Quirks and Cracks

When my airplane landed in Quito, I was full of nervous anticipation. It was late at night and I had visions of being stranded at the airport in a foreign country with no idea where to go. You know what the Bible says- worry is fruitless. As it turned out, I was the first volunteer to arrive.

As the taxi drove the 45 minutes from the airport to our hostel in Quito, Morgan, Chloe, Leah and I had a chance to bond and take in the sights. If you've ever ridden in the car with me, heard about my car accident, or talked with me about God's beautiful country, you know I love to take everything in- the old buildings, the people, the landscapes. If you didn't know, well, I'm kind of obsessed. It's no secret.

Things in Ecuador are much different than anywhere I've ever traveled in the US (and I like to think I've been a fair number of places). There are buildings (that people live in) that have walls and windows missing. There are lines for hanging laundry on roofs (there are also a lot of vicious dogs on roofs). The sidewalks have gaping holes, cracks, metal poles, and general safety hazards that would result in a lawsuit or twenty in the states.

According to our survey answers, infrastructure here is our "biggest threat" (we had to choose something!). In fact, I almost lost my roommate/partner in shenanigans to a giant hole and slippery sidewalks. You really have to watch where you're going around here!

Anyway, some of the first warnings we received upon arrival in Ecuador were:
1) Don't drink the water
2) Don't flush your toilet paper
3) Sanitation standards are not the same as the US, so be careful what and where you eat.

The whole toilet paper thing has been slightly difficult (I've flushed it a couple times...oops), but generally, the transition has been smooth.

Our first few days here were training and orientation for our volunteer program, along with Spanish lessons and a little sightseeing. Let me just say, ten hours of Spanish lessons was not enough, but was a great refresher for things I'd forgotten. Morgan, Steven and I struggled through the lessons together, totally embracing the awkwardness.

I have so much I want to/will share, but I want to say that the people I've met here are amazing. The adventures I've had are amazing, and if you speak really slowly in Spanish I might be able to figure out the main gist of what you're trying to say!

Live and love.
Katey❤️

The Beginning

For the past seven years, I have spent my summers helping other people have adventures. It was a relatively easy summer job, although not quite what some people imagine. This year, I got to embark on my own adventure.

When I heard about a teaching abroad experience in college, I was immediately interested. I've always had a passion for Spanish (anyone remember that one time I almost changed my major?). I begged my dad for weeks and he finally said yes. I submitted all my paperwork, got all of my reference letters, and set my sights on that five weeks in Costa Rica.

Fast forward two weeks and the program has been cancelled. This was the first time I heard about Worldteach. A friend suggested I try this program since my university let me down. Fast forward through some complicated circumstances and two whole years and you find me here, in Ecuador, volunteering with WorldTeach. My first time on an airplane. My first time out of the country. My first time traveling with absolutely zero people I know. My first time halfway across the world without my best friends. What an adventure.

When I arrived in Quito, I didn't know what to expect. Certainly not the beautiful views of the mountains, the friendly Ecuadorians that make every effort to communicate despite language barriers, my new friends in the WT program. I didn't know I'd fall in love with this country, despite it's faults and flaws. It's like a good book you can't put down. Every part seems too good to be the stopping point, you just have to get to the next page.