UPDATE 10/4/2010: The crisis in Ecuador has passed and the finger pointing has started was it a coup attempt or was it just a group of unorganized police upset at a new law which cut their benefits. The bottom line is that things are back to normal in Ecuador and even during the crisis the most noticiable effects were fewer people outdoors as the were inside watching the developments on TV throughout most of Ecuador.
Original Update below:
As it's one of our most popular destinations in Latin America, AmeriSpan is following the news in Ecuador closely. So far, we feel that the reports in the media don't quite match what is happening on the ground. In other words, the reports tend to make things seem worse than they are. This is somewhat being fanned by President Rafael Correa's fiery personality.
We have been in touch with our contacts in Ecuador and this is what we have learned:
The protests are mainly the police protesting a new law which will result in a cut to their benefits. This was not an organized countrywide coup attempt with the military backing.
The protests are mainly at police headquarters, stations and academies and are not wide spread. For instance, our contacts in Cuenca informed us that all was quiet there and classes were held as normal.
International flights had been canceled earlier today in Quito and Guayaquil, mainly because police handle customs & immigration. Domestic flights have supposedly continued to fly. As of 20:00 EST, the Quito airport is open again to international flights.
On my first day of school, I took a test to determine which Spanish class was appropriate for me. After the test, I played table football (foosball) when I was waiting for test results. Moments later, the secretary told me to go to room fourteen. I arrived a little later to class than the other students, but we introduced ourselves to the whole class and the teacher began a short lecture of the past perfecto (I think). An hour later, we had a short break and returned to read an article about the Mapuche (indigenous people) in South America. And in the last hour, we had an oral test to determine our personalities. The teacher asked us what we would order in a bar, what we would wear when sleeping, what is our most favorite type of film, and where we preferred to go for a vacation. My result was that I like things simple and I'm content. :)
Ok, so we went to Buenos Aires....excelente!!!! It was me, another kid from the states and 2 Brazilians. This city is absolutely amazing!! We had soooo much fun and we stayed in a hostel downtown. We hung out with people from literally all over the world...Italy, Spain and Chile, Argentina. We walked all over the city and went to some great bars and restaurants. This city has so much to offer, it's very historical and if you ike to party: everybody stays out until all hours of the night, in other workds...the city never sleeps!! We went to this great barrio called "la boca" it is so cool, it's known for the Tango. It's super colorful, artsy and musical. I definitely recommend going to Argentina!
After spending four days here in Playa, I have become comfortable in mi casa, and in the town. I have met many, many people from many different places including Japan, Canada, Holland, Germany, Brazil, and even Australia. Last night mi y mi amigos attended the Cafe Social that the school puts on each Wednesday night. It was hosted by La Azotea on 5th avenue and was on the rooftop. It was a beautiful view, and allowed everyone a chance to relax and have fun together outside of school. I am still working hard on my spanish, and I am learning a lot each day. However, it does require a lot of patience.
This summer, guest blogger Niki W. participated in the Junior Immersion program for teens in Heredia and had a blast! Here is a video she took during a cooking demonstration at her school.
It’s been one week since I’ve arrived in Peru but I have honestly
done so much already....
The Sunday of my arrival, my family took me to the Plaza de Armas
(the heart of Cusco) where we saw a mini-festival, rather a competition,
between local schools.It featured
different types of traditional Inca dancing and live music, filled with bright
colors and the twirling of skirts, and the yells of the boys.Apparently every Sunday there is an organized
parade to accompany the raising of the Peru and Cusco flags, and these can
range from mini contests to celebrations of anniversaries of local
schools.
Lyon is, I have no doubt, the safest place I’ve ever lived. I feel completely safe walking around at night, carrying around my laptop in public, using my iPhone, etc. But all the guidebooks (or the few I read) on France (not particular to Lyon) emphasize that tourists should be very careful about their belongings due to the high pickpocketing rate. So, I bought my slash proof bag, my hidden wallet pouch to tuck under my shirt, and I put a lock on my backpack.
I think all these purchases were a waste, to be honest. I think you should lean on the side of safety (I wouldn’t have bought all these things if I didn’t), but honestly I don’t think you need to worry about buying any extra “slash proof” bags or whatever. [Ed. note: AmeriSpan always recommends our students err on the side of protection!]
After watching Germany secure third place in the World Cup, I boarded my plane for Dallas, where I spent a whopping 40 minutes before heading off to Santiago, Chile. When my plane landed in Chile, I was befuddled as I made my way through customs, trying really hard to only speak Spanish. But the bus company that I had made reservations with apparently spelled my name incorrectly, and my program made it very clear that I should not go with anybody who might be “just pretending” to work for the transportation company.
We are always working hard to ensure that we are only partnering with the best language schools around the world, and to always be expanding your options of where to study. Today, we are excited to announce the newest addition to AmeriSpan's locations, Pichilemu, Chile!
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