Now that I've convinced you to take a gap year between high school and college (or maybe between college and starting your career,) I'll explain why Ecuador is a great destination choice. Now the capital city of Quito is a neat place. You have the Basilica del Voto Nacional with amphibian and reptile gargoyles, the Virgin of Quito overlooking the city, the overlook building to view the entire city from above, the President's house and other official buildings, the equator monument, the volcano Cotopaxi, many monuments and statues, night clubs, and restaurants.
However, when in Ecuador, you must go into the jungle to get the best experiences from such a beautiful country. I worked and stayed at Sacha Yacu Wild Animals Rescue Center on the edge of the jungle, in Colonia Bolívar. Working in the refuge, I spent time with monkeys of many kinds, all kinds of birds, tortoises, a kinkajou, coatis, a Tayra Weasel, and peccaries (a kind of wild pig.) Working in the refuge, I got to feed the animals, clean their enclosures, and make them toys. We helped build a new wildlife refuge from the ground up. We also worked with the elementary school across the street and made lesson plans here and there, mostly about the importance of recycling and taking care of our planet. We had parties, danced, played guitar, made rope swings over water, painted our faces with Achote fruits, attended street parades, drank beer and rum, jumped from bridges into water, hiked to waterfalls, hiked to nowhere in particular, visited local markets, partied in nearby cities, partied at the refuge, had bonfires, attended city celebrations in the nearby cities, play sports with neighborhood children, and so much more. And, of course, we played with the more domesticated animals at the refuge (such as Little Coati, the cutest little raccoon-like mammal on the planet!) The jungle is full of amazing adventures, and Ecuadorians are always up for an adventure. They live their lives by the saying, "Work hard, play hard." Living like a local was an incredible experience, because they really do work hard, but they also play while they're working, and they play hardcore on the weekends.
You can always access internet in internet cafes in actual cities. Since I lived on the edge of the jungle, I didn't have internet access, except when I made my weekend trips into a city about an hour away called Puyo. But if you choose Ecuador as your trip destination, you won't want to spend your time online. My favorite part of Ecuador was the city Baños, which is a few hours away from Colonia Bolívar. If you like adventure and extreme sports, Baños is the city for you! It is known for its hot baths, but I never went to them. Some friends told me they were too crowded and no fun at all, so I skipped out on it. However, I did go canyoning, or repelling from waterfalls, which was incredible! Baños also offers horseback-riding, street go-karting, swinging at the end of the world in La Casa del Arbol, river rafting, tubing, canoeing, kayaking, ziplining, camping, hiking, biking, etc. I explored the city; ate homemade taffy, which they make on the streets right in front of you; drank sugar cane juice (too sweet, but eating actual sugar cane is delicious); shopped around the city; went on a hiking tour to several waterfalls; rode in a cable car; and partied at some awesome bars. We even stayed in a hostel with a developed rooftop, and we partied on the roof! If you are into exotic foods, you can find cuy, or guinea pig, all over Baños. It is a delicacy that I was never brave enough to try; however, the locals say it is delicious.
Ecuador is a great country to travel to if you're low on funds. The hostels are decent quality for low prices. You can find hostels for $5 per night per person, and they have hot showers and warm beds. Sometimes you even get your own personal room for the same low prices. It's even cheaper to eat out at a local family-owned restaurant than to cook your own groceries! You can go to a local restaurant and get a full meal of grilled chicken, rice, lentil beans, salad, fried plantains for dessert, and a Coke for $1.50! Make sure to try those fried plantains, especially with brown sugar! Ecuadorian empanadas are the best; you won't get the full experience of the country if you miss out on this deliciousness! Since I lived in the jungle, it was easy to pick fruit and vegetables out of the ground and off the trees for free, and boy, was everything delicious! You should definitely try fresh sugar cane and cacao seeds. The seeds are delicious to suck on, and the locals can show you how to crush the remains and turn them into sweet chocolate.
Ecuador is great, because you don't have to worry about anything while you're there. The national currency is the U.S. dollar, so you don't have to worry about exchange rates or switching out your money. It's easy to negotiate prices with locals, but there's really no need, because everything is cheap, although it's more expensive in Quito, since it's a big city, but everywhere else, everything is super cheap. There are lavanderías all over the place, so if you need to do laundry, just drop your clothes off at one, and within a couple of hours, they will have washed, dried, and folded your clothes for only a couple of dollars.
You can easily get around Ecuador, because the country has excellent public transportation. No one in Ecuador owns a car, so just get ready to ride lots of buses and take lots of taxi rides. They are very cheap, but watch out for people who will try to make extra money off of you, because you are a traveler. They will tell you a cab ride costs double what it actually costs, so make sure to either have them run a meter, or ask the price of the cab ride before you take it. A ride up to 10 minutes away should never cost you more than $1. You can probably get a cab ride farther away for that price, to be honest. Transportation in Ecuador is super cheap, including bus tickets. When you want to get off at a stop while riding a bus, you say "Gracias!" loudly enough for the driver to hear, and he will let you off. Try to learn a little Spanish before you go, because no one in Ecuador speaks English. Even the locals who ran the wildlife refuge didn't speak English. Don't let that hinder you from going to Ecuador, though; the locals are very patient and helpful, and I met plenty of travelers who didn't speak Spanish but still got around the country easily.
The people are fun and, for the most part, trustworthy. They are interested in travelers and want to hear about your experiences and your country and life. They want to become your friend. It is a pretty safe, laid back country. When you are traveling, you should always be on the lookout for crooks and creeps, but that is a rule of thumb anywhere you go. Chances are, the best people you will ever meet on your travels will be from Ecuador. You don't have to worry about diseases or terrorism while there either. Before I went, everyone told me I was going to get AIDS. People who know nothing about Ecuador will make up all kinds of silly myths to scare you into visiting a country they don't know anything about, or that they are afraid of for some other illegitimate reason. Don't ever let someone talk you into staying away from a country when they actually don't know anything about the country in question. Look up all the information for yourself before choosing a travel destination. You can find everything you need to know on this website: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/ecuador.html.
Remember this is the jungle we are talking about. Bring lots of bug spray! There are mosquitoes like crazy, as well as all kinds of other creepy crawlers. A lot of them are really neat, though, as many of the insects are a good 20 times the size of the bugs you see here in the U.S. and other western countries. Be careful which insects you touch. Many locals will tell you what's poisonous and what's not. When in doubt, look from afar. Every hostel, hotel, or friend's house you stay in will be equipped with a mosquito net for you, but if you go camping, a mosquito net is a must! When I lived there, there was no real threat of mosquito-borne diseases, but the bites can be quite irritating, of course. Remember there's a lot of rain, mud, & dirt in the rainforest as well. A country like Ecuador, which is located on the equator, is hot and somewhat humid. Take a rain jacket and rain boots (or buy some when you get there;) they'll be your best friends. Take loose-fitting, cool clothing with you. Bring a light sweater for night time chills, which do happen, even in the rainforest. It's best to travel with a rucksack, rather than a suitcase. This isn't Coachella, New York City, or London; this is a trip for people who don't mind getting a little dirty for the sake of the most beautiful hikes, scenery, & animals you'll ever see. Pack with intelligence & proper anticipation!
Ecuador is also an easy country to travel to. As a U.S. citizen, I didn't need a visa to stay in the country for up to 90 days for tourism. Yes, I had to tell them I was a tourist to avoid having to get a visa, but it was fine. There are no currency restrictions in or out of the country. The only thing that is a bit annoying is that the country does require you to have a record of several up-to-date vaccines, including Yellow Fever, Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR,) Polio, Tetanus, as well as a yearly flu shot. Ecuador does not have these diseases, and no one wants them there, so don't bring them! You'll have to go to an Urgent Care for most of these injections, because regular physicians won't carry those shots; some of them are too uncommon in the United States, so only clinics that treat travelers on a regular basis will have them in stock. Keep your vaccination papers on you when you travel. I was never asked for mine, but you never know when someone will inquire about your records.
I told you the Quito basilica's garagoyles are various amphibians and reptiles!
These are mosquito nets and an essential part of life in Ecuador. Don't worry, you get used to them. This was my bed most of the time I lived at the refuge.
The living room at the refuge is behind us, and we are sitting at the kitchen table. This is the group of workers I met and befriended when I first started working at the refuge. Workers came and went throughout my time there, though.
Our kitchen at the refuge.
My friend Adrian jumping off a bridge in Puyo.
This is Songo Songo, the most beautiful monkey at the refuge.
I told you we made a swing to swing over the creek nearby!
You could see this volcano from the steps heading up to the refuge.
Adrian and another friend Paco swinging over "La Laguna."
This was a party we had with the family who runs the refuge; they live in a house downstairs from the refuge. The people in the photo are doing the "Tomato Dance," where you balance a tomato between two people's foreheads while dancing; the last people standing with the tomato between them win.
Cacao in the jungle!
This was my favorite baby at the refuge: Little Coati. She was so domesticated that she needed plenty of play time with her human friends, and she was never able to be rehabilitated and released.
This is a kinkajou. He might be cute, but he's vicious, so don't give in to those eyes. If you see one of these in the jungle, run like your life depends on it.
This is a peccary.
We hiked to this waterfall.
This is not a snake; it's a giant earthworm. And my friend Crystallee licked it...
My friend Crystallee and I played in a plastic bag and a grocery worker named María in a skit for the kids at the school across the street.
This is where we had our bonfires. I miss my friends!
The volcano Cotopaxi, outside of Quito.
La Casa del Arbol "End of the World" swing in Baños. I didn't get to do this while I was in Ecuador, but I am determined to do it next time.
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