Living Conditions

What are the living conditions in our program?

Most of our host families live in rural areas around the Napo Province and do not have urban comforts or luxuries.
The city of Tena is urbanized and has shops, pharmacies, public transportation, and restaurants. Host families in the city tend to have more amenities.
The climate in most of the Napo Province is warm and humid. The temperatures vary between 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day with an average humidity of 80%. During the night, temperatures drop to 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. The rainy season is June to August (during which it can rain all day), and the rest of the year you can expect one shower daily.
In the higher altitudes of Napo, the weather is cooler and temperatures can drop to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The higher elevations tend to experience more fog, mists, and winds.
The electrical currency and plug type is the same as in the U.S. (110V). Although often they are two-prong rather than three-prong outlets, so you may want to bring an adapter (3 to 2 prongs) or you can buy one here.
It is likely you will not have hot water showers in Tena or the rural communities. In some cases, especially in the rural communities, you may bathe using a bucket and water, a hose, or in a river. Be courteous and curious. Remember you are coming to experience the realities and participate in the daily routines of the people who live here.

What currency is used in Ecuador?

Ecuador’s currency is the U.S. Dollar. Due to a major financial crisis in Ecuador, it was implemented in September 2000. ATM/Debit cards are the easiest way to access cash here.
Visa and Visa Plus are more often accepted than Mastercard. Although there are ATM machines for both. Make sure you contact your card company prior to your departure and let them know you will be making transactions outside of the country.
Make sure to ask your bank about international ATM fees; some banks have withdrawal fees as high as $6 per withdrawal while others do not charge at all.
There are several ATM machines in Tena that accept all major debit cards.

Can I drink the water?

We provide natural spring water 24 hours a day in our office. Please use the water wisely.
Host families provide potable drinking water for interns and volunteers. They either buy bottled water or boil it.
Do not drink the water from any rivers, lakes, or taps.

What type of food is available?

Ecuadorians eat lots of plantains, yucca, rice, and chicken. A common lunch in town is a first course of chicken or beef soup and a second course of chicken, rice, maybe a little salad and a glass of juice. Traditional food is maitos (chicken or fish wrapped in a maito leaf and cooked on a grill), boiled yucca and plaintains, and guayusa. Also, there is a wide variety of locally grown fruits and vegetables.
You are provided with three meals per day: breakfast, lunch and dinner
Participants with special dietary needs should inform us ahead of time to make arrangements.

What cultural differences must I consider?

Latin culture tends to have less ‘personal space’ between people. Also, people tend to stare when they are curious.
Ecuadorians greet family and friends with a soft handshake (between men) or a kiss on the cheek (between women or members of the opposite sex). This is predominantly seen in the mountains and on the coast.
Most indigenous people (men, women, children) in the Amazon greet each other with a very light handshake.
Ecuadorians tend to dress formally and neatly outside the house. Older, practical clothing is used for fieldwork.
Office attire is typically a polo or nice shirt and a pair of jeans or khakis. Sneakers are acceptable for office environments, but please do not wear sandals or open-toed shoes to work, especially for fieldwork.
Sandals, running shoes and hiking boots are good footwear. Tena has a good selection of stores where you can pick up additional clothing or shoes if needed, especially rubber boots. Rubber boots are ideal for fieldwork and going into the forest.
Ecuadorians are generally very open and friendly to foreigners.
Ecuadorians are flexible with time, and it is not uncommon for planned events to happen later than arranged. Just go with the flow and forget the stress!

Can I drink alcohol and smoke tobacco?

The legal age for consumption of alcohol and cigarettes is 18, but it is our program culture not to drink at any of our activities.
All others drugs that are non-prescription are illegal, and you will be terminated from the program immediately if you consume.

Will I have time for extra activities?

Participants are expected to show up on time for internships, complete work on time, and participate in all scheduled program activities. Participants have almost all evenings and weekends free to do extra activities [e.g. sports, clubs, rafting, weekend trips]

Is there access to telephone,internet,and mail?

Telephone: The Napo Province has very good cell phone coverage via the service CLARO. We encourage all participants to buy CLARO SIM cards for their phones upon arrival to Ecuador. There are also telephone booths for national and international calls that can be found in most cyber cafes.
Internet: The Amazon Learning office in the city of Tena has wifi that participants can use during weekdays. There are cyber cafes on nearly every block in Tena and surrounding towns; cyber cafes are inexpensive and great for checking email. In rural communities, there is almost no access to wifi and reliable internet.
Mail: Mail service in Napo, and Ecuador in general, are not very reliable. We recommend that participants to not send or receive packages.

Health and Risk Management

Is Ecuador safe?

Generally speaking, Ecuador is a safe country for travelers, especially outside of the two major cities, Quito and Guayaquil. Even so, it pays to be on your guard, especially if you´re traveling alone. Violent robberies are rare and the most common problem is pickpockets. Thieves look for the easiest target. If you carry a wallet that is sticking out of your back pocket, then you become an easy target. Be careful in crowded areas, such as markets and bus terminals. Follow instructions about your belongings when staying in hostals and hotels.
When you travel with Amazon Learning, you have an advantage over the thousands of other tourists that visit the Ecuadorian jungle, as your orientation starts even before you land at the Quito airport. We work to provide you in advance with the “street smarts” that will ease your travel.

Do I need travel insurance?

Our program requires that you purchase basic traveler’s medical insurance, so that you can be evacuated in case of serious injury. For minor medical needs, the local clinics are quite good and operate on a cash basis. If you have international or travel insurance, you may be able to send those claims to your provider. Some travel/trip insurance providers offer not only medical evacuation but other benefits such as lost-luggage insurance, etc. However, please keep in mind that calling the U.S. in the event of an emergency may not be as easy as insurance providers would want you to believe. A few popular options are listed below:

What vaccinations do I need for Ecuador?

We recommend that you consult a doctor in your home country for up-to-date advice about vaccinations. Do this as soon as possible, as some vaccinations take time to be effective. General advice is to be up-to-date with tetanus and diphtheria, Hepatitis A & B, and typhoid.
Please note that some vaccinations require a course of injections over a period of 3-4 weeks and will vary in price, depending on your health service.

Yellow Fever - A Yellow Fever vaccination is required for any part of the Amazon.

Malaria - For all of our programs except for a few of our special programs we operate in areas where there have been no cases of malaria reported in the past three years. It is a personal choice if you choose to take Malaria tablets or not. Most people choose not to as wearing long sleeves/pants and repellent should be sufficient. If you are planning on traveling to other parts of Latin America before or after your trip, please consult your country’s vaccination list for the appropriate areas.

Rabies - Rabies is uncommon in the region and is generally only carried by bats or rarely, by dogs. Pre-exposure injections are available in your home country at travel clinics. In the unlikely event of exposure to suspected rabid animals, treatment is available in Ecuador. In this case, you must obtain treatment within the first few days following the bite if you have not received the pre-exposure injections.

Leishmaniasis - Leishmaniasis is present throughout the rain forests of southeastern Ecuador. It is a skin lesion caused by a protozoan transmitted by a certain kind of small biting fly. There is no vaccination against it, but it is curable with shots of pentavalent antimony (Glucantime). Leishmaniasis preventable by wearing long-sleeved shirts, pants, and repellent on exposed skin at all times, and sleeping under mosquito nets.

What do I do in an emergency situation?

In case of emergencies Amazon Learning has a risk management and emergency response protocol that goes into action. This is something we talk about during orientation to make sure participants know what to do in an emergency and the resources our team has access to.
The majority of our staff is Wilderness First Aid [WAFA] certified
There is a complete regional hospital in Tena, and access to ambulances, police, and private doctors.
We can connect participants to our network of private doctors and therapists.
For natural disasters or political unrest, our team has strict protocols that go into place. We communicate with our network of experts, embassy contacts, and local partners to get up-to-date information and ensure the safety of our participants. In the unlikely event of an evacuation, we assist participants exiting the country.

Travel and packing

Do I need a visa?

On arrival in Ecuador, the immigration official will stamp your passport with a free 90-day. You should always check on consular requirements before you travel, as information does change.
Tourist visas can be renewed for an additional 90 days for about $120. The Amazon Learning team can support participants with the renewal process.

What should I take to Ecuador?

Essentials:

Long cotton pants
Cotton t-shirts and long sleeve shirts
Bathing suit
Shoes that you can get wet
Sneakers
Flashlight with batteries
Sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher
Sunglasses
Baseball caps or hats for the sun
Rain jacket or poncho
Insect repellent (preferably eco-friendly and without DEET)
Small denomination bills ($100 bills are almost impossible to use, and $50 are very difficult)
Small daypack
Copy of your passport photo page
Socks
Water bottle
Thermometer (for taking body temperature in event of illness)

Good to have:

Binoculars
Camera gear
Hiking shoes (rubber boots are easily available in Ecuador)
A money belt that goes underneath a T-shirt, or a belt that has hidden zip pockets
Bandana (good for protecting neck and head from insects)
Drybag or plastic sealable bags (good for protecting equipment such as camera from dust, humidity, and water)
Personal first aid kit (for example: anti-diarrhea pills, antibiotics, antiseptic, itch-relief, pain reliever, bandages, blister covers, etc.) and personal medications