Hello Blog readers!

Thanks for coming to another monthly report of my time here in Cuenca, Ecuador!

March was probably my favorite month here so far. In the beginning of March, I had the time to take a vacation with my friend, Sam, to Olón on the coast, and it was SO NICE (minus the sunburn). To get to Olón here can be a process. It takes about 6 hours. First, you take a bus to Guayaquil, which is about 3.5 hours. From Guayaquil you take a bus or a taxi to Olón, Salinas, or Montañita. Olon and Montañita are right next to each other, and Montañita is a bit more famous than Olón, but I prefer Olón. Olón is much cleaner and quieter, which for me is more of a vacation spot.

One thing I noticed about Ecuador is the difference in food everywhere you go. If you’re on the beach, the food involved a lot of seafood and a bit more flavor. Here in Cuenca, the food is less flavorful and healthy. The accent with people on the coast is a bit different as well. It is interesting to learn new vocabulary/slang when you travel to a different part of Ecuador.

March was also very enjoyable because I also took a short 3 day trip to Vilcabamba, which is in the provience of Loja, about 4 hours from Cuenca. There we stayed in a hostel called Hostería Izhcayluma, and it was HEAVEN ON EARTH! I recommend it to anyone coming to Ecuador. The difference between Cuenca and Vilcabamba is that the weather in Loja is just a bit warmer, but still not hot. It still is in the mountains, but it is about a couple thousands of feet lower than Cuenca, therefore making it a bit warmer. Vilcabamba’s weather is perfect, and the view from the hostel is absolutely breathtaking. At the hostel they have typical German food, as the owners are from Germany, but they also have American, Ecuadorian, and Italian food. The hostel is close to a lot of hiking and the centro area of Vilcabamba has GREAT FOOD! One day we went to UFO, a falafel restaurant, and it was one of the best meals I have had during my whole time in Ecuador. RICO!! If you are in Ecuador, visit Vilcabamba J

Time at the fundación has been much better. We have been working very hard and communicating with each other to solve any issues of behavior the children have, and in the last few weeks, the children have been MUCH better! Every Tuesday, we have a team meeting at the Fundación to talk about the week, and I find these meetings very helpful and informative. We give and get a lot of information so that communication between volunteers, the psychologist, social workers, teachers, and the director is flowing strong. It sets the mood for the week, and I find that I learn more about the kids, and it helps me understand them better. My time at the Fundación has been challenging, but I think it is an incredibly important experience. There is no better feeling than leaving for a vacation to come back to a large group of kids running up and hugging you telling you they miss you. My heart melted. I love volunteering at the fundación. J

As far as teaching, we started a new cycle last week, and I finally do not have Saturday classes, which means I will have more time to travel before I likely leave the country. This month of April is full of vacation days. Another thing I love about living in Latin America is all of the holidays there are, and how seriously people take these holidays. The people here do not live to work. They work to live, and they take their time off seriously. They truly have a nice work-life balance. This Friday we do not have class at CEDEI on Friday or Saturday, and the weekend after, we do not either. Therefore, on the 18^th I am going to travel to Quito and Otavalo with a friend because I am off from volunteering and teaching during the weekend! I will let you all know how that is when I get back! Talk to you all next month! J

the drive to Vilcabamba is AMAZING!

We stopped here to get some tequila! This tequila is made in this region of Ecuador. Something I never knew- that Ecuador produces a bit of tequila! It was delicious! :P

Amy, the hostel dog! She was so cute. She followed me around during my time there. She LOVES her sticks. :) 

Also from the drive to Vilcabamba. 

From the end of our hike in Vilcabamba. So nice! There are a bunch of trails right outside of the hostal's fence!