La Tierrita Linda


Officially working for free!! 

It’s been a while since my last post, but the last few months have flown by!! I am now done with training and have officially been sworn-in as a Peace Corps volunteer and have moved to my new site where I will be living for the next 2 years!



PC Country Director, Rachel, Melissa, and I 

 "La Tierrita Linda" 

My new site is a city called Ambato, about 3 hours south of Quito in the province of Tungurahua.


A little bit about the city

  • Ambato is known as "la ciudad de las frutas y flores" and (to Ambateños) "la tierrita linda"
  • Elevation: 8,500 ft 
  • Population: 350,000 
  • In 1949, Ambato was devastated by an earthquake which destroyed the city's colonial center. To celebrate the newly rebuilt city, Ambato held the first festival of fruit and flowers. Since then it has become a tradition, and the city hosts a big celebration in February during Carnaval each year.
My sitemates and I at Parque Montalvo in the center of the city! 

My new neighborhood, Ficoa.

Sunset over the city 


Unidad Educativa Guayaquil 

I am working at a technical high school in the city of Ambato with over 3,000 students!! It is an "Unidad Educativa" which means that there are students from ages 4 to 19. There are 10 English teachers and I currently work with 5, while my site mate David (who has already been here for a year) works with the other 5. There are both morning and afternoon sessions, and I have been working mostly in the morning. The majority of my classes are in the "colegio," or high school with the older students. Each day of the week I go to classes with a different teacher, plan and co-teach lessons. 
Ecuadorian public education is incredibly different from the United States. For example, classes always seem to be canceled for one reason or another and nobody ever seems to know when or why until an announcement is made over the loud speaker!! (It is normal to get to school in the morning and ask several teachers if there are still classes and get different answers from each of them) However, I am having a great experience at the school so far and am excited for what's ahead in the next 2 years! 

From left: English teacher Irene, my host mom, me, the rectora (principal) ...Do you think I stand out??


Host Family

I am now living with my 3rd Ecuadorian host family! It's just me and my host mom, Rocio. My host siblings live in Quito and visit on the weekends when they are able to. Rocio is also a teacher at my school. She is an animal lover and belongs to a foundation that rescues animals. As a result, we have 6 dogs and a cat...and sometimes more while they are looking for permanent homes. Let's just say I'm glad I packed a lint roller...
Rocio and I 
4 of the 6 precious creatures 
A little Sunday trout fishing adventure 

Moments after Lulu was terrorizing the sheep inside its pen and it tried to attack her 


 And a quick visit from the U.S. Ambassador!! 

My sitemates Nick, David, Remy, and I with the Ambassador 






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