and Languages : Testimonials (Galapagos Islands)
The following program testimonial responses have been selected for publication by Office of International Programs
We want to hear about your experience!
Why did you choose this program?
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I chose SIT Ecuador: Culture and Development because it sounded like it would give me the opportunity to really integrate into Ecuadorian society. I was interested in the idea of living in both an urban and a suburban setting, and the independent study project aspect of the program really appealed to me. Considering all of this, I concluded that I would get a lot of Spanish practice, which was my main goal.
— Lisa Morris, Fall 2011 |
What was your favorite aspect of this program?
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My favorite aspect of the program was the independent study project. We got to choose whatever we wanted, wherever we wanted. I chose to conduct my study in a rural village on the coast of Ecuador where I studied the production of tagua, the seed of a particular type of palm tree grown in the humid forests along the coast of Ecuador. I was able to spend time with eight different artisans over the course of three weeks and I had a unique inside look at their lives. My Spanish improved immensely during this time because I was separated from the other Americans in my program and, since the village is located five kilometers inland and is surrounded by mountains, I received limited cell phone signal and internet. It was extremely humbling to experience a simpler way of life.
— Lisa Morris, Fall 2011 |
What was your housing situation like?
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I had four different homestays. My first homestay was for a month in the valley of Los Chillos, about forty minutes from Quito. I had a host mom and dad and a host brother and sister. I got really close to this family and my host sister and I became good friends. My second homestay was in the city of Quito for a month. Here I had a host mom and dad, a host brother, and two other Ecuadorian students staying with the family to attend a nearby university. My third homestay was for five days on the coast in a bread shop in a small town called Cadeate where I conducted a village study and made bread with the family every morning. My last homestay was for a month, also on the coast, in a small artisan village called Sitio Nuevo. Here I worked with artisans every day, helping them with their orders, learning from them, and talking to them.
— Lisa Morris, Fall 2011 |
What was your favorite class and why?
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The independent study project is considered a class, however untraditional, so I'd have to say this was my favorite. But considering the traditional classes, my favorite was the intensive Spanish course at the beginning because I just love learning about the grammar and structure of languages. It was five hours of Spanish every day for a month!
— Lisa Morris, Fall 2011 |
What did you gain from studying abroad?
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What didn't I gain from studying abroad? Independence, fluidity in Spanish, a greater hispanic cultural understanding, perspective, the knowledge of how to organize and conduct an independent study project...I gained a lot more than I expected I would, even though everyone always told me I could get a lot out of a semester abroad.
— Lisa Morris, Fall 2011 |