Life here

Hey everyone,

Besides teaching English and learning Spanish, I've been able to get out and do somethings such as going on hikes or certain tourist attractions.

Two weekends ago, I went to the Equator. What I found amazing is one of the demonstrations they did. They had a small tub of water with a plug at the bottom and two small leaves floating on the top. They placed the tub on "the line," unplugged the tub and the water and the leaves drained straight down. Then they moved the tub about 7 feet to the south, did the same thing and the water and the leaves drained clockwise. They repeated it once more, 7 feet to the north and the water and the leaves drained counterclockwise! Talk about a myth buster. That was very fascinating.

Last Sunday I hiked to the top of Mount Pichincha which is 15,000ft.

It started off with a cable car ride. From the top of the cable car you can see for miles!
The hike was very beautiful except for the very top of the mountain cuz there were lots of clouds. But after three strenuous hours and a little bit of rock climbing, we made it. It was worth it!


I have been training for a 15k race on Sunday June 7th. I've been running every day. When I run, in one hand I hold my water bottle and in the other I hold a rock or some object to defend myself from charging dogs. I've come close to using the rock, but thankfully I haven't had to. I've been training here in Tumbaco which is at 7,500ft, however, the race is going to be in Quito which is around 10,000ft. It may be a little different but I think I will be prepared. I think the fact that I've been training for the past few weeks helped me on my hike up the mountain. Once we reached the top I was the only who was still ready for more.
Me after the race.


In two weeks I'm going down to Rio Bamba for a weekend to visit with one of the missionaries whom I will be working with for two weeks in July and August.

I will try to keep the updates coming more frequently. It only depends on my internet access.

Thank you all once again for being my family and friends. I pray that God will bless all of you in the months to come!

Kevin

Some cultural aspects

From being here for a couple months now, I have considered lots of things that I have taken for granted in the United States as well as things I am still thankful for. (These are in no particular order.)

Things I have taken for granted in the United States:
1. Access to healthier food: (better quality/ more options. ex: They don't have as a wide variety of milk, butter and cheese. Also, it is very hard to find peanut butter.)
2. The quality/ more options of consumable products such as shampoo, hand soap, etc.
3. Warm water in showers.
4. A dryer for laundry.
5. A dish washer.
6. Being able to flush toilet paper.
7. Paper towels. (however, they are used sparingly)
8. Dollar bills. (Most of the time you give a clerk or cashier a five, a ten or a twenty, sometimes they will give you a five or ten in return, but most people here use dollar coins instead of dollar bills. The coins are a little harder to carry on me.)
9. Traffic laws/ safety in transit. (To say the least, it is safer to travel in the US)
10. Dog control.
11. Waste management.
12. Quite nights. (Sometimes there are nights when the dogs never stop barking. Also, the roosters will start to crow at 4am.)
13. All four seasons. (Here in the Andees, for the most part, the weather is the same year round. The sun rises at 6am and sets at 6pm. It stays around 65- 75 degrees year round which is nice. It is also nice through to live where there are all four seasons.)
14. Last but certainly not least... Red Robin Hamburgers!

Things I am thankful for:
1. The Lord's grace and hope in his promises.
2. Close knit families.
3. My host family.
4. Family and friends I still have at home.
5. Ability to still communicate with ppl back home.
6. A quality education.
7. That English is my first language.
8. The opportunity to serve here.
9. The beauty of the landscape and night sky.
10. Warm/ temporate climate.
11. Health
12. A water filter.
13. Bread, Rice, Soup.
14. The Bible.
15. Spiritual Freedom.
16. The ability to learn and grow.
17. Plumbing.

Update

Hey Everybody!

Sorry for it being a while since I last posted.

I'm still learning Spanish (thankfully) and teaching English. Their school year ends June 30th.

I've been learning so much since I arrived. Not just the language, but also about their culture and way of life. This is definitely a unique experience.

Here are the coordinates of the two schools that I volunteer at. They are both way out in the boonies. If you have Google Earth, you can plug them into the search bar and it will bring them right up:

This is where I'm at 4 days a week:
0°14'49.76"S
78°21'53.56"W
The buildings are a little hard to see and they look like little round huts.


This is where I am on Wednesdays. The three white buildings to the right of the red one are the 3 classrooms that I teach in:
0° 6'45.03"S
78°13'30.20"W

On my next blog, I will post about some more of my experiences here, as well as some cultural differences they have here.

Kevin

Hola y tercer semana.

I have another cool opportunity. Next week I´m going to help out at another school teaching english. I'll be doing that every wednesday. The other days I´ll still be at the school in Tumbaco. But this other school, they said, will be working with "Semi-indegenous" people. I'm not exactly sure what that implies. But it sounds like a really cool opportunity!

I plugged in with a NPO called “Fundación Educativa Centro Del Amanecer” they have a branch called "Integra Ecuador" that works to aide the educational system in Ecuador. They even go out to areas with indegenous tribes! The people that I'll be working with are called "Chumillos." They live about 7- 10 mi east of El Quinche, Ecuador. It's on the furthermost outskirts of the Quito area just about bordering the Amazon, but it's high in the mountains. Most of the time, they live in the clouds. They said that it takes an hour by car, which probably means two hours by bus.

Because I speak English, the directors asked me to help them out more! I'm really excited for this.

So my schedule right now, as far as i know it is: (Until the end of June)

Mon: Help with Math at the school in tumbaco. Give private English lessons in the afternoon.

Tues: Teach English at the school in Tumbaco and give private lessons in the afternoon.\.

Wed: Teach English in Quinche (or about 10 miles to the east of quinche)

Thurs: Teach English at the school in Tumbaco and give private lessons in the afternoon.

Fri: Help with Math at the school in tumbaco.

When I have time during the week or weekends, I'll be translating and editing the content of their website.


It's such a blessing to have this opportunity. Thank you so much for you're prayers!

Primer dia ensenado ingles!

Hola! Hoy fue mi primer dia ensenado ingles en la escuela! Lo encanto mucho y fue muy divertido!

Today was my first day teaching english in the school! I love it a lot. It was very fun!

Today we started off going over the alphabet and basic phrases. As far as I could tell, the kids were enjoying it too. Im glad to finally be able to help teaching!

It is really beautiful down here in Ecuador. The landscape (in the mountains where i am) is a lot like Oregon. Snowy mountains, green valleys.
Mt. Cotopaxi


Yesterday, we went on a hike and found an old cave.
We don't know how old but it was really cool!



Last weekend we went to central Quito and did a little sight seeing. We watched the changing of the guard and saw a lot of old buildings and amazing architecture!
San Francisco Square


The basillica.

Palacio del Presidente

Right before the changing of the guard



At the dinner table with host parents and the grandparents.

A couple of the kids in the family


End of school for the day. Waiting to board the buss.

2nd week abroad!

Hi everybody!
It has been an amazing week and a half since I have arrived
in Ecuador. I have learned a lot about their culture and way of life. My
language skills and faith are being stretched. I do miss home but Im
re-learning to trust in the Lord and His strength at all times. As well as
to be thankfull for everything!

During the early afternoon, it is hot here but every evening it rains,
and rains hard! (Thunderstorms included). My host family said that
the rain will die down come mid may. However, yesterday we had a
break in the rain! Tumbaco (where I am) is at around 8,000ft. Quito,
which is about 7mi away is around 10,000ft. It rains more in Quito
and is a little cooler.

Im one of the only ones around that wears shorts. A few people have
already asked me if Im cold. They wear jeans and sweatshirts even
when its around 75-80 degrees.

I really love their family gatherings here. It seems like that's when their
culture really shows! Last sunday, we (my host family and all of
their family) got together for Easther lunch. Almost everyone helped
prepare the food. It was really fun! In ecuador, lunchtime is the
most formal meal, when everyone gets together, as opposed to
dinnertime.

One thing I learned about the busses: if you're the last one to board,
grab onto a railing first! (before stepping on). Cuz the bus driver
hits the gas once he sees that you've stepped a foot onboard.

Last week was my first week helping at the school.
Mostly, I was
observing, to see how they do things. I've been helping with the
young kids so far. They are really fun. A couple of them, once they
saw me, wanted me to stick with them the entire time.

The principal said that in a while, he would like me to help him teach
some english and math to the older youth.

I feel so blessed to have this opportunity to serve down in Ecuador.
But I know that it doesn't matter where I am in the world, as long as
my heart is in Jesus.

Thank you so much for your friendship and your prayers! Please
continue to pray!

There are a few things that I could use prayer for:
1. Effectiveness-- in serving the Lord, my host family, the school and
the people

2. Health/ Safety in transit

3. Emotional Stability: It can get a little stressful sometimes trying
to learn a foreign language. Especially during those days when it
doesn't fell like I'm learning at all.

4. Spiritual Growth/ Fellowship: That my desire to live for the Lord
and trust in Him would grow everyday.

5. Opportunities: That I would recognize an opportunity when
there is one. That I would have the strength/ boldness/ trust to
follow through.

I thank the Lord for the people he has put in my life. May we
continue to give Him praise!

He llegado a Ecuador!

I arrived to Ecuador last night @ 10pm!
Because of Viernes Santo (Good Friday) everyone has stayed home today so I haven't been able to tour the area yet. Tomorrow, I'm hoping to do so.

A lot of this area feels like Portland. It's not too hot because it's in the mountains. However, it's not too cold (unlike Ptown) because it's on the equator! So far I feel quite tall! I found out that the average height for ecuadorians is around 5'5''. Right now I think my body is still acclimating to the altitude. Other than feeling a little bit of fatigue, I am not sick and I'm glad to finally make it here!
Thank you for your prayers!