Driving Skills | Health | Education | English Language Skills | Child CareAu Pairs in General | Religion | Telephone | Diet | Miscellaneous

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The following information is generalized and compiled from questions posed to the agents and interviewers in Ecuador. Although au pairs from Ecuador may or may not have had these experiences/beliefs, Au Pair in America wishes to share this general information with our families.

Driving Skills

1. Cost and difficulty to obtain a driver's license
   
Inexpensive – US $10, and not difficult to obtain.

2. Obtaining a driver's license e.g. driving lessons, practical and theoretical test?
   Theoretical and practical test.
   
3. Availability and cost of obtaining an International Driving license
   Readily available, costs about U.S. $70.
   
4. Obtaining a driving license
   You must first obtain a learner's permit for three months before being able to apply for a driver's license
5. How common is it for 18-26 year olds to own their own car or use the family car
   Very common.
6. Cars – manual or automatic
   Manual.

Health

1. Most common inoculations
   BCG, Polio, DT, MMR, and Hepatitis B.
2. Inoculation for TB (Tuberculosis)
   It is not compulsory to have the inoculation, but it is required that children are tested at ages 6 and 12.
3. Free health service
   There are public hospitals and a social security system providing free health care, but service in general is poor. Those who can afford to use private doctors and hospitals.
   
4. Cost and regularity of visits to the dentist
   Quite expensive, and most people choose to go private. Visits are regular.

Education

1. Percentage of young women that go on to university
   Approximately 30%.
2. Alternatives chosen if not attending university
   Straight into a job, or take a short course in computer skills or languages.
   
3. Importance of educational opportunities of the Au Pair in America program to the au pair
   Unknown.
4. Start and finish of the academic year
   There are two academic years in Ecuador. The coastal region begins in April and ends in January, and the highlands begin in September and end in July.
   

English Language Skills

1. Is English a compulsory subject in the schools in your country?
   Yes, it is good in most private schools and major cities, but generally very poor in public schools.
2. Description of the study of English in schools e.g. from what age English is taught, how many years is English compulsory, courses focused on written or oral skills
   Officially, English is taught in pre-school through to 12th grade. Courses are focused more on grammar and writing, with almost no oral skills practice. Private schools have better English programs.

Childcare

1. Common attitudes to and types of discipline for children
   A little bit of everything: leniency, strictness, over-protectiveness, talking to.
2. Physical discipline of children
   Uncommon.
   
3. How child care is obtained if not formal qualification
   We come from a culture of large extended families in which the elder children take care of the younger ones. Some women also gain child care experience working voluntarily at orphanages and day care centres.
   
4. Sharing child care responsibilities by both parents
   These days this is common.
5. Working parents
   This is also common, but many women are still full-time mothers and housewives
   

Au Pairs in General

1. The concept of being an 'au pair'
   As it is a relatively new program to be offered in Ecuador, people are still getting used to the idea.
   
2. The motivation of young people to want to be an au pair
   Improving their English language skills, the academic study opportunity, earning money and being in a safe environment.
   
3. Improving job potential upon returning home after a year in the U.S.A.
   Definitely. Language skills and international experience enhance their curriculum.

Religion

1. Most common religions
   Catholicism and Protestantism.
   
2. Practice of religion by young people
   It depends on their backgrounds/schools, but as everywhere, it is less than with former generations.
3. Would a young person choose to practice a religion that is different than her family's religion
   Unlikely.
   
4. Common religious practices, e.g. special practices or dietary restrictions
   None.

Telephone

1. Telephones in the home
   Most people have them, but lines are difficult to obtain in certain areas and often involves a lengthy process.
   
2. Would most parents/family speak English well enough to take a message from an American Host Family?
   Not generally.
   
3. Computer or e-mail access
   There are many cyber cafés for access to e mail, and more and more people are getting computers in the home.

Diet

1. Attitudes to eating meat
   Most people eat meat.
   
2. Vegetarianism
   It is becoming popular but still not that widespread.
   
3. Other common dietary traditions
   None.

Miscellaneous

1. Freedom of their family to socialize and date
   Yes.
2. Curfews at home
   This is not uncommon.
   
3. Sharing household chores
   In general girls are used to this but the middle classes quite often have maids for the household chores.
   
4. Diversity of population
   Some diversity.
   
5. Main characteristics of the people
   Family-oriented, warm, conservative.
   
6. Attitudes to nudity both in and out of the home, e.g. sunbathing in the nude?
   We are still conservative and traditional towards nudity in public; no sunbathing in the nude.
   

Additional useful information
N/A

Au Pair in America®, 2007