This non-profit study trip of 9 days in-country is open to Elizabethtown College students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The cost is $2000 per person, based on the minimum number of 10 persons plus the trip leader. Only the international airport departure tax in Quito, about $25 apiece, is not included. Maximum size of the group is 20, counting the leader. Home stays with Ecuadorian families (3 nights) are a popular feature of the trip. The themes are Ecuadorian society, the indigenous population, and the biodiversity of the Andes. One academic credit is available to students, with a short paper on a topic related to this cross-cultural, experiential learning study-travel. (Tuition cost, if necessary, is not included in the trip price.) It is not necessary to know Spanish, but there will be plenty of opportunity to practice if you do. Arrangements are made through the Ecuadorian Experiment in International Living, Quito. Our EIL group leader is Myriam Flor.

Sponsoring Professor:
Dr. Wayne Selcher, Department of Political Science (e-mail: selchewa@etown.edu)

Ecuador is the size of Colorado, with a population the size of Pennsylvania's. There are 18 different indigenous groups, making up about 45% of the population. Their common language is Quichua, the Ecuadorian dialect of Quechua or Runasimi, the language of the Incas, now the main Indian language of the Andes and the most widely spoken indigenous language in the entire Western Hemisphere. We will be focusing especially on the indigenous population during the trip. On quality of life measures, such as the United Nations Development Program's Human Development Index, Ecuador scores near the average for all the countries of the world. Ecuador is located on the Equator, which crosses slightly north of Quito, the second-highest national capital city in the world. Climate varies with elevation, from quite tropical at sea level and in the Amazon to the near-Arctic conditions of the high altitude páramo. We will be at elevations from about 7200 to 13,500 feet above sea level and will observe many different microclimates. Beautiful scenery and ethnic diversity, with the hospitality of home stays, make this an unusual trip that will show you different perspectives than what you are accustomed to in the United States or know from previous trips outside the Andes.

Friday, March 2               Departure by Executive Coach bus from Elizabethtown College, about 7:00 a.m.,
                                           to the Newark Airport
                                           Leave for Miami on American Airlines Flight 2497 at 12:05 p.m.
                                           Leave Miami for Quito on American Flight  967 at 5:05 p.m.
                                           Arrive in Quito at 9:05 p.m.
                                           Host families will pick up participants at the Quito airport

Saturday, March 3          09:00  at EIL: Program introduction and cross-cultural orientation
                                          11:00  at EIL: Introduction to Ecuadorian grassroots socio- political movements
                                           and organizations
                                          12:30  Lunch with host families (host families may want to pick you up for lunch and
                                           bring you back for afternoon session)
                                          15:30 at EIL: Introduction to the history and current situation of Ecuador
                                          Overnight in Quito with host families

Sunday, March 4             All day and activities with host families
                                           Overnight in Quito with host families

Monday, March 5            08:30 Families will bring participants to EIL office, thus ending the home stay period
                                          09:00   Field trip to Antisana Volcano National Park  (high-altitude páramo) and lunch
                                          at Antisana
                                          PM  Back to Quito
                                          18:00  Dinner
                                          20:00  Chiva Quiteña  (banda del pueblo, a festive  ride in an open- air  trolley to
                                            the colonial section of Quito, with band playing typical local  music)
                                          Overnight in hotel in Quito

Tuesday, March 6            08:00  Breakfast
                                           09:00 Depart by bus for Bellavista cloud forest reserve
                                           Lunch in Bellavista
                                           14:00 Introduction to ecosystem in Bellavista area during short trek on the reserve
                                           19:00 Dinner
                                           Overnight in Bellavista

Wednesday, March 7        08:00  Breakfast
                                            All morning guided trek to observe flora and fauna
                                            13:00  Lunch
                                            15:00  Depart by bus for Quito
                                            17:00  Settle in hotel in Quito
                                            18:00  Dinner
                                            19:00  National Folkloric Ballet Jacchigua ( National Folklore Ballet with
                                             indigenous themes)
                                            Overnight in hotel in Quito

Thursday, March 8            07:00  Breakfast
                                            08:00  Depart for San Clemente Indian Community on the slopes of Mt. Imbabura
                                            10:00  Activities in the community, visit to the community school
                                            13:00  Lunch at the community
                                            15:00  Planned activities
                                            19:00  Dinner
                                            20:00  Presentation of dance group and folkloric music group
                                            Overnight in the San Clemente Indian Community

Friday, March 9                 08:30   Breakfast
                                            09:30  Departure to Ilumán, center for traditional medicine
                                            Observation of indigenous medical treatment with medicine man (shaman)
                                            12:30   Depart for Hacienda Guachalá, one of the oldest and most famous estates
                                            in Ecuador
                                            Lunch at Hacienda Guachalá
                                            PM Visit to Quito Loma archeological site with pre-Inca ruins
                                            Dinner at the Hacienda Guachalá
                                            Brief history of Hacienda Guachalá, built in 16th century, as told by the owner,
                                            Diego Bonifaz
                                            Overnight in Hacienda Guachalá

Saturday, March 10          07:00   Breakfast
                                            08:00   Depart for Otavalo
                                            10:00   Visit famous traditional Indian crafts market in Otavalo
                                            12:30   Lunch in Otavalo
                                            15:00   2 to 3 hours trail biking in the Otavalo area
                                            Dinner and overnight at the Hacienda Guachalá

Sunday, March 11              08:00  Breakfast
                                             09:00  Time in Guachalá for horseback riding or walking
                                             11:45  Depart for  Hacienda Chorlaví
                                             13:00  Lunch at  Hacienda Chorlaví with music and folk dancing
                                             15:30  Return to Quito
                                             19:30  Farewell dinner with host families

Monday, March 12            Early morning transfer from hotel to Quito airport and departure
                                             for the U.S. on American Airlines Flight 932 to Miami at 7:00 a.m.
                                             Leave Miami on American Airlines Flight 1714 at 1:51 p.m.
                                             Arrive in Newark at 4:57 p.m.
                                             Evening arrival by Executive Coach bus at Elizabethtown College, about 8:30 p.m.