Welcome to the third blog of the year. February was one of my favorite months in Ecuador. I enjoyed it so much, and like always I am looking forward to letting you all know about my adventures. 

We began the month by celebrating our dear friend Monica Palacios. Our queen graduated from a well known University here in Cuenca with a Clinical Psychology degree and I could not be any more proud. In the past we had talked about how much this field meant to her and all that she wants to accomplish; there is no doubt she picked the right career. She is so passionate and has a huge heart for others. We were lucky enough to get invited to her graduation party and it was nice to celebrate such a huge accomplishment with her and to see the Palacios family once again. We also got to meet some of her friends who were nice. We are both so grateful for the Palacios family and all they have done for us. Once again, congratulations Monica!!!

Our outfits for the night

With Monica at her graduation party 

Another highlight of February was celebrating Valentine’s Day with my kids at the Fundacion. The kids made cards for each other and many gave their friends and siblings roses and other gifts. They also played a lot of games and had the chance to win prizes. It was so beautiful to witness the love in the room and enjoy each other's presence. I had a blast dancing and singing with the kids and seeing so many happy faces. I felt so grateful and continue to be grateful for having these wonderful kids in my life. I received so many hugs and love that day which made me so happy. It was nice to see the kids be kids and not worry about their circumstances. Overall I had an amazing Valentine’s day and enjoyed spending time with my favorite humans. 

Dancing with my kids 

A card from one of my kids 

Friends giving each other cards

The best highlight of the month was celebrating Carnaval. In Ecuador, this holiday is celebrated toward the end of the month but truly basically all month. It consists of many traditions such as comparsas, Bailes, espuma but one of the most popular ones is throwing water at each other.  Everywhere you go there is someone throwing water. You can not even go to the store without getting wet. You are safe nowhere! Another tradition is spraying this soap called kareoka which gets you all full of foam. This is the favorite of the kids who love to spray you any chance they get. The first thing we did to celebrate Carnaval was attend this huge event in Plaza San Francisco. At first, it looked very calm but soon it got very crazy. We met up with some friends from work and then began to walk around to see what it was all about. Soon enough we began to get sprayed with soap, got Maizena all over our hair and body and got paint of all colors in our faces. I even got an egg broken in my hair.   It was a very fun experience and truly something I have never experienced before. The only bad thing was that I got Kareoka, paint, and Maizena in my eyes which hurt badly and was hard to see. Over the weekend we had the opportunity to visit other Plazas and parks to continue the celebration of Carnaval. At Plaza el Otrongo they had a huge stage with live music and many food stands with traditional food eaten on Carnaval. A famous dish that is eaten on Carnaval is “ Igo en miel” and I was fortunate enough to try some. Another place we went to also had live music and a huge foam gun. The music was fantastic and I had a great time. 

The beginning of the night 

The aftermath of Plaza San Francisco 

At Plaza San Francisco for Carnaval

At Parque la Libertad 

Eating Igo 

I also got the chance to celebrate Carnaval with my kids at the Fundacion. The program included a lot of fun games and it was so fun seeing the kids enjoy themselves. There was also a dance competition for each family and the kids dressed up as comparses (like the kings and queens of Carnaval) and they looked so cute. The kids also had the chance to get all of the staff and volunteers wet which trust me they enjoyed themselves so much. They took every opportunity to throw water at me and at the end of the day I was soaking wet. 

The winning female comparse 

     

Celebrating Carnaval with my kids 

For the most part, life is good. I continue to love my time here and be grateful for this experience. Thank you so much, Mark and Linda, for this opportunity. I am looking forward to seeing what will happen during the rest of my time here in Ecuador. Thank you all for tuning in.

Hello all!! Posting the blog a bit late this month! We have been absolutely swamped, and I’m just now able to take a minute to reflect on everything that happened in February.

This was definitely one of the most eventful months thus far!  One of the first significant events for us was Valentine's Day, or Día de San Valentin.  Although I’m still living the single life, it was a great day to celebrate other important relationships in my life!  During classes at CEDEI, I allowed extra time to create Valentines written in English. Both my classes of niños and teenagers really enjoyed it, and even gave me some! I gave one to all of my students too.  After, we went to dinner with some friends. It was so nice to have a day that reinforced some of the important connections that I’ve made that impact my life daily. I was definitely feeling warm and loved!

Cards from my students!

More cards from my students :)

Another one of our favorite days in February was a day we got to celebrate the accomplishments of one of our good friends, Moni.  She just graduated from University with a degree in Clinical Psychology, and we were lucky to attend her graduation party. It was great to celebrate her, meet some of her friends, and see her awesome family again.  We are so proud of her accomplishments! If you’re reading, congrats again Moni!

We are so grateful to know Moni and her family!

By far the biggest event in February was Carnaval. Before living in Ecuador, I didn’t understand the scope of Carnaval since we don’t have it in the United States.  I thought it was maybe something in Brazil, but didn’t know much about it. I quickly found out that it is a holiday celebrated all over the world in February. Many people used the large break from school or work to travel, but we stayed here in Cuenca to see how Carnaval is celebrated in our home.  There are many traditions associated with this holiday, and we became very familiar with most of them. For example, “playing carnaval” includes getting your friends as wet as possible by throwing water, water balloons, or even using water guns. People also spray this “foam,” called “karaoka” at each other- which can be really fun, but dangerous if it gets in your eye!  People also tend to throw other things, such as MAICENA and paint at each other. My first experience of this was playing Carnaval with the kids at Calazans. I always left with the songs stuck in my head for the rest of the day! We had a day just dedicated to Carnaval, and played lots of water games. Of course, the kids (and teachers) tried their best to get me the most, and I wasn’t mad about it! I was so grateful that my first experience with the holiday was with them, and that we were all able to enjoy it together.  We had so much fun! I also got to try a food that is traditional for Carnaval, called Mote Pata, which is corn (mote) with meat. On the first official day of Carnaval there was a huge event in the plaza right by our house, the Plaza San Francisco. There was live music and the plaza and surrounding streets were full of people playing Caranaval. We got absolutely destroyed by everything from the foam and water to paint and Maicena. By the end we were almost unrecognizable! The event finished with fireworks and a finale of the live music, and we went home to finally take a nice hot shower. I definitely had fun at this event (as a once a year type of thing)! We thought maybe the water throwing would die down from there- but we were so wrong.  All of Carnaval includes events like these, and even walking down the street isn’t safe! One day, I was walking down the street eating a piece of bread, and someone driving by in a car threw a water balloon at me, knocking my bread out of my hand! We had heard some horror stories about people playing with frozen water balloons or balloons filled with animal blood, but luckily we didn’t have any bad experiences like that- it was all in good fun! We took the chance to go to some other similar events here in Cuenca, as well as rest up for the coming week- something we cherish because our schedule is normally so busy. It was so wonderful to be here in Ecuador for something so culturally significant and to experience it firsthand with people I love.  Although I wouldn’t love getting water thrown at me in the street all the time, I really enjoyed Carnaval here in Cuenca.

One of the students at Calazans trying to get me! (Notice the foam in his hand)

Ready for the festivities at Calazans!

Mote Pata

Jhoseline and me- the aftermath of the event in La Plaza San Francisco!

Otherwise, things are pretty normal here in our lives!  My regular classes are coming to an end for this cycle, meaning I am just about to finish my second cycle of teaching! It is crazy how much of a routine I have found in teaching, and how much I have come to enjoy it although I never thought this would be the path for me.  My ninos classes finished their final projects (puppets) and had a class party on the last day! My 102 class of teenagers also wrapped up, and we had a party as we reviewed for the final exam. I’ll definitely be glad for a bit of a break, but I’ll miss all of my students from this cycle so much! It also means that I have quite a bit of grading to do as the cycle comes to an end.

Final Project- Puppets!

In Calazans things are also going well! I have been doing a lot of helping to add details to art projects that students are working on.  Although I always loved painting, I struggled conceptually with what I would want to paint. Now I am loving that I can use something I love in a helpful and productive way to enhance the artwork of the students.  I have come to a point where I can usually recognize what students have done without their names because I can recognize their individual techniques. Collaborating with them is one of my favorite things I have ever done! I love that my relationship with all of the students continues to get stronger- for example, after missing one day from being sick, I came back to a million questions and statements like: “Where were you???” and “We missed you!!!” I of course replied that I missed them too! 

The process of one of the art projects I am working with a student on!

As we are getting March underway, I continue to be extremely grateful for my life here in Cuenca.  Now it has been about a year since the interview and selection process for this grant, something that is so surreal to think about! Every month here proves to be richer, and I can’t wait to see how my life here will continue to evolve.  If you’ve read this far, thank you! Until next month!

Welcome to the second blog of the year. January was one of the hardest months here in Ecuador, mentally and emotionally. A huge shout out to Emily for always being there for me and helping me out when I am not feeling my best. I would not have asked for a better partner for this adventure. I am looking forward to seeing what February has in store for me. 

Emily and I in Yunguilla 

My beautiful Cuenca  

I began my second cycle on January 6th. My schedule was the same as last cycle, an Intensive and a Saturday class, and I was so happy. My Intensive was 104 which is very similar to level 102 which I had already taught so it was easier to lesson plan and teach the class. This Intensive, however, was very challenging and it tested me. I had a lot of behavioral and attendance issues which caused me to become very frustrated. I also felt a lot of pressure from my students to be the best teacher. Two of my students had such a high need to learn the language to further their careers so I spent many hours planning activities, doing review worksheets and games so that they could learn. What made it frustrating was that the younger students cared less and talked over me all the time. No matter how many times I would tell them to be quiet and take points off their behavior issues continued. I had to become more strict and this was hard for me since I consider myself to be a patient teacher. I knew though that I needed things to change quickly. I was falling behind and my students were not learning. What helped was letting the students know how their behavior and attendance issues impacted their grades. A lot of them became worried and soon began to take the class seriously. Although the Intensive was challenging it pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me how to be a better teacher. My Intensive ended on Friday and now I will be on break until February 18th when the next Intensive begins. 

The view on my way to work 

My Saturday class, on the other hand, struggles with less behavioral issues. In this class, there are 12 students so it is much bigger. What helps with behavior is that there are 3 older students in the class. Whenever students are not paying attention, the older students step in and tell them to be quiet. Since they are older the students respect and listen to them. The students are also energetic and overall enjoy the class. They learn quickly and I am enjoying this class more than the one that I had before. 

All smiles

Things in the Fundacion overall are good. The kids are so amazing and every day that  I go in I receive so many hugs, kisses, and love. However lately I have found myself struggling emotionally. The environment in which I work takes a toll on my mental health. Unfortunately, many of the kids who are part of the Fundacion come from troubled families, trauma, experience poverty and much more. The stories that I hear from the kids and their families regarding their situation is very heartbreaking. Due to the trauma that kids experience behavioral problems are common in the Fundacion and often situations get out of hand. It is hard to find the right balance between discipline and support because they have to learn to behave well and be successful but I know they are acting out because of the trauma they have experienced and are experiencing. Often I feel like I am not doing enough for the kids and wish I could just solve all of their problems. It is hard to see what the kids endure at such a young age. Many of the kids are not used to receiving love and lack support, structure and guidance. For this reason, I try my best to help the kids in any way that I can. Small things like bringing my school supplies and sharing it with the kids, going to the local market and buying my groceries from the families of the kids and buying the kids a birthday present has made a difference and has allowed me to show the kids that they are worthy and loved.  You also never know how much a hug and support can mean to a kid. I feel grateful for the position that I have in their lives and do my best to show the kids how amazing and loved they are. I do however have to remember and work on taking care of myself and appreciating what I do no matter how small it may feel. 

A cat made by one of the students

With one of my kids 

At the park with my kids 

My happy kids 

The highlight of this month was our mini trip to Yunguilla and celebrating Dia de Los Inocentes. We celebrated Dia de Los Inocentes on January 6th. On this day people dressed up in all types of costumes and participated in a huge parade. Floats were decorated and represented popular National and international characters. I celebrate this day as well by playing jokes with family members but it was amazing to see how Ecuadorians celebrate it and partake in the celebration. I was amazed to see so many people were on the streets and the amazing costumes. As mentioned we also took a trip to a city nearby called Yunguilla. We went to celebrate a birthday of a coworker and had so much fun. His family owns a country house and we were able to swim and enjoy a beautiful view.  His family was so welcoming and we felt so lucky to know such amazing people.  

Beautiful view of Yunguilla 

With participants of the parade 

With one of the parade participants 

Another float 

One of the floats in the parade 

A huge thank you to Mark and Linda for this opportunity. Also, I want to thank my parents and family, both the ones in the United States and the ones in El Salvador, for all the love, support and guidance they have given me throughout my lifetime. I look forward to seeing the rest of my experience here in Ecuador and sharing it with you all. Until next time!

Hello! 

Welcome back to our blog! As we wrap up January and head into February, Christmas break seems so far away.  We have been very busy and are now fully back into the swing of things with our work schedules! This cycle at CEDEI, I was given Niños classes again (something I requested), but this time around the students are even younger! Adjusting to a younger age group has been really fun, and I really love all of my students. I also have one more class than last cycle, so my schedule has been busier than it was before.  At first, the adjustment was hard, but getting paid for one more class has made a difference, which definitely makes it worth it! My only class that is not niños is a 102 level with teenagers. Although I tend to really enjoy teaching niños, my class of teenagers is also great, as we get to do different kinds of activities and I find that there are different ways to relate to this group of students. All of my classes are about to take their midterm- I cannot believe we are already five weeks into this cycle!

My classroom filling up with student work! If you look closely, you''ll see where I included my sister as an example (on the grey paper)

More beautiful student work!

I told the students to draw anyone and this student drew me! Yes, I cried

At my volunteer location, San Jose de Calasanz, things have also been going really well. I was sad to miss out on most of December with my students, so I was very excited to see them all again in January.  At Calasanz I really feel as if I have come into my role as a volunteer there; the more time I spend there, the better I know the students, the better I can help out, and the happier we all are to see each other.  Lately I have been spending most of my time in the paint workshop, helping students to finish their individual projects in any way they need. For example, one student was working on painting a cross (pictured below) using a pointillism technique.  I helped him to finish by adding some finer dots to the cross and mixing some altered versions of the colors he had already chosen in order to add some depth. Other times, if a student isn’t able to sit and do an individual project, I play games with them.  As students trust me more and more, I feel very lucky to have been placed at Calasanz. I am so grateful for the bond I am forming with the students and I am looking forward to the rest of my time with them. 

One of my students with his project!

Even in a time when we are super busy with work, we found some time this month to have some fun! January 6th here in Ecuador is celebrated as “Día de inocentes,” otherwise known as a day that commemorates the bible story of King Herod’s order to execute male babies in Bethlehem in an attempt to kill the baby Jesus.  As a celebration of innocence and childhood, it has evolved into a day in which people wear costumes and play jokes, and celebrations take on a light and jovial feeling. At Calasanz another volunteer and I dressed in costumes and handed out candy to the students. A large parade was held in Cuenca and we were able to go after work to see the festivities. All of the floats were super detailed and exaggerated- it was an incredible sight! Lots of people were out for the night and many wore costumes or dressed up as well known characters.  We were glad to be able to make it to the parade after work, because neither of us knew about the holiday until that day! It was definitely an unexpected but fun day. I love seeing Cuenca full of life in the streets- celebrations, street vendors, and activities make the city feel so alive and exciting.

Elena and me (in the green) dressed up and ready to  hand out candy at Calasanz!

One of the floats in the parade- Amazon themed!

Jhoseline with some of the parade participants!

Another fun excursion we got to have this month was to Yungilla.  Yungilla is a town not far from Cuenca that is a popular quick getaway spot due to its warmer climate.  Some people in Cuenca have a “country house” of sorts in Yungilla, and due to its popularity many people were surprised that we hadn’t made it out there yet in almost 7 months.  Finally, we made the trip for a birthday party for a coworker and a very dear friend. The warm weather and the opportunity to swim was a welcome break from our routine here in Cuenca.  Though we came back sunburned and exhausted, our adventure bug had been satisfied once again! We were so grateful for our friend’s generosity and loved the opportunity to celebrate with him! If you’ve read the blog before, you know how much we love birthdays. 

The view!

The beautiful setup for the birthday party!

Jhoseline and I- had to get a picture with the view!

Made a sign at work to countdown the days until Pedro's birthday!

Birthday selfie with the cumpleañero!

All in all January has been a great month.  After December I was so excited to come back to this city that I call home.  It was great to get back to my new “normal” and feel a part of the flow of life here again.  I can’t believe we have already been here for 7 months! I can’t wait to see what the rest of this experience has to offer.  Every new month has something special- and while every month we feel more accustomed to life here, each month also brings new ups and downs, both of which we appreciate, that make our life here so rich.  Looking forward to learning more, experiencing more, and living more here in Cuenca. As always, I want to continue to extend my appreciation to Mark and Linda Raderstorf for choosing me for this grant and changing my life. Thanks for reading!