A Visit to an Elementary School!

"The contents of this Web site are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps"

Every color of the rainbow, laughter in the air, fútbol during recess, smiling faces, repeating, songs, hands-on activities, and so much more. What am I describing? If you haven't already guessed I am describing a school. No matter where you are in the world I have learned that these are some fundamental details that are always the same. These are some of the details that make me smile because I know I can expect them, they are familiar, they are reliable.

This Wednesday I walked into a small elementary school in Ecuador located near our training school and immediately felt happy. Why is it that children make me smile so much? Why is it that I felt a sense of home when I am surrounded by kids? No matter what the reason may be it was a wonderful feeling to have here in Ecuador where so much is unknown. Here at this school I felt content.

We were here at this elementary school with a purpose. We were here to teach a lesson in regards to the Media Ambiente (Environment). Now for me this isn't scary or stressful. Shelburne Farms has given me that. I love teaching about the environment and I have many tricks up my sleeve that I must give credit to the farm for. My group decided that we would teach our class about water. It is something that can be simple or complex depending on the details you wish to portray. We had 6-8 year old kids so as you can imagine we kept it simple. We started with a name game, asking them to act out there favorite animal. What was mine....a lobo of course (WOLF). After we went back into the classroom to talk about why water is important to them and how they use it. I love listening to what they come up with. After we talked about where you can find water and had them draw these places. Nothing makes me happier then watching children be creative; concentrating so hard on the task placed before them. After it was time to talk about the three forms of water and sing a song to remember evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Then the fun part. Get them outside.

Where does our water go activity!

We did an activity that I have done many a times at the ECHO Aquarium and Science Center in beautiful Vermont. We began with crumpling up paper and throwing it on the ground. Next we covered these papers with plastic to create mountains and valleys. We then predicted where the water from the rain would go. Where would it pool? Where would the rivers be? Next comes the fun part. Sprinkling water and watching where it goes. After we talked about this we introduced sprinkles; by far there favorite part. They sprinkle them over the mountains and then we predict what will happen when it rains again. If these sprinkles represent pollution what happens when it rains? My kids were wonderful and really got it. They understood that pollution can travel through our water and contaminate it. We ended with another song and said our good-byes, but not until I was given several of their drawings and many hugs.

Now the one thing I have not mentioned yet is that this whole lesson was given in Spanish! It made it much more challenging and for the first time in a while made me extremely nervous. What if they don't understand me? What if this fails? However, what I forgot is that kids are kids. Now matter where you are in the world never forget that they have no idea what you want to say to them or what you want to teach them. They only know that you are there to be with them. You are there to teach them and help them learn. Did I say everything perfectly, did I get every point across that I wanted to? No. However, when I walked away that day I knew that they had had fun and knew that water was important in one way or another. I couldn't ask for anything more.

Futbol with los ninos!

My kiddos drawing where they can find water and how they use it!

I walked away from the school filled with adrenaline. I walked away filled with confidence. My language might not be perfect, but I love to teach and I love kids. I have passion to get their hands dirty and learn how beautiful Mother Nature truly is, and for now that is enough. The rest will come with time and practice.

Love from Ecuador!

Un Dia Tipico de mi en Ecuador

"The contents of this Web site are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps"
Many have asked, “What do you do everyday over there Ecuador?” Hmm what do I do? Well, I manage to keep myself quite busy or rather Peace Corps manages to keep me quite busy. I start my days around 6:30 with the sound of my alarm going off. However, I have usually been lying semi-awake in my bed since 5:45, because that is when the rooster next door decides its a great time to wake up the neighborhood. I have breakfast with my family, trying to start my day off with speaking some Spanish. My breakfast always consists of an egg in various forms and the most amazing fresh squeezed juice you can imagine from so many different types of fruits I can't even begin to tell you. I say ciao to my family and walk the 10 minutes through Tumbaco to the bus stop where I am met by my fellow Peace Corps compañeros.. We then take the 20 min bus ride to the training center. Now taking the bus is not the easiest task, for you have to mentally and physically prepare yourself for a roller coaster ride through town squished up against people and holding on for dear life as you speed around corners. You also play bumper butts with the people around you. I usually disembark from the bus feeling light-headed and woozy, but it sure is a rush. We all always seem to make it in one piece.

Our mornings start at about 8:30 and we have classes until 5 or 5:30. It's a long day filled with language, culture, safety, health, and technical classes in which we split up into our groups of Natural Resource Conservation and Sustainable Agriculture. I am in the Natural Resource Conservation group. Last week all of us worked together to create an organic garden. It felt so wonderful to get my hands dirty and do some physical labor. It was great to till the earth and plant some seeds. We are working on composting, verma-composting, and liquid fertilizers. We are also raising 80 chickens and will be building a mini tree nursery. It is great to practice the things that we are being taught about because what better way to learn or brush up on skills than to do it hands-on. Our days are long and and exhausting but I find them rewarding. However, I do look forward to when we have down time.

The other day a friend showed me a path that leads to this beautiful canyon. It was so wonderful to see some of the countryside. Huge mountains surrounded us while a river gurgled far below. Beautiful flowers of all shapes and colors surrounded us and I watched intently as hummingbirds buzzed from agave flower to agave flower. The mountains are green but bare of trees, giving them a rough, majestic look. I find myself feeling more relaxed visiting this spot. It's a place where you can take a deep breath and absorb some of Mother Nature's beauty. On the way to this path we walked through the countryside where there are Holsteins grazing along side the path. I was delighted to find several calves and of course had to pet every calf that I found. I was very excited when I found a goat grazing alongside the edge of the path as well. My first goat in Ecuador! He was nothing compared to Jack and Cheddar, my favorite goats back home, but it was so wonderful to see a goat. Now I need to find some good goat cheese. There are so many things that are new and different. Every day I make adjustments to this new home, but I am comforted to find some things are exactly the same. As the days pass by I find that I am feeling more and more comfortable here. Now, if only I could instantly speak fluently....

The goat that I found when walking towards the canyon!

An agave flower!

Mi familia en Ecuador!



Love from Ecuador!

La Familia

"The contents of this Web site are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps"

One week ago from today I was sitting around my kitchen table with friends and family having one of my last dinners in Vermont. I remember feeling scared and nervous. When my friends said goodnight I felt anxious and sad. I remember thinking, "What have I gotten myself into?" How am I going to say good bye to my friends and family and to my home. However, one week later here I am sitting in my own bedroom in my new family's house in Ecuador, and yes I have wifi! I know that I am being spoiled but it sure is nice. With all the changes and challenges that I have faced in the last week, having easy internet access is comforting.

This past Saturday we arrived at our training center, El cuerpa de paz, Peace Corps in Spanish, early in the morning. I arrived with anxiety and apprehension for what the day would bring. Today was the day that I would be picked up by my host family. How was I going to do this. My spanish is not up to par. How will they understand me? How will I understand them? Will I like them? Will they like me? Where will I live? These are only a few of the questions that constantly ran through my head. For others this wasn't so scary, but for me who has never lived with anyone but my own friends and family this was a huge step, a huge jump outside my comfort zone. However, as a good friend always tells me, "Step back, take a breather, and relax". So, that is what I did. There was nothing else I could do because it was going to happen no matter what. Finally, the moment was here. I was given a piece of paper that said Paige and my host family had one that said Fisher. Our challenge was to find one another in a crowd of many. I searched and searched until finally, I heard "Fisher, Fisher Fisher!" I turned to find four Ecuadorians smiling warmly and brightly at me. I was instantly greeted with a kiss on the cheek and a hug from each one. At that moment my anxiousness melted away because I knew I had over come yet another hurdle in becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer.

My host family includes mi madre Anita, mi padre Henry, mi hermano (brother) Steven, and mi hermana (sister) Carolina. They are some of the warmest and happiest people I have ever encountered and I couldn't have asked for better. My host mom refers to me as her daughter and truly cares about my safety and well-being. My host dad loves to laugh and joke around. I am constantly laughing. My host sister is 21 and helps me so much, and although very shy my host brother is very sweet and kind. I am astounished how easily they accepted me into their home and into their family. On the first day I was taken to meet the whole family including aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and friends, and all of them greeted me with the same warmness as my host family had done earlier. I was so scared to feel alone. How silly of me to forget how important family and friends are to the Spanish culture and this definately includes the Ecuadorian culture. I have only been with them since Saturday and already my Spanish has improved and already I feel like a part of their family. They also have a dog named Daisy who they call Daisy loca or Daisy crazy :)

Today as all of us Americans gathered at the training center for classes, I didn't hear a single negative thing about anyones host family. It reminded me of the natural good in people. Here we are foreighners coming into a new country with new cultures and language and the wonderful people of Tumbaco have accepted us into their homes and most importantly into their families. This experience has been a reminder to me that where you are from doesn't matter because in the end family is family and friends are friends.

Love to all,
Paige

Bienvenido a Ecuador!!!

"The contents of this Web site are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps"

WOW!!!
That is the first word that comes to mind when someone asks me how I am. The last couple months have been crazy and its all come down to this moment of arriving in Ecuador. Here I was, living back at home after my amazing experience at Shelburne Farms with no idea of what my next step would be. Christmas eve arrived and I received a package in the mail from Peace Corps. I was accepted after almost a year of application process. I not only was accepted but I was invited to serve in Ecuador, a country I always wanted to vist. Now, five short weeks later here I am sitting in Tumbaco, a suburb outside of Quito. I am sitting at amost 8,000 feet of the andes and it is nothing less than breathtaking. I woke up this morning and heard birds and felt a warm breeze. It has been so long since that has happened I couldn't help but smile.

 I can't deny that I am nervous and scared because I am. However, I have already met some fantastic people and formed bonds with so many of my fellow Peace Corps trainees. It was so hard to say goodbye to all those that I love. It was so hard to say goodbye to to Vermont. I mean when I was leaving the airport I was bawling in the arms of my daddy like a little girl. The security guys had to give me tissues and comfort me, but I made it. I'm here. I have gotten through the first hurtle and even though I know there are so many more to come, I am confident that I can do it.

I left with this: A Native American friend of mine in New Mexico once told me that goodbye doesn't exist in their language, only see you soon. So even though I will  miss my friends and family with my whole heart, I will see them soon. No matter where we are in the world, we will always hold a special place in each others hearts, which no distance can change.

Stay tuned for more! Ecspecially since I will be going to my host family's house tomorrow!!!

All my love
Paige