We have spent the past two weeks in Puerto Lopez, Ecuador. The reason for coming here was to visit a friend and former colleague, Devin, who is serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV). During the past two weeks, I was able to accompany her on some activities that she does around town and also help out at Clara Luna, the foundation where she spends a lot of her time and effort. I thought it would be a fun idea to interview Devin to hear what the Peace Corps is like from her perspective and what her thoughts are on living in Puerto Lopez. For those who would like to know more, Devin has been keeping a blog about her experiences in the Peace Corps and in Puerto Lopez: Living Passionately Curious.
Clara Luna hosted an Open House, which featured some of the kids reading books. Here, Devin practices with a small group so that they will feel comfortable reading in front of a group of adults.
Q: First, can you give a brief overview of what the Peace Corps is and what it does around the world?
A: The Peace Corps is a US Government organization that is bipartisan. Its main goal is to promote world friendship. There are three main goals of the Peace Corps: 1. Help people who ask for assistance; providing technical assistance to the countries and people who ask for help. 2. Impart a better understanding of Americans on Ecuadorian people. 3. Promote a better understanding of Ecuadorian people and culture on American citizens.
Q: What is your role within the Peace Corps and specifically here in Puerto Lopez?
A: I am a Youth and Family Volunteer. Our program works with children and youth in drug and alcohol prevention, extracurricular activities, reading, financial literacy, and life skills. We also work with families to reinforce the importance of familial relationships within their everyday lives, discussing topics such as discipline, being a good role model, and safety and awareness within the community. My job in Puerto Lopez is at Clara Luna, whose mission is to provide a space for reading and after-school activities for youth and children. I support Clara Luna primarily in their clubs: Kids’ Club and Youth Club, which are currently running, and a Parents’ Club that we will be starting after the holidays. The goal is for all of them to be sustainable before I leave. In addition, I also work as a representative of Clara Luna in the high schools and elementary schools doing gender talks, substance abuse and prevention focus groups, and literacy and critical thinking activities.
Story time during Kid’s Club is one of their favorite activities – and one of the only times they are quiet!
Q: What do you like the most about being a PCV?
A: The thing I like most about the Peace Corps is that you have to stay in a place for 2 years, so you really get to know the people you are working with and become a part of the community. You aren’t just doing projects that you think will help the community, but you are doing projects that the community actually wants and needs. For the first 3 months, I wasn’t allowed to work on any projects; I spent this time interviewing and surveying people to see what they want and need. Having done that, I had a better idea of what I could do to benefit the community.
This school consists of two classes, both sharing the same room. Devin visits once per week to read with and do crafts with each class.
Q: What do you like the least about being a PCV?
A: Being a PCV has taught me patience and persistence. Especially at the beginning, it was frustrating trying to figure out how to best work in Ecuador and get things done. There were projects that I started that weren’t going as I had thought they would, so I needed to revisit what I was doing and how to accomplish what I wanted to do. These were hard lessons to learn, but have been valuable lessons that I can apply both here in Ecuador and in whichever job I take in the future.
Q: What is your favorite part about living in Puerto Lopez?
A: The beach! I never imagined myself living on an ocean on a beach. Now that I am living here, I adore it!
Devin’s adopted hometown of Puerto Lopez is in the background.
Q: What is the hardest part about living in Puerto Lopez? (other than missing family and friends back in the USA)
A: The lack of resources – things that I took for granted in the US. Things such as an ATM on every corner, a movie theater, a store with more than 2 types of bread. These are the little things that you don’t think about while in the US, but are things I miss in my everyday life here in Puerto Lopez.
Q: What will you miss the most about Puerto Lopez when you leave?
A: The people. Being here for so long, you make really close connections with people. Ecuadorians are so open and friendly to being with, so it’s easy to have a lot of close relationships with people. If I walk to work, it takes me twice as long as it ordinarily would because I stop to talk to people along the way.
Devin proudly watches as the girls read a book in both Spanish and English for the parents, siblings, and friends that have come to the Open House.
Q: What do you want people to know about Puerto Lopez, Ecuador, or the Peace Corps?
A: About the Peace Corps: It’s cliché, but true: The Peace Corps is the toughest job that you’ll ever love. It’s the hardest job that I’ve ever had and probably will ever have, but it’s also the job that I’ll love the most. About Ecuador: Ecuadorians are the most friendly, open, and welcoming people that I have ever met.
One weekend, Devin went to northern Ecuador to an area that had been affected by the earthquake this past spring. While there, she put on a puppet show with other volunteers for the kids. This picture is from a practice session at Clara Luna before she left.
Q: Describe a funny moment or time when you thought to yourself “This could only happen in Puerto Lopez…”
A: After a long day of work on a Thursday when all you want to do is sleep, and your neighbors are blaring Ecuadorian music until 3am, and then the roosters and fighting/barking dogs wake you up at 5am. This is a typical night here and makes it hard to sleep sometimes!
Adapting to a different kitchen was just one of the small ways in which Devin has adapted to living in Ecuador.
Q: What advice would you give to someone who is considering joining the Peace Corps or moving abroad?
A: About joining the Peace Corps: It’s not for everyone. Be a little selfish when you think about your decision to make sure that you really will be happy to pick up and leave your family and friends and live in another country for 2 years. Make sure that your reasons for doing it are the right reasons. Don’t join the Peace Corps because you think you’re going to change the world. You won’t make a huge impact and change the world; I think that more people have changed me than who I have changed by being here. But you can do little things that will make an impact with certain people or places, and that’s what you must be satisfied doing. About moving abroad: If you’re thinking of moving abroad, making sure you are accepting and understanding of other cultures. You are living in their culture and will need to adapt; try to speak their language and understand why they do things the way they do. Make sure that these things don’t upset you easily since you are moving to live with them.
Sometimes just playing a simple game with the kids will keep them entertained and out of trouble!
Q: Finally, what do you hope your lasting impression will be in the community in Puerto Lopez?
A: I have been focused on being a good role model for the kids I work with. I hope that what I will leave with the youth and children is that I was a role model for them. I hope that in the future, they’ll think back to me as this one gringa who led a focus group on alcohol prevention so they don’t drink now, or that I gave them a sticker for being on time and so now they are on time more. I don’t think it will be any big project that I worked on or started, but it will be that I was a role model here for the kids and youth, since there aren’t many good role models for them here.
The kids were all excited to show off their star crafts that they made during Kid’s Club.