Tumbaco, 13.6.2010
Final Report
by Andreas Müllner
Project: Rayitos de Ternura in La Morita, Tumbaco (Ecuador)
Right now I've been living here in Ecuador for exactly 10 months and I'm close to go back to Germany. During the next three weeks, I will have to work a lot for my social project, because I still want to change or improve some things here like the swings, the slide and in general the playground. Last year, I have learned a lot about Ecuador, it's people, culture, tradtitions and contryside, I experienced really much, be it by travelling through the endless beautiful parts of this land or by just living in my host family. For me, it was a great experience and I enjoyed nearly every minute here to be honest.
As I taught music, physical education, arts, English and geography in a kindergarden, my "abilities as a teacher" have developed a bit. I think it's quite different from teaching kids at school, because the smaller the children are, the harder it is to draw their attention. So you always have to be friendly and patient with them, if not, they start crying really quickly, what makes every situation even harder. Furthermore, I had to prepare classes on my own, without any books or specified working material. That, of course, advanced my creativity and imagination. I have been looking for many things in the internet, songs or choreographies for music and dance classes, so I also developed other skills like computing.
I'm sure that this year helped me to get a better handling with kids but also generally with people; as I met persons from lower social levels, I got an impression how they live to better understand their problems and difficulties. In my work I had contact to really poor people in Ecuador, what evoked my respect, just comparing it to my luxurious life.
Besides, I've realized, that you shouldn't believe too much in people, be it the bus conductor, who gives you insufficient change or a person who explains to you in a convincing manner the way to the next petrol station, although he isn't street-smart at all. Just as well the trust in my host family was somehow damaged after they tried to utilise me in some ways. They asked me for money in order to repair the washing machine, although they receive money by the organisation every month and still had enough for building their new roof.
Towards some other volunteers, I was primarily prejudiced and I didn't intend to become friends with them, but with time we agreed really well and after ten months, we have become very good friends. I think that right now I'm able to get on better with unknown people, I obtained more acceptance towards them, because of my experiences I´ve had here.
There are many intercultural facts, that I've recognized within the last 6 months. Here in Ecuador, people have other customs for instance concerning table manners or drinking practices, different attitudes or conceptions of law for example. Therefore, I had some disputes with my host mother, but finally we found a solution. My personal food problem in my host family´s home especially concerning every day´s rice isn't solved yet and it only will be when I will be back in Germany. I acquired some new cooking experiences in my project, where I often helped in the kitchen and I also taught my host family cooking some meals which I know from my home country.
Since I arrived here I've already recognized that punctuality is not that important . I also found out other forms of cordiality in my host family as in the project, so that I could get along with them a little bit better gradually. Pollution is something, people haven't heard about in Ecuador, it seems. Throwing rubbish onto the street out of the bus, or burning plastic and other toxic materials in front of their houses is just part of their lives. So I always try to explain to the children to clean up in the kindergarden and not to throw anything onto the floor.
There are many ways for the volunteers making themselves useful in my project. Arriving in the morning, we have to welcome the children at the door, where we talk to their parents about their behaviour, but that is mostly the other instructors´ task. When I had no time the day before, I start preparing classes and when I've finished it is time to give breakfast to each of them. On Mondays for example, I teach music, first to the three-years-old kids and after a small break to the four- to five-year-old kids. In the break they receive some fruit and I look after them when they are playing. Before they start to eat at 12 am, I will be helping in the kitchen with cooking. After washing their hands, the children sit down to get their lunch. After that, they have a nap and I have time to prepare classes for the next day or help the other educators. But also in my free time I sometimes was concerned in my project: For instance I collected money by selling Christmas cards to my friends and family members in Germany. And with the money right now, I'm about to buy some new games and equipment for the kids like the slide for the new playground.
I've already been working together with four other volunteers, with one of them half a year, with another one for three months and with two of them just for some weeks. There were some weeks when I was working alone in the project and then I realized that I prefer beeing together with other volunteers. In a team, it's really amazingly nicer, because your partner also has some ideas how to teach, so that preparing classes becomes funny and you have someone to talk to about problems.
I can't say that this year was as I had expected, because I knew so little about this land and it's people, so that I didn´t have any realistic expectations. But I expected to work with children or youth, make them having a happier life, help where I can and I'm sure that I succeeded in doing so.
I expected to learn a new language and thanks to my host family, where I quicky acquired the basics - and to four months of language classes, where I advanced a lot, after only one year I have learnt to speak Spanish rather well.
I had expected to spend more time at home with my host family, it happened by different reasons that I travelled a lot during the weekends and during my holidays so there wasn't much time left to do activities with family members, who weren't either that convenient for me being 20 years old.
I had also hoped to find a lot of Ecuadorian friends, but as I lived in a family with two daughters (25/30 years old) who already had children, I couldn't get any good connections with friends of my family. The other problem was that most people, we met, were more or less poor, so it was difficult to share the same interests, e.g. travelling. But finally, some months after I began to take kickboxing lessons, I found some kind friends and one of them will study in Europe, so we'll meet again.
I received a lot of support by my parents, who gave me enough money to live a good life and to be able to travel to all parts of Ecuador. My friends and other family members also supported me via internet or skype talking to me. I thought we would get more infos and support by our organisation, because we only received about five mails with some wishes for certain events, e.g. Christmas. So I would have liked to receive more support by the ICJA/ICYE, just like a blog or internet platform for all volunteers to talk about problems. On the other hand I'm very grateful to my organisation for all these possibilities and and the lot of experience I have had.
I could have undertaken much more, it is true. But the way I chose was a good way for me and I wouldn't ever like to change anything, because I had a great year, which I won't forget just as it is right now.
Andreas Müllner
Email: andreas@andreas-muellner.de
