EIL Intercultural Learning

Hi Everyone,

So I have made it back to Ireland after a fantastic two months in Ecuador. I have to say this is the post I was looking forward to writing the least because it means I am out of Ecuador. While I am glad to be home I have definitely noticed a change in myself. I think I had gotten very used to the relaxed atmosphere, coming back to my work and study and everything else moving at 100 mph was a bit of a shock to the system. Although now that I am back I want to fill you in on the last and possibly best moments of my time in Ecuador.

My last week in the Colegio Tecnico Puerto Quito ended with the school sports teams celebrating the individual victories over the course of the sports week in the school. I had very little time to say my goodbyes to the friends I had made, both students and teachers. It was WAY more difficult than I thought it would be :) I had not expected to become so attached to the people and the place in such a short amount of time. Although, it was the students in the night school that were the people I knew best from my time in Puerto Quito. The classes were longer, smaller and daily so I felt like I had really become friends with these people. To be honest if I was uncomfortable saying goodbye to the students in the school I knew the night school would be worse. Two students threw a party for me the night before I left, everyone and more went (of course, it was a fiesta). Infact of the 15 students I had, about 25 turned up ;). The night was English themed with party games organized to test everyones English and my Spanish. I held my own and I think if my Spanish teacher had of heard me she would have been happy enough. No different to the other times there was a get together there was music, food and the other two volunteers and myself were able to fit in some embarassing dancing again. But seeing as it was my last night I was actually taught a few moves. I learned to dance (some) Salsa and Bachata. Really cool! It was definitely one of the best moments of my stay in the small town, I got to know the people better and have a few laughs outside of the class room. Of course though, the night had to end and after a few words of goodbye we all went our seperate ways.

I was told before I left for Ecuador that one volunteer cannot make a dramatic difference to the situation effecting a poor country. For this reason I had went expecting to leave with a sense of good will and the experience of having travelled in Ecuador. However, I now think differently. While I know my time in Ecuador won't start an economic revolution :) I think I really have had an imapct, albeit small, on the people I met. In exchange, they couldn't have had a bigger impact on me! I know that if I was to go back there in a few years, they won't have forgotten me... well at least I hope not haha. I really would like to go back to visit to area in the future and I would like to bring friends. It is strange to have a personal interest in something that happened so quickly. The worst part of it is I know I only touched the surface of the true Ecuador. There is alot more to know, alot more to see and loads more people to meet!

I made a point of speaking to as many people as I had a chance while I was there to see there views on different things from religion to science. From this I heard alot of opinions some informed and others, well, not at all informed. There is alot of prejudice in rural Ecuador, towards nationals as well as non-nationals for so many different things I couldn't even try to list them. This is something that I would like to see change. Although saying that, from the people I spoke to, the younger generations are moving away from the old views and adopting a proactive approach to change the country. And while this will take time, at least it is happening.

So, my time in Puerto Quito was at an end and I returned to Quito to visit my old host mother. I gave her my farewell present and in return I was invited to sit in on her Womens Association bible meeting. Not the way I thought I would end my visit but as they say, ah why not.

The night of my departure I had one more task to do and this was to meet the incoming volunteer from Germany who was to stay in my host mother's house. As I was talking to him I found out that he was going to be placed in Puerto Quito too. And he too would be teaching. I'm not sure with whom he will live or where he will teach but it is entirely possible he will stay and teach where I did. Of course as you can imagine it was very hard not to feel like another link in the chain at this point. I don't think that would have been a good thing to think in my final moments in Ecuador haha. However, in hindsight it is true that Ecuador (as other countries) has had volunteers before me and I hope it will continue to have them as long as they need them. But I dont see this as a bad thing at all. As I said I never expected my time there to change anything big but I was able to get to know new people that I hope to stay in contact with in the future. And while on the grand scheme of things I was another volunteer, on a local level I feel I have spent my time well there. Since leaving I have recieved emails from my students, in English might I add ;), so I must have been doing something right.

Despite the hard times I had in my time in Ecuador I thouroughly enjoyed being there, I wouldn't change my decision if I could! I met a fellow EIL award winner on the place home from Chicago to Dublin. We agreed the hardest part of the trip will be trying to tell other people about it. Even on the plane we had no idea where to start. While I have done my best in these blogs to let you know, nothing can inform you like actually doing it. I really do recommend this experience to anybody and if you are reading this, thinking of applying for the travel award or even sending yourself my advice would be to DO IT!!!! I am already planning my next visit!