San Lorenzo

It has been a while since I have wrote. I have been keeping busy planning for classes, traveling to the beach, and meeting new people. I currently visited San Lorenzo, a beautiful beach close by in Manabi. This beach is known for it's tranquility and climate. The landscape of the beach is also different. It has unique rock formations and distinctive caves. San Lorenzo has untouched nature as well. It is possible to see turtles & various types of birds. From June to September you will experience seeing humpback whales pass from north to south! Not only is the nature a huge part of this 3 mile beach but those who like to surf and body board, the waves are naturally perfect for these types of sports. Although the beauty of San Lorenzo is extraordinary there are many more beaches close by that I have yet to see!

San Lorenzo

First Week Teaching

Teaching at the Universidad Laica “Eloy Alfaro” de Manabí has, so far, been great! My schedule rocks and my students seem to enjoy learning English. I begin my week off on Monday at 2:30. My first class has around 8 students; very small compared to my class at 6:30 which averages around 45!
I have 3 classes-back to back-and I teach the same lesson 3 times in a row. Sounds pretty boring, but it actually is not. Each class is totally different than each other. The students range in size and personality. I teach 6 cycles of English (6 weeks/cycle) with a 1 week break in between each cycle, pretty awesome schedule, right? 

Students working hard!

I currently have finished week 1 in the first cycle. I taught basic grammar points such as "I am (I'm), he is (he's), we are (we're)" and I included new vocabulary and how to pronounce numbers!  I like to play a lot of games in class. It keeps my students engaged and it is fun! The game my students have liked most is a game called 21. The students sit in a large circle while passing a paper ball around counting (1..2..3..). When the ball gets to 21, the students stop. The person that the ball landed on has to pick another number and make a rule for that number. For example: when the ball gets to number 5 you have to stand up and salsa! There will eventually be multiple rules and the students have to remember the rule for each number. It is quite hilarious the rules your students can think of. My students also enjoy games that involve some type of competition. We have played bingo, a competition where each member of a team has to grab a sticky note that has an English word on it when they here me speak, and my students enjoy types of class surveys! Lots of games to keep the energy up in my classroom.


I feel very good about my first week and I am excited about this upcoming year. I get to keep the same students throughout each cycle which is great! I am able to see how they progress in their English language. 


Feel free to provide any type of ideas/games for the classroom! Feedback is always essential to have!

Montañita

Montañita Ecuador=Surf, Cultural, Vida de Noche, Diversión, Hippie, Gran Comida & La Playa.


Montañita, a small town on the Pacific Coast located on “La Ruta del Sol” (the route of the sun), is a truly a magical paradise. Multicultural atmosphere where the people are welcoming and fun! 

Montañita is well known for surfing-which I currently learned how to do. It was such a rush to be in the Pacific Ocean learning how to surf. Surf lessons are given by locals of the village, who happen to be so friendly!

Montañita has beautiful whale watching tours that I did not do, but saw whales the morning I woke up from the balcony of my hostel. It was absolutely gorgeous. The beach itself is muy bonita. Waving palm trees and huge waves-can't get any better than that!

 Choclo! Choclo, the ear of corn, is absolutely delicious. In South America, you will find choclo in your soup, pizza, choclo cakes, sometimes choclo will be found in types of salad as well. Or, you can just eat choclo right off the stick, which I love the most. On the streets for about $1.00, you can buy choclo that is covered in mayo with queso (similar to parmesan). It is awesome.

Montañita was one out of many beach adventures to come. I know I will be going back very soon...

Beginning of Manta

Stopping for lunch during travel-time

I left Quito on Sunday morning. Rode a bus on Reina del Camino. It took about eight hours to arrive in Manta. The bus ride itself was an adventure. Rolling down the Andes Mountains, passing through Santo Domingo los Colorados and landing in Portoviejo. I saw multiple waterfalls & rivers as well as villages made of palm and straw. Getting closer and closer to the Pacific Coast, the smell was amazing. You could taste the salt in your mouth. I arrived in Portoviejo and from there stayed on the bus to Manta. My new host mom picked me up at the bus stop, I was stoked to see my new house. Manta is much different than Quito. First of all it is way hotter! Not seeing much of the city I noticed everyone wearing shorts, tanks, and flip-flops. The food seems more fresh and more my type as well. The first thing I ate was fresh Papaya. There is more of a selection of fruit near the coast. Also, ceviche and other types of pescado are more common in Manta than in Quito. Not being on the coast for 24 hours, I already feel at home. My family is quite large and speaks little English so it can be tough at times. But this forces me to speak Spanish-what other great way to learn a language more fast?!? Take a look at my new home for the year...

Until my next adventure...adiós!

Mercado in Otavalo

Bus ride to Otavalo from Quito is about 2 hours. It is a gorgeous ride through the Andes Mountains with sites of volcanoes, lakes, and villages.


Otavalo is a small village located in the Provincia de Imbabura.




To get a true Ecuadorian market experience, Otavalo on Saturday is the destination. Every Saturday, Amerindians from close by villages gather to produce & sell everything from handicrafts, jewelry, textiles, Panama hats, bags, ponchos, blankets, clothing, livestock, leather goods, shoes, and much more!

The colors of the market are extraordinary! There are colorful bags, blankets, and even the people themselves are quite colorful.

Saturday is not only a market day, it is also a social day for the indigenous peoples. The most important thing when buying things in the market is bargaining. You have to be stern and stand your ground for sure. Perfect example-I was buying a bracelet and it was around $4.00. How much did I pay for it? $1.50.  You talk them down as much as possible, if you are still not satisfied put the item down like you are not going to buy it-and the villagers will make a deal with you. I bought a lot at the market and barely spent over $20. Jewelry was my favorite. I bought earrings made from natural materials such a orange peels & tagua (also know as ivory palms), a  white-beaded necklace, and a few bracelets. I also purchased a blue skirt, pajama pants, and a scarf.

 Other than shopping in the market, the town of Otavalo itself is beautiful. There are great places to eat and things to do such as horseback riding through the mountains. Traveling to Otavalo has now become apart of another culture experience that I have here in Ecuador!

Guayasamín

The Guayasamín Museum is a "must-see" when visiting Ecuador. It is absolutely gorgeous and the paintings are very moving. Oswaldo Guayasamín is one of the most re-owned painters in Ecuador. The location of the museum is north upon a hill that overlooks the countryside as well as the city of Quito. The power and the emotions of each and every painting is beyond belief. Guayasamín painted the cruelty of life in South America, the injustices, and the violence.




Check out the virtual tour of the museum

Guayasamín's Home-Overlooking the city of Quito

Average Day

Let me recap an average day that I live.


5:00am-MoviStar Alarm Sound


5:05am-Snooze


5:15am-Finally roll out of bed, grab my Late Cafe (Ecuadorian Style) and wash up in the shower.


5:45am-Grab my croissant and fruit that my host mother usually prepares. Fruit is usually a banana, orange, or an apple.


5:47am-Say bye to the dogs & head to the bus stop. While walking to the bus stop-I am able to see the sun rise over Cotopaxi!

















6:10am-Catch the over-crowded, polluted, dirty bus-but it's great! It is a cultural experience.


6:25am-Get off bus, catch a trolle to where SECAP is located. SECAP is the school I have been practice teaching in and observing here in Quito. It is located on Diez de Agosto and Colon Avenue.


6:45am-Arrive at SECAP. Sometimes, if I am lucky and I arrive early I will run and grab a cappuccino vanilla dark to eat with my croissant. I drink a lot of coffee throughout the day-keeps me going.


7:00am-9:00am-I would usually be teaching or observing other teachers. The classroom environment is great. The students are there to learn and no matter what you are teaching-they love you because you have the ability to speak perfect English!


9:05am-Walk back to where our orientation classes take place. Sometimes I will stop and get a smoothie, another coffee, maybe a snack to last me until lunchtime. You would be surprised how much I eat here. Our bodies work a lot harder because of the altitude!


10:00am-12:00pm-WorldTeach has some type of class for us. The classes have varied from TEFL training, cultural shock, history & politics of Ecuador, and much more!


12:00pm-LUNCH! Usually a small group of us will branch off and go find a good spot to eat. I have fallen in love with Aladdin's, a middle eastern restaurant that serves falafel sandwiches for $2.20. I probably eat there at least 3 times a week. Delicious!


12:45pm-Either grab a coffee & cookie at Caco del Republica or a Batido for $1.00 at a smoothie stand (Fresa y Pina are my favorite).


1:30pm-Spanish class! Spanish class can sometimes be frustrating but I do learn a lot and it's so much fun. Our Spanish teacher recently taught us what to say when we take liquor shots with Ecuadorians-"¡Arriba, Abajo, A Centro, Adentro!" She is great.


2:30pm-Walk back to orientation site listening to my travel playlist on my ipod. By this time, I am drained but have to stick it out for at least 2 more hours.


3:00pm-5:00pm-More classes with WorldTeach!


5:00pm-Bus ride home? OR Stay out? Depending on the day I will either ride the bus home and my mother will have dinner ready for me OR just stay out and hit up happy hour! La Mariscal is the main plaza that we like to migrate to. It's cheap, there is a lot of dancing, and I always have a great time!

Friday Night Salsa Class

Life in Ecuador is great.