The Gringo Guide Book.PDF
The Gringo Guide Book is some information that our interns have compiled to help other volunteers when traveling and living in Ecuador.
 This file is in PDF format.

Deanna and Lisa Interns 2005

Jenn Haynie  and Abby Caldwell
with Dr. Fernando Zurita
Quito, Ecuador

Elizabeth Moore 2005

Dear Gordon and all those considering the Ecuador experience,

I am so grateful for the experience I was able to have in Ecuador, it was all such a blessing.  It all went by way too fast though! Here are some of the highlights!

* Upon arriving, Dr. Zambrano, the other volunteers and I drove around to optional sites to do volunteer work. We went to Baca Ortiz hospital, Los Angeles Guarderia in the South, and an elementary.  We were then able to decide which locations we would like to focus our attention on while in Ecuador. Myself and one of the other volunteers spent most of our
time in Baca Ortiz hospital and Guarderia, but there are many other locations that would be wonderful locations to volunteer.

* Working at Baca Ortiz Hospital was such a blessing for me, but it was an eye opening experience as well. I worked with mothers whose babies were ill with pnemonia, bronchitis, heart problems and other illnesses. The women I worked with were as a whole so loving and caring and always wanting to know about the United States and what it is like to be an American. It was hard sometimes because I know that those mothers loved their babies but they were generally pretty poor and unable to provide for their babies the things that they needed.  The hospital is so poor that they aren't able to afford any extra staff, so the mothers must always be with their babies or have someone with them. This is hard because they must buy their own medical supplies at pharmacies and medical supply stores in the city. I was able to help by watching babies while mothers went out to buy the
things they needed. This experience was also an eye opener because many of the mothers didn't have the money to buy items for basic sanitary care of their babies and themselves let alone medicine and medical supplies.  Many of the mothers that I worked with didn't have soap, towels, shampoo, toothpaste, blankets, diapers and clothing. I was able to bring some soap, shampoo and toothpaste to share with the mothers but it wasn't enough.  There are many needs in that hospital that are not being met. I was glad that their were a  few volunteers that came in and also watched the babies, and their  were also women who came in and provided free diapers once in a while.  But there is still so much more that could be done. The advice I  would give to volunteers who are planning on working in Baca Ortiz is to bring soap, shampoo, towels, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and other supplies to share with these women. When you work with the women you will see which women are truly in need of these things. If you have some extra cash, this may be a nice thing to bring. Many of the women could use a few extra dollars once in a while to help them buy medicine, clothes, diapers, food, etc. If you have the money and can
afford to spare some on this side, this means so much to these women when you are able to help them out once in awhile. Many of the women are single mothers who do not have an outside source of income and are unable to work while they are staying in the hospital with their babies.  What a blessing it was to work with these women though, I learned so
much when I was with them about humility, realizing how blessed I am and about being happy in life no matter how difficult things may be.

* The second location i was able to work in is the Los Angeles Guarderia- Daniel Po. What a wonderful experience this was as well. I was probably the hardest to leave the children and the teachers here than many of the other people I worked with because the children were there the whole two months I was in Ecuador and the women and babies in the hospital were always coming and leaving as the children got better. Los Angeles Guarderia is a location for children with disabilities to come and stay during the day and to receive physical and speech therapy from the specialists who work there.  Some of the ladies were specialized in therapy and there was even a doctor who came weekly to check up on the children. When I was there, I was able to work with the children and the therapists during speech and physical therapy, to help feed and play with the children and to
clean up washing dishes, sweeping the floors, and cleaning the kitchen. The children that we were able to work with were all so sweet and so excited to see us everyday that we came. This location seems to be staffed pretty well when it comes to providing for the basic everyday needs of the children and the women who work here have so much love for the children, but I think it is hard for them to give all the attention that is needed to all of the children. There are many children there who are unable to walk or talk and they dont
receive as much attention because they lack the abilities to seek that attention. I beleive that this is still a need that they have, however, to be loved and noticed. Advice that I would give to volunteers thinking of helping in the guarderia is to spend a certain amount of time with each child even if they are unable to interact.  Just reading, speaking, playing with their hair, etc. It is hard to always to see the benefits, but I think it really means a lot to each of them.

* A week or two after arriving, one of the other volunteers and I went with the Zambrano family to Banos, Ecuador. This is a beautiful place to visit with cascading water falls and it is located right on the edge of the Amazon rain forest. While we were here, we hiked down to the bottom of one of the waterfalls and felt its spray while looking up the green looming canyon walls above us. So beautiful! We also went to a small zoo on the edge of the Amazon where we saw parrots, monkeys, snakes, crocodiles, etc. It was neat to see some of
the animals that you might find in the Amazon.

* We also had the opportunity to visit Ottovallo, Ecuador which is a town where indiginous Ecuadorians live and gather to sell their fabrics, jewelry, art and other wares. The things that we saw sold here were beautiful! I am amazed at the artistic talent that these people have. The location of Otovallo is also very beautiful, it is up in the green Andes mountains. It was neat to see the farms spread across the steep mountain slopes.

* One other thing that I was able to do while in Ecuador, is to help in the Latter Day Saint (Mormon) institute teaching a gospel doctrine class in English. There are several Ecuadorian Latter Day Saints who are striving to learn English and this is one way to teach the gospel and English at the same time. It was also an opportunity for me to
learn Spanish better as I interacted with the students and to make many wonderful friends. What a great experience!

* I was also able to participate in the Latter Day Saint Church (the church that the Zambranos attend) as the ward chorister.  While I was their we had two performances and many rehearsals. Many of the people there haven't had the opportunities but would like to learn more about music. If you have musical talents, it would be a wonderful thing to share the
things that you know with these people.

* I was also able to spend some time in the city of Ecuador and to see some of the historical sites, art, churches, shopping, eat out at restaurants, etc. This city has so much culture and history and I think all volunteers that come to Quito should spend some time learning about this culture.  Close to the Zambranos home there are churches that are thousands of
years old and other sites with history relating to wars between the Spanish and Incans who are indigenous to this area when the country was being settled.  You should take time to learn the history of the plaza grande, to see the churches (La Compania, San Fransisco, Plaza Grande, Bacilica, Santo Domingo, etc.), visit the markets in town (the prices are really good and some of the things you can find really reflect the artistic talent of the Ecuadorian people.

This was an amazing experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat. There are still so many needs still, however, to be met in the places that I worked and in so many other location in the city. I believe that many of us have a responsibility to share the things that we have in our lives with those who are struggling like the people I saw in
Ecuador. I wish that i could have done more and I'm so excited for all of you who may be considering to travel to Quito and to have similar experiences. Good luck and God bless!!!

Elizabeth Moore
 

Jen and Abby 20044

Jenn Haynie and Abby Caldwell helped on expeditions in
Quito, Guayaquil, Dominican Republic, Galapagos and the Jungle.
Here are just a few of their pictures from their experiences.

Here is one of there reports from one of their many expeditions. La Selva November 1- November 5, 2004 A week of adventure began by boarding a small jet and flying into the heart of the Amazon.  After a short bus ride, a four hour boat ride up the Napo river, a ten minute jaunt in the jungle, and a final 20 minute canoe ride we finally arrived at our destination: La Selva!  That evening our group organized the plan for the upcoming days of service. Our medical/dental mission was focused in Pilche, a small community 20 minutes up river.  We set up the clinic and began our work.  First we scanned the crowd for those who were in critical need.  Then we allowed everyone medical/dental service.  Selfless parents brought their children and ensured their care before their own.  One infant in particular was severely dehydrated  and only had a matter of hours before Death would take his claim.  Our team of doctors were able to restore health to this precious child.  What a miracle it was!  Wednesday we were able to render service to two other neighboring communities. We had opportunity to discover the mysteries of the jungle as well.  Our guide gave us a tour and we saw the beauty of the rainforest come to life. One of our favorite highlights was swimming with piranhas and later fishing  for them with raw chicken. Going to the jungle was an experience in and of itself and it was a joy to  be in such magnificent surroundings and help the people there.  We will never forget this adventure! Abby Caldwell & Jenn Haynie Charity Anywhere interns

Our trip to Ecuador was a wonderful experience, thanks in large part to the Zambrano family. They were very gracious hosts and always eager to please us. They made sure that we always had clean water and safe food, and Dr. Zambrano always tried to find activities and service projects for us to be involved in. Here is some of the stuff we did.

We were able to do three very long but rewarding service days: in two wards in Quito (Barrio Pusuqui and Barrio Santa Ana) and in Camarones, Esmeraldas.

We would load, transport, and set up the donated equipment that Dr. Zambrano keeps in the CAF office, and then be accompanied by other health professionals (Primary Care Physicians, Traumatologists, Gynecologists, and Surgeons). Kevin helped in the nurse's station taking vital signs. He was able to screen blood pressures and advise a few people with "tensión alta" (high blood pressure). Emily was in charge of testing vision and distributing glasses to those in need. One lady that she helped almost began to cry after receiving her glasses. She said, "Thank you so much. I can read my scriptures now."

We also did smaller service activities in many areas of Ecuador. This usually started with a small talent show by the volunteers ( so the children would warm up to us), where we juggled and sang songs. We then provided providing anti-parasite education and pills, fluoride for the children, and oftentimes some tooth extractions and other dental work where we assisted Dr. Zambrano. We did this in Paraiso de los Niños (a school south of Quito) at two orphanages and a convent in Quito, at a living Indian museum Santo Domingo de los Colorados, for two schools near Túlcan, for school children in Baños, and an orphanage in Loreto, Esmeraldas. Dr. Zambrano also made sure we had fun. We spent some time as tourists in these areas, seeing amazing waterfalls, beaches, old churches, topiary gardens, and even an erupting volcano (Tungarauhua), going through the jungle on four-wheelers, crossing the Pasto river in a dangling cable cage, etc.

We also were involved in some service not related to medicine or dentistry. At the request of ward members, we restarted a weekly English class, and also introduced music classes, where we taught conducting and the basics of reading music. Also, we were the director and accompanist for the ward choir. Emily taught Anita Zambrano piano lessons and Kevin taught juggling to a group of school children that meet during the summer.

Our "excuse" for coming to Ecuador was to complete a diabetes survey for which Kevin and Jessica received funding from the University of Rochester. Dr. Zambrano was very helpful in helping us with our diabetes project. We worked with one of his associates, a plastic surgeon named Dr. Ivan Ramírez, who put us in contact with a diabetes clinic, VIDA, and its director, Dr. Pasquel. We completed 65 surveys in this private diabetes clinic and at a Social Security hospital. Dr. Ramírez was especially helpful, allowing us to view and assist in surgeries, photographing our events, and always checking up on our progress. He has said that he is always willing to assist volunteers interested in surgery.

Buenas Tardes!!!! Hello everyone!!! Well things are definately picking up in my life, today is my 2 month mark, and I find it only appropriate to write to you all! I am feeling much better, although I still have my bad days. I think I am going to just have to stick it out until I get home.

Anyways, since I have been feeling better I have been back to the orphanage to see my babies!!! I didn´t realize how much I missed them until I got there. I feel rather maternal with them, and I was proud to notice some of the little boys had new teeth that had cut through since I was there last, and one baby, Abraham, is almost standing on his own ( in previoius weeks I have helped him practice standing). When I think about leaving them in May, it breaks my heart. I am NO GOOD with goodbyes!

Besides working at the orphange, last week I was busy doing inventory and organizing donations, which I might add seems to be never ending. UGH! Last Thursday Washington and I gave out glasses to locals. He, for the most part put me in charge of testing them, and giving them the glasses. I had earlier organized all the glasses, so he thought at that point I knew more about lenses then he did!!! I will assure you when we gave them the glasses, we told them they are only allowed to use them for reading, and study, otherwise they of course can do damage to eyes since they are not personal prescriptions. I have to admit, it was awesome giving some of the older people the gift of sight again. We will be doing that again this upcoming Thursday, and we expect more people now that the word is out.

I also have been busy helping out with the church.

I continue to play the keyboard on Sundays, and when my pupil hahah Anita plays, I conduct!!! There is usually another girl who conducts, but recently she has not been here, so I stepped in. It was a little intimidating at first, conducting in a different language, infront of a congregation, but I am getting the hang of it!!! ( girls from vocal- I guess Winfield´s crazy conducting classes ended up coming in handy haa) Music has definately kept me busy. I have always known that music has been such an important part of my life, a real passion of mine, and it feels amazing to be able to share it with others, both by playing and teaching. ( thanks Darlene!) It also looks as though I will be teaching english now, not as I thought I would, but nevertheless teaching. I will be giving english lessons every Friday to locals, both adults and children from 7:00 to approximately 9:00pm. I have no manual or books to help me, since I am not associated with a school, so this should be interesting to say the least. I am extremely nervous to begin, just thinking about it seems to send my heart beating out of my chest. I need to step outside of my comfort zone, and I am petrified!!! I know that I can do it, and I know that the people are very excited about it. Many of the little girls, once it was announced came up to me, hugged me, kissed me, and thanked me about a million times. Many of the schools teach english here, but not the poor ones, so to these people it is a huge deal.

I was warned by the family about Carnival, a holiday which is held the last monday and tuesday of February, but celebrated all through February. The traditions vary from country to country. Here in Ecuador, specifically Quito, people like to squirt others with water guns, and throw water balloons. I have already been squirted by little boys probably 3 times. I will keep in mind to not wear white this month!! :) Just another crazy thing they do here. It seems like alot of fun actually, if I could get away with it I would carry around a water gun myself.

Anyways, I can´t think of anything else at the moment! I hope that all is well in all of your lives!!! Take care!

De todo corazón,

Jessica

After arrival from the U.S., I began, with the help of Washington Zambrano, to look for opportunities in orphanages. I came with the desire do orphanage support and to teach English in the Paraiso de los Ninos school. The Paraiso de los Ninos school already had an English teacher, even though she doesn't speak much English at all, so I felt like I would be in the way and decided not to do that. I began working at a school/daycare for children at-risk (single mother homes or homes with big problems) but the level of filth and dirtyness was a problem for me and I felt more like a babysitter so I chose not to continue there. I began working at a wonderful orphanage in northern Quito called Para Sus Ninos. It was started and is run by an American couple. It's spotless, they take great care of the kids, and the kids are all homeless. I first started in the baby house helping with feeding and changing diapers then I switched to working in the toddler house mostly playing with the kids and trying to give them social stimulation. I completely loved it! It was extremely fulfilling work and I grew incredibly attached to the babies and children. I also worked for a little while at an orphange called Maria Campi de Joder. More than anything it's a daycare since just one fourth of the kids live there. Only two of the kids I ever helped with were orphaned. Unfortunately, the kids with homes were often the most demanding of my time. I didn't work at that place very long.

I also helped out with preparing for the November 2003 Galapagos Islands expedition Charity Anywhere did for the second year in a row. I helped do data entry of the personal and airline flight information of all the volunteers going. I set up the Excel file for managing the data and printed out volunteer lists as needed for Washington Zambrano. During the expedition itself, I was a coordinator on Isla Isabela. I handled the meal and lodging budget, was a liaison with our local coordinator Gulnara Palacios, helped arrange for recreation opportunities for the volunteers, and ran meetings with the volunteers. I enjoyed the task tremendously and would do it again! I was extremely sad when the expedition was coming to an end and when everyone flew off the islands, I had a bit of empty-nest syndrome.

I also helped out with day-long service events in Ecuador. We did a dental/medical service day at an LDS church in Riobamba. I helped with patient registrations and crowd control. We did a dental/medical service day at a school run by the Rotary Club near Quito. We did a dental service day at a senior center in the Centro Historico of Quito. I helped with registrations. We went to a rural village near Santo Domingo de los Colorados. It was an unforgettable experience as we had to reach the village by ferry and a long drive through the farmlands with palm trees and fruit trees. We did oral hygiene instruction and fluoride treatments. We went along with Orson and Lizanne Huntsman, the LDS Welfare missionaries, who were giving out bags of medicines to all the families. These Saturday events were very enjoyable opportunities to help out people in the area.

All in all, my internship with Charity Anywhere was unforgettable. My life has been changed and I progressed as a person there. I'm so very glad I did it and happy that Charity Anywhere gave me the opportunity. My time at the Para sus Ninos orphanage and the Galapagos Islands expedition were especially unforgettable and gave me many happy memories.