ECUAVISTA WORLDTEACH

ECUADOR
January 2010

Survival Guide Ecuador Revealed! Get Your

From the Fiesta On!
Never before seen Calendar of
volunteers who volunteer photos! Holidays and
lived it (pg.7) (sin facebook) Festivals (pg.10)

[1]
DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Peter Daniels “AAAhhhhhhh-
WorldTeach Ecuador Director mazing!”
- Peter Daniels

Next year, WorldTeach will celebrate twenty years in Ec-

uador. Gringos and Ecuas alike celebrate the attempts to ex-
change culture and language. Just imagine how many locals
have enjoyed watching their beloved “teacher” singing Mi-
chael Jackson hits, dancing salsa, and helping students master
the difference between “the love” and “love”. On the con-
trary, take a moment to reflect on how many of those teach-
ers have returned to their homeland to tell vibrant stories
about getting their face smashed in a cake, barbecuing rodents on a paseo with students, and bringing the Ecua-
whine back to adulthood. Ecuador is a much sillier place because of WorldTeach volunteers, and vice versa.

All kidding aside, your students have been given an opportunity to improve their lives through your classes.
Though their effort may seem inconsistent, they hope to advance their careers by leveraging their English skills and,
consequently, to improve the lives of their family. In my opinion, the value of their certificate or degree is contin-
gent upon the individual attention of their teacher. This is where you all come in.

We Field Staff want to celebrate our volunteers’ role as cultural ambassadors. I implore you to make the most
out of every opportunity during your time in Ecuador. Make your lesson plans inspirational, your relationships vivid,
and your communities remember you. Don’t miss this chance to take away patience, flexibility, self-reliance, and
memories you will never forget.

Go your best, On January 24, 2010 Peter Daniels will be passing on the Director
Peter torch to current Assistant Director Kate Kurnick, and returning to the
States. Thank you Peter for all of your advice, support, and of course
the laughs. You may be leaving but we will always remember you, and
your Ecua-cell number (#508- should’ve called Kate!) Buena Suerte!
ABOUT WORLDTEACH:
Based at the Center for International Development at Harvard University, WorldTeach offers the benefits of a well-
established volunteer organization, while also providing more comprehensive, personalized support and training as a
small NGO. In each of our programs, volunteers are placed at schools, and host communities in developing countries
that specifically request WorldTeach volunteers and would otherwise be unable to afford or locate qualified teachers.
Volunteers receive training, language preparation, and field support, empowering them to make an impact that will last
long after they leave.

[2]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Director’s Message 2
New Beginnings 4
Teaching and Students 5
Ecuador Survival Tips 7
Family 8
Travel 9
You Know You’re In Ecuador When... 11
Reflections 12

Editor’s Note

WorldTeach Volunteers, Alumnae, Prospective Volunteers, Friends, and Family:

It has been our privilege to work on the Ecuavista this year. Living in Ecuador in separate locations all
across the country has naturally disconnected us a bit from our fellow volunteers. The Ecuavista has
allowed us, as editors, to remember the joys and challenges we share together as members of World-
Teach. We hope that this magazine provides the opportunity for our current and past volunteers, as
well as loved ones, to share in our diverse experiences as English Teachers here in Ecuador.

Thank you to our directors Peter Daniels and Kate Kurnick for their support, and also to Laura Stull
and Owen Serra for their editing work. Thank you especially to all the volunteers who took the time to
be part of this magazine.

Con carino,

Alicia Kagawa (& chicken foot) Jenny Seneor (& monkey) Emily Koester (& cuy)
2009-2010 Ecuavista Editors

[3]
 NEW BEGINNINGS

Owen Serra and Michael Crane setting their sights

Boarding the Plane
By Michael Taub
August 28 2009 Though I’ve generally been
looking forward to departing for the trip, it really
sunk in last night (after spending hours packing)
that I'm going to be away from home for about
10 or 11 months. I started thinking about the
prospect of becoming homesick while trying,
unsuccessfully, to grab two hours of sleep, and I
began questioning whether I’d really be able to
stay away from my family and friends for so
long.
Am I doing the right
thing? Am I doing this
for the right reasons?
Will I become insanely
of speaking. But this is definitely not the whole
reason for my going to Ecuador.
Not to sound cliche (again), but I’d like to
live in another culture for a significant amount of
time. I want to become proficient (not necessar-
ily fluent) in Spanish. I want to see if, after some
practice and some patience with myself, I genu-
inely begin to enjoy teaching.
A Foreigner’s Flag
By Owen Serra
January 14, 2010 When first arriving in
Machala I was struck by the nearly complete
absence of Westerners in a city of its size.
Machala, the ‘Banana Capital of the World’ and
Ecuador’s fourth largest city funnels the coun-
try’s exports of bananas, shrimp, coffee, and
of WorldTeach sending two volunteers all the
way to Machala. Because of this, the university
structured its curriculum to have the other
WorldTeach volunteer and myself teach English
courses at advanced levels.
We are clearly meeting need where it is
great, the demand for English is evident in the
many English schools throughout the city, but
few of these schools have native speakers. Im-
mediately, I sensed that being an American and
teaching English established a foreigner dy-
namic where I felt almost revered, and not solely
by students, but by professors as well. This
dynamic along with all the gringo attention can
be bothersome and feel unwarranted. When
discussing this dynamic with local seasoned
Peace Corps volunteers and with a former
WorldTeach volunteer who had extended her

homesick? cocoa to neighboring Puerto Bolivar. From there,

Right now I’m waiting for the plane that will take
me to Miami, where I’ll meet up with the rest of
the WorldTeach group. I know this is really cliche
and reminiscent of some kind of annoying com-
ing of age story, but really, I’ve never felt such a
strange mixture of emotions.
Am I doing the right thing? Am I doing this
for the right reasons? Will I become insanely
homesick? Will I get sick from the altitude
change?
I can’t believe I’m actually doing this right
now.
But at the same time, I’m excited to dive
into something very challenging. Obviously I’ve
thought about how this is going to affect my
stuttering (and yes, I’ve also worried a bit about
how my stuttering will affect my performance in
the classroom). I’m pretty sure that I’m partially
doing this in order to directly challenge my fear
placement here, I’ve found our reactions are
often similar.
these commodities are exported around the
This foreigner dynamic doesn’t have to be
world. Off the tourist track, this commercial hub
seen hierarchically. Instead it should be ap-
stands isolated in Ecuador’s southern agrarian
proached with modesty. Being a WorldTeach
lowlands. Consequently, unlike Ecuador’s other
volunteer enables one to work alongside and
major cities it attracts few native English speak-
learn from the university’s faculty and local
ers.
community. The gringo attention and simple fact
Both geographically and culturally Machala
that our English language is native will always
is a whirlwind apart from Quito where World-
create a foreigner dynamic. What is most impor-
Teach held its teacher orientation. Having a few
tant is that one embraces this dynamic with
weeks free after orientation and before the start
open mindedness, respect and humility.
of classes, I traveled in the Northern Sierra, and
to the coastal city of Guayaquil and its nearby
beaches. These locales---even the coastal
ones--- felt far different and less isolated than
Machala.
Positive gringo attention is prevalent
throughout Ecuador but felt magnified in
Machala where I found myself among very few
foreigners. The faculty at the Universidad Tec-
nica de Machala seemed extremely appreciative

[4]

TEACHING
AND
STUDENTS
In Search of the Impossible By the way I taught them
By Matthew Draper
There are those moments
When I wish I was something more
When I feel lost in the day to day grind
Of teaching... English?
And when I ask myself if it’s really doing any good at all
When I wonder if I could do something truly extraordinary
Instead of shouting in some crazy language
In a classroom with rusty, uncomfortable desks and
broken windows
At restless, bored minds who just don’t care
So what am I waiting for?
Why can’t I go out and do the impossible?
Aren’t I supposed to change the world?
How does the present perfect do that?
And then I stop
And take a breath
And look around
Maybe the impossible is going to work for yet another day
Doing something so routine that I forget that this job
Is happening in a city 6000 miles away from mine
With people who deeply believe that when it is 50 degrees outside
That everyone is at risk of getting sick
People whose brains are wired to understand the world
In terms of “tu” and “usted”
And yet who “can’t” seem to remember the difference between
“her” and “your”
“Make” and “do”
And who will forever be “calling to” me on their cellphones
Asking me to “help to” them with their “homeworks”
No matter how many times I “say them” that that isn’t how we
fruit we use in Colada Morada!” and other asides meant to educate me
speak
And maybe the impossible is accepting that most of them
[5]
Will never use this crazy, difficult language in any real situation
That most of them will leave my class
With another pretty certificate for their carpeta
And vague memories of those silly games they played
In order to learn enough to pass the tests
With the strange gringo
Who was always angry when they were late
And wore the same four sweaters for the whole year
But maybe the impossible is remembering that for every 10 who
feel that way
There is one
Whose life was changed
Subtly
Or dramatically
By the ideas I taught them
Or just the different ideas I brought into the classroom
And that for that one person
All of my hard work is worth it
Orientation Practice Teaching with Laura Stull
A Paseo with My Students
By Maureen Kattah
Finally, I had reached the end of my first cycle! I was very proud of
the progress my students had made and, most of all, thrilled with our
class dynamic. Every day I woke up excited to teach these motivated,
incredibly friendly and caring students. I remember how concerned all
my students were when I had to change host families. Continuously,
they asked, “Have you found a new family yet? How’s the search go-
ing?” It was so nice to know that my students would always be there
for me.
It was in this spirit that they decided to take me on a day trip to
Polyleptis. Polyleptis is one of the most gorgeous places I have visited
in Ecuador. It has some of the oldest trees in the world and has a plant
that only grows in this region. Our tour guide was surprisingly patient
when students grabbed my arm and said, “Teacher, look! That’s the
about this beautiful place. For once, I was the student and they were
the teachers, and they relished the role.
 After we had finished the official tour of the forest, it was hiking
time. We went hiking to a beautiful viewpoint. The tour guide then gave
us the option that would kill me - shall we hike up this incredibly steep
“I guess the first thing is that I’m
mountain at high altitude and then climb down back to the center? “Of really enjoying myself down here in
course!” my students responded. I wasn’t thrilled with this proposition, Ecuador. I’m making new friends and
but everybody seemed excited to do it, and I couldn’t speak up. Soon learning a new language. I enjoy
enough, I could barely breathe. Altitude sickness hit me hard. Though I teaching...I know my students are
most wanted to fall to the back of the group and sit and catch my showing progress. Sometimes it’s diffi-
breath alone, my students wouldn’t have it. cult to see how they’ve learned, but
when I step back and think where they
started I know that they’ve improved.”
(Excerpt taken from Ryan Drum’s blog: www.wryin.blogspot.com)

Salsa, Steak and Song

Class party with Nicole Huguenin and Michael Taub
“We should take her back to the center.” “No, we should let her
rest here for a while.” “No, she can finish the climb, she just needs a
break!” was all discussed before I could catch my breathe to voice my
opinion. “I’ll be fine, I can finish it. I just need a small break.” So there
I was, lying on the mountain with my students all around me, holding
my hands. I was slightly embarrassed, but more grateful to have such
caring students. When I finally got up, they carried all of my belongings
and took me by the hand, helping me reach the top. The sense of sat-
isfaction I had when I reached the top was incredible. I hadn’t given up
and now got to see this beautiful vista with my students, a bonding
moment I greatly appreciated.
When we got back to the center, though my body was exhausted,
my students practically dragged me to the dance floor. “Teacher, you
have to dance!” “Hey, not bad for a gringa!” “No, no, this is how you
dance to this song!” Once again, they had assumed the role of teacher,
and who was I to refuse them? During a break from dancing,one of my
older student came to talk with me. She too, is an English teacher in a
high school. She made my day when she told me, “Thank you for your
teachings. You are a great teacher and I am going to use your activities
in my classroom.” I couldn’t have asked for a better compliment.
By Keith Johnston
The remaining week of classes went great. So great in fact that
each class wanted to celebrate the end of the term with a subtle gath-
ering. Friday Night was for my Basic 1 class, Saturday afternoon for my
Advanced class. I went with my Basic 1 class to a steak restaurant
called El Churrasco. Picture a two room steak house capable of hosting
about 4 tables of 6. There are 28 people in my class, and they all
wanted to eat at one table. Since the side room, with the view of the
steak kitchen was the largest we opted for that one, and proceeded to
round up every possible table and chair remaining in the restaurant.
Through the smoke laced room we all chuckled and shrugged at one
another looking forward to, quite possibly, the most interesting and
intimate dinner in which we have ever taken part.
At about the time when everyone had established their elbow
room, the 2 waiters in the place began hustling back and forth from the
kitchen to the dining room. All five rounds of food somehow found
room on the tables, and some time later, room in our bellies. It was as
delicious as it was plentiful.
I thought the night was going to simply end at that point. This
could not have been further from the truth. About half of the dinner
party easily convinced me to join them at a Karaoke Bar around the
corner. Between the hours of approximately 9:30 and 12:30 I had ac-
cumulated to my “good times bank” a whopping 9 Karaoke songs (4 in
Spanish), about an hour of salsa and bachata practice, and a few sam-
ples of Canelazo (a sweet purple liquor drink with sugar cane). It all
added up to one of the most enjoyable nights I have had in Ecuador.

“Oh, and by the way, I told your students not to come tomorrow,” another teacher told me off-handedly as
he left. “Wait, what?” I asked him. “Well, there’s the soccer game tomorrow,” he told me, as if the next day
were Christmas itself. “They’re missing class for a soccer game?” I asked doubtfully. Apparently, I was play-
ing the role of Ebenezer Scrooge. “Your students wouldn’t come anyway,” he told me matter-of-factly. And
so I spent the next class day in a bar, sipping a beer and watching soccer fans wail in anguish as Ecuador
lost its match. (Excerpt taken from Emily Koester’s blog: www.EcuadorOneGringasPerspective.blogspot.com)

[6]

“If you get mustard on your clothing, run into 6 de
Diciembre hotel as fast as you can.”
“Claim sickness to avoid getting ‘ecua-napped’.”
-Jessica Novick
“The best advice is to never give out your
number and never plan on anything going as
scheduled!”
-Shelly Pinkerton since 2004 before attempting to bike down
“Realize that in addition to parasites and bacteria,
the altitude, change in diet (lots more meat and
dairy and oil than you're used to), and stress will all
do a number on your stomach. Take it easy on the
change in diet, and try to manage the stress!”
-Jessica Sommerville
“It's a good idea to have biked at least once

“Always get several opinions when Chimborazo. Trust me.”

asking for directions- Ecuadorians often -Michael Taub

only
“Perfume
pretend
SURVIVAL TIPS
from the U.S.
and camping
to know quick dry
where FROM THE VOLUNTEERS WHO LIVED IT towels.”
-Vicki Patter-
something
son
is.”
-Maureen “Learn to
Kattah love rice,
h a l i v e chicken, get ready to

u a re on a bus wit
do a lot of
“Look “If y o and
ish
both ways
o n it. The y are peev dancing, don’t

n e y e try to con-
before keep a
b u rlap b ag, they
e vince people
crossing the
u ld t he y escape th that in reality 60
street so you sho degree weather is
know how fast to may not ‘a-chay-
run across it.” chay’”- Margaret
“Have an open mind, and always say Jasinski
‘bueno’ and go for it even if it
“Learn how to simultaneously seems crazy.” - Anique Pegeron
dance and elbow people who
“Wear sunscreen. ALWAYS!
are trying to dance up on you.”
Be flexible and remember that time in Ecuador is
-Klara Huber-Stephens
an ambiguous concept.” -Laura Stull

“Always anticipate things will take two hours “Don't go to Lago Agrio.”
longer than you think they will. Be prepared with -Sarah Schwartz
toilet paper at all times. -Leah Isquith

[7]
 The Naked Truth commence the beginning of hours and hours
and hours of dancing and drinking and dancing,

FAMILY
Jessica Novick with host family
Jenny Seneor and Alicia Kagawa with
host families
by Jessica Novick
ìQue lindo! I exclaimed as my new host
brother, Daniel, clicked through pictures of
breathtaking cliffs and snowcapped volcanoes
on his laptop. I had just arrived in Quito, Ecua-
dor and was beginning my orientation to be-
come an English teacher for WorldTeach. I
would be living with Daniel and his mother for
the duration of the month. Daniel was the
president of his university’s adventure club and
he was very excited to show me pictures of the
Andean mountains he had conquered. In one
particular picture, he was scaling a rocky ledge
with an impossibly large backpack without a
harness or a rope. I was amazed at his courage
or stupidity - I hadn’t quite decided which yet -
so I asked, in Spanish, if he was really climbing
“sin ropa.” Unfortunately for me, “ropa” is not a
cognate of the English word rope. “Ropa”
means clothing! I had just accidentally asked
my new host brother if he enjoyed climbing
mountains in the nude. Of course, he immedi-
ately started laughing, and I was mortified.
Spinning Happiness
by Jenny M. Seneor
Change is difficult, especially when it is a
change you did not expect. I certainly did not
expect to change host families. But, the deep-
ness of my new found happiness in my new
found family is best reflected in my jumping
thoughts that night as my feet moved with
steady beats to cumbia and merengue.
dancing, dancing. He puts his hand out and
asks me to dance.
When dancing with this loving, healthy, 84 year
old man that instantly felt like family rather than
just a stranger, I suddenly realized looking
around me that I am in Ecuador. At times, it
seems so normal that I live here, that I forget
that I am living in what was once quite an arbi-
trary country to me and am surrounded by its
people. My 2 American friends, my little host
sister, my host parents, my host uncles and
aunts were all dancing around me with huge
smiles, booming with laughter. Every time we
made eye contact as we all moved around each
other, we exchanged warm glances of love. I felt
thankful to be a part of the last experiences and
memories of this man’s life - surely we were
both very happy.
I reflected on those long bus rides home in sad-
ness and my director telling me that I deserved a
wonderful family. I knew that a better family was
possible but I didn’t know that I would receive
the most amazing possible. Changing families
was a frightening risk, with so many possible
outcomes, but I am an extremely fortunate per-
son because the best possible outcome, so
unimaginable to me before, came about... a
family amazing to me in every way that my heart
already trembles in sadness at the thought that
one day I will have to leave them.

I met my host grandfather last night for the first

time at a church in the Primero de Mayo for a
baptism. After an interesting experience of
catolicismo (where the priest scolded the con-
gregation for talking too much during the serv- “I suddenly
ice) we headed to a venue for the party of this realized that I am
few months old baby. There, my grandfather
and I talked for a bit as he told me about his life in Ecuador.”
as a social worker and lawyer, about his 18
grandchildren, about his life in Cuenca and
then in Guaranda, about the professions of his
Lauren Purmalis and Lauren Strickland
6 children (4 of which were there that night),
with host family
mumbling words of English in large smiles re-
membered from 70 years ago in colegio. The
music comes on and everyone is quick to jump
from their seats to the middle of the room to

[8]
 TRAVEL
Found in the Jungle feel the humidity and are reminded of your summer in Pennsylvania; hear
the river rushing and think of all the camping trips you went on as a child.
by Nicole Huguenin Memories that you thought had been erased appear so clearly, as if they
You can only imagine what a simple five days in the Amazon did for my had happened yesterday. You are flooded with them. It’s as if you are
psyche, would do for anyone’s psyche. If you are at all like me, and I’ll dying and your life is flashing in front of you, most likely because you have
willingly admit it, I am one in a million, your imagination will go into over- to admit, you are a little afraid of those things you can not see. And sud-
drive the second the scenery starts to change and old Andean men, in denly, just as you arrive at the small, 10 thatched hut lodge your mind
fedora like hats, and barefoot women, carrying machetes as if it were the stops on one-- the first time you watched Swiss Family Robinson (also
norm, greatly outnumber those in suits and high heels. And when you are being the first time you imagined yourself getting lost in a foreign place,
greeted at the edge of an Amazonian river by a tall, skinny drunk man happening upon monkeys and toucans that would become part of your
whose Spanish sounds more like that of a drowning sailor, you know you family). The first time you realized that being lost, truly lost, may finally
are finally in for the type stop your prayers of being found.
of adventure you
have longed for in
“The first time you realized the past month, if Travel Doesn’t Always Mean Far
that you are lost, truly lost, it not your entire life. by Emily Koester
Then, as you are
may stop your prayers of being Because the maid in my house is around more than almost any other
waiting for the ca-
found.” person, I’ve gotten to know her fairly well over my two months here. She
noe to pick you up, only has one day off per week, Sunday, in which she visits her parents in
the sun starts to dip the country. One day she asked me to go with her and her seven-year-old
behind the droopy son, David.
trees and the buzz of the mosquitoes becomes loud enough for you to It is incredible how lifestyles in Ecuador differ within just a few miles.
actually consider the fact that they might be able to eat you alive if not When you drive a few miles in the States, you can often witness a change
infect you with ten strains of malaria. It is here that you take in a deep in affluence. In Ecuador, it’s more like a change in time period. When I
breath, one that would make any yoga teacher proud, and let a permanent visited Carmita’s parents it seemed I went back at least 100 years.
smile creep across your face. We took a bus out from Riobamba, landing in the nearby pueblo
By the time the long blue wooden canoe arrives the sun has officially dis- Chambo, after which we clambered into the back of a local’s truck that
appeared and you embark down the pitch black river, encountering bats was going our direction. We bumped along the choppy dirt roads, green
and the red glowing eyes of crocodiles. For thirty minutes you are forced mountains rising around us and water rushing in streams nearby. It was
to rely more on your senses of hearing and touch than that of sight. You

[9]
deliciously refreshing after the noise and dryness of the city. I could

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS

hear birds instead of the blare of sirens and car horns.
Her parents’ house was small, with about two rooms and a
separate kitchen outside; and it didn’t appear to have any running
water. The door was so low that a tall gringa like me needed to duck
to go inside. The venerable-looking mother, an indigenous woman who DATE FESTIVAL CITY
still speaks Quichua (the language of the Incas), was lighting the wood
fire for lunch. She welcomed me with open arms, as did Carmita’s fa- September 1- Fiesta del Amor Otovalo
ther, and then they showed me around the back yard. It was a miniature 15
Eden, dense with tropical fruit trees, corn, peas, and beans. Rabbits and
October 9 Guayaquil Independ- Guayaquil
guinea pigs ran freely, and David helped me catch baby rabbits to hold.
ence
Later, David and I were assigned the task of catching a rabbit to eat,
which I have to say is no easy task ñ though between the two of us we
October 31 Halloween!/Day of Cuenca,
finally did. the Shield Quito
The day passed in lazy peacefulness. I kept an eye on one of the
toddler grandchildren while Carmita’s mother cooked over the fire in November All Saints Day, All Everywhere
black cauldrons. Later we all went for a walk up the nearby hill to look 1,2,3 Souls Day
out over the river to distant Riobamba and to craggy, snow-capped
Chimborazo still further. I went home that day feeling incredibly at November 4 Cuenca Independence Cuenca
peace. Carmita invited me to go with them any time, and I have no
doubt that I will go again. November 8 Latacunga Festivals Latacunga

November 18 Loja Independence Loja

December 6 Quito Festivals Quito

December Pase del Nino Everywhere

January 6 Epiphany Procession Everywhere

February 11- Carnaval in Guaranda Guaranda

Halloween reunion in Cuenca! 16 (runs for several
weeks but the best
time is the second
week in February!)
Headed South
by Jamie Senescall February 14- Ambato Fruit and Ambato
Leaving Loja, the only real plans I had made with Ben, Keith, and 28 Flower Festival
Laura was to meet at the border around 2:00. I should know by now not
to trust the Ecuadorian bus system. After several road blocks, my bus April 2 Holy Friday Proces- Quito
sion
breaking down, and a mandatory lunch stop, I was about 3 hours be-
hind schedule. With my cell phone going in and out of service, I finally
April 21 Riobamba Independ- Riobamba
got in touch with my friends. They were going to cross the border and
ence
wait for me in Tumbes. Sounded perfect. So, after going through immi-
gration, I ventured across the border to find the Tumbes bus station.
June 21 Summer Equinox Cele- Quito
Ideally we would all head to Mancora together, but shockingly enough, brations
all of the bus stations were closed. With no cell phone service, I had no
way to find Ben, Keith or Laura. The only thing I could think to do was June 21 Corpus Cristi Cuenca
email them, tell them a hostel to meet at, and head to Mancora by cab.
After a slightly sketchy cab ride, I went to the hostel to find... no one. June 21 Salasaca, Pujili
Once an hour had passed, I decided to check nearby hostels ...which is
when I thankfully spotted three gringos strolling along the street. I’ll July 25 Founding of Guayaquil
agree with Ben that Tumbes is terrible and we were fairly naive in this Guayaquil
trip, but it proved to be worth it.

[10]
 “...your power goes

“YOU KNOW YOU’RE IN out while you're taking

a shower next to a

ECUADOR WHEN...” window that looks out

at an exploding
volcano.”
- Klara Stephens

“...your host mother jumps up

from her chair, yelling "NO" as you
bite into a strange, burrito-like
sandwich without knowing that the
“...your meal’s face
leafy outer wrapping was for some
resembles your reason only meant for decorative
beloved childhood purposes - and that it was in no
pet, Hammy.” way edible.”
-Alicia Kagawa -Michael Taub

“...chuchaqui is not just a Star Wars character.” -Jessica Novick

“...mayo comes standard on spaghetti, tacos,
and salad.” -Austin Griggs
“...you hitch a ride from a random car in the
campo with a strange man sitting in the back who is
rather than laws.
overly-excited to talk about HerbaLife in the United
States and then stops at a gas station. As he runs
out into the campo, you think, “Great, he is going to
go to the bathroom out there,”but then he just kisses the
baby Jesus in a box.”
-Jenny Seneor
“...you are on the bus between a nun and a clown
listening to an Andean flute version of "Hotel Califor-
nia" while a man who is trying to sell you extension
...someone asks you if you like Reggaeton.”
cords (True story!).” -Sarah Schwartz...
“...you can tell the day of the week from the hours of the
electricity blackout in your sector.” -Vicki Patterson
...traffic “...you are in Quito and you feel like Zoolan-
is governed by der *cough* *cough* ‘I think I've got the
‘suggestions’
black lung.’” -Leah Isquith
- Laura Stull “...you are amazed when a bus comes
to a complete stop to let you on or off.”
-Emily Mirra
“...your ‘mom’ slaps you on the butt and tells you you are fat
and then complains that you will get too skinny when you don't
eat your rice.” -Klara Stephens“
-Margaret Jasinski

“...the Ecua-whine actually works! ‘No sea “...something you would never expect
malito!’” -Shelly Pinkerton happens every day.” - Anique Pegeron

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 REFLECTIONS
The Bucket List
By Joanne Ihrig
Those of us who have reached a certain age often begin to evalu-
ate our lives and think about, “What do I really want to do before I kick
the bucket?” For me, I have always had the desire to live and teach in
another country. I took steps toward that goal by getting my TESOL
certificate in Prague, Czech Republic three years ago. But then I began
working again and didn’t follow my dream. Finally, I decided to go for
it.
With the support of my husband and family, I applied to World-
Teach to spend a year in Ecuador. I chose World Teach over other or-
ganizations because I felt it had a very solid organization behind it (Har-
vard!) and that they could provide the support and options I felt I
needed to be able to succeed in my venture.
Because I had many
years of experience as
“I didn’t quite fit the mold an educator, I didn’t
of the WorldTeach volunteer.” quite fit the mold of the
typical WorldTeach
volunteer. But two
things contributed to a successful transition to my new world. First, in
the orientation group, I found a new friend who has similar interests, a
long career in education, and is of my generation. This made a huge
difference for me to have someone with whom I could “pal around.”
The second fortunate thing was that I was placed at a University and
was assigned a position which was challenging and demanded my
expertise and experience. I also received wonderful support from the
Director of the program, and found new colleagues and friends in this
position.
Of course, there are always glitches, like not getting paid in a
timely manner, not always having the materials you need to teach a
class, having a very large class, and having the lights go out in the mid-
dle of a teaching lesson. But the kindness and gratitude of the stu-
dents and the feeling that maybe I really am making a difference really
outweighs the occasional difficulties.
My hope is that more and more experienced, older teachers will
choose to volunteer their talent and energy to this project. They will
bring a wealth of information and expertise to the project. World Teach
may have to adapt some parts of the program to meet the needs of this
type of volunteer, but in the end, everyone will benefit from this partner-
ship.
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The Devil, the Dog, and Me
By Klara Stephens
Yesterday I was out having coffee with Shelly and Santi, when
we decided to “dar vueltas,”a very popular pastime in a small city like
Riobamba. Dar vueltas basically means driving around town yelling
things at people and singing music at the top of your lungs, usually
accompanied by drinking. Santi decided to take us to a really nice old
neighborhood with a bunch of huge, gorgeous abandoned houses. Of
course, there was no electricity on that side of a city. We drove by one
particular house where we fleetingly saw the biggest dog of all time.
Santi drove away as fast as possible, claiming that it was a werewolf.
Shelly convinced him to drive back to double check. When we did, we
saw that he had something hanging out of his mouth. Shelly and I were
both screaming and laughing (simultaneously) by this time, affected by
our imagination, the full moon, and the absence of the human signs of
light. It was at this point that suddenly Santi said, “I am a Catholic. I
know the devil is near. If that dog has a baby’s arm in its mouth (which
is what he claimed it was) I will have to kill it.” With that, he turned
around, parked the car, crossed himself, and took a machete out of
nowhere. I had no idea what was going on until Santi shined a light on
the dog. Then we realized the dog was a lot smaller and the thing hang-
ing out of his mouth was really his own collar. Santi came back to the
car, satisfied. He told us, “We confronted the devil and made it out
alive.”
This is Home
By Benjamin Lewis
I’ve been living in Ecuador for about five months now and I’ve recently
just started to consider this place home. Over the holidays I did a lot of
thinking and I came to the conclusion that in order to truly get a life
experience, I would have to change my mind set. To be honest I was
thinking of Cuenca as an exotic “holding pattern” before I start my “real
life.” I thought it would be a good way to pass the year; learning Span-
ish, getting teaching experience, and doing it without snow. I came in to
this venture with that (wrong) mindset and may have suffered for it.
Now, I’m not saying I haven’t experienced some life changing events
(as you will read about in my next blog) but I’ve been thinking of myself
as if I am on a mini-vacation, doing some teaching on the side. This
past weekend I went out dancing with some new Ecuadorian friends
I’ve recently made. Conversing in Spanish over some drinks, it finally hit
me that this is my home for the time being.
 The Heart of Salsa two. The power cuts that are happening lately
are really a bummer, especially because it's

VIVA ECUADOR
By Kate Kurnick, Assistant Director
hard to see the guy taking a leak on the side
In a way, I've been hanging around Ecua- walk, and I hate it when I bump into him. (So
dor for the last 10 years, it's true. But it's also gross!)† The minimum wage is way too low.
true that I just moved back here a few months Even with an education, it can be hard to pull
ago. When I was still in Los Angeles and prepar- oneself up by the bootstraps.
ing to move my whole family down to But come Saturday night (well, and
Quito, people would always ask me Wednesday night, too, and most
the same question, which was, nights in between), Ecuadorians
"Why do you love Ecuador so “It is my life's all over are heading to the
much?" That's a huge ques- goal to dance salsa salsateca to dance away their
tion. There is clearly a lot to problems and celebrate life. I
love. But I've had a decade to with the heart of don't use these phrases
mull over the answer, and I've an Ecuadorian.” lightly. Salsa at its most beau-
got one. My answer to the tiful is a celebration of being
question is, and has been for the alive. Even with a few setbacks,
last few years, "I love Ecuador be- people here push on, and they do it
cause the people there dance salsa." My fellow with style and grace. On top of that, they burn
Americans never really took this answer seri- up the dance floor. It is not my life's goal to
ously, but I kid not. This is definitely my very dance salsa like a native Ecuadorian, though
favorite thing about this country. I could go on that would be nice. It is my life's goal to dance
and on about the beauty of the people and the salsa with the heart of an Ecuadorian. If I could
landscapes, or the variety of regions and cul- always be so in love with living that I could get
tures. I could talk about the food, a lot of which out there and shake my stuff no matter what life
is really good (especially the soup!). Any of these throws at me, then I will have lived a life worth
features could turn a person on to living here. living. Ecuador has taught me that, and I'll
But let's face it, it's a place with a problem or never forget the lesson.

Photo (top): Ever Quinonez Alcivar

(Kate’s husband) and Kate Kurnick;
Photo (middle): Chrissy Wahlstrom,
Lauren Purmalis, Peter Kidd and Ste-
ven Wu at the Spanish School during
Quito Orientation; Photo (bottom): Mi-
chael Taub, Nicole Huguenin, Peter
Daniels, Carola Alexander.

Photo (left): September 09 volun-

teers on the Quito tour.

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 ECUAVISTA

SEND YOUR SUBMISSIONS FOR THE JUNE 2010 ECUAVISTA NOW!

ECUAVISTA MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPHY BY:

Anique Pegeron
WORLDTEACH ECUADOR
www.WorldTeach.org
ECUAVISTA09@GMAIL.COM Owen Serra
Blair Schwab
Now accepting submissions for Jenny Seneor National Field Director: Peter Daniels
the June 2010 editions! We need Shelley Pinkerton ecuador@worldteach.org
your stories, photos, recipes, po- Emily Koester
Benjamin Lewis
ems, blogs! Assistant Field Director: Kate Kurnick
Lauren Purmalis
ecuador2@worldteach.org

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