One good thing about Ecuador is...

I live on the coast, but Ecuador is a tiny country and you can travel to just about anywhere less than 24 hours on a bus! You can see the jungle, explore volcanoes, experience beach after beach, hike through the sierra, work on various warms, and so much more! It is so amazing that you can get a taste of each type of world out there in one small country.

I would like to share a short example with you. Yesterday, I adventured off to a farm nearby (1-2 hours). This farm is the fathers of a good friend of mine. It is close to 400 acres of land-phew! The farm consisted of 
rice, mangos, plantains, bananas, cacao, livestock, coffee, pineapple, etc. I had the chance to ride a mule and do a little of discovering myself. There were amazing birds and the land was absolutely beautiful with trees that have been standing for hundreds of years. After riding horses, we ate a fresh lunch that consisted of soup, rice, a mix of beans, and fresh pineapple. The people were great and so nice.

                                              I only feel the the need to share this short experience with you because it is a day like this day to imagine how many types of cultural people that live here in Ecuador. The worlds are close together but miles apart. And yet, those worlds are the only thing people know of and therefore those people are nothing but happy!

Mindo, Ecuador

It is hard to believe that I am mid-way through my service here. WorldTeach held their MidTerm conference this past weekend in the cloud rainforest, Mindo, about two hours outside of Quito. As other teachers and I gathered around our hotel, Gallo de la Pena, we discussed our teaching experiences with each other, shared ideas for the classroom, and spoke about life in Ecuador in general. It was interesting to hear stories from other parts of the countries and a lot of fun to share my own. Other than having sessions on teaching, WorldTeach is putting together what is called the EcuaVista. This is a revista of the September 2011 volunteers. It will consist of stories, ideas, and a lot about life in Ecuador. Two other volunteers and I are taking on the responsibility to organize and edit. It is exciting to take on a task where I am able to get creative!

Other than the conference, we had a lot of time to explore Mindo. Mindo is a small town but who knew there was so much to do! We spent the day with Mindo Ropes & Canopy! Canopying is the same as zip lining. There were 13 cables that I zip lined through the rainforest. It was lightly misting and absolutely gorgeous. While canopying, you had the choice of doing the "mariposa" or  the "superman." Take a look at the pictures below to get an idea what I am talking about. After zip lining, I did what was called the Tarzan Swing. This swing is built about 40 meters off land. You walk to the edge and fall-it turns into a swing. Pretty intense but worth it!

The chocolate factory was another excursion we were able to explore. Minus the thousands of bug bites we all got, it was really interesting to learn how chocolate is made. We were able to eat fresh cacao beans and eventually a homemade brownie.

Let's not forget the food in Mindo. Street almuerzos, pizza, and lots of trucha (trout)!

Although Ecuador is small, every part has a different culture. The people, food, activities, and climate all range from anything you can imagine. It is great to be able to explore parts of the country and see how other people live everyday. It is much different than the coast!

Only the beginning...2012!

Every country has their own traditions when celebrating holidays. I had the chance to experience celebrating the New Year here in Manta, Ecuador. It was a bit different but great. New Years is a time where the entire family gathers together, eats a big meal, and burns paper dolls. Yes, burn paper dolls. What is the purpose? The purpose is to burn/kill the old year and begin ringing the new one! Ecuadorians take paper mache figures and build huge pyres on the beach and watch them burn. The figures are burned in the streets as well. The dolls symbolize what has happened in the past year (famous figures, people in the family, symbols of television, etc.). After the dolls are burned, family and friends have a huge feast and then head out to celebrate! It's a great way to start the New Year.



Now that the New Year has passed, I have to readjust back to my old routines such as teaching! I have to say, first day back in the classroom was a bit difficult-but was expected. My students have 2 weeks left of cycle 2 and then they will hopefully move onto cycle 3! I have yet to fully acquire my old habits since I have been back in Ecuador. I only have taught 2 days and the rest of the time I have spent on the beach soaking up the sun. But it has been nice to take some time off and get back into the swing of things. I have reconnected with my friends here as well as my students, and have been spending time with my family. I can feel myself slowly moving back into the life I began before Christmas!

There is much to look forward to within the next couple of weeks. A travel to Mindo for WorldTeach Mid-Service Conference is one out of the few. Although I will be working, it will be great to see the other volunteers and be able to share our experiences with each other. Mindo is known as one of the most beautiful places to bird watch and see butterflies.

Another exciting yet sad vacation coming up is a despedida in Montañita. Yes, I am heading back to Montañita but with a different group of friends. There are two really good friends of mine in Manta who depart in February, so what better way to say goodbye then to say it in the world of it's own beach, Montañita! 

And lastly, let's not forget one of the most memorable holidays coming up, Carnival!