AMBATILLO, ECUADOR The Community Located just two hours south of Quito, in the shadow of the active Tungurahua Volcano, the rural Andean village of Ambatillo is home to a culturally-rich indigenous people who, unfortunately, live in isolation and poverty. With limited resources and no government assistance, villagers survive on subsistence terrace farming, traveling once a week down to the city of Ambato to sell fruits, vegetables and colorful woven textiles, just as they did hundreds of years ago. In partnership with Experiential Living Ecuadorian Program (ELEP), MYX has been welcomed into this community to help local students invigorate their school. Visiting students will stay with local families in Ambato and make the 45-minute journey up into the mountains to Ambatillo each morning. Project Description MYX participants will work with Ecuadorian teens from both Ambato and Ambatillo to improve the village's one-room school and playground. The project will include painting and re-decorating the interior of the classroom, doing light carpentry and collaborating on an art project for the playground walls. The project team can accommodate a maximum of 15 MYX participants on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants must be high school aged, and no art experience is necessary. Dates July 4 - July 16, 2008 Program Fee $1495 pp + airfare Application Letter Participant Application Day-by-Day Itinerary Credit Card Authorization Form © 2002 - 2008 Multicultural Youth eXchange.