Quest Overseas - Gap Year Travel

Day one in Villa Maria was welcomed with a blitz tidy for what is going to be our home for the next 31 days. Litres of bleach, sweat and tears ensured that the beers consumed with Ola's spiccccy sausage pasta in the evening were well deserved. Impressions of Villa Maria were great, with all the long term project members letting us know that pranks would be taking place on a daily basis.

Friday was our first fully packed day, involving a trip to one of the communities located at the top of the shanty town. Football as always featured heavily as well as skipping ropes, ring toss and memory games to the excitement of us as much as the children. Then it was our first introduction to the mayhem that is the swimming pool. Copious numbers of children togged up in swimming gear followed the Quest team down to the local pool where for an hour, we were used as what can only be described as human climbing frames and rocket launchers ‘Gringo, gringo carga me'...

So the Villa Maria team fly down to Lima to start their project work in Villa Maria this evening, but we're sure their time in Ecuador won't be quickly forgotten. Thanks to the sterling efforts of leader Jimmy 'Spielberg' McSparron - the 3 weeks of Spanish lessons, trekking, beaches and fun has been captured on film. Well done to the team - a great start to their 3 months in South America!

Think this look like a great way to start your Gap Year? Why not apply to join the 2013 Villa Maria Gap Year team departing in January!

The Villa Maria team have only been in Quito a week but they have certainly packed a lot in....here's what they've been getting up toin their own words!

After dribbling into Hostel Tutamundo in Quito due to different flights, accusations of bribery at Miami Airport and food poisoning acquired before even trying Ecuadorian mussels, we shared our first meal and took a quick tour of the city. The team were quick to settle down to a movie in aid of jetlags ranging from New Zealand, South Africa, Canada and the UK.

Friday was a day of hecticness. Our reason for visiting Quito kicked in. We have 4 hours of Spanish every morning, divided into 2 hours of vocab and grammar followed by 2 hours of practical work, so visiting the market and asking what the bizarre pointed purple fruit is, or taking a trip to the park and showing off your ability to tell the difference between un perro y un gato.

Our evening events began with what only can be compared to a booze cruise in Magaluf; the Chiva Bus. Alongside our Spanish tutors we began the debaucherous tour around Old Town and up to the Virgin of Quito fuelled not only by diesel but also unlimited amounts canalazo, a traditional warm cocktail. The night continued with a slight pause to consume traditional chicken, rice and potatoes with yet more of the canalazo, which at this point was traded in swiftly for the cervezas. In the club shapes were thrown, jager was bombed and this is where the hangover was born....

The 2012 Villa Maria Gap Team have quickly settled into the Ecuadorean way of life - and after last weekend's visit to Otavalo market I'm sure they all have the llama jumpers and hats to match. However being an intrepid Quest Overseas team they weren't shopping all weekend, Sunday saw them head off for a mere 5 hour stroll round Laguna Cuicocha, a crater lake nestling next to Cotocachi volcano. A great way to test out those walking boots and get everyone in the mood for the longer expedition treks to come.

Through the joys of modern technology - well Google Earth - you can see where they went. It's bigger than it looks - honest!

We should be receiving the first update written by the team soon so do keep checking back here!

Sound inspiring? Why not apply to be part of next year's Villa Maria Gap Year team departing on 2nd January 2013.

Bags are packed, boots are on and Jon's at Heathrow Airport....it can only mean one thing - the first Quest team of 2012 are heading overseas!

Good luck to the Villa Maria Gap Year Team as they head off to Quito, Ecuador to start their action-packed 3 months in South America. The intrepid 12 will be learning Spanish in Quito; providing hundreds of hours of activities for hundreds of children, and constructing new homes for single-parent families at our social project in the shanty town of Villa Maria, Peru, then embarking on a challenging and adventurous expedition through Peru, Chile and Bolivia.

You can follow the team's progress on our "Team Updates" blog - where we will be posting stories and photos from South America as they go along.

Sound like your perfect Gap Year? They why not take a look at the Villa Maria team departing in January 2013!