Updates on my Ecuadorian adventure

So I know I have not been updating my blog as much as I would like to and this is due to, A. I am tired everyday B. I am busy everyday C. I have a social life. Haha.

But now I will update you all with everything that has happened so far…

Entonces empezamos con ....

Week 2 - We had a very busy week. Well for week 3 we ended up covering safety and security, a bit of tech training, and visiting the Quito office. The PC office is pretty awesome. We had a good time getting a short tour of the place and meeting the staff. We also got to meet some PCVs that were in town. In the weekend, we had an amazing time learning and visiting the small Afro-Ecuadorian town called Mascarilla. The community was amazing. They were so friendly and just fun loving people. We had a great time playing futbol and other games with the kids. We (a group of us) got in trouble when we went for a night walk around town without communicating our plans to our host families (we stayed with host families for the weekend). Well I still think our night excursion was worth getting into trouble. This town is pretty quiet and beautiful at night. We danced la bomba, learned to make clay masks, got to have some traditional foods, and got some historical background info. It was a nice experience getting to know others trainees and getting some cultural experiences under our belts.

Mascarilla

Week -3 – This was a hard week for all of us. We had some stressful moments, some moments when people were acting childish, and some moments were we all got fed up with everything and everyone. However, everything is fine now. But it was a hell of a week.  All we did was tech, security and health training. We started on our Malaria meds this week as well, which we will take for the rest of our stay in Ecuador (if we are placed in a malaria zona).

Week 4 -Tech Trip! We (TEFL group) were divided into two groups, one going to Santa Elena near the coast and another going to Santo Domingo near Quito.  One group was all ladies the other was the bros’ group. We had a great start (I was in the all ladies group). We took a trip to Santo Domingo, which is about 5 hours by bus.  The activities we did there were; Co-teaching in a classroom, went to visit a small pueblo outside the city, went to visit the Tsachilas village outside Santo Domingo, went to a fair, went out dancing, and went to the market. We had a great time co-teaching and getting hands on experiences with Ecuadorian students, however, the city was not what we expected. We were hoping for a cleaner place and more variety in food selection. At the end of our trip we were ready to go home and spend some time with our host familes. Although I must say I had a great time getting to know our program manager, she is an amazing woman. Also we got to be in the gay pride parade in Quito, which was the most fun we have had since our cultural trips. :)

Small town outside Santo Domingo

 Los Tsachilas!

At the high school in Santo Domingo

Gay pride parade!

Week  5 - Oh this week was such a fun week for all of us. We celebrated 4^th of July with juegos and lots of yummy foods! One of our fellow TEFL people got sent home because of an injury. We all miss you William, hope you get better soon and come back pronto!  We had some sick days this week; most of us were/are sick from our tech trips. I was one of the lucky few to get some gastrointestinal illness. I had friends in my tummy (amoebas)!!!! Yay I feel so lucky L …. However, I had no clue about my tummy friends until Monday the 11^th. So I was sick last Tuesday (July 5^th) had a sick day went home got better and on Sunday, after a fun adventure in the cloud forest, I got sick again. We were also stressed out because of our LPIs (language tests) and our site interviews (this is when they decide where they will place us for the next 2 years). 

About the cloud forest, it was gorgeous! We went zip lining through the ecological reserve, where this family of biologist and horticulturalists live. They are trying to maintain this eco-system and trying to start projects for the preservation of the cloud forest. Amazing individuals! I had such a great time hiking and zip lining that I would want to do it again soon. Anyway had a great weekend even though I was sick.

GO TEFL TEAM!

THIS WEEK (WEEK 6) – OH boy, were to start. I went home on Monday because of my tummy friends. Had a grand time trying to rest when all my body wanted to do is go to the bathroom.  And we have one day before they tell us where we will be for the next 2 years! Exciting as hell! I can’t wait to learn where I will be and with who. See we as TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) group gets to share a school with another volunteer. So we get to work with another volunteer from the same Omnibus J fun, fun, fun! Can’t wait to know with who and where we will be placed at.

So that is the update of my month here in Ecuador. It has been quite the adventure so far. I have made great friends and have visited beautiful places. I can’t wait to go to my site and see who my counterparts are and just get a feeling for my community.

Well that is all, I will definitely update manana when I know my site!!!!! Bueno entonces Wish me luck!