Our school, Muenala

Wow! It has been awhile since I have posted anything and given I am in Quito currently awaiting the arrival of Shannon, my sister, I have an opportunity to finally access a wireless connection. Don't know if I will be able to post pics as the connection is slow but I'll try. I didn't think my journey could get any better and then I came to Ecuador! My host family is great: Pilar is the mother and is a very nice woman and great cook. Alfredo is the father and he is a manager for the Ecuadorian beer Pilsener! Jorge Luis and Mave are the two kids and it is nice to have them in the home as well. The school that I am teaching at is amazing. The name of the indeginous community we teach in is Muenala. I am teaching with Troy, a firefighter from Canada, Zoe, a human resource worker from London, and Kathryn a recent graduate from Chicago. The dynamic our group has is incredible and I feel we truly are a wonderful combination of people working with some truly remarkable kids each day. We drive forty minutes to Muenala from Octavalo each day and then we have an uphill hike that takes around twenty five to thirty minutes. The views are brilliant and one can see rolling green hills dotted with cows and horses as well as a wonderful view of a local volcano, Cotacaxi (it is snow peaked and high in the sky). The best part about school is the kids. The girls where single braids with beads around them and the boys have long ponytails that are braided in a very beautiful way. At first, it was very hard for me to tell the boys from the girls but all is clear now. Our group is actually blazing a path as we are the first group of volunteers in Muenala since GVI withdrew from the community almost two years ago. This presents challenges but our group has worked so hard and the energy from the kids transfers to the adults in our group each day. I am working with "the trouble makers" and "special ed" kids as well as Cesar who is the only fourth grader in the school. Another local teacher works in the class as well and he is a very nice man. He has been in and out of school as of late for teacher trainings and I have had the opportunity to lesson plan for individual kids. It is challenging but I have had days when the plans have worked out flawlessly and each kiddo is excited to learn more and eating up any positive feedback I give him/her. I must say, it will be so hard to leave this group of kids. We have kids ages 3-14 at the school and it makes for a very fun time. You'll have to look at the pictures to see the radiance and beauty that emanates from these faces I see each day. Hopefully it won't take me long to post the pics! Until later, buenas noches!