Immersion Learning & Canoa

                Written on the board in the picture above is; "Life is experienced in different ways".
                                             

 

Students playing games in Quito!

Too often the American education system seems to be centered on the belief that every lesson of importance can be found in books or from the reiteration of information through lectures. The truth of the matter is that most valuable skills and lessons are hard to put in black and white. I believe that experience is the greatest teacher of all, and when students are asked to actually apply the skills they’re taught, they will then successfully master them rather than filing information to the back of their brains. While I was technically an assistant teacher in Ecuador, I oftentimes felt like a student, as I learned so much from the students and teachers around me. Especially in Canoa, a small fisherman’s village where we spent every morning working in a bilingual school. I spent time there teaching bilingual students English while they helped me develop my Spanish. The experience was both rewarding and eye-opening. I realized how much the American Education system has to learn from other countries. This small school lacked the facilities of our schools; they didn’t have computers, smart boards, and were lacking sufficient supplies. Yet, they had kids who were eager to be there, and they were smart about the way they were teaching them. For instance, I worked in a kindergarten classroom where English lessons were a major part of the curriculum. Research has proved time and time again that the critical acquisition period for student’s development of a language is when they are around this young age. Yet, most American schools start foreign language lessons in middle school and focus on them in high school. Contrary to research, we teach our students backwards, and considering the amount of possibilities that become available to students who are bilingual, we could learn a lot from this small school in Ecuador. These schools are also free from the burden of suffocating high-stakes testing that sucks the fun out of learning for most American students. Without Common Core and rigorous testing, the students are able to have time for projects and hands-on learning, where they are able to develop their skills and abilities. We too often think that the American educational system is superior to countries that have less financial support than us, yet despite lacking the funding and technology available in America, I saw engaged and excited students who were eager to learn.

Canoa student playing during recess, Photo Credit: Jose Antonio Maldonado

I learned a lot myself. Immersion learning is powerful.  In the photograph of the student from Canoa, the board reads; "Life is experienced in different ways". What better way for students to experience other cultures than to be immersed in them? The Latino Americana De Español School, a family-run school based in three different countries, made this entire experience possible for all of us SUNY Oneonta students by coordinating places for us to stay and work, all so we could have this amazing study-abroad experience.

Jose Antonio & Tara painted the library for the Canoa students!

The  Corral Family welcomed us to Ecuador with open arms and hearts, and went above and beyond to make the experience special for us. The school's goal seems to be focused on this process of immersion learning. We spent our mornings at the Academia taking Spanish lessons, and spent our afternoons doing service learning. They also coordinated opportunities for us to experience Ecuador first-hand by seeing the country for ourselves. Although I had taken Spanish classes in high school, it wasn't until I was fully immersed and living with a Spanish speaking family that I really utilized and applied the information I had once learned. While I had been exposed to information about the culture of Latin America through textbooks and in Spanish class, it wasn't until I conversed with the people, ate their food, and saw things from their perspective that I was able to really understand them.



The Canoa School

What a valuable way to learn, through experience. And, as the picture states above, life is experienced in different ways. If we never try to understand these differences, whether it be between ourselves and another culture, or even between those who grew up differently from ourselves right here in America, we will fail to learn valuable information about their lives and our own. Although "different" was out of my comfort zone, stepping into the shoes of those who live differently from myself helped me to grow and develop an appreciation for both my way of life and theirs.  Albert Einstein once said; “Learning is experience, everything else is just information”. Through my own experience in Ecuador, I learned that although lives are led differently, we have a lot to learn from experiencing and seeing things from another’s perspective.  

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Expectations & Ecuador

Quito, Ecuador

          

 

            As we stepped off of the bus dragging our suitcases that Friday night into the busy streets of Quito, Rachel and I were feeling more apprehensive than excited. Our flight had arrived in Ecuador that evening, and we were waiting for our host families to pick us up and take us home for the night. I glanced around as we stood in a crowded section of Quito, the capitol of Ecuador, and home to over two million people. We both looked at each other with worried glances. Unfortunately, we began our trip disappointed.  

When Rachel and I first signed up for the trip, we were filled with excitement- the opportunity to experience a new country with each other was a chance that comes around once in a lifetime. The trip was to begin in the city of Quito, where we would spend time living together with a roommate and our host family when we weren’t working in the schools. Rachel and I attended the meetings and applied for the trip together, eager for the opportunity to live as roommates and share our experience. It wasn’t until we left and boarded the plane to Ecuador that we were told we would actually be living alone with separate host families. The scheduling did not work out as planned, and they, unfortunately, had to place us individually. While this seemed like a minor glitch in planning to the directors of the trip, to us, it was a big deal. While we both studied Spanish in high school, neither of us speaks fluently. We were hoping to rely on one another to communicate with our families, expecting that what one of us lacked in vocabulary the other could fill in. Rachel was also my piece of home; everything else was different: the language, the people, the culture. I was hoping to have her to make the experience that already had me stepping out of my comfort zone slightly easier. But, life doesn’t always go as planned, and Rachel and I learned that first hand. I worriedly waved goodbye that night to Rachel and headed to what would be my new home during our time in Quito.

                I feel silly, looking back, that I began the trip apprehensively. Our professor tried to ease our worries about living alone by telling us that the hospitality of the Spanish culture is unmatched, and the people truly welcome you into their hearts and homes as if you are a part of their families.  She was completely right. My host father and mother welcomed me into their home that night and for the remainder of the trip with open arms. They were patient with my oftentimes broken Spanish, and the language barrier wasn’t as big of a problem as I thought it would be. I told my professor before we had left the airport that I was worried about not being able to communicate with my family. She told me that communication is 93 percent nonverbal. Body language is said to make up 55 percent, whereas tone of voice accounts for 38 percent. I thought these numbers were high, and initially didn’t believe her. But, she was right  once again. When I spoke with my family and the language wasn’t completely clear I was surprised by how much I understood due to their phrasings and body language. When I couldn’t think of the Spanish word to convey what I wanted to say, I would mimic what I meant, and the unintended games of charades between my family and I were pretty amusing at times. My host family had a grandson named Julian who is five years old and lived with us as well. I watched cartoons with him at night, and although I couldn’t always keep up with the Spanish, his laughter at the funny parts was unmistakable. I was worried for no reason.  

Rach and I enjoying Quito!

That first night we ate dinner in their cozy apartment, and after they took me to the roof of the housing complex. My unnecessary worry had not allowed me to appreciate the beauty of Quito until that moment. Standing on the roof, I gazed at the phenomenal view- an endless array of lights that stretched across the land between the Andes Mountains. Located in the Guyllalbamba River Basin, Quito is surrounded by volcanoes, one of them being active. Quito is 9,200 feet above sea level, and is the highest capital city in the world. It is also nicknamed “ciudad de los cielos”, or the city of the heavens. I realized how deserving of the nickname the city was as I gazed at the glowing lights illuminating the high elevation with my host family-gone were my previous feelings of apprehension and worry.

 A statue said to look over and protect the "city of the heavens"

Rachel and I had sat through the flight worried and arrived with a negative mindset, all because things hadn’t gone exactly as they were supposed to. If there is one lesson I learned from spending time in Latin America, hardly anything goes exactly as it is supposed to. Rach and I let our preconceived notions of what we thought the trip was “supposed to be” hinder us from embracing what it was. While I didn’t have Rachel in my home, I had an amazing experience with my host family.

The local indigenous man who made us lunch!

    
        As Rachel and I met up that next morning after the first night to take the bus to the Academy, we filled each other in about our experiences and came to the same conclusion: although everything didn’t go exactly as we had expected, we agreed to embrace our situation and appreciate it for what it was for the remainder of the trip. And that’s just what we did!



Photo Credit: Maura Collea

      For instance, a weekend excursion away from Quito took us to the renowned markets of the indigenous people of Otavalo. Otavalo is a beautiful town surrounded by the volcanoes Imbabura, Cotacachi, and Mojanda. The town consists mostly of the indigenous people who all come to the markets to sell their handmade goods.  The indigenous people of Otavalo have been meeting to sell their goods at this marketplace for hundreds of years, and their tradition and way of life has stood the test of time-they still wear their traditional clothing and maintain their customs. After shopping at the market place, our group was invited by one of the local indigenous people to have lunch with his family. While we were sitting down enjoying the homemade meal, the last dish was passed between us all. This dish was a local Otavalo favorite and a delicacy in their culture called Cuy, or cooked Guinea pig. Although the thought of cooked Guinea pig wasn’t the most tempting thing to either Rachel or myself, we looked at each other, laughed, and tried it anyway. In the Ecuadorian culture it is considered offensive to pass or refuse to eat food, and although we weren’t expecting to eat Guinea pig, we embraced the situation for what it was. It turns out, the Guinea pig was pretty tasty, and Rachel even had seconds!  

Rachel grinning with a guinea pig!

Otavalan women at the market place

     While eating dinner (no guinea pig this time) with my family the last night of my stay, my host father told me that I was always welcome in their home. He said that although I lived with them only a short time, I was part of their family now, and if I ever returned to Ecuador, I better come visit my home and family. This statement was genuine and touching, and I realized that the change in plans allowed Rachel and I to have unique opportunities that the other students living together did not. We were able to make close connections with our host families, step farther out of our comfort zone, and embrace a new perspective in regards to our adjusted expectations. While our stay wasn’t what we envisioned our original situation to be, the change in plans allowed us to broaden our views, both figuratively and literally. While the other students were located in the center of Quito, we were on the outskirts. This allowed us to have an amazing view of the city that those in the center didn’t have. Looking back, I’m glad things didn’t go as we thought they were supposed to. I learned that in life, things don’t always go as planned. But, if you embrace the unexpected rather than worrying about it, you might be surprised by the possibilities!

 

The Pure Life

                   About me: I'm Kelly Newman- A student at the

                  State University of New York, College at Oneonta

                  & A Secondary English Education Major

                

 

     

Jaco, Costa Rica

         Cascading waterfalls and lush green scenery are usually the images that captivate peoples’ imaginations when they envision Costa Rica. I was lucky enough to travel to this unforgettable country with a group of friends the summer before my senior year. We spent ten days trekking to remote places and getting a taste of Costa Rica’s vibrant, Spanish culture. I hiked up a mountain to glimpse a volcano, zip-lined at incredible heights to see views I never dreamed of, felt the white sand of the rainforest beaches sink in between my toes, and let the natural volcanic water of the soothing hot-springs take my cares away.  



La Fortuna Waterfalls

        When I first decided to travel to Costa Rica, I figured that the most memorable experiences would be those that I just described above: the chance to view the breath-taking scenery and participate in exciting excursions. Although these experiences were unforgettable, they didn’t influence my perspective on life as other aspects of Costa Rica did.

           While Costa Rica is undoubtedly beautiful, particular areas are overrun with poverty and hardship. Amidst the bright sunshine and palm leaves lie not houses, but huts. Barred windows with heavily- bolted doors line the sides of pot-hole filled and garbage strewn roads. Specific images particularly stick out in my mind. One day, while making our way to the bustling city of San José, I saw a cluster of shacks lined with aluminum roofs and barred windows. The gray buildings were rusted and falling apart. One man sat huddled in front of his hut, wearing only tattered shorts. It was raining, and he just sat there with his arms tucked under his knees. I glanced at him from our dry and comfortable tour bus, and he stared back at me. The hurt in his eyes was evident-yet he still smiled and waved at me. Seeing a stranger smile at you through poverty and hardship alters your perspective and causes you to re-evaluate your priorities  in a way that glimpsing at a waterfall cannot.

       

Section of San Jose

         Memorable smiles from the Costa Rican people continued to affect me as the trip progressed. That same day, our tour bus brought us to a local school. I glanced out my window at the school, and was surprised to see that this building also had barred windows. Ironically, I thought of home, where my friends often compared our school to a prison. I couldn’t help thinking about how much we take for granted. These students had barred windows to keep people out, not in. They loved school; It was a privilege here. I conversed with a few children who told me they had traveled many miles on foot just to be there. The school was small and didn’t have the newest technology, athletic equipment, or a well-stocked library. They had a barn that served as a gym, two soccer goals-tattered from overuse, and a small barred building with a few classrooms. What they were lacking in facilities they made up for in passion-the teachers and children were genuinely happy to be there. Students and teachers alike embraced us with hugs, eager to show us dances they had practiced to perform specifically for our arrival. 

The children performing a traditional Spanish dance in their gym

During our visit at the school,  I spent time with one little boy named Felipe. Chatting with Felipe, I took out my touch-screen iPod and showed him pictures of the places we had been. Little Felipe was in fascination, not with the pictures I showed him, but with the technology. He had never seen an iPod and was amazed. I watched at he intently touched the screen and moved the pictures. He took a picture of me and laughed, his eyes bright with happiness over something I take for granted daily. A few other kids made their way over to where Felipe and I were playing, and before I knew it, I was surrounded by younger children who all wanted to play and experience something completely new to them, yet so simple to me.



     All smiles with Felipe! 

            This, for me, was a life-changing moment: Surrounded by those smiling, enthusiastic children, I came to the realization that possessions have nothing to do with happiness. Despite what the teachers and children lacked in possessions, their compassionate and giving-nature was overwhelming. Those children didn't realize how much they gave me. They changed my perspective on life: I failed to truly appreciate many aspects of my life prior to my travels. Immersed in the Costa Rican culture at the local school, I realized that despite lacking the facilities and possessions we American students have, these students made up for it with their possession of pure personal characteristics: selflessness, appreciation for the small things, and a passionate outlook on life. Initially, I thought the natural scenery of Costa Rica would be what I most remembered from the trip. Instead, it's my altered view from interacting with the incredible Costa Rican people.

         While I could detail numerous lessons I learned about life from interacting with the Costa Rican people, one simple phrase has the power to summarize my experience: The Costa Rican motto; “Pura Vida” has a simple English translation, but a far more profound meaning to the people of Costa Rica and anyone spending time in the majestic country. Pura Vida in English translates to "pure life."  Yet, it means so much more than these two simple words. The Costa Ricans stress the importance of their motto,the meaning of it being the idea that you should try and live your life eternally optimistic. Pura Vida is essentially the idea that you should embrace all that is good in your life, no matter what your current situation is, as someone else's life can always be less fortunate than your own.

My friend Katie, who traveled with me, was inspired 

enough to commit to the phrase forever- in the form of a tattoo.  

I asked Katie what Pura Vida means to her:
"Pura Vida is a daily reminder

that I can't dwell on the bad things in life forever.

Life is so short- We need to appreciate and take

advantage of all of the good things life has to offer."

          I try to remember the meaning behind  "Pura Vida", and live each day by appreciating all of life's blessings. I realized that If people who have so little can rejoice in life each day, there is no reason I can’t do so, as well. Watching these children’s eyes and faces light up at something so simple, and experiencing the warmth of the selfless Spanish culture, inspired my career and desire to teach. I have always hoped that after my perspective-altering experience in Costa Rica, I would be able to combine my love of traveling with my love of teaching and travel once again to a similar country; to give back in a sense, to those children who so unknowingly gave to me.

          Three years later, the opportunity has arose, and  I'm scheduled to embark on a similar adventure, this time to Ecuador. Spending almost three weeks in the country, my peers and I will be working in schools with students and teachers as well as traveling  the country to enjoy the renowned beauty that Ecuador is notorious for. While I am immensely excited to see the scenery and experience the Ecuadorian culture, I realize that this trip’s most valuable opportunity is the chance to enhance myself as a student and a future teacher. In the hopes of sharing what I discover with my community and the students on the SUCO campus, I’ll be writing blog entries detailing memorable experiences,  lessons I learn, and realizations I come to during my travels. While I will have the opportunity to teach students in Ecuador, I know that similar to my experience in Costa Rica, the most valuable lessons will be what these students teach me. If this first entry has in anyway grabbed your attention, make sure to check back to read the following entries detailing my travels. Until then, don't forget to remember the phrase, “Pura Vida” and make the most of your day!