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I spent a few days in Canoa back in 2005. If your hostel is the one I think it is, I didn't stay there but did go to its café for breakfast most days.
The most important cultural tip I remember may not be useful, but in case it is: do not beckon someone over as you would in an Anglo-Saxon country (fingers pointing upwards), as that implies you think they're a prostitute. Instead use a similar hand movement but with your fingers pointing at the ground.
Busses stop anywhere, not just at stops. To stop one, stick out your hand with the palm down and pat an imaginary object. Get on, take a seat, and someone will come round to collect the fare from you later. Back then it was about $1/hour as a rule of thumb, but there's probably been some inflation.
Take a few rolls of fly paper, and possibly a rat trap.
Canoa is a tiny place, and doesn't have much in the way of shops. You'll have to go south to San Vicente and get the ferry across to Bahía if you want to send a postcard home or buy more than basic groceries.
Language notes:
Use usted pretty much always except with small children.
Strawberry is normally la frutilla rather than fresa. Passionfruit = la maracuyá. Blackberry = la mora. Peach = el durazno.
Agua aromática means roughly "herbal tea", but in some places if you want tea you ask for agua aromática, whereas in others if you ask for té you'll get herbal. You pays your money and takes your chances (although if you really want tea you could try asking for té negro).
If you decide to do a bit of travelling while you're in the country, I thoroughly recommend the Mindo cloudforest reserve, ENE of Santo Domingo and WNW of Quito. It's also en route from Canoa to Otavalo, which has a large market aimed at tourists.
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