SIT Study Abroad: Ecuador: Comparative Ecology and Conservation

I'm not a science student, but I had an amazing time on this program. I learned about and visited the páramo (highlands), the cloud forest, the Amazon, and the Galápagos, made 20 incredible friends, learned from wonderful professors, and grew to love my homestay. We got to explore Quito, swim with sharks, rays, fish, eels, turtles, and sea lions in the Galápagos, see a jaguar and a harpy eagle in the Amazon, birdwatch at 5am in the cloud forest, and hike to 17,500 feet on a volcano! What's not to like?

The main things I gained were botanical knowledge, field research experience, and connections with the science community in Ecuador. I did not find the program very academically challenging and a lot of the topics covered were pretty basic ecological/biological concerts. We did a fair amount of birdwatching on the program, which is something I very much enjoy. My favorite experiences were the cloud forest excursion, going out on a boat on an Amazonian lake, and my independent study project that took me to an altitude of 3 miles above sea level. However, my Spanish did not improve much (started and finished as an intermediate speaker) and there wasn't much time for cultural immersion.

The best aspects of this program were the excursions, the close relationship with the professors, the homestays, and the independent study. We went on 4 major trips throughout the semester--a cloud forest & rural community, the paramo highlands, the Amazon, and the Galapagos--and they were amazing. Our professors travelled with us for all of the excursions and were present every day at class, and they were very helpful and supportive with everything we did. My homestays were all fantastic experiences, especially my main homestay in Quito. My Quito family seemed perfectly chosen for me and I always felt comfortable and happy there. Finally, everyone completed an independent study project for a month toward the end of the semester. This was an excellent opportunity to develop as both a researcher and a person.

This program is a wonderful experiencing mixing Spanish and science together in order to experience the best of both worlds. The excursions are the best part of the program and you get to travel to the Amazon, the Galapagos, the Paramo, and the Cloud Forest, and learn all about the plants, the birds, and the interactions. Everyday coming home to a host family was such a great experience as they were really open and wanted to help me learn Spanish and experience Ecuador.

Studying abroad in Ecuador through SIT was the best decision I could have made. I was provided with a unique cultural, language, and academic experience, growing not only as a student but also as a person. My language skills in Spanish improved drastically through continuos practice with local Ecuadorians and through language classes. This program allowed the students to travel throughout most of the country, from the cloud forest, to the volcanic glacier region, to the Galapagos Islands, and to the Amazon jungle. The Independent Study Project (ISP) was also an amazing experience, and I personally felt so rewarded when I left my ISP knowing that I had contributed to the work of an organization. All in all, I would choose this program again if given the option.

This program let me travel throughout Ecuador to lots of cool places, including the Galapagos, the cloud forest, and a very isolated part of the Amazon. If you like nature, its a great fit. The host families were wonderful. The Independent Study Project at the end of the trip was definitely a highlight. We got to travel by ourselves to work on a natural resourcesrelated research project of our choosing, generally working through local non-profits. For mine, I worked with camera traps of spectacled bears in the cloud forest to understand their patterns. It was part of a larger research project done through the Ecuadorian government and the University of Quito. Getting to put my knowledge to use in that way was wonderful.

There is no other study abroad in the world where you will canoe up the amazon and snorkel in the Galapagos Islands. GO to ECUADOR. The independent study program is amazing and will allow you to gain the skills needed to do research and work in this field in future careers!