What I'm looking forward to...

So, some of you are wondering what exactly I’m going to be doing in Ecuador. Well…I am going to teach 2^nd grade at a private school in the Ecuadorian capital, Quito. The student population is about 1/3 Ecuadorian, 1/3 American and 1/3 other country nationals. Lots of the kids have parents who are embassy workers, foreign service, business people, etc. The language of instruction is English, although lots and lots of kids only speak English at school. I’m sure I’ll be using all my good ESL strategies daily!

This new job really is an ideal situation for me for several reasons. I’ve already lived in Ecuador as a Peace Corps volunteer several years ago. I loved this experience, but the physical deprivation really took a toll on me because….it was in a small rural Andean village about 4 hours from the capital. It was the typical Peace Corps experience…no running water, sparse transportation (if any at all!), simple house, etc. I love Ecuador, but need some modern conveniences, so this new job is perfect.

This time, I’m living in a modern city, in a modern apartment with internet, phone, etc. Sort of like living in the US, except Spanish is the language, the culture is quite different and the climate.

Let me tell you about that. Yes, Ecuador is a tropical country sitting right on the equator (that’s how Ecuador got its name after all-it means equator in Spanish). So you’d think it’s very hot, right? Well, because Quito is about 9,500 feet above sea level in the Andes the climate is just about perfect. You get the thin mountain air that keeps things cool but the hot sun keeps it from getting cold. Usually during the day the maximum high is about 72-73 degrees. In the evening it gets into the mid 50s. And the nights can get down to high 40s or low 50s. Now, don’t get me wrong…this is just Quito and the Andean region. Once you travel to the Ecuadorian coast or the Ecuadorian jungle regions it gets downright tropical feeling! But for me, Quito’s climate is ideal.

Now, I alluded to the culture of Ecuador earlier. For me, because I speak Spanish and have dark hair, I can pass for an Argentinean or Chilean…sometimes an Ecuadorian, which is really convenient. I always feel sorry for the really blonde looking tourists who just look lost and can become a target for pick pockets or worse. By now I’m pretty much used to the cat-calls, the crowded busses, the folks who try to rip me off because I’m not Ecuadorian. That’s the worst of it. The best…wow. The wonderful musica folklorica that plays from the streets, tropical fruits available all year round, the tradition of weavings and other indigineous crafts, the wonderful breathtaking landscape of snow capped volcanoes, verdant rolling Andean hills. 11 more days!