Program
Overview
Orientation
- Spanish Course - Homestay
- Volunteer Service - Fees
Meet and Greet
Upon arrival of your flight in Quito, you will be met and welcomed at
the airport by your host family. If arriving on a Saturday or Sunday,
you will spend a day meeting family members and having a taste of Ecuadorian
life. On the following Monday your family will take you to the EIL Ecuador
office where you will be greeted by the Director of our Spanish Center,
Elías Castillo who will also interview you to determine your
Spanish level, needs and interests, introduce you to your teacher, and
help you begin your first classes.
Orientation
After classes this first day, you will meet with Myriam ,
the EIL Ecuador Volunteer Coordinator for an hour of cross-cultural
orientation. Together you will discuss your first impressions of the
homestay to process this initial immersion experience and how best to
enjoy living in Ecuador with a family. Practicalities such as health
and security measures, transportation system, staff to contact in case
of emergencies, procedures regarding classes, volunteer work, and the
homestay will be covered too. You will also receive an orientation packet
covering the points discussed and other useful information.
Later on during the first month you will have a more extensive orientation
to volunteer work in Ecuador and have opportunities to visit some host
projects in Quito to help you decide where you would most like to be
placed and where your skills and experience can have the most impact.
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Intensive Spanish course
Your Spanish course takes place during the first month of the program
for a total of 80 hours of individual one-to-one classes to enable you
to gain a working knowledge of the language as quickly as possible.
Classes are from 08:30 to 12:30 Monday through Friday with a 30 minute
coffee break and snack mid-morning. You will find that our encouraging
and experienced teachers know how to adapt to your learning style (not
everyone learns a language in the same way!) and to develop your confidence
and skills in using the language.
Excursions: Once a week during your course you and your teacher will
visit places of interest in Quito where you can practice your Spanish
in spontaneous situations. Some of these places may be museums, street
markets, and Quito's spectacular colonial churches inlayed with Incan
gold. Before the excursion you will prepare for this activity in class.
An all day excursion is programmed during your course to one of many
Andean sites such as the hot baths of Papallacta at the foot of Mt.
Antisana, the Mindo Cloud Forest for trekking and rafting, or Mt. Cotopaxi,
Ecuador´s most active volcano.
Other activities: Talks on different aspects of Ecuadorian life and
culture, special activities such as learning to dance to Ecuadorian
and other Latin American rhythms, celebrating traditional holidays,
preparing typical Ecuador food are offered twice each week.
Homestay
During your Spanish program you will live with an Ecuadorian host family-
an excellent way to learn about Ecuadorian life and to practice the
language. EIL Ecuador's host families have a reputation for being warm
and fun-loving, making it easy for you to feel right at home. Our Homestay
Coordinator in Quito, Tere, carefully selects our host families and
is in touch with both you and the family during your stay. Your family
will welcome you upon arrival and treat you as a family member. We will
keep in touch with you throughout your stay to assure that you and your
host family have a rewarding homestay experience. If your volunteer
service is in Quito, you will continue to live with the same family.
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Volunteer Service
Following language training and orientation you'll join your host project
to begin your volunteer service which can last from 2 – 10 months,
depending on your schedule. In areas outside of Quito, accommodations
will probably be with a host family that is arranged by our Local Coordinator
but in rural areas such as a reserve in the cloud forest, you will stay
and have meals at the volunteer quarters of the host project or at any
other adequate arrangements made by the host project with costs covered
by EIL Ecuador. Our Volunteer Coordinator will be in touch with you
and your host project periodically during your community service and
you can call her at any time to report and talk about any concerns
Some typical host projects include :
Assisting in a day-care center for underprivileged children or infants
Working with street children
Tutoring underprivileged children in after-school programs
Assisting with conservation projects in national parks and natural reserves
Working with handicapped persons
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Program fees 2008
Length of Program
Cost
3 months
US$2575
6 months
US$3750
9 months
US$4925
11 months
US$5650
Note: Published prices remain subject to change in caseof major currency
fluctuations. Contact your sending office.
Fees include:
• Application processing, interview and pre-departure information
• 80 hours of one-to -one Spanish class, class materials,
scheduled extra curricular and class-related activities
• Orientation to volunteer work in Ecuador, visits to community
service projects
• E-mail access during Spanish course
• Placement in community service project
• Ongoing support by local volunteer coordinator
• Contribution to donation fund for projects where volunteers
are assigned
• Homestay with host family during Spanish course and during
volunteer placement, with 3 meals a day unless other board and lodging
arrangements are made
• Monthly transportation allowance during program
• Registration of visa and census if volunteer is in Ecuador
for more than 6 months
What´s not included?
• Transportation to and from Ecuador, passport, visa expenses
if any
• Health and Accident insurance
• Personal expenses including international phone calls
• Airport departure tax US ($40.80)
Payment Schedule
A deposit of 20% of the total program fee is required with your application.
It is non-refundable upon notification of acceptance and is applied
to the total program fee. The balance of the program fee is required
30 days prior to departure.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation after acceptance and prior to placement confirmation –
the deposit is forfeited
Cancellation after confirmation of placement – 50% of the program
fee is forfeited
No Show or Early Departure from Program – 100% of the program
fee is forfeited
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