SIT Study Abroad: Ecuador: Compar. Ecology and Conservation

I was very hesitant about leaving my college and missing out on a semester, but I'm so glad I made this choice! This program is an amazing combination of hands-on environmental science and ecology fieldwork, program-organized travel to all major ecoregions (that wouldn't be accessible to typical tourists), exposure to very different styles of life and groups of people, and experiencing Ecuador through living with host families and exploration with other students in the program. The excursion...

Prior to the program, I realized I didn't love learning as much as I used to. I hoped this program would remedy that...and boy did it deliver! Our classes were purposeful, but engaging. Excursions were the highlight, and classes during these portions consisted of long, leisurely hikes or snorkeling multiple times a day. Learning was fun. Our more traditional classes in the city were also engaging, with many breakouts into small-groups or with guest lecturers from a variety of fields. This pro...

This program allowed me to get to know Ecuador in the best way possible. As a group, the 23 other US students and I traveled with our professors to many beautiful places in Ecuador, some of which would not be accessible to me as a regular tourist. I learned about important environmental issues while visiting some of the most biodiverse places in the world. I also made amazing friends who share my passions and values, both from Ecuador and the US, who I have been staying in contact with even afte...