IES Abroad Quito

I was lucky enough to be placed with a fantastic host family, and have the opportunity to volunteer as a soccer coach with a very dedicated team of women. I was very fortunate - more fortunate than many of my friends, several of whom were on the coast of Ecuador during the earthquake of April, 2016 - in that I never had any major negative experiences. Additionally, I was one of the very few who did not get pick-pocketed, or catcalled (I was one of the few men in the program - about 20/25 were women). Their experiences made me think about race and gender (and natural disasters) in a way I really hadn’t before. For myself, I found Quito very easy to navigate, had an overall great experience interacting with Ecuadorians, and would 10/10 recommend the program!

I’m sure you’ve thought, “If only I weren’t so busy, I’d [insert activity]!” That activity might be a personal project, travel, or just taking some time to relax and read a good book. My study abroad in Quito, Ecuador, certainly kept me busy. But after a few weeks, I realized just how much stuff I had worked into my university life back in the US, from clubs, to classes, to my social ‘responsibilities’. In Ecuador, I got the rare opportunity to step out of my normal routine, to pick and choose the activities about which I felt passionate enough to keep, and discard those which, I realized, weighed me down. Through this process, I created time to pursue activities such as those from the first sentence, activities which we’ve all thought about, but not necessarily followed through on.

The quintessential components of my study abroad experience - traveling around a new country and speaking a new language; living with a new family; and taking classes introducing a new perspective - were all engaging and thought-provoking. Many of my fellow reviewers have commented that one or all of these were instrumental in re-shaping their world view. But one of the most understated aspects of study abroad is the student’s ability to fashion new habits and re-prioritize responsibilities to more-accurately reflect passion and commitment. Developing both a fresh outlook and fresh habits during time in Quito made me feel as though I truly did get the most out of my study abroad experience.

Ecuador was always a place to visit for me since my family is from there, but it had been a very faint memory as far as the day-to-day life over there. I found the amazing to opportunity to study abroad AND complete my studies in Ecuador through the IES Abroad program. The staff was extremely helpful from the day I flew in to Quito until the sad day I had to say good-bye. Every single person in the IES Abroad Quito office was involved in my program and they were always so helpful and humble to myself and the other students. I had an advantage over the other students, being that I had already visited the country multiple times and being a Spanish speaker, but this didn't stop the staff and administration at IES from teaching me so much more about the country and the people that I hadn't known before. They made sure to give us a tour of Quito prior to classes starting where we learned how to catch the bus, giving us the play by play of all the routes and giving us a sense of direction in the city. Then, the staff accompanied us to Universidad San Francisco and made sure that we were all as comfortable as possible embarking on our first day of school, I felt like it was the first day of pre-school and I had the comfort of my parents there making sure everything was set up perfectly for me to start my year. Academically, the system at USFQ was something far from what I was used to in the states. Everybody, from the dean to the cooks and chefs from the kitchen had a mutual sense of respect toward each other, it was one where everything was "horizontal"; nobody was above anybody and everybody was more of a colleague or peer rather than seen as a boss or a superior. The professors, for that matter, were amazing. Not only did they try to throw all their knowledge on the student, they genuinely had an interest in the students learning and academic journey. Outside of school hours, IES had various trips planned, to the Amazon, the Darwinian islands of Galápagos, and many little towns and beautiful scenic places that will forever leave footprints in my life. The social life needs no mentioning in this country. Everybody is so friendly and welcoming and curious to befriend everyone else. Making friends was definitely NOT a problem in Ecuador, the culture itself allows for a great and spontaneous social life, even at lunch breaks during classes where we would walk across the street to grab some food and enjoy music or the soccer games! IES also offers an internship/service learning program which truly gives the opportunity to fully immerse oneself in the culture and roots through volunteerism. This gave me the amazing opportunity to indulge in something that will not only be beneficial to my future career but it put me smack dab in the middle of the cultural commotion. During my internship at a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation organization at the university, I met many professors, students, and activists that all worked so well together as a team and showed me the true meaning of solidarity. Not only that, being in that internship taught me a lot more than I could ever read up on: the amazing night biodiversity of the country, the deep sense of culture, the language (slang included), among other things. It gave the experience of being able to give back to a community that opened its arms to me and let me in its doors to feed me, shelter me, and show me what it had to offer. It was with a very heavy heart that I had to leave the country, but an ecuadorian saying stuck to me that can define the experience for me: Me fui a volver... And I will be back because Ecuador is all I need.

IES abroad in Quito, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands was the total study abroad experience. My parents called me a “nerd” for wanting to take summer classes, but my experience was not limited to the classroom. I explored the city, in my free time, just like a true Ecuadorian. Having almerzos for $3, going to free concerts in the parks, and trekking around the downtown city center, these experiences might sound unimportant details; however, these memories are the ones which you’ll never forget. Sure I did not know what was in my food or what the musicians were singing, but I do know that through these experiences my group was able to bond more. My group consisted of nine other collegiate students from all across the United States. At the beginning, we were just like awkward freshman during orientation. Not really knowing what to talk about or what should be our mannerism. It wasn’t until the end when I realized, all the pre-departure nervousness about meeting new people was just an imaginary monster continuously making me doubt myself. As time went on, we slowly became more comfortable with each other. It wasn’t until playing soccer at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station that we came to together finally as a program. Even though we resembled a peccary and even though I scarred my legs, this would be one of the highs on my trips. By the end of the trip, we did highs and lows. And the soccer game was one of my highs. In actuality, the whole trip was a high. Even the “bad” experiences could be laughed about and remembered fondly. Going to Ecuador with IES totally changed my perspective on life, you don’t just come back with souvenirs and pictures. IES allows you to come back with new memories and a new culture which can completely change your outlook on life. Cliche, I know. But going to the rainforest, the mountain regions, the cloudforest, and the Galapagos Islands really does change you. No longer are you a regular American. I lived in Ecuador and I feel completely immersed with the student and local lifestyle. I plan in my future to return to Ecuador. I want to see how many more memories I can carry with me for the rest of my life. I want to be able to say to my kids, “yes, when I was 20 I traveled by myself to a foreign country without knowing the language.” I want to listen to the song by OneRepublic and agree that I have lived. Hopefully you can travel abroad and see, taste, smell, study, learn, and live. These small things will allow us to truly gain an experience, the same kind of experience which I have gained through IES Abroad. The program was well thought out, from the pre-departure packing list to the farewell dinner. I could not imagine using any other study abroad program than IES. IES abroad in Quito, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands was the total study abroad experience. My parents called me a “nerd” for wanting to take summer classes, but my experience was not limited to the classroom. I explored the city, in my free time, just like a true Ecuadorian. Having almerzos for $3, going to free concerts in the parks, and trekking around the downtown city center, these experiences might sound unimportant details; however, these memories are the ones which you’ll never forget. Sure I did not know what was in my food or what the musicians were singing, but I do know that through these experiences my group was able to bond more. My group consisted of nine other collegiate students from all across the United States. At the beginning, we were just like awkward freshman during orientation. Not really knowing what to talk about or what should be our mannerism. It wasn’t until the end when I realized, all the pre-departure nervousness about meeting new people was just an imaginary monster continuously making me doubt myself. As time went on, we slowly became more comfortable with each other. It wasn’t until playing soccer at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station that we came to together finally as a program. Even though we resembled a peccary and even though I scarred my legs, this would be one of the highs on my trips. By the end of the trip, we did highs and lows. And the soccer game was one of my highs. In actuality, the whole trip was a high. Even the “bad” experiences could be laughed about and remembered fondly. Going to Ecuador with IES totally changed my perspective on life, you don’t just come back with souvenirs and pictures. IES allows you to come back with new memories and a new culture which can swirl together. No longer are you a regular American. I lived in Ecuador and I feel completely immersed with the student and local lifestyle. I plan in my future to return to Ecuador. I want to see how many more memories I can carry with me for the rest of my life. I want to be able to say to my kids, “yes, when I was 20 I traveled by myself to a foreign country without knowing the language.” I want to listen to the song by OneRepublic and agree that I have lived. Hopefully you can travel abroad and see, taste, smell, study, learn, and live. These small things will allow us to truly gain an experience, the same kind of experience which I have gained through IES Abroad. The program was well thought out, from the pre-departure packing list to the farewell dinner. I could not imagine using any other study abroad program than IES.

I would definitely recommend this program to anyone who is interested in Environmental Studies or Biology; I believe those specifically interested in Ecology or the Galapagos would benefit immensely from this program. It is also a good program for those who do not want to miss a semester at their home institution by studying abroad, or for those who would like a small taste of what it is like to be abroad before studying for a longer period of time. Personally, I wish that I had chosen a semester program because I did not want my short time in Ecuador to end.

The weekly (and often biweekly) excursions in Quito and the Galapagos were fantastic - the following is merely a sample of the many excursions we went on: there were overnight stays in exclusive regions of the Amazon, hiking in the páramos of inactive volcanoes, snorkeling around 5 islands in the Galapagos, visiting artisan markets, and walking around in the cloud forests. These excursions, though fun, were really meant to solidify our understanding of what we had learned in class through hands-on work.

There are also two home stay elements to this program - students will stay with a host family in Quito and another host family in the Galapagos, encouraging cultural immersion and practice of the Spanish language. Although it varies by family and student preference, most of the experiences that I have heard about (as well as my own) were generally very positive.

I honestly do not have many critiques of this program; the only thing lacking was free time that did not have any programming (for instance, it was hard to get out and experience life in another region of Ecuador if it wasn't in the programming) and the fact that a number of us needed to commute on public transportation for over an hour just to get to campus. However, despite those small hiccups, this program has really opened my eyes and my heart to the benefits of traveling and cultural immersion.

I had an amazing experience with IES Abroad Quito-Direct Enrollment. The on-site staff is incredibly caring, fun to be around, and has lots of advice to give. Although I did not ask them for much help and didn't have to resolve any problems at school, I felt comfortable knowing that they were available and able to help in case something came up. Having a "home-base" in Quito (the program building) definitely contributed to how much I enjoyed my experience. Although the direct enrollment program was quite small, the area studies program was there at the same time, and I could always count on someone being in the building if I wanted to hang out. We always met up at the building, studied together in the computer room, or once we even made empanadas with the entire program and the on-site staff there. I loved having a non-public place to go to in Quito other than my homestay, to get a change of scenery for studying, etc. Although I enjoyed only half of my classes at the local university (next time I would ask more students about the professors), I think the opportunity to direct enroll added another cultural level to my experience. Students at the university come from a much wealthier economic background than other Ecuadorians we usually encountered in the city. It was also interesting to observe the classroom atmosphere, how professors teach in varied styles, to see how the emphasis on certain assignments is different, and to see the students' perspective on school compared to its importance at my home university. A high level of Spanish is very helpful in classes with exclusively Ecuadorians. These classes are challenging but also helped me improve immensely, as the topics were new (such as the Ethnohistory of Ecuador) and there was also never an excuse to speak English. Living in a homestay, taking part in the Service Learning component of the program, and attending the local university, gave me a varied perspective on social and economic classes in Quito and helped me better contextualize the Ecuador's diversity, which we learned about in my Service Learning class. I also loved the field trips IES took us on and appreciated the freedom we had to travel on the weekends with friends.
I especially enjoyed the last two months in Quito!! I had made amazing friends from the program that I knew incredibly well at that point, but had also gotten to know Ecuadorians well enough to spend time with them after school, which was great for practicing Spanish! I loved exploring Quito, and would definitely recommend this program to anyone! I didn't want to leave!!

I learned so much during my time in Quito. Becoming a part of daily life in the city taught me more about how people live outside of the country than I could have ever imagined. On the other hand, I did not have the best host family experience. The accommodations were incredible but I had very high expectations of living with and becoming a part of a local family. Instead I lived with an older single woman and we hardly spent anytime together. My favorite part of my experience in Ecuador was the service learning internship I was able to do. I got to work side by side an Ecuadorian doctor in a private clinic for patients with disabilities. It was awesome to have the hands-on experience and be able to contribute something to the host country.

This program is just plain awesome. The classes are engaging, the field trips are incredible, and the overall experience is phenomenal. The city of Quito is situated in the Andean mountains. I was amazed by its beauty literally every single day on the way to class. While I did always feel a little on edge, if you follow the safety tips provided and keep your wits you will be fine. USFQ is a beautiful campus in a safer part of the city. The ecosystem class taken at this university is interesting, but the best part is when you get out of the classroom and go on the field trips. I honestly could not tell you which one I liked the most- Tiputini Research Station in the Amazon, the cloud forest at Mindo, or the breath-taking (literally and figuratively) hiking on Chimborazo, 16,000 feet above sea level. They are once-in-a-lifetime experiences and undoubtedly give you a new perspective on the world.

Although the days are long in Quito with 6 hours of class, you will appreciate the free time in the Galapagos. Every day I had time to explore the island, swim in the ocean, or just veg out on the beach. Snorkeling was my favorite thing to do in my free time. You will see sea lions, sea turtles, lots of pretty fish, sharks, penguins, and rays. The class in the Galapagos with Dr. Quiroga is extremely applicable. It is a lot of work, but I still find myself looking back on the assignments and finding ways to incorporate them into my classes back at home. Putting the work in is well worth it.

Start an email list The people I met in my group will be my friends forever. The host families I stayed with were genuinely kind people who love to host students. The food in the country was delicious. The country itself is beautiful. Overall this program rocked. My expectations were exceeded in every way and I wish I could do it again!!

Quito is an excellent city for study abroad. It's big but easy to navigate and become familiar, with easy and inexpensive public transportation. My host family was absolutely wonderful - accommodating, caring, friendly and patient, and went out of their way to welcome me. I found nearly all the Ecuadorians I came into contact with, whether my classmates, professors, or random strangers to be very warm and eager to share their country. Quito has great nightlife and easy accessibility to the rest of the country via bus.

I was very pleased with IES staff - they always went out of their way to make sure we were safe and content. Field trips were well-planned, exciting and fun. When I was sick one of the directors brought me to the doctor, another helped me with a tough academic situation. That being said, the only negative aspect of the IES program was the class I took at PUCE, the university. While IES classes had great professors and content, the class in which I directly enrolled had confusing policies, unfair grading and a professor who refused to work with me as a foreign exchange student. Some of my friends also had issues with classes there, but luckily the credits didn't matter for my university.

I had an incredible experience in Quito and I would recommend this country and program in a heartbeat!