Ecuador plays valiantly but leaves World Cup after the first round

Ecuador opened up their group stage with a heartbreaking loss to Switzerland who broke a 1-1 tie in the waning minutes of the game to win the game. Ecuador rebounded in their second game to defeat Honduras. However, the team was held to a scoreless draw in their third game against group winner France, after going down to ten men when team leader Antonio Valencia was given a red card, somewhat unfairly, for a reckless challenge. Of the 7 South American teams playing the World Cup, Ecuador was the only one not to make it to the round of 16, but they showed flashes of excellent play and were just a little bit unlucky (on top of the horrible luck in qualifying play when their top scorer died of a heart attack during a game).

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NYT: 50 Ways to Love Your Quinoa

The New York Times ran a story this week on 50 ways to love your quinoa. As I’ve written about before, one of my main projects as a volunteer was to work with a producer’s association in Riobamba, ERPE, and RPCVs Bob and Maggi Leventry, to export organic quinoa to the United States.

Quinoa has subsequently taken off as a super-food, a complete protein that is great in taking on flavors and with its nutty texture is a complement to soups, salad, cereals, and desserts.

While over the years, the Times has identified 50 different ways to prepare quinoa, this week they provide some awesome salad recipes like this one for spicy quinoa with broccoli: …

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Peace Corps Ecuador June 2014 update – An end to VAC grants, Natural Resources program

Peace Corps Ecuador country director Alexis Vaughn was happy to provide an update on Peace Corps programming. There are some major changes. VAC volunteer-managed projects will end, which might mean the end of annual calendar sales. Importantly, the Natural Resources program will come to an end, which follows on last year’s end to the agriculture program. Going forward, TEFL and health will be the major priorities. See her letter below. …

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Ecuador gets ready for the World Cup, coming up in June

Ecuador is getting ready to play in the World Cup and players are highly motivated after star player Christian Benitez died suddenly last year from a heart attack. It will have to rely on the prowess of Luis Antonio Valencia who plays for Manchester United (pictured above). …

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A referendum on oil drilling in Yasuni?

Activists have been collecting signatures to try to force a referendum on drilling in Yasuni National Park. In excess of 700,000 signatures were collected, more than what was required, but the process for validating the signatures is now mired in controversy, according to a special report to Mongabay, a pro-conservation website.

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Peace Corps Connect – 2014 is coming to Nashville in June

Peace Corps Connect – 2014 is coming to Nashville! Join us June 19-21, 2014 for our third annual gathering, this year in Music City.

The National Peace Corps Association and the Tennessee Returned Peace Corps Volunteers invite you to join your fellow Peace Corps Community members to learn about the various ways our community continues to serve and educate the world around us. We also hope you’ll use the opportunity to tell your own stories, meet up with old friends and make new ones.

Get the details here

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Stories from PC Ecuador

NEWSLETTER UPDATES

Peace Corps Week 2014, February 23rd– March 1st, 2014-Video Challenge

“Peace Corps Volunteers gain more perspective, cultural insight and community connections from their service than most people gain in a lifetime”.  Nearly 80 current and returned Volunteers shared their perspectives of living in another country and facing a new culture by participating in Peace Corps Week 2014 Video Challenge where they present in a very creative way what I wish Americans knew about my Peace Corps Country.  Ecuador post was participating with a video from the Y&F PCV Kyle King who gained the second place award.  It is really an honor for our post to receive such a great recognition to our Volunteer’s effort. …

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Update on Peace Corps Funding: Action Alert

From NPCA

By Jonathan Pearson on Monday, March 10th, 2014

California Congressman Sam Farr served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Colombia from 1964-66

We are into the final hours of the House of Representatives “Dear Colleague” letter, urging support for strong funding for the Peace Corps in the next fiscal year (FY 2015).  Thanks to your help, we are now just two signatures shy of setting a new record level of support.

Colombia RPCV Congressman Sam Farr (D-CA) is leading the charge on the letter, which asks the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations to support $400 million for the Peace Corps in Fiscal Year 2015.  This request would represent a 5 percent increase over current funding and return the Peace Corps to funding levels it had reached five years ago.   The other four Returned Peace Corps Volunteers in the House of Representatives – Tom Petri (R-WI), Mike Honda (D-CA), John Garamendi (D-CA) and Joe Kennedy (D-MA) – are all original signers of the letter. …

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NPCA: Next Step Travel to Thailand, Dominican Republic, and Guatemala

NPCA’s Next Step Travel program provides respectful hyper-local immersion in developing countries:  360-degree “anti-tour” itineraries that combine unparalleled local access, cultural immersion, non-extreme adventure, and hands-on volunteer opportunities that open pathways for connection with local people.

The chance to get a close-up view of volunteer service is a unique feature of Next Step Travel.  In-country staff make it a point to seek out local craftspeople, small businesses and cooperatives, so that your money goes directly into the hands of those who need it most.  Each trip (a maximum of 20 travelers) is all-inclusive, freeing you to fully experience every minute of your trip. …

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