid?

A: Summer volunteers are not paid. Your host family will receive a stipend to cover the costs of feeding and housing you.

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Q: How much money do volunteers need?

A: The amount of spending money you will need is very subjective. It will depend on how much you intend to travel, and the lifestyle you intend to lead. Volunteers living in or frequenting major cities will probably spend more money than volunteers in smaller towns who spend most weekends in their host community. Your room and board (daily meals) are provided by your host family, and WorldTeach reimburses program-related travel to conferences.
 
You will need your own spending money for personal costs such as communications with home and social activities, and for paying up-front for medical expenses. You may also need to use your own money to cover daily living costs if your stipend payments from your school are delayed. Traveler's checks are the safest way to take money as they can be replaced if lost. You can also draw money using a credit or ATM card at banks in Quito and other large cities. It is a good idea to make sure that someone in the US has access to your bank account in case of an emergency.
 

Q: Do volunteers have access to e-mail in Ecuador?

A: E-mail is available throughout Ecuador, though it is less easily accessible in rural areas. Internet cafes are quite common, especially in the larger cities. Cafes will charge you between $0.80 and $1.20 per hour, and there are extra costs for printing. Some host schools will have computers with internet that you may ask permission to use. While you may not have daily access, you should be able to check your email on weekends. "Snail mail" service to Ecuador is generally reliable. An airmail letter takes 7-10 days from the United States.

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Q: Can I speak with someone who has done this program before?

A: Absolutely! We can put you in contact with a returned WorldTeach volunteer who can answer specific questions for you. Contact the office by phone (1 800 483-2240 or 617 495-5527) or send a request by email to info@worldteach.org.

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