Four weeks will be spent on campus preparing for the abroad. There we will focus on foundational knowledge and skill development in biology, (e.g. basic ecological and biological concepts, fauna and flora identification and observation methods, scientific methods and scientific research and writing skills), foundational concepts in philosophy, communicative competence in Spanish language, and intercultural competence skills and knowledge in country studies, as well as learning how to be a low impact traveler. We intend to practice field skills like snorkeling and use of field equipment (binoculars, field guides, cameras, etc) during the four weeks.
The group will travel together to Ecuador for the 9-week, in-country part of the program.
The group will spend the first week in Quito, getting acclimated and familiar with this vibrant city and local environments. The next two weeks will focus on the Andes and Andean mountain people and their communities. Then we’ll return to Quito to stay with local families, and dive into our language and Ecuadorian culture for three weeks. We’ll spend a week at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station deep in the heart of the Amazon where you’ll see and study the incredible diversity of life, including troops of monkeys and wonderful tropical plants and birds. We’ll also be spending a few days in a tropical cloud forest research station on the west side of the Andes mountains, to witness yet another explosion of tropical biodiversity and to visit an organic cacao plantation (Ecuador is the origin of cocoa and chocolate!). Finally, we will travel to the Galapagos islands with their famous tortoise, marine iguana, penguins and sea turtles. You will have time to really get to know this world heritage site as we live and study at a research station on San Cristobal, then travel by boat to a number of the other islands for exploration. All the while you will have opportunities to learn, interact with the Ecuadorian people, and explore this wonderful country.