Spanish Language & Service in Ecuador & the Galápagos

Writen by the parent of a 16 year old who traveled with Putney in Juley, 2022. The following are the Putney's questions and my answers from Putney's evaluation request after the competion of the trip wit a few minor edits. What were your expectations for your child's program? Did the program exceed, meet, or fall short or your expectations? We signed our son Owen up for the High School Language program, Ecuador & the Galápagos, Service & Spanish Immersion in the Andean Cloud Forest From Putney’s website: Practice your Spanish daily on this high school language immersion and service program in Ecuador, as you work hand-in-hand with local friends in a small village. None of the above took place. Undertake meaningful community service initiatives this summer and spend a week with a host family. Not a day was spent with a host family. Volunteer to construct a community center, shadow farmers as they harvest crops, and cook meals alongside your host parents. None of the above took place. Explore the Andean páramo, and snorkel, hike, and kayak in the incredible Galápagos Islands to cap off your program. Our expectations were for Owen to have a strong opportunity continue his Spanish speaking learning and skill. We expected that only Spanish would be spoken with a few exceptions. We expected Owen to live with a native family for one week. What was promoted and promised was a lie with a few exceptions. I communicated with Owen and others on the trip. They all stated there was very little Spanish spoken. it was not a priority. They did not live with a native family. We were deceived. Basically, a bait and switch by Putney. We are extremely disappointed with Putney Student Travel. What gave your child the greatest sense of accomplishment? What did your child gain from the program? Our son Owen was upset and disappointed with the Putney program. It was not at all what he read about this program. He was upset with us and thought Putney lied about what his experience would include and entail. Do you feel the program included the right balance of time spent on projects, cultural activities, adventure, etc? What would you like your child to have done more/less of? The program did not at all included the right balance of time spent on projects, cultural activities, adventure. I would have liked and expected Owen to spend a great deal more time speaking and practicing Spanish and living with a local native family and less time doing manual labor digging a ditch.

I really didn't have any expectations, I knew I wanted to have fun, make friends, and have a great experience knowing that I made a difference in the community. The program certainly exceeded these expectations, I made friends for a lifetime, and had some of the best experiences of my life. I couldn't have asked for anything more. My greatest sense of accomplishment I think is from knowing how happy everyone in the village was to see us come back and to see our finished projects on the fence made me feel accomplished that I had played a part in it. Personally, I gained friends I know that will last for a life time, and memories that I will never forget. I was finally able to come out of my shell on this trip, and it made a huge difference on the emotions I felt when we were about to leave. The highlights of my experience was definitely being able to help out in the kitchen in the village, learn Spanish from the locals who taught me how to say things instead of laughing at me, snorkeling in the Galapagos, and being able to spend time with two of the coolest leaders ever. I think we could have spent more time on the projects, since I know that with three projects; the quesaria, the fence and the macheteing, not all of us had the opportunity to do all of them, however, I would have liked to be able to experience all three of the jobs, instead of focusing on macheteing and cheese duty.

I had very few expectations for the trip since I didn't know much about it. I knew no one who had gone on the trip before and I did not do a ton of research on it so I went in with a very open mind about what was going to happen. The program exceeded my expectations because I had so much fun and never once regretted going on the trip therefore I would say it did not fall short whatsoever. Reaching the top of the Cotopaxi Volcano and living in the village for 2 weeks gave me then greatest sense of accomplishment. Climbing that volcano was the hardest thing I've ever done in my entire life so reaching the top was a great feeling. When cleaning up in the village and packing up I felt really proud of myself for enduring those 2 weeks sleeping on a concrete floor with no hot water and complaining very little about it because I didn't think I would be able to adjust to something so extreme and not just adjust but enjoy it. I gained a newfound sense of perseverance and definitely learned some things about myself that I wouldn't know unless I embarked on a journey like this. The highlights were definitely the Galapagos Islands, Cotopaxi and the Hacienda we stayed in, and Otavalo. Those little weekend excursions were perfect breaks from the village that made the trip much smoother and more exciting. I wish we had more time to work on our independent projects because they felt a little rushed at the end of the trip but other than that I felt it was perfectly balanced. If I had spent any more time in the village I would have gotten really sick of it and same with the Galapagos so it was a perfect balance of service and fun.

I was expecting to learn a lot about myself and the culture that I was traveling to, but I wasn't expecting to meet so many awesome people. The program by far exceeded my expectations with the amazing things I learned and awesome experiences I got to have. Hiking Cotopaxi was definitely an accomplishment. Although the view from the glacier was not great because of the clouds, the sense of pride we all felt because of how hard the journey had been was worth it. Also, hearing Juliana speak in Spanish to the villagers and understanding the conversation completely was an awesome feeling, as well as stumbling through my own conversations with the adults in the village. Snorkling in the Galapagos, horse-back riding in Cotopaxi, and taking trips to Otavalo were among my favorite parts. Being with my new friends in the car and singing along to stupid songs on our way to the cloud forest was an unforgettable experience. I loved all the adventures and cultural exploration that we did on said excursions.

Going in I thought it was going to be nothing like I had every experienced before. I was going to live in conditions unfamiliar to me, sleeping on the floor, trying new foods, practicing Spanish, getting to know the villagers and helping them with the projects. The program far exceeded my expectations. Not only did I make amazing connections to my leaders and the group, but also the people in the village. Playing soccer with the kids and mixing the cement were some of the highlights of the trip. In the village as part of our fence building project, my and two other girls mixed cement by hand using shovels and it was easily the hardest thing I have ever done. We ended up missing lunch with the group and ate 30 minutes later because we were working so hard. We wouldn't stop working until the huge pile was all done and put into wheelbarrows. I remember the feeling when we finished that enormous pile and I felt nothing but pure happiness and accomplishment. It was initially this huge comprised of 7 wheelbarrows-worth of rocks and dirt and two bags of cement powder. I have never felt happier doing the work. I learned that if I put my mind to it I could really do anything and all I need is a positive attitude. When we hiked Cotopaxi, I really struggled and I relied on my friends and pushed myself through to do it. Before we added the water and began mixing, I first looked at the huge pile of rocks and dirt I didn't think I would be able to do anything with it as mixing cement is something I was very unfamiliar with, but I put on a smile and worked hard and I did it with the help of my friends. Playing soccer and teaching English to the local village kids was definitely a highlight of the trip. It was just so much fun and the kids seemed really interesting in learning both English and things about us. Just being around them made everyday so much better. The experienced mentioned above regarding working through lunch and mixing the cement was another highlight. I loved doing kitchen duty and taking trips into Otavalo getting food for the group. Dressing up in traditional garb and going to the San Pedro holiday parade and celebration was amazing. The villagers made us feel so welcome and took good care of us. We also met up with Community Service B and played a soccer game against them which was great. We really bonded as a group that day. Hiking Cotopaxi and riding the horses was also amazing. The entire Galapagos experience was incredible. I remember snorkeling at Kicker Rock and seeing a sting ray, shark, and sea turtle all in a five foot radius. I have snorkeled before but I have never seen anything like that. I thought it was a great balance. As I said before I would've like to spend a little more time on projects however we did spend a lot of time preparing lessons and teaching English and playing soccer with the kids which was awesome.

I would say the program exceeded my expectations. After doing the Costa Rica Program last year, my expectations were already supremely high for such an experience but the Ecuador trip just blew me away. I expected to become attached to another fantastic village and our Putney group, to thoroughly enjoy the Galapagos and the little weekend excursions, etc. Almost everything went above and beyond. Our group had some of the kindest, funniest, hard-working individuals I've ever met in my life. Four weeks with them just wasn't enough and I miss them dearly. Even our two leaders, Gregorio and Julia, were not just our guides, but our friends as well. They led with confidence and courage, but catered towards each individual thoughtfully and when they need it most. I loved our village. The kids were fun to play and chat with and the adults provided deeper insight into their community and who they were as individuals. I can't really compare this village to the village in Costa Rica because each community is different. It's like apples and oranges. I love both fruit, but for very different reasons. The Galapagos just blew me away. I was expecting a sort of tropical resort vibe from the Galapagos but the eco-friendly attitude left me speechless as well. The ability to be so close to some animals in their most natural environment and behavior was incredible, and the snorkeling expeditions, beaches, private tours, etc. were all gems. There was not a single moment in the Galapagos where I was bored or waiting for something to happen. The other weekend excursions were fantastic as well. They were gorgeous places with an insightful history and deep knowledge of the surroundings. Gregorio and Julia also gave us plenty of free time to explore and cater to our own needs. Although a select few abused this, the rest of us loved freely walking around Ecuador. The highlight for me was Cotopaxi. I absolutely loved every moment of the day when we climbed Cotopaxi, every moment. The only thing I would say didn't meet expectations was the food. In Costa Rica, every meal in the village and in the rest of the country was excellent. There were varying textures, meats, side dishes, etc. to fill our stomachs after a long work day or after travelling around the country. However, in Iltaqui, our group often had to have soups for lunch and dinner with three side dishes that rotated on a daily basis. After awhile, our group tired of these same meals (the soups were differing in flavors, but not by a lot) and we wanted something to sink our teeth into. The food outside the village, however, was good. The food had a major Ecuadorian theme with hints of an American touch that reminded us of home when we needed it. The climb of Cotopaxi. Our group had been doing various hikes throughout the trip to prepare for this gargantuan climb but we were well prepared. At the base of the climb, there were strong winds and rain/snow pelting our faces. Everyone pushed through the grueling and freezing weather as a unit. Later on, everyone went at their own pace but when I first reached the refugee camp (since I was the first one in the group, not trying to brag...), I had an immense sense of accomplishment knowing that I pushed myself physically and mentally and it proved to be worth it. The feeling I got was indescribable, but in words, I guess it would be sky-high happy. I wanted to share this feeling with the other students, so I ran inside dropped most of my sweaty gear off, and headed back out into the freezing cold. Since I was so hot, the cold didn't bother me. But, I partially went back down the mountain to further cheer on my struggling companions. I cheered them on and gave them motivation and when everyone else reached the refugee camp, I felt closer bonded to the group. It was phenomenal. After a bit of warming up, a majority of the group decided to climb up to the glacier. The glacier hike was harder than the first part of the hike but what a reward we got. Reaching the topmost point that we could go just gave a huge confidence boost to the already insanely giddy group. Everyone was insanely happy and me and a few of my friends experience a runners high. Everything was just perfect that afternoon. I gained an immense sense of unity and strength in numbers. I found that being a cheerleader to my weary friends wasn't a monotonous task, it was enjoyable. It gave them that little edge to finish and push themselves mentally. I got immense satisfaction out of that. Along with this, my group members began understanding why I pushed myself as hard as I did (Through work and now the climb of Cotopaxi) and I became closer friends with everyone as a result. As mentioned above, the climb of Cotopaxi was a clear highlight. Literally the perfect day for me and nothing was wrong or bad. The day we snorkeled at Kika (Kicker? The rock that looks like a shoe/sleeping lion) rock. All the activities that day were an incredible amount of fun (The snorkeling, private beach exploration and swimming), the animals we saw and interacted with were phenomenal and the group I was in (We were forced to split into two separate groups) had a phenomenal time talking on the boat, rocking out to songs and so on. The last highlight was our final evening meeting. Everyone revealed their highlight of the trip and that they were saddened to leave and loved everyone so much. Though there were a lot of tears, it signified that our trip may be over, but our friendship certainly isn't. I think the program was overall balanced. The only thing I would've liked was more diverse projects, but I can understand why Gregorio and Julia elected to do one main project. We poured all our budget on making the canals on the side of the road in Iltaqui because it was the most beneficial project to the community.

In terms of the activities we did, the trip met my expectations because we did hard work in community service and had lots of fun outside work. This trip far exceeded my expectations through the way I bonded with members of our host village and with the other students on the trip. We hiked Cotopaxi and I'm not an outdoorsy person so I felt extremely accomplished when I got up the volcano and continued up to the glacier. I was so happy to have a practical use for the Spanish I've learned in school and it definitely improved. I also think I gained a better sense of myself through seeing myself in such a new environment and taking more risks than I normally do. It's a wonderful experience to travel with a group of total strangers because it allowed me to be more independent and open up to new people and experiences. Seeing the Galápagos was such a wonderful and unique experience and I loved getting to learn and explore in such a special environment. Everything was so beautiful there and it was a really nice conclusion to a trip filled with so much hard work in our host village. I think it was very well balanced because of the time we spent working alongside villagers and going into town to observe more urbanized Ecuadorian lifestyles. We got to do a lot of outdoor activity but it was mixed with lots of chill time to talk and play games at our home in the village. The little weekend excursions were amazing and the last week in the hacienda and Galapagos was such a good mix of relaxation and outdoor exploration.