A La Playa

After spending our first technical trip surrounded by chaos and mayhem in Santo Domingo, the TEFL PCTs relaxed on the beach after spending the week working in public high schools in the coastal province of Santa Elena. Admittedly, the journey was long (approximately 15 hours in a bus), but most definitely worth it. Not only did we enjoy some free time to read and sleep as the bus zipped across the country, but we also enjoyed some great sites along the way including Chimborazo, a 5000+ meter snowcapped volcano, and dozens of houses on stilts.

During the days, we focused on co-teaching with local English teachers. Although it was difficult to build co-teaching relationships in only a few days, we divided tasks, shared insights, and practiced English. I question whether our brief stint truly revolutionized the English program, but it did motivate the students and introduce all to some pretty rocking English songs ranging from “The Hokey Pokey” to “If You're Happy and You Know It.” It definitely highlighted how much potential the TEFL program has when volunteers begin working with their co-teachers on a long-term basis.

After spending hours in the school working with English teachers, observing classes in other disciplines, and investigating behavioral problems alongside the DOBE (essentially the guidance counselor), we found a few moments to relax on the beach. Not only did we frolic in the waves, but we also saw local fishermen haul in their daily catch and return unedible fish into the sea as huge predatory birds circled overhead. Super chevere!

And, unlike in Santo Domingo, we never truly felt unsafe, perhaps because we seemingly had God watching over us at all time. As I lounged on the nearly vacant beach with another PCT, hoards of nuns stood on the boardwalk watching. At the time, the waves were small; at least 5 feet separated our towels, camaras, books, and journals from the closest waves. Unfortunately, they soon left and literally moments later a freak wave swept through, soaking everything. We obviously then retreated to the boardwalk, although it proved unnecessary. None of the subsequent waves reached our former perch. We must have needed those nuns after all.

Although we enjoyed our work in the colegio, our bizarre philosophical conversations, and our brief sojourns on the beach, the highlight of the trip was most certainly the final night. Given that we had to depart at 4:30 on Friday morning to return to Tumbaco, almost no one wanted to leave the hostel. As usual, I could not overcome my cabin fever and stay in; thus, another PCV and I began wandering around the small town of Ballenita at about 9:00 PM. Surprisingly, the usually lively town was almost silent. Everyone it seemed, had left the store fronts to go to a well-lit park nearby.

Unsure of what to expect, we decided to venture to the park and soon discovered that a girl's soccer game had captured the entire town's attention. This would not have proven particularly exciting in the United States. In Ecuador, however, machismo remains prevalent and women's sports are not particularly valued nor respected. Moreover, gender roles are sharply divided with women often relegated to the kitchen or home for fear of being labeled as a “karishina”--a women who does not know how to cook nor maintain the home (a concept still taken very seriously by many of our host families and neighbors). Thus, after listening to countless comments about women's roles as well as enduring untold numbers of piropos, it was pretty awesome to see an entire town supporting their young ladies as they participated in a healthy and worthwhile activity. Hopefully, the sport's program suggested by my counterpart will be as well received in Zamora.

After returning to Tumbaco, several other PCTs and I decided to spend Saturday touring Quito. Given that many of our sites our several hours away from the city, we won't be able to return frequently. Thus, we explored the many beautiful churches found in the historical district (reputed to be the best preserved one in South America), climbed the Panecillo and enjoyed stunning views of the city and nearby volcanos as young children frolicked with their kites in the park, and sipped on iced coffee (an extremely rare treat in South America.

By the time we had returned to Tumbaco, the sun had set, which usually means that the entirety of Tumbaco has closed for the night. Not this time however. In honor of the Ecuadorian independence day on August 10, the plaza had been transformed into a giant fiesta with blasting cumbia and salsa music with hoards of celebrants, with the night culminating in a giant display of fireworks much like those seen throughout the United States on July 4.