Ecuador

Each student has a unique and individual experience on their Experiment program. The following essay is a single glimpse into a program from one student's perspective.

Sivan Goobich -- Ecuador (ECA)

This past summer, I was faced with a decision that changed the way I view life. While I knew at the time that it was an important decision, I didn't know at the time that choosing to spend my summer abroad in Ecuador would be the best thing I've ever done. It's now been three weeks since I returned home from Ecuador, and I'm already making plans to return 'home' to my family and friends there.

Ecuador was not my first time abroad; it wasn't even my first Experiment program. I went to Costa Rica with the EIL previously and had an incredible time. I learned so much from that visit that I am surprised to say that I could have been changed so much this second time abroad. However, whereas Costa Rica was my introduction to the world of traveling and experiencing different culture, Ecuador was an advanced level of this. I went into the program wanting to completely integrate into my host culture- by the end of my homestay I had accomplished this goal.

I was lucky to have an unbelievably welcoming host family and by the second day of my homestay I felt as if I had lived in the town of Riobamba for much longer than twenty-four hours. I spent every second of my 3 week homestay trying to absorb as much of Ecuadorian life as I could - I gave up on thinking like an American (as best I could). This enabled me to experience so much more than an average traveler would. My host sister, Gaby- exactly two weeks my senior- and I bonded quickly, spending almost every minute of the three weeks together. Being a member of her group of friends allowed me to experience the actual life of a teenager in Ecuador. I learned a lot about the cultural similarities and differences, but in a way that was very fun and enjoyable. We spent our days visiting family, cooking, and shopping at the Indian markets, and our nights going to concerts or watching movies with friends- such a blend of things that are both ordinary and extraordinary to me. I also went on a three day vacation with my sister and two friends to the capital, where we both learned a lot about the history of Quito but also spent time meeting new people. I honestly don't think there was a moment where I wasn't happy - whether I was learning to dance merengue in my living room or visiting the carbonera for a late night snack of papas fritas. I made so many strong relationships during my three weeks in Riobamba and met many different types of people- who would have known a year ago that I could feel completely at home in a small city in the Andes mountains?

While I stress the homestay as the most important and influential part of my trip to Ecuador, my group and our ecological journeys did in fact play a key role in my experiences. I had an amazing group of 12 students- eleven Americans from 9 different states and one Irish student. While I was learning about Ecuadorian culture, I also gained insight into how different and unique the States are, and that Ireland is not all about leprechauns and St. Patrick. The trips to the Galapagos and Amazon rainforest forced me to realize that the world is not, in fact, centered on the human race. It was a humbling but important lesson. I loved seeing so many unique animals in a habitat that is protected for them- I sincerely hope that it will forever be this way.

Ecuador has made me more aware of myself and the world around me. It changed my perceptions about South America- it taught me to avoid preconceptions entirely. Another important benefit was how much my Spanish improved. None of my family members or friends spoke English, so I soon figured out that if I wanted to be heard, I had better improve my speaking skills. Of course I didn't become fluent in 5 weeks, but I'm pretty sure that people could understand me most of the time. In fact, Spanish has become so ingrained that I've started speaking it here in the States- and not always on purpose. There are times where I think I'm speaking English but the words come out in Spanish!

So I would just like to say thank you for enabling me to have this incredible opportunity. I never will forget this summer and what I learned in Ecuador. It truly was the best five weeks of my entire life.