A Collection of Tips, Suggestions, and Advice
(from former participants and Directors)
DAY-TO-DAY. Bring comfortable walking shoes; small bottle(s) of alcohol-based hand sanitizer; a sunhat and strong sunscreen - intense equator sunshine!
GET COMFORTABLE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE. Be prepared to completely immerse yourself in Spanish and to feel uncomfortable A LOT. Put yourself out there anyway. You will speak much better Spanish by the time you leave, and will have gained an intense appreciation for your own inner strength, perseverance, and linguistic abilities
Maintain a positive attitude! REFRAME, REFRAME, REFRAME! :). Your experience in Ecuador is intended to teach you something...use each moment - frustrating, happy, proud, or otherwise - to allow yourself to be open to whatever the "lesson" may be at the time...and sometimes you won;t realize what that "lesson" was until it's August and you are back to the grind. Use your time in Ecuador with a sense of positivity, endurance, open-mindedness, and in the spirit of learning - you will be amazed when you step back and reflect at the personal or professional challenges you overcame as a result of your participation in the program.
ROLL WITH IT. Be prepared to be FLEXIBLE and just go with the flow--of the host family, of the Spanish lessons and the craziness in Quito (especially the transportation), and try to be okay with making mistakes - no one expects perfection.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: The buses are very crowded in Quito. It can be very overwhelming at first. You will learn to live with it but be prepared that you will NOT have personal space on many of your trips on the bus. With this said, do not have valuables loose in your pockets (e.g.wallets) as you will most likely not be able to feel when someone is reaching in your bag or pant pockets.
BOOKS: Bring at least one book in English-- you will crave some down time and probably the English language.
NO ACCESSORIES!!!! ;) Don't bother bringing scarves or jewelry/accessories--you will most likely buy loads of them because they are gorgeous and cheap. *Plus, word on the EPPP block is that Tara is the ULTIMATE hagglerista! :)*
EATING OUT: Be sure you check if the tip is included in your meals or other purchases that you might make. Many restaurants already include a tip in your bill. Be sure to check before you give any extra money.
CULTURAL/PERSONAL RESPECT: Be mindful of taking pictures of children that you might see. Yes, little kids are adorable but some parents might find this offensive or expect that you offer them money after you take their picture. It is best to ask before just snapping away.
SANITATION: Be prepared to throw your toilet paper away in the trash can (not the toilet)! Yes, this is a requirement not a suggestion. You can and WILL flood your host family’s toilet if you choose to ignore this request. Always keep a roll of toilet paper with you in your bag that you carry around during the day. Some public bathrooms will not have toilet paper in them and nothing is worse than realizing this after you have gone to that bathroom. Keeping a stash of napkins is never a bad idea.
CHANGING TEMPERATURES: Pack a coat and long pjs. It can get very cool at night and it is in your best interest to have something to keep you warm.
ID SECURITY/THEFT: Do not carry your passport around unless necessary. Make sure you have a copy of your passport with you however; keep your actual passport stored in a secure place with your belongings at your host family’s home. You can purchase cell phone chips in Quito if you decide you want a phone. Many participants do not and find it refreshing to not be tied to a communication device. If you have a phone that is compatible with a chip there should be no problem using it. Please be sure it is "unlocked" by your US carrier before you leave. There are an abundance of internet cafes with international phones and Skype. These phones get a much better rate for calling the US than Ecuadorian cell phones. Additionally, iPhone apps such as "What's App" and "Viber" host free wifi texting and video, with additional low-cost international calls (comparable to what you will see in internet cafes).
GET COMFORTABLE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE. Be prepared to completely immerse yourself in Spanish and to feel uncomfortable A LOT. Put yourself out there anyway. You will speak much better Spanish by the time you leave, and will have gained an intense appreciation for your own inner strength, perseverance, and linguistic abilities
Maintain a positive attitude! REFRAME, REFRAME, REFRAME! :). Your experience in Ecuador is intended to teach you something...use each moment - frustrating, happy, proud, or otherwise - to allow yourself to be open to whatever the "lesson" may be at the time...and sometimes you won;t realize what that "lesson" was until it's August and you are back to the grind. Use your time in Ecuador with a sense of positivity, endurance, open-mindedness, and in the spirit of learning - you will be amazed when you step back and reflect at the personal or professional challenges you overcame as a result of your participation in the program.
ROLL WITH IT. Be prepared to be FLEXIBLE and just go with the flow--of the host family, of the Spanish lessons and the craziness in Quito (especially the transportation), and try to be okay with making mistakes - no one expects perfection.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: The buses are very crowded in Quito. It can be very overwhelming at first. You will learn to live with it but be prepared that you will NOT have personal space on many of your trips on the bus. With this said, do not have valuables loose in your pockets (e.g.wallets) as you will most likely not be able to feel when someone is reaching in your bag or pant pockets.
BOOKS: Bring at least one book in English-- you will crave some down time and probably the English language.
NO ACCESSORIES!!!! ;) Don't bother bringing scarves or jewelry/accessories--you will most likely buy loads of them because they are gorgeous and cheap. *Plus, word on the EPPP block is that Tara is the ULTIMATE hagglerista! :)*
EATING OUT: Be sure you check if the tip is included in your meals or other purchases that you might make. Many restaurants already include a tip in your bill. Be sure to check before you give any extra money.
CULTURAL/PERSONAL RESPECT: Be mindful of taking pictures of children that you might see. Yes, little kids are adorable but some parents might find this offensive or expect that you offer them money after you take their picture. It is best to ask before just snapping away.
SANITATION: Be prepared to throw your toilet paper away in the trash can (not the toilet)! Yes, this is a requirement not a suggestion. You can and WILL flood your host family’s toilet if you choose to ignore this request. Always keep a roll of toilet paper with you in your bag that you carry around during the day. Some public bathrooms will not have toilet paper in them and nothing is worse than realizing this after you have gone to that bathroom. Keeping a stash of napkins is never a bad idea.
CHANGING TEMPERATURES: Pack a coat and long pjs. It can get very cool at night and it is in your best interest to have something to keep you warm.
ID SECURITY/THEFT: Do not carry your passport around unless necessary. Make sure you have a copy of your passport with you however; keep your actual passport stored in a secure place with your belongings at your host family’s home. You can purchase cell phone chips in Quito if you decide you want a phone. Many participants do not and find it refreshing to not be tied to a communication device. If you have a phone that is compatible with a chip there should be no problem using it. Please be sure it is "unlocked" by your US carrier before you leave. There are an abundance of internet cafes with international phones and Skype. These phones get a much better rate for calling the US than Ecuadorian cell phones. Additionally, iPhone apps such as "What's App" and "Viber" host free wifi texting and video, with additional low-cost international calls (comparable to what you will see in internet cafes).
You will most likely not "need" your laptops. There are many internet cafes with reasonable rates in the area of your Spanish classes and some of your sites. Many restaurants and a few host families have wireless internet access. Please remember if you bring any cellphones, laptops, or electronic devices, you are responsible for them. The program assumes no responsibility in the event of theft, loss, or damage. You are choosing to bring these devices at your own risk. Again, the internet cafes are very reasonably priced and easy to access.
Although it is not recommended to bring valuables, you may consider bringing an old laptop as many of the host families have wireless connections. This is a personal choice; there could be some online work that you will need to do for your site - whether you prefer to do this at an "internet cafe", your host family's home (if WiFi is available), or another public location with WiFi, you may find bringing an iPad, old laptop, etc. helpful. If not, then you will have access to MANY internet cafe's that are cheap and can get the job done.
Although it is not recommended to bring valuables, you may consider bringing an old laptop as many of the host families have wireless connections. This is a personal choice; there could be some online work that you will need to do for your site - whether you prefer to do this at an "internet cafe", your host family's home (if WiFi is available), or another public location with WiFi, you may find bringing an iPad, old laptop, etc. helpful. If not, then you will have access to MANY internet cafe's that are cheap and can get the job done.
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