Having just returned from an amazing trip to Ecuador I thought I would let you and WorkingAbroad know what I have been up to. I received your report last autumn and decided to go and volunteer with Casa Abierta (based in Quito - Patricio Gaibor). I arrived in Quito in January as a rather nervous volunteer wondering what on earth I had volunteered to do! However, having been picked up from the airport by Pato and settled into my new home, life in Quito started to whizz by.

I took a couple of weeks Spanish class which was invaluable (which they helped set up for me), which gave me the confidence to have a go at the language. I would definitely recommend anybody going to Ecuador to take lessons here or there (much cheaper in Ecuador) as it is hard to get by with no Spanish.

I ended up volunteering in the Amazon jungle living with an indigenous family for a month and a half. I was living about 2 hours away from Tena - a bus ride and canoe ride away. When i first arrived and took the canoe across the river I really wondered what I was letting myself in for!!! I stayed with an amazingly hospitable family, who although had nothing - gave me the best of anything. My days were filled with teaching English at the local community school - mainly singing songs - head, shoulders, knees and toes was a favourite; helping the family pick maize from the fields, gardening and helping in the museum. My family had a museum for tourists on their land as we were upstream from quite a few tourist jungle lodges. I helped out with a bit of translation of Spanish to English and enjoyed the opportunity to speak English now and again.

Although a small foundation, Casa Abierta were excellent - I couldn't have wanted for more care, attention and help on organising my time. They also helped me plan my travel routes around Ecuador and generally were fantastic. Now I am back to my normal, mundane life here (only temporarily as I am about to go off travelling again), I will never forget the kindness and generosity of my family in the jungle.

The experience taught me many things, but I think most importantly that we are all the same across the world and that a smile does go an awful long way.

From: WorkingAbroad