Canadian Emma Maughan Volunteers in Ecuador

QUITO, ECUADOR December 26, 2004 -- Emma Maughan is heading into her third week as an orphanage volunteer in the South American country of Ecuador.

Emma is volunteering at the San Vicente de Paul orphanage in Ecuador ’s capital city Quito. There are 160 kids in all at the orphanage, ranging from infants to a few teenagers around 13 years old.

Emma “loves” working at the orphanage with the kids. “I am working with the two to five year olds. I work during the week from 8 to 1:30 then I go to my Spanish class. Classes are going really well. My teacher is great and i'm learning really quickly.”

Like many travelers, Emma had to adjust to high altitude of Quito which sits at almost 3,000 meters above sea level. She writes, “The first few days were a bit hard getting used to the altitude but by the third day I was ok. Now everything is great!”

Last week at the orphanage, Emma was “… working with the babies. They are so adorable…There are four other volunteers working with the babies so it’s nice to have other younger people around while I work.”

For accommodations, Emma is living with a local Ecuadorian family during her entire stay. She is enjoying her stay with the mother Rosa and her 11-year old son.

Although her schedule has been busy with her volunteer program and Spanish classes, Emma has had time to do some sightseeing. Last weekend she “…did a bit of wandering around Quito to the historical center and the Mitad del Mundo. The weather has been great...not as rainy as I would have expected.”

Emma is enjoying her stay in Ecuador so much that she “…already [wants] to start planning my next trip down here.”

A third-year recreation management student at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Emma has been a camp counselor and a youth counselor.