Want to see somewhere really different?
The Galapagos Islands lie 1000 miles off the coast of Ecuador, but it feels like a million. The islands’ isolation has produced a natural world like nowhere else on Earth. They are a wonderful place to visit, with picturesque ports lined with sailboats, a countryside filled with wildlife and locals armed with a welcoming smile for every traveller. The Galapagos Islands attract a lot of tourists and it’s therefore extremely important for the children of the islands to learn English, so they can find work locally. The public kindergardens rely on volunteers help because they lack the financial or human resources to hire enough teachers.
Fast Facts
Project Information
- Project Duration: Min 4 weeks - Max 12 weeks
- Project Costs: US$ 1850.00 for 4 weeks, US$ 260.00 for every week thereafter
- Location of project:Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands
- Arrival Airport:Quito (airport code UIO). A flight on to Santa Cruz will be arranged for you and added on to your statement (budget approximately US$500)
- Activities:Providing general care and assistance in looking after the children alongside the teacher.
- Working Hours:Flexible; Monday to Friday from 7am to 12.30pm, all other time is free
- Getting to the project:Dependent on location; around 20-25 minutes walk
- Requirements:Minimum Age 18
- Other:Semana Santa (Latin America Holy week) will be from April 3rd to 12th 2009 and March 26th to April 4th 2010, you may have some disruptions to the placement during this time
What's Included
- Accommodation:Shared room in homestay
- Food:All meals
- Airport Pickup:Included on arrival date. Ask us for details if you're arriving early!
- Training:In-country orientation
- Support:Pre-departure helpdesk, Local in-country team and 24hr emergency support
What's not included
- Flights, Insurance, Visas, Return Airport transfer, Local Transport
This is a publicly funded project that works with children mainly aged 4 to 5 years old. The project works with 4 different kindergardens on the Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos Islands. There are five staff in the programme and 4 teachers who work in the different schools. This is a great opportunity for volunteers to make a positive impact on the children's education as well as volunteer in one of the world's most precious habitats.
This project is funded by the national government but lacks the funds to hire staff and buy resources. Volunteers play an important role in brightening and improving the lives of these island children.
You need to really enjoy working with children, be patient, determined, imaginative and compassionate! It can be emotionally draining at times, but ultimately extremely rewarding. It would help if you are reasonably independent as this project is quite isolated, and conditions are basic. Also, the more Spanish you know, the better you will get on, as the children do not speak English.
These projects offer participants a great chance to have a positive influence on young children's lives. The activities will vary and you will generally provide a welcome assistance to the teacher along with assisting in general school activities. You may even get involved in the weekly staff meetings - depending on how good your Spanish is! Note: A love for children is needed for this project, especially given their liveliness! This is working with young children so you may need to help with feeding and cleaning, and you should also be prepared to get dirty at times.
You will need to arrive at Quito International Airport (UIO) on the specified arrival date. The flight from Quito to Santa Cruz is 1.5 hours, this flight will be booked for you and the cost will be added to your statement at the time of booking.
The rainy season goes from December to mid May. It is extremely hot and very sunny all day long. The rest of the year is temperate. August may be a bit cold. There is only one bank in Santa Cruz, Banco del Pacifico. Some ATM cards do work in this bank, however, it is always advisable that volunteers bring some traveller cheques.
Project Log
UPDATE FROM JENNY VAN MENS
Date: 2008-07-01
Everyday started with the walk down the main road of Santa Cruz. I would walk passed the same lovely old couple and everyday I would practice my Spanish on them more and more. They loved it. Everyday I would dodge taxis, parents on bikes riding their children to school and dogs wondering aimlessly by. I would get to school at 8am and the children who had arrived early would run up to me and cling to my legs saying 'good morning teacher'. Profesora Sonia would nod and give me a welcoming good morning smile. We would start the day by going through the date and weather then usually sing a few Christmas songs before starting the official lesson. The first part of the lesson would comprise of Profesora Sonia showing the children the task and then handing out all the equipment needed to carry out the task. Usually little pots of glue, wee scissors and coloured paper. All the children would watch intently as we handed out the bits and pieces they could play with.
After the first task the children would go to their school bags and get their food out. Biscuits, chips, fruit, rice with chicken, yoghurt drinks...such a variety. They would sit quietly munching on their snacks and then run outside to play. During their play time I would clean up from the first morning's task and get ready for the second task. I took a class by myself one day and read to them in English, all about kangaroos. They then went outside and collected leaves to stick on the traced kangaroo that I drew for them. They also stuck cotton wool balls on the kangaroo.
Class would finish at 12 noon and on Tuesday and Friday afternoon I would accompany Profesora Sonia to an extra curriculum meeting where a group of 5 teachers would discuss issues and prepare for the next week's lessons. One of the afternoons was spent painting giraffes, lions, rhinos and other images on cardboard bearing the number 1-5.
I loved life at San Francisco College. I already miss the little smiling faces of the children and the naughtiness that they got up to when Profesora wasn't looking. It was a fantastic experience and one I would thoroughly recommend.
What exactly do i-to-i provide?
It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you for the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.
Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….
Project sourcing and assessment
We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More
Expert help-desk
Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.
Thorough project briefing materials
Once you book on to a project you'll receive a Welcome Pack that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and project, and a DVD about how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.
TEFL training
If you are volunteering on a Teaching project then a 40-hour Online TEFL course is included in your placement fee. This is an internationally recognised and accredited certificate that will help you to make the most of your time overseas. More
Airport pickup
It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time… especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.
Arrival orientation
Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!
Accommodation and meals
Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More
Local in-country coordinators
Your in-country coordinator (ICC) will pick you up from the airport and conduct your orientation upon arrival. All ICC's are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More
24/7 emergency support
Aside from the local support from your in-country coordinators you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by i-to-i staff in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals Docleaf to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More
Ongoing training
The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. At the end of 2006 we flew all our in-country coordinators to the UK for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More
Supporting our projects
We don't fund our projects directly, but once a year they are all invited to apply for funding for special projects or resources from our registered charity arm, the i-to-i Foundation. i-to-i funds the operation of the i-to-i Foundation and is the largest single donor. Along with the generous support of our volunteers, we have distributed over US$200,000 in funding in the last two years alone! More
Recruiting people like you
We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.
The intangible benefits
VVolunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here
What we will do after you've booked:
- Once booked on you will instantly receive a welcome email confirming your booking with access to your online account
- We will send a Welcome Pack in the post containing further information and a t-shirt, the information in this pack should answer most things you need to know
- Community Development and Teaching customers will receive an email introducing them to their Online TEFL course
- Community Development and Teaching customers will be requested to complete a police check (where relevant) or send through a reference
- We will contact you if we require anything else e.g. CV/resume for some projects, doctors note for medical conditions etc.
- We will hound you to complete your forms and pay your final balance when they are due
- We are available for any questions you may have on 800 352 1794 or operations@i-to-i.com
- We will prepare for your trip and send you an email with final project and accommodation confirmation 21 days before you go
What you need to do after booking your place with us:
- Book your flights
- Arrange suitable travel insurance
- Fill out some extra details through our online interface:
- application from
- travel details
- insurance details
- medical information
- emergency contacts
- Complete your police check or request your reference (where relevant)
- Do your Online TEFL Course (where relevant)
- Make final payment at least 60 days before you go
- Make sure you have a visa for your trip if its needed
- Visit a nurse or travel clinic for advice on inoculations and malaria prevention
- Read all details and prepare as much as you can for your trip
- Take contact details of the in country team and where you're going in your hand luggage - just in case!
- Get on the plane!
Orientation Information
Having arrived on the Monday, you will be taken to your orientation accommodation in Quito, this will be in a comfortable homestay and likely to be a shared room with another volunteer. You will have a group orientation meeting with the in-country coordinator on the Tuesday morning, and a trip to Mitel del Mundo in the afternoon. Your flight to the Galapagos will be booked to leave on Wednesday morning and arrive in to start your project on Thursday.
If you choose to take the language lessons add-on you will spend the remainder of the week in Quito - please contact the us for more information on what this involves. You will then start your placement the following Monday, travelling on Saturday if outside of Quito.
Insurance
It's important that you get adequate travel insurance for your i-to-i experience and as many of you will be working this often means standard policies won’t work. The good news is that no matter where your coming from we have already found a policy to suit you.
The best time to get your insurance is when you book your project as this means you can get a fully tailored policy exclusive to i-to-i, just ask your consultant for further details at the time of booking.
EU Customers – find out more here >>
Australian customers - find out more here >>
All other customers - find out more here >>
Flights
As with insurance we advise you get these booked as early as possible to avoid high prices and to make sure you arrive on the right day. The i-to-i team is right up to date with the best deals no matter where you’re flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.
Early Airport Pick-up
If you are arriving before your designated arrival date, we can arrange for an extra meet and greet service for you. For an extra supplement we will be there to meet you at the airport and take you to your orientation accommodation. One additional night accommodation is included in this payment; if you require more than one night please inform the team.
The cost of this Early Pick-up service is US$ 60.00
A little bit of history…
For thousands of years before the Incas arrived from Peru to expand their empire, advanced indigenous cultures made Ecuador their home. They fought hard to hold on but from the 1400s the Inca’s succeeded in developing its civilisation into neighbouring territories. The Incas were not immune from shifts in power and, during the same year the Spanish set foot on Ecuadorian soil (1526), the Inca Empire was divided for the first time when Inca ruler Huayna Capac went against tradition by leaving his empire to two sons rather than one. After years of fighting, Atahualpa defeated Huascar to become ruler of the empire. His position was short lived and the Inca Empire was all but confined to a place in history when in the 1530s the Spanish laid down the foundations to rule the country. Under Spanish rule, Indians and Mestizos (people of mixed indigenous and European descent) suffered forced labour and several uprisings ensued. Liberator Simón Bolívar helped secure independence for Ecuador, which was fully achieved by 1830.
Against a backdrop of violent rivalry between liberal and conservative factions, an unstable political climate dominated the 19th century and was marked by a quick succession of rulers. The 20th century brought mixed fortunes. The country’s development was hampered by the collapse of the coco market in the 1920s and the Great Depression of the 1930s but it achieved stable civilian rule and increased banana exports from 1948 to 1960. Recession and social unrest led to an anti-communist military government taking power in the early 1960s and it wasn’t until 1979 that democratic constitutional measures were put into play. Indigenous groups now have a voice and influence on politics but the country has a lot of economic ground to cover and high levels of unemployment. On an environmental level, Ecuador is rich in biodiversity but has one of the highest deforestation rates in South America.
Best time to go…
The diversity of Ecuador does not fit neatly into four seasons. As a general note, it has a dry winter from June to September and a wet summer from December to April. For hiking in the highlands, the best time is during the cool winter. For exploring the jungle (the Oriente), there isn’t a temperate period as it’s often thick with humidity, while the sierra can get chilly and coastal areas are warm year round.
The Galápagos Islands experience hot, rainy weather from January to April and its waters are comfortably warm during this time, making it ideal for snorkelling. During the rest of the year the water is on the chilly side at around 20°C (68°F) or lower. The surfing season is typically December to February.
The biggest celebration days are Christmas, Semana Santa (Easter week), Inti Raymi (June 24), and Independence Day (May 24). Expect an influx of visitors during these periods and from June to August when the vacation season is in full swing.
Getting around…
There’s no better way to see the snow-capped Andes than to fly. The flight from Quito to Cuenco alone takes in the sight of volcano after volcano. With great views aside, flying in Ecuador is affordable and also convenient; you can get to where you want to go in usually no more than half an hour’s flying time. The country’s main airlines like Tame offer daily services to the main towns and cities, usually departing from Quito or Guayaquil. It’s also the best way to get to the Oriente, with other modes of transport unable to access the area. Flights to the Galápagos Islands, however, can be pricey and flying time from Ecuador is around 3 hours. Depending on your destination but particularly for flights to the Galápagos Islands and the Oriente, there is a system in place whereby foreigners are required to pay more than double what Ecuadorians pay. It’s also worth noting that seats are not reserved and are given on a first come, first served basis. Reconfirming a flight 24 hours before is imperative as it’s not unknown for airlines to refute your reservation if it hasn’t been confirmed ahead of departure.
Buses are a cheaper option and although most long distance journeys take a day or less, it can feel longer due to the road conditions. Buses usually leave from central terminals and it’s best to buy a ticket at least a few hours in advance to reserve a seat. Local buses are often very cheap but also very crowded. Taxis are a good option for short journeys or day tips out of cities if hired for the day and can be cheaper than car rental. Taximeters are in existence but not always switched on so it’s best to agree on a price before the journey begins.
Useful Links
www.lonelyplanet.com
Lonely Planet are leaders in the travel guide sector and their website is a great source of travel information.
www.fco.gov.uk
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s website provides up-to-date political news, travel advice and information on visas.
www.tame.com.ec
National airline Tame.
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