We asked our Ecuador summer volunteers to describe the towns in which they lived and schools where they taught.  We hope these samples will give you a picture of life as a WorldTeach volunteer in Ecuador, but please keep in mind as you read these that every site is unique.  Your experience will be what you make of it! 

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Saludos de Quito!
 
My name is Liz Henry and I’m the Assistant Director of the WorldTeach program in Ecuador.  I wanted to send you an email to introduce myself and the other field staff and give you an idea of what to expect when you arrive. 
 
Field staff introductions….
 
Originally a year-long volunteer in the September 2004 group, I fell in love with Ecuador and have been here ever since!  After my first year of teaching at a university in Ambato, I decided to extend my service for a second year.  But, in January 2006, the Assistant Field Director position opened up and I left Ambato after three semesters of teaching to work full-time in the WorldTeach office in Quito.  Before coming to Ecuador, I spent time in France finishing an MA in French, got certified as a secondary French teacher in Vermont, and taught French, coached girls tennis and lacrosse, and co-supervised a dorm at a boarding school in New Jersey.
 
The current Field Director, Molly Greene, has been with WorldTeach since her time as an Ecuador volunteer in 2002­-for one year as a volunteer, for two years as the Admissions and Recruiting Coordinator in the U.S. office, and for the past year in Ecuador as Field Director.  Molly has taught English both in Ecuador and to Latino immigrants in the U.S. and has her certification in Teaching English as a Foreign Language.  Sadly for us, Molly will be leaving Ecuador halfway through your time here to pursue a graduate degree in the field of higher education. 
 
Therese Weimholt, a September 2005 year-long volunteer, will finish her teaching commitment in Jima (a tiny village near Cuenca) in early June and join the field staff in Quito just before the arrival of your group.  Therese has a wealth of teaching experience and is ready to share her love of teaching and her enthusiasm for Ecuador with all of you!
 
Site placements….
 
During the past month and a half, Molly and I have been making contacts with your future site directors and host families, visiting new sites, and confirming your teaching contracts. This year, we have a variety of sites ranging from urban to rural placements in the sierra, coast, and jungle regions. 
 
We will be sending you information about your site placements at least two weeks before your departure (and most likely earlier) so that you can begin to prepare for your time in Ecuador.  We understand that you are all dying to know where you will be living and teaching this summer.  But, please understand that communication with some of the most rural sites is difficult (lack of email access, poor quality of phone lines, etc.) and it is extremely challenging to firm up details extremely far in advance with these sites. 

You probably already have a lot of expectations about what your experience here will be like and I encourage all of you to reflect on those expectations in anticipation of your departure.  Please remember that Ecuador might be very different from the country that you envision and that your experience here might depart from the one you have imagined.  But please also know that all WorldTeach sites are amazing, that you will undoubtedly have a great experience here, and that you will have an opportunity to make a real impact wherever you end up! Just keep an open mind and be flexible!
 
Orientation in Quito….
 
In addition to arranging your site placements, we are also planning your orientation session.  While volunteers always comment that orientation is quite busy, they all appreciate the ten hours of Spanish classes, Teaching English as a Foreign Language training, and cultural adjustment sessions.  During orientation, you will have the opportunity to participate in discussions, teaching observations, and feedback sessions, as well as have time to share specific concerns one-on-one with the field staff.  There will be time for other activities like salsa classes, a Quito tour, and an optional day trip too!  
 
A little bit about Quito….
 
Quito’s location at 9,000 feet makes for some pretty strange weather.  Quiteños like to say that there are four seasons in just one day and I have found this to be true!  The mornings are usually cool and sunny, the afternoons quite warm, the evenings raining and almost cold.  Regardless of where you are placed, it is a good idea to bring layers of clothes for the crazy weather in Quito, and don’t forget to bring sunscreen, a hat, an umbrella or rain jacket, and a fleece or thick sweatshirt.  During the day, temperatures in Quito usually reach the mid-70s, but can dip to the 40’s overnight.  
 
We look forward to getting to know all of you!
 
Un abrazo, 
 
Liz, Molly, and Therese

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Describe your students (university students, community members, kids, etc). 

- My students at SECAP varied from complete beginners to intermediate. I have some English teachers in my classes who have been taking English classes for 8 to 9 years and some students that only had a few classes in their colegio over 16 years ago. The students varied from university students, to doctors, to community members. They varied in age from 12 yrs. to 55 yrs. My youngest and oldest were in the same class.

 - I worked for a week in the Colegio de 9 de Octubre. All my students there were university level students. They were considered beginner for university students which would be intermediate for my SECAP students. They definitely knew a lot more than my students at SECAP.

What resources were available to you?  What resources did you find most useful?

 - One advantage to working at SECAP is the resources. They provide a well-lit, air conditioned classroom. There is a big white board, an eraser, plenty of desks, a TV and VCR. SECAP also provides any other teaching material needed if it's asked for in advance (at least a day) which includes dry erase markers, copies of anything you need, large sheets of paper to use in front of the classroom, tape, permanent markers, etc. The copies are not in color.

What is the community like?  What is there to do for fun? Are there any customs a new volunteer should know about to help them fit in?

 - I live in Las Brisas which is one of the "cool" sections of Machala. Machala is a small city, so there are sections, just like there are sections of New York City or D.C. Thus each section has its own community atmosphere. Las Brisas and Porto Bolivar are the two districts people go out in at night. People go to these districts to go to bars, discos, get something to eat or just drink while sitting in their cars.

Who did you live with? Please give names and ages if you know them.

- I live with Angel and Olga Ponton Tommaselli. Angel is in his 60s. Olga is in her 50s. Mama Lucia is Olga's mother and is in her 80s. They have four children that live in Guayaquil but stay in Machala a lot. Diego is about 28. Berinise (can't spell her name) is 26 or 27. The twins, Natalia and Tatiana, are 25.

What was your living arrangement like?  Please describe your host family if you had one. 

 - I basically lived with just Angel, Olga, and Mama Lucia. I had my own room which was large and had two beds. I also had my own bathroom. They always have hot water, plenty of food, two phone lines, the internet, tvs and a dvd player. I also had a fan in my room which really helped some nights. They family is wonderful and very liberal. As long as they know where I am or an idea of what I'm doing they don't care how late I'm out. They only hitch is they never gave me a key to the house so I did get locked out a few times.

Handover Letter: Please write a brief letter about your teaching site and community for future volunteers.  Include any information you wish you had known before you came or anything you feel volunteers should know.   

Dear Fellow WorldTeach Volunteer,

I hope this letter finds you doing well and excited about your upcoming time in Machala, Ecuador. Machala is the banana capital of Ecuador and for this reason is the richest city in Ecuador. Basically, there's a broken economy here. There are plenty of very rich people and plenty of very poor.

Machala is a small city. It has about 200,000 residents. There is plenty of access to internet cafes with computers and phones. You can get anywhere in the city for a taxi fare of one to two dollars. There is a beach here called Jambelí. It is really an island near Machala. You have to take a thirty minute boat ride to get there. So although Machala has a beach it's not like you can just walk to it.

Machala, Ecuador is a great place to be spending your time in Ecuador. You're very close to Peru. It's only about a two to three hour bus ride away. You're a 3 ½ hour bus ride from Cuenca. It's only 2 ½ to 3 hours by bus to Guayaquil. All of these trips are even shorter by car. You have the advantages of living on the coast and the disadvantages as well. It's extremely hot here in the winter. December to February is supposed to be wicked. But during these hot months you can always visit the sierra for a refreshingly cool weekend. Everyone in Machala will go out of their way to help you as long as you are polite. No matter what you look like or how good your Spanish is they will be able to tell you're a foreigner. There's no getting around it. For this reason they will try their best to help you if your lost or need anything.

This is going to be one of the most interesting experiences of your life. Enjoy it to the fullest.

Take care,
Annie Gómez  

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Describe your students.

In the morning I taught at the hostel.  I taught three students for one hour each.  These students varied in ability from beginner to intermediate to more or less advanced.  All three were waiters who worked at the hostel. 

In the afternoon I worked at the school 24 de Mayo.  I taught four classes ( 4^th and 5^th grade together, a single 5^th grade class, 6^th grade, and 7^th grade) each week. Their ages ranged from 9 years old to 13.  On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I taught 7^th grade for an hour and then 6^th grade for an hour afterwards.  On Tuesday and Thursday I taught a 5^th grade class first and then a combined 4^th and 5^th grade class.  Each class at the school contained approximately 45 students in each class.

What resources were available to you?  What resources did you find most useful?

At Mandala the students had very small and inadequate dictionaries.  That was it!  I provided paper, books, and flashcards.  The interchange book worked very well with these students.

At the school the kids all had notebooks and pens and a white board was available for me with markers.  There was a globe and maps available also.  That was it!  The board was crucial as well as a number of photocopies I made in order to keep the students engaged.

What is the community like?  What is there to do for fun? Are there any customs a new volunteer should know about to help them fit in?

The community is amazing.  I love it very much.  The village is composed of about 90% fishermen with the rest of the people making a living off tourism.  From June to September tourism is booming due to the presence of humpback whales off the coast.  The other time of the year is pretty quiet in town.  Even in its high season, however, the weekdays are pretty relaxed.  The weekends are marked by fiestas on Friday and Saturday nights.  Most of the people are very friendly and relaxed.  Very few speak any English.

For fun?  Of course there is whale watching and the ocean to keep you occupied.  Sea kayaks can be rented from Restaurant Spondylos, an Italian guy rents a jet ski out, and you can venture off to the Machalil national park which is close by. I hear "los frioles" is a very beautiful beach.  There about three fun bars in town which are usually packed with tourists on the weekends. 

Who did you live with? Please give names and ages if you know them.

I lived with Rosy and Ricuardo who are both in their late thirties.  They have three children: Leonardo, age 12, Brian age 10, and Isabella 9 months.

What was your living arrangement like?

My living arrangement was awesome.  The third floor of their home is made into two apartments.  I had my own room with a private bathroom.  They provided sheets and furniture.  Perfect accommodations!

My host family is very friendly although Ricuardo takes a little while to warm up to.  They love to joke around, especially the women who work in the kitchen.  All around fantastic people.  They speak no English however.

Handover Letter:

            Puerto Lopez is a very chill, relaxed, and awesome town and you should feel really lucky to have it as your site.  A lot of animals run around the streets, ranging from pigs, chickens, roosters, and stray dogs.  The dogs can be a bit crazy and may attack you so just remember that all you have to do is make like you are picking up a rock and they will take off like a bat out of hell.  The beach is beautiful but has a lot of trash on it.  The residents are all very friendly and like to hang out and talk over a beer. A Colombian family that owns the Colombian restaurant in town are amazing people.  Incredibly friendly.  His name is Jaibel and his wife´s name is Carol. 

            Some U.S. ex-pats have set up a restaurant in town.  Kevin and Diane are really great people who love good conversation.  Kevin will talk to you for as long as you want so be prepared to cut him off and tell him you have to leave. .ahah.  Diane makes delicious pizza, pies, and brownies.  The other food is excellent as well. 

            Hosteria Mandala is a beautiful hostel and great place to stay.  The owners, Maja and Aurelio, are nice people as well.  They have some interesting perspectives on the world.

            I don't really know what else to write other than the place is really great.  I love the place and could write about it forever, but instead of wasting my time doing that I think it is better if you just go and experience it yourself.  The people I mentioned above are great contacts to have in order to begin your unforgettable experience in an unforgettable town.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  Bring some sunscreen, a beach towel, some good books as you will have a lot of free time, and a flashlight for the power outages, and have a good one.

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Describe your students.

Class 1: In this group, there were seven or eight regularly attending adults, including some future English teachers and a couple of university students, as well as two 10-year-old girls. All of my students had had English classes before, though for most of the adults these classes lie more than 15 or 20 years back. The kids were highly motivated and completed the course successfully, while the adults often struggled with grammar and pronunciation.

Class 2: The size of this group varied between twenty and thirty. Apart from one teacher, a university student and a couple more adults, there were kids of all ages (between 8 and 18 years old). Accordingly, the levels varied greatly. I decided to review the basics with a lot of speaking practice and some grammar points.

Class 3: In my last class, I had on average 22 students, all of them kids between 7 and 16 years from surrounding communities. All of them had had English classes before, but without much speaking practice. Naturally, the older students had a better background in English and picked up new material much more quickly than the younger ones which was a challenge for me planning lessons as well as for my students who were either getting impatient or frustrated. For future volunteers I would recommend splitting such a class into two age groups and teaching them separately.

What resources were available to you? What resources did you find useful?

My director told me to collect one dollar from each student to cover the two or three-week-long course. This covered expenses for photocopies and other teaching materials. The classrooms had blackboards, but neither markers nor chalk. There was no CD player at either site.

Toward the end of my service, we managed to make several copies of the Costa Rica book and burn English music CDs with the support of Plan International.

What is the community like? What is there to do for fun? Are there any customs a new volunteer should know about to help them fit in?

Guaranda is rather small town nestled in beautiful mountains. Its population is mostly indigenous, it is common to hear Quichua on the streets. It's a great place for hiking, going swimming in the local pool down at the bridge, exploring the markets or just strolling down the streets. There are also several nightclubs, internet cafes and DVD shops. A half-hour car or bus ride could take you to Las Cochas, a nice park where families and youth hang out, play sports, ride horses or eat ice cream. Salinas, about an hour drive away from Guaranda, is definitely worth seeing as well. In July and August, many families celebrate graduation which you might be invited to. 

Who did you live with?

German Hinojosa (35), Anita (32), Cuzcaya (15), Anita (10), Tamya (almost 2), and abuelita (87). There is also a Peace Corps volunteer living there. Her name is Angela or simply Angie.

What was your living arrangement like? Please describe your host family if you had one.

My host family was very welcoming, warmhearted and helpful. Both parents work a lot, but the kids are at home most of the time and love to play, listen to music, draw or watch movies. The food was good and plenty, often too much (except for breakfast). I could also keep my own food in the fridge if I wanted to. Both times when I was sick, my host family took good care of me. As far as I understand it, the grandmother comes on schooldays to cook for the family, but during my stay it was the eldest daughter who was responsible for most housework and they didn't let me help out besides cleaning my dishes. On several occasions, my host father invited me to come along and visit relatives or the countryside. That way I felt very much part of the family, though I still had enough independence to come and go when I wanted to (leaving a note if I stayed overnight somewhere else).

My host family lives close to the cementary in a big house in a relatively wealthy neighborhood. I had my own room on the third floor with a beautiful view of Guaranda and Chimborazo. I shared a bathroom with the Peace Corps volunteer on the second floor.

Handover Letter:

Dear new volunteer,

Guaranda is about four hours south of Quito, located between beautiful hills. Its population is highly indigenous and you're likely to hear a lot of Quichua on the streets or in your host family. Guaranda is small, but it does have most of the modern conveniences.

Teaching in Guaranda was a lot of fun. My students loved competitive games such as grammar relay, jeopardy, bingo, pareme la mano, and they, especially the kids, enjoyed drawing exercises of all kinds. I gave each student a big sheet of paper on which they wrote some personal information, drew themselves, their families and favorite animals / hobbies / etc - documenting what we'd studied. Adults and kids alike loved songs and games of movement. But there was no CD player, so bring your own. Also, your students will probably not have books, but you can make photocopies anywhere in town (2 cents a copy).

Guaranda is a bit cooler than Quito. It probably won't get warmer than 65 in the day and will dip down to the 40's at night. Bring a jacket and clothes for cooler weather. You can wear jeans in the classroom if they are not torn. Sneakers are fine too, especially if you work in the surrounding communities which you have to hitchhike or walk to. Dress in layers, for it gets very hot around noon but cools down significantly in the evening. Don't forget sunblock (high SPF). You don't need much fancy clothing, one nicer outfit is probably enough. My host family handwashes all its clothes and so did I this summer, but there is a laundromat in town if you are willing to pay for it.

If you need a break from your host family or simply want to explore more of Ecuador, Ambato and Riobamba are only a couple of hours away by bus. Go to Salinas as well, it's the Ecuadorian example of successful community development and you don't want to miss out on Salinas cheese, chocolates and truffles. Salasaca and Quisapincha are worth seeing too, about 20 minutes or so from Ambato.

All the best for your stay here,
Meike

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