I think the regional office thing was something that Bolivia actually had right, it was a way for volunteers to have resources close by, get free books and materials to use in site and it was a way to meet up with other volunteers since everyone had to go into the regional city at least once a month to get their paycheck. Here, we just have cluster cities, where our mail is sent and we are supposed to get our money and do our shopping if we don’t have things available in our sites, but there is no office, no library, all supplies are mailed from Quito. But the cool thing is that since volunteers don’t all meet up in the city at once they travel around and visit other volunteers in their sites more. Visiting volunteers in their sites was one of my favorite things about PC Bolivia, too. It’s always great to see where other volunteers live and work. You can talk about projects, share resources and also provide much needed emotional support, just being able to vent in English is always appreciated.
Peace Corps Volunteer Michelle writes: In Ecuador unlike in Bolivia, we don’t have regional offices, there’s just the one main office in Quito
Friday, December 12, 2008
C is for Cookie, that’s good enough for me
Ecuador, when compared with Bolivia, is a very developed country. It’s a tourist destination, the local currency is the dollar, and everyone owns a cell phone that is more expensive than mine. Still, my neighbor, who has a lovely new refrigerator but no electricity hooked up yet, can’t afford for her two youngest kids to go to school, although I still don’t fully understand why. Maybe people are just living beyond their means, like they often do in the states, in order to have all the status symbols, TVs, stereos, trucks, some people even have washing machines. I can guarantee you that no one in the town where I lived in Bolivia could afford to buy a washing machine, not even close.
[Excerpt]
Unlike in Bolivia, we don’t have regional offices, there’s just the one main office in Quito. I think the regional office thing was something that Bolivia actually had right, it was a way for volunteers to have resources close by, get free books and materials to use in site and it was a way to meet up with other volunteers since everyone had to go into the regional city at least once a month to get their paycheck. Here, we just have cluster cities, where our mail is sent and we are supposed to get our money and do our shopping if we don’t have things available in our sites, but there is no office, no library, all supplies are mailed from Quito. But the cool thing is that since volunteers don’t all meet up in the city at once they travel around and visit other volunteers in their sites more. Visiting volunteers in their sites was one of my favorite things about PC Bolivia, too. It’s always great to see where other volunteers live and work. You can talk about projects, share resources and also provide much needed emotional support, just being able to vent in English is always appreciated. So my Santo Domingo “cluster” had a little getting to know you weekend in Mindo, which is a beautiful little town known for its excellent bird watching. I have to say there are some very lucky volunteers in PC Ecuador. Of the sites I’ve seen so far they are all beautiful, with hiking, waterfalls and amazing views. Ecuador is one of the greenest places I’ve ever seen in my life, I’m just constantly in awe of how alive and vibrant it is here.
