Teaching in Puerto Rico

It can be a daunting prospect, 5 weeks living in close quarters in the remoteness of the Amazon. But that’s precisely it. It is easy to forget there are local communities right on our ‘doorstep’. One such example is Puerto Rico that I have now visited on three occasions. GVI Amazon places a big emphasis on working with its surrounding local communities and Puerto Rico serves as a fitting reminder that all this research into the Amazon’s environmental stability goes deeper than stats, figures and pure intrigue. For some, this place is a way of life and a proven existence.

English lessons taught by some of the volunteers each week do a great job at strengthening ties whilst also being good fun! For my first lesson, teaching to a class of 15 8 – 9 year olds, the kids lit up at the prospect of shouting out newly introduced English words at the top of their lungs. Being anxious about the discipline of previously unfamiliar kids gave me an unexpected sympathy for my own school teachers who had to put up with much worse!

It was a definite highlight in the expedition, not just for the sake of teaching English but also witnessing and even contributing to the enthusiasm these local Ecuadorians had towards learning. I certainly look forward to the next lesson.

Grant Price - GVI Amazon volunteer, Nov-Dec 2010

Teaching in Puerto Rico