The not-so-exciting life of a volunteer in Quito

I haven’t written much about my life working in Quito, because to be perfectly honest, there isn’t much to talk about. People often think volunteering or working abroad is fascinating, and it can be, but most of the time, it is just normal work. This is something to keep in mind if you are considering doing some time of work abroad. You have your weekends free, but the rest of the time, you actually have to work!

I especially am a little lame, and being almost 23, feel the desperate need for sleep. Waking up at 6:30 every morning is like my own personal hell, and as a result, I end up going to bed by 10:30 every night. I don’t have a lot of opportunities to explore the night life, because I am just too tired.

Another problem is my lack of directional skills. I get turned around easily, especially in Quito (although they say it is impossible to do, because the mountains are always West, although that doesn’t ever help me). The buses are frequent, but  I don’t understand where they go. After a month and a half in Quito, I still have a problem taking about half of the public transportation in the city. Taxis aren’t very expensive, but it is very tiring to constantly get ripped off. Where I live in Quito is not conveniently located near anything, besides the airport. It always ends up costing me a lot to go out.

However, not all things are bad. I enjoy life in Quito, even if it is monotonous at times. I live with a very nice host family and get to play Wii with the grandkids fairly often. I come home from work, feast on a gigantic lunch, then go comatose while watching the World Cup. It isn’t a glamorous life here, but it is pleasant.

I also have gotten the opportunity to see several things in Quito,

Volunteers in the Mariscal

despite my earlier comments of never leaving the house. La Mariscal (aka Mariscal

Sucre, aka Plaza Foch, aka Gringolandia) is a very accessible, fun area to eat different ethnic foods and go out at night. It is filled with a lot of tourists, but Ecuadorians enjoy a night out in the Mariscal just as much as your average gringo. It is overpriced, but always filled with people and different things going on. It is your first stop as a tourist in Quito to find a hostel and meet some people.

La Ronda, Old Town Quito

Old Town Quito is also interesting to explore, with all kinds of shops, restaurants, and churches on every corner. Historic colonial architecture makes this area totally charming, and the police and government have worked hard to clean the streets up and make it a safer area. La Ronda is where to go at night, a beautiful narrow street with tiny bars playing live music, and people selling canelazo (a hot beverage made of juice and sugar cane liquor) and tasty empanadas. Most places have cover charges, which is a bummer for a poor volunteer like me. If it isn’t too crowded, it is nice to grab a glass of wine or canelazo and just roam the street for the evening. Watch out for the annoying mime, he is a jerk.

So, there are things to do in Quito. And I do get out of the house every now and then, but my life hasn’t been the most exciting here. I’m ok with boring weeks though, because I save my money for getting out of town and exploring beautiful Ecuador on the weekends. If only I didn’t have to be back at work on Mondays…

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