I absolutely loved this program. It's so cliché to say, but it really was a life-changing experience for me. I found the academics to be extremely stimulating, but the outside-the-classroom workload was reasonable, which left plenty of time to explore

the country. I was especially impressed with how the coursework was accessible to everyone, regardless of Spanish-speaking ability. We had a wide range in our cohort, from native speakers to total newbies, but somehow everyone seemed to feel comfortable and appropriately challenged. As others have noted here, the excursions to the Amazon, Galapagos, and Intag cloud forest were absolutely amazing, in terms of both the ecological and cultural diversity that we had the opportunity to engage with. Our cohort was larger-than-average, with about 24 students, but we were very close. I think everyone felt that they had a solid group of friends to go out and explore the country with. Faba and Sofia were are just the best, very supportive but not at all helicopter-y. The class discussion was very open-ended, with wide variety of viewpoints, as we had students of a variety of nationalities. This was sometimes challenging and very intellectually engaging. My homestay experiences were both excellent, as most or all of the homestay families have long-standing relationships with the program directors and have lots of prior experience hosting foreign students. For me, the most impactful part of the program was the Independent Study Project (ISP). For this project, we were allowed to stay just about anywhere in the country for four weeks, and work on a research project of our own design. However, we had to partner with a community organization in our project location, and the program directors have relationships with organizations all over, so no one had to be truly "out on their own" if they didn't want to be. I chose to work with a social movement that was protesting state-sponsored mining in the Intag cloud forest. I had such a good experience, and built such strong relationships with community members there, that when I got back to my university in the US, I immediately started working on a way to go back. Ultimately, I assembled a student team, and we were awarded over $20,000 in funding to return to Intag. So, I spent three more months in Ecuador supporting the work of multiple community organizations after graduating from UVA in 2019. I stayed with the same homestay family that I had met in 2018, and I am still in touch with them today. So, I would say that the was not only a great way to forge long-lasting relationships with local people, it also went a long way towards advancing my young career. As soon as it is safe, I can't wait to go back!

My experience in SIT program Ecuador: Development, Politics, and Languages was profoundly moving and not simply because I was able to have once-in-a-lifetime experiences like snorkeling in the Galápagos and hiking through the Amazon rainforest, but also

because of the incredibly strong connections I built with the people of Ecuador. I was fortunate to have amazing host family that supported me throughout the entire program and significantly incorporated me into their family dynamic. The bonds that I made with them will continue for my whole life, I'm sure of it. An absolutely outstanding element of this program is the ISP (Independent Study Project) at the very end of the program. I decided to stay in Quito and work with one of the foremost LGBTQIA organizations of Ecuador. I worked on a fundraising project for about four weeks and learned the ins and outs of non-profit work. Throughout this ISP experience, I was able to share my own personal experiences with my Ecuadorian coworkers which helped me to understand my own personal position and helped me to start asking questions about who I am and where I come from. The SIT Ecuador: Development, Politics, and Languages program seems to have affected me in a way that I don't think any other program would. Every single moment of the experience was instructive and just so richly gratifying. I can honestly and truthfully say that this program changed the way I think and will continue to do so as I move on through my academic and professional career.

My experience abroad in Ecuador was by far the best part of my academic experience thus far. Applying our studies to experiences in different communities and landscapes in Ecuador helped me to draw a deeper emotional connection to my academics. For example,

while learning about developmental paradigms in Ecuador, I had a rural homestay with a family who had been part of a movement against copper mining in the Intag cloud forest region of Ecuador. Over dinner, they would tell me detailed stories of the risks and rewards involved in trying to prevent exploitation and how they were creating a sustainable economy through art. I also loved the ISP portion of this program. I volunteered with an organization called Uniendo Fuerzas Formamos Futuro (UFFF) on Isabela of the Galápagos which does holistic education programs (i.e., theater, dance, acrobatics) for kids and English classes for kids and adults on the island. I investigated how holistic education addresses real themes/problems in people's day to day lives, such as gender, the environment, and cultural practices.

My experience with SIT Study Abroad in Ecuador was full of meeting wonderful people, learning lots and seeing beautiful landscapes. The program director and assistant do a wonderful job of ensuring that we, the students, are taken care of and that we

have a supportive learning environment throughout the duration of the program. The courses that we take are well complimented by relevant excursions during the entirety of the program and the independent study program (ISP) allows students the opportunity to develop learning skills in an experiential setting!