WorldTeach: Ecuador Volunteer Teaching (Year)

I was an Ecuador volunteer in 2011 and had one of the most challenging and best years of my life. The field staff and WorldTeach were always there to support me and truly cared that my students and I had a worthwhile experience. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Living in Ecuador was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I was young - 21 years old - and had no understanding of the difficulties of living in a developing country before I left. WorldTeach was absolutely the right program for me - it was one year long, had good orientation support, and placed me in a definite position. Without them, I don't think I would have made it. It was the most important experience of my professional life, and I'm now 34 years old :)

My experience with WorldTeach in Ecuador was amazing! It really was the best year of my life. I learned so much from the experience and it really changed my outlook on life. WorldTeach is really great at helping you prepare for the experience by providing a lot of helpful reading materials before you go and connecting you with current or previous volunteers. The month long training when you first arrive in country was a great way to adapt to the country and helped with the tradition. I absolutely loved living with my host family and while not everyone has that same experience it is a great way to really engross yourself in the culture. If your experience with your host family or teaching placement isn't great then the WorldTeach in country staff can be really helpful with helping you work through it and fix the situation.

I was placed in an apartment with two other WT volunteers - Manta is a great city and living right by the beach was an incredible bonus! The people of Manta are friendly and, teaching at the university, I immediately had a ton of friends around my age. The poverty is somewhat difficult in the beginning, but I wouldn't change my experience for anything - it was life-changing!

I loved my year in Ecuador, but it did have extreme ups and downs. Living in a developing country is challenging, especially as a single woman. But I believe the challenges are also what make it incredibly rewarding. It's because of WorldTeach that I decided to start a career in TESOL, and 7 years later, I'm still not regretting it.

In my time there, the strongest asset WT had was its in-country staff. They were there to help with anything and everything. I felt safer and truly supported because they were there at any time of the day or night, ready to accept my call.

The hardest part of living there is the crime. I spent the entire year never feeling entirely safe. That said, however, the worst thing that happened to me was I lost 20 dollars from a pick pocket. Use caution, and you will have a truly wonderful year abroad.

I lived with a lovely host family in a town in northern Ecuador, where I taught at a city-run school. I taught 3 1.5 hour long classes a day, Monday-Thursday. I had never taught before, but there was so much support from the yearlong volunteers and from the field staff. I had time to travel around on weekends all around the country (arguably the most beautiful country in the world) and to meet so many amazing people. I would highly recommend this program!

Overall, I really enjoyed my experience with World Teach in Ecuador. There were parts that were easy and fun; there were parts that were difficult and frustrating. If you decide to do WorldTeach Ecuador, go into it knowing that you have no idea what your experience will be like, but it will certainly be an experience. The volunteers who had too many expectations of their job, their homestay, their city, of learning Spanish well, and so on, were the ones that were disappointed. Adaptability is important in Ecuador as in many countries of the world.

It has been mentioned in other reviews that Ecuador can be dangerous. This is certainly true, but you can and should adopt certain kinds of precautions and strategies that will keep you safe. It's better to find ways to skirt the dangers than just stay at home saying something like, "Oh, I thought of going to Ecuador as a volunteer once, but didn't."

Other reviews have mentioned that their jobs changed while they were there. Though that is not common, it could happen. Unfortunately, some things are beyond the control of WT staff. My job was dissolved about six months through my term for various reasons, but I was able to get another job through WT, and as a result was able to live in two very different regions of Ecuador, which was a blessing.

The Ecuador WT staff were great. They promptly responded to problems and concerns of volunteers. They provided a good orientation with information about Ecuador and teacher-training sessions. Best of all, I always found them caring and concerned.

Going to a country like Ecuador as a WT volunteer should not be about your expectations of what you think it will be like. But if you are open to experiencing Ecuador as it really is, you should have a great time with WorldTeach Ecuador.

I was a WT Volunteer in Ecuador from 1998-1999 and it was a life changing experience - probably one of the most challenging years of my life, with no regrets.

I chose WT b/c it was a one-year commitment and I could choose the country to which I applied (unlike Peace Corps, for example). I didn't like the idea of a fee, but at the time it really was the best option for me based on what I wanted out of an overseas experience. After college I was living at home and saved my money; I also fundraised part of the fee while simultaneously recognizing that not everyone has the luxury to partake in a program like WorldTeach because of the costs.

The one-month training was excellent and the field staff at the time was top notch. In early 1998 Ecuador went through some economic/political upheaval and there were many strikes. When I returned 2 years later to visit, Ecuador was using U.S. dollars, to give you some context. There are definitely safety issues in Latin America, and they were increasing in Ecuador over the course of the year I spent there because of the economy. Safety and security risks depend on your level of comfort and street savvy but should not deter you!

I taught at a university in Ambato, a medium sized town. There were other volunteers in my town which was great in terms of having support. We didn't hang out all the time, so there was plenty of time to spend with my host family and get to know the community a little better while still feeling like I was not completely isolated. I taught 4 or 5 classes a semester to both beginning and advanced learners. I really grew to love my students and became close with a few of the teachers that worked at the university.

Being a WT Volunteer really gave me confidence, a better sense of direction for my career (international education), and experiences I will never forget. I felt like I learned about the world and about myself in a way that I have not experienced since (I was 23 at the time, so that could have been part of it).

I am very well-traveled and Ecuador is one of the most beautiful countries I've ever been - it has everything including the mountains, the beach, the culture, the color, the history, delicious food, friendly faces! It is also full of pain and poverty, dirt and grit, a slower pace, and people just trying to have a better life.

I think WorldTeach is a great organization. What you will probably find by reading these reviews is that people had quite a range of experiences. And this is the TRUTH about WorldTeach, Peace Corps, and any other organization - it all *depends*. Are you ready for the challenge? Because life doesn't go as planned, and the question is: can you make the most of it? The second thing is this - what is the best organization for YOU and WHY. It might be WorldTeach and it might not. Contact people, do your research and learn to live in ambiguity - because nothing in life is guaranteed.

I know that I wouldn't be who I am had I not served as a Volunteer in Ecuador and I hope you find a way to live and work overseas - it's amazing!