IES Abroad Direct Enrollment - Universidad San Francisco de Quito

The IES staff, my host mom, and my professor were all so lovely, caring, and attentive to me during time abroad. When I got sick one weekend, my program advisor replied to my messages immediately and was constantly asking what he could do to help. My host mom was also so caring during that time - it felt like being with my mom whenever I'm sick at home. She really included me in all the family activities, which allowed me to learn about traditions like guaguas de pan and colada morada. I always felt that there was a lot of help + support if I had any issues. The IES staff was very welcoming and provided us with plenty of information and opportunities to feel immersed in the culture.

Additionally, the opportunity to enroll directly at USFQ was great for both improving my Spanish and also being able to pursue courses in topics that were more unique to Ecuador, such as Ecuadorian Archaeology or Andean Anthropology. Everybody was so nice and the food was delicious. Studying abroad was a very formative experience for me and I'll always have an affection for Ecuador because of my time there. The ability to live completely in Spanish was essential to improving my Spanish to basically fluent and giving me confidence in my language skills.

The excursions also allowed me to see places I never would have otherwise thought much about visiting. For instance, in my Landscape Archaeology class we took a day trip to Quitoloma, which was an old Incan military lookout. From there, we were able to see the entire valley of Cumbayá and Quito which was really neat. The Galapagos was also one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. My photos from one beach we went to almost looked fake they were so gorgeous. It was such a special moment in my life. I would 100% recommend the program to other students.