Welcome to The Rainforest Language Collaborative, where we answer the call from our Indigenous friends in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest. They seek to embrace English as an additional language, empowering themselves with direct communication with the wider world, free from reliance on non-Indigenous interpreters. Renowned for their resilience and cooperation, the Achuar people are eager to conquer language barriers, demonstrating their readiness to adapt and learn. As an English educator, you play a pivotal role in fostering their independence. Our immersive 7-week program goes beyond language instruction, fostering cultural exchange, sharing of wisdom, and blending ancient traditions with modern teaching methods. Join us and be part of this transformative journey.

Highlights:

• Teaching: With a full-time teaching schedule on weekdays, we're seeking certified ESL educators or individuals with teaching or training backgrounds to join our mission.
• Weekend Excursions: Beyond the classroom, the rainforest is your living textbook. Spend weekends delving deep into the Amazon, guided by local indigenous guides who know it best, and indulge in firsthand learning of cultural traditions and practices that have sustained generations (e.g., plant medicine ceremonies, waterfall ceremonies, dream sharing guayusa, medical rainforest hikes, etc.)
• Training & Orientation: To ensure you're well-prepared, we've designed robust pre and post-trip training sessions, equipping you with the right tools, techniques, and understanding to make a meaningful impact.
• Fundraising Support: Recognizing the spirit of community, we offer support for fundraising, ensuring that financial constraints don’t deter passionate educators from this transformative journey.

Join us at the Rainforest Language Collaborative, where every lesson taught echoes through the dense canopies of the Amazonian rainforest. Come, teach, learn, and co-create a legacy.

 This is a 7-week commitment to teach a specific module. Below are the available 2024 dates:

Sep 21, 2024

Nov 2, 2024

Jan 4, 2025

Feb 15, 2025

Mar 29, 2025

May 10, 2025

Given the depth and intensity of this experience, it is important that we learn more about you to see if there is an appropriate match between you and this particular journey. To fill out the application, click here.

Michelle Turan, PhD, BCBA Rainforest Language Collaborative Director

Michelle has supported education around the world supporting disadvantaged populations at their request. As a full-time professor in behaviour analysis, Michelle believes that great change is motivated by action and not words. Through her travel experience she has personally explored more remote areas with Indigenous communities and has deeply benefitted from the wisdom they have shared. It is for this reason, Michelle feels deeply committed to supporting the Achuar community in their desire to learn English as an additional language. As an Intercultural Development Inventory administrator, Michelle wishes to also support teachers in their own growth in cultural competencies while in this immersive experience.

Steve Torneten, Journeys Director 

Leading transformative journeys in the Amazon has been a profound passion of Steve's ever since he received a calling years ago to journey into the enchanting magic of the Amazon rainforest and connect with our Indigenous brothers and sisters who call it their home. For the last ten years, he has led individuals from across the globe into the Amazon, showing them firsthand what it means to build a respectful and reciprocal relationship with Indigenous communities.

Steve believes there are few journeys as impactful as the ones we offer. These experiences serve as transformational for our guests, while simultaneously providing a valuable and empowering experience for the Indigenous people who generously share their ancient wisdom with the world, contributing to the creation of a new worldview.

His personal journey has been an adventurous one, spanning from serving eight years as a helicopter pilot in the Marine Corps to establishing a successful real estate business. This was followed by years of exploration into human consciousness through practices like meditation, yoga, shamanism, and fasting, ultimately culminating in letting go of it all during his first journey in the Amazon.

 " Teaching English to the children of the Achuar community  was one of the most rewarding and valuable experience of my life.The English program serves as a vital tool to empower these indigenous children. As they learn English, they gain a voice on the global stage. I recall a conversation with one of the children's parents, who expressed a dream for his sons and daughters to speak English confidently. He shared concerns about interpreters not fully conveying their messages".- Luciana Alves- June 2023

"I loved and fully lived this unique adventure, took a while but I finally manifested my biggest childhood dream.Thank you to Amazon Journeys with Steve for this unique & one in a lifetime experience".  - Magalie Dubois, December 2023.

" It has been a rich and wonderful experience. It’s good to leave your preconceived notions at home as nothing can adequately prepare you for this jungle journey! The Achuar are wonderful people and living amongst them for the past seven weeks has been the experience of a lifetime.  Being of service to them through teaching English has been an incredible honor for which I am very grateful!  🙏🙏🙏" - Letitia Reason , February 2024.

We recognize that this is a significant commitment, and we are here to assist you in your decision-making process. If it would be beneficial, we would be delighted to arrange a Zoom call with you to ensure that this journey aligns with your aspirations, our mission, and the indigenous communities we serve. Please click here to access our calendar and schedule a Zoom call. During the call, we will provide a more comprehensive overview of the journey and address any questions you may have.  

Once you are accepted and have paid your deposit we will send you an email with all the information you need to travel to Ecuador.  

 The teaching collaborative's pre-departure training is a comprehensive and interactive program. Through virtual sessions on Zoom, you and your fellow participants will engage with the Institute's leadership to establish a strong foundation for your teaching journey. You will participate in intercultural awareness training, delving into the diverse communities you will be working alongside. The history of these communities will be explored, fostering a deeper appreciation for the cultural context and preparing you for the potential and limitations of your role. Equally important, participants will receive guidance on essential packing and preparation to equip them for a seven-week immersion into the heart of the Amazon. This thorough pre-departure training consists of at least three meetings, ensuring that every teacher embarks on their extraordinary adventure feeling fully prepared and eager to make a meaningful impact. 

After your arrival, you will convene at the hotel with other teachers and/or travellers to the Amazon rainforest. During this time, you will meet a coordinator who will assist in preparing you for the next day's travel, answer any questions you may have, and prepare you for your trip into the Amazon.

After an early breakfast, you will embark on a scenic journey heading south, descending the Andes along the Avenue of the Volcanoes and passing through the waterfall-filled Pastaza River canyon. This will take you to the gateway of the Amazon rainforest.

In the town of Shell (named after the oil company that has posed threats to the areas we will explore), we will reach the nearest airport to our destination. There, a small chartered plane will transport us on an hour-long flight, flying over an increasingly unspoiled primary rainforest and following the winding path of the Pastaza River as our guide. As our plane touches down on a dirt runway in the ancestral lands of our Achuar hosts, we will have arrived in one of the most remote, biologically diverse, and spiritually significant places on Earth.

At this point, you will receive a warm welcome from the Achuar community, get situated in your accommodations, and begin the preparations for your upcoming weeks of teaching with your students. 

In the first few days of our Language Collaborative program in the Amazon, we embark on an enriching journey of cultural immersion and preparation. During this initial phase, participants will have the unique opportunity to meet and connect with current teachers who have been serving these vibrant communities. We'll delve deep into the rainforest way of life, gaining insights into the rich traditions, customs, and challenges faced by the Indigenous people.

Our dedicated orientation process will equip you with the essential knowledge and skills needed to thrive in this unique environment. You'll learn how to prepare for and initiate your teaching journey, creating a strong foundation for meaningful interactions with the community and a successful educational experience. This first week sets the stage for a transformative and culturally enriching adventure ahead.

In your early days of teaching, you will have the opportunity to meet the Achuar community school president, who will provide you with an overview of the class schedule, introduce you to the various age groups, and acquaint you with the Achuar Spanish teachers. The school operates from Monday to Friday, with classes running from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Expect to teach for approximately 3.5 hours a day, with afternoons reserved for tutoring, lesson planning or relaxing in a hammock. Please be aware that schedules may vary among different communities.

You, as teachers, are granted access to Starlink satellite internet during your stay in the Amazon. This access allows you to maintain communication with your families and friends, participate in weekly check-in video calls with a Director and utilize it as a valuable teaching resource. . 

 The Achuar will offer you three daily meals, housekeeping, and laundry services. Additionally, they will provide you with a guide for weekend excursions to various communities, waterfalls, rainforest hikes, participation in early morning guayusa tea ceremonies, plant medicine ceremonies, visits to the Kapoc tree, and other cultural activities. 

Get ready for some enjoyable sports activities on the weekend as the Achuar have a strong passion for soccer and volleyball. If sports aren't your preference, take the opportunity to go for a leisurely walk, relax in your hammock, journal, or engage in playtime with the children. If you have any particular music skills, this can also be a great way to connect with the community and the children.

There is a period of overlap where you will have the opportunity to teach the new incoming teachers and share all your new knowledge.

Following your last day of teaching, you will have a couple of days to say your farewells to your Achuar brothers and sisters, as well as your students, and start getting ready for your departure. Subsequently, you will be flown back to the town of Shell in a small plane, where a Coordinator will provide transportation to Quito for an overnight stay. During this period, you will have a debriefing session with the director to help you prepare for your transition back into the outside world. 

These experiences are mutually transformative; not only do the Achuar have the opportunity to experience you, but you will also undergo a profound transformation through your immersion in indigenous communities. Two weeks after your return to the outside world, we will host a Zoom call with you and/or other members of the teaching team to reflect on this experience and provide support as you integrate this incredible journey into your life.