In this interview, you’ll hear from Julie Clabots, a Peace Corps Education volunteer in Ecuador. Julie shares what daily life looks like, the work being done, and how service has shaped their personal and professional growth. You’ll learn about housing, cultural differences, project work, language learning, and what it’s like to live and work in a new country. This interview offers a real look into Peace Corps service and what future volunteers can expect.
Table of Contents
- Volunteer Experience and Motivation
- Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
- Surprises and Challenges
- Advice and Support
- Practical Tips and Language Learning
- Social Identity
- Final Thoughts
Volunteer Experience and Motivation
1. What do you do as a Peace Corps Education volunteer in Ecuador?
As an Education volunteer, I’m lucky to have a pretty consistent schedule. I work at a public university in a medium-sized city in Ecuador, teaching English to students of all majors in the university’s Language Center. When our semester is in session, I work with three classes, co-teaching English alongside my Ecuadorian counterparts. This means both the Ecuadorian professor and I are in the classroom, trading off teaching or sometimes teaching fully as a team.
A handful of times, I’ve been the sole teacher in the room. During my first few months, I worked with the professors in an effort to increase their own English skills and earn their Cambridge B2 certificate. More recently, I was tasked with teaching a Cambridge B1 preparation course for a handful of students. While these experiences were a bit stressful, I’m proud of myself for taking on the challenges and learning a lot along the way!
Besides teaching formal English classes, I’ve facilitated conversation hours for the English professors to improve their English skills; I joined the Tourism major’s English Conversation Club and made new connections outside of the Language Center; and I currently host office hours throughout the week for students and professors to ask questions and practice speaking. When students have their intersemestral breaks, I facilitate workshops for the English professors, focused on topics such as academic writing and speaking.
Early on in my service, we hosted a large one-day event for university students, the Peace Corps Volunteer Encounter. With the help of over ten volunteers from across the country, we built different stations and simulated being in an airport, hotel, restaurant, and clothing store. It was a fun day for everyone involved and gave students important real-life English practice!
Outside of my primary site, I’ve supported my fellow volunteers in their projects, including teaching English classes in rural communities, judging a high school Spelling Bee, and supporting a mock Cambridge C1 exam for university professors.
2. Why did you decide to join the Peace Corps and serve in Ecuador?
I first heard about the Peace Corps as a high-schooler, when I participated in a 4-H cultural exchange to Norway. Once I opened the Peace Corps website, I knew I wanted to become a PCV one day.
In my final semester of college, I started the Peace Corps application process, knowing that I wanted to serve in Latin America to practice my Spanish. I chose Ecuador because I knew a little about it from former coworkers in Yellowstone National Park (Ecuadorian students on work exchanges), and after a little research, I learned it was an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. I’m very satisfied with my choice of country, and I’m grateful that it’s not a huge country; this means I’ve been able to visit a large percentage of Ecuador during my service.
Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
3. What is your housing like in Ecuador?
During my time in Ecuador, I’ve had a few different housing situations. During Pre-Service Training, I lived with a fantastic host family on the outskirts of Quito. Throughout training, they supported my Spanish language progress by speaking to me only in Spanish, and were gracious enough to take me to a few famous sites in and around Quito! Although I only lived with them for ten weeks, I feel that they are truly my Ecuadorian family, and I try to visit them when I’m in Quito for Peace Corps conferences.
After swearing in and moving to site, I lived with a new host family for the first few months of my service. They taught me how to live at site: they took me to the fruit stand and grocery store where I still do my weekly shopping; they helped me navigate the bus and other transportation in my city; and they shared their culture with me, inviting me to family gatherings and encouraging me to try new Ecuadorian foods whenever possible.
Finally, five months after I moved to my permanent site, I moved into my own apartment. I now live in a one-bedroom apartment complete with all the comforts that make Ecuador a “Posh Corps” country: hot, running water; electricity; WiFi; and even the use of a washing machine and my own clothesline on the roof.
My apartment is just behind my landlady’s house, and it’s always pleasant to say hello and chat with her or her family as I’m coming or going. I’m very grateful to have her nearby and looking out for me, just in case. Since I moved to my own apartment, it’s been great to live within walking distance of the city center, have a shorter bus ride to work, and have a space that is completely my own while I navigate life in another country.
4. What moments or interactions stand out during your service?
For me personally, service has been about small moments that make me feel like a part of the community.
Sharing food
After moving into my own apartment, I was a little nervous that I would feel lonely or not have any company. Luckily, however, my landlady is incredibly sweet and generous. On many evenings, I hear a soft knock on my door and open it to find my landlady with a plate of freshly cooked Ecuadorian food to share with me. She is an excellent cook, and my favorite dish that she’s shared with me has been corviches, a small football-shaped mass of verde (green plantain) with tuna in the center, fried in oil.
In the spirit of cultural exchange, I also like to give back to my landlady and her family. I enjoy baking on the weekends, and with the abundance of cheap bananas and other ingredients, it’s an accessible activity on a PCV budget! I return the favor, knocking on my landlady’s door and offering her some banana muffins or apple crisp.
Rumba & the Gym Community
Even before starting service, the gym has been an important part of my life, but in Ecuador, it has been paramount to maintaining my mental and physical health. I’m lucky to have a nice gym within walking distance of my house, and I can be found there almost every day of the week. My favorite day, however, is Saturday, when there’s a Rumbaterapia class (Zumba, in the U.S.).
I first went to Rumbaterapia when living with my host family, when my host mom invited me to the community class near our house. It was something new for me, and it quickly became the highlight of my week. After moving, I was eager to continue the classes, and joined a gym with the same instructor as the community classes! It took several months of consistent attendance at the Saturday morning classes, but I’m now part of the gym’s WhatsApp “Rumberitas” group chat, where other attendees send photos and videos from the classes. I know I’ve made it in terms of integration, as the instructor even asks me, “What happened last week?” when I miss the occasional class.
Recently, I participated in the gym’s Valentine’s Day event, an evening of Rumbaterapia classes and an outfit-matching contest. A friend and I planned our outfits, and during the competition, we received support from the other ladies who consistently attend the Saturday morning Rumba classes. It culminated in a brief chant of “Julie! Julie! Julie!” helping my friend and me to win, thanks to my Rumba group connections. It was truly an “I made it moment,” realizing that although my integration process has seemed slow, I truly have become part of the gym community.
Surprises and Challenges
5. What has surprised you most about living or working in Ecuador?
Working in another country and culture, of course, presents a multitude of challenges. For me, it’s been tricky to navigate the hora ecuatoriana, the concept of running on Ecuadorian time (which is to say, almost always behind schedule). I have always been a punctual person, so remembering not to arrive early to any events was definitely a learning curve in the first few months.
In terms of working in education, it was definitely a surprise to encounter a very different education system here in Ecuador. While a lot of my own education was student-centered and focused on giving learners the chance to discover certain concepts, in Ecuador, there is a much stronger focus on teacher instruction and learning concepts by heart.
Furthermore, the education system can be frustrating for an American to work in. When students in Ecuador take their semester exams in both high school and college, their grades are not set in stone. They are given, at minimum, one more chance to pass, and often a few more chances after that. If the students are still unsuccessful, the teachers may still send them on to the next level, either as a kindness or as a result of parent interference. This lack of accountability is very different from my own experiences in both high school and college, where a failed final exam meant a failed course without a second chance.
6. What challenges have you faced in your Education work, and how did you respond?
A challenge that came up almost immediately was a lack of confidence related to teaching. I came to Ecuador with only a little bit of classroom experience, and I lacked confidence in my own ability to effectively teach. Thanks to the Peace Corps practicum and our sessions during training, I built some of my skills and got more experience. However, when I arrived at site, I still felt like a bit of an imposter. With the help of my co-professors at the university, my fellow volunteers’ advice, and feedback from Peace Corps visits, I’ve learned to focus on my strengths and create activities that I feel confident in.
Another big challenge I’ve faced at work has been the lack of motivation to learn from both students and professors. Most of my students will likely never leave the country, and therefore see studying English as very abstract, with no real purpose in their lives. For the professors, the time and effort required for them to improve their own English levels are a barrier, given that they’re juggling their full-time jobs with family responsibilities and other commitments. While this was disheartening at first (and still is, of course), I’ve learned to focus on the students and teachers who really want to learn!
Advice and Support
8. What advice would you give to future Education volunteers in Ecuador?
For all volunteers serving in any country, I recommend being patient and doing your best. Whatever your situation may be at site, you can only do what you are capable of doing! It can be really challenging to feel like you’re not making as much progress as you want to in your community, but most of my own progress hasn’t been visible until just recently (about the last 6 months of service). This is because it takes a long time and a lot of effort to build the relationships necessary to get projects off the ground. That said, focus on what you can do in your community, and do it to the best of your ability!
Another piece of universal, but universally important, advice is to listen to your community and your counterparts. Almost all of the successful projects I’ve heard about have come from a real need in the host community. These projects also tend to be the most sustainable, which is a big goal for Peace Corps projects.
9. How did Peace Corps training prepare you for service?
Peace Corps provides an immense amount of training and support throughout service. Before departing the U.S., we had a few Zoom calls with the cohort and PC Ecuador staff. We met as a group at Staging, where we reviewed some Peace Corps policies and met our cohort in person before flying to Quito together.
Pre-Service Training
Once in-country, we started our ten-week Pre-Service Training (PST). Our days varied between sessions about Peace Corps policies, TEFL-specific trainings, Language and Culture classes in small groups, and experiential learning in local high schools to get a taste of our future work. Throughout the ten weeks, we lived with host families who helped us practice Spanish and navigate the new culture.
My cohort also participated in a Technical Trip, focused on TEFL-specific activities at a PCV’s site, and a Cultural Trip to learn about some of the different ethnic groups in Ecuador. These trips were a great way for us to see a little bit of Ecuador, outside of Quito, and fantastic learning experiences that prepared us for the realities of service.
Reconnect
Throughout service, the Peace Corps hosts mandatory conferences for all volunteers. Our first training was Reconnect, about four months after we swore in as volunteers and started work at site. We all attended with a counterpart and discussed our service so far (highs, lows, challenges, and how we dealt with them), as well as shared our plans for the rest of service.
Mid-Service Conference
A full year after swearing in, we again returned to Quito for the Mid-Service Conference (MSC). Again, we shared about highs, lows, challenges, and heard from the others in our cohort. A big focus for my group’s MSC was preparing for the future, as it’s necessary to start applying for jobs before service comes to a close. We also received medical and dental exams to ensure our physical and mental well-being halfway through service.
Close of Service Conference
Finally, about three months before finishing service, we attended the Close/Continuation of Service Conference. We shared all we had accomplished during our two years at site, and revisited job search and resumé tips. We heard from a panel of RPCVs about their post-service paths and reflected on our Peace Corps journeys. Finally, we all rang the COS bell; the emotional end to more than two years of living and serving in Ecuador.
My tip for all the Peace Corps trainings is to soak it all in. The two years fly by, and suddenly it’s your last meeting as a cohort. No matter how you may feel about the other members of your cohort, they’re something of a family during service, and you never know when someone may need to end service and head home.
Practical Tips and Language Learning
10. What would you tell future volunteers to pack—or leave behind?
My general packing advice is to bring things that you like, but not your absolute favorite items. My packing rule was: Am I okay with this not coming home at the end of service?
The Peace Corps Ecuador website also has a packing list; I recommend checking it out if you’re invited to serve here. Read on for my personal packing advice, and take what resonates with you!
What to Pack:
Clothes & shoes
- Good quality clothing and shoes are expensive here for a PCV budget.
- This is especially true for volunteers who are tall and/or have big feet – it’s tricky to find things that fit that body type here!
Electronics
- Laptop or tablet – Almost 100% necessary for PC reporting and for work at site, plus useful for entertainment (movies & TV)
- Small lantern/flashlight/headlamp for power outages
- Power bank – power outages, long bus rides
- E-reader – You can also read on your phone, but an e-reader provides a nicer reading experience
- U.S. library card number – You can use this to check out e-books and audiobooks on Libby and to watch movies via Kanopy or Hoopla!
Journal(s) – Nice journals are expensive and hard to find here! The US has a much larger variety and at a lower cost.
Basic wristwatch – Phone theft is a huge problem here, and having a simple watch eliminates the need to take your phone out to check the time.
Favorite toiletries – Some common U.S. brands aren’t available here (ex: Crest toothpaste, Cetaphil cleanser)
Favorite spices and sauces, especially if you like spicy food
Photos of family and friends to decorate your room!
What to Leave behind
A lot of heavy, warm clothes – If an Ecuadorian says a place is cold, it’s chilly at best. If you generally run warm (like me), the only time you’ll need thick socks and sweaters is for hikes at high elevation.
Clothes that require special care – Many PCV sites don’t have washing machines, and nearly all don’t have dryers. Bring clothes that are easy to wash and care for, and that air-dry quickly.
Kitchen & housing supplies – Buy them here in the event that you move out of your host family’s house. Peace Corps gives every volunteer some extra money for this purpose!
*It’s important to note that receiving any mail (both letters and packages) is not reliable, so bring what you need for your two years in Ecuador.
11. How has language learning been for you in Ecuador?
Prior to service in Ecuador, I’d taken about ten years of Spanish classes in the U.S., from middle school through college. This was a huge asset, but being completely immersed in the language upon arrival in Ecuador was still overwhelming. The Language and Culture sessions during PST were very helpful, especially for learning Ecuador-specific words and phrases I’d never come across in any Spanish class at home.
As an avid reader, I’ve found that reading books in Spanish has been a great way to continue working on my language skills. It’s a great strategy, especially if you’re an introvert like me! Additionally, Peace Corps Ecuador offers online language classes for both Spanish and Kichwa (the local indigenous language) when training is not in session. It’s a low-stress way to keep practicing (or start learning, for Kichwa) a language and to meet volunteers from different cohorts.
If you’re considering service in any Spanish-speaking country, the more Spanish you can learn and practice, the better! There’s no language requirement to be invited to serve in Ecuador at the moment, but every little bit will only help you in-country!
Social Identity
12. How has your personal identity shaped your service experience?
Being a clear foreigner has been a challenge. As a tall, blonde woman, I really stick out in my community, and Ecuadorian men generally have no reservations about catcalling. We covered unwanted attention during training, and it certainly does happen a lot in my daily life.
Also, my internal culture is hard to shake sometimes. Ecuadorians are generally very indirect and will talk around a problem or question, rather than answering it outright. I, however, tend to be direct and to-the-point in almost everything I do and say. I wasn’t even aware of this habit until about 1.5 years into service, when one of my counterparts told me I’m very direct when I talk. It’s been a challenge to try to be a little less direct, to not come across as disrespectful.
13. Did your identity lead to specific challenges or situations?
Sticking out physically leads to a lot of unwanted attention in public, and it does make me uncomfortable, but I’ve luckily never found myself in a dangerous situation because of it. However, it requires me to be firmer when bartering at the market or negotiating a taxi fare; Ecuadorians see blonde hair and blue eyes and almost always raise their prices.
14. What advice do you have for volunteers who share your identity?
With time, you’ll learn specific phrases and ways to talk about any issues in a way that is more conducive to Ecuadorian society. It’s okay to be direct, but with time you’ll learn to soften answers and integrate more fully into Ecuadorian culture.
In terms of shopping or taking taxis, it’s a good idea to ask Ecuadorian friends how much something should cost. This helps prevent being charged tourist rates!
Final Thoughts
15. What final advice would you share with future volunteers?
Peace Corps service is full of challenges, but it is also full of silver linings. My biggest advice is to focus on the positives and try to make the most of your service, both at work and during your free time. Living and serving in Ecuador (or anywhere else with the Peace Corps) is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so make the most of it!
Are you thinking about joining the Peace Corps? If you’re curious about service and ready for something new, apply today. Like Julie, you can live abroad, work with communities, and grow in ways you didn’t expect. Apply to the Peace Corps and take the next step.
The content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government, the Peace Corps, or Ecuador Government.
