I moved to Quito, Ecuador

I moved to Quito, Ecuador. Living and teaching abroad is a wonderful adventure. While I was sad to leave the island life of the Caribbean, I am excited to be in a Spanish speaking country. When I decided I wanted to live and teach internationally my goal was to do it in a Spanish speaking country.

Quito at night

Quito

The city has a lot to offer I feel like I can get almost everything here (cheese is an exception- how is there no good cheese???): food, microbreweries, entertainment, parks... I live near parque la carolina (Carolina park). It has a bunch of walking/running/biking paths and is full of people exercising and doing park things.  I’m about 45 minutes walking from work. I would be willing to walk home as it's downhill. But going to work up hill is not high on my list. The school provides a bus for staff. It picks me up about 3 blocks from my home. It is very convenient and with the crazy traffic, it’s nice to be in the hands of the school to get me to work on time.

 Cascarrabias across the street from my building
has great food and beer

Walking to parque la carolina from my home. 

The altitude is a real pain. Walking up a few stairs can leave you breathless. They say after a few weeks you acclimate, I’m still waiting for that to happen. It gets better, but breathlessness is a fact of life. Also it is super dry, even when it rains. A humidifier has helped at night.

I thought I would be cold all the time, but I’m enjoying the weather. Central heat and air conditioning don’t seem to exist here. It can get really cold in buildings at work, especially in rooms where that don’t face the sun. Dressing in layers are key. I carry an umbrella and extra sweater with me most times.