TEACH ENGLISH IN SPANISH SPEAKING SCHOOL

Teach English in a Spanish speaking school in Ecuador and learn all about this unique part of South America.  This school, based on the outskirts of Quito, the capital, aims to preserve the Indian traditional way of life -teaching the children the yearly planting and reaping calendar and teaching them to speak Quichua whilst at the same time delivering Western  teaching.

You will split your time up between teaching English and agriculture. Agriculture involves helping the children to cultivate the land, grow traditional foods such as beans, maize, vegetables, medicinal plants and raise a few small animals.  The agricultural element is an important part of the placement so volunteers need to be willing to participate and learn the ancient ways.  The school aims to preserve the traditional way of life for the indigenous children before it is lost.

Why volunteer help is needed

Although this little school is a private school, fees are low and there are not enough funds to pay for an English teacher or for farmers.  Many English teachers do not have the right pronunciation and their skills are not sufficient to keep the children engaged.  Teaching the children to speak English is a very important and useful skill.  The vegetables that the children grow are used to make the lunches so your involvement in planting, weeding and harvesting is helping to make the school sustainable.

Where you will stay

You will stay with a Spanish speaking family in the centre of Quito and will be provided with three meals a days whilst there.  To get to the school, you will need to catch a daily bus which will cost you 25 cents each way.  On school days, you can take your lunch at school with the children and sample the traditional foods!

What to do in Quito

Travel by bus is very cheap on mainland Ecuador and it is possible to travel the country for very little money: for example a 4 hour coach ride from Banos to Quito costs just US$4!    You can plan your weekends to visit the craft market at Otavelo, the leather town of Cotacachi, the thermal springs at Banos, the coast…..

Travel anywhere within Quito by bus costs just 25cents!    Quito is also a very interesting city to explore with its Old Town with many historic buildings, as well as the TeleferiQo – an aerial tram which will take you up to 4,100 m above Quito with an amazing panoramic view of the City and the mountains that surround it, including the iconic Cotapaxi volcano.  Situated on the Equator, Quito has a Park called Mitad del mundo with small museum exhibits, restaurants, craft shops.  It is a good place to go on a Sunday as they have many different dancers entertaining the crowds.  There are many things to do in Quito so plan your time off carefully to see as much as you can.