The most intimidating part of traveling to Ecuador is the language barrier. The first question everyone asks is "how is your Spanish?" La verdad no es bueno (loosely translated... "the truth, not great"). I began learning Spanish in grade school. Unfortunately, our Spanish teachers lasted about as long as a Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts...not long. With every new teacher, we started back at square one. By the time I graduated, I could confidently count to 100, recite the days of the week, and order a taco without toppings. The essentials.
I continued learning Spanish in high school and college but even now, I feel like I haven't even scratched the surface. Former volunteers have reassured me that once I'm there I will get the hang of it but for now, I'm trying to learn/relearn as much as I can. Pimsleur Language Program CD's (the poor man's Rosetta Stone) have become part of my normal routine. Instead of listening to music on my way to work, I listen/repeat... listen/repeat... listen/repeat... I also started watching El Gran Hotel (Grand Hotel) on Netflix. It's essentially the Spanish version of Downton Abbey and it's wildly entertaining.
Learning a new language is difficult and oftentimes frustrating. When I begin losing patience, I remind myself that any new skill requires time and practice. By the time my year in Ecuador is over, I hope to at least be able to include toppings on my tacos ;) Thanks for stopping by. I hope to see you back soon!
Intrigued by the idea of making a radical life change, I began researching long-term volunteer opportunities during the summer of 2015.
I began volunteering in high school with the Appalachian Service Project. Each summer, a group of teenagers took a ten hour drive down to rural Central Appalachia and spent a week repairing and rebuilding homes. Despite sleeping on gym floors, showering outside with a hose, eating cafeteria food, and spending seven hours a day working in the hot sun, it was some of the best times of my life! Since graduating high school, I have made the trip to Appalachia three times as an adult leader. What began as a fun summer trip has blossomed into a lifelong love of volunteering.
As I started looking into long-term service projects this summer, the first program I researched was the Peace Corps. After talking on Skype with former volunteers and attending an informational meeting in Madison, I have a newfound respect for anyone brave enough to enlist. I will never forget the moment the recruiter pointed to a glass of water and said “someday, you might be calling this a shower.”
Come again?
Someday, YOU might be calling me an airlift out of Africa.
Excited by the prospect of living outside of my comfort zone but not quite ready to live in a grass hut, I searched for other options. To make a long story short, my mom’s friend told me about The Center for Working Families (some of you may know it as The Working Boys’ Center) in Quito, Ecuador and the rest, as they say, is history.
The Center for Working Families is a non-profit organization that serves the working children of Quito and their families. "The Center is one big opportunity for the world to help others help themselves." - Fr. John Halligan, Co-Founder.
Families receive three meals a day, free education for all ages, emotional and physical health resources, financial management assistance, and housing development opportunities.
After talking with former Year Long Volunteers (YLV), I knew this was what I had been looking for. Remaining honest about the hard work and demanding teaching schedule of a YLV, every volunteer lit up as they spoke of their time at The Center and the countless ways their lives had been transformed. Their enthusiasm for and commitment to The Center for Working Families has made me even more excited to begin my own journey as a volunteer! I am excited for the opportunity to share my gifts and talents with as many people as I can while I'm there but I know I will learn and receive so much more than I could ever hope to give.
While most people aren't in a position to pack up their lives and spend a year volunteering, they are happy to support someone who is! To help cover the cost of my plane ticket, visa, traveler's insurance, and additional fun (dining out, entertainment, travel, etc.), I have created a GoFundMe page. Thank you to everyone who has already been so supportive of this next chapter of my life, I am truly grateful and I will be sure to "pay it forward."
A year seems like a long time to be away from my family, friends, and community, but my intentions for starting this blog are to share my experiences with you! Thank you for visiting. I hope to see you back soon!
