I worked in KOICA office in Ecuador as a volunteer coordinator for one year. The requirement for a volunteer coordinator was 2 year experience as KOICA volunteer so I could get the chance to apply for it. Previously, I worked in Peru for 2 years as a volunteer, teaching computer skills to the children at school. It was quite a nice experience to get know about Latin America.

I thought Ecuador was a peripheral country among the Latin American countries situated in the continent of South America because I barely knew about Ecuador. Maybe many people heard about Glapagos Islands where Charles Darwin spent some time for research. At the end of my stay I went to Galapagos Islands and it was fascinating. I could see animals that I can't see else where. It's visiting. Galapagos Islands is very famous for it's biodiversity.

Even though it's relatively a small country almost 90 KOICA volunteers is working in different regions of Ecuador. The activities of KOICA volunteers focus on education in various fields, and Ecuador needs specialists in the sector of agriculture.

What I didn't like about staying in Ecuador was that I had to pay high amount of money to pay the tariff even when you receive used clothings and shoes from Korea. They say that the policy of Rafael Correa is to protect domestic industry from foreign imported goods but I couldn't understand because they don't have industry to protect. As a result, imported goods are extremely expensive and of cousre locals can't afford it.

Recently Korean companies like SK Construction and POSCO are coming to Ecuador. I think the you can get the opportunities there if you want to work in Latin America.

KOICA office employers

Sea iguana on the beach of Turtle Bay (Galapagos Islands)