Off to Ecuador with the CITTI Project

Chauncy Rucker

For some time, Bridgett Perry, founder of the Community Inclusion Through Technology, International (CITTI) Project, has kept us up to date on her exciting project.

July 2004 - Community Inclusion Through Technology, International
http://www.connsensebulletin.com/citti.html

July 2005 - An Update on the CITTI Project
http://www.connsensebulletin.com/cittiupdate.html

November 2005 - CITTI Project – Ecuador 2006
http://www.connsensebulletin.com/cittiecuador.html

The study tour to Ecuador this summer sounded so interesting that I decided to apply to become a participant. I’m excited to say that I was accepted and will fly down to Quito Ecuador mid July. Arriving a few days early I’ll get a chance to explore Quito and become used to the elevation of nearly 10,000 feet. I’ll also need to try out my beginning Spanish conversation skills. I’ve always felt that I lacked whatever the memory chip is to learn languages and my recent experience trying to learn Spanish has pretty much confirmed that earlier notion.

The tour has everything. We fly into Quito and then travel to Ambato, Ecuador for orientation and information exchange with disability related non-government organizations. On our fifth day we move to a hotel in Banos for a week and commute to Huambalo, a rural village, to work with families and create resources for the community. Later we will move back to Quito to explore the city and take a trip to the Middle of the World equatorial line. On the 15th day most of us will be flying back home.

There are two groups involved in the tour. I’ll be in the larger group of “professionals;” the other group is interns who will stay on for another week. They will return to Ambato, stay with host families, and complete a community service project there.

In addition to these two groups there is a core leadership team of Bridgett Perry (CA), Maggie Morales (CA), Chaya Spector (CA), and Joy Zabala (TX). Russ Holland, a leader from the Alliance for Technology Access (ATA), had planned to be on the core team, but needs to stay home with his family in upstate New York this summer to rebuild after a house fire. When Russ decided he couldn’t travel to Ecuador this summer, Joy Zabala agreed to help out by joining the leadership team. Although we will miss our good friend Russ, Joy is certainly another strong professional.

While I will not be taking my computer to Ecuador, I’m told we will have access to the internet in most of the places we will be staying. So I’ll be sending back information during our stay July 22 – August 5. As you can tell, I’m really looking forward to this trip. If you think it sounds interesting you can check the CITTI Project website:
http://www.cittiproject.org/

Perhaps you might want to consider joining the 2007 trip.
Adios Amigos!