A Foreign Language Education Investigation of the United States and Ecuador

By Thomas Joyce

The concept of foreign language instruction in the United States has been a long debated issue. Some believe that proficiency in a foreign language should be a high school graduation requirement; others believe that required language classes hinder the exploration of other subjects by students not interested in languages; and finally some believe that foreign language instruction is not being done early enough in schools. Over the years, the presence of foreign language education in schools nationwide has been declining, and recent reports show that only roughly 20% of students across the country study foreign languages at some point in their K-12 years, and only 7.5% of college students study foreign languages. The result of this has been a population less equipped for this constantly globalizing world in which only 20% of the population speaks English, and the importance of cross-cultural communication continues to grow. 

Having studied a second language for the past seven years, I have always been puzzled by the lack of attention given to foreign language learning, and felt that foreign language classes were not being offered to students early enough. Upon conversing with my language partner, who attended an English Institute High School in Ecuador, he told me about learning English in school from a very young age, taking English classes outside of school, and having to pass an English proficiency test in order to graduate high school. Although these are not the typical requirements of schools in Ecuador, I was amazed by what he was describing. This sparked my interest, and led to my investigation of foreign language teaching in the United States, as well as in Ecuador, and although the prevalence of bilingual individuals in these countries is not starkly different right now, the futures of these countries may look very different based on actions currently being taken. 

In the United States, foreign language requirements depend on the state, and right now only four locations have foreign language study as a graduation requirement. In New Jersey and New York, one year of foreign language study is required to graduate high school, while in Michigan and Washington, DC, two years are required. Aside from these locations, no other states have mandatory requirements, and in fact, only 1 in 5 public school students take a foreign language class prior to entering the college/university level. This lack of educational presence has resulted in the US lagging behind in the world in regards to cross-cultural communication. In fact, only roughly 20% of Americans are bilingual according to the US Census Bureau. For comparison, in Europe, roughly 56% of people are bilingual. In regards to Ecuador, traditionally the percentage of Ecuadorians that speak a foreign language has not been very high, but since the implementation of the US dollar as the official currency in 2000, the conversation surrounding the importance of English fluency has become much more relevant. 

In 2015, The Ministry of Education in Ecuador enacted a bill that required English instruction in public primary schools starting at the age of six, with the goal of proficiency by age eleven. This made it the third country, behind Costa Rica and Colombia, to require English language instruction at such a young age. Ecuador has also implemented a program known as GoTeacher, which is a study abroad program for Ecuadorian teachers which allows them to learn more about the English language and the proper way to instruct it. The current administration cites this bill as one of its main successes, as the importance of languages in our quickly globalizing world has become more clear than ever. 

In the United States, language instruction typically begins in children’s middle school years, which is part of the issue. Studies have shown that the best age for children to begin learning a second language that will maximize chances of achieving fluency, is prior to the age of 10. This means that American schools are beginning foreign language education too late, and when paired with the fact that in the majority of places it is an elective rather than a requirement, it is clear why the United States is behind so many countries in terms of bilingual individuals. Throughout the country, the focus of schools is directed solely toward English, Mathematics, History and Science courses, with language courses wrongly characterized as accessory to this core, rather than a part of it. 

Despite English being the most widely spoken language worldwide, with the world becoming more and more interconnected every day, and with its population growing every year, it is clear that Americans should begin to look at this issue more seriously. With bilingual skills becoming more valuable in the job market and cross-cultural communication becoming more prevalent in day to day life with technological advances, it will be interesting to see if the United States takes steps to combat this largely nationwide tendency toward complacency regarding foreign languages. Ecuador recently took its first steps, and only time will tell if the US will follow its lead. 

Community Exchange Partnership for Virtual Interns

Transcribed By: Elena Walker

One of the highlights of our virtual summer internship has been partnering our interns with community members in Ecuador so that each week they can discuss life and feel a little more connected to someone thousands of miles away. Below is an interview that one of our summer interns, Elena Walker, had with her community partner.

1. What is your name and a little bit about your family

   My name is Cynthia Diaz. I have one sister, Veronica. She is 20 years-old and taller than me. I live with my mother and father. My mother is 54 years-old, and my father is 57 years-old. Her name is Teresa, and my Dad’s name is Carlos. My dad was in the army 14 years ago. I have a dog, and his name is Toby. He’s a schnauzer. I am almost 20. 

2. Where and what do you study? 

   I study in the Central University of Ecuador. I am in my first semester. I am studying to become an OBGYN. I will start classes in one month. My university is in Quito, and I will study for 5 years. I like my career because I love to help other people (especially babies). I think helping women is really important for society. 

3. What is your favorite place in your city (Sangolquí)?

   The San Luis shopping mall. I like it because there are a lot of different stores and arcades. You can hang out with your friends. I also like the waterfalls, but they are very far from where I live. 

4. What is your favorite Ecuadorian food?

   Cariucho. It is grilled chicken with potatoes and an onion and peanut sauce. I also love ceviche.

5. Can you tell me a little about Ecuador’s most famous customs?

   We have a lot of carnivals...each city has their own. There are a lot of people dancing and colorful decorations. We also have a lot of traditional indigenous outfits. 

6. What made you interested in MPI?

   When I was 14 years-old and my mom found MPI, she enrolled me in an English course. I started in the third level. I used to go there each Saturday. I made friends there. They also had a lot of books...I really love books. I used to borrow them. I have read Frankenstein and Crime and Punishment from that library. I used to love going there. It was absolutely perfect. They also had a room with videos games and a ping pong table. The volunteers were so nice! I love that place. That was 5 years ago. It is very important what you guys do. It’s very nice. 

7. What programs did you participate in?

   I participated in the English class and art class. 

8. What was your favorite program?

   English class, but I also really loved the drawing class.

9. Have you recognized a difference in your life because of the MPI programs?

   I think that interacting with and talking with natives from the United States makes it a lot easier to learn English. When I began English classes at the University, it was a lot easier for me because I had already taken lots of English classes with MPI and had the opportunity to speak with native English speakers. 

10. What do you want to achieve with your current participation in MPI’s programs (the language exchange with MPI’s summer interns)?

    I want to not forget my English and have the opportunity to practice with a native speaker. I also like being able to share my language and culture with another person and also learn about theirs.

COVID-19 Transition for MPI Volunteers

Here is a glimpse into how the transition was for Manna Project International volunteers once they had to leave our site in Ecuador and return home…

“The night before the end of the world: Ecuador was slightly behind in the COVID-19 pandemic, so the second weekend of March, a few of us PDs set off to Baños for a weekend excursion that had been planned for a few weeks. We had an incredible time white water rafting, soaking in the hot springs, and visiting the infamous Casa del Árbol. But on Sunday, we found out that Ecuador had plans to shut down and we were to be sent back to the US. We took a 3-hour taxi back to the Manna House and within 36 hours had packed up and caught flights out of Ecuador. It felt like a race against the escalating mandates in Ecuador to close borders and restrict all forms of travel. We were lucky to get home safely and to have had such a memorable last weekend. We are all excited to be reunited and have more adventures in Ecuador when this is all over.” --Megan

“Upon hearing the news that I had leave Ecuador and return home, I made arrangements for my final hours in South America. We were white-water rafting that day and I had a flight scheduled for very early the next morning, so I found a dry shirt, attempted to straighten my unkempt hair, and hopped on a bus back to Sangolquí. By the time I got home and packed it was very late in the night, and I called an Uber to take me to the airport. The driver greeted me with a cordial, “hello,” as Ecuadorians sometimes do when they see an obvious gringo. I responded in Spanish but learned that he could speak English relatively well. His name was Mateo and I was clearly not his first American in need of transport to the airport that night. We chatted for a while and, because his English and my Spanish were roughly equitable, I liked to respond in his language as he practiced mine. 

Mateo, as it turns out, was a very impressive medical student taking classes, working on rotation in a hospital, and driving with Uber to earn a little extra money at night. He discussed his desire to continue learning English to fulfill his ultimate goal of practicing medicine in the U.S. where his girlfriend now lives. I, always excited to get in some community outreach, told him about Manna Project’s English Conversation Club. He was very intrigued and asked me to put the information into his phone for him. I told him that I’d hope to see him at the club if I get a chance to return to Ecuador in a few months. Despite his busy schedule and the uncertainty surrounding this crisis, Mateo then gave me his phone number and told me to call him if I needed someone to pick me up from the airport should I ever come back.

Mateo probably didn’t think too much of this moment, but for me it was spectacular. Here was an overworked, underpaid medical student about to be called into the frontlines of a looming international pandemic and he was offering to sacrifice his precious time to do me a favor. It was the perfect culmination of the enduring generosity of the Ecuadorians I've met which has almost become expected but never taken for granted. If there’s one thing that we can learn from them during these times of uncertainty and anxiety, of fear and anguish, of isolation and distancing, it’s that we can still be there for each other even if we have to be apart.

I know I speak for the entire Manna team when I say that we’re still working to build a stronger community and we’re looking forward to the time we get to return to Ecuador. Maybe I’ll see Mateo in Conversation Club.”   --Ben

“I went from working during the week and traveling throughout Ecuador on the weekends to being stuck in my house trying to keep busy. I’ve been exercising every day, working remotely, applying for jobs, and catching up on reading. My best decision was purchasing an inflatable kiddie pool – one of the perks of being quarantined in Florida during most states’ cold months. While lying in my tiny pool, I close my eyes and try to trick myself into thinking that I’m relaxing at Luna Volcan’s thermal pools overlooking the mountainside in Baños, Ecuador.”   --Isabelle

“In my short time back already I have been struck with reverse culture shock from increased prices on fruits and vegetables, more of a general germaphobic culture (regardless of the pandemic), increased anxiety and pressure surrounding time, and more individualism—for example, inability to find toilet paper on the shelves at 5 different grocery stores, and unwillingness to comply with the stay at home orders. When I feel overwhelmed with the cultural differences, I close my eyes, play Ecuadorian music, and imagine myself relaxing on the roof of the Manna house in the sun, in a salsoteca, or even just having a cleaning fest together in the Manna house. Reverse culture shock has definitely been far more pronounced to me than the initial culture shock. I am excited to hopefully return to Ecuador when things settle down, and to move to Miami this fall to have about as much of a blend of the Latin American and US cultures as you can find!”   --Mikayla

“Departing from Ecuador was a bittersweet moment because I had to leave behind memories that I treasured, but am grateful for the friendships that I made along the way. Since coming back, I joined a virtual book club with some friends I met during my trip. I recently finished Queen of Water by Laura Resau, a true story about the coming of age of an Ecuadorian woman who struggles to reconnect with her heritage as an adult after working as a slave for a mestizo family. I highly recommend the book to anyone interested in social justice issues from an indigenous perspective and learning some Quicha words along the way!”   --Emmanuella

“The first two weeks of my quarantine in Ecuador went surprisingly well. I was setting aside time for MPI work, practicing my French, studying for the GRE, and doing some creative writing. My boyfriend and I were cooking healthy foods and doing morning workouts on our patio. Heading into my third week, things started to change. I was feeling less motivated and more discouraged by the news I was hearing about the pandemic, particularly how it would impact my friends, my family, and my future. 

By Tuesday, I was feeling drained and couldn’t focus on even the simplest tasks on my to-do list. My boyfriend could see that I was discouraged and told me to take the rest of the day off to watch bad reality TV in bed. It turned out to be the perfect cure. With everything going on, I’ve learned that it’s ok to allow myself to be lazy every once in a while so that I can be productive again.”   --Emily

Dancing Through Life

By: Megan Lo, Program Director

My first Saturday Night in Ecuador I was thrown into an incredibly fun new experience that was way out of my normal comfort zone. A fellow Program Director had a local friend who introduced us to Lavoe, the most famous Salsoteca in Quito. Though we had only practiced basic steps for about an hour in the living room, courtesy of some Spanish youtube videos, we threw on our dancing shoes and headed out for a night on the town. We definitely stuck out as the Americans that couldn't dance, but surprisingly the locals were patient and enthusiastic to show us the basic steps of dancing Salsa and Bachata. We saw some professional level dancers that night and were inspired to improve our moves. 

We got almost all seven of the current PDs to try out a free salsa class at a dance studio called Cinnamon Escuela de Baile the following week. We were quickly convinced into signing up for private lessons every Tuesday night and have learned the basics of Salsa, Bachata, Reggatone, Merengue, and Salsa Choke. We love practicing the routines we learn on the roof of the Manna House after dinner and have returned to Quito to go dancing several times. It has been a great way to learn more about traditional Latin American dance and to meet new friends.

Our playlists are now full of salsa and bachata music and we pride ourselves on how much we've been able to learn in the first month. It is something I hope to continue over my next six months in Ecuador and hopefully I'll be able to find a Salsoteca back in the States to try to bring home some of this fantastic culture. 

Ain't No Mountain High Enough

By: Mikayla Bowen, Program Director

Though most of our current program directors only arrived in Ecuador a few weeks ago, we dove headfirst into experiencing the incredible Andean hiking that Ecuador has to offer. During the past few weekends, together we have hiked two popular hikes near Sangolqui—Rucu Pichincha and Ilaló—both of which can actually be seen from the roof of the Manna House.

The first hike, Rucu Pichincha, was a 5-hour hike to the first summit of one of the major volcanoes that surrounds Quito. We began by taking the TelefériQo, a cable car which brings you from the city of Quito up to the start of the hike at around 4100 meters. The elevation here was no joke—even the starting point of the hike was higher than those of us new to Ecuador had ever experienced. Slowly and steadily, we hiked and climbed through rocky terrain and steep sandy slopes up to el cumbre, the summit, at an elevation of 4696 meters! There were incredible views of Quito along with very happy dogs throughout the hike.

After our descent back to the base of the hike, we rewarded ourselves with photos with llamas along with the most incredible view I’ve ever had on a swing.

Our second hike this past weekend was Ilaló, a shorter but quite vertical 2-hour hike on the mountain which separates the two valleys outside of Quito. Throughout the hike, we had incredible views of the Chillos Valley, especially on the way down as the sun was setting. We passed 14 crosses on our way up to the 15th and largest cross.

Overall, we are super excited to have access to some of the most awe-inspiring hikes in the world throughout our service here with Manna! We can’t wait to literally reach new heights and see more of the beautiful landscapes Ecuador has to offer.