Where: Ecuador: Banos, Otavalo, Quito
When: MayMester Intersession, Summer
Curriculum Highlights: Global LEAD doesn’t merely transplant the American-style classroom to Ecuador – we transform your study abroad experience by focusing on out-of-the classroom experiential learning and lessons with tangible, real life application. Highlights: • Combine study abroad, international service and adventure into one unforgettable summer • Raft class III and IV whitewater rapids as you paddle down the Rio Napo • Serve and build friendships with impoverished youth through meaningful afterschool programs • Understand Ecuadorian culture through firsthand experiences with locals You begin your Ecuadorian adventure in colonial, yet modern Quito where you will experience the vibrant culture of this capital city and spend a week serving in an afterschool camp. From Quito, you will embark on a whirlwind adventure across the country including in the Amazon jungle, the hot springs of Pappallacta and the traditional Spanish haciendas (ranches). Action-packed days will be filled with adventures that push you out of your comfort zone and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to learn more about the culture and yourself. You are required to enroll in two courses offered exclusively for Global LEAD experiences through the University of Georgia, for a total of six hours of upper-level elective course credit. Leadership and the Arts and Sciences: 3 Credit Hours (upper-level elective) Service Learning and the Arts and Sciences: 3 Credit Hours (upper-level elective) Global LEAD is unique in our additional attention to the personal development of our students. Our personal development curriculum is designed to engage you wherever you are in life, expose you to new ideas and life-changing experiences and equip you with the tools to make a difference in your community and the world.
Overview: Why choose between studying abroad, an international service trip and a backpacking adventure when you can do all three with Global LEAD? Through our holistic philosophy, you will feel the rush of extreme adventures like whitewater rafting in the Amazone and serve the children of Quito all while learning about your personal leadership style in the context of spectacular Ecuador. We travel to Quito, Banos and Otavalo so you truly get to understand this unique culture.
Setting Description: The Ecuador experience will launch its inaugural program in 2012 with a compelling tour of this small but spectacular country. Affectionately known as the “authentic Costa Rica”, Ecuador brims with the same Spanish charms as its better known counterparts but without the crowds and watered down culture. You begin your adventure in colonial, yet modern Quito nestled 10,000 feet in the Andes Mountains, where you will experience the vibrant culture of this capital city and spend a week serving in a local community and afterschool camp. From Quito, you will embark on a whirlwind adventure across the country which will surely convince you of the diversity and grandeur of this South American gem. During your journey, you will explore the jungle deep in the Amazon Basin, the hot springs of Pappallacta and the traditional Spanish haciendas (ranches) of the open plain. Action-packed days will be filled with adventures that push you out of your comfort zone and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to learn more about the culture and yourself.
Program Value: The leadership and service learning courses, offered for six hours of upper-level elective credit, will emphasize the culture and natural surroundings of Ecuador. Both courses use an experiential learning philosophy to augment classroom instruction with the rich cultural surroundings. You actively participate in field trips and activities outside the classroom including touring the Middle of the World Museum and visiting indigenous communities. Additionally, Global LEAD’s personal development curriculum is designed to engage you wherever you are in life, expose you to new ideas and life-changing experiences and equip you with the tools to make a difference in your community and the world.
Program Cost: $4750
Subjects: Cultural and Regional Studies, General Studies, Humanities Subject, Leadership, Service Learning, Social Sciences