By: Erin Zehr
I'm spending my semester in Ecuador studying international development and Spanish! I'm living in the capital, Quito, with my wonderful host parents and host sister! They have really welcomed me into the whole extended family and I've loved going to family gatherings and running errands with them which helps me to get a good feel for culture and daily life. Recently, I even accompanied my family to vote and since voting is obligatory for everyone in Ecuador it was really interesting to see the huge turnout and the differences between election day in the United States. Living with a host family has definitely been one of the highlights of my experiences — even if there have been some pretty funny miscommunications with the language barrier. The first 2 months of the program consist of classes in international development, country analysis, and my specific track of social services. I've also been on 7 different trips around the country to visit schools, community groups and centers, businesses, and government offices. Soon, I will begin a 6 week internship with Misión Scalabriniana in Ibara, Ecuador which assists Colombian and Venezuelan refugees Other highlights of my trip include: climbing Rucu Pichincha which is a 4,696 meter (or 15,400 feet) tall inactive volcano, celebrating Carnaval at the beach, and staying with an indigenous community in San Clemente learning about their culture, use of medical plants, and history.
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