Life changing and once in a life time experience Past Review

By A student (Economics., Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/27/2013 to 05/11/2013 with

SIT Study Abroad: Ecuador - Comparative Ecology and Conservation

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I learned how to live up and do science research by myself in a foreign country. Most importantly, I was deeply touched and inspired by the professors here who cares about the environment deeply with their heart. To learn biology and conservation with these amazing people in Amazon and Galapagos? Of course it's so worthwhile!!

Review Photos

SIT Ecuador: Comparative Ecology & Conservation Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget? (1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	If I don't eat out or go shopping, it would be 0.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	The program will provide you money for any meals that are not covered by the program. Food is pretty cheap in here, but be careful with street food. You can get diarrhea.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program?	Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	Span 301
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants?	The best way is to communicate more with your family, because you will be speaking english all the time with other students from the program. Also, to be a volunteer for the summer would be the fastest way to improve your spanish.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Host Family
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Host Family
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Biology in the field Conservation from different perspectives The professors
* What could be improved?	More intense spanish More cultural involvement More jungle survive skills
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	How much hiking I would have to do during the program.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.	The Avid Adventurer The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Intensive Language Study: Spanish for the Natural Sciences
Course Department:	Spanish
Instructor:	Luis Alfonso
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	I was great to learn spanish in the country where you can hear and use it everywhere. We got to learn a lot of slang and daily used conversations, which are actually very different from what we learned just in class in the states.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Not yet

Course Name/Rating:	Comparative Tropical Ecology
Course Department:	Environmental Studies
Instructor:	Tatiana Santander, Javier Robayo
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	The best way to learn biology is to be in the field. We had most of our lessons in various forests in Ecuador, and had the most efficient and amazing learning experience.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Not yet

Course Name/Rating:	Conservation and Sustainability Practices in Ecuador
Course Department:	Environmental Studies
Instructor:	Xavier Silva
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	The course was actually taught by various instructors invited from NGOs. They are all very passionate and knowledgeable about their work, from where we got to listen from various perspectives about conservation in Ecuador.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Not yet

Course Name/Rating:	Environmental Research Methods and Ethics
Course Department:	Environmental Studies
Instructor:	Xavier Silva
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	The course was pretty basic. We learned several research methods in the field, of which I have learned most from classes in Middlebury already. I would suggest to add more methods that are specific to the ecosystems in Ecuador, or even some jungle surviving skills, since that is an important part for doing research in Ecuador as well.
Credit Transfer Issues:	It is not in the course database, so I don't know...

Course Name/Rating:	Independent Study Project
Course Department:	Independent Study
Instructor:	Javier Robayo
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	It was really really challenging for us. We were suddenly thrown into a situation where we had to deal with everything by ourselves. We did not receive much help from the advisor, so we had to basically design and apply our study all by our own. However, it turned out to be very successful. We not only learned how to do a science research by our selves, buy also learned how to be independent and walk up to the challenges.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Not yet