Gap year interview - Stephanie teaches in Ecuador


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To find out more about what to expect from volunteering, read our case studies and interviews of previous volunteers. Stephanie taught English in Ecuador - read what she has to say.

Teaching and the Ecuadorian experience with MondoChallenge

1. Name: Stephanie Lipton


2. Age: 20


3. When did you take time out?:
During the summer after my first year of university


4. For how long?: 3 months


5. Where did you go?: Puerto López, Manabi, Ecuador


6. What did you do?:
I worked in one of the local elementary schools teaching English and gym class. I did a little bit of independent travel on the weekends.


7. How was it for you?:
It was one of the best summers of my life. I wasn´t just the ordinary traveller I got to actually live the Ecuadorian experience not just observe it.


8. Any advice for people planning to take a gap?:
Be prepared for everything and maintain an open mind.


9. Anything you wish you’d packed/done differently?:
I wish I had packed less. I wish I could have stayed longer!


10. How long did it take you to “get back to normal” after you returned?:
A couple of weeks. But still I was yearning for my friends and the family I lived with in López. I learned a lot, it really gave me a different perspective.


11. What are you planning next?:
Right now I am actually working in Ecuador again, in the city of Cuenca. Thanks to my experience with Mondo I was eligible for the internship! I will be studying in Spain this year on an exchange through my university.