IES Abroad Galápagos Islands Direct Enrollment – GAIAS

The week spent in the rainforest is my most memorable experience. How many people can say that they lived eight hours deep into the rainforest for a week? I had always wanted to visit the Galapagos because of my major (Biology) and the influence of Charles Darwin. This experience was a dream come true! My host family in Quito was amazing, even though I only stayed with them for a month. I don't speak much Spanish and they spoke English and made my experience wonderful. My host family on the islands was wonderful, as well, but I didn't have the same connection because of the language barrier. I would stay with each family again, no question.

The IES Galápagos program is awesome! The courses were very interesting, especially since we could walk outside to see what we were learning about. I had wonderful homestays, and I still keep in contact with my host families. IES finds great families. The center staff really look out for the safety of their students and are always willing to help with anything you need.

I would do this program again in a heartbeat. I loved every second of the excursions to the Paramo, the Rainforest, and the Cloud Forest while on the mainland, and the island trips when staying in the Galapagos for three months. There is nothing better than having class in the morning and going straight out to the beach for the rest of the day right outside of the university! I think about this trip every day and wish I could go back! Program Administration: Some disorganization when actually in Ecuador, but it's more because of the culture than anything. The representatives in Quito were so wonderful.