Hola Friends and Family,
I'm currently on my way to Quito, with a layover in Houston. I decided since I had a few hours I would make myself useful and set up a blog. I will be updating it periodically so you can keep track of my time in Ecuador. Feel free to click on the links and read about my experiences as I add to it. I'm hoping to have internet access about once a week and be able to keep in touch that way. Please feel free to send me messages on here, via email: ahoffman@emporia.edu and through regular mail (although it is very slow ...). My address at the Sister's house is:
April Hoffman
c/o Las Religiosas de la Asuncion
Apdo 17-01-678 Calle B-Lote E8-116
Barrio Quiteno
Quito, Ecuador
America del Sur

For those of you who aren't sure what I'm doing ... I'm not either! :) But, here's what I know as of today. I am a volunteer through the Associate Missionaries of the Assumption. This is a program based out of Worcester, Mass and is run my the Sisters and Brothers of the Assumption. This year there are 11 volunteers total and we are going to many different sites where the brothers and sisters are located: England, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Mexico City, The Philippines and Ecuador. We are doing many different jobs, but Nicole and I will be mainly teaching English as a Second Language at the school run by the sisters. We are excited to get there after a few delays ... and ready to get started. :) This is a volunteer position, but we are receiving a small stipend and the sisters provide room and board.
If you'd like to read more and see a few photos of my fellow volunteers here is a link to the site: http://www.assumptionvolunteers.org/.

I'm scheduled to be in Quito tonight around 11 p.m. and have made arrangements for one of the sisters to pick me up. They said just look for the purple skirts (the modified habit of the Assumption Religious). Hopefully no one else will be wearing a purple skirt!

Hope to add some pictures and a real update soon! Thanks for all your prayers and support.