IES Abroad Quito – Area Studies & Language

Studying abroad in Quito, Ecuador, was the scariest, bravest and most adventurous experience of my life to date. Were there ups and downs? Of course, as there are to any situation. Yes, I felt scared to be a minority for the first time in my life as a Caucasian female in Latin America. Yes, it was difficult speaking almost entirely in a foreign language. But, amidst the nervous anxiety of living and studying in a foreign country, I was immersed in the acceptance and love exuding from my host family, friends and professors at IES. I felt safe and secure and incredibly brave. My days consisted of IES classes, my service-learning experience working with kids in an after-school program and horseback riding with my host brother and the other equestrian students. I came back from my semester abroad feeling confident in myself and in my Spanish-speaking abilities. I now claim fluency! Definitely a life-changing experience.

My semester studying abroad in Quito, Ecuador was a life changing experience. I had no idea what to expect going into my trip but somehow it still managed to surpass all of my expectations. Never had I imagined that I would travel with such ease around the humbly small country and see all the history, the green, the ocean. I was pleased to find the balance between school work and free time was just right in order to get the full study abroad experience. I was able to take classes both at my study abroad center to form long lasting friendships with my fellow exchange buddies, but also get the experience of attending classes at Universidad San Fransisco de Quito to mingle real time with local students. I was ecstatic to have the opportunity to take all of my classes in Spanish, this being the reason I chose a South American country, along with living with a host family where English was not offered. This pushed me to accomplish the immersive semester that I wanted filled with endless practice and both language and life lessons that will stick with me. I was able to form an incredible bond with my host family and never doubted my welcome or felt a lack of comfort and love from them.I feel incredibly blessed to have formed life-long relationships, gain invaluable skills and experiences for my future, all while traveling the breath taking bio-diversity that Ecuador has to offer. Not only can I say that I have traveled to “La Mitad del Mundo” (the center of the earth), but within only Ecuador itself I was able to visit the Amazon, The Galapagos Islands, La Laguna de Quilotoa (a lagoon inside of a volcano), all around the city of Quito, and much more. I am already planning a trip back because I feel lucky to say that I have found a second home within Ecuador.

My time studying in Ecuador was an enriching experience to say the least. I was able to grow personally, academically, professionally, as a world traveler, lifelong learner, and active member of today's society. I really appreciated the cultural immersion, in a culture that is much different than my own. I was able to do this through living with a host family, speaking as much Spanish as possible, and taking classes in another country. I had an amazing, life-changing experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.

I honestly wouldn't trade my study abroad experience for anything. I loved being a part of the IES family; I truly felt comfortable and cared for by not only my amazing host family, but by the staff members as well. I took classes at the IES program center and at USFQ, and also volunteered at a daycare for underprivileged children. I feel extremely lucky that IES provided the opportunity to travel to the Galapagos Islands and to the Amazon! In addition to those excursions, many weekends were spent travelling around other parts of Ecuador. However, Quito truly became my home during my time abroad. I made so many great friends and completely fell in love with Ecuador. I am already planning to visit again later this year!

I was lucky to be placed with a fantastic host family; have a great volunteer experience coaching a women's soccer team in a local community; and have some fantastic travel experiences. Ecuador is probably one of the most underrated countries to travel to/in! I had some great professors, most of whom also taught at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito. I also really enjoyed the time I had in between all of the travel and fun, to step back from my busy US life and re-prioritize my schedule - this chance to examine your life from afar is one that we're rarely presented with, and is one of the best parts of study abroad! I will add the caveat that many students experienced pick-pocketing and/or some verbal sexual harassment (machismo culture is still alive and well in many parts of the country), which I did not experience. This combined with being considered a minority for the first time in my life made me look at issues of race and gender in a new way, and in a way not really possible in the US. As long as you are aware of these issues, though, potentially-negative experiences are highly outweighed by the positive. I highly recommend the chance to explore this amazing country!

I learned so much during my time in Quito. Becoming a part of daily life in the city taught me more about how people live outside of the country than I could have ever imagined. On the other hand, I did not have the best host family experience. The accommodations were incredible but I had very high expectations of living with and becoming a part of a local family. Instead I lived with an older single woman and we hardly spent anytime together. My favorite part of my experience in Ecuador was the service learning internship I was able to do. I got to work side by side an Ecuadorian doctor in a private clinic for patients with disabilities. It was awesome to have the hands-on experience and be able to contribute something to the host country.