Updates from Peace Corps Ecuador

This is a guest post from Peace Corps Ecuador Director Alexis Vaughn (photo credit to PCV Sandrena Frischer).

Dear Friends,

The past few months have been ones of great change and excitement at Peace Corps Ecuador. In January, we inaugurated our new Training Center in the lovely garden town of Nayón with a lively Community Open House. US Ambassador to Ecuador, Adam Namm, and President of the Gobierno Parroquial de Nayón, Dra. Lourdes Quijia, joined Peace Corps staff and volunteers in giving a warm welcome to our new neighbors and volunteer host families. For many Nayoneses, our arrival in the community marks their first knowledge of Peace Corps and we are off to a good start indeed.

This week also marks the arrival of our newest training group, who will work in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). This is a group of many firsts, the first trainees in the new Training Center, the first trainees to live in the community of Nayón, and the first all-TEFL group (and twice the size of former TEFL groups).

Going forward, TEFL will continue to be a growth opportunity for PC Ecuador. Over the next three years we will increase the number of TEFL volunteers from the 2014 number of 25 to 100 volunteers by the year 2018. Though this is far below the 300 TEFL volunteers the Ministry of Education recently requested of us, it is solid growth that demonstrates the goodwill and commitment we have to being the most relevant responsive partners we can be.

Finally, I am delighted to announce that one of our very own volunteers, Sandrena Frischer, has won a United Airlines photography contest to “capture the spirit of Latin America” with her photograph, Mujeres Inti Raymi, featured below. Those of you who know this region will immediately recognize how beautifully and authentically Sandrena has captured the essence of the culture.

As we start the New Year, I’d just like to take a moment to extend a heartfelt thanks to all of the Friends of Ecuador for your ongoing support and engagement. It is an exciting time to be in Ecuador, made all the more rewarding by the enthusiasm that surrounds us.

Sincerely,

Alexis Vaughn

Country Director

Peace Corps Ecuador