Hey Guys,
So, I've been asked a bazillion times about communication while I am down in Ecuador - this is what I was given by the PeaceCorps for family members. This is pretty general, but should give you an idea of what my ability to chat with you will look like.
Now, for the first week, just assume that I won't have access to internet - that is their 'blackout' period. I may well be able to access the webs within a day, or it may be a week or two - I simply can't know that until I'm there.
I will also not be moving to my permanent address until mid- to late-August, so I will update you all again when I have a different address.
I would love to hear from everyone, be it via email, Facebook message, or by letter. I *love* writing and receiving letters and post-cards, so as I am able, I will try to keep up with writing those, but again, the ability for me to write frequently is a complete unknown to me right now.
If (heaven forbid) there is an emergency, and you need to get ahold of me ASAP - it is best to go through my parents. It'll create less of a hassle for the PC to handle calls from them, as opposed to my amazing friend #8. If you do not have their contact information, mum is on Facebook now, and you can reach out to her for a phone number there, if you need. If you would like to have it preemptively, message me on Facebook or shoot me an email, and I'll confirm that she's ok with me passing it out.
Alright - I think that's most everything! Peruse the following letter, if you are so inclined, and that's the information on contacting me! <3
Communicating with your Peace Corps Volunteer while overseas
March 2013
Dear Friends & Families,
Greetings from the Ecuador Desk in Washington, D.C. It is with great pleasure that we welcome your family member to the Peace Corps family. We receive many questions from Volunteers and family members regarding travel plans, sending money, relaying messages, mail, etc. As we are unable to involve ourselves in the personal arrangements of Volunteers, we would like to offer you advice and assistance in advance by providing specific examples of situations and how we suggest handling them.
1. Written Communication.
The mail service in Ecuador is not as efficient as the U.S. Postal Service; thus, it is important to be patient. It can take about 4 weeks for mail coming from Ecuador to arrive in the United States via the Ecuadorian postal system.
We suggest that in the first few letters sent, the Volunteer family member give an estimate of how long it takes to receive the letters and then try to establish a predictable pattern of how often the volunteer will write. (Also keep in mind that written correspondence sometimes wanes as the Volunteer’s service progresses.) Try numbering your letters so that the Volunteer knows if one has been missed. Postcards should be sent in envelopes--otherwise they may be found on the wall of the local post office!
Volunteers often enjoy telling their most humorous or extreme stories when they write home. This is one of the exciting and adventurous elements of serving as a Volunteer. Anecdotes in letters might describe recent illnesses, lack of good food, isolation, transportation challenges, etc. While the subject matter is good reading material, it is often misinterpreted or exaggerated on the home front.
There is a Peace Corps medical officer at the Peace Corps office in Ecuador. In the event of a serious illness, the Volunteer is cared for by our medical staff. If Volunteers require medical care that is not available in Ecuador they are medically evacuated to either Panama or the United States. Fortunately, these are rare circumstances.
If for some reason your normal communication pattern is broken and you do not hear from your family member for an abnormal amount of time, you may want to contact the Counseling and Outreach Unit (COU) at Peace Corps Washington at 1-800-424-8580, extension 1470. Also, in the case of an emergency at home (death in the family, sudden illness, etc.), please do not hesitate to call COU immediately, so that we can inform the Volunteer. This number is available 24 hours a day. Tell the operator your name, telephone number, and the nature of the emergency and the Duty Officer will return your call.
Dear Prospective Volunteer: Please give this letter to your family and ask them
to hold on to it for as long as you are in Ecuador.
2. Telephone Calls.
The telephone service in Ecuador is relatively good and service in and out of Ecuador to the United States is mostly reliable—however, it may be pricey! During training, your Trainee may have scarce access to email, but some of the host training families may have phones either in their homes or at a nearby location. Your family member will communicate what that phone number may be to you.
During their service, access to email should be available—albeit not necessarily at all times. They will also be able to inform you of their telephone number once they arrive at their permanent sites in the country.
The Ecuador Desk maintains regular contact with the Peace Corps office in Ecuador through phone calls and email. However, these communications are reserved for business only and cannot be used to relay personal messages. All communication between family members and the Volunteer should be done via international mail, email, or personal phone calls, unless of course there is an emergency and you cannot reach your family member.
3. Sending packages.
Family and friends like to send care packages through the mail. Unfortunately, sending packages can be a frustrating experience for all involved due to the high incidence of theft and heavy customs taxes. You may want to try to send inexpensive items through the mail, but there is no guarantee that these items will arrive. We do not recommend, however, that costly items be sent through the mail. You may use the following address to send letters and/or packages to your family member until he/she has informed you of a different address:
Melinda Ellington PCT
Cuerpo de Paz
Casilla 17-08-8624
Quito, Ecuador
NOTE: If you are awesome and send a package, please do not send anything weighing over 4lb. And please refrain from declaring value, if possible, as this leads to insane tariff taxes (ie, the first step is almost $200).
It is recommended that packages be sent in padded envelopes if possible, as boxes tend to be taxed and opened more frequently.
We hope this information is helpful to you during the time your family member is serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador. We understand how frustrating it is to communicate with your family member overseas and we appreciate your using this information as a guideline. Please feel free to contact me at the Ecuador Desk in Washington, D.C. if you have any further questions. My phone numbers are 1-800-424-8580, ext. 2525 or 202-692-2525.
Sincerely,
Ella Ewart
Country Desk Officer
Ecuador and Colombia
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